Day 0469 - Iron Maiden

Iron Maiden "Iron Maiden" (1980)

I remember seeing the 'classic albums' show for Iron Maiden's "Number of the Beast" album, and they'd talked about the issues they'd had with their former singer Paul Di'Anno and what a step up Bruce Dickinson was.  From that, I'd assumed that the first guy must be absolute rubbish... but no.

Sure, on one or two songs he sounds like a bit more of a punk yowler than a metal howler, but he still manages some decent tremolo in places and some minor wails. I actually really like this album; it's almost as if having a slightly more limited singer over top of the virtuosic and showy music kind of reins it in and stops it getting too grandiose and up it's own arse!

The album does feature an instrumental track and several songs that take their sweet time getting to the vocals, which is maybe just how Maiden roll, or it could be a sign that they were already unhappy with Paul? Either way, as I say, this album works just fine for me. The bass work is incredible, which I guess is not surprising as the bassist started the damned band!

Day 0385 - Pacific Ocean Blue

Dennis Wilson "Pacific Ocean Blue" (1977)

 
I'm looking forward to the next run of 3 or 4 albums.  This album is one that I listened to and enjoyed when I checked out the book the first time around 2011.

Dennis was looked on as not being (according to one doco I saw) the greatest of drummers.  Some Beach Boys drum parts were completed by session musicians and other people who were not Dennis... so in some ways, it was kind of a ballsy move for him to go ahead and make a solo album.

This doesn't sound a like a "Drummer album".  This is a vocal-heavy album, but not the clean complex harmonies of a Brian Wilson production (I'm actually now listening to the Beach Boys' "Friends" album as I type this) it's more of a cathartic clamour.  That's interesting, as the music is certainly not a non-stop journey of joy.  Dennis himself struggled with alcoholism and cocaine addiction.

It was always that rather odd thing with the Beach Boys where they sang all about surfing but Dennis was the only one who surfed (It would be like if all of RHCP except the drummer were virgins, or if Motorhead were teetotallers) and he ended up drowning after a vodka binge.

The album was well received and Dennis was grateful for the recognition. He started recording a follow-up but died before he could complete it.

0266 - All Directions

The Temptations "All Directions" (1972)

 
The Temps continue to prove themselves to be "more just that band who sung 'My Girl'".  The group continue to explore sounds outside of the standard Motown sound, as already heard in slinky funky wah-wah infused albums like 'Cloud Nine' and 'Psychedelic Shack'.

This album is full of funky grooves, including the nearly 12 minute jam of 'Papa was a Rollin' Stone' and gets in your face with the N-bomb laden "Run Charlie, Run" that definitely draw a line in the sand between this album and the clean, short-n-sweet pop of their earlier material.

It comes with a deceptively run of the mill album cover, featuring a clean-cut band photo that doesn't immediately hint at the interesting directions explored within.