Isbjørn

Dude, you surely haven't heard "Back in the Village" yet, that solo knocks your socks off.

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Taxman

I'll download it tomorrow and listen to it more then so I can not say much now

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Isbjørn

You're in for a treat..! You should throw in Piece of Mind while you're at it.

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Taxman

I will. I will anyway download many albums tomorrow cos I have listened these old ones too many times. And I will someday get them on a cd and I want that I have not over-listened them.
But I have a feeling I quite dig Iron Maiden.

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Taxman

As everybody knows, there is probably just one genre I know something about. And so I think I'll write about the sixties now. I just listened Beatles' Revolver again, I do it maybe once in a month or so, and everytime it amazes me.
While White Album may be more diverse, Sgt Pepper may be more famous and Abbey Road's b-side may be the best b-side ever, I still prefer Revolver. I know, it is hard to tell why it is so great, but I'll try and you pretend that you are interested?

So if Rubber Soul still included some lightweight pop numbers (don't get me wrong, I love lightweight pop), Revolver did not. I have no problems with lightweight pop, and I completely adore early Beatles, but when you have just listened In My Life and after that comes Wait, you know...was wait released in 1964 it would have been perfect, and it is good song, no matter what you say, but it just is kinda pale when you compare it to In My Life.

I got a feeling I'm just repeating other people's points...never mind. Let's pretend they are my own.

So now, because I'm afraid I'm not boring enough yet, let's do a track by track journey through one of the most enjoyable music albums ever, shall we?

The first song is called FATMAN! Oh, no not, though it could be a good title. It is SCATMAN...oops it is actually very ****ty song, now I guess it is Batman. It tells a tale how Batman and Robin(son Crusoe) saved Got Ham city.
It is funny how Georgie, always the most spiritual Beatle, was the one who complained about money. I can smell irony...or maybe it is just that poop that is under my bed. Nevermind.
However, The Jam later stole Taxman's bassline (Haha, nice wordplay) and used it in their song called Start!.10/10

Next one is a song Paul wrote when he was trying to get a date with some old woman. You know, Paul could not stand the idea that there's someone in the world of ours that doesn't love him. So he wrote this one, but cos the lady refuse to marry him, Paul got angry and decided that that woman should die. Anyway, it is a great song. And while Ray Davies from the Kinks once said that those string are overcheesy Horrorwood crap, I must agree. I love that arrangement. And as usual, John's and Paul's harmonies are as angelic as anything. 10/10

This is getting boring, right?

Next song is my favorite. There's nothing as great as just sleeping and wasting time. It is something I'm good at. John's I'm Only Sleeping rules. Especially that backward solo. It rules. 10/10

Next one is an Indian bore. But, look, it somehow manages rock. That sitar solo really gets you a-going, man. As a song it is not as good, but that solo is great. Thanks,Georgious. 8/10

You know, nobody with self-respect should like the next one. It is by the book ballad by Paul. But on the other hand, those harmonies rule. Am I just a sissy if I dig it? If all by the book ballad were like this, soft rock would not be as miserable genre as it is. 9/10

So already, after four songs, we have heard one rocker about taxes, one classically influenced chamber pop song, one psychedelic pop song about sleeping and one Brian Wilson influenced ballad. And when you think there is not gonna be more surprises, then: there's a children song about YELLOW SUBMARINES. AND IT IS SUNG BY RINGO. AND IT INCLUDES FUNNY VOICES. WUHUUUUUUUUU. I don't know why everyone hates it, I think it quite decent and at least funny. 7/10

MCDONALD'S

AND BURGER KING. FREE HAMBURGERS.

So, you know, just as you started to think "Sitars and children songs are quite allright on their own way but I would like to hear some guitars", then there comes a John-penned guitar rocker about LSD trip. Yeah, hippiees. And drugs. And unicorns. And Marc Bolan. Flying saucer. And so on. The song is good anyway, though it is not groundbreaking, but even a decent Beatles songs is usually a masterpiece. At least it is better than anything by the friggin' Eagles. Or ICP. 8/10

I'll discuss the rest later, I'll go now. Maybe I should count the average value of these songs so then I could compare albums that have different amount of songs. I don't know. But, the rest of that overlong review or whatever that is will come later.

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Taxman

REVOLVER PART II

yes, want it or not, I'm back. I'll continue my stupid boring and pseudoscientical article about Revolver by The Magnificent Carpenters.

So, song number eight is a piano pop one. Good Day Sunshine. I suppose it is about a day walk Paul did with himself. And his mirror, of course. It is great song, as usual, but if you are depressed or something, it can make you feel a desire to kill someone. It is over positive. Darkness is a lot more interesting. NUMBER OF BEAST. 666. (8/10)

And Your Bird Can Sing. So you think you have seen the seven wonders, but have you heard this one? A great guitar rock song, with funny lyrics. I still prefer this version though:
And Your Bird Can Sing // Anthology 2 // Disc 1 // Track 19 (Stereo) - YouTube

For No One is a ballad. Again. Paul, what's up with these ballades? Allright, I quite dig this one. It has great melody as usual and that horn solo is magnificent, ain't it? 9/10

The only relatively bad song is Roctor Dopert by John. I can't quite tell why, but it is not as good as the others. It has a melody and it all, I dunno. It is about one doctor who used to sell drugs to his patients. And by saying drugs I don't mean Burana.

The next one is by George. Three songs on a record was quite good for him. And all them rules. I Want To Tell You is a perfect brit-pop song. Not quite innovative but catchy and all. 9/10

Got To Get You Into My Life is a Motown pastiche. One you can't blame them for is monotonous. God Only Knows how many genres they tackled on this record.
The song itself is a an ode to marijuana, as you might have guessed. But the greatest drug song is yet to come.

TOMORROW NEVER KNOWS.
Maybe the best psychedelic song ever. Includes only one chord, but wh cares? Those lyrics are from The Tibetan Book Of Dead, that drum pattern was invented by Paul and George played tamboura on that track. How cool is that?
Anyway, what is the most amazing thing, is that in spite of that magnificent production and all that psychedelia, the main melody is still kinda catchy.

Just like The Beatles themselves. Remember, if you want to he inventive and experimental, that more than okay, but you shouldn't forget pure listenability.

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Taxman

Why Your Music Should Not Be Complex Just For It's Own Sake

As a lover of pop rock who has recently started to listen prog rock, because the only one who suffers when you reject one genre completely, is yourself. So at least one should try. And what I have found is that prog is a worthy genre. Usually every genre, where it generally good or not, has something good to offer:

Generic AOR soft rock gave us Eagles (they suck though, but their debut is a good album...)
Euro Dance/Pop/ Dance Pop gave us Abba. I know, I should be ashamed, and I am, but I can't resist their melodies
Punk gave us Ramones

And so on. You get my point? You should never reject one genre completely. At least not without trying to get into it.

However, one problem is, in my humble opinion, usual when it comes to prog. Is it necessary? I mean, are your song complex because you have enough ideas and ambitions to do so, or are they complex because of complexity is cool

For example, if you do one ten minute long song, chances are a) it is great masterpiece or b) the stream of your ideas runs dry in the middle and you fill the rest with something that sounds cool, but is not. Something that sounds pleasant enough but in reality is nothing.
That problem I have had with Yes, and occasionally King Crimson. Mainly with Yes, but maybe the more I listen to them, I get used with it, I dunno.

Of course, the same goes for other genres. If you play punk and you have more complex ideas tha you should, why do you play punk? Why you make things simplistic just it's own sake? If you wanna write a ballad, why you should not?
That goes to show, the whole genre thing is useless when it limits your creativity. If punk band releases ballad or prog band releases pop song, people call them sell-outs. But that is completely useless. But who cares which genre it is if it sounds good?

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Also I'd like to wish

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE

let's hope it's a good one without any fear...and so on. Ain't it a bit naive?

And what about my plans for this journal? I dunno. I may write about music but I may as well write about something else.

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Taxman

So what I have been listening a lot lately? I know these are pretty popular albums so no-one is gonna find anything new, but still I'd like to share that list. Mostly pop albums, I dunno why, but on the holiday I have been listening quote quiet music, maybe it is because I have been, well, just sitting here watching the wheels go around, ya know.

Anyway I heartily recommend following albums anyone who have not heard them and likes pop music:

Summerteeth by Wilco
Lonerism by Tame Impala
Warning by Green Day (I know, I know...)
#1 Record by Big Star
Pleased To Meet Me by Replacements
Automatic For The People by REM
Neon Bible by Arcade Fire
Arthur by The Kinks
Wish You Were Here by Badfinger

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And these ones tho' they are not pop albums...

In The Court Of The Crimson King -King Crimson
Selling England By The Pound- Genesis
Bleach by Nirvana
Blonde on Blonde by Bob Dylan
Revolver by The Beatles

I know my taste is pretty mainstream, so everybody knows those albums already but still I wanted to make this...

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Taxman

I guess I'll try something like that. After nineties I'll make eighties list and so on....these albums are not in particular order, it would be too hard. I'll try to add one album everyday so when January ends I'll be in the sixties. Maybe I'll try fifties too, I dunno.

TAXMAN'S TEN FAVORITE ALBUMS FROM THE NINETIES


PART I

THE MOLLUSK -WEEn

Released: 1997
By whom: Ween
About the band: Sometimes I wonder, why these guys aren't as big as that band which name starts with B. Boasis, you know. And I don't know. Are Ween usually considered as joke by some people? Even if they always had a great sense of humor and especially their first albums are completely hilarious, they are not joke. They actually have a lot of songwriting talent and a very big knowledge of music.
They may have not invented anything new, but say, is there something they have not tried? I dunno. The whole idea of a band with unbelievable diversity and great sense of humor seems pretty ideal for me. But nobody cares? Well indie nerds (to quote Briks) do, but does anyone else? And does it really matter?

Why I like about that album? Like I mentioned above, diversity is Ween's main strength. They knew their influenced and they could tackle every genre in the existence and write a song that imitates it. And still, their songs are catchy and all.
That album is still, especially lyrically funny, but it is not so hilarious than some of their earlier attempts. No, if you ignore the lyrics (and even if you don't) you can (and should) take it seriously. It is nearly equal to the best Beatles albums and when that is said by ME who took my name after a Beatles song and own nearly every legal Beatles release, you know it is saying something.

What I don't like that album (how it could be even better)? There's only one misstep here. The title track, an instrumental, (if you don't count that dog as a lead vocalist) is kinda bore. But only a little.

My favourite tracks: Nearly everything, but Cold Blows The Wind (an Irish traditional ballad originally called Unquiet Grave ), Buckingham Green (sounds like a Genesis song from Gabriel Era, I think...) and I'm Waving My Dick in the Wind. And Ocean Man, of course.

Final Words: A Tuneful, diverse, hilarious album including great instrumentation. If you like diverse, not over serious, carefully crafted pop music, give it a try (though I guess you have already done that.)

Ocean Man : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cs926AIL-ck

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Taxman

TAXMAN'S TEN FAVOURITE RECORDS FROM THE NINETIES

PART II

THE SOFT BULLETIN

Released: 1999
By whom: The Flaming Lips
About the band: As everybody knows The Flaming Lips (led by Wayne Coyne) have recorded many great albums. Trough the nineties they released a classic after a classic. Filled with clever lyrics, great melodies and even some experiments (like Zaireeka).
However The Soft Bulletin is more normal than those earlier albums, for better of worse. It is not as unique, but I'm pretty old-fashioned and I think I like it better. Sadly the world don't give a damn.



Why I like about that album? Wayne really knows how to pen a great melody. Also album is quite melancholic and does not really rock. Influences are clear: Pet Sounds, some Beatles and so on. Surprisingly (or not) there's also some electro rhythms thrown in for a good measure. However, I think that album still sounds unique. Every song sounds more or less the same but it is a great sound I think. Lot of synths there, but don't let them annoy you, they are used well. Also Flaming Lips' lyrics are always smart, clever, even funny and at least, completely cliché-free.

What I don't like about that album? Again, an instrumental called The Observer is a bore, you see I don't like instrumentals that much. Also the version I own is stupid. It has no The Spiderbite Song at all, but instead it has radio mixes of Race for the Prize and Waitin' for a Superman. Stupid. And after those comes the greatest song on the record, called Buggin'. So I have to skip those stupid radio mixes if I wanna hear it.

Best tracks: Buggin', Race for the Prize, The Gash (that chorus is mindblowing), waiting for a Superman and Suddenly Everything Has Changed

Final Words: Great, great album. Tuneful songs, great production, clever lyrics plus I completely adore Wayne's singing voice. It may be shakey but it is pretty beautiful.

Race for the Prize:
The Flaming Lips - Race For The Prize [Official Music Video] - YouTube

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