Some music stuff you might not hate
First let me say that if you, like me, belive that music has the power to
topple governments, control the climate, and form the basis for a
religion, you might want to read Bradley Denton's novels. Buddy
Holly is Alive and Well on Ganymede is available in most bookstores;
Wrack and Roll is out of print, but pick it up if you can find it.
Short Music Reviews
- If you believe in the power of live music, of improvisation, of pushing
music to its limits, I assume you already own
Velvet Underground 1969 Live
Volumes I and II.
Lou Reed
has also put out a powerful album (Magic and
Loss) dealing with the loss of two of his friends to cancer.
- One of the true pleasures of life is that of the road trip. Seeing
the sun rise over a Flying J Truck Stop after driving all night gives
a fleeting sense of satisfaction that I've never managed to acheive any
other way. Is there any wonder that movies such as Highway 61 and
Thelma and Louise try to capture the feeling of the road? One person
who truly understands the road is
Joni Mitchell
. Hejira is the best
description of life on the road (examining both the pros and cons) I
have ever heard. "Coyote" and "Refuge of the Roads" are enough to
make me itch to rev up the ZZYZXmobile for a trip down US 70.
- If Blood on the Tracks only had "Tangled Up in Blue" on it, it would
still be worth the money. But it also has "Shelter from the Storm" and
"Lily, Rosemary, and the Jack of Hearts." See
Bob Dylan
in the role
of story teller. Blonde on Blonde is supposedly his classic work,
but Blood on the Tracks is clearly superior; even his singing is good
on this album.
- I was a college dj for KRUX (91.5 FM Las Cruces). In this role I
have been exposed to many albums, but my favorite is
Peter Himmelman's
1994 album Skin. Proving that the concept album is not dead, Himmelman
traces the journey of "Ted", the most horrible person ever. Ted dies
in the first song and is forced to face how pointless his life was. He
then is reborn as an unwanted child. He is saved by discovering someone
he can love unconditionally, but he grows complacent and starts exhibiting
"Ted"-esque behavior. However a relevation he receives during a long
drive (sense a theme here?) saves him from this fate. Good concept,
solid lyrics, and good folk/rock music.
Return to the jukebox