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Topic:
1001 Albums you must hear before you die: The Kinks' Village Green Preservation Society
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TheBoogieMan
Title: Manager Emeritus
Registered:
Nov '01
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Date Posted:
2/22/06 4:27am
Subject:
1001 Albums you must hear before you die: The Kinks' Village Green Preservation Society
- Date Edited:
7/17 2:35pm (81 edits total)
Edited By:
Rogue1-and-a-half
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Inspired by Zaz's film effort, I'm going to undertake the album version. A big task, but hopefully I won't lose interest and enthusiasm halfway through (I promise I will get back to the Jazz thread eventually!!!).
I'm going to do this three at a time for the most part, and lower it to individual entries for the more influential albums. It is 1001, after all, and assuming we did it one-by-one, at one a day at the fastest, that's three years worth of posting. No thanks.
The list spans up until 2005, so it is fairly recent. But by the time we finish this thread we might need a few more additions . . . 
Alright, let's get into it. We begin in 1950.
Frank Sinatra - In the Wee Small Hours
The first album on our list I actually haven't heard. However I've heard on various compilations tracks like 'Mood Indigo' and 'I Get Along Without You Very Well'. Sinatra always knew how to swing - apparently Miles Davis used his phrasing as inspiration for many of his solos.
We start here because apparently this is the first record released in 12-inch format, which became symbolic of 'albums'.
Apparently, this was Sinatra's comback album. Washed up, he shies away from his easy listening pop of his heyday and attempts to actually record meaningful works. "Can't We Be Friends?" is described as 'confrontational' by many reviews I could find, and 'What is this thing called love' as "pleading".
Tracklisting:
1. In The Wee Small Hours Of The Morning
2. Mood Indigo
3. Glad To Be Unhappy
4. I Get Along Without You Very Well
5. Deep In A Dream
6. I See Your Face Before Me
7. Can't We Be Friends?
8. When Your Lover Has Gone
9. What Is This Thing Called Love
10. Last Night When We Were Young
11. I'll Be Around
12. Ill Wind
13. It Never Entered My Mind
14. Dancing On The Ceiling
15. I'll Never Be The Same
16. This Love Of Mine
Elvis Presley - Self-titled
Again, I haven't heard the complete recording of this album, but then again, everyone has heard 'Blue Suede Shoes'. Other features are a jittery version of Ray Charles' 'I Got A Woman', and 'Blue Moon'.
The most interesting thing here, for me, is to discover that the cover design was subverted for The Clash's London Calling, a great album that we'll (hopefully) get to later on down the road.
Tracklisting:
1. Blue Suede Shoes
2. I'm Counting On You
3. I Got A Woman
4. One-Sided Love Affair
5. I Love You Because
6. Just Because
7. Tutti Frutti
8. Trying To Get To You
9. I'm Gonna Sit Right Down (And Cry Over You)
10. I'll Never Let You Go (Little Darlin')
11. Blue Moon
12. Money Honey
The Louvin Brothers - Tragic Songs of My Life
Never heard of this album, or the band for that matter. It appears to be a Country Album from the looks of it. Can't comment, but hopefully someone knows who these people are.
Tracklisting:
1. Kentucky
2. I'll Be All Smiles Tonight
3. Let Her Go God Bless Her
4. What Is Home WIthout Love
5. A Tiny Broken Heart
6. In The Pines
7. Alabama
8. Katie Dear.
9. My Brother's Will
10. Knoxville Girl
11. Take The News To Mother
12. Mary Of The Wild Moor
Next time we look at three fantastic albums, most of which I have actually heard.
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Zaz
Title: Manager:
The Amphitheatre
Registered:
Oct '98
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Date Posted:
2/22/06 6:51am
Subject:
RE: 1001 Albums you must hear before you die (now discussing Sinatra, Elvis and The Louvin Brothers)
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You brave soul, you. 
I'm heard individual songs from the first two albums, but not the albums themselves.
The Louvin Brothers, I admit, I haven't heard of. I hope this thread, like the movie one, will lead to sampling new things.
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Darth_Banal
Registered:
Jul '02
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Date Posted:
2/22/06 8:13am
Subject:
RE: 1001 Albums you must hear before you die (now discussing Sinatra, Elvis and The Louvin Brothers)
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In The Wee Small Hours is a terrific work, probably my favorite Sinatra album. It's such a departure from the big band/booze it up/rat pack type of music he'd done. A perfect changeup for a talented guy with a lot of range. Sinatra sings with such vulnerability it's heart-rending, especially on the title track, and "Last Night When We Were Young."
Definitely worthy of a full listen and mention on a list such as this.
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When the sea takes me like my mother's arms
I will breathe free as any word of God
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Rogue1-and-a-half
Title: Manager: Amphitheatre
Registered:
Nov '00
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Date Posted:
2/22/06 9:34am
Subject:
RE: 1001 Albums you must hear before you die (now discussing Sinatra, Elvis and The Louvin Brothers)
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In the Wee Small Hours is routinely picked as Sinatra's most emotionally resonant album . . . he may not have written the songs, but he proves that you don't have to write them in order to feel them.
The Elvis Presley album is a killer for sure. The rockers are where he really shines. As a balladeer he wasn't always credible, but no one rocks like him. Blue Suede Shoes, Tutti Frutti, Tryin' to Get To You (this is actually one of my favorite songs from his entire career . . . criminally underrated road song), these songs will make even the most misanthropic understand why he's a legend.
And, like everyone else . . . I've never freaking heard of he Louvain Brothers.
Is this a book? Because I may have to get this book and start listening through it in order! Just for kicks, you know!
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All they found of the Duchesse d'Alencon was her head.
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Rogue1-and-a-half
Title: Manager: Amphitheatre
Registered:
Nov '00
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Date Posted:
2/22/06 1:31pm
Subject:
RE: 1001 Albums you must hear before you die (now discussing Sinatra, Elvis and The Louvin Brothers)
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Well, it is a book, like the films one. There's also a book one.
I'm always in the market for a new list . . . despite the fact that I won't get through half the ones I already have before I die.
But 1001 appears rather inclusive . . . as though I could ditch a lot of the top 100 lists I have in favor of just this one.
So, I've placed the book on order from the library, also put In the Wee Small Hours on order. I'll lag behind, my library being the way it is, but I'll try to comment as I hear them.
And I think I'll also put the films and book books on order as well. If I'm lucky, I can throw away a lot of these other lists and maybe start those . . . we'll see. 
-----signature-----
All they found of the Duchesse d'Alencon was her head.
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SmoovBillyDee
Registered:
Jul '02
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Date Posted:
2/22/06 2:55pm
Subject:
RE: 1001 Albums you must hear before you die (now discussing Sinatra, Elvis and The Louvin Brothers)
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But 1001 appears rather inclusive . . . as though I could ditch a lot of the top 100 lists I have in favor of just this one.
I tend to agree with a few small beefs. Images & Words by Dream Theater and Operation: Mindcrime by Queensryche aren't on the list. Two of the most influential albums of progressive metal and they're not listed. Other than that, I'm quite satisfied with the breadth of the list and the selections made.
P.S. - Yeah, I realize that there'll never be a "perfect" list.
-----signature-----
http://www.codesanctuary.net/ Does it always have to come down to something sucking? I...I think it does! C makes it easy to shoot yourself in the foot; C++ makes it harder, but when you do, it blows away your whole leg. - Bjarne Stroustrup
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TheBoogieMan
Title: Manager Emeritus
Registered:
Nov '01
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Date Posted:
2/23/06 4:19am
Subject:
RE: 1001 Albums you must hear before you die (now discussing Sinatra, Elvis and The Louvin Brothers)
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You guys are going to have to clarify something for me - is this published by a US company? Here it is published by the ABC, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, the state-owned media company. So I'm a tad confused.
I'll update tomorrow. 
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TheBoogieMan
Title: Manager Emeritus
Registered:
Nov '01
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Date Posted:
2/23/06 8:29pm
Subject:
RE: 1001 Albums you must hear before you die (now discussing Sinatra, Elvis and The Louvin Brothers)
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Here we go, then.
We are flying through the fifties, now.
1956: Louis Prima - The Wildest!
This I have heard. And it is great. I still can't make up my mind about it, though. Is it Jazz? Is it Rock?
Who cares? It's fantastic music, and probably a bit of both. 'Jump, Jive & Wail' will make you want to dance just as much as any other song over these remaining 997 albums. He's often decried as an Italian Louis Armstrong impersonator, but to tell the truth I've never seen it. Armstrong would never have done JJ&W. A lot of fun, this album.
Tracklisting:
1. Medley: Just A Gigolo/I Ain't Got Nobody
2. (Nothing's Too Good) For My Baby
3. The Lip
4. Body And Soul
5. Oh Marie
6. Medley: Basin Street Blues/When It's Sleepy Time Down South
7. Jump, Jive and Wail
8. Buona Sera
9. Night Train
10. (I'll Be Glad When You're Dead) You Rascal YOu
1956: Fats Domino - This Is Fats
This is it. We are finally hearing the first rumblings of Rock & Roll. With Fats Domino on the scene, it's only a hop, skip and a jump to The Beatles and The Rolling Stones. The music here is great, as well, with plenty of boogie woogie tunes, and a US No. 2 with 'Blueberry Hill'. Worth the listen, especially if you are doing a history of rock 101.
Tracklisting:
1. Blueberry Hill
2. Honey Chile
3. What's The Reason (I'm Not Pleasing You?)
4. Blue Monday
5. So Long
6. La-La
7. Troubles Of My Own
8. You Done Me Wrong
9. Reelin' And Rockin'
10. The Fat Man's Hop
11. Poor, Poor Me
12. Trust In Me
Duke Ellington - Ellington At Newport, 1956
The first live album in our list is an absolute corker. I'll paint the scene, but if you want the full story, I suggest renting out Ken Burn's Jazz series, which covered this brilliantly.
It's 1956. Swing bands and well out of fashion, and Jazz in general is slipping to pop and this new thing called rock and roll. Duke Ellington, that great elder statesman of Jazz and American music is in the dolldrums and hasn't had a good tour in years. In fact, at this stage, he'd be struggling to be the household name that he is now in twenty years time, in an alternate universe where this concert never took place. So along comes Newport Jazz Festival, and Duke writes a new suite of music especially for the festival.
On stage, he starts playing his new suite. Intellectually, it's clever, and interesting. Musically, it's pretty dull. And we have tracks one to three, of reasonably uninteresting impressionist swing music. The audience does what is every musician's nightmare - they get bored, and start to move back to their cars, and on to other performances. Then, the Duke strikes up an old crowd-pleaser: 'Diminuendo in Blue', with set closer 'Crescendo in Blue' tacked on the end. A saxophonist called Paul Gonsalves is set to take a sax solo in the bridge between the two songs. Claims that Count Basie drummer Jo Jones is present and egging the band on surface a little later.
What happens next is amazing, and is the reason you all have heard of Duke Ellington today. 'Diminuendo' strikes up. The band has a good feel about it, and the audience turns around, and begins to come back. Things are going well. Duke signalls Gonsalves to pick up his sax. 27 chorus' later, Gonsalves finally puts it down; after recording one of the greatest (and longest, for a swing band) live sax solos ever, and in my opinion, the best. The audience screams, yells, and claps along; a young woman in a yellow dress jumps on stage, much to the crowd's pleasure, and starts dancing. The event organisers tell Duke to cut it short for fears that the crowd will riot.
Ironically, Columbia records are informed that the recording is compromised, so, typically, they recreate it in the studio, and sell it, claiming it is *the* live recording. Thankfully, years later the real recording surfaced again and has been released on remastered CD. If you want this recording, look for that. It's great, I promise you.
Tracklisting:
There are several versions of this CD released, with different tracklistings (read: I can't be bothered finding them all)
Next time, we are onto 1957; more swing, and a little seminal rock and roll.
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Zaz
Title: Manager:
The Amphitheatre
Registered:
Oct '98
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Date Posted:
2/23/06 9:05pm
Subject:
RE: 1001 Albums you must hear before you die (now discussing Prima, Domino and Ellington)
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I love Louis Prima, and this album sounds like fun.
I've heard plenty of Fats Domino songs, too.
That description of the Ellington concert is so mouth-watering, I guess I've got to buy that one for sure.
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TheBoogieMan
Title: Manager Emeritus
Registered:
Nov '01
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Date Posted:
2/24/06 11:13pm
Subject:
RE: 1001 Albums you must hear before you die (now discussing Prima, Domino and Ellington)
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Only one comment?
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Zaz
Title: Manager:
The Amphitheatre
Registered:
Oct '98
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Date Posted:
2/25/06 2:32pm
Subject:
RE: 1001 Albums you must hear before you die (now discussing Prima, Domino and Ellington)
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If you think that's bad, try "The Non-Fiction Thread"
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Darth_Banal
Registered:
Jul '02
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Date Posted:
2/25/06 2:38pm
Subject:
RE: 1001 Albums you must hear before you die (now discussing Prima, Domino and Ellington)
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I can see I'm going to have revive my library card.
The Prima record almost has a rockabilly-ish feel to it, and I'm definitely into rockabilly.
The Duke record sounds quite interesting.
-----signature-----
When the sea takes me like my mother's arms
I will breathe free as any word of God
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Beowulf
Registered:
May '99
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Date Posted:
2/25/06 3:08pm
Subject:
RE: 1001 Albums you must hear before you die (now discussing Prima, Domino and Ellington)
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Prima, Domino is a fantastic album. I wish I hadn't lost it... :-(
I recommend Blind Guardian - Night At the Opera
It's metal music in the likeness of Iron Maiden and such, but the strange thing about this album is its symphonic metal, where the riffs and such do no repeat exactly, but are varied by little or a lot of contrast. Very interesting harmonics in that album.
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"Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy."
Benjamin Franklin
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TheBoogieMan
Title: Manager Emeritus
Registered:
Nov '01
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Date Posted:
2/25/06 9:12pm
Subject:
RE: 1001 Albums you must hear before you die (now discussing Prima, Domino and Ellington)
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Heh, I know. My deepest condolences on the Non-Fiction thread, Zaz.
Here we go again:
1956: Frank Sinatra - Songs For Swingin' Lovers!
Again, I've heard a few tracks from this but not the whole thing. Pennies From Heaven and I've Got You Under My Skin are evergreen favourites. This album is described by the list as "the closest any artist has come to defining the Great American Songbook". It's certainly not going to be any worse than Rod Stewart's awful attempts.
Tracklisting:
1. You Make Me Feel So Young
2. It Happened In Monterey
3. You're Getting To Be A Habit With Me
4. You Brought A New Kind Of Love To Me
5. Too Marvelous For Words
6. Old Devil Moon
7. Pennies From Heaven
8. Love Is Here to Stay
9. I've Got You Under My Skin
10. I Thought About You
11. We'll Be Together Again
12. Makin' Whoopee Listen
13. Swingin' Down The Lane
14. Anything Goes
15. How About You?
1957: The Crickets - The "Chirping" Crickets
I have to say, I haven't heard any of this album. It's meant to be good, and a foundation for rock and roll, right? Not Fade Away, I believe, was taken off in The Who's My Generation, am I correct? Sorry, this is a pretty poor review on my behalf.
Tracklisting:
1. Oh, Boy!
2. Not Fade Away
3. You've Got Love
4. Maybe Baby
5. It's Too Late
6. Tell Me How
7. That'll Be The Day Listen
8. I'm Looking For Someone To Love
9. An Empty Cup (And A Broken Date)
10. Send Me Some Lovin'
11. Last Night Listen
12. Rock Me My Baby
13. Think It Over
14. Fool's Paradise
15. Lonesome Tears
16. It's So Easy
1957: Count Basie - The Atomic Mr. Basie
This is a fantastic album, and well deserving of an entry here. Basie was the first jam band leader. Sure, it was jazz, and big-band jazz, but it was all learnt from ear, and he allowed the band freedom to jam pretty much whenever they felt like it. The result is often electric. It is here. Even Ellington's "Lil Darlin" swings like no other, and that's a ballad! A highly recommended album.
Tracklisting:
1. The Kid From Red Bank
2. Duet
3. After Supper
4. Flight Of The Foo Birds
5. Double-O
6. Teddy The Toad
7. Whirly-Bird
8. Midnite Blue
9. Splanky
10. Fantail
11. Li'l Darlin'
12. Silks And Satins
13. Sleepwalker's Serenade
14. The Late Late Show
Next time, we've got some amazing, and I mean, absolutely amazing Jazz albums and some guy I've never heard of.
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Zaz
Title: Manager:
The Amphitheatre
Registered:
Oct '98
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Date Posted:
2/25/06 9:19pm
Subject:
RE: 1001 Albums you must hear before you die (now discussing Sinatra, The Crickets, & Count Basie)
- Date Edited:
2/25/06 9:31pm (1 edits total)
Edited By:
Zaz
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Condolences accepted. Not that I've ever let it discourage me.
I know the Sinatra one, which is a famous album, but have only heard cuts off it, not the whole thing.
The Crickets are as in "Bill Halley and" right? Haven't heard the album.
And you know how much I know about jazz, so no, I haven't heard the Count Basie one, either.
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Rogue1-and-a-half
Title: Manager: Amphitheatre
Registered:
Nov '00
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Date Posted:
2/25/06 9:20pm
Subject:
RE: 1001 Albums you must hear before you die (now discussing Sinatra, The Crickets, & Count Basie)
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Bill Haley and the Comets.
Buddy Holly and the Crickets.
I think.
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