Thursday, March 30, 2017

Anathema - The Optimist (2016-2017)

3/30/17 9:40AM
1st single "Springfield."I haven't heard it yet, but from some of the comments, it doesn't stray all that much from their past few records (which is still a good thing). 
 The rest of the record may though.



3/24/17 6:40AM
Facebook Announcement

June 9th, 2017 release date.

Certainly looking forward to this as espeically their last 3 records ( Distant Satellites, Weather Systems, We're Here Because We're Here) are somewhat Modern Classics (progressive college rock I suppose, as opposed to their older/earlier gothic doom/death metal).

Hopefully the 1st single will arrive relatively soon as that snippet below I don't know if it *teases* me enough as it's so brief.

I do recall reading that there is a Jazz and chamber element coming as some of the content on Social Media mentioned them using in the recording. Upright Bass among other instrumentation. Quite curious about that.



1. 32.63N 117.14W 1:18
2 Leaving It Behind 4:27
3 Endless Ways 5:49
4 The Optimist 5:37
5 San Francisco 4:59
6 Springfield 5:49
7 Ghosts 4:17
8 Can't Let Go 5:00
9 Close Your Eyes 3:39
10 Wildfires 5:40
11 Back to the Start 11:41

 

Wednesday, March 29, 2017

The Year 1987 Albums Calendar and Rankings

1987, a year I chose out of curiousity per Marillion, Rush and Giraffe had albums. Plus 1 of the 3 best U2 records in The Joshua Tree came out that year.

But in looking at the depth of the year, it's a pretty barren, thin year. Some of the 80's pop and Metal was okay (Helloween, Savatage). Prince, George Michael, Michael Jackson. Sting, REM, INXS. Some iconic names with some of their better records of course.

However on the grand scale of my taste, 1987 was also Top Heavy and I suppose somewhat nostalgia laden. Although I am wondering and suspicious the 1980's were a lot like this year. The most memorable and go-to's end up being a few at the top. Which supports my feeling about the 1980's strength largely being in Singles rather than Albums. Other decades though seem to have a larger chunk of albums, often underground albeit, but for many good reasons.

I do find it interesting though to have to choose between a Marillion album and a Kevin Gilbert album, which happens in other years as well. And Clutching takes this one, as it's my favorite Fish-period Marillion record, and 1 of 5 5-star albums from the band.


1. Marillion - Clutching at Straws
2. Giraffe - The Power of Suggestion
3. Rush - Hold Your Fire
4. U2 - The Joshua Tree
5. Pink Floyd - A Momentary Lapse of Reason 6. George Michael - Faith
7. Pat Metheny - Still Life (Talking)
8. Jane's Addiction - Jane's Addiction
9. Michael Jackson - Bad
10. INXS - Kick
11. Prince - Sign "☮" the Times
12. Sting - ...Nothing Like the Sun
13  Helloween - Keeper of the Seven Keys Part. 1
14. Savatage - Hall of the Mountain King
15. The Dukes of Stratosphear - Psonic Psunspot
16. The Jimi Hendrix Experience - Live at Winterland
17. Def Leppard - Hysteria
18. Guns N Roses - Appetite for Destruction
19. Jethro Tull - Krest of a Knave
20. Joe Satriani - Surfing with the Alien
21. Faith No More - Introduce Yourself
22. Bruce Spingsteen - Tunnel of Love
23. R.E.M. - Document
24. Roger Waters - Radio K.A.O.S.
25. Yes - Big Generator
26. TNT - Tell No Tales



A landscape monochrome photograph of U2 in the desert sits in the center of a black background. U2 are standing on the left half of the photograph, with a mountain range on the right half. Tiny gold text reading "THE JOSHUA TREE U2" is stretched across the top of the black background.
U2 - The Joshua Tree
rel March 9, 1987

Prince sign-o-the-times 250.jpg
Prince - Sign "☮" the Times
rel March 31, 1987

TellNoTales.jpg
TNT - Tell No Tales
rel April 13, 1987

Faith No More Introduce Yourself.jpg
Faith No More - Introduce Yourself
rel April 23, 1987


Killing Technology.jpg
Voivod - Killing Technology
rel April 23, 1987

Jane's Addiction album.jpg
Jane's Addiction - Jane's Addiction
rel May 15, 1987


Keeper of the Seven Keys Part 1.jpg
Helloween - Keeper of the Seven Keys Part 1
May 23, 1987


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Marillion - Clutching at Straws
rel June 12, 1987

RogerWaters-album-radiokaos.jpg
Roger Waters - Radio K.A.O.S.
rel June 15, 1987

StillLifeTalking.jpg
Pat Metheny - Still Life Talking
rel July 7, 1987

DioDreamEvil.jpg
Dio - Dream Evil
rel July 21, 1987

GunsnRosesAppetiteforDestructionalbumcover.jpg
Guns N Roses - Appetite for Destruction
rel July 21, 1987

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Alexander O'Neal - Hearsay
rel July 29, 1987

Live at Winterland.jpg
The Jimi Hendrix Experience - Live at Winterland
rel July 1987

Def Leppard - Hysteria (vinyl version).jpg
Def Leppard - Hysteria
rel August 3, 1987

Dukes of Stratosphear PsonicPsunspot.jpg
The Dukes of Stratosphear - Psonic Psunspot
rel August 3, 1987

R.E.M. - Document.jpg
R.E.M. - Document
rel August 23, 1987

WendyAndLisa-WendyAndLisaAlbumCover.jpg
Wendy and Lisa - Wendy and Lisa
rel August 24, 1987

A man in his late twenties stands and looks forward. His hair is curly and black. He is wearing a black jacket that has several buckles and pants. The background is white and beside him are the words "Michael Jackson" in black capital letter, and over them, "Bad" in red.
Michael Jackson - Bad
rel August 25, 1987

A line of hospital beds stretch into the distance, on an overcast beach. A man sits on one bed, holding a mirror. The sky is slightly purple.
Pink Floyd - A Momentary Lapse of Reason
rel September 7, 1987

Rush Hold Your Fire.jpg
Rush - Hold Your Fire
rel September 8, 1987

Jethro Tull Crest of a Knave.jpg
Jethro Tull - Krest of a Knave
rel September 11, 1987

BigGeneratorLP.jpeg
Yes - Big Generator
rel September 17, 1987

SavatageMountainKing.jpg
Savatage - Hall of the Mountain King
rel September 28, 1987

TunnelOfLove1987.JPG
Bruce Spingsteen - Tunnel of Love
rel October 6, 1987

…Nothing Like the Sun (Sting album - cover art).jpg
Sting - ...Nothing Like the Sun
rel October 13, 1987

Joe Satriani Surfing With the Alien.jpg
Joe Satriani - Surfing with the Alien
rel October 15, 1987

INXS kick.jpg
INXS - Kick
rel October 19, 1987

GeorgeMichaelFaithAlbumcover.jpg
George Michael - Faith
rel October 30, 1987

Earthworks album cover.jpg
Bill Bruford's Earthworks - Earthworks
rel 1987


Untitled
Giraffe - The Power of Suggestion
rel 1987

The Walking (Jane Siberry album - cover art).jpg
Jane Siberry - The Walking
rel 1987

Tuesday, March 28, 2017

The Year 1978 Albums Calendar and Rankings

1978, a year that saw many big names release albums, including many solo albums, but given it was in the late 70's, a lot of those artists either were just starting out, or following up a few years before, some of their best work.

Rush and Styx oddly, put out 2 of the best albums that year. Hemispheres, becoming my favorite Rush record among a catalog of 19 proper studio albums. Why that is? to me, it's their peak into doing progressive rock, and when they did it well, there's not many who did it better.

It came out in around Halloween, so it might have hit me like a ton of bricks after the rest of the year.

1978 was the age of Disco and Punk and even New Wave of British Heavy Metal I suppose was coming, so progressive rock and classic rock was fading a bit. A lot of good Jazz-Fusion as well, although not classics really, but still some decent stuff.

1. Rush - Hemispheres
2. Styx - Pieces of Eight
3. Alec R. Costandinos and The Syncophonic Orchestra - Romeo and Juliet
4. Jethro Tull - Heavy Horses
5. Kansas - Two for the Show
6. Renaissance - A Song for All Seasons
7. U.K. - U.K.
8. Bruce Springsteen - Darkness on the Edge of Town
9. Bruford - Feels Good to Me
10. Al Di Meola - Casino
11. Van Halen - Van Halen
12. The Who - Who Are You
13. Yes - Tormato
14. Happy the Man - Crafty Hands
15. The Police - Outlandos d'Amour
16. Genesis - ...And Then There Were Three...
17. Pat Metheny Group - Pat Metheny Group
18. Peter Gabriel - Peter Gabriel (Scratch)
19. Chic - C'est Chic
20. Queen - Jazz
21. Boston - Don't Look Back
22. Talking Heads - More Songs About Buildings and Food
23. Elvis Costello - This Year's Model
24. Alan Parsons Project - Pyramid
25. Steve Hackett - Please Don't Touch
26. Journey - Infinity
27. Dire Straits - Dire Straits
28. XTC - White Music
29. The Rutles - The Rutles




Bill Bruford Feels Good To Me.jpg
Bruford - Feels Good to Me
rel January 6, 1978


Related image
Alec R. Costandinos and The Syncophonic Orchestra - Romeo and Juliet
rel January 16, 1978

Journey Infinity.jpg
Journey - Infinity
rel January 20, 1978

XTC White Music.jpg
XTC - White Music
rel January 20, 1978

Van Halen album.jpg
Van Halen - Van Halen
rel February 10, 1978

Rutles1.jpg
The Rutles - The Rutles
rel February 24, 1978

Al Di Meola-Casino.jpeg
Al Di Meola - Casino
rel February 25, 1978

Genesis - And Then There Were Three.jpg
Genesis - ...And Then There Were Three...
rel March 1, 1978

Elvis-Costello-This-Years-Model.jpg
Elvis Costello - This Year's Model
rel March 17, 1978


Pmg - pmg.jpg
Pat Metheny Group - Pat Metheny Group
rel March 1978

RenSeason.jpg
Renaissance - A Song for All Seasons
rel March 1978

UK-UK.jpg
U.K. - U.K.
rel March 1978

JethroTull-albums-heavyhorses.jpg
Jethro Tull - Heavy Horses
rel April 10, 1978

Mutiny Up My Sleeve (Max Webster album - cover art).jpg
Max Webster - Mutiny Up My Sleeve
rel April 15, 1978

Please Don't Touch.jpg
Steve Hackett - Please Don't Touch
rel May 1978

Solo - Kaipa.jpg
Kaipa - Solo
rel May 1978

Wisecover.jpg
Anthony Phillips - Wise After the Event
rel May 1978

The Alan Parsons Project - Pyramid.jpg
Alan Parsons Project - Pyramid
rel June 1, 1978

Peter Gabriel (self-titled album, 1978 - cover art).jpg
Peter Gabriel - Peter Gabriel (Scratch)
rel June 2, 1978

BruceSpringsteenDarknessontheEdgeofTown.jpg
Bruce Springsteen - Darkness on the Edge of Town
rel June 2, 1978

TalkingHeadsMoreSongsAboutBuildingsandFood.jpg
Talking Heads - More Songs About Buildings and Food
rel July 7, 1978

Boston - Don't Look Back.jpg
Boston - Don't Look Back
rel August 2, 1978

C'est Chic cover.jpg
Chic - C'est Chic
rel August 11, 1978

Who Are You album cover.JPG
The Who - Who Are You
rel August 18, 1978

Styx - Pieces of Eight.jpg
Styx - Pieces of Eight
rel September 1, 1978

Brand X Masques.jpg
Brand X - Masques
rel September 8, 1978

 Untitled
Happy the Man - Crafty Hands
rel September 21, 1978

Tormato.jpg
Yes - Tormato
rel September 22, 1978

XTC Go 2.jpg
XTC - Go 2
rel October 6, 1978

DS Dire Straits.jpg
Dire Straits - Dire Straits
rel October 7, 1978

Billy Joel 52nd Street album cover.JPG
Billy Joel - 52nd Street
rel October 13, 1978

Rush Hemispheres.jpg
Rush - Hemispheres
rel October 29, 1978

Kansas - Two for the Show.jpg
Kansas - Two for the Show
rel October 1978

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The Police - Outlandos d'Amour
rel November 2, 1978

Queen Jazz.png
Queen - Jazz
rel November 10, 1978

Image result for anthony phillips - private parts & pieces album last.fm
Anthony Phillips - Private Parts and Pieces
rel November 30, 1978

The Doobie Brothers - Minute by Minute.jpg
The Doobie Brothers - Minute by Minute
rel December 1, 1978

CoreaFriends.jpg
Chick Corea - Friends
rel 1978


The upper neck of a guitar is depicted with a man's hand fretting a chord on it on a white background.
Paco de Lucía - Paco de Lucía interpreta a Manuel de Falla
rel 1978


Ericjohnson-sevenworlds.jpg
Eric Johnson - Seven Worlds
rel 1978

John McLaughlin - 1978 - Electric Guitarist.jpg
John McLaughlin - Electric Guitarist
rel 1978

X-Dreams.jpg
Annette Peacock - X-Dreams
rel 1978