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August 15, 2006

"New" Music For the Old Dog

I’ve been learning how to legally download music. Yep, the old dog is learning some new tricks.

I’ve become a customer at our BurnLounge site and now go there to buy at least a couple of albums every month.

So far I have purchased four albums on line, and three of them are over 20 years old.

This may say something about my age, I don’t know. But these were albums that I used to have in LP form, and those LPs are no longer in my possession. I gave one LP to my brother; the other two have vanished into the mists of forgetfulness. Who knows where they are? Hidden somewhere in a remote closet in my house, perhaps.

So, what did I get?

The three old albums are Elton John’s “Caribou”, and two albums from Tears for Fears, “The Hurting,” and “Songs from the Big Chair.”

I downloaded the Elton John album and burned to CD. I had not heard it since 1975.

Back when “Caribou” came out, it was practically an Elton John world. He was by far the most popular artist in the early 70’s. He had an amazing streak of 7 number one albums, of which “Caribou” was the fifth. During that time he was putting out albums at an amazing rate, 2 a year at least. What’s more, these recordings were made up of his own songs, written with partner Bernie Taupin.

Elton the musician was of particular interest to me, since he was a pianist. He brought the piano back to the forefront of pop music, whereas guitars had dominated the music scene since the 1960’s. His songwriting displayed a grasp of chord structure and melody that few of his contemporaries possessed. It seemed he could go anywhere musically, and write in almost any style. He covered light pop, loud rock, progressive rock, country, and R&B with equal ease.

The early 70’s found him at the height of his powers, but by the time he made “Caribou” the relentless touring and recording he’d pursued since the late 60’s was beginning to wear him down. He had just come off his most colossal success, the ambitious double album “Goodbye Yellowbrick Road.” There was bound to be something of a let down with his next album.

So, how does “Caribou” hold up after all these years? Surprisingly well.

It’s an interesting mental exercise to listen to music that you first heard in 1974, and then forgot about for over 30 years.

“Caribou” was written and recorded in Colorado over a period of two weeks between tours. Who records complete albums at that speed nowadays?

Here are my impressions of each song as I heard them again:

1. The B**** is Back (this is how the song is listed at Amazon.com) – The lyrics make no sense, but the music is full of energy and fun. I do, however, get tired of the incessant repetition of the word “b****”, so I now skip over this one.

2. Pinky – One of Elton’s great forgotten love songs. I especially like the “surprise” chord that comes at the end of the chorus, “Now she rolls like the dice in a poor gambler’s hands” Nice percussion work by Ray Cooper, who had recently become part of Elton’s touring and recording band.

3. Grimsby – This one is almost a vaudeville rock song. The introduction has a kind of “Rinky Tink” quality that’s hard to resist. This song is Taupin’s ode to a rough seaport town. Some interesting “backwards cymbals” effects.

4. Dixie Lily – A pretty good country song that could be covered today. The sax solo takes it out of the pure country realm and back to the English music hall (these boys were British, after all).

5. Solar Prestige a Gammon – Taupin’s take on John Lennon’s nonsense Italian words from “Sun King” on the Abbey Road album. Elton sings it in his best mock operatic voice. The synth “accordion” solo is great fun. This song is enjoyable if you don’t take it seriously.

6. You’re So Static – This is probably my least favorite song of this collection. The misogyny of the lyric bothers me. The music is energetic but forgettable. I guess they can’t be all “Your Song.”

7. I’ve Seen the Saucers – This eerie song, with its unusual chord progressions, could have been used on the “X-files” in some way. The “spacey” guitar effects wear thin after a few listens, but the masterful backing vocals and strong lead vocal make up for it.

8. Stinker – A chugging, overlong R&B number. Elton sounds as though he’s overreaching himself vocally here. Sharp brass arrangement played by the Tower of Power horns, though.

9. Don’t Let the Sun Go Down on Me – The big hit (along with track #1). The story is that Elton didn’t like this song very much, considering it too schmaltzy, so it was up to the producer, Gus Dudgeon, to make it into something. Of course, Elton now includes it in practically every show.

10. Ticking - Elton and Bernie’s attempt at an epic story song. Am I the only one to notice that the piano intro to this song is the same as that of “Pinky”, only in a different key with slightly altered rhythm?

Well, now it’s on to my “new” albums from Tears for Fears.

Dig That Crazy Outfit!

Posted by leon at August 15, 2006 02:03 PM

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Posted by: Sandy at August 16, 2006 09:33 AM

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