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Title: “Cry wolf” Format: Single Written by: Magne Furuholmen and Pal Waaktaar-Savoy Performed by: a-ha Genre: Pop Taken from: Scoundrel Days Year: 1986 Acclaim: Top five hit in the UK, top 10 most other territories. Most successful single from the album in the US. I've made no secret of my love for a-ha. This I must initially attribute to my lovely sister, who was a huge fan (and not, I hasten to add, as many were, just because Morten was “gawjuz!”) and pushed me to get their first album. While I wasn't exactly blown away by it, I was pleasantly surprised that it wasn't just a vehicle built around their smash hit “Take on me”, and had some great tracks. Then they released Scoundrel Days, their second album, and my whole attitude towards them changed. I've reviewed the album in my main journal, but suffice to say I believe it is one of their best, if not the best. There are better songs on it, certainly, than this, and it's a little too bright and poppy for my liking, as some of their songs (“Manhattan skyline”, “I've been losing you”, the title track) are darker and more mature, but it's a fun little song. Driven mostly on Mags's bouncy keyboard runs, it opens dramatically enough, with a dark synth line and the sound of wind, powerful but sort of sparse percussion, Morten Harkett muttering the opening line, apparently credited to the woman Pal would later marry, Lauren Savoy, “The night I left the city I dreamed of a wolf”, then there's a sharp hit on the synth, percussion pounds in properly and off the song goes. Once it gets going it's pretty much a dancy pop song, with a very catchy hook in the chorus, and a line I used to mishear as ”Cry wolf, try not to worry” when it is in fact Cry wolf, time to worry.” Something of a difference in meaning, eh? Anyway, there's a nice low dark synthy line in the midsection, as Morten goes sort of back to the darker, nearly muttered vocal of the beginning, then it bounces back and heads off into a fade. But it's a good song. I can see how it did well in the clubs, and Morten is as ever on top form. Perhaps a little misrepresentative of what this versatile band could do, but hey, it put money in the bank accounts! Things I like about this : 1. Atmospheric, dark opening 2. Bouncy keyboards 3. Morten's vocal throughout 4. Midsection Things I don't like about this: 1. It's a little poppy and not quite vacuous but basic for my tastes, given what I know of this band. Rating: http://www.trollheart.com/wolfrat3.png |
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Title: “Going down slow” Format: Album track Written by: St. Louis Jimmy Oden Performed by: Howlin' Wolf Genre: Blues baby! Taken from: Howlin' Wolf Year: 1962 Acclaim: A blues standard that has been covered by more bluesmen and musicians than you could shake a Telecaster at! Once I decided to focus on wolves for this section, it was inevitable I would check out the blues legend who began life as Chester Arthur Burnett, but whom the world came to know as Howlin' Wolf, perhaps one of the greatest blues guitarists who ever lived. Cited as an influence by just about everyone who ever picked up a guitar, including the likes of Page, Clapton and Beck, he was one of the colossi who straddled the blues scene of the thirties and forties, and was still making music up to the seventies, but his health declined and he passed away in 1976. I had no idea what song to choose, so once again it was close those eyes and don't even listen to the traffic as you run, so we've come up with a cover of an old standard by St. Louis Jimmy Oden which has been covered by everyone from Ray Charles and Free to Zep and Huey Lewis. Originally written in 1941, it appeared on the third Howlin' Wolf album, alongside a slew of Willie Dixon covers. Love when these blues songs start with a harmonica! Deep, dark voice that is hard to mistake, some great honky-tonk piano going in the background. A slow blues song, my favourite type, it's the story of a man who has had it all but is dying, and as he looks back on his life he reflects ”I have had my fun/ If I never get well no more/...My health is fading on me/ Yes I'm goin' down slow.” Great rolling percussion underpinning the tune, and though Wolf mostly speaks (or I should say, growls or howls!) rather than sings a lot of the time it's still very expressive. The word repetitive was almost made for the blues, so I won't mention that. As a last will and testament of the guy in the song, it's pretty damn good. Things I like about this : 1. Harmonica! 2. Good slow blues tune 3. The kind of story telling that blues does so well 4. Pianner Things I don't like about this: Nothing really Rating: http://www.trollheart.com/wolfrat3.png |
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Title: “Unchain the wolves” Format: Album track Written by: ? Performed by: Destroyer 666 Genre: Black/Thrash Metal Taken from: Unchain the Wolves Year: 1997 Acclaim: n/a I don't know whether Batty, who recommended this, intended me to listen to the whole album or just the title track, but at the moment I've kind of decided I'm going to stick with single songs, for now anyway. I must admit, I've never heard of a “Black/Death/Thrash Metal” band before, though Metal Archives lists them as simply (!) Black/Thrash. Either way, I reckon this is going to be loud and fast! AND it's ten minutes long! Could be a return to the old Torture Chamber here (those who remember Metal Month); on the other hand, could impress me so much that I have to feature it in my new Metal journal, to be launched soon. Which way will it swing? Well, with a name like Destroyer 666 they're not leaving you under any illusions as to what to expect, and when you consider the band was put together by an ex-member of Bestial Warlust and that his name is (real or not I don't know but would assume not) KK Warlust, well, let's just say I'm not expecting a love ballad or any heavy orchestration here. Interesting start, sort of a single guitar riff kicks in, stops, pauses, fires off again, then a blast of thunder and the riffing takes on more of that Black Metal sound I've come to be familiar with, to say nothing of the scratchy, screechy vocal, although so far it's only said one word, so let's give the guy a chance huh? Sounds a little like panting, breathing, a kind of chant behind this, or a drone, something anyway, very low-key and quiet. The juxtapositioning actually works quite well I must say: low vocal and hammering guitars. It's a ten-minute song as I say, so plenty of time for it to change. As it just did, revving into a full speed metal solo and now the singing, as such, is beginning in earnest and yes, the guy has a croaky voice but I can understand what he's singing. Mostly. Slowing down now as it moves into the sixth minute, then firing off on all cylinders again. Dramatic guitar passage, not a solo, but riffage in a sort of doom metal vein, slow percussion. Almost Viking Metal in a way. Suck it, Batty: it is. :p: Now it's almost a sort of boogie before it powers back up again, our man howling like the very wolves he wishes to set free, and off we go to the conclusion. Have to admit, overall I liked that. Not sure I'd listen to a full album – death/Black Metal vocals still present a barrier to me – but this song was, to quote his Batness, pretty fuckin' bitchin'! Things I like about this : 1. Good guitar intro 2. The atmosphere, dark, doomy and thick with the promise of evil and violence 3. The original low vocal 4. The boogie section, even if it is quite short 5. Good ending, very powerful Things I don't like about this: 1. The main vocal 2. The length: I feel though it's well paced throughout it could have been shorter by a few minutes Rating: http://www.trollheart.com/wolfrat3.png |
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Title: “When the wolves cry” Format: Album track Written by: Lord Vampyr (with quotes from H.P. Lovecraft) Performed by: Theatre des Vampires Genre: Gothic Metal Taken from: The Vampire Chronicles Year: 1999 Acclaim: n/a I heard one other TdV album (think it was an EP actually) and remember being somewhat impressed by their Gothic style. The fact that the title of this album is based on the Anne Rice series of vampire novels gives me heart too, and the idea of there being quotes from Lovecraft used should really seal the deal. But will it? Or will it all seem a little too camp, trying too hard, and end up being a mocking parody? Only one way to find out. Wolf howling, then church organ? Oh dear. Thick bass while a guitar wails in the background, then the vocal is about as screechy as yer man from Destroyer 666, though still understandable. You can definitely feel the Gothic atmosphere ... oh. Now it's kicked into a kind of power metal vibe, speeding up and actually a good build up. There also seems to be a second vocal, a more, shall we say, ordinary one, which helps. That organ is continuing through the song, so not as much of a cliche as I had initially thought. Great solo there. Overall, pretty damn good song. Things I like about this : 1. The intro is good if a little cheesy 2. Guitar work is excellent 3. Organ adds something different 4. Nice variety throughout the song Things I don't like about this: 1. Screechy vocal 2. A little cheesy, as I said above (that can be good or bad, or indeed, as here, both) Rating: http://www.trollheart.com/wolfrat3.png |
Blackened thrash isn't all that common, but it's sexy when it happens. Aura Noir needs to call me.
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Let's keep it Metal for the moment...
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikiped...pTheWolves.jpg Title: “Lock up the wolves” Format: Album track Written by: Ronnie James Dio, Rowan Robertson, Jimmy Bain Performed by: Dio Genre: Heavy Metal Taken from: Lock Up the Wolves Year: 1990 Acclaim: n/a Although I'm a big Dio fan, I've mentioned that I believe they somewhat lost their way after 1985's Sacred Heart, with 1987's Dream Evil showing them a shadow of the band that produced classics like the first two, and the two albums after this way below par. However for a short time they did pull it back together, and 1990's Lock Up the Wolves was the result. It's a great album, and though it would lead on to a ten-year stretch of mediocrity which would yield only two weak albums before they powered back triumphantly as the new millennium dawned with the last three albums they would record before Ronnie's passing, this tended to leaven the sour taste Strange Highways and Angry Machines left in my mouth. Dio resist the urge to start the song on howling wind or wolves baying, and instead go for a ticking clock that then brings in a low, dark, muted and ominous synth from Jens Johansson, rising in power and volume before big dirty guitars stamp all over the tune, as everything else drops out but attendant percussion, and two full minutes elapse before Ronnie's trademark vocal comes in, the song slow and measured and grinding, with a sense of Led Zep about it. Nothing could ever keep Ronnie down, and his vocal rises effortlessly over even the best efforts of new boys Teddy Cook on bass and Rowan Robertson on guitar, to say nothing of Simon Wright on the skins. Only eighteen years old at the time of the recording of this album, Robertson certainly makes his mark, pulling off a powerful solo halfway through, and the song powers along to its dark conclusion, eight and a half minutes having seemed more like four. Superb. Things I like about this : 1. Another great Dio song 2. Excellent intro 3. The stop/start guitar 4. Vocals of course 5. Keyboard intro, organ outro Things I don't like about this: Nothing Rating: http://www.trollheart.com/wolfrat3.png |
And finally, something from a true legend to close...
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikiped...oni_Mingus.JPG Title: “The wolf that lives in Lindsley” Format: Album track Written by: Joni Mitchell Performed by: Joni Mitchell Genre: Jazz Taken from: Mingus Year: 1979 Acclaim: n/a, other than that this album was the final project for jazz supremo Charles Mingus before his death. I know little to nothing of Joni Mitchell, except by reputation, and less of Charles Mingus, but those who are better versed in these artistes than I will tell you Mitchell was a top player in the folk movement of the sixties and seventies and that Mingus was a giant in jazz circles. The two collaborated on this album (the only one they worked on together) and as noted above, Mingus passed away a few months after completing this. Mitchell dedicated the album to him. Kicks off with a harsh acoustic guitar that then settles down to a soft vocal from Mitchell, very soothing and the guitar becomes, mostly, more gentle, though there are hard riffs being pounded out every so often. A sort of a merging, I guess, of folk and jazz (jolk? Fazz?), neither of which particularly goes down well with me in general. Wolves howling in the background is a nice, if cliched touch, especially given that wolves' howling always sounds like a lament, and you could convince yourself they were mourning the imminent death of the great jazzman. If you were so inclined. For me, I don't like the sort of sharp, stop/start way the guitar is played, and personally it jars with Mitchell's otherwise soothing vocal. Just does not work for me. She does a good workout on the guitar later in the song, a solo as it were, no singing, and that works ok. Also, the legendary Herbie Hancock is on electric piano on this album, though I don't hear him here. Sorry, though: not for me. Things I like about this : 1. Vocal is nice 2. Wolves howling. Cool. Things I don't like about this: 1. It's jazz. Sorry. 2. Stop/start harsh guitar upsets my ears Rating: http://www.trollheart.com/wolfrat2.png |
So that's it. I feel I've about wolfed myself out now, and that's where I'm going to leave it. Next subject up:
http://wholisticfitliving.com/wp-con...1428661621.jpg An odd choice perhaps, for music, but I already have several tracks lined up for Silence, and if anyone has any suggestions, feel free. |
I'm sure you'll be doing the obvious ones so I won't mention those.
I hope you get a kick out of this There's a chance that you'll enjoy Miles Davis's In a Silent Way. |
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And either the album or the title track, but I think you'd love the album. |
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Title: “Breaking the silence” Format: Album track Written by: ? Performed by: Heathen Genre: Thrash Metal Taken from: Breaking the Silence Year: 1987 Acclaim: n/a Well, as nobody but Batty suggested tracks I may as well do his first. Not surprisingly, it's a Metal one, though he says I should like it. Interestingly, I see the album is produced by the one and only Ronnie Montrose! But what about this track? Good energetic start (I'm going to try not to use the IM comparison) then the whole thing speeds up and the vocal cuts in, sounds a little raw but understandable. Great guitar work, and it alternates between slow, grinding riffs and fast slick breaks. Smoking solo there. My only complaint would be that they don't sound very different, though in fairness this is thrash metal; but it's hard to see Heathen stamping any kind of individual identity on at least this track. Very competent though. Things I like about this : 1. The guitar riffs 2. The overall energy 3. The alternating between fast riffs and slow grinding Things I don't like about this: 1. A little generic; could be any thrash or speed metal band 2. Rating: http://www.trollheart.com/shhrating3.png |
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Title: “Silence and I” Format: Album track Written by: Eric Woolfson and Alan Parsons Performed by: The Alan Parsons Project Genre: Art Rock, Prog Rock Taken from: Eye in the Sky Year: 1982 Acclaim: n/a, though this album was their biggest selling ever. Which I readily admit is not saying much. :rolleyes: If you ask someone about The Alan Parsons Project, they may be able to quote the title track to this album, or possibly “Old and wise”, but the fact is that if you attended a sports event in the US, especially if you're a Chicago Bulls fan (they play something called “American Football”? :confused: ) you're likely to have heard the opening track from the album, an instrumental called “Sirius”. This may have contributed to the album's sales, along with the relative success of the singles, however this is the longest track on the album at over seven minutes, and deserves to be better known than it is. Opening on a soft piano track, it soon ushers in the soft gentle voice of the late Eric Woolfson, and you get the feeling this is a ballad. You'd be right. More or less. Halfway through it metamorphoses into an uptempo instrumental which utilises the trademark APP sound and pulls in elements from previous album Pyramid's “Pyramania”. It's a bit weird, and you have to assume the guys were searching for an instrumental idea to sandwich in between the two halves of the ballad and landed on the idea of resurrecting the midsection of that track. It kind of works, though it's confusing, and to be fair, the song would be half as long and would survive just as well without it. But it is, as they say, what it is. We end then as we began, with a guitar solo fading away into the reprise of the ballad and out to fade. It's a lovely song, but I do feel that the ideas are a little mixed, if not actually confused on it, and without question it's longer than it needs to be. Things I like about this : 1. Piano intro 2. Woolfson's vocal 3. Orchestral APP motif 4. Lyrical content Things I don't like about this: 1. Confusing fast instrumental midsection 2. The fact that it's rehashed from an older song Rating: http://www.trollheart.com/shhrating3.png |
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Title: “Enjoy the silence” Format: Single Written by: Martin Gore Performed by: Depeche Mode Genre: Electronic/Pop Taken from: Violator Year: 1990 Acclaim: Top ten in most territories, including US and UK Just shows you: I could have sworn this was a single from the eighties, but the internet, she don' lie, and apparently I've been corrected. Depeche Mode were another of those, to be unkind, puff bands I hated when I was young. Peer pressure, sure: everyone was into rock and nobody wanted to be listening to, or accused of listening to, pansy synth pop bands, but that's not the point: I wasn't pressured into ignoring a band I liked. I never liked Depeche Mode, same as I never liked Duran Duran or Human League or basically any band that could not be called a rock band, using my own narrow definition. I could not say whether I still hate them, and given that my experience of them was and is limited to their hit singles, maybe they're worth getting more into. I did find something lurking within Gary Numan's music – music I had always despised and reviled – when I reviewed a trio of his albums back in 2013. But I'm unlikely to do this with Depeche Mode. I'm just not that interested. I always found them to be very dour, even on uptempo songs like “Just can't get enough”. Something about Dave Gahan's voice always seemed to me to be devoid of emotion, rather like (I thought, and still do, to a lesser extent) Mr. Numan. But this song is at its heart a love song, with the singer glorying in the fact that he is alone with his lover and no words are needed; they can enjoy the silence. But it contains what I used to think of as, and still do mostly, the cold, soulless, blank synth line that seemed to cut through every song of this type of band. It has to do with the way the synth players played, too: I seldom saw one who seemed to be enjoying himself. They seemed to push the keys, looking ahead with what looked like dead eyes, emotionless, as if they were bored, or above their audience. I'm sure it was all part of the image, but it annoyed me. I want to see my musicians enjoy themselves, y'know? Anyway, there's no getting away from the fact that it's a good song, very powerful if still what I consider lacking in emotion considering it's a love song, and it was covered by Lacuna Coil at one point, so that can't be bad. Not my type of music, certainly, but this one is a stayer. Things I like about this : 1. The basic melody 2. The lyric 3. The keyboard run later in the song 4. Outro Things I don't like about this: 1. Goddamn puff bands! ;) 2. Devoid of emotion, to me 3. The pointless acapella bit at the very end after the fade. Rating: http://www.trollheart.com/shhrating3.png |
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Title: “Don't speak” Format: Single Written by: Gwen Stefani and Eric Stefani Performed by: No Doubt Genre: Alt-Rock Taken from: Tragic Kingdom Year: 1996 Acclaim: Number one just about everywhere, No Doubt's most successful single Who doesn't know this song? The single I guess that, with the album Tragic Kingdom catapulted singer Gwen Stefani to international solo stardom, and charts the demise of her relationship with a fellow band member. It's a lovely little ballad played on soft guitar, with probably the bitterest edge I've heard in a long time on a ballad. The verses are gentle, even twee in their own way, but the chorus punches a hole of reality right through the fantasy, and there's real anger there. The idea in the song that she doesn't want to hear his excuses, the reasons why he's breaking up with her, probably resonate with everyone who has ever broken up with their lover and feels shocked betrayed and sad all at once. Things I like about this : 1. Deceptively soft intro 2. The classical guitar passage 3. The fact that it's the story of a real breakup Things I don't like about this: Nothing really Rating: http://www.trollheart.com/shhrating4.png |
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Title: “The sound of silence” Format: Single Written by: Paul Simon Performed by: Simon and Garfunkel Genre: Folk rock Taken from: Wendesday Morning 3 AM Year: 1964/1965 Acclaim: One of the most loved Simon and Garfunkel songs, indeed one of the most loved songs of all time. A total failure first time out, it hit number one after being remixed and re-released (hence the two recording dates), and is seen as such an important song that it is part of the Library of Congress's collection in the National Recording Registry, an honour given few songs and fewer artistes. The success of the single made stars of the duo and ensured their second album was received with far more favour than their debut, which had initially flopped. Again, who cannot know this song? It's part of the human culture now, with its soft acoustic intro backed by the pair in harmony, then the slight trip of percussion as it takes off very slightly, but always remains a restrained, low-key song, though Simon's vocal gets more impassioned as he tries to reason with the crowd in his dream. No point in me describing it; if you for some mad reason have never heard it, make it your business immediately. One of the most important songs of any generation. Things I like about this : Ah, everything. What's not to like? Things I don't like about this: Nothing. It's perfection. Rating: http://www.trollheart.com/shhrating5.png |
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Title: “The silent sun” Format: Single Written by: Tony Banks, Peter Gabriel, Anthony Phillips, Mike Rutherford Performed by: Genesis Genre: Folk Rock Taken from: From Genesis to Revelation Year: 1968 Acclaim: None, unless you count that it was Genesis's first ever single. And it bombed like a good one. Anyone who has read my history of prog rock journal recently will have seen my review of the first Genesis album, and that I'm a little scathing of their fusion of folk rock and hippy-dippy shit on it. It's nothing like later albums, and for this I mostly blame Jonathan King, but never mind that. Although there are far better tracks on the album, King in his wisdom seemed to think that this would be a good single to release from it. Listen to it and you'll understand why he quickly dissociated himself from the band and went on to become such a successful kiddy-fiddler two decades later. Awful. But significant I suppose in that it first introduced us to (inflicted us with, some would say!) the band which would go on to take prog rock to the heights it eventually rose to, and when it fell like the proverbial Plant, Page, Bonham and Jones, jump overboard and catch a ride on the passing ship the SS Pop Crap. :rolleyes: Things I like about this : 1. It was the first Genesis single. That's it. Things I don't like about this: Everything else. It's nothing like the Genesis I came to worship. Bah. :mad: Rating: http://www.trollheart.com/shhrating2.png |
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Title: “Quietus (Silent reverie)" Format: Single Written by: Simone Simons, Mark Jansen, Coen Janssen, Yves Huts, Jereon Simons and Ad Sluijter Performed by: Epica Genre: Symphonic Metal Taken from: Consign to Oblivion Year: 2005 Acclaim: n/a I always go back and forth with Epica. While I can respect the connection with Kamelot, their music often seems very formulaic and over-dramatic. What? Says Batty: surely not! Symphonic Metal, formulaic? To which I say, haven't you a Kesha poster to rub up against? But Epica's usage of mezzo-soprano female vocal juxtaposed against male growls and grunts seldom works for me, and it does make many of their songs a little, shall we say, predictable? Still, if you're into Symphonic Metal, that's what you have to expect I guess. This starts kind of as you might expect, a Celtic style reel or whatnot, then the voice of Simone Simons joined by the Epica choir (look it up) but so far no growls. I'm sure they're on the way though: been a while since I listened to this. It's relatively short for an Epica song (clue is in the band name, guys!) clocking in at less than four minutes, and it has a nice driving rhythm that's not too dramatic, as their songs often end up being guilty of. Good instrumental section, with the Epica orchestra (yeah, they have one of those too!) in fine form. Oh look at that! No growls. Boss. Things I like about this : 1. Good vocals from Simone 2. Good but not overblown effort from the choir 3. The orchestra works well without taking over the tune 4. No male growls 5. Celtic sort of feel to it Things I don't like about this: 1. Nothing. I was going to say growls, but growls there are none, so Trollheart is happy. Rating: http://www.trollheart.com/shhrating3.png |
You didn't forget "Silent Lucidity", right?
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Find me another pop star who sounds like Ke$ha and I'll suck your dick.
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Title: “Silent rain” Format: Album track Written by: Gary Hughes Performed by: Ten Genre: Melodic Rock/AOR Taken from: Babylon Year: 2000 Acclaim: n/a Nobody likes, or even knows about Ten, but that's ok, you can all suck it. They happen to be one of my favourite bands, ever since I discovered them about ten (hah!) years ago, and I've yet to hear a bad album from them. This is from their concept album Babylon, one of three great ballads on the album, and if there's one thing Gary Hughes does well, it's write a cracking ballad. There's an even better one as the closer to the album, but at the moment we're not concerned with that. The great Don Airey does a fine job on the piano here, and Gary is as ever in great voice. Vinny Burns' guitars power through just at the right time, and Gary's ever-perfect songwriting is heavily in evidence – ”Like a lost ship of dreams that failed to sail” – and the song really ramps up for the chorus. Great orchestral style keys by Don near the end too, the track building to a strong crescendo dripping with emotion and passion and fading away to a few lonely piano notes. Things I like about this : 1. Gary's vocal 2. The lyric 3. Great keys from Don Airey 4. Guitar solo 5. Piano ending Things I don't like about this: Nothing Rating: http://www.trollheart.com/shhrating5.png |
That album cover is incredible.
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It looks like a rejected cover to Bladerunner.
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Title: “Out of the silent planet” Format: Single Written by: Janick Gers, Bruce Dickinson and Steve Harris Performed by: Iron Maiden Genre: Heavy Metal Taken from: Brave New World Year: 2000 Acclaim: Top twenty single in the UK Very early on in my journal I enthused about the return of Bruce Dickinson after a ten-year absence from Iron Maiden with the album Brave New World. I stand by every word in that review, and like many people consider this the turning point for Maiden's fortunes, when they had started to fizzle out with the previous two albums. The return to the fold of longtime guitarist Adrian Smith also added to this effect, and the end result was a triumphant comeback album, shooting down all the naysayers and reinvigorating the band while vindicating the fans' longstanding faith in them. This is the penultimate track, and like most of the material on the album it's long and quite intricate, though it had to be shortened from its original six-and-a-half minute run to four-and-a-half for the single release. It starts off as you would expect, with a long guitar intro but then goes dark and slow, with Bruce's vocal bringing the song up bit by bit, drawing the guitars with him, till there's a machine-gun burst of frets and we're off properly. The hook is, like most Maiden songs, the kind of thing other bands would kill for, and the lyric purportedly based on the twin influences of CS Lewis and the cult sci-fi movie Forbidden Planet. If you want a more detailed entry on the song, check out my review of the album in my main journal, plug plug! ;) Things I like about this : 1. Just about everything Things I don't like about this: 1. Nothing Rating: http://www.trollheart.com/shhrating4.png |
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Title: “Silent running (On dangerous ground)” Format: Single Written by: Mike Rutherford and B.A. Robertson Performed by: Mike + the Mechanics Genre: Rock Taken from: Mike + the Mechanics Year: 1985 Acclaim: First single from, and therefore first the world ever heard of, Mike Rutherford's solo band, who went on to become quite successful for a few years. Fell just outside of the top twenty in the UK but top ten in the US. Was also used in the soundtrack to the movie On Dangerous Ground. The first time I heard this song I liked it, though of course I had no idea it was Mike Rutherford from Genesis who was involved. That's not so surprising, given that Rutherford does not sing on it, and you'd have to be a guitarist to discern his style, if indeed you could. But this was the lead single from the debut self-titled album, which in general is one of their best. In fact, somewhat like Dio, in my opinion, Mike + the Mechanics had two great first albums and then their work sort of slid into semi-mediocrity, ditching any progressive rock influences and becoming just another pop band. This song was written with, of all people, B.A. Robertson, known mostly for hit singles like “Bang bang” and “Knocked it off”. Named as a nod back to the cult sci-fi movie starring Bruce Dern as the only human left in an orbiting floating forest which is supposed to preserve the last of Earth's trees, the song is quite spacey in its feel, with an atmospheric, synthy opening as little keyboard flurries slowly build behind it until it explodes and the main riff takes the song. The vocal is by Paul Carrack (I used of course to think it was Rutherford) and the lyric concerns a man who is out in space, trying to communicate back to his family the dangers of a future he has seen take place. It's very dramatic and epic, with a real sense of foreboding and danger, and indeed the namby-pamby BBC even banned it during the Gulf War! Idiots. Things I like about this : 1. Spacey synthy opening 2. That keyboard riff 3. The sense of urgency and panic in it 4. The vocal Things I don't like about this: Nothing Rating: http://www.trollheart.com/shhrating4.png |
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Title: “Suffer in silence” Format: Album track Written by: Alan Frew and Sam Reid Performed by: Glass Tiger Genre: Rock Taken from: Diamond Sun Year: 1999 Acclaim: n/a If anyone remembers Glass Tiger at all, it's probably for the mildly successful single from their first album, “Don't forget me (when I'm gone)” penned with Jim Vallance, but this is from their second album, which I find far superior to the debut, but which of course bombed. Glass Tiger are possibly one of Canada's best-kept secrets when it comes to AOR and melodic rock, having released a quadruple platinum album for their debut, double-platinum for this and even the follow-up went platinum too. But that's only in Canada. Although “Don't forget me” got into the US top ten, shortly after that brief burst of glory the glass ones vanished forever from commercial sight, which is a pity, as they had a lot to give. This is by no means the best song on Diamond Sun, in fact it's probably one of the weaker tracks, but even this relatively poor effort could give many bigger bands a run for their money. It's a song of disappointment – ”These years of being alone/ Disconnected telephone/ Pictures of friends I never see” – as you would expect with a title like that. Good sax work in the middle too, courtesy of Earl Seymour. Things I like about this : 1. Very low-key, muted opening 2. Good vocal 3. Good hook in the chorus 4. Good piano work 5. That sax break Things I don't like about this: 1. The lyric is a little stilted I feel 2. Not crazy about the ending Rating: http://www.trollheart.com/shhrating3.png |
And as we began the previous section with a suggestion from Batty, and since he was the only one to even make a suggestion (well, Frownland, but, you know...) we're closing the section on silence with another of his suggestions.
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikiped...dity_cover.jpg Title: “Silent lucidity” Format: Single Written by: Chris deGarmo Performed by: Queensryche Genre: Progressive Metal Taken from: Empire Year: 1990 Acclaim: Top ten hit in the US, biggest success for Queensryche. Nominated for (but failed to win) Grammy for Best Rock Song of 1992. I'll begin this by admitting I'm not a big Queensryche fan. I probably never will be, as I listened to what is apparently their greatest and most-loved album, Operation Mindcrime and while I certainly didn't hate it, I fail to see all the fuss. A distinct meh for me. Maybe I need to listen to it again. Yeah, that'll happen! :rolleyes: So with that caveat, and given that I have never heard this song before, let's get to it, shall we, before that lynch party comes looking for me, with Batty at their head. Nice soft acoustic style opening with a very low and gentle vocal, almost muttering then a full orchestra joins in as the percussion gets going, and the melody is very much filled out. This is exceptionally nice, I must say. Great guitar solo now, clear and strong but not ruining the song, and joined by the orchestra, with spoken parts beneath it. Just excellent all round. I certainly need to check this album out now. Things I like about this : 1. Nice gentle start. Like the acoustic guitar 2. The vocal 3. Always love some orchestral participation and this is superb Things I don't like about this: Nothing Rating: http://www.trollheart.com/shhrating5.png |
... and that's it for Silence. Next theme up...
http://cdn.esa.act.gov.au/wp-content...rm-400x300.jpg Yeah, taking the opposite approach to our previous section, the next one is all about STORMS. Stay tuned. |
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And I'm not the biggest fan of Operation: Mindcrime either. Too much concept, not enough album. But Empire is pretty fantastic and you should definitely give it a shot.
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Title: “Surrender to the storm” Format: Album track Written by: Joseph Arthur Performed by: Joseph Arthur Genre: Folk Rock Taken from: Redemption City Year: 2012 Acclaim: n/a Sometimes I come across a song that's so good I want it to be a lot longer (don't we all want it to be a lot longer, guys? What do you mean: speak for yourself? ;)) and this song when I heard it was one such. It's not so much the singing part as the guitar instrumental section, which takes up about ninety percent of the track, that really impressed me. I just find it so laidback and gentle, soothing and the kind of thing you can close your eyes and get lost in. It certainly serves as a way to demonstrate Arthur's prowess on the guitar. Luckily for me, it doesn't just fade out after a few minutes; the whole track runs for over twelve, and even then it doesn't seem long enough, the kind of composition that could theoretically just go on and on. Do yourself a favour: listen to it, close your eyes and just drift away... Things I like about this : Everything; one of my favourite slow tracks now Things I don't like about this: Nothing Rating: http://www.trollheart.com/stormrat5.png |
Dedicated to the memory of my friend Pet_Sounds, with the hope that we may some day see him back here among us. Until then, this one is for you, kid.
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikiped...4/Riders45.jpg Title: “Riders on the storm” Format: Single Written by: Jim Morrison, Ray Manzarek, Robbie Krieger and John Densmore Performed by: The Doors Genre: Psych Rock Taken from: LA Woman Year: 1971 Acclaim: One of the Doors' most successful singles and a signature tune for them, despite doing poorly in the charts both sides of the water. There can be few people who have never heard this song. From the opening sounds of rain and thunder, the dark ominous bassline and then the sprinkling keyboards coming through, to Jim Morrison's laconic, menacing vocal and the jangly guitar riff recalling “Ghost riders in the sky”, this song is a classic of rock and there's nothing bad you can say about it. Even I, who am not in any way a Doors fan, love this song. It's pretty much impossible not to. Things I like about this : What's not to like? You'd need to be dead inside not to love this, from the atmosphere it creates to the superb keyboard playing and the hypnotic bass, to say nothing of Morrison's voice. It's the whole package. Things I don't like about this: Um, yeah ... :rolleyes: Rating: http://www.trollheart.com/stormrat5.png |
You should put spaces between the lightning bolts. Five of them together are kind of an eyesore.
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Edit: No, I can't. Each of those is a single pic, as in, one is a picture of 5 bolts, one a picture of 4 etc. It's not like five pictures of one bolt posted together. Sorry. :shycouch: |
Why is that pic registered to trollheart.com?
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Title: “Storms over still water” Format: Album track Written by: Bryan Josh Performed by: Mostly Autumn Genre: Progressive Rock Taken from: Storms Over Still Water Year: 2005 Acclaim: n/a You'll be seeing a lot of Mostly Autumn in my new prog rock journal, as they're one of my favourite recent prog bands, fusing prog rock and folk effortlessly, and they have never yet disappointed me with an album. This is from their sixth, one of my favourites from them. Opening on a gentle guitar strummed, it meanders along nicely for about a minute before vocal comes in alongside soft cello, the vocal initially a duet before Heather Findlay takes over, falling back to a duet with Bryan Josh, stately piano taking up the tune to the third minute, the whole thing then stopping for half a second before thumping, rolling percussion ushers in Bryan's solo vocal and the tempo picks up. Great guitar solo as we hit the fourth minute, taking us almost to the end with Floydesque backing vocals and finally a slow, softly strummed guitar ending. Excellent. Things I like about this : 1. Heather's vocal 2. The soft intro 3. Bryan's stronger vocal 4. Cello 5. Guitar solo 6. Instrumental passage 7. Guitar ending Things I don't like about this: Nothing. Rating: http://www.trollheart.com/stormrat5.png |
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