Kevin's Watch

I'll have my bills paid off next month, hooray, and can start doing things like that again.

I've been listening to the newly remastered release of Yes's 90125, the 1983 album that rejuvenated the progressive rock group's career in the 80's. I consider 90125 to be among the 10 or so best albums of that decade, but it's also one that seems to divide Yes fans.

Those who admired Yes's elaborate concept albums from the 70's tend to see 90125 as a sellout--pointing to the chart-topping success of its single, "Owner of a Lonely Heart." I guess it's a crime for "serious" artists to have a No. 1 single. Never mind that the song was, and remains, a potent piece of writing and musicianship, like the rest of the album. 90125 is a seriously good piece of music, even if the band's long-time fans can't accept it. There's something to be said for tight composition.

I find that the most stylistically varied and not gratingly commercial Yes album goes by the name of Fragile. I believe the reason fans of Yes are divided over 90125 is for a few simple reasons: lengthy solos and any hint of spontaneity are banished, and musical experiments are used strictly for effect. It has nothing to do with the band's musical traditions despite such echoes of late 70s British jazz-fusion in the instrumental "Cinema".

Joy wrote:I agree. I wore out my tape of On Land. <putting on Music For Films>

On Land is fantastic...my Eno fav...

kasten

I hung on to Fragile longer than my other Yes albums-I was a big Close to the Edge, Tales from Topographic Oceans and Relayer fan. I still have Yessongs and 90125 on tape. I love the solo endevours and consider Olijas of Sunhillow (Anderson), A Fish Out of Water (Squire) and Journey to the Center of the Earth (Wakeman) to be the best among them.

Showbiz by Muse. I was shocked to realize I couldn't remember what half the songs souded like, so I am now correcting that.

Fear Factory, the aptly named The Covenant, Pantera, Throes of Dawn. It's a musically interesting day

I've moved on to Origin of Symmetry (same band), and judging from the results (see Hall of Gifts) I'm sticking with this one for a while

Listening to album Plastic Ono Band, song "God"--though "Look At Me" is my favorite track.

kastenessen wrote:

Joy wrote:I agree. I wore out my tape of On Land. <putting on Music For Films>

On Land is fantastic...my Eno fav...

kasten

I love Eno, at the moment Taking Tiger Mountain (by strategy) is a fave, although the ambient/minimalist stuffis great.

Does anyone here like Harold Budd or Steve Reich?

Bic Runga, a NZ acoustic guitar-playing siren. For an easily accessable example of her work, wath the film American Pie 2. She sigs the song Sway, which is the track that plays during the sad part of the film beore everything gets worked out for good.

Sum sui generis
Vs

OOO, I love Bic, I have all her stuff and she's playing Edinburgh in June. So I have been told although I haven't got tickets yet.

The best album by the Zombies, Odyssey and Oracle, just came in the mail. Hard as hell to find that one, but worth every penny. It's basically the British Pet Sounds. It's also my #2 album, after Abbey Road.

"And we would count the evening stars
As the day grew dark
In Beechwood Park"

I've been listening to Facecage in the car

Listening to my two new albums - Brand New's Deja Entendu, and Funeral for a Friend's I-can't-for-the-life-of-me-remember-what-it's-called.

What, the album? Erm...I think it's called Casually Dressed And Deep In Conversation. Not bad. I like Deja Entendu more than their slightly wishy-washy previous stuff.

Been listening to pirated (WinMX) Springsteen rarities.

Radiohead's 2003 release, Hail to the Thief, arrived in the mail today . . . Love it!

I won Lost Prophets : Start Something.

Darn good CD.

I saw Radiohead last August. They're one of the Best Live bands I've seen.

Yeah, seeing Radiohead live or King Crimson would do it for me.