"What's Going On" - Marvin Gaye

This album is one of the most important and influential of all time and thankfully it's also one of the most enjoyable. Marvin Gaye had been a part of the Motown hit factory of the 1960's, releasing hit singles such as "I Heard It Through The Grapevine," "How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You)" along with his duets with Tammi Terrell (such as "Ain't Nothing Like The Real Thing" and "Ain't No Mountain High Enough"). But popular music in the late 1960s/early 1970s was shifting from an emphasis on singles to an emphasis on albums. Motown was still a singles-oriented company during this period, but Marvin Gaye felt constrained by this. He wanted to record and release an album that wasn't just a random collection of hit singles and filler. He wanted to record what we now call a 'concept album'. Berry Gordy (president of Motown) did not think that this was a good idea and it took Marvin Gaye sticking to his guns and many months of arguments before the album was released.

The album ended up being a huge hit and helped lead to a greater emphasis on albums in Soul music and it also produced three hit singles! The first and biggest hit and lead-off track on the album is the title song, "What's Going On". This track, with its the jazzy sax riff is probably my favorite song on the album. One of the most powerful tracks on the album is "Save The Children" a song with an absolutely majestic melody and a haunting tale of desperation and redemption. The album is just as topical today as it was when it was released over 40 years ago and is well worth listening to repeatedly.

One very positive outcome resulting from this album's strong sales was that Stevie Wonder was given the freedom to record entire albums, leading to masterpieces such as "Innervisions," "Songs In The Key Of Life" and many more. Other Black artists would also release albums that were not at all singles oriented, such as Isaac Hayes' "Hot Buttered Soul" a hit album that had only five songs; two clocking in at over 10 minutes! Unfortunately Motown would no longer set trends but only follow them during the 1970s and the number of Motown hits declined, though there were still some dependable hitmakers (i.e. Stevie Wonder, Diana Ross, The Commodores).

"Revolver" - The Beatles

It's kind of surprising that after having this blog for over a year, it's only now that I'm finally reviewing a Beatles album, since they are my favourite group by a long shot. Maybe I didn't want to go with albums that were 'obvious' to me. But after all this time, I will talk about what is probably my favourite Beatles album, "Revolver" (on most days that is.... on other days it would be "Abbey Road").

The album is a perfect mix of everything The Beatles represent. The avant-garde/experimental songs ("Tomorrow Never Knows"). The catchy singalong songs ("Yellow Submarine"). The achingly gorgeous love songs (the ethereal "Here, There and Everywhere" and the more upbeat "Good Day Sunshine"). The trippy/psychedelic songs ("And Your Bird Can Sing"). Possibly my favourite song on the album is an uncharacteristically depressing and hearbreaking Paul McCartney song, "For No One". This song has always caught my attention; there is something about this tale of a broken relationship and the picture that he paints that you can't forget. This album is also important in terms of the growing role that George Harrison was assuming, as he gets three songs on the album, including the classic opening track, the hard-rocking "Taxman".

Growing up,  I had the American version of this album on cassette, which has three less tracks than the complete British version which means that whenever I listen to the album now on CD, the three 'new' tracks ("I'm Only Sleeping," "And Your Bird Can Sing" and "Doctor Robert") somehow seem out of place.... even though they were meant to be part of the album and were missing from the American version of the album due to Capitol U.S.' insatiable appetite for more and more Beatles' albums (which led them to subtract songs from the British versions and eventually put them together with singles to create 'new' albums such as "Yesterday And Today," the one that originally had the infamous 'butcher' cover). And even though I've had this album on CD for 15+ years now.

If you've somehow never heard an entire Beatles album from start to finish, this would make a nice start.

What a cover

"Tango In The Night" - Fleetwood Mac

This album represents the classic Fleetwood Mac sound of "Rumours" and "Tusk" brought into a 1980s setting. That doesn't necessarily sound like a good thing, and this album isn't quite up to the sound of those two classic albums. But it is still one of their best albums with a consistently solid lineup of good to great tracks, including hits such as the almost mystifyingly depressing "Little Lies" and the uplifting "Everywhere". Another classic love song on the album is Stevie Nicks' "Seven Wonders". The album opens up with Lindsey Buckingham's memorable and funky "Big Love," which has been sampled a number of times since its release.

Unfortunately this was the last studio album featuring Lindsey Buckingham, Stevie Nicks and Christine McVie. They are three very talented writers and it's there combined strength that makes this album such a classic. While it does a bit too '80sish,' it is still highly recommended.

Get Down With It! The White Knight Of Soul 1959-72 - Wayne Cochran

Wayne Cochran is an obscure musician by any standards, and judged solely by the cover of this CD,  a musician with really, really scary hair. He does have a couple of (minor) claims to fame. For one, he wrote and performed the original version of the teen death drama "Last Kiss" (his version opens this CD).  He was also referenced in The Blues Brothers. But those are not the reasons that I bought a (somewhat expensive) CD of his and decided to review it here. The reason is that he is a phenomenal singer, definitely one of the 'blue eyes soul' voices of all time.

The songs are a mix of covers (some obvious choices, others not so much) and originals, with the originals mostly being written or co-written by Cochran. The majority of the material is uptempo, but there some nice ballads, such as "When My Baby Cries," complete with a soulful spoken section. Cochran must have recorded with a very talented horn section, as the horns are a highlight of many of his recordings, particularly on "Somebody's Been Cuttin' In On My Groove". It's a shame that Cochran never found a wide audience, at least this Raven Records CD does a great job of summing up his (mostly unknown) career.

And the man can DANCE! Check it out here. Pure James Brown footwork. Maybe a DVD of the man is needed.....

You can buy this CD here.

This CD is better than the cover may indicate.

"City To City" - Gerry Rafferty

So I found this CD in a gas station on the way to Ottawa. I always loved the song "Baker Street" and I knew that the song originated on this album. At $5.99, I figured I would give it a try, as I had heard good things about this album. I was not disappointed. There is not a weak song in the bunch, and the highlights of the album are exemplary examples of 70s songcraft. Within a few days of picking up the CD I had listened to it about 5 times. "Baker Street" is the biggest hit and most well know song from the album and justifiably so. The famously catchy sax riff wraps itself around the song beautifully and the lyrics talk about the longing that so many people have for a far away, mystical place. The next song on the album, and the follow up single is the midtempo ballad "Right Down The Line" which manages to be endearing but not overly sappy. The one downtempo ballad of the album "Whatever's Written In Your Heart" does occasionally hit a note that is too sappy for this listener's ears. Two other highlights for me are the songs "Home And Dry and the closer, "Waiting For The Day". This album is highly recommended to fans of 70s Soft Rock or anyone who loves the song "Baker Street" but has never listened to any other Gerry Rafferty songs.

P.S. Despite what the cover art may imply, this is NOT a guitar dominated album!

"Tunnel Of Love" - Bruce Springsteen

Bruce Springsteen's "Tunnel Of Love," the 1987 follow up to the massively successful "Born In The U.S.A." is an underrated masterpiece. It is one of his most personal albums, as he was in the midst of personal issues which would soon lead to a divorce with his then wife. The overwhelming theme is one of heartbreak, despair, confusion. "Brilliant Disguise," the biggest hit from the album (#5 on the Billboard Pop charts) paints a haunting picture of a man who is not sure who it is that he is in love with, or who exactly who he is: "Well I've tried so hard baby but I just can't see. What a woman like you is doing with me. So tell me what I see when I look in your eyes. Is that you baby or just a brilliant disguise".

As with all of Bruce Springsteen's greatest albums, there are scenes of heartbreaking domestic strife. The most affecting, most distraught track may be "One Step Up". "Another fight and I slam the door on another battle in our dirty little war. When I look at myself I don’t see the man I wanted to be. Somewhere along the line I slipped off track. I’m caught movin’ one step up and two steps back". The title track has always been a favourite of mine. The tunnel of love is an interesting metaphor,  as the song details a trip through a real life circus tunnel of love, as well as the turmoil that is enveloping their relationship.

I don't think Bruce Springsteen has recorded a better album than this since then, so in my books this stands as Bruce Springsteen's last great album, though other good ones have since been released.