ALBUMS

• DAVID BOWIE: “HEROES” 1977: 5 STARS OUT OF 5 STARS: “Heroes” is one of my favorite Bowie songs ever. The album cover may be his most famous one- and the music here- on the second of the Berlin trilogy is fantastic. This was the only album of the trilogy that was recorded totally in Berlin. The album peaked at #35 on the album chart in the US and the single of the same name didn’t even crack the chart. Curious.

• JONI MITCHELL: SONG TO A SEAGULL: 1968: 3 STARS OUT OF 5 STARS: Most successful careers don’t start off with a bang of a debut album- but like with Bowie and Mitchell- there is promise on this album- her debut but it is not a knock out. Some of the songs show potential. We know the outcome- she went on to stardom. A good solid start nothing more.

• JONI MITCHELL: CLOUDS : 1969: 4 STARS OUT OF 5 STARS: I have too many of these- listening to an artist from start of their careers to finish- going but what they heck may as well get another one going. Mitchell’s second album -released a year after her debut- that is how they did things back then- is a marked improvement on her debut- she’s still not THERE yet but she’s making progress. Best songs- Both Sides Now, Chelsea Morning and Roses Blue.

• LOU REED: NEW YORK: 1988: 5 STARS OUT OF 5 STARS: My favorite Lou Reed album- and as I recall my most played album back the year it was released. I always looked at it as being 14 snapshots of New York -that year. Some of the figures mentioned in the songs are still around- Trump and Giuliani for example. Some of the songs may sounds a little dated. I wish Lou were still around- and doing an update on this album. In the liner notes Lou said to listen to the 57 minute album in one sitting as though it were a book or a movie. I agree. That is how I always viewed this album.

• DAVID BOWIE: LODGER: 1979: 5 STARS OUT OF 5 STARS: The final album in the Berlin trilogy although it was recorded in Switzerland and NYC. DJ and Boys Are Swinging are the most noted songs but the entire album- which commercially wasn’t a big success- was a big success critically. Considered by many one of his most underrated and influential albums.  The Low- “Heroes”- Lodger period possibly the best three in a row albums of his career.

• STILLS-YOUNG BAND: LONG MAY YOU RUN: 1976: 3 STARS OUT OF 5 STARS: The most noted song on the album is the title track by Neil- a tribute to his first car- which he called Mort- a  1948 Buick Roadmaster Hearst which blew its transmission in 1962. Nothing else special about this album- and the tour was a disaster with Neil pulling out of it midway though- by leaving Stills this note- “Dear Stephen, funny how some things that start spontaneously end that way. Eat a peach. Neil.”