254. Todd Rundgren | Something/Anything? (1972)

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Wikipedia Entry

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Tracks

1. I Saw the Light
2. It Wouldn't Have Made Any Difference
3. Wolfman Jack
4. Cold Morning Light
5. It Takes Two to Tango (This Is for the Girls)
6. Sweeter Memories
7. Intro
8. Breathless
9. The Night the Carousel Burnt Down
10. Saving Grace
11. Marlene
12. Song of the Viking
13. I Went to the Mirror
14. Black Maria
15. One More Day (No Word)
16. Couldn't I Just Tell You
17. Torch Song
18. Little Red Lights
19. Overture–My Roots: Money (That's What I Want)/Messin' With The Kid
20. Dust in the Wind
21. Piss Aaron
22. Hello It's Me
23. Some Folks Is Even Whiter Than Me
24. You Left Me Sore
25. Slut

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Something/Anything? is a prodigious album. The music is pop rock, but that doesn't even begin to describe the range of songs on this album. The songs span from the early '60s to the early '70s. It's as if Rundgren wanted to compile an anthology of rock song styles.

That variety, along with the fact that Todd Rundgren single-handedly made the first three quarters of this album—Yes, he not only wrote all the songs and produced the album, but he also performed all the instruments on the first three quarters of the album—potentially puts this album into a parody category. Did Todd Rundgren decide to do this album because he could? Did he challenge himself to write songs in a particular style? Do the songs have any value beyond this exercise?

This album is an absolute blast, but I do feel it's a very unserious album and that I'd be a fool to take it seriously. I think the album could have been cut down. The last quarter is much weaker than the previous three quarters and there are enough songs on the previous three quarters that could have been left off.

This album is worth listening to. I really would like to suggest that it belong in the collection of serious music collectors, but I can't. It does however belong on the 1001 Albums list. This album is a positive influence on power pop and a negative influence on the soft rock.

All the songs are solid. The stand outs are I Saw the Light, Wolfman Jack, It Takes Two to Tango (This Is for the Girls), Sweeter Memories, Saving Grace, Marlene, It Wouldn't Have Made Any Difference, I Went to the Mirror, Black Maria, Couldn't I Just Tell You, Torch Song, Little Red Lights, Hello It's Me, Some Folks Is Even Whiter Than Me and Slut.

★★★★★★★★★☆

243. Big Star | #1 Record (1972)

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Wikipedia Entry

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Tracks

1. Feel
2. The Ballad of El Goodo
3. In The Street
4. Thirteen
5. Don't Lie To Me
6. The India Song
7. When My Baby's Beside Me
8. My Life Is Right
9. Give Me Another Chance
10. Try Again
11. Watch The Sunrise
12. ST 100/6

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#1 Record is a carefree album. The music is power pop. The songs are sunny and unserious—pure summertime high-school fun. They have a clear sound, and the guitar jangles, but there's a potential to rely on more on formula than inspiration. The lyrics are reassuring and positive.

The music is pop rock that wants to be hard rock with all the riffs and solos. The album reminds me of a kitten. It's cute, energetic, aggressive, and completely lacking the potential to do serious damage.

The album is good. The first half of the album is strong; the second half not so much. Unlike most pop artists who try in vain to wax philosophical, Alex Chilton doesn't take himself very seriously. It's worth listening to because it gets pop right. With that said, it should be on the 1001 Albums list.

All the songs on this album are quite good. The stand outs are Feel, The Ballad of El Goodo, In The Street, Thirteen, Don't Lie To Me, My Life Is Right, and Try Again.

★★★★★★★★☆☆

238. Harry Nilsson | Nilsson Schmilsson (1971)

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Wikipedia Entry

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Tracks

1. Gotta Get Up
2. Driving Along
3. Early in the Morning
4. The Moonbeam Song
5. Down
6. Without You
7. Coconut
8. Let the Good Times Roll
9. Jump into the Fire
10. I'll Never Leave You

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Nilsson Schmilsson is an unserious album. The music is baroque pop. There's really no center of gravity. Most of the songs are wild, poppy and fun. But there are some that go way out on a ledge. Coconut is probably the most extreme because it's a calypso song and that's not a style which gets much air play. Without You is a power ballad which is a style that it just coming on the scene. Jump into the Fire is a raging rocker.

The main feature here though is Harry Nilsson's singing. The reason there can be so much variety on this album is his vocal abilities. His range is vast—from pretty low notes to extremely high ones and everything in between. He is also quite charismatic and fun to listen to. He reminds me of a comedic Scott Walker.

Cococut is probably the only problematic part of the album. It's a really fine song, but it doesn't fit. It's also so close to, if not really, a novelty song that it can distract. It's unfortunate because it's a great demonstration of Harry Nilsson's vocal talent.

The album is excellent. Without a doubt it's worth listening to and it's a good addition to any collection. This album drives a wedge between rock and roll and the singer/songwriter kind of folk rock and pop and creates a highly energetic pop that doesn't take itself very seriously. For that, it deserves to be on the 1001 Albums list. However, with this style, there is so much opportunity for no talent hacks, that one must wonder if it's worth bargaining with the devil for great albums like this.

All the songs on this album are excellent. The stand outs are Gotta Get Up, Driving Along, Early in the Morning, The Moonbeam Song, Down, Without You, Coconut, Jump into the Fire and I'll Never Leave You.

★★★★★★★★★☆

131. The Zombies | Odessey And Oracle (1968)

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Wikipedia Entry

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Tracks

1. Care of Cell 44
2. A Rose for Emily
3. Maybe After He's Gone
4. Beechwood Park
5. Brief Candles
6. Hung Up on a Dream
7. Changes
8. I Want Her, She Wants Me
9. This Will Be Our Year
10. Butcher's Tale (Western Front 1914)
11. Friends of Mine
12. Time of the Season

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Odessey And Oracle is a feel-good album. It's the musical equivalent of fluffy bunnies, rainbows and unicorns. The songs are mainly pop rock, but it's not the kind that leads to AOR hell. 

Everybody has heard Time of the Season which is a great song, but none of the other songs sound anything like it. It's easier to appreciate the other songs knowing that a priori. Furthermore, Time of the Season is out of place. Up to now, it's the only hit song that has disrupted the flow of an album. Fortunately, it's at the end.

I liked this album a lot which surprises me. When I first heard it, I didn't think I'd get through all the upbeat and positive music. I thought the songs were downright sappy. But while listening to it for the fourth time, I began to enjoy it. There's a lot of variety and the songs are really catchy.

This album is definitely worth listening to. I'd also think it would be an excellent addition to any collection. All the songs are great, but the stand outs are Care of Cell 44, A Rose for Emily, Beechwood Park, Brief Candles, Changes, Butcher's Tale (Western Front 1914) and Time of the Season.

★★★★★★★★★☆

68. Paul Revere and the Raiders | Midnight Ride (1966)

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Wikipedia Entry

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Tracks

1. Kicks
2. There's Always Tomorrow
3. Little Girl in the 4th Row
4. Ballad of a Useless Man
5. (I'm Not Your) Steppin' Stone
6. There She Goes
7. All I Really Need Is You
8. Get It On
9. Louie, Go Home
10. Take a Look at Yourself
11. Melody For an Unknown Girl

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Midnight Ride is a frustrating album. The songs are a mix of heavy tunes and light, fluffy love songs.

Some songs that start off with a really strong riffs, but they either don't develop it well or they rely too heavily on the riff for the whole song. There's Always Tomorrow and Ballad of a Useless Man lose steam. Get It On and Louie, Go Home don't develop enough. It's really too bad because these songs have so much potential.

There's also a weird dichotomy going on. There's this proto-cock rock sound and then there's this sappy, girly love song soon, too. Other artists and bands have done this with more success. It just fails on this album. Melody For an Unknown Girl is so creepy in a lonely-stalker-kind-of-way that it's actually interesting.

I really wanted to like this album a lot. Kicks is a really great song and I felt like it was going to be a hard rocking album, but then the next couple songs fall flat. The album regains some momentum in the middle and at the end, but it just can't recreate the energy that kicked off the album.

Kicks is the lone stand out song, but (I'm Not Your) Steppin' Stone, All I Really Need Is You, Get It On and Louie, Go Home have a lot of potential to be great, so are worth listening to, too.

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★★★★★★ ☆☆☆☆

67. The Mamas and the Papas | If You Can Believe Your Eyes and Ears (1966)

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Wikipedia Entry

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Tracks

1. Monday, Monday
2. Straight Shooter
3. Got a Feelin'
4. I Call Your Name
5. Do You Wanna Dance
6. Go Where You Wanna Go
7. California Dreamin'
8. Spanish Harlem
9. Somebody Groovy
10. Hey Girl
11. You Baby
12. The In Crowd

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If You Can Believe You Eyes and Ears is a feel-good album. There are light, fluffy pop songs and some heavier stuff. The singing is the main feature of this album. The music is good enough, while the lyrics are fluff.

I really liked this album, despite the lyrics and my strong desire not to like it. The album's strengths are the great singing and that the album remains consistent throughout. Aside from Monday, Monday and California Dreamin most of the songs are good, but forgettable. The "In" Crowd is the real surprise here. Cass Elliot has one hell of a voice. Other notable songs are: Straight Shooter, Go Where You Wanna Go, and Spanish Harlem.

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★★★★★★★★ ☆☆