ALBUMS

• JONI MITCHELL: LADIES OF THE CANYON: 1970: 4 1/2 STARS OUT OF 5 STARS: Joni Mitchell’s third album in three years and with each album comes improvement. The albums are not only sounding better but she is getting better as a lyricist. Three of her most notable songs are on here- Big Yellow Taxi was the single on the album-it only got to #67. Woodstock which she wrote- which CS&N had a hit with and The Circle Game.

• THE STEEL WHEELS: WILD AS WE CAME HERE: 2017: 4 STARS OUT OF 5 STARS: The latest offering by The Steel Wheels- its been nearly 2 years – they are still together and touring- wonder if they have a new one in the works? I like this one a little more than I do their past two- which were good albums but a little on the quiet side- as I’ve written before I think they are best on the mid-tempo songs- and they had gone ballad crazy on the last one- Leave Some Things Behind [that title makes me think of U2} and No More Rain was mainly re-doing some of the past catalog which wasn’t necessary. This album has a good mix of songs.

• DAVID BOWIE: SCARY MONSTERS [AND SUPER CREEPS} 1980: 5 STARS OUT OF 5 STARS: Bowie’s 14th album- he is out of Berlin now. The Berlin albums were great but far from commercial. This album sounds like he was wanting to sell a few records- which isn’t a bad thing. The album went to #12 on the album charts and Ashes To Ashes #1 and Fashion #5 were big hits in the UK- but for some reason didn’t come close to being hits int he US- although they did get a lot of radio play on certain stations.  This is a very good balance- a more commercial album but also- not a sell out but a very strong and creative album.

• FOO FIGHTERS: FOO FIGHTERS: 1995: 4 STARS OUT OF 5 STARS: This to me came as a total surprise in the summer of 1995. Who knew that the drummer for Nirvana was this talented? After hearing This Is A Call on the radio I bought the Cd- and loved it. Dave Grohl wrote- recorded and played everything on the album. It is a fun rock and roll album- no big messages. Grohl wasn’t taking on the title of the voice of a generation or anything. Favorite songs- This Is A Call, Big Me, All Stick Around.

•  THE BEATLES: PLEASE PLEASE ME: 1963: 5 STARS OUT OF 5 STARS: The last go around on The Beatles catalog I ranked the opening numbers- now I will do the closers- A great closer on the first album- and the best cover The Beatles ever did- Twist And Shout- out of the 12 studio albums [not counting Yellow Submarine} I’d rank John’s Twist and Shout- at #3. A great closer- I figure thought it surely is their best album closer but then I remembered- there were a could others that have to rank a notch higher. As far as debut albums go- has to be in the discussion for greatest debut ever.

• HARRY NILSSON: SANDMAN:1976: 2 1/2 STARS OUT OF 5 STARS: Harry had blown out his great voice back making Pussy Cats with John Lennon. His voice would never be the same again- and at this point he seems to be just going through the motions. He was nearing the end of his recording career. No Harry classics to be found on here. The Flying Saucer Song- at nearly 7 minutes is a painful listen.

• DAVID BOWIE: LET’S DANCE: 1983: 4 STARS OUT OF 5 STARS: Bowie did something at this point in his career that was uncharacteristic- From 1967-1980 he released 14 albums an average of one a year- now he was 2 1/2 years between albums. He brings on Chic’s Nile Rodgers as producer. He wants hits and he gets them- with Let’s Dance #1, China Girl #10 and Modern Love #14- in the US. The singles and album were a big hit all over the world- it would be Bowie’s biggest selling album having sold over 10 million world wide. The album is far from being one of his best albums though-and Bowie for all the characters Bowie had taken in his career up to this point this might have been the most shocking- David Bowie- regular kind of guy.