This is the sound of ecstasy, the most joyful song to ever hit the charts! Quite unlike the mope-rock of recent decades (although I like the Smiths too). It just rings out, I think because it has a very heavy emphasis on the "dominant" musical tone.
The Association, of course, had several huge hits in the 1966-68 period, like "Cherish", "Windy", and "Never My Love", and the also-wonderful "Along Comes Mary" (their debut), but in my opinion "Everything That Touches You" is definitely their best.
22 May 03 ·konsu: Yes indeed! Birthday is such a great album. I think this one was a minor hit for them, but the rest of this record is just as worthy of exhaltations. Check out the tune "Like Always" as well. Pure genius!! 24 Jun 03 ·tinks: i heart birthday. but then again, i heart the association. even stop your motor. 22 Dec 04 ·ronin: Their interweaving vocal harmonies still blow me away, especially on songs such as this one, my personal fave. "Insight Out" was 1st album we ever purchased independent of parents. "Requiem for the Masses" is another powerful harmonic tour de force. Who sings (not yells) like this anymore? Every member of the group (even Brian!) sang. 14 Apr 05 ·Goes Up To 11: My then-girlfriend (now wife) and I had breakfast with the Association at about 2 am in the Atlanta Hyatt-Regency's coffee shop after a concert at Georgia Tech in 1969 or 1970. Nice guys! Although the Association took a lot of critical heat in the years since, I remember them as extremely professional musicians, able to precisely recreate their complex studio vocal harmonies live in concert. Part of the reason may have been that they were the first band I remember employing a mixing board out in the audience during a concert, something that became standard practice in the industry within a few years afterwards.
Guitars and more guitars. These are the gods of heavy prog rock. Robert Fripp on lead guitars pounds out an unforgettable growling monster of an instrumental. Its atmospheric,dreamy,nightmarish and kind of taunting in places .Its simply great.
22 Dec 04 ·ronin: The entire album is a gem of guitars and pounding beats, much harder overall than, say, "Lizard." "One More Red Nightmare" is another hard out rocker featuring the vocal talents of bassist John Wetton, but I find the most haunting song to be the West Side Story-esque "Fallen Angel."
Beautiful and atmospheric music, superbly recorded. Intensely poetic lyrics. What an incredible advance this represents from his work with the band Japan! Superb synth voices from longtime collaborator Ruichi Sakamoto sound a searching chord sequence over which a gorgeous, heavily treated trumpet solo comes in and out. Sylvian's voice is richly expressive.
from Brilliant Trees, available on CD
22 Dec 04 ·ronin: Bought album of same name due to tracks "Red Guitar" and "Pulling Punches" getting major airplay on DC radio at time. Was not disappointed! Moody and nice bass lines! Sylvian's voice is ... unusual.
It's a sad fact that the Bee Gees are a group primarily remembered for only one thing. If this were a perfect world, people would realize what an jaw-droppingly amazing group they once were. To me, their first LP is an orchestral psychedelic pop masterpiece easily the equal of the Kinks' "Village Green" or Billy Nicholls' "Would You Believe", and also just about as close at Britain ever got to replicating "Pet Sounds". On this track, listen for the insane rubber-band bassline, the staccato organ fills, the odd timbre of the voices or the occassional flute bit. It's a song bursting with an enthusiam the likes of which people only had during the middle 60s.
from Bee Gees' 1st, available on CD
22 Dec 04 ·ronin: Ah, 1967. "NY Mining Disaster 1941" is a major hit in Boston. And Bee Gees 1st, complete w/cover art by Klaus Voorman, was the 1st lp I ever bought. If only the Bee Gees had kept singing like this instead of the whole falsetto/disco bit! "Odd timbre of voices" indeed! Robin (we always assumed) had his top teeth hanging out when he did this one. His vocal versatility is amazing. "Craise Finton Kirk," with its simple piano accompaniment, is a standout from this lp., too.
The Blue Nile must be one of the most enigmatic and fascinating bands of all time. Formed in Glasgow in 1981 they released just 4 albums in 23 years with 6 years between the debut "A Walk Across The Rooftops" (1983) and their sophomore effort "Hats" (1989), 7 years between this and their third album "Peace At Last" (1996) and an 8 year break until their latest record "High" was released in 2004. That sums up to a mere 33 album tracks in almost a quarter of a decade, but what they lack in quantity they make up in quality. While "Hats" is undoubtedly their masterpiece, "Tinseltown In The Rain" may be their strongest single track. Backed by a strong, funky bassline combined with jazz-like piano chords and incredibly lush strings the track shines with a wonderfully clear, sophisticated arrangement and production. Paul Buchanan delivers wonderfully emotional, heartfelt vocals to it that tinges the song in a melancholic and uplifting mood at the same time.
from A Walk Across The Rooftops, available on CD
22 Dec 04 ·ronin: "Tinseltown in the Rain" brought BN to the DC airwaves, as also did "Stay." A band not based on 3 guitars, and I actually liked it! "Easter Parade," also on lp, is a very slow, detailed description of an event, loaded w/haunting atmospherics, coming to an understated climax. (To me "Hats" is their least exciting work.) "Peace at Last" and "A Walk Across.." are the most exhilarating... electronics/Linn drum machines aside, it's the magic of Paul Buchanan's incredibly moving voice. His heart's on his sleeve... a big sleeve. Emotion drips from every syllable. These get constant airplay at home.
