As promised, my first foray into reviewing artists and bands of every genre in pop music. After spending the bulk of the last ten years writing about politics, I thought it'd be a nice change of pace to get back to my first love. I haven't given up on politics, mind you, but let's just say I'm looking for a more constructive release of my energies.
Now before I go any further, it's worth noting that these are going to be critical reviews of each artist and band. If you're looking for non-critical reviews, I suggest you try Wikipedia. The opinions expressed here are my strictly my own and you are more than free to do with them as you will.
As one of my Facebook friends pointed out when he called me Peter Christgau, I've definitely been influenced by Robert Christgau. And with good reason. The former Village Voice critic practically wrote the book on rock criticism, so why reinvent the wheel? Still, since Christgau has never actually reviewed artists and bands, preferring instead to review their individual albums, this is new ground, as far as I'm concerned.
So what are the parameters? Well for starters, I have decided to break down the genres into four main groups: rock/alt-rock, R&B/funk, country/alt-country and jazz/fusion. While I do have some rap and hip-hop artists in my collection, I do not have enough to render a definitive opinion on any of them. Hence, they will not be included. I should also point out that I have a bias against progressive rock and heavy metal and have thus decided to omit any bands that fall into those sub-genres. I may make an exception for Yes and Rush if I have the time.
No artist or band was reviewed without at least two albums worth of music from which to render an objective assessment. Rest assured, with over 1,500 CDs and almost as many LPs in my collection, if it made the cut, it belonged here.
The grades: Like Christgau, I rate in letters from A plus to D. No one got an E or an F. See below for a legend.
A plus: These are artists or bands who are so integral to their respective genres that if you omitted them the house of cards would fall in on itself. Pure greatness.
A: These are essential artists or bands that over the years have brought consistent satisfaction to countless millions of listeners and have produced many outstanding and consistent albums.
A minus: Solid to very good artists or bands that have made several outstanding albums but have produced many more that are just very good.
B plus: These are artists or bands that are quite good but not excellent and whose work reflects that. They can also be artists or bands that have one or two outstanding albums but have basically underachieved throughout most of their careers.
B: These are average artists or bands that on occasion surprise but more often than not underperform.
B minus: Below average and borderline mediocre artists or bands that rarely hit the mark.
C plus: These are overrated and borderline pretentious artists or bands that may have a particular following but never come close to hitting their stride.
C: Pretentious and overbearing artists or bands that at times are painful to listen to, but may have a hit or two on an otherwise innocuous greatest hits album.
D: Proof positive that hell exists.
So who goes first? Since I have more rock artists and bands in my collection, it was only natural I start with this genre. There's no particular order here; I went with whatever popped into my head first. After the review, I will list the two best albums of each artist or band followed by the overall grade.
Assuming the motivation is there, I'll do between 10 to 15 reviews per post and at least three posts per month. At that rate, it should take me about a year and a half to get through most of my collection. As you can see I'm not in any hurry. The objective here is to have fun.
So, without further ado,
ROCK/ALT-ROCK
The Stooges:
Along with the MC5, they were the inventors of punk rock. Raw, unleashed and untamed, they were a cross between the Sex Pistols and the Ramones years before either existed. At a time when most rock bands opted for the big arenas - see Led Zeppelin - their audience was smaller and far more concentrated. The Stooges, Fun House. Grade: A minus.
The Rolling Stones:
To refer to them as the greatest rock and roll band of all time would be like referring to the Atlantic ocean as wet. It goes without saying. Apart from Their Satanic Majesties Request and Goats Head Soup, their entire '60s and '70s catalogue would be the envy of any band. Beggars Banquet, Exile on Main Street. Grade: A plus.
The Kinks:
The most underrated rock band of the '60s would end up being the most disappointing rock band of the '70s. Though not in the same class as Lennon/McCartney or Jagger/Richards, Ray Davies was nevertheless an accomplished writer who always managed to get the most out of his talents, such as they were, until they eventually dried up on him. Face to Face, Arthur. Grade B plus.
The Beach Boys:
Contrary to popular opinion - and myth - Pet Sounds was not a great album, no matter how long Brian Wilson locked himself in his room and listened to Rubber Soul. And these boys of the summer were not the trail blazers they were made out to be. The truth is they had more in common with Jan and Dean than they had with the Beatles, and their specialty was making catchy hit singles that have endured the test of time. AM radio at its best, nothing more. Endless Summer, Wild Honey. Grade: B plus.
The Beatles:
You'd be hard pressed to find a group with a more prolific career than the Fab Four. A strictly singles band that evolved into an albums band that eventually established an entirely new genre of music, all in six years. Lennon and McCartney fed off one other brilliantly. And with George and Ringo picking up the slack with the odd tune or two, they set a standard that to this day has never been matched. And though the forces which made them who they were would inevitably tear them apart, it doesn't take away from what they achieved. Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band, Abbey Road. Grade: A plus.
The Band:
Music From Big Pink and The Band are undeniably two of rock's best albums of the '60s. The former owes its name to a house in West Saugerties, New York where, with Bob Dylan, they cut The Basement Tapes. But like so many bands of their time, they were unable to sustain their creative juices. Several average to above average albums ensued, followed by an overwrought, if disappointing, live album that was supposed to be their grand finale from a business that to a man they insisted had worn them out. Frankly, they should've called it quits when they were ahead. Music From Big Pink, The Band. Grade A minus.
The Clash:
From 1977 to 1981, unquestionably the best punk-rock band in the world. Equal parts Ramones, equal parts Sex Pistols - sometimes it's hard to tell them apart. The American release of The Clash (1979) is generally considered to be among the greatest rock and roll albums of all time, though I much prefer London Calling, the best double album this side of Exile on Main Street. Like every other band of that era, their flame went out way too quickly. The Clash, London Calling. Grade: A plus.
Sonic Youth:
With the exception of Ira Kaplan and Georgia Hubley, no couple has had more influence on an entire genre than Thurston Moore and Kim Gordon. Their reign spanned three decades and 15 albums. Calling them avant-garde would be putting it mildly. They practically invented the term. They were to R.E.M. what Springsteen was to Buddy Holly. Think Velvet Underground only more arcane, if that's even possible. Daydream Nation, A Thousand Leaves. Grade: A plus.
Eric Clapton:
His Yardbirds and Cream days notwithstanding, were it not for two admittedly brilliant solo efforts, this overrated excuse for a rocker would be consigned to the bargain basement where he belongs. No one has done less with more than Clapton. No one. The man's been running on his reputation since '77. And the only reason why this grade isn't lower is because of those two solo efforts. Jesus, even the Mets made it to the World Series more than twice. Layla, 461 Ocean Boulevard. Grade: B plus.
Warren Zevon:
Why he's not in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame is beyond me. So what if he burned more bridges than Rommel? He was one of the best rock artists of all time; one of the few to emerge from the '70s with his dignity and abilities still in tact. And had cancer not taken him, I suspect he'd still be making significant music to this day, along with pissing off his critics, as usual. Excitable Boy, Sentimental Hygiene. Grade: A.
Elton John:
Throughout his long career, John was one of the few artists who enjoyed both critical and commercial acclaim. His albums always chartered well and often drew rave reviews from rock critics. Working with lyricist Bernie Taupin, he managed to straddle the line between pretentiousness and significance that so many lesser artists were unable to. Honky Chateau, Goodbye Yellow Brick Road. Grade: A minus.
Tom Petty:
I caught hell when, after Petty died, I remarked that he was overrated. My timing or lack of sensitivity notwithstanding, I stand by my remarks. It's not that he wasn't an accomplished guitarist or that he didn't have talent; he was and he did. It's just that Petty, for all his potential, never pushed the envelope more than he had to. Even on his best album - Damn the Torpedoes - everything falls off the cliff after the third track. He wasn't so much the second coming of Springsteen as he was a doppelgänger of Mark Knopfler. Damn the Torpedoes, Greatest Hits. Grade: B plus.
Pink Floyd:
Among loyal devotees, only the Grateful Dead has a more loyal following. And they have one thing in common with the Beach Boys: one of the most overrated albums in rock history - Dark Side of the Moon. Though audiophiles may love it, the far less audacious Wish You Were Here accomplishes more with less. Of course with these guys, audaciousness was always the point, wasn't it? Wish You Were Here, Animals. Grade: B.
Wussy:
The best kept secret to come out of Cincinnati, Chuck Cleaver, former leader of the Ass Ponys, and Lisa Walker are the Lennon and McCartney of their age. Since their signature breakthrough debut in '05 - Funeral Dress - they've consistently churned out one great album after another. On their strongest effort - 2014's Attica! - the opening cut, "Teenage Wasteland," evokes the classic "Baba O'Reilly" so much so that you can almost see Pete Townshend writing it. Strawberry, Attica! Grade: A plus.
Liz Phair:
To paraphrase a well-known Star Trek expression, Phair goes where no woman has gone before. Sexually promiscuous and proud of it, she turns the tables on an entire industry and laughs all the way to the bank. A rebel with a cause, she's Mick Jagger with tits and an attitude to match, which means she fucks whomever she wants and she gets all the satisfaction she can handle without apologizing to a single soul. Exile in Guyville, Whitechocolatespaceegg. Grade: A.
