Cheevyjames’ Musical Roundhouse

Released: 1988
Tracks: Cult of Personality; I Want to Know; Middle Man; Desperate People; Open Letter (To a Landlord); Funny Vibe; Memories Can’t Wait; Broken Hearts; Glamour Boys; What’s Your Favorite Color?; Which Way to America; Funny Vibe (Funky Vibe Mix); Should I Stay or Should I Go; What’s Your Favorite Color (Leblanc Remix); Middle Man (live); Cult of Personality (live)
Best track: impossible to pick
Track to skip: I Want to Know

This version is obviously the 2002 re-release of the album, thus the 5 bonus tracks. Even without the bonus tracks (which I enjoy), this version of the album is essential if you’ve already got it because the sound is drastically improved. There are actual dynamics now! Yeah, the first issue of the CD had pretty poor sound quality. The reissue is fantastic sounding though. So, we have great songs (lyrically and musically), restored production, originality, eclecticism, attitude, bonus tracks, and overall excellence at every spot. What’s not to like? This is essential.

Rating: 96

Released: 1998
Tracks: Three of a Perfect Pair (King Crimson); Never Enough (Adrian Belew); Heavy ConstruKction (ProjeKct Two); Shipbuilding (Mr. McFall’s Chamber); Wild and Dizzy (Bill Nelson); Original Sin (Bruford & Levin); Native of the Rain (Tony Geballe); Profaned Sanctuary of the Human Heart (Nelson); Nothing Comes (Peter Hammill); Pie Jesu (Robert Fripp); Amethyst (Bill Bruford); Of Bow and Drum (Belew); Score With No Film (Belew); The Strangest Things, the Strangest Times (Nelson); Shepherd’s Song (Gorn, Levin & Marotta); Sabre Dance (Radical Dance); On the Approach of Doubt (Fripp); Allegro Con Brio, Symphony No. 5 (California Guitar Trio); Allegreto (McFall’s); Prism (Crimson); 4 (i) (ProjeKct One); Space Groove 2 (ProjeKct Two); Spinning Dizzy on the Dial (Nelson); Toccata Seconda (Jacob Heringman); 21st Century Schizoid Man (ProjeKct Two); Interlude (Bruford & Levin); Easy Money (Crimson); Dinosaur (Crimson); Lindisfarne (Matt Seattle); On My Mother’s Birthday (Fripp)
Best track: the Bill Nelson stuff
Track to skip: Belew’s Never Enough

Except for the first Belew track, Never Enough, all of these songs are excellent. Most are edited, so to get the full versions you’ll have to buy the regular albums. To my knowledge, the only tracks that aren’t available elsewhere are the Radical Dance track and the last Fripp track. Radical Dance went through some mutations and eventually became BPM&M. I don’t have that yet, so I’m not sure if Sabre Dance is the same or not. But anyway, the massive eclecticism really strengthens this CD and it makes me want to get every one of these albums; so far I have 11 of them. I’m way familiar with the Crimson stuff (OK, the dance version of Schizoid Man threw me), so what really surprised me was the Bill Nelson material. It’s excellent stuff and I’d best describe it as “intelligent electronica”. Other highlights include Bill Bruford’s Amethyst, Tony Geballe’s track and Fripp’s soundscapes. I really need to buy more of that stuff. This is recommended for most everyone and especially those who are bored with their current CD collections and want some fresh, new music…you should find something on here to get you going.

Rating: 95

Released: 1968
Tracks: Uncle Meat Main Title Theme; The Voice of Cheese; Nine Types of Industrial Pollution; Zolar Czakl; Dog Breath in the Year of the Plague; The Legend of the Golden Arches; Louie Louie (live at the Royal Albert Hall in London); The Dog Breath Variations; Sleeping in a Jar; Our Bizarre Relationship; The Uncle Meat Variations; Electric Aunt Jemima; Prelude to King Kong; God Bless America (live at the Whisky A Go Go); A Pound for a Brown on the Bus; Ian Underwood Whips it Out (live on stage in Copenhagen); Mr. Green Genes; We Can Shoot You; “If We’d All Been Living in California…”; The Air; Project X; Cruising For Burgers; Uncle Meat Film Excerpt Part I; Tengo Na Menchia Tanta; Uncle Meat Film Excerpt Part II; King Kong Itself; King Kong II; King Kong III; King Kong IV; King Kong V; King Kong VI
Best tracks: The Dog Breaths, the Uncle Meats, the Pound for a Browns, the King Kongs, and Electric Aunt Jemima
Tracks to skip: lots: the Voice of Cheese, Industrial Pollution, Zolar Czakl, Our Bizarre Relationship, God Bless America, We Can Shoot You, Film Excerpt Part 1, Tengo Na Menchia Tanta, Film Excerpt Part 2

A big problem of this album is that it really needs to be condensed. A lot of the songs and melodies keep popping up in different versions and are really a waste of time. There should be a version of each song and then move on to the next one. It really sounds like Zappa was trying to show off on this album. Like he was saying, “Look what I can do! I can compose all this serious classical music and I have this huge band that can play it! Watch me rehash melodies for the whole album!” I know I’m being harsh, especially to one of my favorite musicians and composers, but he deserves it here. We don’t need many versions of the same song, just played in a different way. We don’t need the same musique concrete as on Only in it for the Money & Lumpy Gravy. We absolutely don’t need to hear Suzie Creamcheese; she is obnoxious and stupid and I don’t get it. And lastly, we DO NOT NEED OR LIKE THE PENALTY TRACKS. There is so much wasted space on this album. As soon as I get a CD burner I’m making a 1 CD version of this album with all the bad stuff edited out so I’ll never have to hear it again.

Yes, of course there is some good to this album. Lots of it. The Dog Breaths, the Uncle Meats, the Pound for a Browns, the King Kongs, and Electric Aunt Jemima are beyond excellent. Hell, I’d totally tolerate all the rehashing if all the crap was edited out. Half of this album is excellent and half is horrid, possibly the worst stuff Zappa ever released. I think he was playing a joke on us, and I still don’t think it’s funny.

Rating: 69

Released: 1988
Tracks: Be All, End All; Out of Sight, Out of Mind; Make Me Laugh; Antisocial; Who Cares Wins; Now It’s Dark; Schism; Misery Loves Company; 13; Finale
Best track: hard to pick, possibly Who Cares Wins
Track to skip: none

This album is mostly known for the single Antisocial , a great song originally by a French metal band called Trust. Who Cares Wins was also a single but the video was actually banned by MTV (it’s a depressing video/song about homelessness). It’s a really great song (one of the many on here) and creates a great vibe. I love how Anthrax kept distancing themselves from ever other metal band in the 80’s. Lyrically they were so far ahead of everyone else; no other metal band dared sing about the stuff they did (yes, even my beloved Iron Maiden). Seriously, what metal bands sang about racism and homelessness in 1988? There’s not a bad song on here, and in fact there are 10 good ones. This is intelligent Heavy Metal, both lyrically and musically. Good Stuff.

Rating: 90

Released: 1977
Tracks: A Farewell to Kings; Xanadu; Closer to the Heart; Cinderella Man; Madrigal; Cygnus X-1
Best track: Xanadu
Tracks to skip: Cinderella Man & Madrigal

Rush started to point in the direction of ‘prog rock’ on 2112 but they got it all wrong and made a piece of crap. Here on Farewell to Kings they got it right. The big influence for the band now became Yes (instead of Led Zep) and it made them a lot better. First, the confidence in their playing has grown considerably in a year. The other main growth area was a huge leap forward in songwriting and coming up with some ballsy material. I’m not saying that this stuff had never been attempted, because it had, but for Rush it was a huge leap forward. Musically, all three really just stepped it up on here.

Xanadu is so damn good. Still one of my favorite Rush songs and I love listening to it. It’s a fantastic composition and they are so fearless on it! Cygnus is also a great song, but there’s that one section (starting with “I set a course just east of Lyra…”) that really sucks. The rest of the song is incredible, but that one little section is such a bad rehash of all the awful stuff Rush did on their first 4 albums. Besides the horribly cheesy keyboards, the other bad parts to the album are the songs Cinderella Man and Madrigal. Yup, they’re filler. The lyrics to these are very dumb and they’re cheesy songs as well. For the middle section of Cinderella Man, they actually do a little cool bit where they play an exact replica of Afro Pop. I don’t know if they possibly heard some, or just were experimenting around, but it’s pretty startling and very cool. And then they screw it up by going back into the crappy song. I’m of the opinion that those two songs just suck. However, besides those two fillers, the rest of Farewell to Kings rocks. The other 4 songs are so strong that it still gets a good grade. This album is utterly essential for Xanadu and Cygnus.

Rating: 92

Released: 1992
Tracks: Warheads; Rest in Peace; Politicalamity; Color Me Blind; Cupid’s Dead; Peacemaker Die; Seven Sundays; Tragic Comic; Our Father; Stop the World; God Isn’t Dead?; Everything Under the Sun (Rise ‘n Shine/Am I Ever Gonna Change/Who Cares?)
Best tracks: Everything Under the Sun & Color Me Blind
Track to skip: not one second

As noted before, I really like Extreme II. This tops that album in so many ways. The confidence is just oozing off this thing. Every single aspect of the band has been improved from the previous album, and considering how strong that one is, III Sides is a big accomplishment. Let’s see if I can run down the ‘improvements’ on this album: songwriting is stellar (more so), production is perfect, all four members perform up to their potential, the arrangements are awesome, the lyrics are great, Nuno’s guitar playing is SO EXCELLENT. Everything is mind blowing and everything is amazing about this album. It’s one of my favorites and it really puts the biggest smile on my face every time I hear it.

Rating: 98

Released: 1980
Tracks: Destiny; Snow Theme; Sandcastles; A Few Coins; Moon Theme; When the Love Has Gone; Festival Dance; The Rape; Little Girl
Best track: either Little Girl or Destiny
Track to skip: none

You know what makes this the best Journey album? Musicianship and songwriting. This album is the Real Deal as far as I’m concerned. It’s so wonderful to see how great of a band Journey can be when they don’t have the pressure of making hits placed upon them. Little Girl is the only thing on here that sounds like a familiar Journey song; the rest are eye openers if all you’ve heard is the greatest hits. I wish Journey had made more film soundtracks, as this is so excellent. A few of the tracks aren’t much of ‘songs’ at all, but they’re all music from the film, and the insignificant ones are really short so they don’t hurt the album any. Unfortunately this album is only available as a Japanese import, so it’s pretty hard to find in the US. Regardless, you should search it out and grab it, it’s worth the high price.

Rating: 96

Released: 1993
Tracks: Rift; Fast Enough For You; Lengthwise; Maze; Sparkle; Horn; The Wedge; My Friend, My Friend; Weigh; All Things Reconsidered; Mound; It’s Ice; Lengthwise; The Horse; Silent in the Morning
Best tracks: Rift, It’s Ice, Fast Enough, Maze
Track to skip: duh, none!

I still think the song Rift is one of the most perfect things Phish (Anastasio & Marshall) have come up with so far. It was absolutely another one of those “Wow!” songs the first time I heard it. Another obvious one of those is Fast Enough For You, a very beautiful song. Maze is a live favorite and another excellent composition (more excellence from Page too!) with very original and creative subject matter. I think a lot of people are probably turned off by Tom Marshall’s lyrics, but I really don’t understand why. His ideas are mostly pretty original (a rarity among lyricists) and even when he does do ‘traditional’ subject matter he always presents the lyrics in a different way than most do. Honestly, all 5 of them (McConnell, Anastasio, Marshall, bassist Mike Gordon and drummer Jon Fishman) really stepped it up on this album.

Before the usual ‘last paragraph wrap-up’, here are some more things I love about Rift: the guitar solo in Horn (melt), lyrics and everything else on It’s Ice, the Crimson-esque Silent in the Morning, the artwork, the acoustic guitar on The Horse, Mike’s using of Benny Hill’s theme on the first riff of It’s Ice…yeah, nearly all the dern thing. Is Rift better than Picture of Nectar? Hmm, no, it isn’t. But, like you can probably guess, it’s damn close. The great thing is that they can actually get better than Nectar and Rift. Both are great introductions to Phish as a studio band and either one should do the job. I think the best songs on here are better than the best ones on Nectar, but Rift does a minor ‘sag’ in the middle songs of the album. Maybe it’s just that the outsides are so damn excellent. Who cares, this is essential.

Rating: 96