Joe\'s music recommendation thread

[Overexjoesure]

I started this thread over at Phishhook and thought it would be a a great idea to put it here.  I just started to recommend some albums and it spawned some cool conversation....  So I hope you guys enjoy it, if not I\'ll delete it because I don\'t want to waste bandwith..





This is a personal favorite of mine. If you want to hear the masters rip up some nasty Coltrane and hear some of the most beautiful, majestic, yet technical guitar work ever>>>>this is for you<<<<<<<

Also features Billy Cobham on drums!!!!

Next album

"Don\'t It Feel Good" By Ramsey Lewis
Sorry couldn\'t find the album cover. For those of you who may or may not know, Ramsey Lewis has been around since the early 50\'s playing those ivory keys. During the mid 60\'s he became popular for he pre-jazz rock rendetions of popular rock songs by the Beatles and Rolling Stones respectively. "Don\'t It Feel Good" was released in 1975 and showcases some of the blackest funk on Earth. Definetly a must have album for ragers. This also showcases founding Earth, Wind, and Fire Maurice White on most of the album... Repeat after me FUNK FUNK FUNK FUNK porno FUNK FUNK FUNK!!!





Oh yeah Brand X BAYBEEEEEE!! If you\'ve never heard of them here is the low down. Phil Collins had a litle side project called Brand X. Brand X is mind blowing fusion, sounding like Return to Forever on a cracked out Steely Dan binge. Featuring the Jacoesque playing of Percy Jones and the shredding guitar work of John Goodsall... Refined funk for ya ass!!! But if you want to hear why jambands are stealing your $$$ listen to this album...



For this one I recommend wearing a seat belt. Not only was he one of the greatest drummers of the fusion period but he was also a phenomenal composer. "Total Eclipse" is a funky fresh example of Billy at his best.

[Overexjoesure]

BEST BASS PLAYER EVER alongside Jaco and Ron Carter that is.... Super funky,progressive fusion. I can\'t stress how important Stanley is... Stanley was a L. Ron Hubbard fan and you can tell by some of the cosmic themes that are interwined withtin this album.



I won\'t go into too depth but here are two more Billy Cobham albums that don\'t get a lot of publicity...

Simplicity of Expression: Depth of Thought--Excellent, smooth funky jazz. This album catches a lot of slack for sounding Discoesque but it really isn\'t at all.

Smokin\'------------------------------
A nice live release recorded at the Montreux Jazz Festival in 1982, by Billy Cobham and his Menagerie Band. Let\'s put it this way: some of the deepest funk played by Billy and all white guys that look like they could\'ve been in Devo...


Seldom does this particular Herbie album get any kudos. Basically Herbie was one of the most innovative musicians ever, always experimenting with new technical ideas. "Sunlight" is the first release where he used the Sennheiser Vocoder VSM 201, which is basically a synthesized talk box for a keyboard. The album in itself is pretty funky but Herbie relies a little too much on the overdrawn 4 on the floor disco beat that dominated the music world at the time. But if you can get past the cheesiness I think you\'ll be presently suprised by the smooth chocolate stylings of Mr. hanCOCK!!!

NEW NOTE: I just read the liner note and it seems Mr. Jaco Pastorius is featured on one song on the album entitled "Good Question".

OTHER NOTE: Only the 1st half of the album is kind of cheesy, the second half sounds like "Manchild" and "Secrets", which if you don\'t know already are some of Herbie\'s funkiest albums..

I\'m sorry I keep on saying funk but what else am I supposed to say???





As far as I\'m concerned this album is the start of tension-release jamming. While I\'m sure many of you know this album, I still felt it was my responsibilty to include it on this thread. Mahavishnu\'s first release is just skullfucking from start to finish. The energy these guys created were unsurpassed by any musicians at the time, Return to Forever being the closest match. If you like Phish and jambands, this will make you rethink modern music all together.

While we\'re at it I might as well include this little sucker too

This was Mahavishnu\'s only official live relase and an accurate portrayl of pure live energy. A must own. If you\'re interested the studio versions of the songs on this album appear on the recently released "Lost Trident Sessions"...

ENJOY



A very underrated Coltrane album, "First Meditations" was recorded in 1965, one of Coltrane\'s most creative years. The album highlights Coltrane\'s infatuation with Eastern music as he rips on some intense Indian scales. While most people grab "A Love Supreme" (which is by no means a bad thing), "First Meditations" is where you really get to hear why Coltrane is God




While I\'m not a big fan of female musicians (sans Joni Mitchell and 80\'s Carly Simon ), Flora Purim is a Brazillian goddess. Her exotic voiced that graced Return to Forever\'s "Light as a Feather" is nothing in comparison to her solo work. "Open Your Eyes and You Can Fly" contains some of the biggest jazz names of that time, including Alphonso Johnson and George Duke. This album hits hard with funk (geez I said it again) and angelic Brazillian rhythms; Purim\'s husband Airto Moriea played a huge part in the overall production. I personally adore this album, and I\'m sure you will too!!



While a lot of people remember Ray Charles for his short stint as a Pepsi spokesman in the early 90\'s, he was also an amazing organist. For those interested in hearing how the B3-Hammond developed take a good listen to this album. Featuring arrangements by the great Quincy Jones along with horns played by the Count Basie Big Band


I am a huge Pat Metheny fan, as is a certain red bearded mongrel we all know and despise grrrr. "Watercolors" is Metheny\'s 2nd official solo release. While he doesn\'t have Mr. Pastorious or Mr. Bob Moses, he does have some of the most beautiful compositions I\'ve ever heard in my life. Each song is orgasmic in its display of musical imagery. A perfect album to close your eyes to and just let the music take you off into your own personal Narnia or Middle Earth or Fraggle Rock.

[Overexjoesure]

I have much more to post; so If you guys want me to just say so and I\'ll post the rest:)

[doobster420]

Keep um comin.

[Overexjoesure]

Santana was doing the same as his counterpart McLaughlin in 74. This album is Santana at their best, straight up progressive fusion. So for all of you here is this under the radar masterpiece of Latin-jazz rock.......



Another album I picked up yesterday. I\'m a huge Metheny fan but tend to prefer the his earlier works than his 80\'s work (his synclavier work is kind of cheesy). Along with "Watercolors" and "Bright Sized Life" this album uses a lot of textural tones. Metheny puts more emphasis on his accoustic stylngs instead of his usual post-bop lines that give every guitar player in the industry a run for their money. A nice album to listen to on a Sunday morning with some coffee and a newspaper..


Ahh the third album I bought yesterday, Be-Bop Deluxe. First off let me say one word UNDERRATED!!!! These guys are unfucking believable. This album was the return of fusion in the late 70\'s, well early tight fusion that is. Be-Bop Deluxe is a great prog band who had the longevity of such bands such as King Crimson and Genesis. This album has both a live set and a studio EP, a perfect album to start your Be Bop collection with....




Repeat after me: Headhunters ain\'t shit compared to Thrust Headhunters ain\'t shit compared to Thrust Headhunters ain\'t shit compared to Thrust Headhunters ain\'t shit compared to Thrust

C\'mon its called Thrust for fucks sake!! The first song on the album is called "Palm Grease"!!! If you don\'t know about this gem yet but you dig Herbie, leave the computer and go to the nearest cd store and pick it up.


Tony William\'s "Joy of FLying"...... Another underrated fusion album recorded on the cusp of the 80\'s. Featuring an all-star line up of George Benson, Jan Hammer, Michael Brecker, Cecil Taylor, Herbie Hanock and Stanley Clarke, "Joy of Flying" treats the listener to some interesting duets/ all-star combos. Pretty damn funky and not as cheesy as some of Tony\'s other stuff.....


I find it kind of funny that one of music\'s most bad ass keyboardists had some the cheesiest albums ever. Jan Hammer of Mahavishnu displays his funky pop side on this brain tickler. I think to myself "What posessed him to make this?", I mean it\'s not bad at all but rather really funky. Definetly worth checking out for some sly funky pop made by the man with the Vice

[Overexjoesure]

Jeff Lorber Fusion--"Wizard Island"

Couldn\'t find a picture for this one but thought it needed to be on the thread. For those of you who don\'t know Jeff Lorber is a funky white keyboardist from Philly who busted a nut on the fusion scene in the late 70\'s.... "Wizard Island", being his 4th release, has a slick funky coating. Picture Contemporary Jazz bands such as the Yellowjackets.. Ok, well the Yellowjackets had a lot of substance but were still contemporary, the Jeff Lorber Fusion is the same way....





Ahh I kicked down a few Long Trail Double Bags to this baby last night. This album is a wonderful way to start listening to Brand X. Again I can\'t stress enough how unfucking real Brand X is. If you listen to and enjoy jambands then listen to Brand X and see the light!!!!


A 1973 release, Funky Serenity displays an abstract groove induced mind blower. Sounding like Herbie Hancock\'s "Fat Albert Rotunda", "Funky Serenity" relies on sleek clavinet trails and picoolo bass lines (which sound like some of Ron Carter\'s signature lines).... Enjoy!!

[Overexjoesure]

Can\'t read the cover ehhhh... Well its a SUPERGROUP, no silly not Oysterhead but a REAL SUPERGROUP comprised of Billy Cobham, Steve Khan, Alphonso Johnson, Tom Scott (also a keyboardist who didn\'t make the front cover ) Anyway in 78 this amazing lineup did a kick ass tour. Some wicked funky jams including the sick Alphonso original "Bahama Mama"... Lordy, lord!!!


Ahh the album covers are shrinking by the second. This little sucka is Stanley Clarke\'s masterpiece entitled "Modern Man" Combining funky rock with some new arrangemant of old school tunes such as "Dayride" and "More Hot Fun". Hard to come across but worth it if you find it. Why is Stanley\'s music being repressed? I think that evil Victor Wooten has something to do with it!!!!! Anyway enjoy folks!!

What hell, I have a final in 1o minutes but I\'ll throw this baby in here anyway. Recorded in 1987 this little doozy is for hardcore bass fans who want to here Stanley take a new and exciting direction in his composing. After this album he started to score for films such as "Menace to Society" "Boyz in Da Hood" etc etc tec Still worth the 9 bucks though for this little sucker!!

Ahmad Jamal is one of my favorite old school piano players. I consider him up there with Thelonious Monk. A nice live example of how Jamal fucked shit up on stage.... Melodic lines up the wazoo...

Another album to check out of his is called "Happy Moods", a prime example of why post-bop is better than be-bop. Pretty hard to find but worth it. At times he actually blows Monk away!!


Another under the radar Jan Hammer album. Featuring the debut of violinst Steven Kindler and bassist Fernando Saunders, many critics actually have said this may be the epitome of fusion, although I digress, "Oh Yeah?" is still a phenomenal album.


"Al Kooper Introduces Shuggie Otis"
First off Al Kooper is God. Second of all Shuggie Otis is Jesus Christ. Al took the 15 year old Shuggie Otis (son of Johnny Otis) into the studio to record his debut record in 1969. SOme of the deepest soul and blues styling you will ever hear in your life.

Really small cover of Shuggies masterpiece "Inspiration Information". Sits on my top 5 list for the funkiest albums of all time. If you want to hear what it means for someone to be "ahead of their time" this album is not for you, its more like "WAYYYYYYYY the fuck ahead of their time". I can\'t begin to stress how important it is to purchase this funky mix of just about every concoction of well arranged music ever... Shuggie played EVERY instrument on this album, with a few minor exceptions!! I spin this record all the time at parties, oh yeah, you know what happens then...

"Here Comes Shuggie Otis"-- is a wicked bluesy/psychedelic album and features SHuggie rippin shit up Jimi style...

"Freedom Flight" was unfortunately his last release but still a hell of a way to go out. On this last one he penned the famous "Strawbery Letter 22", which was popularized by the Brothers Johnson. Lots of sexy jams on it and some bluesy interludes.

Shuggie needs to get off his depressed ass and start touring!! He is what we call in the music world "a genius"....

This is Ramsey Lewis\' equivalent to Herbie\'s "Headhunters. I can\'t really describe the depth of funk that this album reaches. It\'s one of those listening experiences where you feel energy just seeping in and out of your body like waves on a beach shore. Contains a smoking cover of Stevie Wonder\'s "Living for the City".
Another CTI re-release, and a hell of a one if I might add. Freddie Hubbard\'s "First Light" is oven overshadowed by its insane predecesor "Straight Life" but that doesn\'t mean "First Light" isn\'t the shit. Dealing more with the 70\'s porno funk genre, Hubbard still enlisted his troops in this dire recording. Featuring Jack DeJohnette, Ron Carter, George Benson, Airto, and Hurbert Laws, "First Light" is a must in every jazz collection.



Crusaders- "Pass the Plate"

I\'m really pissed I couldn\'t find a picture of this album online, oh well. The reason why I can\'t stand groups like the Greyboy All-Stars and Galactic is because they blatantly rip of the Crusaders, masters of NOLA funk. They started out as the Jazz Crusaders in the 60\'s but transformed into the brilliant funk/fusion ensemble. This is their first album as The Crusaders" and hands down their best. The sax of Wayne Henderson and infectious lines played by keyboardist Joe Sample are booty shaking. So if you DO like jamband NOLA funk, then please by all means try out this album and then make some intelligent musical comparisons.

[FrankZappa]

ok, here we go. i tried to skip the stuff you would have heard of:


Free Jazz is a classic piece of art that everyone should listen to at least once in there lives. a double quartet, or two four piece bands playing at the same time, one on the left and one on the right. Coleman had a theory that you should play the head of a piece of music once, and then do whatever was necessary to ignore it from there on out. the whole album is one track. a must hear.

 Next, John Cage, one of the true american greats. lived in NEW HAVEN! taught at yale, but writting was his thing, and again, something everyone should hear. John wrote music for prepaired piano. this is where you (for example) drill drywall screws into the piano between the strings so when vibrating the strings hit the metal screws and give off odd semitones. John was the man.


"The modern day composer refueses to die!" that was this guy. He wrote Ionisation, a percussion ensemble piece that went on to influence a young frank zappa into playing music. this disc is a great introduction to varese.

Shostakovich is one of my fav. composers. he wrote alot of music dealing with ww2 and the build-up to it. its really driving and emotional music. this piece, symph. #11 is about the same massacre as u2\'s sunday bloody sunday.

ahh, petruchka, the falic ballet. everyone always thinks of rite of spring and firebird when they think stravinsky, but this piece is right up there. no matter what anyone says, stravinsky was the grandfather of progressive music. he was doing things with time signature and tuplets that would make dream theater run crying. Petrouchka is a great piece, start to finish. Also, any zappa fans, if you own absolutely free, in the middle of Status Back Baby, when the drums start playing toms really fast and theres a weird sounding guitar solo, thats petruchkas intro. another zappa hommage. interesting note, the first time petruchka was preformed live, it was considered so vile that those of the audience who didnt leave booed through the entire preformance.



moving on to jazz, this is one of my fav. miles albums. its miles, its 70\'s fusion. nuff said.

The Process of Self-Development, candiria. candiria was called the \'future of jazz music\' by rolling stone once. there still a very small band out of nyc, but they are gods. look at it this way: lets make a jam band, but base it on death metal instead of blugrass/blues/rock. this is candiria. they play HEAVY music, with occasional jazz quartet sections and solos over the metal. you name it, candiria has worked it into there style somewhere.

vandals good, hitler bad - the vandals.the vandals are just hilarious. they write comedy punk music. weird al playing all punk. great stuff.

and onto zappa:
orchestral favorites was zappas first major atempt at what would eventually become 200 motels. recorded in a high school gym. if you like 200 motels, you\'ll like this.
sleep dirt is great. brushed aside by many as just an excuse to try and get out of a contract, it has one of zappas best jam songs, \'the ocean is the ultimate solution\'
yellow shark. a geman ensemble preforms orchestral versions of zappas work. great album, extreamly hard music to play!
finally, civillization 3, zappas magna opus. this is the crowning jewel of his career in my opinion.

allright, thats enough from me.

[Overexjoesure]

Where\'d you get a copy of Civillization 3?? Christ I\'ve been looking forever for it!!!

[wstielau]

There are a couple of copies of Civilation Phase III on ebay:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2582852994&category=1573

and

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2582150278&category=1573

[Overexjoesure]

Thanks^^^ Too bad the money tree  died:(

Another CTI release, Ron Carter\'s "Blues Farm" keeps up with the groove/fusion that CTI was known for. To keep up with an interesting trend on this thread, Billy Cobham plays drums on this album. Seriously though Ron Carter is one of the most consistent and most recorded bass players of all times. Enjoy this album, I know I am!!

GREATEST FUCKING ALBUM PERIOD!!!! THE BEST FUSION ALBUM EVER!!!!!!! YOU MUST BUY NOW!!!




It\'s the first Return to Forever album, which I was eventually going to review I guess I\'ll do it now. First album, all accoustic, very trippy. This is chick corea\'s first venture post-Bitches Brew and you can tell by the abstract soundings. Very beautiful though but nothing in comparison to No Mystery........

This is the CTI all-star album, quite a find. Basically some of the spaciest yet tightly groove oriented jams I\'ve ever heard. I mean we\'re talking live Herbie, Freddie, Stanley( he has the funk in his blood), DeJohnette, Carter and Eric Gale, a usual session guitarist who sounds perculiarly like George Benson at times. I mean this album really is a prime of example of how live music can influence people\'s lives. To hear these masters of jazz intertwine and communicate in such a pristine manner that at times I just wander off into vortexes of green waves of musical delight........


Yeah nucka, this Stanley Clarke album is off the fo-shizzle, fo-sure... Oh God I\'m running out of words to say. Seriously "Journey to Love", like many of Stanley\'s albums, demonstrates his amazing abilities as both a composer and bass player. Check it out for "Silly Puddy", the funk anthem of the black generation

The thing about Stanley, besides his bass skills, his songs delved into a sublet genre of progressive fusion. Not a lot of musicians dared to fuse jazz with progressive rock but Stanley definetly broke that barrier; "Journey to Love" is a perfect example...

Some softer Coltrane, "Settin The Pace" shows a less erratic styling yet is nice look into Coltrane\'s transformation from Be-bop to Post-bop. Featuring Red Garland on piano, Paul Chambers on bass and Arthur Taylor on drums, Coltrane and company do exactly like the title states, "settin the pace."

Well most of you know this little classic but some of you may not, so I figured what the hell, I might as well put it on the board. This album IS COLTRANE and while i chose this over "Giant Steps" or "A Love Supreme" to review, I only do this because I feel this album is perfect for people to start out listening to Coltrane with. If you are lucky enough to get multiple Coltrane shows with "My Favorite Things", check out his different phrasings when he reprises into the major theme of the song "My Favorite Things."

Just look at this fucking line-up!! Christ almighty. The two masters at work. Imagine if Albert Einsten and Stephen Hawking got together and wrote a masterpiece, well this is the musical equivalent of that meeting of the minds


Freddie Hubbard-"The Baddest Hubbard".. Well I couldn\'t find a picture of the album cover so I stuck this bad ass photo of Freddie at his baddest. This one is for you ABall. Now this album is the perfect intro for those of you that want to hear basic Freddie. Backed by an all-star ensemble of said Hubbard players before, this album has the masterpiece "Red Clay". enough said, enjoy.

Oh boy oh boy oh boy... Jaco Pastorius, "Word of Mouth... Do you want to hear the Hendrix of bass?? Listen to word of mouth. Do you want to hear some the most complex melodic bass lines ever played? Listen to Word of Mouth. Do you want to hear why Vic Wooten and early Flecktones are unoriginal bastards??? Listen to Word of Mouth.

From the words of the wise, my good friend Kevin Lynam----"Most underrated album ever..."

A nice intro to soul-jazz or contemporary jazz, featuring David Grusin on piano. Grover Washington Jr., while acknowledged by many yuppies, he isn\'t acknowledged by many jazz fans. I like him. He creates some funky grooves and covers a sweet version of Herbie Hancock\'s "Dolphin Dance".

So yeah some people say this is Metheny\'s stab at a rock album but after listening to it a gazillion times, I\'d have to say nahh. Another beautiful Metheny album and while some rockbeats do exist on this record, Metheny\'s overall style remains consistent to his fluent, melodic lines. Highly recommended, even though the cover may push you away....

I find Soultrane to be a lot better than Blue Train. Soultrane, same lineup as "Settin the Pace", Art Taylor is unreal. Just a beautiful album. The start of what I call "Political Coltrane" as you can hear his playing start to evolve into that angry black sound.

Technically this was Miles Davis\' last recording. Featuring arrangements by Marcus Miller and special guest John Scofield on accoustic guitar, "LaSiesta" is what I call the sequel to "Sketches of Spain". Very similar in arrangement but clearer in tone. I found this album to be a shocker, considering I only found out about it this year... A present from me to you, Merry Holidays!!

Ahhhhh "I sing the Body Electric", Bitches Brew pt. 2. Half of it was recorded live in Japan, which actually came out as a seperate record, where in which the highlights of that show were put on this album. Featuring some of the most creepiest and beautiful music ever, Weather Report defined space-jazz-psychedelia.... This unfortunately was the start of the rift of power between Joe Zawinul and Miroslav Vitrous.

Post "Giant Steps", Coltrane continued with his irregular chordal patterns, "Coltrane\'s Sound" was recorded right after "Giant Steps". And while it sounds very similiar, with all due respect I feel each Coltrane album contains its own magic.

Not one of my favorite Metheny albums but I\'ll put it on here anyway for its technical significance. While Frank Zappa was making "Jazz From Hell", he introduced the synclavier, a computer music program that plays music that humans couldnt possibly play. Well Mr. Metheny took Mr. Zappa\'s cue and incorporated the synclavier into his guitar, producing an array of midi sounds. You really won\'t find that trademark Metheny sound but you will hear an interesting yet diverse collage of colorful compositions.

This is my favorite live Miles album. Featuring the early quintent (carter, hancock, williams) but no Wayne Shorter yet. The best jazz drumming I\'ve ever head is on this album. Tony Williams was only 17 yet he adds the vicious fast tempos to such mellow Davis tunes as So What and Seven Steps to Heaven. I mean this is as intense as I\'ve ever heard Miles. His playing is brilliant and the best way I can describe his soloing.... think of Jimi Hendrix\'s solos on Machine Gun, that\'s the intensity Miles displays on this live gem!!!

Quintet of the Hot Club of France by Django Reinhardt

One of my favorite Django albums featuring famous French violinist Stephane Grapelly. This Gypsy didn\'t need no band to prove he was a guitar legend, hehehehehe. THis is a really hard recording to get a hold of but worth the search.

Ok so if you love Miles Davis and you love Coltrane, how about some Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers. Art Blakey has remained one the most consistent yet creative drummers of the 20th century. Like Miles, any person who played with Art Blakey went on to greater feats. "Kyoto" is an amazing example of the primal genius and infectious post-bop that Blakey posessed. I personally enjoy this recording because two of his "messengers" are Wayne Shorter and Freddie Hubbard, two of their earliest recordings.

Coltrane\'s most famous live album. If you haven\'t GOTTEN Coltrane yet, then I reccomend you pick up "Live at Birdland" and listen to "Afro Blue". If you haven\'t gotten it by then, you probably never will

[Overexjoesure]

I fucking hate Radiohead!! The fact that they attempt to come off progressive bites my ass the way markgugs feels about Obeythepoormanswolfmanssister86. Nursery Cryme will get YOU the Radiohead listener out of that generic rut. If you want to hear the root of Phish, listen to this album. Many early Anastasio compositons we\'re a result of too many bong hits and too many hours spent listening to Genesis..

Highlights: "The Musical Box" (Gabriel on Flute+ chorus=tears rolling down my eyes)
and the funky, that\'s right I said funky, progression of "The Fountain of Salmacis"

I was never a big fan of Captain Beefheart until I bought this album. To me he was nothing more than Zappa\'s wacky childhood friend whose voice sounds like he\'s had way too many Pall Malls. "Strictly Personal" proved me wrong!! Wow Capt. Beefheart is a fucking genius, I no longer care about Debra Kadabra!!!! This 68 release is a mix of avant garde psychedelia at its finest. A masterpiece (a word I\'ll be using A LOT), if I\'ve ever heard one.

Ahead of its time......... The day I stumbled upon this little gem, well lets put it this way, my jaw is still on the floor. Some tight, electronic funked up shit. To me this album SET the standard for DJ\'s such as DJ Shadow and Kruder and Dorfmesiter. Live music, crazy voice recordings ( ie Algerian Muslims reciting the Koran over a Bootsy Collin\'s bass line) and two of the finest musicians this side of the Mississisisppi ..... Eno and Byrne:)

One of the founding members of Electronica... Progressive Electronica that is. The subtle instrumentation that Kraftwerk displays on this album is very relaxing. At points you\'ll hear a guitar coincide perfectly with a synthesizer but then leaving only a trace of sound behind. The album is called "Autobahn" and with good reason. A fine example of musical imagery.

Focus was a brilliant Dutch prog band, who made a splash overseas with their hit "Hocus Pocus", featured on their album "Moving Waves". I\'m sure most of you have heard "Hocus Pocus" on your favorite classic rock radio station. The rest of the album is extremely beautiful, dipping into both jazz and classical. This is how music should be today people!!!

Peter Gabriel--"Plays Live!!"

Ok, so most of you guys know this cat. If not, this album is the perfect intro to Gabriel...... And no, don\'t buy it because it has that song Trey and Dave played!!!!

PS
Tony Levin band is REALLY Peter Gabriel\'s backup band as well!!!

Bill Bruford is one of my favorite drummers of all time. From Yes to King Crimson, this cat has played with them all. His solo work is funky and hard-biting. Featuring Allan Holdsworth on guitar (one of the fastest guitar players ever) and the Jaco-esque stylings of Jeff Berlin, "One of a Kind" defines progrressive fusion.

Move the fuck over New Deal, these mofos are the REALLLL DEALLL. "Trans-Europe Express" was by far Kraftwerks most popluar album. Featuring haunting lyrics poised over electronic synth loops, the listener will be in another dimension. A must own to hear where exactly Techno and Electronica came from.

Gentle Giant is one of my favorite bands of all time and also in my opinion the most underrated band ever. This 76 release entitled "The Missing Piece" showcases the first in a series I call the down fall of Gentle Giant-- prg-pop, but boy do they do prg-pop good. A fun listen....

I\'m sure most of you know the genius of Brain Eno, if not this is the album to start with. Featuring Percy Jones, Phil Collins and Robert Fripp, "Another Green World" explores the concept of ambient, progressive pop, the result: a masterpiece. If Phish decides to cover another album in its entierty, this will be the one....

This Focus album tends to lean towards a more laid back fusion style. Comprising mostly of chill, steely dan-styled instrumentals, Focus shows the music world how comfortable and cool music can actually be. Recommended highly for Steely Dan fans..

[Overexjoesure]

For those of you who don\'t know who Roxy Music are, you are in for a serious shocker. For years I didn\'t buy any of there albums in fear that I was purchasing "homoeroticism on vinyl" because of there name and covers. Boy was I wrong. Roxy is dark and about as musically potent as Bob Dole on a viagra binge. This album contains there REAL big hit, "Love is the Drug". This was the last real bad ass Roxy album, that is because they grabbed onto the disco craze in an odd way. Regardless, sick album, pick it up


Gentle Giant was the only rock band Frank Zappa casually listened to. "The Power and the Glory" exposes the listener to fascinating time signatures and groovy classical funk. Did I just say classical funk? You damn right I did. It just might be possible that Gentle Giant is the best progressive rock band of all time. I highly, highly recommend this. You\'ll be scratching your head, nodding your head, dancing around in your underwear and then asking for more....

Before Ween there were The Residents. \'Nuff said.... Trippy and psychedelic taking on Hank Williams and John Phillips Sousa!! A real fun album indeed.

Trey\'s bible in High School/College, end of discussion, fucking unreal...brufordfrippbelewlevin


Cluster and Brian Eno--"Old Land"

I can\'t really describe the intensity and beauty of this album, so once again I\'m going to dip into allmusic.com for their review.

An excellent compilation album, Old Land is comprised of tracks from Cluster and Eno\'s two major collaborations: Cluster and Eno (1977) and After the Heat (1978). All of Eno\'s vocal tracks are here: "The Belldog," "Tzima N\'arki," and the dark, industrial "Broken Head." On "The Belldog," Eno\'s voice never sounded better, and the quirky "Tzima N\'arki" brings to mind Lennon\'s experiments on "Tomorrow Never Knows" (Revolver). Eno\'s backward vocal track sounds like a surreal or foreign language. When coupled with layers of backward instrumental tracks, the music takes on a rather creepy quality.
Much of the music on Old Land creates feelings of moodiness and tension. "Wermut" is a somewhat somber synth/piano composition, while "Steinsame" is mournful and dirge-like; dark clouds of sadness loom heavily over this piece. "Schone Hande" and "Fur Luise" are successful in their ability to evoke atmospheric nature scenes. Geese, vocalizing, fly over a mist-covered lake in early morning in "Schonde Hande"; and in "Fur Luise," an owl coos warmly, softly in the evening through short, synthetic waves of sound. In contrast, the "Base and Apex" atmospherics lean toward synthetic, funky bass lines and percussion.

Michael Weisser provides the cover photo, one in a series of similar photos he created for two other Cluster/Eno compilations: Begegnungen and Begegnungen II. The West German Sky Records label issued these two in 1984. They consist of several Eno/Cluster compositions from their first two collaborations (see above), plus many choice cuts of previously released solo material and tracks by various combinations of musicians: Roedelius, Moebius, Moebius and Roedelius, Moebius and Plank, and Moebius Plank Neumeier. Sky released Old Land a year later, thereby providing a trio of superb compilations for fans not interested in purchasing all of the original releases. ? David Ross Smith






This Focus album is made up of pure jams. I love it, it\'s fuckingbeautiful. This is the way "jambands" are supposed to sound, like REAL musicians.Plus the song "Ellspeth of Nottingham" sounds suprisingly like the main theme from Braveheart... Good shit    PBFANSNOTE: PB covers the song "Sylvia", which is off this album:)



Self explanatory