This is the album that changed Rock 'n Roll music forever. It has its impact on history like an epiphany. It changed in a revolutionary way what it meant to be a lead guitar player in the electronic era. It was nothing for Jimi Hendrix to lead us on to new plateaus because he was ahead of his time, or at least in the forefront of it, a true visionary and a genius at the guitar. You could say in this instance that hearing is believing. "Are You Experienced? - Get experienced." It's been over thirty years since the release and it still blows me away. This is seriously my all-time favorite album and I recommend it highly, probably THE most important of the twentieth century.
Review by James Patrick Holmes (BlueHummingbird)
Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band by The Beatles
*****
Sgt. Pepper's/Beatles
This album transfigures The Beatles into the mystical "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band." The transcendental influence of the Time and the Scene and the sitar and the classical orchestration continue their quest of the unknown and help shape this conflagration of ideas into one sound and worthy attempt at enlightenment of the human experience. Sgt. Pepper's is a "must have" in anyone's collection of Rock 'n Roll, a nice little fire to warm up to. The Beatles are one of the great artists of my generation and this album is a great adventure, like a flight to the moon. And then again I'm assuming you know of and have heard The Beatles. If so, you probably already have it. But if not, as they said next on Magical Mystery Tour, "Your Mother Should Know", or maybe your grandmother by now. You could ask somebody, or you could just get the album yourself. On "A Day In The Life" imagine yourself blasting off to new worlds.
Review by James Patrick Holmes (BlueHummingbird)
Blues and Jazz:
Billie's Best by Billie Holiday
****1/2
What a Beautiful Voice!
This lady could sing the blues like no one else. What a beautiful voice! And I love her jazz style and the bands on this compilation of great hits of the 50's. The sound quality is excellent on this single remastered CD which "contains selections from the complete Billie Holiday on Verve 1945-1959," a box set of 10 CDs. This one is definitely a good buy. Some of my favorite songs on the album are "Comes Love", "Stars Fell On Alabama", "East Of The Sun", and "Speak Low". But this is only a small sample of some of Billie's Best, a box of gems from a treasure trove of talent.
Review by James Patrick Holmes (BlueHummingbird)
Progressive Rock:
Return To The Centre Of The Earth by Rick Wakeman
***1/2
Sequel of the Saga
This is Rick Wakeman's progression on the journey, and your basic concept album with star appearances - a rock opera you might say, a progressive rock story, a sequel of the saga. And as such it can seem a little pretentious, what with it featuring the London Symphony Orchestra, the English Chamber Choir, and some poetic prosaic verses splendidly spoken by Patrick Stewart.
The Return to the Centre of the Earth journey appears to me though a somewhat lofty but still a lovely effort. I love to hear Justin Hayward sing, and "Still Waters Run Deep" is a liquescent delight! It is the best highlight of the album for me. I appreciate being able to hear Rick play keyboards as well, and I like "The End of the Return" although it reminds me somehow somewhat of an old ELP tune, probably some classical melody. There's also "Buried Alive" sung by Ozzie Osbourne, another high point of the album.
A little bit of "pretention" might be good in music more than sometimes, though I don't play it too often. It can be a pleasant detour - a journey beyond mere rock, and this music hearkens back to a classical genre. Where would music be without a little presentational, presumptuous pretentiousness pontificating as a conventionality? (I've still got my wire-cutters.) No really, it's quite a pleasant spelunking; and as always with Wakeman, well written and orchestrated. And, all the musicians give a superb performance.
"If music be the food of love, play on;
Give me excess of it, that, surfeiting,
The appetite may sicken, and so die."
Shakespeare -- from Twelfth Night (I, i,1-3)
