Battle of the Decades #12

A better bunch this time, if nothing really great (and no keepers). No luck with the 50s or 60s.


2000's - Bebel Gilberto - Tanto Tempo - (6.8/10)

1990's - The La's - The La's - (5/10)

1980's - Cramps - Songs the Lord Taught Us (6/10)

1970's - Spirit - Twelve Dreams of Dr. Sardonicus (7/10)

1960's - N/A

1950's - N/A

WINNER - SPIRIT - 12 DREAMS OF DR. SARDONICUS



Coming up:

o Domino, Fats – This is Fats
o Smith, Jimmy – Back at the Chicken Shack
o Black Sabbath – Black Sabbath (1st Album)
o Dead Kennedys – Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables
o Black Crowes – Shake Your Money Maker
o Cole, MJ – Sincere

Spirit - Twelve Dreams of Dr. Sardonicus

Label - Epic
Producer - David Briggs
Country - US
Genre - psychadelic rock





Spirit - Twelve Dreams of Dr. Sardonicus (1970)

A1	Prelude - Nothin' to Hide	3:41
A2	Nature's Way	2:30
A3	Animal Zoo	3:20
A4	Love Has Found a Way	2:42
A5	Why Can't I Be Free	1:03
A6	Mr. Skin	3:50
B1	Space Child	3:26
B2	When I Touch You	5:35
B3	Street Worm	3:40
B4	Life Has Just Begun	3:22
B5	Morning Will Come	2:58
B6	Soldier	2:43

The problem with this album is that many have gone on to do what it does (and better) and so even though I'd never heard it before, it ends up sounding a bit tired and familiar in a very non-exciting way. It was actually quite ahead of i's time really, a 1970 album that kind of paves the way for the mid 70's albums that most people know.

It's likeable on a first listen and there are some good songs (Solider especially is great), but I don't think it has really stood the test of time.

While I sit there listening to it "Hmm not bad" at the same time I'm just left a bit "meh" about it all. Maybe too classic rock? Who knows.

If you like standard 70s psychedelic rock, you might like this. For me it's just a bit "been there, done that", no matter how new it may have been at the time.

Score - 7/10
Recommended - Yep.

The Cramps - Songs The Lord Taught Us

Decade - 1980s

Label - IRS
Producer - Alex Chilton
Nationality - US
Genre - Punk/Rock

A1	TV Set	3:12
A2	Rock on the Moon	1:53
A3	Garbageman	3:37
A4	I Was a Teenage Werewolf	3:03
A5	Sunglasses After Dark	3:47
A6	The Mad Daddy	3:48
B1	Mystery Plane	2:43
B2	Zombie Dance	1:55
B3	What's Behind the Mask	2:05
B4	Strychnine	2:25
B5	I'm Cramped	2:37
B6	Tear It Up	2:32
B7	Fever	4:17

The Cramps - Songs the Lord Taught Us (1980)

Ah, the sweet irony of the title. This sounds more like Dracula taught them their songs in some dark cave somewhere.

This is a bunch of re-done rock tunes with a hefty amount of trashy punk and attitude and some onminous drumming. They come off as a bit crazy really but in a fun kind of way, if not a bit novelty act. So fun that their guitarist drove off with the van that was filled with their gear, sold it to fund his drug habit and was never seen by the band again!

They are pretty much a B grade horror movie - if you're into that, you'll probably enjoy them quite a bit. I can't say it's my thing.

Score - 6/10
Recommended - Why not?

The La's - The La's

Decade - 1990s



Label - Go! Discs
Producer - Steve Lillywhite
Country - UK
Genre - Pop

1	Son of a Gun	1:56
2	I Can't Sleep	2:37
3	Timeless Melody	3:01
4	Liberty Ship	2:30
5	There She Goes	2:42
6	Doledrum	2:49
7	Feelin'	1:44
8	Way Out	2:32
9	I.O.U.	2:08
10	Freedom Song	2:23
11	Failure	2:54
12	Looking Glass	7:51

The La's - The La's (1990)

This is one of those inclusions that makes me want to write to the collaborators of this book and ask them WHY WHY WHY? Why were perfectly wonderful albums left out (particularly in the 2000s) and this forgettable one-hit wonder slotted in?

Remember "There She Goes"? Cute, catchy jangly guitar pop tune? This is them. If you've never heard of The La's it's because other than that song, they never had another hit or released another album.

There's nothing horrible about this album, it's just completely forgettable. Most of the songs are 2-3 minute guitar ditties with very average melodies that just don't make any impact. The songwriter, Lee Mavers later described this album to NME as "a pile of shit. There is not one good thing I can find to say about it". I don't always trust a songwriter's response to their own album and he's probably being overly harsh in this case, but he's not TOO far off the mark because it is really quite hard to even find one point to justify it being in a book called "1001 albums you must hear before you die".

There She Goes is a good, solid pop song. It's the best on this album, and that's the sad part.

Score - 5/10
Recommended - No

Bebel Gilberto - Tanto Tempo

Decade - 2000s


Label: Ziriguiboom
Producer -Suba
Country - Brazil
Genre - Bossa Nova

1	Samba da Benção	4:47
2	August Day Song	4:37
3	Tanto Tempo	3:01
4	Sem Contenção	3:10
5	Mais Feliz	4:17
6	Alguém	4:04
7	So Nice (Summer Samba)	3:32
8	Lonely	2:24
9	Bananeira	3:26
10	Samba e Amor	3:28
11	Close Your Eyes	4:16

Bebel Gilberto - Tanto Tempo (2000)

Well, one of the few albums on the list not from the UK/US/AU.

Bebel obviously comes from a music loving family - her father is Joao Gilberto, a Bossa Nova legend (and these are his songs). Her mother is also a singer, Muicha, and her uncle (Chico Buarque) is a singer/songwriter. Bebel has recorded with all of them!

This album is actually the biggest selling Brazillian album outside of Brazil... a fact the poor producer never got to see because he died straight after it was completed.

Anyway to the album itself - it is basically background music. Pleasant and fairly relaxing background music for sure with an old time and Latino vibe - but that is still all it is.

There is just nothing really compelling here. She has a nice (and again, pleasant) voice but there is little passion or rawness to make you sit up and listen. While the electronic vibe towards the end of the album is good, it still doesn't add enough personality to this to make it interesting. I have a feeling it probably doesn't even improve on the originals.

It's certainly not a hard listen. The production is lush and a bit dreamy, so for those who like background music or very relaxing, passive music then it's a good choice.

Score - 6.8/10
Recommended - Sure

Battle of the Decades #11

Only a short bunch this time, I couldn't find the 50s, 60s or 90s albums!


2000's - Ryan Adams - Heartbreaker - 8/10

1990's - N/A

1980's - AC/DC - Back in Black - 3/10

1970's - Miles Davis - Bitches Brew - 5/10

1960's - N/A

1950's - N/A

WINNER - RYAN ADAMS - HEARTBREAKER



Coming up:


o Prima, Louis – Wildest
o Everly Brothers – A Date with the…
o Spirit – Twelve Dreams of Dr Sardonicus
o Cramps – Songs the Lord Taught Us
o La’s – La’s
o Gilberto, Bebel – Tanto Tempo

Miles Davis - Bitches Brew

Decade - 1970s


Label - Columbia
Producer - Teo Macero
Country - US
Genre - Jazz

A	Pharoah's Dance	20:06
B	Bitches Brew	27:00
C1	Spanish Key	17:34
C2	John McLaughlin	4:26
D1	Miles Runs the Voodoo Down	14:04
D2	Sanctuary	11:01

Miles Davis - Bitches Brew (1970)

My last review of poor ol' Miles wasn't very nice. I didn't like Kind of Blue much at all. I was hoping to like this more, and I suppose I did.

I do like the first track - Pharaoh's Dance. It was ominous and scary and I could totally see where Thom Yorke got The National Anthem from.

But it went downhill from there, I was just bored with the other tracks. It's also very difficult to listen to 20 minute long tracks of noise when you aren't even a "background music" person.

Someday over the rainbow perhaps I'll find a Jazz album I like.

Score - 5/10 (bonus point for the great cover art)
Recommended - I have no idea...headache.

AC/DC - Back in Black

Decade - 1980s


Label - ATCO
Producer - Robert John Lange
Country - Australia (I'm SORRY)
Genre - Cra....I mean Rock.

A1	Hells Bells	5:11
A2	Shoot to Thrill	5:17
A3	What Do You Do for Money Honey	3:34
A4	Given the Dog a Bone	3:31
A5	Let Me Put My Love Into You	4:14
B1	Back in Black	4:14
B2	You Shook Me All Night Long	3:29
B3	Have a Drink on Me	3:58
B4	Shake a Leg	4:05
B5	Rock and Roll Ain't Noise Pollution	4:12

AC/DC - Back in Black (1980)

WTF? Seriously, I've never understood AC/DC. Australia has a habit of liking anyone who is Australian and happens to make it overseas...even a little bit. Savage Garden anyone?

I listened to this twice and I still could barely tell you one song off it, except the ones I already knew. Boring riffs....blurgh.

If you want some hard rock with no personality, try this. Try not to choke.


Score - 4/10
Recommended - No. Unless you're very drunk at a pub.

Ryan Adams - Heartbreaker

Decade - 2000s


Label - Bloodshot
Producer - Ethan Jones
Country - US
Genre - Alt Country

1	(Argument With David Rawlings Concerning Morrissey)	0:37
2	To Be Young (Is to Be Sad, Is to Be High)	3:04
3	My Winding Wheel	3:13
4	AMY	3:46
5	Oh My Sweet Carolina	4:57
6	Bartering Lines	3:59
7	Call Me on Your Way Back Home	3:09
8	Damn, Sam (I Love a Woman That Rains)
9	Come Pick Me Up	5:18
10	To Be the One	3:01
11	Why Do They Leave?	3:38
12	Shakedown on 9th Street	2:53
13	Don't Ask for the Water	2:56
14	In My Time of Need	5:39
15	Sweet Lil Gal (23rd/1st)	3:39

Ryan Adams - Heartbreaker (2000)

I'm quite open to alt country. I'm a huge Wilco fan and also love Tweedy's stuff in Golden Smog so I was quite expecting to like Ryan Adams, or at least think it is a pretty good album.

And yep, it ended up just "pretty good".

As the title suggests, Heartbreaker is an album about....heartbreak. Not quite as emotionally intimate (or one noted) as Beck's Seachange, but it is still an album essentially about the ups and numerous downs of love.

Two problems for me with this album - one is that it's very front loaded and so drags about 3/4 of the way through. The second is that it's about 5% too country rather than alt-country for my tastes. That of course, is not the album's fault.

Generally though, I like it and I'm keeping it. The duet with Emmylou Harris is sweet and I really like Adams' voice. The first track (one of only two up tempo rock tracks) "To Be Young" is just very very fun.

Unfortunately I read this is his most under-produced album so I don't think I'll be checking out his later stuff that eagerly. Maybe one day.

Score - 8/10
Recommended - Yep.

Battle of the Decades #10

What a boring bunch again. Also could not find the second Elvis album (sadness eh?) or the 90s albums. Oh well.


2000's - Air - The Virgin Suicides (score) - 5/10

1990's - N/A

1980's - Dexy's Midnight Runners - Search for the Young... - 6/10

1970's - Derek & The Dominoes - Layla... - 6/10

1960's - N/A

1950's - Elvis Presley - Elvis Presley - 3/10

WINNER - NONE!

Yep that's right, no winner. All round a bad bunch. If I HAD to I'd
probably go for the Clapton one.


Coming up:

o Louvin Brothers – Tragic Songs of Life
o Makeba, Miriam – Miriam Makeba (1960)
o Davis, Miles – Bitches Brew
o AC/DC – Back in Black
o Deee Lite – World Clique
o Adams, Ryan – Heartbreaker

Elvis Presley - Elvis Presley

Decade - 1950s


Label - RCA
Producer - Uncredited
Country - US
Genre - Rock n Rol

A1	Blue Suede Shoes	2:01
A2	I'm Counting On You	2:24
A3	I Got A Woman	2:25
A4	One-Sided Love Affair	2:11
A5	I Love You Because	2:43
A6	Just Because	2:33
B1	Tutti Frutti	1:58
B2	Tryin' To Get To You	2:33
B3	I'm Gonna Sit Right Down And Cry (Over You)	2:01
B4	I'll Never Let You Go (Little Darlin')	2:24
B5	Blue Moon	2:40
B6	Money Honey	2:33

Elvis Presley - Elvis Presley (1956)

Elvis Elvis Elvis....boy oh boy. Proof that important and influential doesn't always = good.

Elvis is certainly considered one of, if not THE most important figures in American music and he's so famous that you'd have to be literally kept in a small room for your whole life to not have heard of him.

But all that doesn't really matter when it come to the music....right? And most of this is just throw away rubbish now. Appropriated rubbish that stole music that was already being made by others who were more talented but weren't quite as white as Elvis, as well.

It's not all bad, but it's clear that Elvis is a performer, and not some great talent. Blue Moon is the best song, but it's at the end and you have to listen to some very very dull and insipid ballads before you even get there.

The faster songs can be fun but overall it's just an album filled with mediocrity that has dated very badly but is buoyed up by the fact that it's Elvis.


Score -3/10
Recommended - No.

Derek & The Dominoes - Layla & Other Assorted Love Songs

Decade - 1970s



Label: Polydor
Producer - Tom Dowd, The Dominoes
Country - UK & USA
Genre - Rock

A1	I Looked Away	3:04
A2	Bell Bottom Blues	5:06
A3	Keep on Growing	6:22
A4	Nobody Knows You When You're Down and Out	4:57
B1	I Am Yours	3:32
B2	Anyday	6:37
B3	Key to the Highway	9:47
C1	Tell the Truth	6:45
C2	Why Does Love Got to Be So Sad	4:50
C3	Have You Ever Loved a Woman	6:51
D1	Little Wing	5:23
D2	It's Too Late	3:45
D3	Layla	7:10
D4	Thorn Tree in the Garden	2:51

Derek & The Dominoes - Layla & Other Assorted Love Songs (1970)

I'd never heard of Derek and The Dominoes but quickly figured out it was just Eric Clapton!

This is a double album that bombed at the time of its release. Now sometimes amazing, great, wonderful albums have no commercial success and it's only after the artist is dead or years later that people realise how awesome it was. Not in this case. This is just an average album with forgettable songs apart from Layla.

This is the long version of Layla and it's pretty good. But that's all I really found on the album and the rest of the time I was just plain bored.

If you're into some classic dad rock stuff you might like it - otherwise, I don't think you're missing much.


Score - 6/10
Recommended? To dads.