Boys, all your summaries were, once again, well written and interesting. Much more so than the album.
I never owned this album. I listened to a friend's copy when it came out in '78. Other than the powerful and unique Sir Duke, I didn't care for it back then. When my daughter was born in '81, I developed a liking for "Isn't She Lovely," although that wore out (the song) by the time daughter #2 came along. Maybe it was just the crying track on the beginning that sort of aligned with daughter #2's chronic colic - they seemed oddly similar. But the listening experience never inspired me to go out and buy the album, and I couldn't even finish it while writing this commentary - switched over to some Bad Company to cleanse my ears and pique my musical juices again.
I think Mitch's summary more closely aligned with my thoughts about the album, although we reached starkly different conclusions, much to my great surprise. The entire double album would be best reduced to a '45.
No guys, this doesn't belong on Newberry Street. It's too easy to get some material past you guys in my opinion. You don't seem to want to disappoint one anothers musical peccadilloes. If I had a vote, it would not exist on the hallowed halls of Newberry. Looking forward to the next one.
The three of us have known each other far too long to worry about denigrating each other's music tastes. In truth, it's why we started this whole enterprise--so we could destroy each other in print. (Tune in next week when Mitch absolutely eviscerates my Pat Benetar selection.) But, you're not wrong about this particular album. It was a real coin flip for me. In the end, the gold won out over the straw. And that's all there was to it.
Now, if I may lob a volley back your way in the name of lively musical banter. Bad Company? Meh. I always felt like they were foisted upon us by Led Zeppelin and if they had tried to make it on their own without that megalith, they would've vanished into obscurity a long time ago. In fact, Bad Co. is a band whose totality of listenable songs could fit onto a 4 or 5 song EP. At least, that's how I see it.
There is a golf course north of Boston that borders a horsey place (official term) where they play polo. Every Sunday there are polo matches that are open to the public and if you time it right, you can watch some polo while playing the fourth hole. You will be surprised to learn that they blast classic rock over the PA before, during and after the polo matches. And the classic rock band that gets more play than any other? Bad Company.
So say what you will about Bad Company being a poor man's Led Zeppelin, but they have the polo market cornered, and that I won't deny. Oh yeah, yeah, yeah, Bad Company, until the day I die.
Benetar should be good. Her passion always seemed to outshine her music though.
Don't care for Bad Co, huh? Wow. Surprising, given the vocal talent of Paul Rodgers. (I think his daughter now tours with him too sometimes) The first three albums BC put out, in my mind, were all great, culminating with their classic, Run With the Pack - one of my top ten albums ever - not a bad song on it. After that, in my mind, they petered out, but if you were a teenager in the 70's, that was great music. Drove all the way to Milwaukee to take my future wife to see them as she was nuts about Burnin' Sky and Desolation Angels.
Ken wrote: "Listening to the entirety of Songs in the Key of Life leaves you a bit exhausted, or maybe that’s just me..."
No, it's not just you.
Maybe it's just the two of us, but for me, Key can be tiring as well. Partly because it's another album you're almost required to like, but also /because/ it is so revered as a cultural touchstone.
Listening to it can fell almost like an assignment, where you're supposed to be getting something life-changing out of it instead of just enjoying a good record.
But did you enjoy it as well (as I do)? Because If it’s JUST an assignment, it probably failed in its purpose. It is, after all, supposed to be entertainment.
Oh, I definitely enjoy it. It can just feel like there's a gravity attached to it. Almost as if you "have" to like it but also take it seriously at the same time. That only doing one is somehow a disservice. Of course you can do both, but...
I hope that reads clearer than I think it does. I'm having a hard time trying to articulate my point.
Boys, all your summaries were, once again, well written and interesting. Much more so than the album.
I never owned this album. I listened to a friend's copy when it came out in '78. Other than the powerful and unique Sir Duke, I didn't care for it back then. When my daughter was born in '81, I developed a liking for "Isn't She Lovely," although that wore out (the song) by the time daughter #2 came along. Maybe it was just the crying track on the beginning that sort of aligned with daughter #2's chronic colic - they seemed oddly similar. But the listening experience never inspired me to go out and buy the album, and I couldn't even finish it while writing this commentary - switched over to some Bad Company to cleanse my ears and pique my musical juices again.
I think Mitch's summary more closely aligned with my thoughts about the album, although we reached starkly different conclusions, much to my great surprise. The entire double album would be best reduced to a '45.
No guys, this doesn't belong on Newberry Street. It's too easy to get some material past you guys in my opinion. You don't seem to want to disappoint one anothers musical peccadilloes. If I had a vote, it would not exist on the hallowed halls of Newberry. Looking forward to the next one.
The three of us have known each other far too long to worry about denigrating each other's music tastes. In truth, it's why we started this whole enterprise--so we could destroy each other in print. (Tune in next week when Mitch absolutely eviscerates my Pat Benetar selection.) But, you're not wrong about this particular album. It was a real coin flip for me. In the end, the gold won out over the straw. And that's all there was to it.
Now, if I may lob a volley back your way in the name of lively musical banter. Bad Company? Meh. I always felt like they were foisted upon us by Led Zeppelin and if they had tried to make it on their own without that megalith, they would've vanished into obscurity a long time ago. In fact, Bad Co. is a band whose totality of listenable songs could fit onto a 4 or 5 song EP. At least, that's how I see it.
There is a golf course north of Boston that borders a horsey place (official term) where they play polo. Every Sunday there are polo matches that are open to the public and if you time it right, you can watch some polo while playing the fourth hole. You will be surprised to learn that they blast classic rock over the PA before, during and after the polo matches. And the classic rock band that gets more play than any other? Bad Company.
So say what you will about Bad Company being a poor man's Led Zeppelin, but they have the polo market cornered, and that I won't deny. Oh yeah, yeah, yeah, Bad Company, until the day I die.
Benetar should be good. Her passion always seemed to outshine her music though.
Don't care for Bad Co, huh? Wow. Surprising, given the vocal talent of Paul Rodgers. (I think his daughter now tours with him too sometimes) The first three albums BC put out, in my mind, were all great, culminating with their classic, Run With the Pack - one of my top ten albums ever - not a bad song on it. After that, in my mind, they petered out, but if you were a teenager in the 70's, that was great music. Drove all the way to Milwaukee to take my future wife to see them as she was nuts about Burnin' Sky and Desolation Angels.
Ken wrote: "Listening to the entirety of Songs in the Key of Life leaves you a bit exhausted, or maybe that’s just me..."
No, it's not just you.
Maybe it's just the two of us, but for me, Key can be tiring as well. Partly because it's another album you're almost required to like, but also /because/ it is so revered as a cultural touchstone.
Listening to it can fell almost like an assignment, where you're supposed to be getting something life-changing out of it instead of just enjoying a good record.
But did you enjoy it as well (as I do)? Because If it’s JUST an assignment, it probably failed in its purpose. It is, after all, supposed to be entertainment.
Oh, I definitely enjoy it. It can just feel like there's a gravity attached to it. Almost as if you "have" to like it but also take it seriously at the same time. That only doing one is somehow a disservice. Of course you can do both, but...
I hope that reads clearer than I think it does. I'm having a hard time trying to articulate my point.
Crystal clear.