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These Things Too by Pearls Before Swine (Vinyl record album review)

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Record basics

  • Album name: These Things Too
  • Group name: Pearls Before Swine
  • Year: 1969
  • Number of discs: one
  • Label: Reprise Records
  • Collection: Brenner / Gessner
  • Who owned it: my father
  • Buy it on Amazon: $18.00

These Things Too by Pearls Before Swine

My review

Level of familiarity before listening

I listened to The Use of Ashes by Pearls Before Swine last week and enjoyed its psychedelic folk rock, but that’s the only time I’ve heard any of their music.

What I expected

I assume it will be more of what I liked last week.

What it was actually like

Here’s an interesting coincidence: yesterday I described Joan Baez’s cover of Bob Dylan’s I Shall Be Released, on Any Day Now as “very good,” and Pearls Before Swine also covered I Shall Be Released on “These Things Too,” but it was not good. Not terrible, though – but not good.

Much of “These Things Too” could be described the same way, and it certainly didn’t evoke anything like when I listened to “The Use of Ashes” and found myself surprised at how much I enjoyed it. Basically all of the songs on this record were wistful, listless, moody and mopey, and it was difficult to find anything that I really enjoyed.

Frog In The Window was like a child’s version of Oompa Loompa music, really quite terrible, and I was totally baffled by the 22-second long, nonsensical Green and Blue.

Grade

2/5: weak, but I was able to listen to the whole thing

Crosby, Stills & Nash (Vinyl record album review)

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Record basics

  • Album name: Crosby, Stills & Nash
  • Group name: Crosby, Stills & Nash
  • Year: 1969
  • Number of discs: one
  • Label: Atlantic Records
  • Collection: Brenner / Gessner
  • Distinguishing characteristics: my parents had two copies of this album. My father’s has a “G” in the upper left corner of the album, and “GESSNER” written on the inside of the sleeve, and my mother’s has a sticker that says “GOLD RECORD AWARD: AUDITED AND CERTIFIED BY RIAA,” as well as “Brenner” written on the face of the record.
  • Buy it on Amazon: $24.98

Crosby, Stills & Nash

My review

Level of familiarity before listening

This is definitely one that I grew up hearing. I don’t listen to it a lot, but I know it well.

What I expected

Folk rock and vocal harmonies.

What it was actually like

Suite: Judy Blue Eyes, of course, stands above all the other songs on this record; I’ve mentioned multiple times (1, 2, 3) how wonderful and special it is. Even if CSN had never recorded it, or if they had left it off this record, however, the rest still would have been grand: Marrakesh Express, Wooden Ships, Long Time Gone and Helplessly Hoping are all outstanding, and I love the contrasts between the electric guitars on Wooden Ships and the vocal harmonies on Helplessly Hoping.

I’m not a big fan of Guinnevere, but it’s really the only song on the record that I consider boring and uninteresting.

Grade

5/5: love it

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

Led Zeppelin (I) by Led Zeppelin (Vinyl record album review)

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Record basics

  • Album name: Led Zeppelin (I)
  • Group name: Led Zeppelin
  • Year: 1969
  • Number of discs: one
  • Label: Atlantic Records
  • Collection: Brenner / Gessner
  • Distinguishing characteristics: “G” written on left of album, indicating that my father owned this record
  • Buy it on Amazon: $24.14

Led Zeppelin (I)

My review

Level of familiarity before listening

This is one of the few records from my parents’ collection that I used to play in the basement of their house when I was in high school, on the same Yamaha turntable and with the same Advent loudspeakers that I’m using to listen to it right now. Then in college, I bought this Led Zeppelin box set and I’ve been a fan ever since. I’ve probably listened to this record around 500 times.

What I expected

Rock, blues rock, hard rock.

What it was actually like

From the opening bars of Good Times Bad Times, I was reminded of an amazing discovery that I made as a teenager, which is that any part of Led Zeppelin’s first three records lines up perfectly with any rugby game (given that the rugby’s sound is turned off). Though I had only primitive tools available in the 1990s – the “international channel” on cable occasionally showed some extremely grainy rugby – you can validate this concept for yourself today using youtube.

At any rate, I consider this to be one of the greatest hard rock records ever recorded, one of the greatest blues rock records, one of the greatest 1960s records, and one of the greatest debut records by a rock band. Every part of it is wonderful and it’s amazing that Robert Plant was so young and his voice already so distinctive. If I had to pick a favorite song from it, I think I’d go with Dazed and Confused or Babe I’m Gonna Leave You. I wouldn’t be able to pick a least favorite, though.

Grade

5/5: love it

Retrospective: The Best of Buffalo Springfield (Vinyl record album review)

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Record basics

  • Album name: Retrospective: The Best of Buffalo Springfield
  • Group name: Buffalo Springfield
  • Year: 1969
  • Number of discs: one
  • Label: Atco
  • Collection: Brenner / Gessner
  • Distinguishing characteristics: my parents had two copies of this album. My mother’s has no markings, and my father’s has a “G” written on top left of album.
  • Buy it on Amazon: $12.97

Retrospective: The Best of Buffalo Springfield

My review

Level of familiarity before listening

For whatever reason, I don’t think I’ve ever listened to this record, though I am familiar with Buffalo Springfield and with Neil Young and Stephen Stills (Déjà Vu, So Far, Woodstock, 2).

What I expected

Rock, folk rock.

What it was actually like

Besides the iconic For What It’s Worth, that I thought might be the only Buffalo Springfield song I could name, it turns out that I am well acquainted with a lot of their work, with Mr. Soul and Go and Say Goodbye also both classic hits.

I assumed this record would be all right, but I enjoyed it a lot! It was especially cool to hear how much influence Neil Young had on the group and how great a songwriter and how Neil-Youngy a singer he already was in the mid 1960s, with songs like Broken Arrow, Sit Down, I Think I love You and I Am A Child almost belonging more on “Harvest” or “After the Gold Rush.”

There were some down points on the record, like the slower and more bluesy Kind Woman, but overall, even the non-hits were great.

Grade

5/5: love it