Album review mish-mash no. 1

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Alan Vega - Saturn Strip

Brighter and far more quirky than any of his work with Suicide, "Saturn Strip" demonstrates the true versatility of Alan Vega as a solo artist. Suicide's music is painted in shades of black and red, hovering broodingly in the listeners ears. Even happy, harmonic numbers like "Diamonds, fur coats, champagne" are tinged with undertones of darkness.

But Vega's first solo album demonstrates that he is far more than a dirge-singing crooner. Vega combines rockabilly guitars with electro accompaniment to create songs like "Video Babe" which sound more at home at a sock hop than a Suicide album. That being said, most of the other songs are intensely dancey. Even "Goodbye Darling", a song about cutting ties comes off as jubilant.

The last song on the album, "Every1's a winner" seals the tone with a hortatory, pep-talk. It seems like it's loosely based on the "Hot Chocolate" song of the same name but if it is, it's a very liberal interpretation. Vega's version appeared on Jame's Murphy's iTunes celebrity playlist.

Score: 8.5/10
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Blue Cheer - Vincebus Eruptum

Although this band was incredibly influential in shaping what lazy people like to call "classic rock" they rarely get a mention. The San Francisco power trio were easily heavier than a single other band from their time other than maybe Deep Purple. In 68 they were playing screaming blues-tinged, proto-metal guitar solos before anyone.

If you only have the time to pick up one of Blue Cheer's albums, "Vincebus Eruptum" would be the one. Probably the most iconic song in the band's repertoire is their ferocious cover of the Eddie Cochran song "Summer Time Blues". The Who's cover, far more lauded and equally as good but for different reasons, debuted in 1970 but was nowhere near as intense.

While bassist Dickie Peters screechy high-pitched vocals definitely shaped the band's sound Leigh Stephens' explosive guitar playing is probably the most exhilarating part of the album. His playing style is raw power. Only once on the album does he tone down his volume, for his bluesy, grooving, rendition of "Rock me Baby".

"Parchment Farm" is the band's strongest number here. It is also perhaps the most proto-metal track. Stephen's guitar playing is allowed to completely overflow the bounds of the songwriting given the song's simple structure. Peter's voice also shines through in this song as he chillingly belts out, "all I did was shoot my wife".

Score: 10/10
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Creedence Clearwater Revival - Green River

Besides maybe "Bayou Country", "Green River" would be the best album for prospective CCR fans to start out with. Like "Bayou Country" this album is filled with some of the band's more guitar driven songs and is completely irresistible unless for some unfathomable reason you hate John Fogerty's licks.

The first three songs, "Green River", "Commotion", and "Tombstone Shadow" are non-stop guitar boogies. Then the album progresses into the quiet, calming "wrote a song for everyone" showcasing the other folkier side to the Fogerty coin. The other writing-intensive song on the album is "Lodi" which should grow on the listener despite its lack of guitar work. The lyrics tell of a despondent musician trying to escape the suffocating forces of apathetic listeners and deaf ears.

In addition to the other songs not mentioned there is the immortal "Bad moon rising" which really, CCR fan or not, speaks for itself.

Score: 10/10
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