Brad Stengel

I've lost Avery Island, rebought it on vinyl, lost aeroplane, rebought it on CD, lost it on cd, rebought it on vinyl.

Vinyl's tougher to misplace.

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Brad Stengel

Words cannot describe how much I used to hate Weezer. I liked "Hash Pipe" in 7th grade, but quickly realized how boring and yet, outstandingly grating it was. I had basically only heard from the Green Album onward, and thus despised them. Then something happened. "Buddy Holly" came on the radio, and though I had heard it before, it never clicked that it was Weezer. I also enjoyed it much more than I had when I was a kid. I decided that it was the catchiest song ever written, and before you knew it, I realized "The Sweater Song" and "Say It Ain't So" were more examples of great Weezer songs.

My interest sparked, I borrowed a copy of the Blue Album from a friend in the beginning of 2006 (might I add, I still have it...sucker...). From the moment when the wall of guitars kicks in on "My Name is Jonas", I was sold.

I can't empasize enough how melodically perfect this record is. It's tough to make a rock/pop album so melodically satisfying without having it all sound the same. I mean, Weezer isn't experimental-and I'm sure to someone completely unfamiliar with them, the entirety of the blue album sounds the same. For me at least, and any other fans, each song, although similar in some regards, has its own personality. You have the faux-reggae of "Say It Ain't So", the Brian Wilsonesque "Buddy Holly", the epic closing track, the shameless pop-punk of "No One Else", all performed in a way that is undeniably Weezer. Although this sound does in fact carry through their later albums, none would ever be as catchy yet relistenable as 'The Blue Album'. I mean, hell, I actually liked 'Pork and Beans' when it came out-it's classic catchy Weezer. But I tired of it very quickly, and now lump it into "Crappy Weezer". Theres a certain charm of this album that makes it one of the few pop albums that I can put on today, and have it sound just as pleasing as when I first got into it. And that is why Rivers Cuomo sucks now, and why no other Weezer album comes close to this for me.
90/100

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Brad Stengel

By 2006 I had outgrown metal. Although it was one of my genres of choice in middle school, I eventually found it too boring, generic, pretentious, and in terms of sound, much too samey. God-forbid a band use any different instuments, and it seemed like the bands that did took themselves far too seriously. That being said, I've always liked Black Sabbath, and it seemed like much of the music I had been listening to lately (Violent Femmes, Beach Boys, Weezer, OTC) although more satisfying, had lost something that I love in a song-a really bad-ass riff.

Then, of course, I found "Raw Power" probably the most bad-ass album of all time. Whether it's Iggy Pop's psychotic howl versus his raspy croon in each song, the heavy yet grainy guitar tone, or the sheer quality of every riff, this album is as powerful as it sounds. Lately I've been thinking about making a list of albums that need to be played with the volume maxed out, and this is definitely a candadite for number one.

"Search and Destroy" starts the album off running, complete with terrific riffs, guitars sloppy enough to keep it from sounding too slick (another big gripe of mine when it comes to alot of metal), but technically proficient enough to put in some great leads. This is a classic punk song, with lyrics like "I am the world's forgotton boy/the one who searches and destroys". I'll admit, I still haven't gotten "Fun House", but one of the reasons I prefer this album to the Stooges' first, is that there's not only 1000% more energy and excitement, but I don't have to skip over any songs (except that slow bluesy one at the end of side A), it's a quality fucking record.

I'd have to say my favorite off this album, is of course, the song with my favorite Stooges riff. "Shake Appeal" is an essential Stooges track, complete with handclaps, a beat that will either want to make you jump around the room or punch people in the face, and the sickest riff I've ever heard. Add on Iggy's amphetemine fueled vocals and the great guitar tone that permeates through the album, and there you have it! My favorite Stooges song.

"Raw Power" for many people, can be a great gateway album. I can see punk fans and metal fans alike (although not the sort that are into the technical noodling) enjoying the shit out of this, and hopefully delving a little deeper on all the treasures to be found among the 70's underground. This was definitely a highlight of 2006 for me, and continues to be one of my favorite albums to turn the volume up all the way and piss off the neighbors. Because even though it's 35 years old, parents of all ages will still dismiss it as too loud, too pissed off, and too simple. And that, ladies and gentlemen, is why The Stooges have remained one of the most relevant rock and roll bands of all time.
90/100

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Urban Hat€monger ?

Wow

You know I did almost exactly the same as you. I was bored of metal & one of the first non metal albums I ever picked up was Raw Power.

Do you have the original abrasive version or the horrible 'remastered' version?

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Brad Stengel

The horrible remastered one of course

To be fair I've never heard the original Bowie produced version, so the remastering doesn't bother me as much because that's how I originally heard it. I do however have a CD of 'Raw Power' outtakes like "Open Up and Bleed", and "Cock in My Pocket" that includes some radio sessions of "Raw Power", "Search and Destroy" and "Your Pretty Face Is Going to Hell". The latter of all those is the only one I prefer to the original, although they're all fantastic.

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Urban Hat€monger ?

I love the original version.

The bass is virtually inaudible and the treble on the guitars is so high it could strip flesh off you.

That's how you listen to The Stooges

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Brad Stengel

I can honestly name only one artist consistently played on classic rock radio that hasn't been ruined in any way for me. Bob Dylan. Most likely because all the stoner kids ignore him, his originality, while overrated among the world of 'Rolling Stone', I've always found underrated in the world of independent music. Lot's of things the Velvet Underground supposovely pinoneered, speak-singing, edgy dystopic lyrics, were done by Dylan years before.

That said, this is undoubtedly his masterpeice. The leadoff track, "Like A Rolling Stone" clocks in at six minutes, and at the time destroyed the notion of the three minute single being the only commercially viabl format for a song to become popular. While "Bringing It All Back Home" is Dylan's first move from folk to rock, "Highway 61" is where he fully embraces it. The guitar is electric, theres touches of piano, faster rythyms, and all around an improvement over his previous albums.

I'm just dissapointed this album doesn't include his single from this time, "Positively 4th Street", my favorite Dylan song. With the most bitter, "Fuck You" lyrics ever written, and a memorable organ line, the song doesn't need a chorus because the verses are so well done. If "Positively 4th Street" was on this album, it would probably be in my top 10 of all time favorites. In any case, the rest of the album is mesmerizing enough to have me mention it here.

The best song is by far, "Queen Jane Approximately". An absolutely sublime piano track rollicks through the song, with organ and guitar meshing perfectly. While it's Dylan's lyrics that seem to garner the most praise, it's melodies like this one that earn his albums a special place in my collection. Of course I have no idea what the lyrics are about-it usually takes me ten minutes of deep thought to breach any cryptic meaning to his songs. But it doesn't matter-"Highway 61 Revisited" is good enough musically that the listener doesn't have to know what half of it means. To me, Dylan's albums are written in a foreign advanced language that takes time and effort to translate, and regardless of that, his albums are absolute classics, "Highway 61 Revisited" being the cream of the crop.
91/100

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Brad Stengel

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Pere Ubu has taken the longest out of any album on this list for me to get into. Most of them took a bit to warm up to-but I bought this in the summer of 2006, and only this past spring have I come to fully embrace it. The reason is simple-this is challenging music, and although this music was released thirty years ago, it sounds as though it could have been today, and still remained on the cutting edge. Pere Ubu is probably further ahead of their time than any other band I've ever heard. With odd tape loops and sound collages married with off kilter guitar and bass arrangements, Frank Thomas, the lead singer, with his low, soulful, yet disconnected howl, it's brilliant!

The song that made me go out and buy this, "Final Solution" is by far one of their best, and a proto/post-punk classic. With Pere Ubu's most straightforward lyrics, about a pimply teenager no less-it's their official 'gateway track' their least strange song, and thankfully, motivating enough to make you want more.

This is one of maybe only 4 or 5 albums in my collection where every song sounds completely different, which is an incredible feat in and of itself, nevermind the fact that almost every song here is completely original and sounds like almost nothing else at the time. One exception being, "Heaven", another favorite of mine. With a stuttering reggae beat, and a fabulous solo that proves Pere Ubu could have been a great pop band had they not chosen the long rugged path of obscurity, this song almost makes you forget who you're listening to-other than the creepy engine noises in the background of course.

I go back and forth with alot of these songs in choosing what my favorite is, but "30 Seconds Over Tokyo" was the song that really opened my eyes and showed me that Ubu had more to offer other than, "Final Solution". Theres really no way to describe this song, other than it takes the most unlikely and challenging of approaches to a song, and the result is fucking awesome, especially the ending.

Pere Ubu, other than maybe Television, is the only band I've seen classified as both proto-punk and post-punk. Their timing was early-a few of the singles on here were released before "Anarchy In The U.K.", yet the sound is undeniably post-punk, a sound that takes all the attitude and straightforwardness of punk, and adds experimentation. This band sounds like they've invented a time machine, went into the future, listened to lots of Talking Heads, Gang of Four, and Mission of Burma, came back to 1975, and did it all first. Or they were just that groundbreaking in the first place. Both explanations are tough for me to swallow, so I'll have to get back at you on that one.
91/100

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4ZZZ

I agree. Classic rock radio = lazy radio for lazy listeners.

I entirely agree with you on your thoughts on Dylan speak-singing preceding The Velvet Underground. Listen to Run Run Run for example and it could be a Dylan song.

Top thread.

Bulldog

Sums up what I think of this album perfectly. Haven't listened to it for years though - I'll give it a spin a bit later. Smart reviews all-round man, looking forward to some more