TheAccountant

Worked from home again today so that gave me another chance to open up the moving box. First vinyl out: The Firm - Mean Business Of the 2 albums The Firm did I like this one slightly more. It has the best song The Firm did ("All The Kings Horses") plus it just feel more complete as an album. Other than All The Kings Horses (which is a good song) the album does not have anything that really stands out however. Next out of the box: Waysted - Save Your Prayers Pete Way of UFO was the big name in this group and as far as I know its the only album the group ever did. Its certainly the only album by them I have. Side 1 is rather enjoyable - I don't skip anything on it. Nothing that is really awesome but I enjoy all the songs. Side 2 has "Heaven Tonight" which I recall getting some airplay and which I think is the best song on the record. The next song ("How The West Was Won") is decent as well - about on par with the material on side 1. The rest of side 2 stinks IMO. Still, with all of side 1 being decent and 2 good songs on side 2 its enjoyable to listen that material at least. Note - I got to see this group live on my 21'st birthday in 1987 when I saw them opening for Iron Maiden on the Somewhere In Time tour in Rochester NY. Weirdly, I enjoyed this group more. I think it was something to do with the sound system. It was an indoor show and the volume was turned up so much for Maiden I could not really enjoy their songs. Anyway, next out of the box: Yes - Relayer Yes in 1974 with Steve Howe, Jon Anderson, Chris Squire etc. Side 1 is 21:55 in length and its one song. Side 2 has only 2 songs and they are both over 9 minutes in length. Major prog rock going on here. Enjoyable. Next out of the box: The Beers Family - Introducing The Beers Family This was followed by: The Beers Family - Dumbartons Drums So who (or what) is this group you may be asking. They were part of the folk music revival in the 1960's and 1970's. A 3 piece band (husband, his wife and their daughter). The parents were from Wisconsin & Montana - how they met I have no idea but they married in 1943. I also know the band basically came to an end in the late 1970's when the hubby was killed in a car crash. After that his widow and daughter no longer toured or recorded. I don't know when the albums were recorded but the notes mention a festival they played at for the first time when the daughter was in her early teens in 1966 - so it was clearly a few years after that. I recall I saw them in concert (my parents took me) in the early 1970's - I would guess 1971 or 1972. Good fun time out doors listening to traditional folk music when I was 5 or 6. They make some comments in the notes on the albums about commercialized country music - its clear they don't like it and I totally agree. But folk music is another kettle of fish. I enjoy that. Here you get all kinds of fiddle's, banjo's, dulcimer's an other traditional instruments. In the liner notes the hubby explains that he started to play the fiddle when he was about 7 years old - so that would be what, 1930 or so? One of the songs they play on the albums he learned the summer he first started to play the fiddle was taught to him by a guy who was 97 years old at that point and that guy told the hubby that he learned it when he was about 7 years old and also first starting to fiddle. So, if you do the math, that would mean he learned it about 1840. He had learned it from his father who had learned it from his father. So now you are talking about a song that had not been written down but just passed down since at least 1820 or so - likely earlier. Talk about the power of family / oral traditions!!! Yes, I have a real soft spot in my heart for these 2 albums. Next out of the box: Historical Anthology of Music - The Virtuoso Guitar A collection of classical music including the Concerto in A Major for Guitar and Strings by Vivaldi and the Concerto in C Major for Guitar and Strings - also by Vivaldi. Good stuff. Last out of the box: Historical Anthology of Music - William Boyce: The 8 Symphonies Symphonies 1 - 8 by William Boyce (in English composer who lived 1710 - 1779). Good stuff. The best stuff was clearly the classical / folk music today. Obviously I liked the Beers Family the most but all the classical / folk music was good.

Ran a few errands today so that gave me a chance to stop in the best local record store (which doubles as a comic book store as well). While looking through their stock in the hopes I found something I would like (once in a while that happens) I got really luck and found something that I never expected to get . Finishing listing to it now. It is: Gloryhammer - Return to the Kingdom fo Fife I liked their first 2 albums when I listened to them on Youtube. Then they fired their original lead singer (big mistake IMO) and brought in a new singer. I had never listen to this album (their 3rd). Figured I would never see it again if I did not grab it so gave it a shot. I really enjoyed it. Great? Please. Not close. But cheesy fun. Liked everything on it. The record also came with a 2nd LP which is an orchestral version of the 1st record. This is ok and has its moments but could do without it. Still, glad I got it. Just wish they had not changed singers although the new one is good - just not as good as the original.

Totally agree that time and distance from an overplayed song will warm it up again for me. So hard for me to say even an overplayed song like Spirit of Radio would qualify for this. I don't hate it - its just overplayed. I will pick one that, although not a "hit", is still sort of big song for Rush that I really do dislike. That song is YYZ. When I first bought and listened to all MP I was like "What were they thinking? They had 2 excellent songs, then they ruined all the albums momentum with this stinker. Then they had to get started again with another excellent song. But all them flow of the album was messed up." Over time I got to tolerate the song for a while but then it just slowly went down for me. Now I find it unlistenable - it feels like a jackhammer is being operated next to my head when I try to listen to it. Plus I stand by what I though originally in that it really wrecks the flow of MP. Rush were masters of having an album mesh together so one song flowed into the next. Consequently their albums were almost always much greater than the (excellent) sum of their parts. Not so with MP. It does not mesh together for me. Consequently, despite the presence of Red Barchetta, Limelight and Tom Sawyer (my 5th, 6th and 7th favorite Rush songs) I rank the album much lower than I suspect most would on TRF. For me it basically a mid tear album. Worse than 2112, Power Windows, HYF, Presto, FBN, AFTK, S & A and perhaps Counterparts. About on par with Signals, Hemispheres and Grace Under Pressure.. A bit hard to pick between those last 4 and MP. So that puts it solidly middle of the pack - slightly ahead of Permanent Waves. So I dislike the song but also it damages the flow of the album - additional reason to dislike it for me. Not a hit but a song that many do like so its my contribution to the conversation.

Worked from home today for part of the day (had to take some time off to take dad to another dr. appointment) so I had the chance to pull out some more vinyl. First out: Dio - Volkshaus Nov. 27, 1983 This is a Dio boot. One record so its clearly not the entire sho but its still enjoyable. Set list consists of: Intro to Stargazer Heaven & Hell (inc. a long guitar solo by Vivian Campbell) Rainbow in the Dark Man on the Silver Mountain Evil Eyes Don't Talk to Strangers Good stuff. Next out of the box: The Who - Dr Jimmy This is a Who boot recorded at a show in Toronto on 12/17/82. Its not the entire show - I actually think I have the entire show on something they officially released. But a Who boot of the same show will still be fine to listen to. Hard to get to much live Who. The set list consists of: Dr. Jimmy Boris the Spider Drowned Cry if You Want Who Are You Pinball Wizard See Me, Feel Me Love Ain't For Keeping 5:15 Good stuff. Last out of the box: The Who - Long Live Rock Another Who boot from the same show Dr. Jimmy was recorded at. The set list consists of: Love Reign Over Me Long Live Rock Won't Get Fooled Again Naked Eye Squeeze Box Young Man Blude Twist & Shout Again, good stuff

Worked from home today (last time for a few days - likely won't again till Thursday this week) so that gave me another chance to pull more vinyl out of the moving box. First out: Patty Smyth - Never Enough After her success with Scandal and their "The Warrior" album Patty went solo and this was her first album. It's the only album by her I ever picked up. So you would think I did not care for it. Well, I have a complicated reaction to it. I was hoping for more songs like the title track to the Scandal album - that was a big hit. The first song (the title track) on this album is in that direction. After that it resembles most of the songs on The Warrior. So it did not quite go in the direction I wanted. That being said, I like The Warrior. Its an album that when I listen to it I never skip a song. And this album I rather enjoy - "Isn't It Enough & "Sue Lee" are the other standout songs on the album for me. In fact, I never skip a song on this album when I listen to it. So its a good album - did not go in the direction I wanted but I still like the entire album. Next out of the box: Journey - Evolution This starts with the very good "Majestic" & "Too Late". Then it has "Lovin, Touchin, Sqeezing" & "City of The Angles" which were hits but I don't care for them and generally will skip listening to them. There are some other ok songs and side 2 has the very good "Just The Same Way" which is (IMO) the best song on the record. A decent album and a sign Journey was going in the right direction. But other than the 3 songs I mentioned I like, nothing I am crazy for. Good album cover though. Next out: Journey - Escape First off, good album cover. Side 1 has the excellent "Don't Stop Believing" and the equally (IMO) excellent "Stone In Love". Then the very strong "Who's Crying Now", "Keep on Run-in'" & "Still They Ride". Side 2 starts out with 3 songs that did not impress me but then closes with the very strong "Mother, Father" and the excellent "Open Arms". IMO this is Journey's best album. Very good - but it does have 3 songs that don't do much for me on side 2. On the other had it has a bunch of very strong or excellent songs. Next out of the box: Twisted Sister - Stay Hungry An album I never skip a song on when I listen to it. Don't care for the art work - Dee Snider in make up etc does not thrill me. But the songs fit tougher well with 3 big hits ("We're Not Gonna Take It", I Wanna Rick" and "The Price") which deserved to be hits and everything else is very good. Like this album still. Next out of the box: Whitesnake - Whitsnake Excellent album. Another album I never skip a song on when I listen to it. Side 1 does have the over played "Here I go Again" but its still a good song. Plus it has the awesome "Still of The Night" and the very good "Cryin In The Rain" & "Bad Boys". Side 2 is not as good but like I said, I still don't skip anything there. Last out of the box: Def Leppard - Hysteria This is where DL went wrong. At the time I was disappointed in the album. I considered it a major drop off from their first 3 albums (esp their 2nd and 3rd albums). Like a huge drop off - and trust me I really tried listening to it. The first 3 albums had generated a lot of good will from me to the band. Their are some songs on it I liked and still find to be ok. The title track, "Armageddon It", "Pour Some Sugar On Me", "Animal" & "Gods Of War" are all ok. But not close to anything on their 2nd and 3rd albums. Over all I was disappointed at the time and its not aged well. Best song of the day? Either "Don't Stop Believing", "Stone In Love" or "Still Of The Night". Worst album? Hysteria. Best album? Hard to pick - their are 3 albums I never skip a song on plus Journey's best album. Journey's best album however has a few weak songs on it so its down to the 3 albums I don't skip anything on. I guess Whitsnake gets the nod as the best album of the day. Good day musically though. Then I took part of the PM off to watch the eclipse. Where I live we got 90+ % of the eclipse. Very interesting and enjoyable.

Thought SC would win the ladies title. Was rooting for either UConn or Iowa though. Pitty they had to play each other in the semi's but it saved me from watching SC beat one in the semi's and then beat the other in the finals. UConn was lucky to be there. They had Beckers but (due to injury) not enough beyond her. Even healthy I don't think they had enough to beat SC. Iowa had Clark but not enough beyond her. Put Clark on UConn in addition to every thing else they had and yes, that team might have beaten SC. Perhaps. But thats practically an all star team. Give SC a lot of credit - down by 10 at the start and come back to win by double digits. As for the mans game I could frankly care less. Yawn. Won't watch it.

Worked from home for part of the day today (my 94 year old mom had a dr's appt - normally she could go with dad but he is about to turn 97 (yes, they both actually still drive a tiny bit) and is recovering from a fall and pneumonia so I had to take some time to take her). But while I worked it was back to the moving box's again. First vinyl out: Deep Purple - Deepest Purple: The Very Best of Deep Purple Good voter art. As for the music, its a Deep Purple greatest hits album. Nuff said. Moving on, next out of the box: Bon Jovi - 7800 Fahrenheit Not a big Bon Jovi fan and I only own the first 3 albums they did. This has "In and Out Of Love". Besides that I could not tell you any of the songs on it. Furthermore, "In and Out Of Love" is not (IMO) as good as Runaway from their first album and its not close to Wanted Dead Or Alive or Living On A Prayer from the 3rd album. Or even You Give Love A Bad Name from the 3rd album (I rank that as a considerably weaker song then the first 2 from the 3rd album I mentioned and it may not even be as good as Runaway). But somehow I find this to be the most satisfying of the 3 albums. Somehow this album fits together better than the other 2 albums. Basically I find all the songs on this album mesh together - that is not the case on the first or 3rd albums. BTW - Rush are the masters of making an album that is greater than the sum of its parts. Almost every Rush album was greater than the sum of its parts - and those parts were very, very, very good. Thats one of the reasons why Rush is so awesome (IMO). So this album was kind of enjoyable background music. Next out of the box: GTR - GTR Don't know if anybody remembers this group. Steve Howe of Yes and Asia & Steve Hackett of Genesis were the big names in the group. I think this is the only album this group ever did. I found it because I was in college in Rochester NY when the album came out and the local radio station played a couple of the songs. I heard them, liked them and picked up the album. Played it a lot back in the day (esp, side 1) but its been a long time since I played it a lot. Side 2 I remember I only played back in the 1980's. So what did I think? Side 1 is still very good. "When The Heart Rules The Mind", "The Hunter", "Here I Wait", "Sketches In The Sun" (an instrumental) and "Jekyll & Hyde" are all enjoyable - esp. the first 2. Those 2 songs are quite good. So side 1 is defiantly worth listening to. Side 2, well lets put this way, listening to it reminded me why I have not listed to it since the 1980's. It sounds sort of like 1980's techno pop all to often - at least to my ears. But like I said, side 1 is very good. Also, good album cover art. Next out of the box: Judas Priest - Priest...Live I first saw Priest on the Ram It Down tour and at that point I only owned Turbo. I mostly went to the show to see Cinderella who opened for Priest. BTW - Cinderella was amazing and Priest blew them off the stage. To this day its the 2nd best show I have seen (supposed only by Rush on the VT tour). So after this amazing show I went out and started to pick up Priest works. On of the first things I picked up was this album. I was just amazed at the time how good of a live album it was on top of the amazing live show I had recently seen. To this day this is still one of my very favorite live albums. I was sitting here answering EM's and going "oooooo yeah" with the crowd as Rob warned them up b4 "You've Got another thing Coming". Excellent album. Last out of the box: John Cougar Mellencamp - Scarecrow I only own 3 JCM albums (this, American Fool & Uh-Huh). After this one I lost interest in his work. But this is the best of the 3. It starts with the title track which is among my top 10 all time non-Rush songs. it got some airplay but I think it should have been a monster hit. Then it has "Small Town" which is very good and was a hit. Then their is "Minutes to Memories". Why this was never released as a single is beyond me. Its almost a good as the title track. It would not be in my top 10 all time non Rush songs but it would be some where between 11 - 20. Then you get "Lonely O'l Night" which is enjoyable and was a hit. The rest of the album is nothing special. It does have "R.O.C. K. In The USA" which was a hit and is decent but not close to the other songs I mentioned. Some of the other songs have good lyrics but they are just not good songs. But the title track and Minutes to Memories are just awesome. Can't say enough good things about them. BTW - if you want to know my top 10 non-Rush songs they would be: 10. Which Side are you On - Pete Seeger 9. Rocking In The Free World - Neil Young 8. Fortunate Son - CCR 7. Born In The USA - Bruce 6. Rain on the Scarecrow - JCM 5. Cult of Personality - Living Color 4. Balls to the Wall - Accept 3. The Wreck of The Edmund Fitzgerald - Gordon Lightfoot 2. Leaving On A Jet Plane - Peter Paul & Merry 1. Eve of Destruction - Barry McGuire (all the way back to about 1967 for that one)

Worked again from home so it was back to the moving box an see what records album came out at random. First out: Accept - Staying A Life Sort of an odd way to start the day but hey, that what was at the top of the box. So I sat their at 8:00, reading and answering EM's, drinking my green tea, looking out at the snow falling silently, watching the ponds (which are not frozen) with geese paddling around in them & out beyond the ponds we have the hayfields covered in snow & out beyond them we have the woods with pine trees covered in snow from the storm last night and this AM. Then add to all that I am rocking out to live Accept, recorded in 1985 in Osaka Japan. Obviously with Udo on lead vocals. Sort of an odd way to start the day and an odd mix. But its a good album. Net out of the box: Yngwie Malmsteen - Marching Out This was interesting in that it had Jeff Scott Soto on lead vocals - something I had totally forgotten. I saw Malmsteen twice in concert in the 1980's. The first time was in late 1986 when he opened for Triumph and basically did not have a singer with him. The other time was a few years latter when he had Joe Lynn Turner with him and he opened for Lita Ford. Anyway, this was a better album then I remembered. Nothing great but it was all enjoyable background music while I worked. Decent music, awesome guitar work and some good vocals. Lyrics were nothing special but I did not expect that. Enjoyable but far from memorable. Next out of the box: Styx - The Grand Illusion This has a bunch of killer songs on it. The title track, Fooling Yourself, Miss America are all excellent. Then their is Come Sail Away - that is tied with Renegade and Madame Blue for the title of my favorite Styx song. Plus their was a deep cut titled Man In The Wilderness that was very good as well. Excellent album. Next out of the box: Creem - Wheels of Fire First off, good cover art - kind of drab color wise. Then you open it up and you get this mid / late 60's explosion of psychedelic art work. Great colors. Then the music. The first record is a studio album and frankly some of the music is a bit dated - hey the album is over 55 year old. Not a shock. But even so it has "Deserted Cities of The Heart" which is good and "Whte Room" which is a stone cold classic. Record 2 is a live album. Side 1 has an excellent version of "Crossroads" and a very good version of "Spoonful". Side 2 is a bit weaker with "Traintime" which is forgettable but "Toad" is very good - Ginger Baker kills it on that song. Made me look up form an EM sever times and go "Wow! That was killer". Classic album which may be a bit dated but it is still very, very good after all these years. Next out of the box: Europe - The Final Countdown I saw these guys on this tour when they were supporting Def Leopard (Hysteria tour). I had seen DL with Tesla earlier on the tour and I went with high hopes but it turned out to be a disappointing show. Both DL and Europe were flat. Just lacking energy and stage presence. So I have sort of negative vibes about this album and its been a few years since I listened to it. Well, the stuff that got airplay (which I had liked back in the day) is still actually enjoyable. The title track, "Rock The Night", "Carrie" & "Cherokee" are all very good songs. The rest of the album is forgettable but the songs that got airplay deserved it. Rock The Night & Cherokee are probably the 2 best. Glad I kept the record all these years. Last out of the box: VH - 1984 Not a big VH fan but this does have "Jump", "Panama", "Hot For Teacher" & "I'll Wait" - all good songs. "Panama" would be by far my favorite. Favorite studio album of the day? The Grand Illusion.

I wish I could answer your question but I can't. I never really heard the pop in their music until More but esp. with HYCAD. That song really caused my pop radar to go off. Their first 3 albums I just don't hear pop in them. Mind you, not a bad song on those albums - everything is excellent. Like you, not taking a shot - trying to explain (as best as I can) what I hear and don't hear. On the other hand Sick (esp. live versions) is starting to grow on me. Not crazy about it yet but I am stating to enjoy it. Automatic Sun - need to listen to it some more. I liked the recording I posted because Ale's bass is just THUNDEROUS. Lot of fun to listen to. The other positive is Dany's guitar work. The show I posted made me appreciate it a bit more in an odd way. She is more Pete Townsend of The Who and less Jimmy Page of Zepplin. In other words, she is more a riff master and less a soloist. Pete could solo (as can she) but he was better with rafter shaking riffs that made you go WOW. She is much less into the earth shaking solo's Page could unleash. At least that what finally sunk into my thick head as a result of watching that show. Like I said, I wish I could explain the pop thing better. Its frustrating to me that I can't. But it is good that their crowds are still getting bigger and bigger and crazier & crazier. Like seeing that.

Worked from home today so that gave me a chance to pull some more records out of the moving box's to listen to. First out: Uriah Heep - The Best of Uriah Heep Given that this came out after their first 5 studios albums perhaps the title is not totally accurate. They have put out a lot of music since. Then again, most of their best work was on the first 5 albums so I guess the title is accurate. Overall I liked it - not a shock, I like Uriah Heep - esp. their early work. Next out fo the moving box: Whitesnake - Love Hunter First off, the art on the album cover is excellent. I really like it. This is why I prefer records to CD's and CD's to anything else. Moving on to the album itself well, that not so great. I believe it came out in 1979 and despite the presence of John Lord on keyboards and David Coverdale on vocals the album sounds like what it is. A late 1970's heavily blue's influenced hard rock album - and I don't mean any of that in a good way. But thankfully their is that awesome art work on the album cover. The songs though are totally forgettable - totally filler for me. But the album cover makes it with owning. Obviously I like the cover. Moving on, next out of the box: Uriah Heep - Salisbury Good album. I enjoy every song on it. Nothing really great but they are all decent and I never skip anything on it. Next out of the moving box: Molly Hatchet - The Deed is Done. First off, good artwork on the album cover. The music though, not so great. This is not Flirting With Disaster. I remember "Stone In Your Heart" got some airplay and its ok - I guess. The rest of the album (with one exception) is basically filler. An occasional riff here or solo there is decent but nothing to go wild about. The interesting exception was a song I had totally forgotten about. Its the last song on the albu,m an instrumental titled "Song For The Children". I won't say its anything very special but it was enjoyable and better than "Stone In Your Heart". Another album with good cover art that musically is basically a dud. Last out of the box for the day: Dio - Holy Diver This is no dud!! First off, excellent cover art. The art on this and The Last in Line gives me creeps but it is good. As for the music, well its awesome. An album I never skip a song on. Rainbow In The Dark is a classic but there are a bunch of other very good songs on the album. Easily the best album of the day.

First off, I disliked Sister Christian back in the day when it came out and it has not aged well with me. So I would not include it even if you asked me for my top 8 or 10 Night Ranger songs. My top 4 would be: 1. When You Close Your Eyes. Far and away my favorite Night Ranger song. 2. Don't Tell Me You Love Me 3. You Can Still Rock in America (note - 2 & 3 are basically interchangeable - they are basically equally awesome) 4. Born in California (hope I remembered that title correctly - it was the title of an album they did sometime after 2010. It narrowly edges out 4 in The Morning which comes in at #5. Saw them do it live the one time I saw them in concert and it rocked).

Was watching more video's on youtube tonight and a new show from The Waning came up. Watch it - Its very good IMO. What? First off, excellent show (most Warning shows are though). Secondly, it was at a festival and was filmed with a TV camera. In other words, excellent film quality. Third, they did a good job filming it - including number of shots where you can watch both Pau's drum work and Ale's base work. Fourth, good pyro display. But I saved the best for last. The live debut of a new song!!!! About 30 minutes in they debut a song titled "Automatic Sun".

Had a little spare time tonight so I watched this on youtube:

Worked from home today so I got opened up the moving box again. First vinyl out: Woodstock This is a 3 record set recorded at the festival. My favorite song? Richie Havens "Freedom". 2nd favorite? The Who - "We're Not Gonna Take It". 3rd favorite? Country Joe McDonald ""I Feel Like I'm Fixin To Die" 4th? Hendrix - The Star Spagled Banner / Purple Haze. Their are a few dogs on the album as I don't care for the songs by Sly & The Family Stone but overall its excellent. Next out of the box: Jefferson Airplane - The Worst of Jefferson Airplane A Jefferson Airplane greatest hits album although it only covers their first 6 album (all from the 1960's). Good stuff. Last out of the box: Bob Seger - The Distance Like most Seger albums this has some awesome songs and then a lot of stuff that is just filler for me. "Even Now" & "Roll Me Away" are fabulous songs. When I like a Seger song I really like it. The rest of the album does nothing for me however.

100% agree. VT is by far my least favorite Rush album but the show on that tour that I saw at SPAC was magic. It turned me from a Rush fan into a huge Rush fan. Before it they were one of my very favorite bands. After it they were my favorite band - no other band was even close to them. That its still the case.