The Who "My Generation" (1965)

My Generation [debut]
release date: Dec. 3, 1965
format: 2 cd (2002 Deluxe Edition)
[album rate: 4 / 5] [4,08]
producer: Shel Talmy
label: MCA Records - nationality: England, UK

Studio album debut by Brittish mod and garage rock band The Who originally released by Brunswick Records. The original album was issued in 12 and a 13 track issues, and the 2002 remaster, Disc 1 contains three bonus tracks, and Disc 2, simply labelled 'Additional Bonus Tracks', contains 14 bonus tracks.
The album is enlisted in "1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die".

I recall The Who from my pre-teen years, when listening to these songs on the radio. My Generation was one of those albums that kept luring in the dark, as something wild and uncontrallable - completely on its own terms, and I both really liked it but also felt a bit blown away by it. And it wasn't until the early 80s that I got to enjoy it fully.

~ ~ ~

This post is part of MyMusicJourney, which enlists key releases that have shaped my musical taste when growing up and until age 14. Most of these releases come from my parents' and / or my older brother's collection.

D'Sound "You Don't Wanna Know Me" (1998)

Taken from Beauty Is a Blessing (1998)

Kåre Mörkestöl og Egil Syvertsen "Til gitar, Hammondorgel og trommer" (1964) (ep)

Til gitar, Hammondorgel og trommer, 7'' ep

release date: 1964

format: vinyl (HEP 206)

[album rate: 2 / 5] [1,88]

producer: ?

label: Harmoni - Norsk Grammofonkompani a/s - nationality: Norway

Tracklist: A) 1. "Herligheten ventar" - 2. "Du spør om min lykke" - - B) 1. "Jobs gud er trofast" - 2. "Min store gud"

Ep release by Norwegian Christian hymns duo, guitarist Kåre Mörkestol & pianist Egil Syvertsen - on the front cover with Mörkestöl on the left. All four songs are all strongly Christian-founded folk and gospel songs with the addition of some country style to it.

This is one of two eps by the duo from my parents' record collection - the other being even stronger folklore and hymn-like. I knew of this from age 6-10 but I never really enjoyed it that much, but still found it slightly bettering the '63 release by the duo - there's simply to much religious content to it but also of little interest as it's styled as hymns, folklore, and gospel.

~ ~ ~

This post is part of MyMusicJourney, which enlists key releases that have shaped my musical taste when growing up and until age 14. Most of these releases come from my parents' and / or my older brother's collection.

Kåre Mörkestöl og Egil Syvertsen "Synger til gitarer og Hammondorgel" (1963) (ep)

Synger til gitarer og Hammondorgel, 7'' ep

release date: 1963?

format: vinyl (HEP 198)

[album rate: 1,5 / 5] [1,35]

producer: ?

label: Harmoni - Norsk Grammofonkompani a/s - nationality: Norway

Tracklist: A) 1. "Når Jesus kommer" - 2. "Lengselsfullt skuer jeg opp mot det høye" - - B) 1. "Velg ham din frelser" - 2. "Han er min"

Ep release by Norwegian Christian performer-duo guitarist Kåre Mörkestol & pianist Egil Syvertsen - sometimes credited with reversed names as on this release, perhaps simple because Syvertsen is on the left. All four songs are all strongly Christian-founded folk and gospel hymns.

This single was part of my parents' record collection, and it's a single I knew of at age 6-10 but never really enjoyed - both because of the strong religious theme and by the fact that it's styled as hymns, folklore, and gospel. There's no indication of year release but gven the fact that I own another release by the duo, released in '64 and with higher issue number on the same label, it's likely that this item was released at some point earlier. It could be earlier in the same year, though. However, the other issue by the duo is in a more folk-shaped style of the same religious hymns but with a stronger country style to it, which could suggest that this release is from a somewhat earlier stage, which also is stressed by the cover photos. And speaking of photographs, as a kid, I found that the photo of Syvertsen (here at the far left) very much ressembles early photos of my father - or, at least the same hair style.

Another curiosity about this item, is the blue pen strokes in the top right corner indicating '13' on the front cover. I admit that was me at say 8-10 years old. Sitting in our basement with a friend of mine, we played some of my parents' 7'' vinyl releases on a travel turntable model and then we would rank what we had listened to and I put our common verdict on the sleeve - this ending in 13th spot. I don't know if that was the highest number but close to 'cause it never was one of our favourites, although we did hear it to the end.

~ ~ ~

This post is part of MyMusicJourney, which enlists key releases that have shaped my musical taste when growing up and until age 14. Most of these releases come from my parents' and / or my older brother's collection.

Leonard Cohen "Songs From a Room" (1969)

Songs From a Room
release date: Apr. 7, 1969
format: cd (1998 reissue)
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,34]
producer: Bob Johnston
label: Columbia Records - nationality: Canada

Track highlights: 1. "Bird on the Wire" (4 / 5) - 4. "The Partisan" - 5. "Seems So Long Ago, Nancy" - 6. "The Old Revolution" - 7. "The Butcher" - 9. "Lady Midnight"

2nd studio album by Leonard Cohen is an even more minimalist release, which mostly just focuses on Cohen's voice supported by his own classical guitar strumming and barely noticeable banjo, bass and violin. Apparently, Cohen felt his debut album had been recorded with too many instruments and wanted a more spartan sound.
The album is another fine collection of strong compositions, though it does feel somewhat anonymous - perhaps because some songs lack strong individual traits that distinguish them from other songs on the album. The album is his least deserved to be included in "1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die".
[ allmusic.com 4 / 5, Rolling Stone, Q Magazine, Uncut 3 / 5 stars ]

Elvis Costello "My Aim Is True" (1977)

My Aim Is True [debut]
release date: Jul. 22, 1977
format: cd (1993 remaster Extended Play) / 2 cd (2001 remaster)
[album rate: 4 / 5] [4,02]
producer: Nick Lowe
label: Demon Records / Edsel Records - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 1. "Welcome to the Working Week" - 2. "Miracle Man" - 3. "No Dancing" - 5. "Alison" (5 / 5) - 6. "Sneaky Feelings" - 7. "(The Angels Wanna Wear) My Red Shoes" - 8. "Less Than Zero" - 9. "Mystery Dance" - 11. "I'm Not Angry" - 12. "Waiting for the End of the World" - *13. "Watching the Detectives" (4,5 / 5)

*Standard track on US issues from '77, on '93 remaster listed as non-bonus material, although not on original UK album.

Studio album debut by Elvis Costello [aka Declan Patrick Aloysious MacManus] originally released on Stiff Records.

I'm quite certain this wasn't the first album I ever heard with Costello, but it may likely have been the second or the third I came across somewhere around 1980. Originally, I had the album on cassette until Demon released it in its Extended Play-series in 1993.

Needles to say, this was something else back in '77, and Costello rocketed all the way to the top in Britain and most of Europe. America was a bit slower in accepting his 'up yours' attitude and angry ironic and sarcastic tone, although, he soon gained wide-spread popularity - also aided by his infamous appearance on SNL show in '78 where he was scheduled to play "Less Than Zero" but stopped the live broadcast to continue by playing "Radio Radio", a song that criticises commercialisation of radio stations, which NBC had forbidden him to play.

My Aim Is True already show us a skilled songwriter, although, he had tried to make a living as a musician for some time and most recently with the band Flip City, but after going solo he sharpened his pen and wrote more direct songs, which in a way was a huge mix of his inspiration in older music, but via Dave Robinson and Jake Riviera, who had only started Stiff Records, he was promoted to fit in with the aggressive punk rock and new wave scene. On this, he is backed by the band Glover, who should later become famous as Huey Lewis & The News and also by producer Nick Lowe. The backing band is not quite as tight as the more stable backing band he got together after the release but the songs are there, and the album is quite deservedly enlisted in "1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die".

The '93 remastered Extended Play cd issue on Demon is part of a worthwhile series of Costello's back catalogue, although they are all packed to and sometimes challenging the limit of running time of CDs, which made them difficult to play on a regular Hi-Fi-rack [i.e. the last tracks sometimes wouldn't play evenly]. The extended version contains 9 listed bonus tracks - the original album issued by Stiff only had 12 tracks, but "Watching the Detectives" was released as track #13 (some issues #7 on the A-side) but figured on US issues already from 1977. The 'Extended Play' issue has a total of 22 tracks, and the short booklet is fine reflecting the choice of extra material by Costello himself.

The 2-disc 2001 remaster issued on Edsel is almost identical but contains 26 tracks and is only a slight improvement from the '93 remaster. The original standard album is reserved on disc 1 and the selection of bonus material on disc 2 are the same tracks (and exact versions) as found on the '93 album, only an additional four tracks have been added. Seven out of the 13 bonus tracks are a mix of outtakes and alternate versions, and two live recordings, and then the last six are all labelled "Honky Tonk Demo", although they're the same demos as found on the '93 re-issue.

Highly recommendable.

[ allmusic.com, Rolling Stone, Uncut 5 / 5 stars ]

Felt "Crumbling the Antiseptic Beauty" (1982)

Crumbling the Antiseptic Beauty [debut]
release date: Feb. 27, 1982
format: cd (2003 reissue - CDMRED 25)
[album rate: 3 / 5] [3,10]
producer: John A. Rivers [recording engineer]
label: Cherry Red Records - nationality: England, UK

Tracklist: 1. "Evergreen Dazed" - 2. "Fortune" - 3. "Birdmen" - 4. "Cathedral" - 5. "I Worship the Sun" - 6. "Templeroy"

Studio debut album by Felt reissued in 2003 also on Cherry Red. The album credits only mention John A. Rivers as recording engineer but (producer) John Leckie also worked with the band in the studio, however, he is uncredited, and the role of a producer remains a bit of a mystery. The cover feature the founder and musical leader of the band, who was always only credited as simply Lawrence [aka Lawrence Hayward, birth name]. Somehow, everywhere you look for a style characterization of this album you meet the tag post-punk. I find this very difficult as the style is much more folk rock-based but with a brand new approach. That could then be referred to as jangle pop, which tracks this back to origins in the 1960s folk pop AND a mix with a certified fascination / inspiration in music by the American art rock art punk band Television as heard on Marquee (1977). Also, the band name Felt apparently derives from the song "Venus" from that specific album and upon listening to this song it's quite striking how close the music by Felt (on later albums) comes to the style of that particular song, or at least "Cathedral". The band is, however, far from just a copy of another band. Felt has a unique style of its very own, and here, as on their first three albums, they produce very simple, light, and repetitious compositions without much focus on lyrical framework. The album is perhaps mostly for fans and completionists but it truly signals the start of a very original journey led by Lawrence.
[ allmusic.com 3,5 / 5 stars ]

Four Jacks "De glade rensdyr" (1959) (single)

De glade rensdyr, 7'' single

release date: 1959

format: vinyl (45-DK 1510)

[single rate: 2,5 / 5] [2,55]

producer: ?

label: Odeon - nationality: Denmark

Tracklist: A) "De glade rensdyr (The Happy Reindeer)" - - B) "Bare man har det godt"

Single release by Danish vocal group Four Jacks following the release of Waterloo. The A-side title song is credited Harold Rustigan and Robert Plaisted, the B-side is by Peter Mynte and Hans-Ole Nielsen. Both songs are arranged by John Mogensen and Jørn Grauengård.

This single is part of my parents' record collection and a B-side, I frequently played when 6-7 years old.

~ ~ ~

This post is part of MyMusicJourney, which enlists key releases that have shaped my musical taste when growing up and until age 14. Most of these releases come from my parents' and / or my older brother's collection.

Felt

~ ~ ~

Felt is a British band formed in the 1979 in Birmingham, England, UK, and it was founded almost single-handedly by Lawrence Hayward (vocals, guitar), who initiated the band as a solo-project, and around 1980 established it as a proper band with Maurice Deebank (guitar) and Nick Gilbert (drums). The initial style was heavily based on Deebank's guitar sound with a clear inspiration in The Byrds jangle folk rock and Lawrence's maybe biggest lyrical source of inspiration: Television / Tom Verlaine (the name Felt apparently comes from the song "Venus" by Television and written by Tom Verlaine). Gilbert switched to handle the bass as the band had Gary Ainge playing drums, and this was the members list when they signed with Cherry Red Records and recorded their first single in '81, and also for the debut album Crumbling the Antiseptic Beauty (1982). Shortly after the first full album, Gilbert was replaced by bassist Mick Lloyd, and with this line-up they released the following two albums The Splendour of Fear (Feb. '84), and The Strange Idols Pattern and Other Short Stories (Oct. '84). Before recording their fourth studio and last album for Cherry Red, Ignite the Seven Cannons (1985), Lloyd was replaced by Marco Thomas and keyboardist Martin Duffy became a new member. His role soon became central, as his Hammond organ would characterize the band's sound for the next three albums to follow. After their '85 album, Deebank left the band, which only made even more room for Duffy's keyboard but also meant a turn to a new and more simple style within their jangle pop and in '86 they signed with Creation Records and released the instrumental fifth album Let the Snakes Crinkle Their Heads to Death (Jun. '86) and the longer and more traditional jangle pop, pop / rock album Forever Breathes the Lonely Word (Sep. '86), which is their perhaps best received album ever. In '87 they released the ep Poem of the River, and the following year the eigth album The Pictorial Jackson Review (Mar. '88), which is a somewhat special mix of styles. On the A-side of the album, one will find a bunch of recognizable Felt tracks with uptempo pop / rock and jangle pop and the B-side is dominated by an ambient jazz pop instrumental style, which really tell much of the story of this band: on one hand you have a band playing harmonic jangle pop that may appeal to a broader audience but at the same time, they also embrace a certain experimental ascetic originality that one may find in artists like David Sylvian, Ryuichi Sakamoto, and early Everything but the Girl. The ninth album Train Above the City (Jul. '88) is the only Felt album not to include band leader Lawrence on the musical part, as he only titled the tracks composed and played by Duffy and Ainge only, which makes it difficult to accept as a Felt album. The following year, Lawrence declared that the band would only release one more album to fulfill his [original?] idea of releasing a total of 10 albums and 10 singles in the span of a 10 year period [which may or may not be correct depending on how one counts their releases]. After the release of Me and a Monkey on the Moon (Nov. '89) on the indie label él (sub-label of Cherry Red) followed by a short tour, Felt disbanded. Lawrence continued in his glam rock [!] project-band Denim [releasing two full albums], which led him to a collaboration work with Terry Miles. When Denim was shelved in '99, the two formed the band Go-Kart Mozart.

~ ~ ~

Four Jacks "Waterloo" (1959) (single)

Waterloo, 7'' single

release date: 1959

format: vinyl (45-DK 1496)

[single rate: 3 / 5] [3,18]

producer:

label: Odeon - nationality: Denmark

Tracklist: A) "Waterloo" - - B) "Personality"

Single release by Danish standards / vocal group Four Jacks, here consisting of John Mogensen, Poul Rudi, Bent Werther, and James Rasmussen. Both tracks here are covers. The A-side is an American song by John Loudermilk and Marijohn Wilkin, and the B-side is a Logan & Price song (Harold Logan & Lloyd Price) - both translated by Robert Arnold Nielsen and arranged by John Mogensen and Jørgen Ingmann.

The group has its origin in a duo founded in 1956 by Rudi and Otto Brandenburg. Shortly after, Mogensen was included and the three for a short time went under the name 'De 3 Båthorn' before Werther was included and they became Four Jacks. Mogensen took over as musical arranger of the group, and when Brandenburg in '58 left to pursue a solo career, Rasmussen became stable new member. In '63, the group changed line-up when Erik Aae Jensen replaced Werther, and in '64, songwriter and musical arranger Mogensen left to initiate a lasting and nationally legendary solo career, and the remainders went under changing names: Three Jacks, Scandinavian Four whenever Mogensen found the time to perform, and / or as 'De Nye Four Jacks' [The New Four Jacks']. Their heydays as a highly popular quartet, however, was in the days with Mogensen, Rudi, Werther, and Rasmussen from 1958 to 1963 - a period which includes this single.

This single was part of my parents' record collection, and I recall playing this quite quite often at the age of 6-7 on a portable turntable, and I also recall that I liked the B-side the most.

~ ~ ~

This post is part of MyMusicJourney, which enlists key releases that have shaped my musical taste when growing up and until age 14. Most of these releases come from my parents' and / or my older brother's collection.

Leonard Cohen "Songs of Leonard Cohen" (1967)

Songs of Leonard Cohen [debut]
release date: Dec. 27, 1967
format: cd (2011 reissue)
[album rate: 4 / 5] [4,02]
producer: John Simon
label: Columbia / Legacy - nationality: Canada

Tracklist: 1. "Suzanne" (5 / 5) - 2. "Master Song" - 3. "Winter Lady" - 4. "The Stranger Song" - 5. "Sisters of Mercy" (4 / 5) - 6. "So Long, Marianne" (5 / 5) - 7. "Hey, That's No Way to Say Goodbye" (4 / 5) - 8. "Stories of the Street" - 9. "Teachers" - 10. "One of Us Cannot Be Wrong"

Studio debut album by Canadian singer / songwriter Leonard Norman Cohen originally released on Columbia Records. All songs are written by Cohen, and the style is unmistakably his with the minimalist instrumentation, the focus on lyrical content and the distinct narrating vocal.
The album became a considerable success and one that should only be surpassed in his heydays in the 1980s. The album is naturally enlisted in "1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die".

[ allmusic.com 5 / 5, Rolling Stone 4,5 / 5, Uncut, Q Magazine 4 / 5 stars ]

Elvis Costello and the Attractions - Live at Rockpalast, June 15,1978

Part 1 - Part 2 - Part 3 - Part 4 - Part 5

Bruce Springsteen "The Wild, the Innocent & the E Street Shuffle" (1973)

The Wild, the Innocent & the E Street Shuffle
release date: Sep. 11, 1973
format: cd (2010 reissue)
[album rate: 3 / 5] [3,14]
producer: Mike Appel, Jim Cretecos
label: Columbia / Sony Music - nationality: USA

Track highlights: 2. "4th of July, Asbury Park (Sandy)" - 5. "Incident on 57th Street" - 6. "Rosalita (Come Out Tonight)"

2nd studio album by Bruce Springsteen originally released on Columbia Records, 8 months after his debut from Jan. 1973. Stylistically, this continues much in the same melting pot of r&b, folk and singer / songwriter tradition as the debut. It's still The Band, Dylan, Morrison, Cohen and Waits one comes to think of as close sources to many of the songs. "4th of July, Ashbury Park (Sandy)" and "Rosalita (Come Out Tonight)" stand out as quite original material, but much of the remaining material doesn't live up to the same standard. "Kitty's Back" is a dreadful jazz fusion composition, and other songs drown and disappear in looong arrangements without distinct direction because there need to be a part for the sax, the organ, the piano and... (perhaps inspired by Morrison's great Astral Weeks and Saint Dominic's Preview?).
After listening to his first two albums, it's evident that Springsteen is a strong songwriting talent, and it could have been a truly great debut had he come up with the best tracks from both and only released one album in '73.
[ allmusic.com, Rolling Stone 5 / 5, Q Magazine 4 / 5 stars ]

Jethro Tull "Benefit" (1970)

Benefit
release date: Apr. 1970
format: digital
[album rate: 3 / 5]
producer: Ian Anderson
label: Chrysalis - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 1. "With You There to Help Me" (3,5 / 5) - 5. "For Michael Collins, Jeffrey and Me" (3,5 / 5) - 6. "To Cry You a Song" (3,5 / 5)

3rd studio album by Jethro Tull shows how the band quickly was lead by Ian Anderson who has written all compositions and also produced the album. The credit list reflects that the members list remain unchanged but keyboardist John Evan, who is credited as additional personnel, would soon become a fifth official member of the band. The music has taken a distinct turn to their trademark of progressive rock blended with hard rock and folk, and no longer shares bonds to blues rock, r&b, or psychedelic rock for that matter. Although, my older brother had the album back in the '70s, I didn't really know the album until around the 1990s, and although, I find it an anachronism, I also understand the popularity the band gained with this their first major album. It went as high as to number #3 on the UK albums chart list.
[ allmusic.com 4 / 5 stars ]

Curtis Mayfield "Superfly" (OST) (1972)

Superfly (soundtrack)
release date: Jul. 1972
format: digital (2009 remaster)
[album rate: 3,5 / 5]
producer: Curtis Mayfield
label: Victor Entertainment - nationality: USA

Soundtrack album by Curtis Mayfield originally released on Curtom Records for the homonymous film directed by Gordon Parks, Jr. This is a remastered Japanese reissue containing 11 bonus tracks. The album is often referred to as a cornerstone of modern pop music with it's combination of traditional soul and what was to be termed as funk. The album is enlisted in "1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die". It may very likely be ahead of its time, only, I do not like funk in any incarnation almost just as such, which is why I cannot rate this higher. However, almost all music magazines and music critics praise this as a hugely inspirational album due to its style, which would influence soundtrack music for almost a decade, but also via Mayfield's lyrical contribution by writing about ghetto life.
[ allmusic.com, Q Magazine, Rolling Stone 5 / 5 stars ]

The Band "The Band" (1969)

The Band
release date: Sep. 22, 1969
format: cd (2000 remaster)
[album rate: 4 / 5] [4,18]
producer: John Simon
label: Capitol Records - nationality: Canada

Tracklist: 1. "Across the Great Divide" - 2. "Rag Mama Rag" (4,5 / 5) - 3. "The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down" (5 / 5) - 4. "When You Awake" - 5. "Up on Cripple Creek" (4,5 / 5) - 6. "Whispering Pines" - 7. "Jemima Surrender" (4 / 5 ) - 8. "Rockin' Chair" (4 / 5) - 9. "Look Out Cleveland" - 10. "Jawbone" (5 / 5) - 11. "The Unfaithful Servant" - 12. "King Harvest (Has Surely Come)"

2nd studio album by The Band recorded at a rented house in Hollywood belonging to Sammy Davis Jr. The 2000 remaster contain 7 bonus tracks primarily consisting of alternate takes. The album simply continue the style that was established with Music From Big Pink, but in a tighter and more homogeneous sounding shape, which binds all compositions together with well-defined borders. They build on the roots of rock & roll tying it all together in a unique blend, and they continue to demonstrate their musical skills as singers, instrumentalists and arrangers.
After the succes of their debut album they took part of the famous Woodstock festival of '68, although, they declined to take part in the film that was made documenting many other great artists of the time, and later they also played at the first Isle of Wight Festival.
The album was met by positive reviews by the press and it sold better than the debut, however, it has only gained critical and artistic acclaim since its release and has come to be cherished as milestone of rock and folk rock history.
As was the case with the songwriting credits on Music From Big Pink, the majority of these songs are credited Robbie Robertson, and that became an ever-growing point to conflict. In Levon Helm's autobiography "This Wheel's on Fire: Levon Helm and the Story of The Band" (1993), Helm points to his and the other band members' dissatisfaction about composer rights, as nearly all their own songs, according to Helm, in most cases were the results of mutual work. He accuses Robertson of having claimed credit to songs that would not have seen the light of day without more substantial input from either Manuel, Danko, Hudson or himself, who weren't even mentioned as co-writers on compositions when the albums were released.
The album is simply wonderful and one of the finest accomplishments of the 1960s. Just listen to "Whispering Pines" or "Jawbone" and tell me, which singer of the era that would equal Manuel... or listen to Helm's perfect southern hoarseness on "The Night They Drove..." and "...Cripple Creek". It's so great to hear this group play folk rock, country, rhythm & blues and americana when everyone else were playing psychedelic rock , garage rock, baroque pop or jazz pop. They played with such finesse and with the greatest respect to the origins of popular music, and I also end up feeling lighter and in a better mood after putting this one on.
[ allmusic.com, Rolling Stone, Q Magazine, MusicHound it 5 / 5 stars ]

1969 Favourite releases: 1. Neil Young & Crazy Horse Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere - 2. The Band The Band - 3. Creedence Clearwater Revival Willy and the Poorboys

Bruce Springsteen "Greetings From Asbury Park, N.J." (1973)

Greetings From Asbury Park, N.J. [debut]
release date: Jan. 5, 1973
format: cd (2010 reissue)
[album rate: 3 / 5] [3,18]
producer: Mike Appel, Jim Cretecos
label: Columbia / Sony Music - nationality: USA

Track highlights: 1. "Blinded by the Light" - 2. "Growin' Up" - 4. "Does This Bus Stop at 82nd Street?" - 7. "For You" - 8. "Spirit in the Night" - 9. "It's Hard to Be a Saint in the City"

Studio album debut by Bruce Springsteen [Bruce Frederick Joseph Springsteen] originally released on Columbia Records. On this his first effort, Springsteen rises as a talented singer / songwriter of a bluesy folkish piano-and-sax driven r&b conglomerate with bonds to Van Morrison, The Band, Bob Dylan and Tom Waits.
Best tracks here are the story-founded "Blinded by the Lights", "Growin' Up", "It's Hard to Be a Saint in the City" and the Morrison-clone "Spirit in the Night". These tracks shine through and the backing band supports to a better end result, something that mostly goes missing on the remaining tracks making it a bit of a bland experience where Springsteen seems too keen on sounding like his sources of inspiration.
Allmusic.com reviewer William Ruhlmann is too excited drawing much on his future contributions more than the album in question.
[ allmusic.com 5 / 5, Q Magazine, Rolling Stone 3 / 5 stars ]

Jacques Brel "Les bourgeois" (1962)

Les bourgeois
release date: Apr. 1962
format: cd
[album rate: 4 / 5]

Track highlights: 1. "Les bourgeois" (4 / 5) - 2."Les paumés du petit matin" (3,5 / 5) - 6. "Madeleine" (5 / 5) - 7. "Bruxelles" (4 / 5) - 9. "Les biches" (4,5 / 5) - 11. "La statue" (3,5 / 5)

6th studio album by Jacques Brel originally released on Philips aka "Jacques Brel 6". It was reissued on Barclay as part of the 2003 remaster box set Boîte à Bonbons. The album is yet another fine release with lyrics and music by Brel, or co-written with primarily Gérard Jouannest (track #3), François Rauber (track #3), or Jean Corti (track #2). The best track here is "Madeleine" written by Brel, Corti and Jouannest, and it's one of many modern classics by Brel. The album contains some of his strongest compositions and is one of his finest albums.

Ella Fitzgerald "Ella Swings Gently With Nelson" (1962)

Ella Swings Gently With Nelson

release date: Jan. 1962
format: cd (1993 reissue)
[album rate: 4 / 5]
producer: Norman Ganz
label: Verve Records - nationality: USA

One of the best studio albums with Ella Fitzgerald released on Verve Records. Just prior to this, she released the double lp Ella Swings Brightly With Nelson (1962), an album that secured her the 1963 Grammy Award for best female performance. I haven't heard that album, but I really like this one 'cause it's not entirely a collection of standards but more songs of vocal jazz, which I guess the other album is too. 'Nelson' refers to Nelson Riddle and Orchestra. Both albums with Nelson were recorded in '61.

The Band "Music From Big Pink" (1968)

Music From Big Pink [debut]
release date: Jul. 1, 1968
format: cd (2004 SHM issue)
[album rate: 4 / 5] [3,98]
producer: John Simon
label: Capitol Records - nationality: Canada

Tracklist: 1. "Tears of Rage" (4 / 5) - 2. "To Kingdom Come" - 3. "In a Station" - 4. "Caledonia Mission" - 5. "The Weight" (4 / 5) - 6. "We Can Talk" (4 / 5) - 7. "Long Black Veil" - 8. "Chest Fever" (4 / 5) - 9. "Lonesome Suzie" (4 / 5) - 10. "This Wheel's on Fire" - 11. "I Shall Be Relased"

Studio album debut by Canadian quintet The Band consisting of Richard Manuel on lead vocals, piano, (Hammond) organ, (Jamie) Robbie Robertson on electric and acoustic guitars and vocals, Rick Danko on bass, lead vocals and violin, Garth Hudson on (Lowrey) organ, soprano and tenor saxophone, clavinet and piano and with Levon Helm on drums and lead vocals. Four Canadians and one American (Helm of Arkansas, US).
Already here they simply showcase their musicianship - how well they knew all of their many instruments. And on top of that it's so impressive to listen to their vocals. The Band didn't have one particular lead singer as both Levon, Rick and Manuel could fill this part, although, the latter is the only one who could sing almost any kind of song with his broad register and is the only singer of the band who could equal the best vocalist of the 1960s.
The story of The Band's earliest incarnation playing as Levon and The Hawks (sometimes just The Hawks), consisting of Helm, Danko and Robertson from Ronnie and The Hawkins - who goes even longer back - is also the story of how American/Canadian rock and roll turned into r&b, folk rock and roots rock in the early 1960s. When Bob Dylan went electric ("betraying" the folk world), his backing band was almost identical to what became The Band. Helm reveals in his autobiography "Wheels of Fire" how they composed these songs, convinced they were to be released under the name of The Crackers, but a management decision changed all that to what they were referred to: "The Band" - the (infamous) backing band of Dylan.
Stylistically, it's really hard to narrow down 'cause these guys play on so many musical traditions, which will have enlist most of modern contemporary genres and styles. The outcome has become known as rhythm and blues, roots rock and folk rock with elements of country and soul.
I didn't come across this album until after listening to, or rather: watching the famous live "documentary" film "The Last Waltz" from 1976 by Martin Scorsese. I knew nothing of The Band, but knew a great deal of the performers on that occasion, and I simply adored that film from the first moment on.
I think, my first impression of Music From Big Pink was a bit bland. I never was a big fan of r&b, country or folk, but I kinda appreciated it for what it was: a bunch of skilled musicians playing... American music. Of course, I came to redefine my initial verdict. Each time I went back and listened to the music, I became increasingly soaked into its... soul, I guess. Today, I find it a gem of the days. It's not psychedelic nor blues rock like many of those days' representatives, but The Band goes its own way and builds on the music of great masters. It may contain great singles hits but the album itself is simply nothing but adorable and without fillers. A year later they would even go on and better this on their follow-up.
The album is rightfully enlisted in "1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die" and it has been lauded as one of the most influential albums of modern popular music by contemporary and present magazines and artists around the world.
[ allmusic.com, Q Magazine, Rolling Stone, MusicHound Rock 5 / 5 stars ]