Rock & pop-Give me "your own track by track review" of your favourite album of all time[2] go bros?

OK, Dragoon, happy to comply. I do take requests, I'm not the monster I like to pretend to be around here... ;-) But my problem is I never have a "favorite album of all time"; it changes all the time, depending on mood, what other albums I've heard recently, time of day, how much I've overplayed it, etc.

But I'll pick one that I like, that won't be too freaky for most R&P'ers, that most maybe haven't heard...

Let me just think for a minute...

Hmmm...

Okay, how about "Give It Back!" by Brian Jonestown Massacre. I never get tired of that one...

Introduction: This was the third album the BJM had released in just under one year. It was written and recorded in under a week, at a cost of just a couple of hundred bucks. At the time, leader Anton Newcombe (who has played over 56 different instruments on record) was at the peak of his game, as was his partner and foil, Matt Hollywood. When this album was released on a tiny indie label, the major labels came sniffing around. BJM went out of their way to give the middle finger to each and every one of them.

1. Super-Sonic - Sets the stage with an Eastern-sounding woozy, heavy psychedelic riff that sounds like the start of a dark adventure, sly, subtly funny lyrics of emotional detachment that ring true, and a winsome voiceover near the end by Miranda Lee Richards

2. This Is Why You Love Me - Very Byrds-like song by Matt Hollywood, with chiming guitars and great unexpected chord changes.

3. Satellite - British Invasion sounding stomper, sounding like a demented Kinks. Rollicking rhythm, echoey guitar, amusingly angry lyrics.

4. Malela - Exotic folk rock number featuring sitar among other odd instruments, almost a cousin of "Paint It, Black"

5. Salaam - Eastern motif continues with this brief but elegant sitar, guitar, drums, and tabla instrumental

6. Whoever You Are - Propelled by one of the loveliest basslines ever, majestic and crashing guitars, and a repetitive chord played over and over on piano, this is an invitation to explore the unknown with a woman who has yet to appear. Easily one of the most beautiful rock songs of the 1990's

7. Sue - Crunchy guitar workout that builds and builds (and builds) to a crescendo, clocks in at 8:30. This is exactly the kind of song BJM routinely gets away with; in lesser hands it would be a mess, but the band manages to hold the ramshackle thing together all the way.

8. (You Better Love Me) Before I Am Gone - Dark, bluesy, folk rock number, sung by Newcombe and Miranda Lee Richards. Great harmonica, world-weary tempo, music to cross the desert by.

9. Not If You Were the Last Dandy On Earth - Hilarious spoof of their rivals, the Dandy Warhols, who had just sold out with the poppy "Not If You Were the Last Junkie on Earth". A 60's style rocker with wobbly lead guitar, sung by Matt Hollywood. For more on the rivalry, check out the movie 'Dig' (on Youtube), perhaps the greatest rock documentary ever made.

10. #1 Hit Jam - Shambling psychedelic folk rock, with an intentionally ironic title. Music to get wasted by.

11. Servo - Great rock song, with a rebel vibe that sums up the band. As usual, the arrangement is full of surprises, in this case a bouncy flute atop a bed of acoustic guitars.

12. The Devil May Care (Mom and Dad Don't) - Densely layered, almost heart-wrenching song reminds me of a modernized Syd Barrett. Newcombe's father, who had abandoned him when he was young, had committed suicide around this time.

13. Their Satanic Majesties' Second Request - Also the title of the band's second album (which is considered a classic of underground rock) This one is a claustophobic sound collage/drone. By its very weird nature, its the weakest thing on the album, but if you are in the right mindset, it actually is a very logical closer.

I could have picked any of their albums, but this is a good starter one. Any of their albums through 2001 are classics, and their newest one, which sees the classic lineup more-or-less reunited after breaking up 10 years ago, catches them at the top of their game. They still won't sign with a major label, and now release their stuff themselves. Often, they give it away for free...

My All time Favourite album is 'Revolver' by the Beatles.

The atmosphere of the songs are all so different & varied.

Taxman - 'Taxman' is, in fact, the Beatles' first

serious social statement, and isn't it

funny that it was penned by George the

Shy, and not by John the Bad Guy? It may well be the Best guitar song in the Beatles' catalogue.

Eleanor Rigby - The McCartney penned 'Eleanor Rigby' is beautifully arranged, with the strings, it has a very British feel to it & the lyrics are not very optimistic either, may well be the quinessential Revolver song.

I'm Only Sleeping - Jee, this is so drugged out, but I love its feel, I'm not known for rising early either.

Love you to - Now I dont like all that Indian stuff on there, (I'm an Indian, but well), but they still manage to pull off a catchy tune.

Here, there & Everywhere - The McCartney ballad, and it's

beautiful, in the traditional McCartney

style and sung in an unusually sweet and

warm tone.

Yellow Submarine - The Greatest children song ever! People call this a weak track, but I'm fine with it, I love Ringo's delivery here.

She said She Said - This was a milestone, with hidden conspiracy in the lyrics & one of the first complete psychedelic songs ever.

Good Day Sunshine - What a complete change in the atmosphere, this song goes along very well, with its peculiar marching

rhythms and a great optimistic feel (put

it on when you're planning to get out of

your depression).

And your Bird can sing - Another great guitar track, John hated this song, but I enjoy it & so do many others, it's a fun song!

For No One - What else have we got? Pessimism! I relate to it very well, Its a perfect breakup song.

Doctor Robert - This is very underrated. Some hate it, but I enjoy the jumping bass lines & his messed up druggy-middle section. (listen)

I want to tell you - This is from George, one if his finest songs, and a very great vocal delivery on here.

Got to Get you Into My Life - This is a great song. With all those horns & stuff like that, its a drug song & is very enjoyable.

Tomorrow Never Knows - The Bigger milestone. 'Tomorrow

Never Knows' with its dense wall of

noise built from samples and tape loops.

Nobody knew what they were doing, it

was pure experimentation but John had

an idea in his head and out comes this.

Many groups even today try to repeat the

sound and feel of 'Tomorrow Never

Knows' and they can't do it. Even with

computers and samplers they can't do it.

How the hell The Beatles did it is a thing

we'll never quite know, it seems almost

superhuman that such a thing could

exist in 1966. It closes the album in fine

style, whatever the methods behind it

turn out to have been. 'Revolver' overall

then is hailed by many as The Beatles

masterwork album and is likely as close

to perfection as music gets. Well it does it

for me and perhaps it will for you, too.

Wow, I can't believe you actually asked a GREAT question.

I have a lot of albums that I might consider as my "all-time favorites" and it changes every now and then, but for an absolute certainty, I would say that In Rainbows by Radiohead is by far my favorite LP thus far.

I will edit in the track review slowly, as i'm re-listening to this LP as it's been a while.

Track one, 15 step (3:57)

-Wow, where to even begin with this one? For starters, it's an amazing opener that foreshadows a great album to come. Thom's voice is mesmerizing and dark. The song represents this weird, but yet awesome way how you feel towards the perception of this song. It's rather catchy/poppy during the intro. As the song digresses, you get this haunting back drop beat that just makes you say "damn, when did this song get dark"? In my opinion, the second half of this track is probably the greatest highlight of this entire LP . . . but I may be saying too much already. Either way, great opening track.

Track two, Bodysnatchers (4:02)

-This track took me a few listens to actually realize that this is one hell of a track. Let me tell you this, there is not one bad/filler track on this album for me. It's all great. Now back to Bodysnatchers. As the title suggests, this song gives you a weird alienation feel. Like you're you, but someone else is using you. It's hard to describe, but while listening to this song I get a few messages, including the previous one I mentioned. Another feel I get off this track is just pure prog/new prog/art rock at its best. Like 15 step, this song has its bridging moments of "okay you're now listening to this and then all of a sudden you're like, where the hell did that come from"? And that's what the second half the song feels to me.

Track three, Nude (4:15)

-Wow . . . what can I say about this song? I will admit it . . . as a grown man weighing over 190 pounds, standing 6 foot 2, this song has made me burst into tears, in the sense that, "wow, how can something like this be so beautiful, but yet so dark". The tone of the song is a pessimistic view of how you love someone, but you will never get them. The song then goes on to explain that you try to cope with the reality, that the one you love doesn't recognize you and your feelings towards them. And you remorse over it by saying "and you go to hell for what you're dirty mind is THINKING . . . NUUUUUUUUUUUDDDDDDDDDDEEEEEEEEE". Man, just writing that gave me the chills. By the way, this is my favorite track off the album. To prove my passion towards the song, I bought a shirt that quotes the "and you go to hell for what you're dirty mind is thinking" part . . . I get weird stares to say the least when I wear it.

Track four, Weird Fishes/Arpeggi (5:18)

-This album is KNOWN for its use of bridging two different parts of a song into one coherent, beautiful piece. The song is a great kick starter, with the drums kicking in with some dynamics. It then picks up and then slows down, but by the end, all of these instruments layering over each other work so well accompanying each other. The premise of the song is like that of Nude; trying to figure out all of these emotions for this one you "love". This album is almost entirely dedicated to all of the feelings that love makes you believe. The album artwork for this album truly represents that. The cover is this rainbow and when you think of a rainbow, you think of good, happy times. But this rainbow, on the cover of In Rainbows is depicted as muddy/dreary. Like a rainbow you would see in oil, mixed with water after raining . . . and now its a sunny day again! The entire album has this underlying concept of what I just explained above . . . but each song leaves me with something new and rewarding.

I might go on and talk about the last 6 tracks if you want . . . but you get the point of this LP and what it has done for me on a personal level. Like I said before, the remaining songs have the same premise, but overall leave me with something new.

Time Out Of Mind - Bob Dylan

1. Love Sick: One of the best album openers I've ever heard and probably my favorite Bob Dylan album opener. Its eerie mood sets the tone for the album- the first line "I'm walking through streets that are dead..." makes me shiver. Bob's vocals are perfect, they sound like he just stepped out of grave, and the ominous and minimal instrumentation just makes this song. Overall, I love this song- definitely one of my favorite songs ever

2. Dirt Road Blues: A somewhat fast paced blues-rock song. I really like placement of this song on the album because it lightens up the mood a bit coming after Love Sick. Don't get me wrong though, this song (like most of the album) is dark and lonely. Daniel Lanois production really adds a cool twist to this song

3. Standing In The Doorway: One of the most beautiful and heartbreaking ballads Dylan ever penned. It's a breakup song, but we can really see that Dylan was contemplating death when he wrote this- "I know the mercy of God must be near". I love this song because it really feels like Bob is opening up his heart so we can see his true emotions. It still gives me shivers when I listen to it

4. Million Miles: A bluesy tune with a really laid back and chill atmosphere to it, but like all the tracks on the album, it has a dark edge to it. The lyrics are great of course "I’m drifting in and out of dreamless sleep, throwing all my memories in a ditch so deep" and it certainly adds to the overall mood of the album

5. Trying To Get To Heaven: In this song, we can REALLY see that Bob was contemplating death at the time. This is easily one of my favorite songs on the album, it has a very uplifting feel to it (despite its dark lyrics) and it actually shows some glimpses of hope "Gonna sleep down in the parlor and relive my dreams I'll close my eyes and I wonder If everything is as hollow as it seems". Bob's vocals on this song are passionate and heartfelt, I also love how humble he sounds

6. Til I Fell In Love With You: Probably my least favorite song on this album. Don't get me wrong, this song is good, it's just that musically it's basically just a generic blues-rock tune. Still, it has enough redeeming qualities to make it worthwhile

7. Not Dark Yet: Man, where do I even start with this one? I really believe that this is one of the most beautiful, heart-wrenching and tear-jerking songs ever written. This is possibly the most depressing song that Bob Dylan ever penned:

"Don't even hear the murmur of a prayer

It's not dark yet but it's gettin' there."

See what I mean? I don't really know what else to say, this song is perfect

8. Cold Irons Bound: What a perfect way to follow up Not Dark Yet! This song is just plain COOL. It really contrasts Not Dark Yet because it's actually pretty upbeat. The vocals on this song just make this song, especially in the chorus. The organ, guitar, and drums give this song a eerie and desperate feel that just make this song even cooler

9. Make You Feel My Love: Maybe the most well-known song on this album. Musically and lyrically, this song is very simple as it revolves around echoey piano chords. But the vocals on this song are just amazing! Dylan truly sings his heart out on this, and you can tell that he means everything he's singing

10. Can't Wait: Another slower, bluesy song. This one reminds me of Million Miles a bit. The guitar licks on this song are very good, and the intense organ really adds to this song. Not much for me to say about this one, it's very good, but extremely memorable compared to many of the other songs

11. Highlands: One of the greatest album-closers ever. I don't even know where to start, this song is an absolute MASTERPIECE. This is the longest song that Dylan ever wrote (16:31) and the entire song basically revolves around very simple blues chords and light percussion and organ playing. Don't let it fool you. These are possibly the greatest lyrics that Dylan ever wrote, they're a stream of consciousness that blows the mind. And the song's imagery is just astounding:

"Well my heart’s in the Highlands gentle and fair

Honeysuckle blooming in the wildwood air

Bluebelles blazing where the Aberdeen waters flow

Well my heart’s in the Highland

I’m gonna go there when I feel good enough to go"

My favorite part about this song, however, is the last verse:

"Well, my heart’s in the Highlands at the break of day

Over the hills and far away

There’s a way to get there and I’ll figure it out somehow

But I’m already there in my mind

And that’s good enough for now"

Firstly, I'm already cringing at the thought of myself writing any kind of review and I haven't even written a word of it yet. Secondly, I've no idea as to what my favourite album of all time really is but I'm just going to choose La Question by Françoise Hardy because I love it.

1. "Viens"

As the opening track, this song is respectively melodic and sublime. The vocals are relatively quite upbeat and fast, at least in comparison to many of her other songs. Typical of a Françoise Hardy song, this song has a very peaceful, laid-back mood. For whatever reason, the sound of this song strikes me as very ambitious and optimistic.

2. "La Question"

There is a slight tinge of melancholy to this song, which I assume is provided by the soft, slow sounds of the acoustic guitar. Like most of the songs on this album, her voice is incredibly gentle to the extent that it almost sounds somewhat seductive.

3. "Même Sous La Pluie"

I enjoy the simple but sweet harmony of the guitar in this song, accompanied by her equally sweet, soft voice. One of my favourite parts of this song is the ending, where her voice gradually gets hauntingly slower; you can almost hear a bit of sadness in the vocals.

4. "Chanson d'O"

Françoise's vocals are very breathy and dreamy on this song. I would probably consider this to be one of my favourite songs on the album, I adore the serenity of her voice and the sensual sounds of the guitar. Most of the songs on this album are relatively short, but thankfully this is one of the longer songs, clocking in at 3:15.

5. "Le Martien"

I enjoy the beginning of this song with the surreal, atmospheric sounds of the guitar and then the pace at which Françoise softly whispers the lyrics. This song definitely features my favourite instrumental arrangement out of all of the songs on this album.

6. "Mer"

This song is delicate and otherwordly. One of the best features of this song is the accompaniment of the violin, it sounds perfectly luscious with Françoise's voice and helps to create a sorrowful atmosphere. Sadly, this is one of the shorter songs on the album.

7. "Oui, Je Dis Adieu"

I adore the purity and the delicacy of this song, it is certainly a highlight of the album. Her voice is achingly beautiful, it often pauses with a moment of silence but it only adds to the beauty of the music.

8. "Doigts"

This song is unfortunately the shortest of all of the songs on the album, with only 1 minute and 43 seconds of music. If it had been longer, I would probably consider it flawless. It has an ethereal, sentimental air to it.

9. "La Maison"

This song is sultry yet has a touch of loneliness to it. As with most of Françoise's songs, this song almost makes one feel hopeful and aspiring. It's the type of music that one would listen to while lying in a field of daisies, brimming with happiness and deep in contemplation.

10. "Si Mi Cabarello"

I love the whistling that accompanies this song at the very beginning, and then the sound of her humming as the song progresses. I find this song genuinely phenomenal and alluring, it's one of the focal points of the album.

11. "Bâti Mon Nid"

This might possibly be one of my least favourite songs on the album. It's certainly not a bad song, it just sounds somewhat contrived. That being said, the whimsical nature of this song is a nice change from the more somber songs of the album.

12. "Rêve"

After the rather upbeat feel of the previous song, the album reverts to its somber state with this song. It makes as a perfect closing song, and towards the end of the song one can hear the sensual whisper-like vocals that one had become familiar with through the previous songs.

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