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Idlewild South by the Allman Brothers Band (Vinyl record album review)

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Record basics

  • Album name: Idlewild South
  • Group name: The Allman Brothers Band
  • Year: 1970
  • Number of discs: one
  • Label: Atco Records
  • Collection: Brenner / Gessner
  • Distinguishing characteristics: “G” written inside the album sleeve, indicating that my father owned this record
  • Buy it on Amazon: $23.99

Idlewild South by the Allman Brothers Band

My review

Level of familiarity before listening

I’ve listened to two Allman Brothers records in the past month and a half: Eat A Peach and The Road Goes On Forever: A Collection of Their Greatest Recordings.

What I expected

Rock, blues, &c.

What it was actually like

I didn’t enjoy this Allman Brothers record as much as the previous two, since it didn’t have my favorite songs, and since the first track, Revival, reminded me of something that Paul Simon might have done in the 1980s. Midnight Rider was the only song I recognized, and I’ve always considered it to be good, but not one of their best (though in fairness, if another band had recorded it, then it might have been their best).

Don’t Keep Me Wonderin’, at three minutes and 40 seconds, was about three minutes too long.

Grade

3/5: interesting, but not for me

Led Zeppelin II (Vinyl record album review)

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Record basics

  • Album name: Led Zeppelin II
  • Group name: Led Zeppelin
  • Year: 1969
  • Number of discs: one
  • Label: Atlantic Records
  • Collection: Brenner / Gessner
  • Distinguishing characteristics: “G” written on top left of album, indicating that my father owned this record
  • Buy it on Amazon: $23.93

Led Zeppelin II

My review

Level of familiarity before listening

I reviewed Led Zeppelin’s first record a few days ago and mentioned then that I thought I might have listened to it around 500 times. Same with this one, but I like it even more.

What I expected

Rock, blues rock, hard rock.

What it was actually like

If this isn’t the perfect hard rock record, it can only be because “perfection” is elusive and a bit nonsensical – but there’s nothing about it that I would change! It’s a great record to put on when reading, working, cooking, or watching rugby! My favorite song on it today was Heartbreaker, followed by Bring It On Home, but I love every song on it.

Grade

5/5: love it

Every Good Boy Deserves Favour by The Moody Blues (Vinyl record album review)

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Record basics

  • Album name: Every Good Boy Deserves Favour
  • Group name: The Moody Blues
  • Year: 1971
  • Number of discs: one
  • Label: Threshold Records
  • Collection: Brenner / Gessner
  • Distinguishing characteristics: “G” written on top left of album, indicating that my father owned this record
  • Buy it on Amazon: $9.89

Every Good Boy Deserves Favour by The Moody Blues

My review

Level of familiarity before listening

I’ve previously reviewed two Moody Blues records: On The Threshold of a Dream and a compilation called This Is The Moody Blues. My general impression is that they had some good parts, but that the self conscious weirdness (“Space Oddity vibes”) detracted significantly from the overall experience.

What I expected

More progressive rock with Space Oddity vibes.

What it was actually like

That was basically right, and Procession, the opening track, was exactly what I meant; it would be difficult for me to imagine a dumber song than this. One More Time to Live must have been their attempt to do that: it’s an attempt to see how many words they can rhyme with “Desolation” (answer: a lot).

The Story in Your Eyes, however, is about as good as progressive rock gets: coherent, rhythmic and melodic, and with a guitar riff that evokes the Allman Brothers (or something) – which is far better than Our Guessing Game, which I kept thinking was about to turn into Somewhere Over the Rainbow (and not the ukulele version by that extraordinarily large Polynesian fellow on youtube, but rather the version you remember from “The Wizard of Oz”).

Emily’s Song was familiar to me, though I don’t think this is the version I’ve heard in the past, and very Beatlesque.

Grade

3/5: interesting, but not for me

Candles in the Rain by Melanie (Vinyl record album review)

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Record basics

Candles in the Rain by Melanie

My review

Level of familiarity before listening

I wasn’t sure that I’d ever heard of “Melanie” so I looked her up, and she’s the artist who was responsible for the song Brand New Key, which you have heard, and which you will never hear the same way again after listening to the Wurzels’ version. I’ve never listened to this record or any of Melanie’s records.

What I expected

Folk.

What it was actually like

It was folky, but also folk rock, and rock. Lovin’ Baby Girl was good and that was more of a rock song with some funk elements. What Have They Done to My Song Ma wasn’t terrible, but it was Oompa-Loompa music, so I didn’t listen that closely.

I started off hating Melanie’s cover of Ruby Tuesday, then in the middle I started liking it a lot more, and then by the end, I thought it was ok.

Lay Down (Candles in the Rain) is the record’s outstanding song, but mainly because of the incredible gospel-style chorus that’s extremely distinctive.

Grade

4/5: would listen again

Dave Mason Is Alive by Dave Mason (Vinyl record album review)

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Record basics

  • Album name: Dave Mason Is Alive
  • Artist name: Dave Mason
  • Year: 1973
  • Number of discs: one
  • Label: Blue Thumb Records
  • Collection: Brenner / Gessner
  • Buy it on Amazon: $29.95

Dave Mason Is Alive by Dave Mason

My review

Level of familiarity before listening

I don’t know who Dave Mason is I’ve never listened to this record.

What I expected

A live rock record, maybe soft rock?

What it was actually like

It wasn’t exactly soft rock, but it wasn’t exactly Led Zeppelin, and nobody will mistake Dave Mason for John Lennon when it comes to songwriting, but from listening to this record, I can say that he’s an excellent guitarist. For example, the guitar solo on Look at You Look at Me was pretty good. None of the songs was particularly memorable, however.

Grade

3/5: interesting, but not for me