Hi. This is a Chronicle of my meanderings through the music landscape. Reviews of CDs, gigs, radio performances/shows to be had. As a taster, here's a copy of a review of an album by British neo-prog-rock band, Marillion. (The album, in this case a remastered version with a second cd incorporating bonus tracks, is from the early 80s; the review is from 2000). The album is called, FUGAZI "I have just bought this album and I must say that it is great. A relative newcomer to prog-rock, this is the third album from Marillion that I have bought [the others being CLUTCHING AT STRAWS and MISPLACED CHILDHOOD]. A real winner in terms of listenability - Fish is, [imho], an amazing lyricist and the power of his voice on such tracks as "Jigsaw", "Assassing" and Bonus Track/Single "Cinderella Search" is amazing. Steve Rothery's guitar-playing is also top-notch. Not one of the most "radio-friendly" albums I've heard, but after a couple of listens, [it] really rewards - especially "Fugazi", and, again, "Jigsaw". "The extra CD is really worth having, too, (check out the B-Sides), as are the new sleeve notes - I have always liked reading about Fish's escapades! Certainly not a 'Fugazi' album."10 responses total.
OK, the next one up is TUSK, by Fleetwood MAc (AKA "The Follow-up To RUMOURS".
Great album this. Overshadowed at the time of release by the aforementioned
RUMOURS, it's over an hour long, and was originally released on two LP's.
It starts out with the Christine McVie track "Over & Over," not a great start
but much better than all but one orf the other Christine McVie tracks on the
album. Then comes the fun but quirky "The Ledge", a Lyndsey Buckingham track.
"Think about Me" is an upbeat plea for attention, as is "Save Me A Place".
Next up comes Sara, which, unfortunately, on the signle-CD version i have,
has been cut. grr. Apparently when the album was first released on compact
disc the technology did not yet exist to put all 20 complete tracks one one.
The question is, why not then just release it on two CD's, instead of one cut
one? Either way, Warner Brothers need to get their act together and re-release
TUSK on CD w/o cuts, IMO.
"What Makes You Thik You're The One" is a typically Buckingham-esque grouchy
swipe at his ex, Stevie Nicks. It's a good song though.
Then comes the second of 5 outsstanding tracks on this album by the
aforementioned Nicks. ("Sara" being the first). A lament for a lost love (I
think!)
"That's All For Everyone" is a good track if you dig Buckingham's sometimes
off-the-wall tastes. "Not that Funny" isn't.
"Sisters of the Moon" comes up next - another song where you have no idea what
Stevie (Nicks) is on about, but love it anyway. It's easy to see why Nicks
had hte most successful solo career of any Fleetwood Mac band member.
It's mystic and witchy. Brilliant.
The next track, another Nicks track, is not as good as the others, but is
still very good.
"That's Enough For Me" is, i believe a track on which the group collaborated.
It's one of the weaker tracks on an otherwise great album, as is "Brown Eyes".
"Never Make Me Cry" is one of those rare McVie treasures.
We pass thru the average "I Know I'm Not Wrong", a fairly catchy tune in which
Buckingham seems to exercise his talent for writing bitchy-but-upbeat ditties,
into "Honey Hi", another McVie treasure.
"Beautiful Child" is a beautiful Stevie Nicks song. 'Nuff said.
"Walk A Thin Line" and "TUSK" are both very catchy, TUSK constituting one of
the real highlights of the album.
Finally "NEver Forget" rounds the effort off with a catchy, pleasant group
song.
I always loved the title track from "Tusk". I can't remember which college's marching band is featured (USC?) but it's a cool song and the band is used to great effect.
"Tusk"? The song? I haven't heard it in something like 20 years, but I remember it as being a kind of non-song. I kept waiting and waiting for it to start, and then it was over. "Shaft" was the same way.
Hourses for corses, i s'pose.
If I had you here, Mike and Jeff, I'd ask you to hum the tune from "Tusk" for me. I'd love to know what it is.
I can't quite tell whether you can recall the song clearly and this is a backhanded way of calling it tuneless (to your tastes) or whether you genuinely can't recall what it sounds like.
Combination, Mike. I don't recall it very well, but I can recall that it didn't seem to have a tune, and I'd like to know what you think the tune is.
As I recall, it was a bunch of horns from the USC Marching Band riffing over a drumbeat. I can vaguely recall a four or five note horn crescendo followed by someone yelling/singing "Tusk." For a while some marching bands played Tusk at football games. Now it has been eclipsed by the far more popular marching band arrangement of Iron Man (no, I'm not making that up).
That accords with my recollection of how this non-song goes.
TALES FROM TOPOGRAPHIC OCEANS - YES Indeed.
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