Goodbye Yellow Brick Road - Elton John

I'm convinced that nearly every American or Britain who listens to music at all has heard an Elton John song. I'd also say that most people have heard many Elton John songs. A lot of us could even sing you most of his hits word-for-word. My point is that Sir Elton John is an extremely recognizable artist, and one who's accomplishments won't soon be forgotten. With an astounding 29 studio albums (17 of which are certified at platinum or higher!!!), he's certainly made his impact upon the music world. Today, I want to talk a little bit about his best-selling album, Goodbye Yellow Brick Road.
The first track on the album is a two-part epic entitled "Funeral for a Friend/Love Lies Bleeding." The synth dirge is a very interesting way to set up the album. It quickly evolves into a very upbeat, piano pop/rock tune. It's a pretty cool song in its entirety. I also recommend listening to the Dream Theater cover of this song on their EP, A Change of Seasons. Tracks 2 and 4 of this album are two of my very favorite Elton John songs, "Candle In The Wind" and "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road." Both are wonderful ballads that will have you singing along in no time. I think my favorite thing about these songs, and a lot of his work in general, is the writing. It's been said that "nobody writes a melody like Elton" and I have to agree. Also, although I write on and on about epics and lengthy songs, it's worth noting that I admire the title track of this album for its brevity. With two verses and two refrains, it has its moment, and it moves on. Perfect.
You may have noticed that I skipped track 3, "Bennie and the Jets." I meant no disrespect, as it is a great tune. What I really dig about it is the backhanded groove that comes out in the vocals and drums. It's balanced nicely by the syncopated piano hits. Give it a listen; I think you'll agree.
The next track, "This Song Has No Title," starts what I consider to by the crowning glory of the album: it's flow. This song takes the foundation of the opening ballads, and starts to pick up the tempo. From there, the next few tracks continue in that vein, including "Jamaica Jerk-Off" which is a fun little reggae tune.
Shifting again, Elton heads dips into the blues for a few tracks. Be sure to check out "I've Seen That Movie Too." It's got a dragging, down-n-out feel that I absolutely love. I don't want to give away the whole album, but it starts to take a turn toward rock, climaxing with "Saturday Night's Alright For Fighting." Then, after some Western-styled songs, it ends with "Harmony," which takes us back to the ballad feel of the beginning of the album.
Overall, they album has something for everyone. If you're a fan of any Elton John song, you're gonna find that this album is a great way to start listening to some deeper tracks. I hope you love it as much as I do. Happy Listening!

Free link to the album on Napster:
http://free.napster.com/view/album/index.html?id=10797868

Come On Feel The Illinoise! - Sufjan Stevens

You've got to admire a man who devotes his album content to the midwest. We may not be the flashiest collection of states, but in the right hands, we make for some good music. Illinoise is Stevens' second state-related album, after he released Greetings From Michigan: The Great Lakes State a couple of years before. Both albums are a treat, but what I really want to talk about the Land of Lincoln, and the album that has had my toes tapping all week.
I think the best part of Sufjan Stevens' music is his ability to bring indie-rock to a wider audience. By infusing it with folk, and turning it into a basis for concept albums, he reaches out to those of us who might not necessarily notice it at first. The album starts out with a couple of introductory songs that are quite contrasting. "Concerning the UFO Sighting..." is a soft, soothing piano introduction which is then followed by the boistrous fanfare of "The Black Hawk War..." (Note that I use elipses in the song titles because writing them out would take up half of my post. Especially the second one!) Sufjan then pleases the progressive rock fans with a 5/4 song. The title track is a perfect example of what I was mentioning before. The vocals and style sound very much like an indie rock song. However, the instrumentation (trumpets, xylophone, piano, woodwinds, etc.) suggests a different style altogether. This blend is very lighthearted and catchy.
The next song is one of my favorites on the album: "John Wayne Gacy, Jr." The quiet guitar and piano parts almost remind me of "Dust in the Wind." This song also provides a good example of the material Sufjan chooses for his albums. Selecting important people and events from the stae's history is another way he is unique as an artist. "Jacksonville" has a lot of folk in it, but maintains a laid-back groove that I really dig. "A Short Reprise For Mary Todd, Who Went Insane, But For Very Good Reasons" is one of a few short tracks consisting of just a few chords. These segues keep the flow of the album very solid.
This is another album that I don't want to go into too much detail about, but I definitely suggest you all give it a listen. If you're just looking for highlights, I would recommend "Chicago," "John Wayne Gacy, Jr.," "Casamir Pulaski Day," "The Predatory Wasp..." and "They Are Night Zombies..." Happy listening!

Unfortunately, Napster does not have this album available for listening, but Amazon provides samples on their website:
http://www.amazon.com/Illinoise-Sufjan-Stevens/dp/B0009R1T7M

Chicago - Chicago

Once again, my listenings have brought me back to one of my top 5 favorite albums ( Thick as a Brick was the other, so far). Chicago was a huge hit in the seventies. It seems that everybody I know (and by that I mean everybody I know's parents) has at least one of their albums in their LP collection. If you could only have one, though, there's no other I would recommend than this one. As a side note, I want to mention that most people will call this album Chicago II. The "II" is often added to fit in with their eventual numbering system.
So why is this album so great? Let me tell you!
The album opens with "Movin' In," which sets the mood wonderfully. The playful trombone/trumpet opening really lays out the style and groove for the whole album. Then, as it quiets down, you hear the gravely, baritone voice of the late, great Terry Kath. He may not have been a particularly great singer, but the mood he sets and the emotion he infuses can't be matched by anyone else. I really like the background horns in this song, too: they're catchy, but don't steal the show. In the jazzy soli/solo section, each player really breaks out, giving an explosive 8-measure solo. The reason I mention this is because it's something Chicago has always done well. Their horn parts are always vital, but never outstay their welcome. The solos are wonderful, but short: the way they should be.
"The Road" is a great choice to follow with in my opinion. In this track, you'll hear less focus on the horns, and more on the sweet, passionate voice of Peter Cetera. It's another great track I look forward to every time. All of the tracks on the first "side" are solid singles. However, it's the second side I want to focus on.
Many casual listeners to Chicago will probably know the songs "Make Me Smile" and "Colour My World." However, they might not necessarily know that they're both part of the same 13-minute suite of songs called "Ballet for a Girl in Buchannon." You might recognize this name from the honorable mentions of my Epics Countdown. It starts out with the familiar, staccato chords of "Make Me Smile," but after the (shredding) guitar solo, it melts into "So Much to Say, So Much to Give." The middle tracks of the suite are very colorful little tunes that will capture you every time. "Colour My World" is a great ballad that I'm sure my older audience will remember well from their high school prom. A cool thing about it is that it only has one verse and one flute solo. That's it. Short and simple, but beautiful.
After the "Ballet" concludes in a somewhat-progressive fashion, we get "Fancy Colours" which will fool you. It starts out very slow and mysterious, but erupts into a "sexy party"-worthy psychedelic romp. Keep an ear out for the lyrics, too. They're full of creative little puns. I don't think I need to say much about the next track, "25 or 6 to 4" except that it has one of my favorite guitar solos ever. EVER. After a few orchestral tracks, you get another soft ballad called "Memories of Love" and another suite, called "It Better End Soon." This collection is more jazz-based. It's also full of a lot of grainy instrumentation. I dig it a lot. Finally, we conclude with a song that is a great finisher to the album, "Where Do We Go From Here?"
I hope you guys all like this album, because if you don't, I don't know if we can be friends anymore. Just kidding, but seriously, nobody should miss this album. Happy listening!

Free link to the album on Napster:
http://free.napster.com/view/album/index.html?id=10915632