Sic Semper Tyrannis

Stuff I've Been Listening To (Slight Return)

Van Morrison Astral Weeks

This is another one of the Rolling Stone Top 100 Albums and I just gotta say: I don’t get it. This is one of the most monochromatic albums I’ve ever heard. I wish you could see me scrunching up my nose right now as I think about it as if I just got done eating strained peas. I suppose this is music for the lyrics set, because it sure as hell isn’t for the instrumentalist set. “Sure as hell” is an interesting phrase, no? Actually, “________ as hell,” has always struck me as odd—“Funny as hell,” “Cold as hell,” “Talented as hell…” None of them make much sense by mere construction, but when someone uses it like that, you catch their drift.

Anyway, I digress. I found this album to be boring as hell. Two of the songs consist of no more than two chords repeated ad nauseum, with Morrison’s admittedly distinctive voice thrown out there like an angry goose. Nowhere on this album do I recall ever hearing what could be called a melody. Just a lot of singing. As a listener, I need more. I tend to appreciate construction method more than improvised warbling.

Special note: I also recall some of the worst solo violin playing I’ve heard recorded in a long time—out of tune for the attack of about 70% of the notes and 90% noodling on the tonic arpeggio. I felt bad for the uncredited violinist they obviously convinced to “try improvising during this section…”

However, some folks might cite all of these little annoying imperfections as reasons to love this album. I’m just not one of those people.

Cheap Trick Live at Budokan

Not on the Rolling Stone Top 100, but just about equally revered. I have no problems with this album. It’s a document of a young, hard-working rock n’ roll band. I don’t think I’ll ever be able to hear enough of the version of “Surrender” on here-far and above my favorite song by them. Even though I have no idea what it’s about, (like most of my favorite music.)

That’s it for this short update. I’ve been listening to a lot of other stuff, but I like to give albums a chance to settle before giving even cursory impressions. Stay tuned for an exciting announcement at the end of the week!

P.S. Can I tell you that I could do without the rain?

posted by Mike @ 4:11 PM