Issac Hayes - Hot Buttered Soul CD

Isaac Hayes’ classic Hot Buttered Soul was originally released in 1969. It remains one of the most original and successful R&B albums ever recorded. Jim James from My Morning Jacket certainly thinks so, he contributed liner notes to the reissue of this classic.

Isaac Hayes was already well established as a songwriter and producer for Stax Records at the time, but he wanted more. When the company received a nice fat advance from new partners Gulf & Western, Hayes got his chance. He was given the freedom to record basically whatever he wanted, as long as he stuck to a relatively modest budget.

The result was the ground breaking Hot Buttered Soul, which sold over a million copies and peaked at #8 on the Billboard chart. Not bad for what was initially considered a vanity project.

Hot Buttered Soul opens up with an amazing version of Burt Bacharach’s “Walk On By.” In 1964 Dionne Warwick had a huge hit with the song. In 1969, Isaac Hayes turned it inside out with this elongated 12 minute version. Containing elements of soul, rock guitar, Memphis horns, Ike’s smooth vocals, and an undeniable melody, his rendition is something to hear.

Of the four tracks which comprised the original LP, only one was written by Isaac, and it is one of the longest single word titles ever. “Hyperbolicsyllabicsesquedalymistic” is a nine minute funk number that smokes from beginning to end.

“One Woman” is the most traditional sounding cut on the record. It is a soulful ballad, a love song to the singer’s woman. Although it is a pleasant enough tune, there is nothing particularly notable about it.

Notoriety would come with the final song, “By The Time I Get To Phoenix.” Nobody had recorded anything like this before. Hayes’ version remains one of the most outlandish interpretations of a song ever, and it works beyond all expectations. He pulled out all the stops in the song’s 18 plus minutes, including a ten minute introduction that has to be heard to be believed.

Legend has it that the “rap” preceding the song itself was born out of necessity, as he needed to explain to his audience what it was all about. Although Hayes and his band loved the 1967 Glen Campbell hit, his audience were completely unfamiliar with it. The prelude grew and grew, and became an integral part of the song.

The mix of strings, back-up vocals, R&B horns, guitar, and Ike’s smooth as silk vocals combine to make this song an amazing achievement. A statement in fact that holds true for the entire album.

This reissue contains two additional tracks, the edited single versions of “Walk On By” and “By The Time I Get To Phoenix.” While they are interesting artifacts, I really cannot imagine anyone preferring them to the original full length versions.

The record retains all of the power and originality it did upon its release 40 years ago. Although Isaac Hayes would go on to even bigger success a few years later with Shaft, I do not think he ever topped Hot Buttered Soul.

Music Review: Grand Funk Railroad - Grand Funk Railroad

So I guess I’m what you would call a “young” Grand Funk Railroad fan. I was only six in 1969, when their first and second albums came out.

While there is absolutely no question that On Time is a killer record, containing such classics as “Heartbreaker,” “Are You Ready,” and “Call Yourself A Man,” there is also no question at all what the greatest Grand Funk Railroad record of all time is for me.

Grand Funk Railroad is usually referred to as "The Red Album", but I have always considered it “The Green Album” for reasons that will become obvious.

Back in 1974, I was a young pup of 11 years, and getting way into music. Top 40 mainly, but at the time, Top 40 was really diverse. Hell, the first time I heard Parliament was on Casey Kasem, of all places. But I digress.

Talking up favorite songs and groups on the schoolyard was sort of what I did back then. I was certainly a nerd in training. One day a friend of mine showed up with two albums for me, minus the covers, of course. The records he gave me kind of changed my life.

His sister had moved out, and had left behind scratchy, worn copies of Neil Young’s Everyone Knows This Is Nowhere, and GFR’s classic second album. Grand Funk Railroad was on the original green Capitol label, hence my predilection to think of it as green, rather than red.

I didn’t really even know who Neil Young was at the time, but I sure knew about Grand Funk. I had the 45’s of “We’re An American Band,” “The Locomotion” and “Shinin’ On”, and loved the fact that “Destitute And Losin” was only available as a "B" side on my single.

The “pop” stuff of GFR that I was familiar with was no preparation at all for the assault of Grand Funk Railroad. This record spun my head. Do you remember the first time you heard “Paranoid"? Good Lord, it scared the crap out of me! And the first thing I did was start it over.

Later on I heard a Black Sabbath song called “Paranoid”, and just had to laugh. They had nothing on GFR! Those weird voices in the beginning, that thundering power chord crunch, and lyrics that were legitimately frightening, there was nothing like it.

“Well I’m sittin here lonely like a broken man, doing my job, best I can…” Thunk, thunk, thunk…Best one two punch ever. Following “Paranoid” was another GFR classic: “Inside Looking Out”. And it was even longer!

I never really did turn the record over, to tell you the truth. I was so sold on Grand Funk Railroad at that point, I can’t even explain it. Ten years later I was still talking them up to anyone who would listen, and a friend started calling me “Mr. Grand Funk” It certainly stuck, and I am a proud American Fan.

This would be an easy end to the conversation, but there are other classic songs on Grand Funk Railroad which deserve mention. Of the longer songs, “Winter And My Soul” is awesome. And how could you really live without hearing either “High Falootin’ Woman” or “Mr. Limousine Driver” again?

I will be working up reviews of every GFR record eventually, but as you can see, Grand Funk Railroad was destined to be first.

So I will take this moment to share the night I finally got to see the band live. No, it wasn’t at Shea Stadium. It was in 2000, at the Puyallup, WA Fair, and it was fantastic. The set was just stellar, no question. But there was an aspect to the evening the band themselves may be unaware of. There were a huge amount of Seattle area rock stars present that night.

I personally spoke to guys from Pearl Jam, Soundgarden and Metal Church there. And who knows who else attended. Kurdt Vanderhoof of Metal Church summed it up the best for me: “How many times do you get to see a reunion show with ALL the original members, and they still sound as great as they did before.”

I am including a link on my blog to a petition to get Grand Funk Railroad inducted into the Rock N Roll Hall Of Fame.

If those wimpy Sabbath guys could get in, why not Grand Funk?

Music Review: Weather Report - Heavy Weather

While Weather Report were always a collaborative effort, it took the addition of bassist Jaco Pastorius for them to reach their true potential. In 1977, they exceeded all expectations with Heavy Weather.

After recording Bitches Brew with Miles Davis, Joe Zawinul and Wayne Shorter formed Weather Report in 1971. The group recorded six albums prior to Heavy Weather, including the underrated Mysterious Traveller. Each of these had their moments, but none of them completely gelled.

When Pastorius joined in late 1976, everything came together for Weather Report. Heavy Weather’s status as one of the finest fusion albums of all time is well deserved. 32 years after it’s initial release, Heavy Weather still sounds as fresh as ever.

Much of the credit goes to Zawinul, whose signature tune “Birdland” kicks things off in high style. Zawinul’s genius as a composer is his lack of ego. In so much of his music it is difficult to place him as the author without reading the credits. The reason is simple. He never used his own songs as an excuse to showboat, which so many others often did. When he does take a keyboard solo though, it is typically electrifying.

Co-conspirator Wayne Shorter’s sax is used to great effect all over Heavy Weather also. One of the chief complaints about Weather Report’s earlier recordings was that Shorter was not being utilized enough. The situation is remedied nicely on his own “Palladium” and the album’s closer, “Havana.”

The real star of Heavy Weather is Jaco Pastorius. It is unfortunate that this troubled genius never received the credit he should have in his lifetime. There is no exaggeration in the claim that Pastorius did for the electric bass what Hendrix did for the electric guitar. One listen to his “Teen Town” or “Havana” will confirm this sentiment without a doubt.

While most of my generation were listening to Led Zeppelin, or the imported sounds of punk in 1977, somehow Heavy Weather filtered through the haze. For many of us, it served as an introduction to the then contemporary sounds of jazz.

It’s too bad that few, including Weather Report themselves, were able to equal Heavy Weather in the ensuing years. This is a record that is a serious contender for best fusion album of the 1970’s. The new 180 gram Columbia Legacy audiophile vinyl reissue is a perfect way to hear this remarkable recording. Regardless of format though, Heavy Weather is an outstanding achievement, definitely one worthy of a spin.

Whatever Happened To The Drum Solo?

This is a follow-up of sorts to fellow Blogcritic Glen Boyd’s recent “Whatever Happened To The Live Album?” article published on BC a couple of weeks ago. I really enjoyed Glen’s piece. But there seemed to be an essential element of the Seventies live album absent from his article.
Whatever happened to the drum solo?

When you went to a concert in the Seventies, the drum solo was a given. And it was never really an issue. It simply provided you with an opportunity to reload the bong, or to take a whizz. Kind of an intermission basically. But then someone got the bright idea to include the drum solo in the inevitable double live album, and all hell broke loose.

Blame it on Iron Butterfly, or I. Ron Butterfly as Bart Simpson calls them. At one point their In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida was the biggest selling album in Atlantic Records’ history. The centerpiece of that 17 minute extravaganza is Ron Bushy’s drum solo. It may not have been the greatest in the world, but it was memorable. When the record blew up, the drum solo was with us for a long time to come.

Atlantic’s next biggest selling band was Cream. Did Ahmet Ertegun force them to put Ginger Baker’s 16 minute “Toad” on Wheels Of Fire? I hope not. Jeez, “Toad,“ what a title! The guy looks like a toad for starters, and the song is about as interesting as one to boot.

Blue collar rockers Grand Funk Railroad then entered the picture. On “Mark Says Alright” from Live Album, drummer Don Brewer beats the skins mercilessly. Meanwhile singer Mark Farner utters his immortal line, “All right!” A truly transcendent moment.

After an excursion with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Deep Purple decided to get into the drum solo business in a big way. Their classic Made In Japan from 1972 contained “The Mule.” Ten excruciating minutes of Ian Paice showing the world what he could do when left to his own devices. “The Mule” kind of felt like punishment for enjoying definitive live versions of “Smoke On The Water,” “Child In Time,” and “Highway Star.”

Between Physical Graffiti and Presence, Led Zeppelin released their live document, The Song Remains The Same. While Robert Plant was asking the audience if they remembered laughter, John Bonham was composing his magnum opus. “Moby Dick” clocks in at nearly 13 minutes, and comes complete with Bonzo tossing down his sticks to beat the drums bare handed. “Moby Dick” was an endurance test of sorts. Only a true blue stoner could sit through it, patiently awaiting the finale of “Whole Lotta Love.”

For me, the last great Seventies double live LP drum solo was by Rush’s Neal Peart. All The World’s A Stage chronicled their 2112 tour, and his solo caps the era. I love Geddy Lee’s intro, “And now, the professor of the drum kit” and Peart, great drummer as he is, really does rock a great one.

The extended drum solo was as much a part of the double live LP as any FM radio “hits” were in the early 1970’s. By the time Frampton came alive, the moment had clearly passed.
But as a true child of the High Times magazine era, I miss one of the weirdest, and oh so Seventies-ish aspects of rock and roll. That endless, stoned, and basically pointless section of the show.

The drum solo.

Music Review: Heaven And Hell - The Devil You Know

Way back in 1980, when I first heard that Ronnie James Dio was going to replace Ozzy in Black Sabbath, the very idea seemed ludicrous. Dio had only been heard thus far in Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow, and the thought that he could replace the legendary Ozz was simply crazy. The resulting album, Heaven And Hell proved me wrong in no uncertain terms.

Sabbath's output had declined drastically in the latter part of the 1970's. Anyone remember Technical Ecstasy? Their final Ozzy record, Never Say Die was simply DOA. But a funny thing happened when Dio joined the band. They got good again. Really good. Obviously Tony Iommi is an immense talent, but he seems to need a worthy vocalist to play off. Ozzy was a spectacular foil in the beginning, and Ronnie James was shown to be one as well.

In 1982 the Sabbs came up with The Mob Rules, a very strong successor to Heaven And Hell. And then things went quiet. Iommi continued on with various singers, most notably Ian Gillan of Deep Purple on the 1983 Born Again album, but the law of diminishing returns proved to be fatal. There was an attempt in 1992 with Dio again, called Dehumanizer. Frankly, the less said about Dehumanizer, the better.

So here we are in 2009, and the band have taken the name of their maiden voyage as moniker for the band. Against all odds, Heaven And Hell have come up with one of the best metal albums so far this year.

The Devil You Know opens up with the crunching power chords of "Atom And Evil" and immediately you are swept up. No half measures are taken here, this band obviously still has much to say. Another highlight is "Bible Black," which features a great acoustic Iommi introduction. "Bible Black" is reminiscent of "Sign Of The Southern Cross" from the vastly underrated Mob Rules.

Few have ever claimed to "know" what the hell Dio's lyrics mean, but they usually sound great with the music. "Eating The Cannibals" is a prime example of this, I have know idea what he is on about, but it doesn't matter one bit. On "The Turn Of The Screw" drummer Vinny Appice really shines. Appice replaced original Sabbath drummer Bill Ward on The Mob Rules, and along with stalwart bassist Geezer Butler, make up the rhythm section of Heaven And Hell. The Devil You Know ends on a high note with "Breaking Into Heaven" another anthemic riff-fest.

It is rumored that Dio is in his sixties now, which when you listen to his still powerful vocals, is amazing. The Devil You Know is a must for hard rock/metal fans everywhere.

Music Review: Miles Davis - Bitches Brew

From the moment the needle slides into the groove of “Pharoah’s Dance” on Miles Davis’ landmark Bitches Brew lp, the listener is transported. Forty years after its initial vinyl release, the album is back, as a limited audiophile edition double album. And it sounds better than ever.
I have been listening to this for at least the past 25 years, and every listen seems to bring out some new aspect of this dense, adventurous record. There is probably not much a person can add to the discussion of one of the most influential albums in jazz history. But just for kicks I went back and looked at some of the original reviews, published in 1969.

They are illuminating, to say the least. Why the so-called “underground” press did not jump all over Bitches Brew at the time is fascinating when you think about what was being touted as “revolutionary”. In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida, anyone? Or how about the endless, meandering blues workouts of Cream? I’m sorry, but remove the drugs and most of that stuff is un-listenable these days.

Not so with Bitches Brew. There are a number of reasons for this, beginning with the unprecedented line up. Just a few of the musicians credited here include: John McLaughlin, Wayne Shorter, Chick Corea, Jack DeJohnette, and Joe Zawinul. Bitches Brew was the template of jazz well into the 1980s, in a lot of ways defining the last significant era of the music.

And it really is some incredible music. The original release contained but six tracks, each a self contained exploration into the wonders of improvisation. The side long title track may be the best of the best here. The sustained notes of Miles’ lonely trumpet in the opening are simply stunning, heralding a 27 minute journey into his own tortured soul.

Most of side three is taken up by “Spanish Fly”, another cut that reveals more and more with each listen. The obvious comparison is with his own brilliant Sketches Of Spain, but “Spanish Fly” holds it’s own. For one thing, with Sketches Miles was reworking Rodrigo’s “Concierto De Aranjuez”, and “Spanish Fly” is wholly original. But Miles’ playing had evolved in the intervening 10 years as well. “Spanish Fly” really is an amazing song.

I own enough oddball vinyl records to have never ditched my turntable. Having heard people praise the quality of high end pressings such as MFSL over the years, I decided to do a little experiment with this one. I played this 180 gram Bitches Brew record track by track with the CD reissue to see if there really was a difference.

To tell you the truth, the difference was astonishing. It sounded like the band were in the room with me at times with the vinyl version. Those remarkable sustained notes that Miles is so famous for seem to hang in the air forever. I guess I’ll have to stop putting those audiophile snobs down after hearing this.

The original liner notes by the great Ralph J. Gleason are reprinted in the gatefold cover as well, and they are remarkably prescient. This vinyl reissue of Bitches Brew is no mere marketing scam, the sound really is noticeably improved. On a record as uniformly great as this one, it is a welcome addition to the Miles Davis library.

Music Review: Herbie Hancock - Thrust

There was a period in the mid 1970’s that fusion took a serious detour into funk. This was reflected in the mainstream with Quincy Jones’ famous “Sanford And Son” TV theme. Miles Davis was exploring this direction pretty seriously with his On The Corner LP also. But Herbie Hancock’s 1974 album Thrust remains the definitive statement of the style.

Columbia Legacy has just re-released Thrust on vinyl, and it is really a nice set. The 180 gram Audiophile pressing sounds remarkably warm, much better than the original mass produced records did. Naturally, the original liner notes and packaging are intact as well.

Leaving the format aside for a moment though, Thrust is just an excellent record, one of Hancock’s best. The opening cut, “Palm Grease” is a funk workout, with obvious nods to Parliament and The Meters in the grooves. “Actual Proof” continues in this vein, with great solos by everyone, particularly by Hancock himself.

At 11 minutes plus, “Butterfly” was always my favorite song on Thrust. It is nowhere near as R&B oriented as the rest of the record, but sometimes a change of pace is in order. This is a languid tune, with plenty of room for the quintet to stretch out in understated improvisation. Four years later, Steely Dan would use “Butterfly” as a blueprint of sorts for Aja. In the Eighties this sound would come to be known as “Quiet Storm.” Over the years, “Butterfly” has remained an extremely influential piece of music.

Thrust ends with the funkiest groove of all, “Spank-A-Lee.” Drummer Mike Clark is totally “on the one,” and Paul Jackson’s bass threatens to pop out of the speakers. Herbie Hancock’s amazing solos and synth colorings are as distinctive and unexpected as ever, and bring this four song record to a triumphant conclusion.

In any format, Thrust is a great recording. But my recommendation is for you to pull the old turntable out of mothballs and fire up this new vinyl version. It sounds so good, you may wonder why you ever switched over to CDs in the first place.