What Are You Listening To?

[Music Head]

from my library (vinyl)



A very nice look back at Lindas first eight albums, including the Stone Pony days. Thought it would score higher
going in, but the choice of some covers killed that. Even so, with 22 tracks and six love tracks, it was a good
listen. Linda started out a bit more country than her later material. With this album covering the years 68-74, a
lot of that country feel comes through. Those comprise most of my favorites, with the best being Different Drum, a
gem written by Mike Nesmith (the talented Monkee), from the second Stone Ponys album, Evergreen. Probably the
success of Heart Like A Wheel (her first #1 album) prompted the putting together of this compilation, with the
inclusion of five tracks from that album. Linda would go on to even greater popularity, but this set will fill you
in on what happened before.

I LIKE THIS ALBUM

Worst Track - Rescue Me

Best Track - Different Drum

1) When Will I Be Loved *** - Midnight Special 1975
live - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ooPy8tX3h94
2) Silver Threads And Golden Needles *** - with the Eagles
live - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=flLoj5qxURw
3) Hobo **
4) I Fall To Pieces * - no Patsy here
audio - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V3KjYYx7ftc
5) Birds *
audio - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kr7UEWbNOJ0
6) I Can't Help It (If I'm Still In Love With You) ** - is that Emmylou on background?
live - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MZbUYS7Qos4
7) Different Drum ***
audio - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s3Nq48sHF8M
8) Some Of Shelly's Blues **
9) I'll Be Your Baby Tonight - no Bob here
audio - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PV5nQA9fOVM
10) Louise **
11) Long Long Time *** - Glen Campbell show 1970
live - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A0qm8nq8RcA
12) Faithless Love **
audio - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UMUw67bNQ8Q
13) Rock Me On The Water * - no Jackson here
audio - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h7DqRwo5qxI
14) Lovesick Blues * - no Hank here
live - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jiB0e-ufkPE
15) Rescue Me * - no Fontella here
audio - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fmG1g4GCqaQ
16) Just A Little Bit Of Rain **
17) The Long Way Around **
audio - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KR-VqnAO-9U
18) You're No Good ***
live - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=haZPPBJC8Ic
19) Ramblin' Round **
20) Crazy Arms **
audio - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z-EcWGvHn34
21) It Doesn't Matter Anymore ***
live - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qOmYxMz5OIM
22) Will You Love Me Tomorrow * - Johnny Cash show 1970
live - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a8i0Dc8FAsg

3's - 6
2's - 9
1's - 7

Grade - 2.0
allmusic - 2.7

[CRAZY-HORSE]

TOM JONES "reload" cd,1999.

let me start by saying that i think Tom Jones has the best voice of any singer i have ever heard with only Meatloaf,The Big-O,John Farnham and Freddie Mercury coming anywhere near him!...so much power from those vocal chords!!!!
anyway, Tom was pretty well forgotten as a chart artist by the 1990s and this one ressurected his waning fortunes and introduced him to a new generation of music lovers.
plenty of guest appearances on here from Van Morrison,Pretenders,Robbie Williams,Barenaked Ladies,Cardigans,Stereophonics, and Portishead to name a few...
the songs here-within are either covers or songs written especially for him by the artists who guest here, sure theres a few bad versions of songs on here,well, there always is with a covers album, but his voice still makes them listenable IMO, worst of the bunch has to be his version of FYC's "she drives me crazy", best has to be his tongue-in-cheek "sex bomb" written for him by guest artist Mouse-T., some surprises on here along with the FYc cover in Kinks 'sunny afternoon, Iggy's "lust for life", INXS' "never tear us apart" and Talking Heads "burning down the house"...some good,some not so good....!, his version of Elvis' sun records song 'im left,youre right,she's gone' has been beefed up to a full blown rock track, which i like a lot by the way.
i like the way he simply hanst covered these tracks but has instilled some of Tom Jones into them, which gives us a unique interperation of what would otherwise be an album of boring run of the mill covers!

I LIKE THIS ALBUM

worst track: she drives me crazy
best track: sex bomb

tracks:

1. burning down the house (with the cardigans) ***
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VtknX95emMQ live
2. mama told me not to come (stereophonics) ***
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IpJvK16Ikfk live
3. are you gonna go my way (robbie williams) **
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qOg2nXmJyY0 live
4. all mine (divine comedy) ***
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m38EmUVJ56Q audio
5. sunny afternoon (space) *
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AdL4tGoaBg0 live
6. im left,youre right,shes gone (james bradfield) **
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ASVrgmTJJFg audio
7. sex bomb (mouse t) ***
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ec3jIipfBqs live
8. you need love like i do (heather small) **
9. looking out my window (james taylor quartet) *
10.sometimes we cry (van morrison) **
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l9Ysbo5vJHU audio
11.lust for life (pretenders) *
12.little green bag (bareneked ladies) *
13.aint that a lot of love (simply red) **
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x9i6kZWUGTc live
14.she drives me crazy (zucchero) *
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U184j7VMpSQ audio
15.never tear us apart (natalie imbruglia) *
16.baby its cold outside (catatonia) **
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4klyIX4RIWA live
17.motherless child (portishead) **

3s=3
2s=9
1s=5

rating 1.9

[Music Head]

^^
Saw Tom trying to do a rap thing a few years back
It was absolutely horrible
Love the mans early work though

[Music Head]

from my library (vinyl)



Sonny and Cher were still an item when Cher began her solo career, with Sonny's assistance of course. This is her
fourth solo album, Sonny produces and contributes three tracks, two which are my only two love tracks on here. Both
about kids. It's the covers that kill this one. Hey Joe and The Times They Are A-Changin' were not meant for Cher. I
was a huge Sonny & Cher fan back in the day. Probably watched all of the tv shows. Always felt bad for Sonny when
she'd cut him down in those skits. Guess I was more of a Sonny fan. Never liked Cher as a person, but I did like her
distinctive vocal style. So distinctive she spawned a lot of imitators. The hit here of You Better Sit Down Kids was
her last solo hit of the 60's, making #9 here. Told by the father and strange they didn't change the gender for
Cher's version. A really depressing song about a family breakup. Hits home when there's a divorce going on in your
family. The album didn't fare that well, only reaching #48. Cher's career didn't really take off until the 80's. She
must have been busy raising Chas. She screwed him/her up too.

I LIKE THIS ALBUM

Worst Track - Hey Joe

Best Track - You Better Sit Down Kids

1) You Better Sit Down Kids ***
audio - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=osVCIlTto2Q
2) But I Can't Love You More **
audio - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AYREFmf60E4
3) Hey Joe *
audio - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nkNxwN27hd0
4) Mama (When My Dollies Have Babies) ***
live - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dsBN-6KE0ZA
5) Behind The Door *
audio - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZUY8pPLpIJg
6) Sing For Your Supper **
audio - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ttlpSrsI2Fc
7) Look At Me **
audio - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9PH1ndBwQ9k
8) There But For Fortune **
audio - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QkGUov_SoeI
9) I Will Wait For You *
audio - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XZR9ljc2P5c
10) The Times They Are A-Changin' *
audio - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lhFTx9D1_iA

3's - 2
2's - 4
1's - 4

Grade - 1.8
allmusic - 1.8

[CRAZY-HORSE]

fro some reason ive never been a fan of Cher, but i do love Gypsies,Tramps and Thieves....brilliant song.

then again, not really a fan of Sonny & Cher neither apart from 'bang bang', but Paul Weller does a better version of it IMO with the strings and brass work....

[video=youtube;sQy8fkmFOIQ]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sQy8fkmFOIQ[/video]

[CRAZY-HORSE]

THE BASICS "keep your friends close" cd,2009.

The Basics' third and final album before drummer/(primary)vocalist Wally DeBacher called it quits to pursue his solo career under the new moniker of Gotye....
not dissimillar to their other two albums in that they are simple,easy going pop songs based in the 60s-70s sound...strangely enough though, i also heard a lot of simillarities to the Crowded House sound also(melodic pop and acoustic guitars)...
probably not quite as good as their other albums, nor is it as good as his second solo set 'making mirrors', but its still a reasonably good album of radio friendly pop.
nothing great on here at all, but nothing bad neither, just a steady allround good album.

I LIKE THIS ALBUM

worst track: all or nothing
best track: what do you see in me?

tracks:

1. fear of failure **
2. with this ship **
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lALFpUKmInQ video
3. the day mairead goes away **
4. home again **
5. what do you see in me? **
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wtdfXKCFaxY audio
6. the #1 cause of death amongst youth today **
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qrELLSWpC_g video
7. trouble in his head **
8. the executioner **
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4qIfZiknKnA audio
9. keep the door open **
10.all or nothing **

3s=0
2s=10
1s=0

rating: 2.0

[Music Head]

^^
heard a Nancy Sinatra cover of that, that I thought was pretty cool

[CRAZY-HORSE]

CHRISTINA PERRI "lovestrong" cd,2011.

Christina's debut set from last year...
cant recall if Music Head or myself did this as a new release,but one of us certainly did...
either way, fell in love with "jar of hearts" first time i heard it and bought the album not long afterwards...
lots of piano/acoustic guitar based ballads on here, sort of like an American Adele to me...she has the voice and sings songs of broken relationships,love gone bad type stuff...good stuff!!!
strange, but this one hasnt really grown on me as much as i thought it would, still like it the same as when i bought it...nothing's changed.
surprising as it is, but there is one track i prefer over that jar of hearts thing...a little tune called 'bluebird'(the opening track), and most of the album is of similar vein to the hit single...

I LIKE THIS ALBUM

worst track: penguin
best track: bluebird

tracks:

1. bluebird ***
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7NqX1ADmXL4 audio
2. arms **
3. bang bang bang **
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QgftLYh4ZP8 audio
4. distance **
5. jar of hearts ***
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8v_4O44sfjM video
6. mine **
interlude
7.penguin *
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X-3zyHNNamU audio
8. miles **
9. the lonely *
10.sad song **
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PKTqg5lAHBY audio
11.tragedy **
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kFOKiYnz6h4 live

3s=2
2s=7
1s=2

rating: 2.0 or 6.6/10

[Music Head]

^^
don't remember reviewing it
love Jar Of Hearts

[Music Head]

from my library (vinyl)



This one surprised me coming out higher than I expected. Has to be her best one that I have, aside from the best of.
Four love tracks and only one I don't like. One of those crossover country artists that I never considered country,
even though her music charted on both sides. Guess that's why they call it crossover. This one came in at #2 on the
country here, #25 in the UK and #1 in Canada. Beautiful voice similar to Anne Murray to me. Only a #52 on the pop
chart here, which is what it is. This is Crystal's fifth album and looks like her best selling. Close call between
it and her previous release, We Must Believe In Magic. Two singles from here topped the country chart, Why Have You
Left The One You Left Me For and Talking In Your Sleep, with the latter scoring well on the pop side. The title song
appeared on her first album and is reworked for this one. Best for me is Someday Soon which is an Ian Tyson song
which I am not familiar with. The one track I don't like, they tried to sneak a disco feel in on me. I'll forgive
her for one track.

I LIKE THIS ALBUM

Worst Track - Don't Treat Me Like A Stranger

Best Track - Someday Soon

1) Why Have You Left The One You Left Me For **
live - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8cBbcCFOg6U
2) Heart Mender **
audio - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qkGDqjARMCI
3) Hello I Love You **
audio - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p2PQtBkmhmg
4) Talking In Your Sleep ***
live - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0oXymWz6i6I
5) Paintin' This Old Town Blue ***
audio - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WMvG4SMpC0s
6) When I Dream *** - beautiful voice, beautiful strings
live - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ACRcI6jMU0k
7) Don't Treat Me Like A Stranger *
audio - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PLM6CGmo8MI
8) Too Good To Throw Away **
audio - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zgv2QicaLNw
9) Cry Me A River **
live - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7-I_kJiZU-s
10) Wayward Wind **
audio - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O1JzXLwvTZg
11) Someday Soon ***
live - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Neb0-Cg6BCk
12) I Still Miss Someone **
live - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZF5luUaarGo

3's - 4
2's - 7
1's - 1

Grade - 2.3
allmusic - 2.0