The Dark Side of the Moon -- The Flaming Lips -- Review

The Dark Side of the Moon (2009)

Rating: 8

"Breathe / Breathe in the air"

Best Song: On the Run??

Worst Song: Money

       After Embryonic, the Lips went...more or less insane, releasing loads and loads of EPs, collaborations, surreal YouTube videos, and other such bizarre creations, all continuing in the spacey noise-rock style of that album. The first of these releases was none other than this, a cover of the band's collective favorite album, Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon. At first glance, this seems like a good idea -- heck, didn't I even compare Embryonic to Dark Side in that review? -- but the execution leaves quite a lot to be desired.

       Of course, if you think about it, it kinda makes sense. The very thread that I was using to connect DSotM and Embryonic was that they both kept an incredibly well-threaded mood hanging over the album throughout its entire running time, providing the listener with an experience (and in some cases, an emotion) that they could only return to if they listened to that very album. And this reason is exactly why the band's cover of Dark Side fails -- most of Dark Side's real pleasures come from the experience, not the songwriting. 

       These aren't Beatles songs; these are glorified ambient pieces, ones that exist to take up space in your mind and travel you to far off places (the same holds true for Embryonic). That's not to say that the songwriting on DSotM was poor -- far from it -- but the thing that pushed the album over the edge into perfection was indeed the sound effects, the mood, the atmosphere, and other attributes along those lines. 

       One other main positive about the original Dark Side (heck, probably the biggest positive for me personally) was the sound, that being glorious jazzy-space-gospel-funk. This goes for Embryonic too! The mysterious, oft-frightening, abrasive, spacey (I'm using that word a lot...) tone of the sound in that album was one of its greatest attributes.

       I say all that to say this -- both albums are fantastic. However, a cover of one album in the style of the other album simply does not work. They couldn't effectively cover Dark Side in the style of Embryonic, and I'm pretty sure that even the mighty Floyd would have a hard time covering Embryonic in the style of Dark Side. Okay, sure, there was a way to make it work, I'll give 'em that, but they most certainly didn't do that. 

       And even though the melodies and whatnot aren't the strongest point of the Floyd album, this tribute would have been more than decent if the band had just done a straight re-do. Sadly, that's not what they did -- "Money" is turned into a glorified 8-bit video game soundtrack full of stupid bleeps, bloops, and vocoders, the intro to "Time" is changed from a glorious, awe-inspiring 2001 freak-out to a dated, cheesy industrial guitar solo (not to mention the sung parts are completely dull here), and "Brain Damage" is essentially stripped of all its anthemic power. Sure, the chorus has some neat synth effects, and the melody's as good as ever, but it just leaves me with a feeling of "meh" instead of "WOW", like the original did.
       "On the Run" and "Any Colour You Like" are decent, sorta reminding one of those minor tracks from Yoshimi like "Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots, Part 2", but even so they still don't even come close to the band's best work. "Breathe" is transformed into a thumping rocker reminiscent of "The Sparrow Looks Up at the Machine", but it just...does nothing for me, and I'm not quite sure why. I just don't think the melody was designed to go into a song like this, and the arrangement leaves a bit to be desired.
       So it's not bad, but it just comes off as completely unnecessary. There's no real reason for the album to exist -- if you like the Floyd album, JUST LISTEN TO THE FLOYD ALBUM. If you're in love with Embryonic, then try it, I guess, but I'm in love with Embryonic, and this still doesn't do much of anything for me. It's funny, the band went back and did a remake of one of the greatest albums ever, and in doing so created their worst album in 20 years. Yikes. 

Gummy Song Fetus EP -- The Flaming Lips -- Review

  

Gummy Song Fetus (EP)

Rating: 10

"It's going to be a sunny day"

Best Song: Enthusiasm for Life Defeats Existential Fear Part 2

Worst Song: Steven's Moonbow

        Oh boy, the Gummy Song Fetus! That just might be the greatest album title ever. Anyhow, yes, this is one of the 7 billion (read: 6 or 7) projects that The Flaming Lips released in 2011. Anyhow, this one consisted of a flash drive with three songs on it embedded in a gummy, bubblegum-flavored fetus.

       Because that makes sense. 
       This is the only one of these 2011 projects that I've been able to acquire, or at least that I've been able to acquire in a form that actually sounds good, so I figured I might as well take a look at it for our trip through the Lips discography.     

       The first song, "Enthusiasm for Life Defeats Existential Fear Part 2" is excellent, perfectly capturing the joyous yet scientific feel of its title. It starts out with a simple synth gurgle (rather reminiscent of Brian Eno and Cluster's "The Belldog"), and it gradually grows to include a fun drum beat, a triumphant, Velvet Underground-y organ (think "What Goes On"), and a cool guitar line. However, all of these layers are ever so slightly out of sync with each other, providing for a rather interesting song. Don't worry, it'll sound completely natural by the 3rd or 4th listen. The vocal melody here is also quite excellent.

        Following this we get the brief synth soundscape, "Steven's Moonbow". It's ambient, it sounds like something from Embryonic, and it's under a minute long. Let's move on.

         And so we come to the last track (I love reviewing three song albums), "Squishy Glass", which starts out with two minutes of synth drones......umm....yay...I guess. Anyway, following the long, monotonous drones that have no reason to exist unless they were following Eno's "The Great Pretender" (Obscure reference! Woo!), we come to the main body of the song. It consists of a fantastic bass line (I'm so shocked), an epic drum groove (from the F'Lips? No way!), and slightly cool vocals reminiscent of Kid A/Amnesiac-era Radiohead (okay, now that actually is a bit odd for Wayne). After a "verse" (can you really call it that?), we get a synthesized guitar freakout rather reminiscent of the second half of "Convinced of the Hex" from Embryonic, just slightly less awesome. However, the cascading synth sounds at the very end are really, really cool-sounding, I must say. 

        And that there's Gummy Song Fetus. It's only about 10 minutes, but hey, it's 10 minutes well-spent, I say! The only way to get it now is to illegally download it for free off the Internet, and it's most certainly worth that price. So, if you're into The F'Lips' newer material, check it out, if only for the fantastic "Enthusiasm Part 2".

The Flaming Lips and Heady Fwends -- The Flaming Lips -- Review

The Flaming Lips and Heady Fwends (2012)

Rating: 9

".....I man the controls"

Best Song: I'm Working at NASA on Acid

Worst Song: Tasered and Maced

       After the countless EPs the band dropped in 2011, our boys decided that it would be a smart idea to release a compilation of sorts, combining various songs from all these EPs with some unreleased tidbits as well. Now, I can't really comment on any of the EPs -- as I said in the Fetus review, that's the only one I own -- but I can firmly tell you that throughout all of this insanity, the band continued in the noisy style developed on Embryonic. Is this a good thing? Sure, I guess, but after releasing SO much content in the same style, they kinda blew their metaphorical wad, so to speak. 

       You see, if they had released nothing between Embryonic and The Terror, everyone would've still been oohing and ahhing over the band's newfound experimentalism. But by continually reminding everyone of their existence, they made all of these new ideas and innovations WAY less interesting than they would have been otherwise.

       But never mind that -- let's talk Heady Fwends. For the record, every single track on here is featuring another artist; none of these were worked on solely by the Lips. Of course, oftentimes it's hard to know where the Lips start and where the guest begins, as this is a VERY disorienting and confused album -- quite possibly their most difficult ever, and I don't say that lightly. The general sound is EXTREEEEMELY noisy, almost revoltingly so, and this noise far exceeds that of the early 90s stuff. No, at times this thing approaches unlistenability, as its occasionally quite literally painful to sit through some of these, or at least nearly impossible to sit through them without constant adjustment of the volume knob.

       Take the album-opening, Ke$ha-featuring "2012" for example -- at heart, it's a fun, stomping remake of The Stooges' "1969" filled to the brim with tribal rhythms and a cool vocal performance from little Miss Dollar-Sign herself. However, instead of just letting well-enough alone, the band had to go and throw in an absolutely EAR-SHREDDING guitar line, one that makes me enjoy the song quite a bit less than I would otherwise. Bah. The things some people will do in the sake of experimentalism...

       On the opposite end of the spectrum, the song featuring Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros, "Helping the Retarted to Find God", is absolutely gorgeous. Sounding like something of a cross between Pink Floyd's folk ballads and the title track from Brian Eno's Taking Tiger Mountain, the song coasts along glorious choral vocals, soothing acoustic melodies, and neat synth noises to wonderful effect. Similarly pretty is the Erykah Badu track, an ambient, space-rock cover of the well-known folk ballad "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face". Does it justify the full 10 minutes that it wails on for? Nah. But, it's very nice and pleasant, it doesn't actively annoy me in any way whatsoever, and it paved the way for the 13 minutes of "You Lust" on the next album, so I suppose it's fine. 

       The track with Prefuse 73, "Supermoon Made Me Want to Pee" (so weird...so weird...), is nothing more than a three minute burst of energy, but it's definitely exciting and also quite catchy, so I have no real beef with it. The band also did a song with Yoko Ono (!) entitled "Do It!", but it...kinda sucks, so let's forget about it. The other major misfires are "Tasered and Maced", which just features the lead singer from Ghostland Observatory telling a story for 3 minutes (WHYYYY?!?!?) and the directionless "Girl, You're So Weird" featuring New Fumes, which starts off decently enough but just sinks into nothingness after a bit.

       I'm also not fond of the two rockers, "You Man, Human?!?" with Nick Cave and "That Ain't My Trip" featuring Jim James of My Morning Jacket fame. Neither are too horrible, but they're both ridiculously loud and merely decent melody-wise, and mediocrity + irritating noise = not that great of a song. At least "Ain't My Trip" has a decent melody -- "Human" features hardly anything but irritation to me, and yes, that includes Nick Cave's over-the-top performance which is just, well, irritating! I'm sorry, but it is! (to my ears, at least)

       Now I'm a big fan of Tame Impala, but...geez, the pop number "Children of the Moon" is pretty sub-standard as well! Sure, the guitar line is epic (though a bit overloud....), but the melody, while pleasant, is just that -- pleasant. Nothing particularly memorable or catchy, and it just winds on and on for five minutes...urk. 

       That's not to say that all of the album is worthless; absolutely not! Take the song with Lightning Bolt, "I'm Working at NASA on Acid". That's gotta be one of the best tracks the Lips have ever done! It starts out with some cool astronaut noises before gradually winding into a minimalistic (but still epic!) ballad, one that reminds me of early Bowie (think "Space Oddity" and "Five Years"). Wayne gives an eerie, distant reading to the lyrics, which works wonderfully in an almost Embryonic sort of way. However, after the ballad winds on for a few minutes, the band slowly stops and starts drifting in a weightless-feeling bit of noise. The song floats around in this for a second before a chipmunk-voice comes in squealing "ONE TWO THREE FOUR!" and the band rushes headfirst into one of the most insanely noisy, chaotic, and downright fun jams I've ever heard. It combines the reckless energy of "Supermoon" from earlier in the album with a melodic sense that sounds almost like Kraftwerk's "Kometenmelodie 2", and I love me some "Kometenmelodie 2".
       After a bit of this, the band slowly returns to the noisy stasis that it previously occupied, before finally fading into complete silence. And that moment when Wayne moans (in the most epic way possible) that pained "I man the controoollllsssss....and I'm trying...to control...something...that can never be controllleddd!" absolutely blows my mind every time I hear it. It's a definite "goose-bump moment", and easily the best part of the album. The song then winds down in the same pattern it began in, and it's just positively terrific. Well done, boys. THAT'S how you do noisy space-rock.
       "Is David Bowie Dying??", a collaboration with Neon Indian, is quite similar to "I'm Working at NASA", but hey -- if a song's gonna sound like something else on the album, it might as well be the best thing on there, eh? And there are some small touches here that distance the track as well -- those guitar licks are especially great.
       So on the whole, I like it decently. It's not one of my favorite F'Lips albums, but it's definitely worth hearing for any major fans of the band. Oh, and it should go without saying that everyone needs to hear "I'm Working at NASA on Acid" -- it's a new Lips classic, fo' 'sho.

The Terror -- The Flaming Lips -- Review

The Terror (2013)

Rating: 12

"Try to explain why you've changed / I don't think I understand"

Best Song: Be Free, A Way or You Lust

Worst Song: You Are Alone

      Well. Here we are. After nearly 30 years of albums, fetuses, Bulletins, 3 or 4 reinventions of style, Ke$ha collaborations (and that's not over; there's an entire collaborative album with her coming out this fall entitled Lip$ha -- no joke), Pink Floyd covers, and ridiculous live shows, the band has finally come face-to-face with the one (and pretty much only) thing it's avoided for its entire career -- negativity. 

       ....or at least that's what the press is leading you to believe. Of course, it's not like "Ashes in the Air", "Evil", "Worm Mountain", "Slow*Nerve*Action", "Pompeii am Gotterdammerung", or "The Ego's Last Stand" were "Sunshine, Lollipops, and Rainbows", but the media does have a point. For the band's entire career, Wayne has taken on the role of happy-go-lucky, psychedelic motivational speaker, the kind of guy who's always telling you the positives in every situation -- "Psychiatric Explorations of the Fetus with Needles", "Fight Test", "Buggin", and the like are essentially the aural essence of happiness, despite the lyrics sometimes having a slight tinge of melancholy. 

       Heck, the first song released from the album, the bonus track "Sun Blows Up Today", was described by many as "the Lips having fun again", and I agree with that sentiment; that song is a pure distillation of happiness, with nary a dark cloud in sight. Nonsensical, joyfully sung lyrics like "run and run and too much fun today!!" are spread all over the track, which is essentially a psychedelic, manic cheerleading session filled to the brim with silly keyboard effects and punky guitar riffage. 

       In retrospect, it seems that the band was obviously making something of a joke; "Sun Blows Up Today" is, in essence, the exact ANTITHESIS of The Terror. When the bonus track shows up at the end of the album, it almost seems like a biting, sardonic joke; hearing this kind of happiness following such a non-stop barrage of, well, terror, almost becomes hilarious in a twisted sort of way.

       But who am I to engage in four lengthy paragraphs of Pitchfork-esque navel-gazing?!? I'm Reagan-freaking-Jones, am I not?! I'm the guy who does nothing more than analyze the album in question! I never indulge in evaluating the so-called "importance" of this sort of thing; it's just music, for Pete's sake. It's not like it's art, or anything...

       However, the reason I'm talking so much about it is that I just find it interesting; the Lips freaking' DEFINE the word "enigma", and this light/dark aspect only adds to it. Never mind the fact that despite constant advertisements (I've seen The Terror banner adds all over music sites for weeks; heck, I've seen ads for it on Facebook) and high-profile collaborations have invaded the public consciousness for some time now, today's the album's launch and according to my iTunes...it was the nineteenth highest selling album of the day. IT'S ON THE FRONT PAGE. IT'S HEAVILY PROMOTED. THEY'RE THE FLAMING FREAKIN' LIPS. And yet they still can't hit a higher chart number than nineteen. 

       And who's above them on the chart? Casey Donahew, Granger Smith, Olly Murs, and Andy Mineo....whoever those people are. Okay, I'm not pretending to be ridiculously informed about modern music artists, but still....
       So with alllllll that outta the way, how about we talk about....THE ALBUM?!? Sounds good to me. So, for starters -- wow, that's some seriously awesome album art. I mean, geez, I'm ready to declare it the best Lips cover ever. Of course, it's not like this band has some notoriously great covers or anything, but still...that looks awesome. Even the FONT looks amazing! It's like, rockin' this whole cold, futuristic look, and the red and white lettering is all stark and whatnot...I LOVE IT, and I'm not even the kind of guy who obsesses over things like this! I suppose the main thing that I love about it is that with an album named The Terror, the band easily could have gone with a dark, bloody, disturbing piece of work. Instead they went for a distant, melancholy, natural theme; and I loooooove it. (Dig that blue and orange!) Also, that whole idea works for the album too. It's not a horror film; it's a slow, devastating piece of work that sloooowwly turns its knife within you. It's not beating you over the head with its...erm..."terror"-ness.
       The cover also seems to evoke memories of the cover to The Soft Bulletin; what with the masculine, solitary figure staring out into a sci-fi environment. And, yet again, this theme translates to the actual music itself; whereas Bulletin consisted of someone trying desperately to come to terms with the horrors of the world around them by sheer positivity and happiness (see: "The Spiderbite Song", "Feeling Yourself Disentigrate", "The Gash"), this one features someone simply simply giving up and fading into the horrors of the world around them. So in short, yes, the album's as bleak as you've heard that it is.
        However, it starts out normally enough. Opener "Look...The Sun Is Rising" actually sounds like something you might hear on Embryonic, full of outer-space lyrical imagery, skittery guitar riffage, busy electronic effects, and a proggy vocal melody. It's not an album highlight, but it's a decent start -- plus, there's the whole continuity effect in play here with Embryonic; keep in mind that the very end of that album featured the band chanting the "sun's gonna rise!". Well, now it's rising, and Wayne doesn't seem too happy about it. And as his vocals begin to loop in a disturbing, twisted fashion at the end of the song, the album slowly drifts into the darkness, and it stays there for the rest of its running time.
       Our first exposure to the true meat of the album is "Be Free, A Way". Not only is the mood as oppressive and dark as you would hope, Wayne's vocal melody here is EXCELLENT; heck, if you were to change it to a major key and jack the tempo way up, I could see this thing being a viable pop single! But it's perfect the way it is here -- the otherworldly harmonies, the subtly thumping rhythms -- and that OUTRO...ohhhh, that outro. See, it's moments like this that make the album really effective. After continuing through the whole song for about 4 minutes, the track gradually changes into this really heartbreaking, lonely cascade of Wayne's ethereal vocals over a looping keyboard chord sequence. It only lasts for about a minute, but it just hits me right in the gut every time I hear it...it's freakin' magical.
       Then we get "Try to Explain", which has one of the most absolutely heart-pounding choruses I've ever heard. It works in a sort of "Are You a Hypnotist??" kind of way -- the melody itself is magical enough on its own, but when backed by this sheer wall of synthesized choirs and mellotrons, it crosses the line to perfection. The rest of the song sorta wallows around in this depressing sorrow, and while that's perfectly well and good, it's the chorus that truly seals the deal for me here.
      And then we arrive at what is sure to be the album's most polarizing number, "You Lust". It's a 13-minute (!!!) drone, and when I say "drone", I mean it -- the middle section (which takes up about half the song) is nothing more than some simple keyboard drones over a looping guitar riff and drum machine. However, the verses are an entirely different matter; the riff and drum loop remain, but on top of them Wayne and a female vocalist (apparently of the band Phantogram) perform a WONDERFUL duet, with their voices slinking along the seductive, dangerous sounding backing track. And why shouldn't it sound seductive and dangerous, it's a song about lust! But not the sensual kind; no, the song is about the lust for success and popularity, as the off-putting, whispered chants of "YOU LUST TO SUC-CEED! YOU LUST TO SUC-CEED!" reveal.
       The outro here is also quite reminiscent of the one from "Be Free, A Way"; it sounds completely different from the regular song, with what sounds like a synthesized recorder looping over what sounds suspiciously like a Brian Eno ambient track (think "Tal Coat"). Hey, that brings me to a good point -- this album is VERRRRY influenced by ambient music. Like, a lot. So if the idea of music without non-stop melody (or even music without a noticeable form and structure), this probably isn't the album for you.
       But back to "You Lust" -- the verses should be pretty much loved by everyone who likes the album, but that middle section's a different story. Going back to the Eno comparison, I would say it works essentially like a creepy, more well-developed 6-minute version of "Sombre Reptiles". And in my opinion, it works like a charm. You may disagree, but I find it utterly hypnotizing.
       And then it goes on. After this point (which is about halfway through the album), I find that the music takes a bit of a downward turn. The songs after this aren't that much weaker than the first four, but nevertheless, they are indeed somewhat worse. It also doesn't help that after 30 minutes of it, the novelty of this incomparable mood has worn off a bit, and thus the songs don't hit you as hard. If it were up to me, I would have put the weaker tracks towards the beginning, but whatever the case -- they're still alright. The title track bobbles around over schizophrenic synth-pings and skittery drum rhythms (it reminds me a lot of "Kid A" -- not the album, the actual song), "Turning Violent" has a decent, Drozd-sung melody, and "Butterfly, How Long It Takes To Die" is an alright track that sounds like...everything else on here.
       The only track that truly falls flat on its face is that droning, endless "You Are Alone" that simply has Wayne (or is that Steven?) moaning in a falsetto "You are alooonee...." over a minimalist backing for 3.5 minutes. It works decently as an interstitial, but for nearly 4 minutes? No thank you.
       Thankfully, the album ends on a high note with the rockin' (well...kinda) "Always There, In Our Hearts". It starts out in the spirit of everything else in the album, but soon enough a creepy voice counting-off "One two three four..." starts panning from left to right. Then the song kicks into overdrive, with the drum line and guitar riff from "Look...The Sun Is Rising" making a return as Wayne coos over everything. It really brings the whole album together in a very cool way, and I can definitely dig that.
       And thus ends the longest review I've written in the history of this site. But hey, it was worth it -- it may not be perfect (I get a bit bored at the halfway point), but it's ultimately an EXTREMELY interesting album, one I'll be returning to for years to come. If you're a Lips fan, you should be all over this. For anyone else? ...start with The Soft Bulletin or Yoshimi. 

Okay, I'm back!!

Sorry about that delay, folks, but I'm back. I recently took a short hiatus for a few reasons, one being that I got fed up with the glitchy blogspot interface, this mainly being manifested in the form of the second half of the Stones reviews being hard to access. If you've been having bad luck with this (I'm pretty sure everyone has), don't worry -- I'll put direct links to all the other parts of the Stones reviews at the bottom of the article. As for new pages, you guys are in luck -- I'll be starting on a page dedicated to The Flaming Lips sometime over the next week! To avoid any page glitches in the future (and to keep the site more regularly updated), I've decided to upload reviews on an album-by-album basis, as opposed to dividing them into parts like I have in the past. However, to keep from running into the problem that other blogs run into with this format (I.E. having the discography be backwards), I'm going to go through the albums in reverse. So for example, I'll be starting the Lips reviews with a look at their new album, The Terror.


So there you have it. See you guys in a week!

Rolling Stones, Part 1: http://reagansreviews.blogspot.com/2013/03/the-rolling-stones-part-1.html
Rolling Stones, Part 2: http://reagansreviews.blogspot.com/2013/03/the-rolling-stones-part-2.html
Rolling Stones, Part 3: http://reagansreviews.blogspot.com/2013/03/the-rolling-stones-part-3.html
Rolling Stones, Part 4: http://reagansreviews.blogspot.com/2013/03/the-rolling-stones-part-4.html
Rolling Stones, Part 5: http://reagansreviews.blogspot.com/2013/03/the-rolling-stones-part-5.html
Rolling Stones, Part 6: http://reagansreviews.blogspot.com/2013/03/the-rolling-stones-part-6.html
Rolling Stones, Part 7: http://reagansreviews.blogspot.com/2013/03/the-rolling-stones-part-7.html
Rolling Stones, Part 8: http://reagansreviews.blogspot.com/2013/03/the-rolling-stones-part-8.html

The Rolling Stones, Part 1

The Rolling Stones - Complete Discography

Top 10 Albums:

-------------------------------------------------------------

1) Exile on Main St.

2) Let it Bleed

3) Sticky Fingers

4) Beggars Banquet

5) Get Yer Ya-Ya's Out!

6) Flowers

7) Brussels Affair

8) Some Girls

9) Between the Buttons

10) Tattoo You

        Yeah, they're my favorite band. Why? Well, there's obviously the whole "country and rock" thing, but my main reason is this -- they've been around for 50 years, and you can find something at least decent on any given album from pretty much every period of their career. There's just SO MUCH stuff to listen to, and it's all pretty much worth sifting through! That's absolutely amazing, isn't it? I mean, only half of The Beatles' career is classic! Same for The Who and Bob Dylan! And The Clash! Sure, I suppose I would say that The Beatles were overall a "greater" and "more important" band, but I'd rather listen to The Stones 8 or 9 times out of 10. 

       And why is that? Well, they're just so gosh-darn fun, that's why! They're melodic geniuses, I absolutely ADORE both Mick's and Keith's voices, throughout their entire career the lead guitarists have been brilliant, Charlie's drumming is among the most solid EVER, nearly every period of their music sounds completely different -- I LOVE THIS BAND. 

       The only perceivable flaw that I can see in the band is the dreaded mid-to-late-80s period...but meh, we'll get to that eventually. I could go on for AGES about these guys, but I've got some serious reviews to write. Most of my views on the band will come out in those. So, let's dive on in, eh?

England's Newest Hit Makers (1964)

Rating: 8

"Get 'cho kicks / on Route 66"

Best Song: Walking the Dog

Worst Song: Honest I Do

       I was originally planning to give this a 10, but...let's be honest. Nearly everyone who gives this album a high score does so merely because it's The Rolling Stones, and it was made in 1964. Well, you know what...that directly contradicts my reviewing mission statement. What is that, you ask? Well, I believe that every album should be reviewed not for importance, but for sheer enjoyment. A slightly controversial point of view, I guess, but that's just how I feel. 

       Sure, yeah, this was the first time that rock and roll was played both aggressively AND somewhat neatly, but as far as how much enjoyment a modern listener will get out of it? An 8 it is. 

       The main draw of this album, to my ears at least, is simply the energy/fun of the whole thing. If not for this grinning freneticism that the entire album displays, it'd be pretty much worthless, honestly. Oh come on, admit it! None of the songs have any memorable hooks or catchy melodies, do they? I mean, seriously! What, "I Just Want to Make Love to You"? It's not really that melodically catchy, it's just fast! And filled with grinning freneticism! And THAT is what makes it a good song!

       Nearly every one of 'em on here is like that; i.e., fast and fun, so it maintains a level of solidity throughout. The only times that this doesn't happen are on the ballads "Tell Me" and "Honest I Do". "Tell Me", the band's first original composition, is actually pretty good, but "Honest I Do" is dreadfully boring...eesh.
       Individual songs? Well, "Walking the Dog" probably has the best hooks on the album, plus the whistling and yelling is a hoot. "Carol", "Route 66", and "Not Fade Away" are all fun covers, as is "Can I Get a Witness?". The instrumental version of the same track, "Now I've Got a Witness" is merely decent.
       Again, everything on here can pretty much be summed up in "it's fast, it's fun, it's tight, and it chugs along nicely". I find it hard to call a "classic", but it's also hard for me to dismiss it completely. There are loads of Stones albums that are better than this one, but if you're interested...I think you'll find it is indeed listenable.  

12 X 5 (1964)

Rating: 9

"She used to run around / with every man in town"

Best Song: It's All Over Now

Worst Song: Grown Up Wrong

       Better. This isn't exactly the "popular" opinion -- most people prefer the "hard'n'fast" stylings of the debut to this one's more poppy leanings -- but to me, at least, this is a pretty obvious improvement. For one thing, there are actual melodies on this here slab 'o music, and that helps significantly in the listening department. Secondly, I vastly prefer the overall sound of this one to the original -- the guitar tone is way better, and generally the band as a whole sounds much clearer and, well, just flat out better than they did on Hit Makers. 

       The obvious big highlight here is what is my and many others' favorite early Stones song, "It's All Over Now". The guitar work is completely revelatory, sounding more like something from 1968 than 1964, and the vocal melody is absolutely genius. Classic.

       Nearly classic is the band's cover of Chuck Berry's "Around and Around", which sounds absolutely fantastic. Dig that Jerry Lee Lewis piano and the rollicking guitar riffage! Of course, the start-and-stop nature of the verses gets a bit irritating after awhile...but still, it's pretty great. "Susie Q" is a fun, tight cover that's more in the spirit of the debut, but it's even tighter and more rockin' than most anything on there! "Confessin' the Blues" also sounds similar to the debut, but this one is more along the lines of "I'm a King Bee" than "Walking the Dog". I don't know why, but it just sounds so much more well played and convincing than anything on Hit Makers! Really!
       There's also the acoustic slow-shuffle of "Good Times, Bad Times", which is actually quite similar to the kind of rootsy things they'd be performing on Exile and Beggars Banquet. One major point of contention between critics is the aforementioned pop covers. Personally, I find them to be harmless, catchy little ditties that cause no harm to the album whatsoever. I particularly like "Under the Boardwalk", and while I can see someone finding it a bit cheesy, it's still really pretty and pleasant, to my ears. Same goes for the Motown "If You Need Me".
       The original "Congratulations" is a decent, repetitive jaunt, but the instrumental "2120 South Michigan Avenue" is pretty much a throwaway, but hey, at least it's a little better than "Now I've Got a Witness". "Empty Heart" has a REALLY cool, unique groove, but sadly, it's wasted on a directionless mess of a song. Whoops.
       So yeah, very solid. Heck, it's nearly a 10, but sadly, the relative lack of stylistic variation and the whole "dated" aspect limit this one to merely a 9. Not one of my very favorites, but it's still a very pleasant listening experience. If you're desiring some early Stones...I'd definitely recommend it. 

       

      

The Rolling Stones, Now! (1965)

Rating: 11

"But she'll never break this heart of stone"

Best Song: Heart of Stone

Worst Song: Everybody Needs Somebody to Love,  I guess...

       After all the pop experimentation on 12 X 5, it seems that the band wanted to return to the dirty (I say that in a good way) rock'n'roll stylings of the first album. Of course, I wasn't too crazy about the first album, and I quite liked 12 X 5, so you'd think I would be a bit disappointed by this...but I'm not. Heck, it's the best album the band would make up until Aftermath! Simply put, the first album was just straight, no-frills rock'n'roll, but on this one, the band decided to throw in a bunch of really interesting touches on top of the already perfectly decent "grinning freneticism" and tightness of the original.

       I mean, take "Mona (I Need You Baby)". It's just a regular ole jam with a Bo Diddley riff, but the groove is absolutely AMAZING. Psychedelic, completely whacked out guitars and some of Jagger's best singing from this early period come together to make for one of the very best songs in this style that the band ever did. Oh, and did I mention that this is *just* an outtake from the debut?!?!?! Why they didn't include it there is anyone's guess, but whatever the case, I'm glad it's here.

       And there's also "Heart of Stone", which is probably the first ballad ever performed by the band that I would call truly great. At first glance, it's not much better than previous efforts like "Tell Me", but if you look closely, you'll notice that Jagger's vocal melody is really, REALLY great. And then you'll pick up on those amazing guitar licks in the right speaker...and then you'll hear Keith's awesome harmonies...and then...you get the idea. 

       "Down the Road Apiece" is another one of the band's Chuck Berry takeoffs (dig that piano and that riffage!), "Down Home Girl" has a great vocal melody and some tasty brian licks, and "Off the Hook" is a decent pop-rocker. Oh, and "Pain in my Heart" is another great ballad, and "Oh Baby" is a ridiculously catchy rocker with a great delivery from Jagger.

       Flaws? Well, "Everybody Needs Somebody to Love" is a bit overlong (even if there is a nice groove in there), but other than that...well, it's just 40 minutes of early 60s rock/blues. There's not really anything *wrong* with the majority of these songs, but then again, there aren't many moments on here that make me go "Wow!" either. Still though, it's a solid 11, and if you want a taste of the early period, definitely check here first. 

Out of Our Heads (1965)
Rating: 9
"Baby, baby come back a-maybe next week / Can't you see, I'm on my losing streak"
Best Song: The Last Time
Worst Song: Cry to Me

       Well, we finally have some real classics. The Jagger/Richards written "Play with Fire", "The Last Time", and "Satisfaction" are all absolutely fantastic, and, in all honesty, are the first real hints that the band has some major songwriting talent. Heck, these aren't hints, they're proof! All three of them are truly amazing.

       But funny enough, I actually consider "Satisfaction", usually considered to be one of the all-time greatest rock songs, to be the worst of the three. Sure, the riff is genius, and it's a total classic, but...I like the other two better. "Play with Fire" has a fantastic vocal melody (as well as some cool lyrics), but the main draw of the song is the amazing mood that it creates. That harpsichord is just so ominous, and the dark acoustic guitar line that continues through the song is absolutely beautiful. Such a great song.

      However, as great as "Play with Fire" is, I still think that the album's most obvious winner is "The Last Time", an awesome poppy rocker with an even BETTER riff than "Satisfaction". And aren't those harmonies in the chorus breathtaking? And isn't that vocal melody absolutely awesome? Mmm, it's great.

      And of course, I can't forget the other three originals on here -- "The Under Assistant West Coast Promotion Man" is both catchy and a hoot, "The Spider and the Fly" is a great, sleazy little bluesy number, and "One More Try", while maybe a bit too repetitive, is still a load of melodic fun. Oh, and the frenetic live cover of "I'm Alright" is an absolutely awesome blast of energy. 

       But sadly, the rest of the album, consisting of nothing but covers, is really bland to me. "Mercy Mercy" and "Hitch Hike" are both decent, but eh...they'd done far better covers at this point, and in all honesty, they're kind of a bore. Same goes for the Motown of "That's How Strong My Love Is" and "Cry to Me". "Under the Boardwalk" from 12 X 5 absolutely blows either of those tunes out of the water...no pun intended. (Get it? Under the boardwalk, thus, water? hahaha.....)

       It's probably the best of any of the other non-Now! albums from this part of their career, but that's by a very slim margin. Half the album is pretty great, and the other half is quite mediocre. Get it for the classics...but you can leave those covers alone. 

The Rolling Stones, Part 2

The Rolling Stones - Complete Discography - Part 2

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December's Children (And Everybody's) (1965)

Rating: 8

"I said hey! You! Get off of my cloud!"

Best Song: She Said Yeah

Worst Song: I dunno.

       Blargh. Virtually every critic on planet Earth marks this as the point in the band's career where their reliance on covers finally reached its end, and I completely agree with that sentiment. "Talkin' About You", "You Better Move On", "Look What You've Done"...yeesh, they all bore me to tears. The band had done songs EXACTLY LIKE THESE loads of times before, and had done them better then. 

       And it's not like the originals are much better. "Gotta Get Away" and "Blue Turns to Grey" are both as forgettable as those aforementioned covers, and "The Singer, Not the Song" is only notable only for its ridiculous levels of sap. 

       Speaking of sap, everyone always seems to praise "As Tears Go By", calling it one of the band's best ever ballads, their first true success in writing a song of that type, blah blah blah -- long story short, they're all wrong. The song isn't bad, per se, but man, that melody is extremely forgettable, and come on...admit it...those strings, while admittedly revolutionary for the band, are kinda sloppy, and they really don't do anything for me. Not a horrible ballad, but just as forgettable as any other songs of the type from the previous four albums. (Heck, I think the pop covers like "Under the Boardwalk" from 12 X 5 are better than this, and those are critically panned!)

       So why on Earth does this thing get an eight? Because a handful of these songs are GREAT. My personal favorite, and probably the best thing the band had done up to this point, is the MARVELOUS "She Said Yeah". Can you think of any other song that the band released before this one that just contains so much unbridled energy and passion?!? For once, the band uses its typically murky production to its advantage, creating the ultimate proto-proto-punk song. Remember how I talked about that "grinning freneticism" found in England's Newest Hitmakers? This is grinning freneticism brought to its absolute peak. Don't tell me that the insanely fast riffage, catchy-as-a-cold "duuuum dee da dee dum dum" backing vocals, and Jagger's amazing delivery don't get your blood pumping. How could they not?!

       "Get Off of My Cloud" is another winner, but you probably already knew that. The chanting in the chorus is fun, the riff's good -- it's no "Satisfaction", but it's still great. Oh, and "I'm Free", while not a classic, is still a load of catchy fun. There are also two powerful live covers, and while "I'm Moving On" and "Route 66" are hardly all-time greats, they still work wonderfully. Just listen to those girls losing their little minds while Jagger goes crazy on the mic! C'mon, it's fun!

       Get the ones I mentioned, the rest can go die in a fire for all I care. ONWARD TO ARTISTIC DEVELOPMENT.

       

Aftermath (1966)

Rating: 12

"The change has come, she's under my thumb"

Best Song: Paint It, Black

Worst Song: I really don't know, but I'll say Think

       It's not quite the big artistic leap that everyone makes it out to be, but it's still the band's best album up to this point -- by far. Gone are the days of plentiful pop and R&B covers, everything here is an original...for better or for worse. 

       You see, I quite like this album, but I do have one major problem -- nearly everything other than the first four songs and the very last one is completely forgettable. Sure, country-blues ditties like "Doncha Bother Me" and "High and Dry" are catchy and pleasant while they're on, but do I ever really feel the need to return specifically to them? Nope, although "Doncha Bother Me" does contain some killer slide guitar, and "High and Dry" has an awesome vocal melody (as well as some fun lyrics about being a male gold-digger). They're still just repetitive, derivative blues songs, albeit well-done repetitive, derivative blues songs.

       Other forgettables include the poppy "Think" and the boogie-woogie'n "Flight 505", which, contrary to George Starostin's belief, is not the greatest ever song about a fear of flying. I'm sorry George, but that award goes to King Crimson's "One More Red Nightmare"...

       But I digress. "It's Not Easy" is probably the best out of all of these middling tracks (which, ironically, come in the middle of the album, heh), if only for the fact that it has a very memorable vocal melody ("It's haaaaaaaarrrdddd"), and that it contains the wondrous lyric of "You got me running like a cat in a thunderstorm". Good job on that one, Mick.

       Oh, and the ballad "I Am Waiting" does contain some neat-o instrumental variation (bongos and such), but the melody is still rather expendable. But everything else? HOO-EE, BOY!

       The whole thing kicks off with everybody's favorite Stones track from this period, "Paint It, Black". And...you know what? Who am I to disagree?!? This thing is just as incredible as everyone always says it is -- the thrashing drums, the evil-sounding sitar line, Bill's bass thumping, Jagger's brilliant delivery -- yes, it really is THAT good. 

       But nearly as good is the album's other hit, "Under My Thumb". Bill's bass line is the star here, delivering a brilliant counter-melody to Mick's vocals, and those marimbas work brilliantly as well. Throw in Keith's mocking, "*chink*"-sounding rhythm work, and you've got a Stones track for the ages. But hey, "Lady Jane"'s great too! Yeah, some would vomit at the femininity of it all (I'm sure Jagger singing the line "I quoth my love to...Lady Jane..." in a completely serious voice was enough to make a Stones fan go insane at the time), but gosh darn it, the melody is genius, the dulcimers are beautiful, and isn't that just aural heaven when the two acoustic guitars start arpeggioing over each other during the instrumental break? Ahhh....

       I also feel that I should mention the album's closer, the infamous, 11-minute blues jam "Goin' Home". As horrible as an 11-minute blues jam from the Stones circa-1966 may sound, it's actually quite good. It seems that the band is aware of the fact that Brian and Keith weren't exactly guitar heroes at this point in their career, as most of the "jamming" is essentially the band playing the exact same thing over and over and over again. No, all of the variety in "Goin' Home" comes from Jagger and Jagger alone, and while it doesn't go off without a hitch for all 11 of its minutes (I get tired around 7 or so), it still works to some degree. It also doesn't hurt that the main vocal melody that Jagger's is improvising and variating on is quite good, to begin with.

       So no, this isn't some massive step forward for the band. With the exception of "Lady Jane", "Paint It, Black", and maybe "Under My Thumb", everything on here could have fit in on 12 X 5 or Now!. However, this is indeed the first album where there is nary a "bad" song in sight. Everything on here is, at the very least, decent, and that's definitely a step in the right direction. If you've already heard Flowers and Between the Buttons, and you want something else in a similar style, definitely check this out. And, as it should go without saying, everyone needs to hear "Under My Thumb" and "Paint It, Black". 

Between the Buttons (1967)

Rating: 13

"All I want to do / Is to get back to you"

Best Song: Let's Spend the Night Together

Worst Song: My Obsession

       See, now THIS is a big artistic leap forward! Not a single song on here could be described as "bluesy" in the slightest -- this is straight, Kinksy Britpop. And it is glorious. Sure, yeah, just like Aftermath, there are a few songs that are quite forgettable, but the ratio of great-songs-to-decent-songs is much more in the favor of greatness here...if that makes any sense.
       Oh, and when I described this album as "Kinksy", I really meant it -- the band's style here is really quite obviously a take on The Kinks' brand of baroque pop. This is especially apparent in the piano-driven ragtime frenzy of "Cool, Calm, and Collected", which, while quite fun, is just a bit overlong. Still a neat song, though, if only for the fact that it sounds NOTHING like any other Stones song.
       "She Smiled Sweetly" is a beautiful, guitar-less (!) ballad with some great bass work, "Miss Amanda Jones" is a fun, catchy rocker, and "Who's Been Sleeping Here" is a very enjoyable Dylan imitation. "Yesterday's Papers" has some very interesting instrumentation, as well as an intriguing back story -- Jagger wrote the misogynistic lyrics about his ex-girlfriend Chrissie Shrimpton, and while the lyrics aren't *THAT* cruel on their own (they compare yesterday's papers to yesterday's girl, i.e., something that can be easily thrown away), they take on a whole new level of meanness when you realize that THE GIRL ATTEMPTED TO KILL HERSELF AFTER JAGGER LEFT HER. Smooth, Mick, smooth.
       Other classics include "Connection" and "All Sold Out". Both songs are really fun rockers, and the melodies in both of them are absolutely BRILLIANT. I am speaking, of course, of the chorus of "Connection" (that part that I included as the album's selected quote) and the "You sold me out and THAT'S THAAAAAAAAAAATTTTT!!" hook in "All Sold Out". Good luck getting those two sections out of your head.
       And I'm sure you've heard the gorgeous, string-led ballad "Ruby Tuesday", one of the few songs from this Britpop period to have made any lasting effect on the band's legacy. It's not one of my very favorites, but it's still an absolutely excellent song...even if Jagger's singing can be a bit hokey at times.
       The other big hit of the album is obviously "Let's Spend the Night Together", and that's for good reason -- other than maybe The Kinks' "Brainwashed", it's the only song that I could classify as Britpop-proto-punk, and that's saying something. The melody, adorable backing vocals, and piano sections are its more "sissy" elements, but man, the sheer aggression found in Charlie's drums (and Jack Nitzsche's piano, to some degree) couldn't be classified as anything BUT punk. A classic, for sure.
       But sadly, it's not perfect -- songs like "Complicated", the closing "Something Happened to Me Yesterday", and ESPECIALLY "My Obsession" are rather forgettable. "My Obsession" actually comes close to being a downright bad song for me -- the start-and-stop rhythm is extremely irritating, as is the vocal melody. Blech.
       Still though, there are a lot of classics on here, and that's enough to make this the band's first real "MAN, YOU HAVE GOT TO HEAR THIS!" album. Get it soon...but not before some others. Heck, I even think Flowers is slightly better than this one. And speaking of Flowers...

Flowers (1967)

Rating: 13

"She would never say where she came from"

Best Song: Let's Spend the Night Together

Worst Song: Take It or Leave It?? Maybe??

       Apparently the band had enough material that only made it onto the UK albums to make it into a special US-only outtake collection. Well...almost enough, as "Lady Jane" from Aftermath and "Let's Spend the Night Together" and "Ruby Tuesday" from Between the Buttons were thrown on here as well. But hey, all of those are great songs, so I'm not complaining!

       Thankfully, though, the tracks we've heard before aren't the only strong ones on here -- the rarities and outtakes are EXCELLENT. While not every track is "amazing" (otherwise it'd get a higher grade), for once there's not a single downer among all the songs -- everything on here's completely solid! 

       The funny thing about this album, to me, at least, is that it's both more "flowery" (heh) and aggressive than Between the Buttons. On the flowery front, we have the incredibly dorky cover of "My Girl", the ridiculously catchy bubblegum-pop of "Out of Time", and of course, the ridiculously beautiful "Lady Jane"-redo, "Back Street Girl". But flowery-ness aside, all of these songs are absolutely great (well...maybe not "My Girl"), and definitely among the best Stones songs from this period.

       And as far as rockers go, well, you've got the sonically BIZARRE Bo Diddley-riff-driven "Please Go Home" (check out that echo, and that feedback!), the frenzied "Have You Seen Your Mother, Baby, Standing in the Shadow?" (which, now that I think about it, is also rather sonically bizarre -- how about that out of tune horn section?), and the thumping, sitar-heavy "Mother's Little Helper", which also happens to have a BRILLIANT bass performance from Mr. Wyman.

       I'm also rather fond of "Sittin' On a Fence", a great, beautiful acoustic number with some rather nifty lyrics ("One thing's not said too much, but I think it's true / Folks just get married 'cause there's nothing else to do"), as well as "Ride On Baby", which is yet another fun, catchy pop number.

       In short, this one is EASILY as good as Between the Buttons, and in my opinion, a bit better. If the idea of the Stones doing 60s Britpop doesn't sound sacrilegious to you, definitely check this out.

Their Satanic Majesties Request (1967)

Rating: 12

"She comes in colors everywhere"

Best Song: In Another Land, She's a Rainbow, or 2000 Man

Worst Song: Sing This All Together (See What Happens)

       So, after all that Kinks-y Britpop, it seems that the band decided that the next stage of their career would be full-fledged psychedelia. And when I say psychedelia, boy do I mean it -- this stuff is REALLY trippy, and downright frightening at times. Everyone has always compared to Sgt. Pepper, but I don't really see it. Sure, Paul and John sang backup on "Sing This All Together", the cover is obviously a tribute to it, and the closing "On with the Show" is somewhat reminiscent of the title track, but beyond that? The similarities are virtually nonexistent.

       No, the clearest point of reference for this album (in my mind, at least) is most certainly Pink Floyd's debut album, The Piper at the Gates of Dawn. The similarities are uncanny! I mean, think about it: they both feature an space-themed song, they both have a rockin' second song with a pronounced guitar riff, they both explore the darker, more frightening side of psychedelia, they both have a long, noisy instrumental in the middle of the album...see my point?? 

       But despite that, none of the songs here ever come close to feeling like they're ripping off Piper; no, for the most part, this is a very original album. But is it any good? 

       Yes, most certainly. It was absolutely panned upon release as a Beatles ripoff (incorrect), and of course, it also earned quite a bit of flak for its title, which was extremely controversial at the time. For anyone still wondering...no, it's just a dumb joke, there's nothing remotely "satanic" on this album at all. So get over yourselves. Please.

       Anyhow, I'm sure you're wondering what it actually sounds like. For starters, it's definitely their most experimental affair -- lots of mellotrons, tribal rhythms, and at times, full orchestras! It's yet another extremely "sissy" album...the anti-Let It Bleed, if you will, but this really doesn't bother me. Why? Because the songs are so great!...for the most part.

       "She's a Rainbow" is the most famous thing here, and for good reason -- the melody is genius, the piano soloing is adorable (and catchy!), and the horn sections that spring up throughout are amazing. Plus, aren't those little chipmunk-sounding backup vocals neat? Oh, and don't forget the underrated, Bill Wyman-written (and sung!) "In Another Land". Sure, the verses aren't the most exciting things in the world, but that chorus is pretty swell, ain't it? That "I opened my EEEYYYYYYYYYEEESSSSS" line from Jagger sounds particularly cool.

       "2000 Man" starts out as an good enough acoustic ballad (which just so happens to include the hilariously accurate line "I'm having an affair with a random computer"), but it eventually turns into a loud, anthemic monster that rocks handily. Good stuff.

       On the bad front, we have "The Lantern" and "Gomper", both of which move at a glacial pace and have virtually no reason to exist. And don't even get me started on the NINE MINUTE noise-fest of "Sing This All Together (See What Happens)". Sure, yeah, the tribal grunts from Jagger are cool every now and then, but NINE MINUTES?!??! Ugh.

       A solid album. As far as the Stones' pop period goes, I would get Flowers first, but this is indeed a really cool album, if only to be able to hear the Stones performing music that you would NEVER expect them to be performing. But our boys would soon leave all of this "pop stuff" behind, as they were destined for bigger and better things....ah yes, I speak of the land of roots-rock. I'll see you in Part 3, ladies and gents.