Category: Album Reviews

Posted in Album Reviews

Black Sabbath – Black Sabbath (1970)

Posted on by Michael

The first sounds heard on Black Sabbath’s 1970 debut album is rain and church bells. The opening title track is an ominous song, full of doom and dread about a figure dressed in black standing in front of the person, it’s a terror as Ozzy Osbourne screams, “OH NO…”.  A new sound was born with that song, one that would influence thousands of other bands. 

Short, clipped Ozzy vocals punctuate the chorus on the harmonica driven “The Wizard”. A heavy, bluesy groove envelopes the standalone track “Wicked World” where Ozzy sings, “people go to work just to earn their bread/While people just across the sea are couniting their dead”.  On the North American release, several tracks are stuck together to form a suite of music.  Geezer Butler’s bass solo on “Basically” leads into “N.I.B.”, a song about lucifer falling in love. The last suite of music closes out the album including a cover of “Warning”.

The Black Sabbath debut is a classic metal album.  The riffs that Tommy Ionni spreads across the almost 40 minute album that was reportedly recorded in one 12 hour session.  To add to the legend, a mysterious woman graces the cover, distorted and standing in front of a medieval castle. Turns out, the world was ready for the hard blues sound mixed in with what we now call doom metal, the album went top ten in the UK.  Welcome to 70s rock!

9/10

Posted in Album Reviews

Brittany Howard – What Now (2024)

Posted on by Michael

In early February, Brittany Howards released her second solo album since Alabama Shakes went on hiatus in 2018. What Now is a soulful kaleidoscope of sound in every song. First single from the fall of 2023, the title track is a dirty funk number where Howard sings of a relationship, “I don’t wanna get used to all the tension”. A fuzzy guitar buzzes in the final few minutes of “Power to Undo” whereas “Prove It To You” is a propulsive electronic dance track.

The introspective tracks are the ones that standout.  “Samson” has the heartbreaking lyrics of finding it hard to leave a partner – “I’m split in two/Should I stick with you?”. Howard sings in “Red Flags” of running full through the warning signs of a bad relationship. What Now is an album full of tension and noise, avant-garde jazz right through to quiet storm tracks.  This almost gets all wrapped up in last track, “Every Color In Blue” that has an insistent drum beat pushing it along. Certainly, an album for fans eclectic RnB.  

7/10

Posted in Album Reviews

Bob Dylan – Dylan (1973)

Posted on by Michael

Dylan (1973) is an album made up of studio outtakes that Bob Dylan did during recordings for Self Portrait and New Morning. After Dylan left Columbia Records for Asylum, the former released this set of mostly forgettable tracks with no input from the singer. The album gets off to a decent start with the upbeat “Lily Of The West”, a traditional track that Dylan adapted to make the story take place in Louisville.

It’s mostly downhill from there.  Two songs popularized by Elvis appear including the funky “A Fool Such As I”. His version of Joni Mitchell’s classic “Big Yellow Taxi” sounds thin – like the band warming up, which it possibly could have been.  His version of “The Ballad of Ira Hayes” is atrocious.  It is hard to fault Dylan as these songs were not intended for release.  Instead, it’s Columbia who deserves the scorn for having OK’d this uninteresting mess.

3/10

Posted in Album Reviews

David Bowie – Diamond Dogs (1974)

Posted on by Michael

David Bowie returned in 1974 with Diamond Dogs that was to be based on George Orwell’s sci-fi novel 1984, among other partially worked out ideas. The project sees him once again working with Tony Visconti, on a vision that creates a sleazy, post-apocalyptic future. After a spoken word introduction, the title track announces “This ain’t rock n roll, this is genocide”.  The backing vocals sounds like they are coming from underwater on the gritty fan favourite.

Through a three song suite, “Sweet Thing (Reprise)” appears as a punk/funk blast that rides into the classic single, “Rebel Rebel”.  Surprisingly, this was a top five hit in the UK but missed the top 50 in the US. Still a sure-fire dancefloor filler and a great singalong to the chorus ender, “Hot Tramp, I love you so” over a killer guitar riff from Bowie who took over the role from Mick Ronson. “Rock n Roll With Me” has a catchy chorus and more of a classic 70s rock sound.  Later, “1984” gives a glimpse into Bowie’s future sound with Blaxploitation funk on a track that was then covered by Tina Turner.

Throughout its history, Diamond Dogs has very mixed reviews.  From classic status in one publication to less than complimentary write-ups by other reviews.  It is a mixed bag of tracks that are actually quite good but right from the unappealing cover art of Guy Peellaert to the creepy spoken word introduction, it leaves a bit of a bad taste.  Still, even Bowie with a few partial ideas for an album can influence sounds later heard on punk, goth, and the dirtier/artier side of Britpop.

7/10

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Sleater-Kinney – Little Rope (2024)

Posted on by Michael

Sleater-Kinney returned in January with their first release in three years, Little Rope.  It’s their second release as a duo after the departure of drummer Janet Weiss. Part of this album was written after the tragedy of Carrie Brownstein losing her Mom and Step Dad in a terrible car accident. Guitars dominate the album including the ringing guitars on “Crusader” and the urgency of “Small Finds” where the breathy vocals sing from a dog’s perspective.

“I stood outside your house last night” is a menacing line taken from “Six Mistakes” that also has plenty of fuzzy guitar licks thrown in which is in contrast to the pop sheen on the chorus of “Say It Like You Mean It”. On this release, there are too many songs like first single “Hell” that has a good punk rock stomp for the middle bits but is otherwise unmemorable. On Little Rope, Brownstein and Corin Tucker produce several good moments but is held back by a lack of truly great songs to put on repeat.

7/10