album reviews
Reviews of albums old and new from iconic artists and up and coming musicians alike.
Gregory Fuentes Presents 'Watching Movies with the Sound Off'
Foreword The following is a collection of short stories and reactions to a well-loved album. This should be read for inspiration and entertainment purposes. Like the album it was inspired by, I take particular pride in the introspective nature of this article. There is a central theme in this work that I shall leave to the reader to determine. I will try and impose this theme the best way I can without blatantly writing it out. I like puzzles. The events below may and may not have actually transpired. That is also up for the reader to imagine. Credit to the late Malcolm James McCormick, Easy Mac (But My Mackin’ Ain’t Easy), AKA Mac Miller for inspiring the work below. Rest in peace and swim forever friend.
By Gregory Fuentes7 years ago in Beat
'Close to the Edge' - Taste the Fruit of Yes Recorded
Following Fragile and subsequent touring, the Yes lineup of Jon Anderson (vocals), Bill Bruford (drums), Steve Howe (guitar), Chris Squire (bass), and Rick Wakeman (keyboard) returned to the studio in 1972. For The New Age of Atlantic, they recorded a 10-and-a-half-minute cover of Simon & Garfunkel's "America" (previously over 16 minutes on The Yes Album tour, where it had a tiny bit of what would end up in "Roundabout").
By Steven Shinder7 years ago in Beat
A Lukewarm Defense of EXO-SC's 'What a Life'
2019 has ushered in a plethora of changes for “Nation’s Pick” supergroup EXO and it’s fluctuating member line-up. Members D.O and Xiumin are currently completing their mandatory service in the South Korean army, lone Chinese member Lay is on a run of solo projects and concerts in mainland Asia, subunit EXO-CBX members Chen and Baekhyun released solo albums of their own earlier this year—it’d be an understatement to say the group is spread thin and wide across the entertainment spectrum as of lately.
By Elle Janay7 years ago in Beat
'Fragile'—Agile Yes Music
After The Yes Album (which was certified silver in the UK and platinum in the US) advanced Yes music, the band toured successfully, even playing shows in America for the first time. Following that tour, keyboardist Tony Kaye was asked to leave the band, and Chris Squire called Rick Wakeman of The Strawbs late at night to ask if he wanted to join the band. After speaking to Yes manager Brian Lane, Wakeman decided to play with Jon Anderson (vocals), Bill Bruford (drums), Steve Howe (guitar), and Chris Squire (bass), and the rest was history.
By Steven Shinder7 years ago in Beat
8th of August, 1964: 'Another Side of Bob Dylan' by Bob Dylan Was Released
After the success of the albums The Times They Are A-Changin' and The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan, Bob Dylan had really made a name for himself as the singer of the protest song or the bard of the 60s. He then went on to create this severely underrated masterpiece. Another Side of Bob Dylan (1964) was the guitar-strumming, nasal-singing, poetic-balance that met the previous albums with a slightly less serious sound and yet, has some songs on it that are considered a few of Bob Dylan’s greatest masterpieces. This is also where Bob Dylan experiments with sounds that he’ll revisit on Bringing it All Back Home (1965). I mean just listen to the song “Black Crow Blues” from Another Side of Bob Dylan (1964) and then listen to the songs “On the Road Again” and “Outlaw Blues” from Bringing it All Back Home (1965). I mean the latter songs may be electric, but they have the same basic bluesy concept. What I’m going to do in this article is explain to you five things about the album Another Side of Bob Dylan (1964) that I love in celebration of its birthday. I feel like sometimes this album is overlooked because of the success of Freewheelin’ and the iconic status of The Times They Are a-Changin’. But it is the first album that really begins the myth of the ever-changing Bob Dylan and here are the five things I’ve chosen to go through today.
By Annie Kapur7 years ago in Beat
'The Yes Album' - A Venture Into Perpetual Change
For many Yes fans, The Yes Album is where much of what Yes is most known for really started. Part of that has to do with the recruitment of guitarist Steve Howe, who helped define their sound throughout the 1970s. He joined Jon Anderson (vocals), Bill Bruford (drums), Tony Kaye (keyboards), and Chris Squire (bass). And the songs were getting lengthier than before. Gone are the cover songs, a few of which they put on their first two albums. While the title The Yes Album is definitely an odd one given that it is their third album, perhaps it is deserving of that title if only for the fact that these tracks are all compositions solely by the members of Yes. The band wanted to move forward, and this album, the first of several produced by Eddy Offord (who was an engineer on Time and a Word) helped them reach more ears when it was released on February 19, 1971.
By Steven Shinder7 years ago in Beat
'Time and a Word' - Good Yes Music Then and Now
Yes' first album may not have made the biggest splash, but it showcased some of the adventurous drive that would remain within the band for years to come. Original members Jon Anderson (vocals), Peter Banks (guitar), Bill Bruford (drums), Tony Kaye (keyboard), and Chris Squire (bass) could have very well remained content and done another similar albu. And in some ways, Time and a Word is similar, even right down to having eight tracks, two of which are covers. But it was decided that an orchestra conducted by Tony Cox should be included, thus giving Yes' second album a different flavor. Released July 24, 1970 (just a day short of the one-year anniversary of the first album's release), Time and a Word showcased an early instance of the continuous evolution of Yes music.
By Steven Shinder7 years ago in Beat
Kansas City, KS Underground Rap Act Breathes Life Back Into 2019's Entire Hip-Hop Genre
When most people think of Kansas City hip-hop, Kansas City, Missouri (KCMO) is the first municipality that comes to mind. It's the home of the NFL's Chiefs and the MLB's Royals in the world of professional sports.
By Victor Trammell7 years ago in Beat
'Yes: 50 Live' Is a Must-Have for EnthusiYests
The newest official release from Yes is a live album from Rhino Records titled Yes: 50 Live. Its general release is August 2, 2019, just a day short of the 51st anniversary of the first Yes gig. However, the live album has been available at live shows during The Royal Affair Tour that Yes, Asia, Carl Palmer's ELP Legacy, and John Lodge of The Moody Blues have just completed. As far as the cover art goes, Roger Dean has done it again, capturing the fantastical and epic feel that Yes music can evoke.
By Steven Shinder7 years ago in Beat
