I think he let me down when he didn't disappoint me

Continuing my trip up Rolling Stone's list of the 500 Greatest Albums Of All Time...

#446 : Journey In Satchinanada - Alice Coltrane (1971)

Alice Coltrane was a key part of her husband John’s fiery late-era bands. You can hear her own musical voice in full flower on this LP, named for her spiritual teacher Swami Satchidananda. Coltrane blended the sprawling modal jams pioneered by her late husband with drones from the Indian tanpura, Pharoah Sanders’ spiraling soprano sax, and her own rapturous harp. The result is a meditative bliss-out like jazz had never seen: part earthy blues and part ethereal mantra, and a potent influence on sonic seekers from Radiohead to Coltrane’s grandnephew Flying Lotus.

Do you know what I never knew I really didn't need in my life?  A jazz harpist.  For those of you worried about my previous levels of ignoramce, let me assure you that this album has fully educated me of that fact.  It's not terrible - there are moments of quiet beauty here, but I'd be lying if I said the second side didn't drag with it's two 10 minute tracks that don't seem to do very much.  

She was obviously a fascinating character but I'm afraid to say my main takeaway from this album is "Ys isn't going to be on this list is it?  I'm not sure I can handle listening to that again".  "Customers also listened to" a load of people I've never heard of and I'm pretty sure I'm fine with that.  There's very little danger of me revisiting this.

#445 : Close To The Edge - Yes (1972)

Sessions for this album were so intense and taxing that monster drummer Bill Bruford quit the band when it was over due to stress. The hard work paid off. Close to the Edge is the best of Yes’ many lineups at an absolute peak, with Jon Anderson’s sun-king vocals pouring out over new member Rick Wakeman’s dazzling keyboards. The title track, an 18-minute epic in four distinct parts, remains the most majestic moment in the prog-rock history.

I was pretty certain I knew what this was going to sound like and knew it was going to go one way or the other.  I really wanted to like it - I love Jon Anderson's voice on his later 70s stuff (his version of "State of Independence" is way better than Donna Summer's cover) and whilst I find Rick Wakeman engaging and annoying at the same time (which further annoys me), there's no doubting his skill on the keyboards.

And there is a lot of skill on display throughout this album - but it just doesn't click for me.  Making the whole of side one an 18 minute epic feels just a little too prog-rock and none of the other tracks leap out at me.  The version I listened to also had their cover of "America" on it (which wasn't on the original album) - it's certainly an "interesting" version (as is Bowie's, here).  "Customers also listened to" King Crimson and Emerson, Lake and Palmer - I fear we'll get some of that later on in the list.  Overall, I'm left with the feeling that I'm disappointed in myself for not liking this - it's like I've let the side down.  Which is an odd way of looking at things, but it's another one I'm pleased to have ticked off the list but I'm not sure "pleased to get it out of the way" is the feeling anyone was looking for here.

#444 : Extraordinary Machine - Fiona Apple (2005)

After cutting a pristine chamber-pop version of her third album with Jon Brion, her collaborator on 1999’s When the Pawn…, Apple’s label demanded revisions, so she redid almost the whole thing with Dr. Dre sideman Mike Elizondo and Beatles aficionado Brian Kehew. The changes and attendant delays spurred protests from fans, but the end result was hardly a compromise: Extraordinary Machine is a complex, versatile breakup record, with Apple playing McCartney-esque piano lines over skipping rhythms on melodically rich, lyrically thorny songs like “O’ Sailor” and “Better Version of Me.” You try squeezing the word “stentorian” into hooks you can belt at karaoke.

I own one Fiona Apple album - which I'm really only mentioning so I can include the full title which is (deep breath) When the Pawn Hits the Conflicts He Thinks Like a King What He Knows Throws the Blows When He Goes to the Fight and He'll Win the Whole Thing 'fore He Enters the Ring There's No Body to Batter When Your Mind Is Your Might So When You Go Solo, You Hold Your Own Hand and Remember That Depth Is the Greatest of Heights and If You Know Where You Stand, Then You Know Where to Land and If You Fall It Won't Matter, Cuz You'll Know That You're Right.  Which is, as Wikipedia puts it "frequently abridged to When The Pawn...".  I can't claim to have listened to it in years, but I seem to recall liking it - and I was expecting much of the same from this album.

And yeah, I like it. It struck me as very Regina Spektor-ish (or more accurately, Regina is very Fiona Apple-ish) with piano lead songs featuring complex lyrics and a slightly quirky vocal delivery.  Although, where Regina often goes high, Fiona often goes low - she has an incredibly low (frequency as opposed to volume) voice at times.  I think the title track was my favourite and a strong opener - I always like it when the opening track tells you what you're going to get and you're going to enjoy it.  I was also tickled by the fact that "Please Please Please" is followed on the album by "Red Red Red" - I like that sort of thing!

"Customers also listened to" Poe (who I've never heard of) and Tori Amos (who I have - and is very much in the same ballpark).  The Wikipedia page is interesting for the amount of discussion about the re-recording of the album - if I revisit this album a few more times and get to know it better, then I'll seek out the original versions to see how different they are.  I was intrigued by her Wikipedia page pointing me at a couple of duets she did with Johnny Cash - I don't particularly like his voice but I thought they'd probably gel well together and, in my opinion, they do.   Also hidden away in the depths of her page is the fact that at some unspecified point in time she got married "for complicated reasons".  Heading back to the album, I like it and I intend to revisit it when I have a bit more time to listen to stuff I want to listen to - keeping up with the two lists of albums I'm working on at the minute is proving to be tricky!

Clear winner this time around - well done, Fiona!

#449-447 - Put down the guitar, Paul
#443-441 - Bowie vs Britney!