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

[RobMCFC]

I can’t give this album a 10, as much as I’d like to, for the simple reason that to my taste and to my ears, where they went afterwards with Signals and then Permanent Waves, was even better. I have these three albums from Moving Pictures onwards

Permanent Waves came a year before Moving Pictures. Maybe you bought stuff out of order like me!

 

[mancity1]

And I completely understand why. I loved the earlier description of Rush fans as Trekkies. I’m not a Trekkie nor do I listen to much Rush any more nor anything after Power Windows at any rate, so I think they were a “phase” (“phaser”???) for me but a super important one, and this is by far the record I return to more than any other of theirs (and I own everything between their first and PW).

It’s funny about Working Man as that was very early on when they were basically Led Zep clones and before Peart joined to inject both his drums and his interest in swords and sorcery.

My wife was a huge Deadhead long ago but she’s outgrown it basically. I never got into the scene at all and apart from maybe a half a dozen tunes I don’t cotton to them. Also I am nothing like a hippie :). That said, I think I mentioned that I read a piece that described them as America’s Greatest Ever Band, which might be a thread unto itself. It’s easy in the UK since it produced the greatest band (and probably a goodly number of the contenders), and it’s likely Rush in Canada but who is it in the US? The Beach Boys? Creedence? Springsteen and the ESB? It’s definitely a conversation. In Australia is AC/DC the odds-on (and do they even count since they’re Scottish??)? Or someone else? Anyway — for another time.

Interesting you mention Rush and Led Zep in the same sentence as its IMO and that connection which is not obvious to everyone and I cannot figure out why in their early years as you say before Peart that I thought they had some stuff worth listening to but the imitation attempt particularly in the arrangement to mirror John Paul Jones to me bordered on pathetic because they failed IMO to reproduce it in their own guise and style.

Its the Led Zepp flavour that is why my nephew chose Working Man.

We speak a little about production and rightly so but something that doesn't get much credence is arrangement and IMO John Paul Jones is in the top ten I know , he would have in his element in the era of classical and chamber music.

John Paul Jones was the real brains behind Led Zep and its easy to forget with the line up he formed Led Zep with Jimmy Page with Robert Plant and John Bonzo after thoughts.

Some of his work pre Led Zep is simply mindblowing.

His work with Josh Homme ( yes Josh Homme ) is out of this world.

You raise suggestions that should be explored at some stage and I am pleased you mention OZ despite much of the early bands in the rock era and their roots from the UK Scotland and even NZ.

Yes great conversation pieces for both Australia and the US IMO , the flavour would focus on US and rightly so first given the mix of posters on this thread but I would enjoy a conversation piece regarding Australia as I think for one your knowledge and appreciation of Australian bands that is the ones worth listening two and their are some relatively unknown gems especially in the early years goes way beyond AC /DC and for what its worth while world wide they have great appeal ( one of the few bands who have stayed the course with a signature sound they have stayed true to for 2 lead singers and 44 plus years and still stay largely relevant ( could you imagine them belting out a ballad ).

 

[mancity2012_eamo]

If I was voting, I would, these days, give Moving Pictures a 10 but I would also give Signals 10 too. I thought about reviewing Signals, which might be my favourite Rush studio album but is not what I would claim to be their best.

My favourite Rush album is "All The World's A Stage" and that is very special to me but it's a live album...

Did I say Exit Stage Left?
Schoolboy error.
I meant All The World’s a Stage. That really peaked my interest back then.

 

[mancity2012_eamo]

Permanent Waves came a year before Moving Pictures. Maybe you bought stuff out of order like me!

No I’m not reading back what I wrote. A couple of mistakes there now. The three I have on rotation are Moving Pictures, Signals snd Grace under Pressure.
In that order.
Permanent Waves is good but only a signal of what was to come, where they were going, in my view.

Edit:
I’ve read back and edited my original post. Now I’m off to walk the dog.

 

[OB1]

Interesting you mention Rush and Led Zep in the same sentence as its IMO and that connection which is not obvious to everyone and I cannot figure out why in their early years as you say before Peart that I thought they had some stuff worth listening to but the imitation attempt particularly in the arrangement to mirror John Paul Jones to me bordered on pathetic because they failed IMO to reproduce it in their own guise and style.

Its the Led Zepp flavour that is why my nephew chose Working Man.

We speak a little about production and rightly so but something that doesn't get much credence is arrangement and IMO John Paul Jones is in the top ten I know , he would have in his element in the era of classical and chamber music.

John Paul Jones was the real brains behind Led Zep and its easy to forget with the line up he formed Led Zep with Jimmy Page with Robert Plant and John Bonzo after thoughts.

Some of his work pre Led Zep is simply mindblowing.

His work with Josh Homme ( yes Josh Homme ) is out of this world.

You raise suggestions that should be explored at some stage and I am pleased you mention OZ despite much of the early bands in the rock era and their roots from the UK Scotland and even NZ.

Yes great conversation pieces for both Australia and the US IMO , the flavour would focus on US and rightly so first given the mix of posters on this thread but I would enjoy a conversation piece regarding Australia as I think for one your knowledge and appreciation of Australian bands that is the ones worth listening two and their are some relatively unknown gems especially in the early years goes way beyond AC /DC and for what its worth while world wide they have great appeal ( one of the few bands who have stayed the course with a signature sound they have stayed true to for 2 lead singers and 44 plus years and still stay largely relevant ( could you imagine them belting out a ballad ).

I think it's a bit of a stretch to say that JPJ is the real brains behind Led Zep but fair to say that his contribution and ability does not get the acknowledgement that it deserves: he's kind of like their Rodri.

 

[Protein Junkie]

Moving Pictures.
This was eagerly anticipated follow up to Permanent Waves. The latter having signalled a distinct change of sound from Rush especially on Spirit of Radio.

For me , the three piece had musically cornered themselves with Hemispheres and needed a new direction.

I think Moving Pictures is an album of two halves. Tom Sawyer and Red Barchetta are two fan favourites with YYZ and Limelight not far behind.

Side two is not so commercial and with the hard act of tracks 1-4 to follow I do t play them so much.

Controversially this was the last album with me as a big fan. I lost interest with Signals although Power Windows was a return to form thereafter.

 

[BlueHammer85]

Nothing on this comes close to 'Spirit of Radio'

 

[OB1]

Nothing on this comes close to 'Spirit of Radio'

5 million Rush fans shake their heads slowly in disbelief.

 

[FogBlueInSanFran]

Nothing on this comes close to 'Spirit of Radio'

I can appreciate this view. Personally I like Tom Sawyer best of all the tunes they did, but SOR is a close 2nd. Then La Villa Strangiato 3rd.

 

[BlueHammer85]

I can appreciate this view. Personally I like Tom Sawyer best of all the tunes they did, but SOR is a close 2nd. Then La Villa Strangiato 3rd.

I’m struggling with Tom Sawyer - listening to it over and over and it’s just not sticking.
I want to like this.