The Exploited -- Horror Epics

  Mega angry hardcore punk one trick pony The Exploited's fourth studio release.  These guys are known to be anti ... well, everything ... hippies, cops, rumoured to potentially be racist, the list goes on and on ... But I'm not buying it!  Take away the screaming anger, the album, lyrically, focuses on starvation of the third world, hence the term Horror Epics.  Who knew that a group with one of the worst raps had such global concerns??   Musically this record is terrible, constant shouting, cookie cutter guitar riffs and horrible robotic drumming!  My Life and title track Horror Epics make up for some of the rubbish, both are the same and are very unique.  The pair have, tribal style drums, psychedelic guitar noise, Pink Floydian Let There Be More Light style bass riffs, and even the horrendous screaming helps the dark, desolate, desperate atmosphere ... come to think of it, global concerns and Psyched-out music kinda sounds like a bunch of hippies to me -- just don't tell them that!

Footnote: why is there only one guy in the horror get up?

Sweet -- Desolation Boulevard

 Poseur Glam rock Ballroom Blitzer's classic album Desolation Boulevard is the only Sweet album worth getting, but still it's not any good.  Some of the hits like Fox On The Run and Ballroom are fun party tunes, but I can't take this music seriously, it feels like a bubblegum pop joke, which I heard they started out as.  The only song with a hint of originality is AC DC, it reminds me of the heavier side of Mott the Hoople and Slade.  I wonder if it inspired a certain group's band name??  Other than that, I don't care much for Sweet, it just sounds like a cash grab, but if there's one to get, this album is the boulevard to rock on -- no wonder it's so desolate ... maybe just watch Wayne's World instead!

Otis Redding -- Live In Europe

  Backed by Booker T. & the MG's on this Redding classic live album.  For starters the sound isn't the best and the song tempos are off, but who the hell cares this live album is great!!  All the hits are represented here.  The wild raw energy of the concert comes out beautifully, loud horns, fast pace and the tremendous voice.  What a show it must have been!!  Otis's energy was at a all time high, coming off the buzz of showing the psychedelic generation who's still the boss at the Monterey Pop Festival.  Unfortunately this record was the last release before Redding's death in a plane crash, but it's a great end to a great soul man's superb career, so show him some RESPECT!  Deh-Nah-Neh-Nah-Neh!

The Troggs -- Wild Thing

  Hidden deep within the caverns of garage rock, the Troggs crawl their way out to show the world what Punk Rock is all about!  First let's get the crap out of the way, we all know these guys for the mega hit Wild Thing, yeah yeah who cares, it's pretty much Louie Louie with different words!   The rest of the album is a mix of 60's camp and baroque-ish numbers.  But the juicy meat of this record lays on two tracks I Want You and From Home.  I Want You is definitely highly regarded in Detroit, cause, the MC5 covered it, and the Stooges swipe the screaming blues guitar solo sound ... The Troggs didn't last long, they had a couple big time hits, but their obscure stuff went on to influence groups who changed the face of music, so in fact, these dudes are in that weird 1966 punk club, developing a sound that wouldn't surface entirely for another decade.

Aretha Franklin -- Aretha Arrives

  Aretha Arrives is mostly a collection of cover songs from, the Stones, to Willie Nelson, even ? and the Mysterians, with a couple of traditional blues numbers and a tune written by her baby sister Carolyn.  What's most interesting is how she can take any song and totally Aretharize it.  The only chart topper and closing track on this record is the cool smooth Baby I Love you, as the record ends you kinda wish there were more songs like this one up ahead, but Aretha Arrives too late!

Elton John -- Tumbleweed Connection

  Personally regarded as Elton John's greatest effort, it might not have any killer hits, but all round as an album, it beats the rest.  Western culture influenced, conceptual, ode to Americana, with brief interludes of his usual Stonesy Stewart sound.  Come Down In Time and Love Song stick out, for being the most original.  Both numbers are prettily arranged slow vocal tracks.  Fun fact, Love Song is a cover tune, written by Lesley Duncan, yeah yeah who the hell is that, she sings background on this record, but previously released the song under her own name, and before that, she sang background for Dusty Springfield, who sings background on this record too!  I'm gonna get my six shooter and look around for a Tumbleweed Connection.

Bob Dylan -- Blonde On Blonde

  Blonde On Blonde the super classic.   The year was 1966, a time when the scene had shifted towards psychedelic music experimentation, Dylan took a trailblazing step ahead and pulls out a bluesy Americana double LP.  I wonder how this one fit in with your collection of that year's releases such as Pet Sounds and Revolver, maybe even some 60's psych punk, and then we have this pure American Rock 'n' Roll record.   Zimmy's contemporaries only started playing this style of music by 1968, as a sorta, "forget that psychedelic crap," type of protest, I guess Dylan had that in mind from its early conception.

  I do like this album, but there's an aspect about it that I can't stand.  The sound, lyrics and music give off a head inflated rockstar vibe and Dylan's voice sounds like he's parodying himself.  I found the first two sides kinda weak, although Visions Of Johanna did provide some interesting elements especially with the drum beat.  The third side redeems itself, it hits the mark just like his previous efforts ... back to back juxtaposing tracks closing the third side, 4th Time Around a lush relaxed mooder and Obviously 5 Believers a loud Stonesy rocker, steal the whole show!  I almost thought wow maybe I judged this record too soon, but then the harsh, long, droningly boring fourth side, 11 minute track Sad Eyed Lady Of The Lowlands reminded and exaggerated everything I hated about the two first sides ... I remembered that I usually turn this track off or not play it at all, maybe this could have been my first sit through this entire number, I'm not entirely sure.

  It might not sound like it, but I still think Blonde On Blonde is a great album, but do I play it as much as Highway 61 ... f*ck no ...  but I do love the fact that Dylan always has surprises up his sleeve, the industry goes one way, Dylan goes the other, maybe he was parodying himself after all??  Having a joke to all the groups he influenced, they start to keep up, he banks left, now they all have to follow the leader all over again!