Artist: Toad the Wet Sprocket
Album: Fear
Released: August 27, 1991
I like to browse the internet to find reviews and user comments for albums that I like (and occasionally, albums I don't, just for fun). When discussing Toad the Wet Sprocket, I think that one reviewer summed it up well: they are a band that no one gives you credit for liking. Though they featured some of the best songwriting from the big alternative phase of about 20 years ago, they are frequently either scoffed at or forgotten altogether today. It just doesn't make sense to me... unless some people think they have a funny name and can't get past that. I was excited to hear recently that they are working on their first studio album in fifteen years.
Anyway, before Fear, Toad the Wet Sprocket released two low-budget albums: Bread & Circus in 1989 and Pale in 1990. They had a few mildly successful singles from these two albums, but as a whole they were not very successful and are basically forgotten today. (They aren't even available on iTunes.) Fear was their big breakthrough, a more mature and polished sound than the jangle/college rock of their early days. Interestingly, it was released on the same day as Pearl Jam's Ten, yet their take on the exploding alternative rock phase was much different. While Pearl Jam achieved more widespread and longer-lasting success with their classic rock/grunge sound and raw social consciousness, Fear was more mature in sound and focused on the contemplative life, at times pondering the deeper questions of our existence.
Listeners will pick up on this right away: a commune with nature in "Walk on the Ocean", followed by a flashback to innocent childhood memories in "Is It For Me". Most of the album follows this same formula, though they show some anger in tackling the difficult issue of rape in "Hold Her Down". "All I Want" was the big hit from this album, a simple tune with lyrics that aren't complicated, yet the song is capable of evoking deep emotions. It's one of my favorite Toad songs and possibly my favorite on the album, though I actually prefer the alternate take that was used in the promotional video. Overall this is a solid album that doesn't have many standout songs. I will say that I really like "Nightingale Song"; I wish it were longer than it is, but maybe that's part of its charm.
As for the rest... "Walk on the Ocean" is really good, a calming way to start the album. I also find "Before You Were Born" to be catchy; though it does show a little anger, it also has a good rhythm and vocals. "Stories I Tell" provides some more intense rock that is absent from most of the rest of the album, along with some of the best vocals on the album. "Is It For Me" is actually similar in sound to "All I Want", which means it's solid but maybe not quite as good. "Butterflies" is an interesting song, putting somewhat of an '80s power rock spin on their '90s sound. "Hold Her Down", "Pray Your Gods", and "Something to Say" are all solid, though they are not the easiest to listen to, especially the first two because they express strong emotions. Listeners can get a little lost in tracks 7-9, which lack any real standout sound. "In My Ear" is probably my least favorite; it's ok, but seems uninspired and comes at a point when the album can be exhausting.
Of Toad's three major albums (Dulcinea and Coil being the others), this one by far takes the most listens to appreciate. While this can be an enjoyable album, it also is not very easy to get through. I've discussed how it deals with tough issues and deep emotions, and it comes at a crossroads in Toad's career: after their lighter earlier days and before producing more upbeat, catchier songs later on. I think this can be a great album if you're in the right mood; though if you're new to Toad the Wet Sprocket, besides "All I Want" you might be better off listening to Dulcinea first. The band still had some room for improvement after Fear, but the talent was certainly on display.
Track #, Name of Song, Duration, My Rating
1. Walk on the Ocean (3:01) - 9/10
2. Is It For Me (3:25) - 8/10
3. Butterflies (4:26) - 8/10
4. Nightingale Song (2:02) - 10/10
5. Hold Her Down (3:05) - 8/10
6. Pray Your Gods (5:02) - 8/10
7. Before You Were Born (3:44) - 9/10
8. Something to Say (4:01) - 8/10
9. In My Ear (3:08) - 7/10
10. All I Want (3:16) - 10/10
11. Stories I Tell (5:34) - 9/10
12. I Will Not Take These Things For Granted (5:46) - 8/10
Friday, June 29, 2012
Sunday, June 3, 2012
I need something I can be proud of...
Artist: Eric Clapton
Album: Journeyman
Released: November 3, 1989
This was an album that my dad used to play when I was growing up. Clapton is one of the most renowned guitarists ever, and by this stage in his career he had already accomplished a lot. Yet, Journeyman marked a critical point in his career, both in terms of where he had been and what the future would hold.
Clapton gained fame starting in the 1960s as a guitarist/vocalist for several different groups, with Cream and Derek and the Dominos probably being the two groups with which he made his biggest mark. Each group he was with achieved success with blues and/or psychedelic rock, even if they were all short lived. Clapton launched his solo career in the 1970s, though he was dealing with drug and alcohol abuse during this time and into the 1980s. His career was in decline until working with Phil Collins on two albums in the mid-1980s: Behind the Sun in 1985 and August in 1986.
With Journeyman, it appeared that Clapton's "comeback" was complete. But what exactly did that mean? Behind the Sun and August were more pop-oriented than most of his previous work, featuring a more mainstream sound and utilizing newer music technology. Then came Journeyman, which featured many of these same characteristics; yet in many places Clapton also revived the blues/classic rock sound that first made his career.
The result was a strong and unique album that brought back some old fans and won over some new ones. "Bad Love" is probably the biggest hit from this album. This track features Phil Collins on drums and backup vocals. It's more upbeat than Clapton fans may have been used to and did not really feature that blues sound, yet it was a big success and is also one of my favorites from the album. "Pretending", the leadoff track, was also a big hit and in many respects is similar to "Bad Love". I would say those two, along with "Old Love", are my favorites. As I mentioned, several tracks on this album signal a return to the old blues/classic rock sound, and with "Old Love" I think Clapton hit a home run.
As is the case with these three tracks, the rest of the album is diverse and moves back and forth between the pop sound prevalent in the 1980s and Clapton's older blues with a more slick sound than from his earlier days. I think even on this more modern album, Clapton is stronger when he uses the blues sound. With his covers of both "Hound Dog" and "Before You Accuse Me", Clapton proves that he by no means has abandoned that sound; he does a great job with both, though I slightly prefer the former. "Hard Times" is another solid blues effort, even if it is solemn; "Running on Faith" is a little more optimistic and has more of a gospel feel. I prefer the former of those two.
I don't think the rest of the album is quite as strong. I do think that "Anything for Your Love" is interesting; I'm not a big fan of the artificial '80s sound in some places, though ironically it also features some of the best vocals and guitar playing on the entire album, making it an enjoyable song. "Lead Me On" relies on vocals perhaps more than any other track; it's a nice easy listening song, though by no means the album's best. "Run So Far" has a country feel to it; it's not bad, but it is a little repetitive. "No Alibis" and "Breaking Point" are my two least favorite; there is some decent guitar on the latter, but other than that they are pretty bland and have too much of an artificially produced sound.
Of Eric Clapton's more recent work, Journeyman is one of the better known and more successful albums. It featured a few popular singles and also marked a point in his career in which he both completely committed himself to the popular genre while also moving back to his older blues days. So, it was a comeback for Clapton, but was that as a move into a new era, or as a return to the old? It looks like the answer is both.
Track #, Name of Song, Duration, My Rating
1. Pretending (4:43) - 10/10
2. Anything for Your Love (4:10) - 8/10
3. Bad Love (5:08) - 10/10
4. Running on Faith (5:33) - 8/10
5. Hard Times (3:14) - 9/10
6. Hound Dog (2:27) - 9/10
7. No Alibis (5:38) - 7/10
8. Run So Far (4:07) - 8/10
9. Old Love (6:24) - 10/10
10. Breaking Point (5:32) - 7/10
11. Lead Me On (5:52) - 8/10
12. Before You Accuse Me (3:57) - 9/10
Album: Journeyman
Released: November 3, 1989
This was an album that my dad used to play when I was growing up. Clapton is one of the most renowned guitarists ever, and by this stage in his career he had already accomplished a lot. Yet, Journeyman marked a critical point in his career, both in terms of where he had been and what the future would hold.
Clapton gained fame starting in the 1960s as a guitarist/vocalist for several different groups, with Cream and Derek and the Dominos probably being the two groups with which he made his biggest mark. Each group he was with achieved success with blues and/or psychedelic rock, even if they were all short lived. Clapton launched his solo career in the 1970s, though he was dealing with drug and alcohol abuse during this time and into the 1980s. His career was in decline until working with Phil Collins on two albums in the mid-1980s: Behind the Sun in 1985 and August in 1986.
With Journeyman, it appeared that Clapton's "comeback" was complete. But what exactly did that mean? Behind the Sun and August were more pop-oriented than most of his previous work, featuring a more mainstream sound and utilizing newer music technology. Then came Journeyman, which featured many of these same characteristics; yet in many places Clapton also revived the blues/classic rock sound that first made his career.
The result was a strong and unique album that brought back some old fans and won over some new ones. "Bad Love" is probably the biggest hit from this album. This track features Phil Collins on drums and backup vocals. It's more upbeat than Clapton fans may have been used to and did not really feature that blues sound, yet it was a big success and is also one of my favorites from the album. "Pretending", the leadoff track, was also a big hit and in many respects is similar to "Bad Love". I would say those two, along with "Old Love", are my favorites. As I mentioned, several tracks on this album signal a return to the old blues/classic rock sound, and with "Old Love" I think Clapton hit a home run.
As is the case with these three tracks, the rest of the album is diverse and moves back and forth between the pop sound prevalent in the 1980s and Clapton's older blues with a more slick sound than from his earlier days. I think even on this more modern album, Clapton is stronger when he uses the blues sound. With his covers of both "Hound Dog" and "Before You Accuse Me", Clapton proves that he by no means has abandoned that sound; he does a great job with both, though I slightly prefer the former. "Hard Times" is another solid blues effort, even if it is solemn; "Running on Faith" is a little more optimistic and has more of a gospel feel. I prefer the former of those two.
I don't think the rest of the album is quite as strong. I do think that "Anything for Your Love" is interesting; I'm not a big fan of the artificial '80s sound in some places, though ironically it also features some of the best vocals and guitar playing on the entire album, making it an enjoyable song. "Lead Me On" relies on vocals perhaps more than any other track; it's a nice easy listening song, though by no means the album's best. "Run So Far" has a country feel to it; it's not bad, but it is a little repetitive. "No Alibis" and "Breaking Point" are my two least favorite; there is some decent guitar on the latter, but other than that they are pretty bland and have too much of an artificially produced sound.
Of Eric Clapton's more recent work, Journeyman is one of the better known and more successful albums. It featured a few popular singles and also marked a point in his career in which he both completely committed himself to the popular genre while also moving back to his older blues days. So, it was a comeback for Clapton, but was that as a move into a new era, or as a return to the old? It looks like the answer is both.
Track #, Name of Song, Duration, My Rating
1. Pretending (4:43) - 10/10
2. Anything for Your Love (4:10) - 8/10
3. Bad Love (5:08) - 10/10
4. Running on Faith (5:33) - 8/10
5. Hard Times (3:14) - 9/10
6. Hound Dog (2:27) - 9/10
7. No Alibis (5:38) - 7/10
8. Run So Far (4:07) - 8/10
9. Old Love (6:24) - 10/10
10. Breaking Point (5:32) - 7/10
11. Lead Me On (5:52) - 8/10
12. Before You Accuse Me (3:57) - 9/10
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