The Album Review Club - Week #147 - (page 1942) - Blonde On Blonde - Bob Dylan

[OB1]

Wow can't believe you said that.
His work in King Crimson and Earthworks is the best Rock drumming I've ever heard.
There's no doubting it's him.
Even just on Yes...Heart of the Sunrise.

His drumming is very good but it doesn't catch my attention the same way as people like Peart, Bonham and Moon. His technique may be better, I'm a music fan not a musician but in Yes Anderson, Squire, Howe and Wakeman are what I hear first. That's not necessarily a bad thing. Bruford thought he was too good for Yes though.

 

[OB1]

The drummer and base are as good a unit as I have heard in a while. Really up there with what I would consider as the best in rock. Need to listen more to the guitar - he is clearly technically good. I’m not getting his own sound though. More a pastiche of others. If I listen to Hendrix, Hackett, Page, Gallagher, Clapton I can normally spot them a mile off. With Lifeson I’m not getting that. Maybe it’s because I’m relatively unfamiliar with his work. It’s an intriguing pick though mate.

I find Lifeson's style quite distinctive. Again, I'm not a musician and not sure how to decribe it but it has a lot to do with his rhythm work; he also has a recognisable guitar sound.

 

[bennyboy]

First track and I thought maybe just maybe this could be okay.
The good,quite liked the base playing.
The bad The rest of the lp after the first track.
Very samey and vocals that annoyed me.
Another Rush song came on on my Spotify after the last song finished.Spirit of the radio.Sounded no different.
Then a Yes track that was shite as well.
Stop button on.
1 listen enough.
Hope there is not another Rush album nominated.Just not for me are Rush.
Might not be as generous next time.2/10

 

[FogBlueInSanFran]

His drumming is very good but it doesn't catch my attention the same way as people like Peart, Bonham and Moon. His technique may be better, I'm a music fan not a musician but in Yes Anderson, Squire, Howe and Wakeman are what I hear first. That's not necessarily a bad thing. Bruford thought he was too good for Yes though.

I see your point on Bruford not catching your attention, but it also really depends on the song and as @Bill Walker points out, it shines on "Heart of the Sunrise". In some cases Bruford is more understated though oftentimes even so his rhythms are exceedingly complex.

Another drummer I'd say is very underrated -- Copeland of The Police. He's excellent.

Bill, by the way, Fragile is not on the list of Larkin's top 1000 -- you should nominate it :)

 

[OB1]

I see your point on Bruford not catching your attention, but it also really depends on the song and as @Bill Walker points out, it shines on "Heart of the Sunrise". In some cases Bruford is more understated though oftentimes even so his rhythms are exceedingly complex.

Another drummer I'd say is very underrated -- Copeland of The Police. He's excellent.

Bill, by the way, Fragile is not on the list of Larkin's top 1000 -- you should nominate it :)

Copeland was the star of the show on the last Police tour. One of the most memorable performances by a drummer I've seen.

 

[BimboBob]

I've broken with a long standing tradition with this album. It got 4 listens. 1 with headphones, one after a few scotches and 2 "normal" ones.

I'm sticking to my mid-assessment.

Technically great but there appears to be a lack of anything regarding emotion. The leader "singer" shouldn't really be singing, if you can call it that, my old man used to call it caterwauling. It's 7 songs of expert playing with very little soul. The whole album appears to be a great big "listen to us, we are masters of our playing craft." Which would be all fine and dandy if the songs actually stood up to be counted as songs. They don't. They all follow the same routine, caterwauling, drums (expert), guitar (very good) etc etc...before ending. We shall gloss over the lyrics which are very "proggy" and apart from Red Barchetta are without meaning or nonsense.

It would appear the band exist to promote their excellent skills.

2/10

 

[Saddleworth2]

I see your point on Bruford not catching your attention, but it also really depends on the song and as @Bill Walker points out, it shines on "Heart of the Sunrise". In some cases Bruford is more understated though oftentimes even so his rhythms are exceedingly complex.

Another drummer I'd say is very underrated -- Copeland of The Police. He's excellent.

Bill, by the way, Fragile is not on the list of Larkin's top 1000 -- you should nominate it :)

It’s a little inconsistent (Fragile). Bruford feels to me almost like a jazz drummer his touch is so subtle. Heart of the Sunrise is one of my favourite Yes tracks and is awesome live. Stuart Copeland is unusual but was the best bit of Police.

 

[journolud]

I don’t think I’m musically educated enough to comment on the expertise or otherwise of musicians so I’ll take the words of others that Rush are individually very proficient at their crafts.

I know what I like though and that includes Genesis to a large degree and Yes up to a point. I get that some don’t bracket Rush in with them but for my purposes and of what I know of them they are from the same broad genre.

I listened to this once so far on the train home from London. I remembered I’d heard it before and actually saw Rush around the time of this album or it’s predecessor Permanent Waves, in the days I used to go along to concerts with my brother for the sake of it.

I realise they have a pretty extensive back catalogue and it sounds from Fog’s review that these two albums in particular marked a shift in their sound. I doubt I’ll be exploring too far but first impressions is that there is nothing wrong with this album if you like this sort of thing, which in small doses I do. Will have to listen to it more before giving a more considered opinion but didn’t mind it as we sped through Milton Keynes and Rugby and Nuneaton, or places like that

 

[mikeyboy]

What a record Moving Picrures is. The highest peak of many from an alll time great band.
Something just clicked on this record where the stars aligned with the songwriting and musicianship in Rush's career.
Evey song is a classic and side one has to go down as one of the best set of songs by any band imo.
Still sounds amazing today and if anyone hasn't got the 40th anniversary just released, get it even if you already have the original, if only for the live album which is far better than exit stage left to these ears.
10/10

 

[southamptonblue]

Oh oh oh -- Moving Pictures -- Rush!

I should have gotten that earlier. Jeez! Ron Howard of course directed Rush. That's the building they shot the cover at.

This will be the easiest review ever to write as I'd bet this is in the top 5 of records I've listened to most in my life, albeit 95% of those listens were in 1981 and 1982.

Easiest review for me too....one of my fav bands and albums ever ;)