Thanksgiving is coming. That must mean that it's bout time to review the albums of this year.
And usually we start things out with the turd albums of the year. Since I've only reviewed 68 albums this year, I try not to buy crappy albums. Which means that Guns and Roses missed out with Chinese Democracy. I heard enough songs off that album to decide that it wasn't worth reviewing, which means I've saved 12 bucks and a spot on the top ten turkeys of the year.
At this point in my life we try to look at the good parts of these albums. The worst album is a C plus, which isn't bad but for reasons of my own choosing something stood out that made me put it on the list. Like last year I don't think I have 10 turkey albums, call them the Zoey Pizza Top Ten. A bit too much and leaves the listener bloated. Not that I'm ragging on Zoey's Pizza, lot of folks swear by them but I still like Naso's Pizza better. It's a Marion Iowa thingy.
And now the albums of subpar.
1. The Black Crowes-Warpaint (Silver Arrow)
Back in the 90s they were the best thing for rock and roll but as the years progressed onward, they seemed to lose their edge and after they left American Recordings, they have done a Led Zeppelin tribute album with Jimmy Page and two tuneless albums in this decade. Warpaint is heavy on the ballads and when they do rock out, you can't remember the songs. In some ways they probaly do remind one of the boogie sonics of The Small Faces but did they have to minic the late 70s version of that band?
2. Pat Monahan-Last Of Seven (Columbia)
Say what you will of Train but they do have some good moments of hookery and charm. With Pat's first solo album, he adds way too many slow to medium tempo songs and even Train fans didn't buy this album either. Okay but too much of an yawnfest.
3. Ringo Starr-Liverpool 8 (Capitol)
A return to his own label and a falling out with Mark Hudson during the recording led him to tap Dave Stewart to remix and redo some of the songs for this album. Best song was a song about death and the afterlife, but for the most part, the usual songs about Love and Choose Love. But Ringo didn't help himself when he lashed a tirade about not signing any more autographs after October 20, which fans gave him a big FU. Although Mark Hudson may have gotten Ringo some airplay in the past ten years, Hudson also helped shape up some real awful albums as well. Liverpool 8, though not that bad, wasn't memorable either. Perhaps Ringo should look up the guys who helped him on Time Takes Time, his 1991 comeback album.
4. Asia-Phoenix (EMI)
Yup they did regroup, the original lineup and left John Payne in the dust with his own Asia tribute band. Again it's not that bad, but I only played it twice all year and it goes on too long (64 minites). But at least we are spared with John Payne's shriek.
5. Bruce Springsteen-Magic (Columbia)
This was done in by a very bad CD mix and the usually reliable Brendan O'Brien gives a bad overproduction. Starts out with a great song and then the wheels fell off. And the bad digipak didn't help either.
6. Felix Cavalire/Steve Cropper-Nudge It Up A Notch (Stax)
A meeting of legends, the guitar hero of the Memphis Sound and the vocalist of The Rascals, getting together to make a dull recording of mid tempo soul music. It's better than Taylor Hicks though.
7. Candlebox-Into The Sun (Silent Majority)
Still rocking like it was 1993. First two songs they had some F Bombs to the lyrics for shock value. I still perfer them over Hinder (who's last album bombed two weeks after it's release) or Buckcherry or latter day Puddle Of Mudd. And so it goes.
8. The Charlatans-You Cross My Path (Cooking Vinyl)
They decided to go toward more the outdated dance music of the Manchester scene of the early 90s and a lot of the songs have a unfinished feel. But this album makes the turkey list due to a crappy digipak packaging.
9. Kooks-Konk (Virgin)
Overrated brit pop but with a couple of decent songs. I guess this is why people are downloading singles rather than albums, the ability to pick their favorites and leave the less satisfying numbers. Again The Kooks have their moments but for this type of music, I'll stick with The Kinks. Or Blur. Or The Fratellis, Or The Stablizers.
10. Waylon Jennings-Waylon Forever (Vagrant)
And finally, about 10 years ago Waylon was recording songs with his son Shooter and shopped it around and got no takers. Appently Waylon had some demos laying around and so his son shaped his band's music with Waylon's demos and this was the end result. At 35 minites it's not very long but the music by Shooter and his band sounds more desperate than desperados and the worst song of the year was something called I Found The Body and had some chick screamer at the end singing like Clare Torry on Great Gig In The Sky from Dark Side by Pink Floyd, which is why I never bought that album. Waylon Forever the album has good intentions and a labor of love but in the end the songs go on forever and even Waylon thinks the outlaw shit got out of hand years ago.
Of course opinions vary. Such as from Diggy Kat on Waylon Forever, Take it away DK!
speaking of Waylon, like i always am, i bought Waylon Forever, overall absolutely loved it! thought Ain't Living Long Like This never sounded better! Lonesome On'ry And Mean is one of my all-time ever fave songs by him and sounds amazing in this rendition too. i loooove the new version of Outlaw Shit, even better than the original! never cared much for Jack Of Diamonds, but this version is better. i skip Are You Ready For The Country because it makes me breathe too fast lol, i feel they were trying to come off with a Springsteen's "I'm On Fire" type feel, but it makes me feel all a-panic! lol Waymore's Blues, nothing can beat the original, but great to hear Shooter. i always LOVED White Room! amazing job! i really like I Found The Body but i hope they don't find that woman's body at the end of the song =
