#99: Bob Dylan - Bringing it All Back Home (1965)

It's always interesting to see overlapping story lines while writing these reviews. Dylan's cuff links on the album cover were a gift from Baez. Dylan wrote a portion of this album in Woodstock, New York and Baez stayed with him for a month. She described him as drinking red wine, smoking, and typing away on a typewriter in the corner. Even in the middle of the night he would grunt, roll over, and get back to typing. One of the most fascinating things about Dylan at this time was the controversy surrounding 'Dylan Goes Electric'.


Maggie's Farm
This song symbolizes the album (for me). It's about Dylan announcing his independence from the folk/protest scene. Although, in a sense - it's kind of his protest song about not writing protest songs any more... The song incorporates blues, a little rock and roll, and a whole lot of innuendo. I don't claim to fully understand the song on the first few listens, but that's part of the joy of Dylan's work. I also really enjoyed 'Rage Against the Machine's cover version.

Outlaw Blues
Half of this album experiments with Dylan's folk style mixed in with electric guitar, while the other half remains acoustic (but strays away from his protest type style such as "Blowin' in the Wind"). This song is gritty, quick, and of course dripping with the blues. Dylan's voice really works incredibly well in this setting.

Mr. Tambourine Man
I knew this song because of the cover version the Byrds put out that rocketed to #1. However, I prefer Dylan's version a billion times over. It has nothing to do with the "piety" of Dylan being the composer, it has everything to do with emotion. Dylan sells the song - it means something. I never cared for the Byrd's version, but I was pleasantly surprised how much I enjoyed this track.

All in all, I really enjoyed it. It didn't blow my mind quite like 'The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan' did, but this is a completely different album and it spawned a lot of change in the music industry. Dylan has proven to me over two albums that he's one of the all time greats and while I'm not rushing out to buy a few more Dylan albums, I can assure you I will own them all sometime in the future.

#98: The Kooks- Inside In/Inside Out (2006)

It's amazing to me that bands like this exist and somehow they aren't well known in the states. Englishman Luke Pritchard's lead vocals are distinct and blend perfectly with their style of indie rock. Their songs are incredibly catchy, fun to sing along with, and bursting with energy.

Ooh La
Their sound is similar to the Arctic Monkeys, which really isn't completely true. The Kooks are a little more pop and a little less intense.This song features acoustic riffs with big drums, it flows from one thought to another seamlessly. It's a song dedicated to the late model Audrey Lindvall.


She Moves in Her Own Way
It's the first track I had ever heard by the Kooks and it's also the best track on the album. If you've never heard the Kooks, I highly recommend checking out this track. They've got such a unique sound and it's framed perfectly here, Pritchard's vocals really carry the song, but the guitars are ridiculously catchy and the drums are right on point. It's their biggest hit to date for good reason.

Naive 

The intro has the coolest guitar part on the album. This song feels like it's more of a group effort than the rest of the tracks. The drums play an integral part as does the bass, it's a much more complete feel. The only negative thing I can about this album is that the songs sounds like their written on the guitar and then adapted for a group setting. This song defies that - making it the best track on the album.

All in all, it's a really good album. I'm ashamed to say this is the only Kooks album I've heard but after listening to it again - I just may have to go out and grab another.

Tomorrow's album: Bob Dylan's Bringing it All Back Home.

#97: The Sonics - Here Are the Sonics (1965)

The Sonics are one of the first punk/grunge bands, and were part of the first grunge scene in Seattle that later produced a number of acts. They took old rock and roll songs and just made them louder and faster.

The Witch
This is probably the best track to listen to if you're trying to become familiar with what the Sonics were all about. The album is full of really simple chord progressions played very aggressively, but what I really like from this track is the lead vocalist. He reminds me a bit of early 70's rock singers (such as 3 Dog Night) and the music behind him is just plain dirty (in a good way).



Boss Hoss
The Sonics tend to be the best when they're doing originals over covers. The drums are relentless just pounding away, it's like he's got a personal vendetta against his kit. The sax solo is superb, it's such a perfect timbre to add to the grunge. To some the recording quality of this album may take away from the music, it was made on a two track recorder, the levels clips at times, and it's extremely condensed. I think it truly adds to the grunge feel, if it were cleaner - it'd just feel wrong.

Have Love, Will Travel
It's a cover but it's also the best track on the album. It's got both the grunge and yet doesn't lose out on pop sense-abilities. Also it features one of the coolest, yet simplest sax solos I've ever heard. There's not really much to the song and yet it works so incredibly well. While the guitars holds down the music with the fuzz, the drummer holds the beat by trying to beat it to death, the vocalist really shines with really well crafted interjections to the melody.

All in all, it's a really good album. It's both easy to forget and remember that it was recorded in 1965. It's not an album I can see myself going back for any time soon, but it's very well done. Had the album been more originals, I think I may have enjoyed it more. I'll definitely check out another album or two of theirs at some point in the future. Oh, and Gerry Roslie's vocals are pretty boss.

Tomorrow's album: The Kooks' Inside In/Inside Out.

#96: KT Tunstall - Drastic Fantastic (2007)

I still think KT Tunstall is one of the biggest well known secrets in the music industry. Every once in a while her name pops up on the radar, but it's really a shame there's not more focus on her. She's just got one of those voices that's impossible to ignore. If she were making music in the 70's I think she'd be a superstar. For instance she was on Live at Daryl's House performing "Something to Talk About" and just absolutely kills it.

White Bird
Not only does she have killer vocals, she's an excellent songwriter. The acoustic guitar carries the song with a beautiful, fluid riff that's exceptionally complemented by the basic drums and synths. Throughout the album she's particularly good at switching styles in writing her lyrics. "White feathers dripped in tar, hard to tell how old you are, wondering how much you know, about all of us below."

Hold On

Such a cool riff, this is Tunstall at her best. A little bit of rock, a lot of attitude, and percussion that keeps you moving. I've still yet to see KT Tunstall live but she's among tops on my list, she brings the same passion to playing live into the studio. Instead of getting super polished vocals we get tracks like this, blues filled thoughts that would translate perfectly to a live setting.

Paper Aeroplane
This song debuted on KT Tunstall's 'Songs in July' album, and while I'm not normally a fan of pulling songs and reworking them - I make an exception when it's done incredibly well. The guitar picking still holds the song together but the light accompaniment really adds to the overall feel of the song. "And you're like a paper aeroplane, that never seems to land, flying blind through anything, straight into the hand that chokes you, each time you try to live." It's deep, it's profound, and it's eloquently put.

All in all, KT Tunstall is one of my all time favorites. She can take anything and just make it absolutely amazing. I've yet to hear a track or a cover of her's that I didn't instantly think about covering (see: Jackson 5's I Want You Back). It seems that being a musician is what she was born to do (lucky for us) so I see no reason not to expect another dozen well crafted albums from her before she's all said and done.

Tomorrow's album: The Sonic's Here Are the Sonics.

#95: Jerry Lee Lewis - Live at the Star Club, Hamburg (1965)

Lewis is also known as the Killer and his compilation "All Killer, No Filler" is one of Rolling Stone Magazine's top 500 albums of all time. He is a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of fame. However, he is widely known for marrying his young cousin, which put a giant kink in his career. The music that he made throughout his life has proven that despite any social context around which he lives his life - he's one of the best in his field.

Money (That's What I Want)
This track stands out as one of the better tracks on the album just because it's one of the best written songs. I still prefer the Beatles version to Lewis', but Lewis does a wonderful job with it putting his own spin on it. At some point, I'll definitely cover this song and this will be my blueprint.

What'd I Say
What this does is take Ray Charles' original and strip all of the blues away - filling it back in with more rock and roll. While there may have been sexual innuendo in the original, this does not mask it at all it's much more aggressive.

Great Balls of Fire
It's a great piano part, driving blues line, and lyrics that don't necessarily mean anything... but it's just got a ton of attitude. I'm sure you've heard it, but in a live setting it does incredibly well. It's Lewis at his finest. It feels like other songs on this album are trying to recreate the magic that this song provides and while I don't believe that is the case I think this is just the culmination of a perfect Jerry Lee Lewis song.

All in all, it's a good album, I enjoyed it. It's nothing I would listen to over and over, but it's good to hear Lewis in a live setting. Hearing other covers such as 'Good Golly Miss Molly' and 'Hound Dog' really expands his appeal to me. While he sticks in his style of rock and roll piano and doesn't stray too far away from it, he has truly mastered his style of playing. If there ever becomes a point for me to study early rock and roll piano, Jerry Lee Lewis will be the first guy I look towards.

Tomorrow's album: KT Tunstall's Drastic Fantastic.

#94: Ingrid Michaelson - Girls and Boys (2006)

She's come a long way in a very short period of time, but this is the album that started it all. Her breakout song "The Way I Am" was featured on an Old Navy commercial and it launched Ingrid from obscure to... slightly less obscure. Immediately after seeing the commercial and listening to the entire song, I purchased her album. However, multiple more TV spots later she really gained traction and has slowly but surely made a big name for herself.

The Way I Am
A few bongos, some clapping, a bass, an acoustic guitar, and some beautiful vocals make for one of the best tracks on the album. It's short, it's sweet, and it's heartwarming. "I'll buy you rogaine when you start losing all your hair, sew on patches to all you tear..." She truly knows all of my problems.



Die Alone
Best track on the album, it shows a completely different side of Ingrid. It uses an electric guitar and even rocks out a little bit. Beautiful harmonies are in stark contrast to the guitar providing a perfect platform for Ingrid's fragile yet strong vocals to carry such a lyrically heavy track.

Far Away
This song is really about the story, the guitar provides a simple chord progression while Ingrid uses her perfect diction to explain herself, "I will live my life as a lobsterman's wife on an island in the blue bay. He will take care of me, he will smell like the sea, and close to my heart he'll always stay." Is it sappy? Perhaps. But when Michaelson sings it it just sounds beautiful.

There's a few tracks on the album that shows her inexperience in songwriting, but there's a few on there that really show what she's capable of. Some of the tracks use repetition to great extent well and others not so well. Sometimes it helps to reinforce thoughts or provides a basis in which to transition the music to another thought, however, at times it's used a crutch to move the music in a different direction without introducing anything truly new. That being said: I hope she records an album every year for the next thirty years - I'll probably buy them all.

Tomorrow's album: Jerry Lee Lewis' Live at the Star Club, Hamburg.

#93: Buck Owens and His Buckaroos - I've Got A Tiger By The Tail (1965)

Buck Owens and His Buckaroos pioneered the Bakersfield sound which Owens preferred to call American music. He's a member of the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame and the Country Music Hall of Fame.

Tiger By The Tail
I like the harmonies a lot they're very distinct. The lyrics are incredibly predictable and it's being projected from a minute away. It's a little rock and roll but it's mostly a country track. The vocals definitely carry the track as there really isn't much to listen to otherwise.

Let the Sad Times Roll On
Maybe this is why I don't listen to country music. I would much prefer Ray Charles' 'Let the Good Times Roll'. This is your prototypical country song, steel guitar, country slang, and it has every component you've heard a billion times before.

A Maiden's Prayer
It's pretty much just like everything else on the record, it's written in 2/4 and the bass just hits quarter notes. However, this song features a lot more strings and has no vocal tracks. If you take away Buck Owens' voice from any of these tracks you're simply left with a whole lot of nothing. This track proudly parades that fact.

All in all, I was pretty bored while listening to this. There's a few tracks that hold my attention, but I don't know if they caught my ear because they were in such contrast to the songs I strongly disliked or if they actually can stand up on their own. Even if you like old country, I'm sure you can find a better album than this.

Tomorrow's album: Ingrid Michaelson's Girls and Boys.

#92: John Mayer - Heavier Things (2003)

It's hard to judge Mayer impartially since I've been a fan of his so long. This album shows the potential that he had early in his career and that potential grew up to put out one of the best albums I've ever heard: Continuum. This is Mayer before he really introduced the blues into his music, this is 100% pop radio music. This record propelled him into the public eye and he even had a hilarious TV show - for one episode...

Clarity
It was the second single off the album and Mayer had described the song about the first few moments after you wake up when you don't remember all the problems and worries in your life. The song has very sparse drums provided by Questlove of the Roots. It's one of Mayer's best pop songs.




Come Back to Bed
I really enjoy the guitar on this track even though it really holds back in the verses. The music embodies the feel of the lyrics and vocals. "I'll take back what I said, just don't leave me alone here, it's cold baby - Come back to bed." Much like the rest of the album the content isn't incredibly deep, but it's something everyone can relate to and the stories are told quite specifically and with great depth.

Daughters
It's one of his all time best songs and I still enjoy it every time I hear it (even though the radio still won't stop playing it all these years later). The guitar is eloquent, the lyrics are spot on, and Mayer's vocals seem like the only appropriate and acceptable tone for this song. It's one of those tracks where I'm not sure if I'd like any cover versions because the original is just so well done. The track is sung in a very honest, emotional way - it's captured beautifully.

All in all, it's a good album - nothing great. From this point in his career going forward I feel like he's continually gotten better and better. This isn't a bad album by any stretch and his later works should not diminish what he did in his past, but this album just falls short of the bar I've come to expect of him. There's plenty of really good tracks on here and a few that fail to grab me nine years later.

Tomorrow's album: Buck Owens and His Buckaroos' I've Got A Tiger By the Tail.

#91: The Rolling Stones - The Rolling Stones (1964)

Much like the Beatles debut this album is full of covers with a few originals. It worked for Elvis, it worked for so many others, and it worked for them. However, the Stones do something that makes this one of the biggest precursors to rock music and that is they took the blues and simply sped it up. It's such a simple concept, but it makes this album sound much more modern than any other record on the list of '1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die' (save for the Beatles) up to this point.

Mona (I Need You Baby)
It's a Bo Diddley song and yet it's a very modern "Stones-esque" track. Jagger has a little more defined vocals and Richards has a very catchy lick on the guitar. It's also very interesting to listen to the guitar effects throughout the album. Prior to 1964 I've never heard guitars that sound quite like these on any album.

I'm a King Bee
If you don't believe this is a blues inspired album, listen to this song - especially for the lyrics because they're awesome. It's incredibly suggestive and at the same time, kind of innocent. I particularly like the harmonica, just because any harmonica makes the blues that much more legitimate. Best track on the album.

Carol
I struggled with this song, but ultimately I figured it all out. It sounds like a hundred other songs just like it (especially 'Roll Over Beethoven' and a little 'Johnny Be Goode'). Come to find out, it's a Chuck Berry song and he wrote all three. Jagger's voice really fits in this genre of music and it's amazing how much his voice changed over the next ten years.

All in all, I'm slightly disappointed - I thought I'd enjoy it more than I did. It's good it just doesn't do it for me. Some of it has some historical perspective, but then again I'm not a huge late Stones fan - so their roots don't grab me either. It is interesting to see another huge band also starting out with covers. It's good, just not my cup of tea.

Tomorrow's album: John Mayer's Heavier Things.

#90: Jack White - Blunderbuss (2012)

Jack White is the man. I have such deep and great respect for him. He does crazy stuff and makes it cool, he tries to get away with as much as he can. He's influenced by musicians all over the map and he's one of the most talented and bravest songwriters out there. What he does isn't always popular, but that's not the point now is it?

Sixteen Saltines
Sounds more of a Scorpions 'Rock You Like A Hurricane' type of lick to start, however, this song is a lot angrier (and cooler). The vocal technique he uses on this is something he's known for. He uses multiple takes and one is clearly heard than the other, but he doesn't try to sing it the same way on both takes. This creates a lot of depth on an otherwise thin vocal line (for higher notes).

Love Interruption
What I love about White is the fact that he has such an amazing range. He can rock so hard and then this is the next song. It features an acoustic guitar and a melodica speaking of what love should be. For most artists these type of songs don't transition well to the rest of the album, but the arrangement and the beautiful backup vocals really make this track shine. This isn't a collection of 'rock' songs, it's just a collection of really well written songs.

I'm Shakin'
I know this is a cover and there's plenty of other original songs that also could be spotlighted, however this song is just so damn cool. It's got the best groove on the album, the vocals are phenomenal, it rocks, it's such a great recording. It's absolutely the best track on the album and I especially give him bonus points for pronouncing the word "nervous" as "nouy-vous". It's the best cover of an old school blues song put in a modern setting since the Black Crowes' 'Hard to Handle'.

All in all, this album is a reminder that commercial albums are dumb. Not that there's not good commercial music, there certainly is. I really tend to like records that aren't usually socially acceptable, but they're just so good they become acceptable. From a songwriter's point of view this album is a resounding success.

Tomorrow's album: The Rolling Stones' The Rolling Stones.

#89: Dusty Springfield - A Girl Called Dusty (1964)

For those that don't understand why musicians take stage names look no further than Dusty Springfield. It's a cool name and it totally fits her sound - that - and her given name is Mary Isobel Catherine Bernadette O'Brien. Usually your name has to fit on the album cover. However, her nickname 'Dusty' was given to her from being a tomboy and playing football with the boys in the street.

Momma Said
It's always been one of my favorite oldies. She stays true to the original and she's got a really unique and cool voice. Her vocal technique is a little shorter and stronger than what I'm used to by female artists from this genre, but it's perfect for this style of music.




When the Lovelight Starts Shining Through His Eyes

I didn't expect Dusty to be a diva, but considering I knew her name (and that's it) before listening to this record I expected to hear what I normally hear from artists in this genre with top billing: a really special voice with little to no redeeming qualities from the other musicians. But while Dusty has a truly amazing voice, the songs are well written and the musicians behind her provide a full frame around Dusty. Best track on the album.

Can I Get a Witness
It's got the 'Sesame Street' piano part. One of these days I'm gonna write a medley of all the songs that have the same sound to it (see: Van Morrison's Blue Money). It's got a really cool feel to it, a lot of blues and soul. The band lays low but the backup vocals keep us hooked throughout the song.

All in all, it's really good. There's only a few exceptional tracks, but what I can take away from this is that Dusty just has a cool voice. She sounds like she's 5 foot and has a strong (not powerful) voice. I love the tone of her voice, and when she really projects it's not overbearing - it has a really amazing quality to it. I liked most of the songs, it's not a must hear album - but it's very, very good. I enjoyed it. However, she's such a talented vocalist, I look forward to listening to another Dusty Springfield album sometime very soon.

Tomorrow's album: Jack White's Blunderbuss.

#88: Ben Folds Five - The Sound and the Life of the Mind (2012)

Welcome back Ben Folds Five.

I'm officially old. I've finally reached the age where all my favorite bands from my past have reconciled and are putting out a new album (see: Matchbox Twenty). Ben Folds has absolutely matured since his BFF days, but it’s even more interesting to see how the other musicians have changed and how it ultimately affects their sound.

Erase Me

This song is BFF at their best. They were once dubbed “punk rock for pussies” and this song follows in that tradition.  What I’ve always admired about the trio is their transitions. This song goes through a number of them, from an eerie type beginning to a bouncy rock number. The harmonies are superb and the lyrics are sharp – one of the most enjoyable tracks on the album.

Thank You For Breaking My Heart

The music is exquisite - the piano is soulful, simple, and sweet. It’s the depth of the music from track to track that really allows this record to hold your attention for its entirety. The song’s title isn’t a thinker, nor are the rest of the lyrics, but it has a universal appeal to it. It’s Ben’s most “thoughtful” song since ‘The Boxer’.

Draw A Crowd
While they have absolutely matured throughout the album, this song proves that their still kids at heart. What a cool, yet simple piano lick to hold it together. “If you can’t draw a crowd, draw dicks on the wall.” This song also contains the best lyric on the album, “I only wanted to be Stevie Wonder, but I got to settle for this vanilla thunder.”

All in all, it’s a solid return for a solid band. They do so many things right throughout the 45 minutes left and in terms of recording quality, it's their best album. They've been a big part of my musical development and they will hopefully continue putting out music for many years to come - I’d still like to think their best work is ahead of them. They mix rock, ballads, a capella, jazz, and blues all into the same pot and the results are truly special.

Tomorrow's album: Dusty Springfield's A Girl Called Dusty.

#87: Solomon Burke - Rock 'N Soul (1964)

Ray Charles called himself a genius because he's a bad ass and because he is. Solomon Burke is the self proclaimed King of Rock N' Soul. Which... even if this was an actual genre - he wouldn't be the King. If that were the case then I'd like to be officially known as the King of SoundsNowhereNearAsGoodAsTheBeatles, and at least I'd be truthful.

Won't You Give Him (One More Chance)
This is the first song on the album that has a more modern feel to it. The vocals are quite good, but the instrumentation that goes along with it makes it feel like it could be revamped and made today. There's so much pull back to the chorus it's ridiculous, and the vocals only amplify this - it's why the song works.



Can't Nobody Love You

The previous tracks are early rock n' roll with blues vocals, but this song features a little more blues in the instrumentation. However, at times it feels as if he's forcing the blend of genres. Like he's trying to find the mathematical equations of each genre and then working it out so they technically work together. At times, it works but at times it falls flat. This song could have carried a lot more weight if it was just the blues and he wasn't trying to fit other parts into it.

You're Good for Me
It's got a 3/4 feel to it with this simple bass line to push it along, while the vocals sing some soulful words about a relationship. It's like 'Bring it On Home to Me' but not quite as good. This album is full of songs that sound like other songs that you've heard before. Despite the album's title indicating that we're going to hear a new genre, it doesn't feel like anything new. If James Brown and Sam Cooke not been on the scene as of yet, I think this would have a little more merit to me.

All in all, it's not a bad album. My issue is that it just feels to forced. It takes a bass part from one genre, a drum part from another, a vocal from another, and all together it just doesn't feel genuine. It sounds "technically" fine, but this album isn't any more special than any other album that came out in this year. There's no real big take away's, it's just kinda blah.

Tomorrow's album: Ben Folds Five's The Sound and the Life of the Mind.

#86: Mayer Hawthorne – How Do You Do? (2011)

Hawthorne got a lot of attention for his debut album, ‘A Strange Arrangement’. A big fan of his throwback style was Snoop Dogg, who even collaborated with Hawthorne for a track. This album seems to be a little more modern than his debut but still carries the same overall feel. It’s amazing to think that these are original songs and not covers taken from the era.

A Long Time
The man has style both musically and in the clothes he wears. This song has a little more Hall and Oates in it than Motown; however, it still completely rocks. With Mayer’s trademarked falsetto he can really sing anything and make it sound amazing. He’s hails from Detroit, “Welcome to the motor town, buckle up ‘cause here we go.”

The Walk

I love this track so much I want to burst into a thousand pieces. Not only is absolutely the best track on the album, it’s one of my favorite songs of all time. There’s something about throwback music that’s just awesome, and when there’s cursing in it – it gets bonus points. Not many times have I listened to a track over and over for hours after first hearing it, however this was one. “From the moment I met you, I thought you were fine, but your shitty, fucking attitude has got me changing my mind.” The horns are spot on, the vocals and melody is amazing, the feel is butter, and the lyrics are expertly crafted. It’s a must listen if there’s ever been one. The video’s pretty stellar as well; it’s shot in the style of the A-Team.

No Strings
It’s fluff but it’s got such a groove. Anyone who says, “They don’t make them like this anymore,” clearly hasn’t heard of Mayer Hawthorne. Lyrically (again) Hawthorne doesn’t do anything groundbreaking, but it’s really, really fun music. If there’s any question if Mayer can pull of his sound live, here’s a video: he can. The breakdown to the ending vocals is perfect, it’s such a wonderful cap to such a well written song.

All in all, Mayer Hawthorne is a stud. There’s no doubt in my mind that the best is yet to come. He’s the real deal because he’s got depth. He understands both pop sensibilities as well as the genres he’s putting himself into. Sophomore slumps are for chumps. Mayer Hawthorne ain’t no chump.

Tomorrow's album: Solomon Burke's Rock 'N Soul.

#85: Jacques Brel - Olympia 64 (1964)

It seems to be quite a chore to write this album review. 'Amsterdam' wasn't an awful song to start off the album, however, every track following felt way too similar. One of them was a lullaby sung in a different language. Not that the different dialect bothers me, but the music doesn't change enough (to keep me interested) to make up for the lack of context.

As soon as I made it to the fourth track I checked out. There are very, very few positive things I can say about this. I will say that he has very good diction. Maybe it'd be different if it weren't a live album. The music behind the vocalist could have been stronger and the mix definitely would be better.



Brel has his voice in the forefront 100% of the time and nothing comes anywhere near a counter melody. Those instruments that attempt to be a counter melody are incredibly soft, incredibly simple, and give you nothing to latch on to. Judging by the clapping and the sound of the audience there's a ton of people. I'm not quite sure what I'm missing out on. I'd like to hear another album of his (preferably not live) but this isn't an album I can get behind.

All in all, I did not enjoy this album at all. I hate to say it because I'm sure there's an audience that truly enjoys this music, but I found nothing to take away from this record. That's a rarity for me but I just really wanted to stop listening to it. From what I've read he inhabits the song, he acts out the stories and throws himself around the stage. I'm sure this would be fascinating to watch, but since the music is very clearly anchored by the stories (and the fact that I don't speak French) this album falls very flat for me.

Tomorrow's album: Mayer Hawthorne's How Do You Do?

#84: Rob Thomas – Something to Be (2005)

This album is much more pop centered than his days with Matchbox Twenty. It’s full of sounds and instruments you’d never hear on his Matchbox records, but the result is the same – it’s still a Rob Thomas sound. Rob’s soulful vocals and incredible songwriting are the centerpiece of his debut album.

This is How a Heart Breaks
The album goes right for the jugular on the first track. Big percussion and a small piano allow Rob Thomas to venture through the jungle to arrive at his first huge pop hook. Even the bridge is well crafted, the piano allows Thomas to almost rap over the top of it, but the big hook is the simple yet incredibly effective guitar solo back to the solo. It may be pop but it rocks.

I Am an Illusion
Coolest opening of any track on the album. It’s just vocals and drums, and it has nothing to do with what’s about to happen – yet it fits. The music is super solid with the horn hits, the bondish bass, and the deep harmonies. Yet it’s Thomas’ vocals that carry the track, he makes it really work. “I’m not real anymore, I am an illusion.”

Street Corner Symphony
It’s John Mayer and Rob Thomas on the same track – how could it not be good? Mayer lays down the blues over the top of big horns and the best feel good track on the album. Actually, it’s the best track on the album. The chorus is full of uplifting lyrics, but it’s the music that provides me with chills. Also, what a guitar solo… Mayer is the man. If Thomas and Mayer recorded an album together I think I’d explode.

All in all, the album is full of incredibly well written tracks. If the recording doesn’t move you then I’m sure it could be rerecorded in a different style to make it more appealing. It’s got a little bit of everything from the pop spectrum. Thomas is without a doubt my generation’s best songwriter and his debut album reflects that. The only complaint I have is that while the music was excellent, it didn’t push any boundaries nor did it push the listener to accept more than what’s already acceptable – not that it should – it’s absolutely beautiful for exactly what it is.

Tomorrow's album: Jacques Brel's Olympia 64.

#83: The Beatles - A Hard Day's Night (1964)

Lennon was the song writing force on this album having been the primary writer for ten of thirteen tracks. I'll be covering the UK release of the album since the US had four of the tracks cut for instrumental versions. The UK version also has a different album cover than the iconic US version (pictured). This was the first Beatles album (and one of the first albums in general) to have all of the songs written by the performers on the album. These aren't covers, these aren't songs written for them, these are their songs. It's such a simple idea today, but it was revolutionary at the time.

And I Love Her
While this album may include love songs that are paper thin, it also includes some that are a little deeper. The title only appears once in the second verse and is more of an afterthought. It has a very different sound from the rest of the record due to the instrumentation. The percussion lacks a standard drum set and instead supplies bongos and claves; the guitars are acoustic and not electric. The song also relies a little more on the vocals and the story than the rest of the album.

Can't Buy Me Love
Whenever I think of early Beatles, I think of this song - it's a classic. It has all of the staples of a good pop song in it's era: memorable lyrics, a simple groove, some quick hits to interrupt the song, has a guitar solo, and it's incredibly catchy. It's early the Beatles at their finest. Best track on the album. If you've never heard this song then you're lying to yourself. It's everywhere - even today.

You Can't Do That
Never before has the threat of domestic abuse sounded good. "I'm gonna let you down and leave you flat. Because I told you before - you can't do that." What I'm particularly impressed on this track with is the guitar part. Harrison really delivers a really solid rock vibe to great vocals on top of the rhythm section. If you're waiting for the next best song about domestic abuse, stick tight - the Beatles have another doosey coming up in a future album.

All in all, it's a solid album. Lennon and McCartney's first full album of songs pushed some boundaries and while those lines are blurred due to historical perspective, the music does hold up. Granted, the recording quality isn't up to today's qualities, but this is really the roots of rock music. The vocals that Lennon and McCartney supply on this album are nothing short of superb.

Tomorrow's album: Rob Thomas' Something to Be.