Big brother & the holding company -Cheap thrills
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A record gem. I would say practically the only one of the Big Brothers and mainly thanks to an overflowing, immense Janis Joplin of course, who will soon embark on her solo career (short-lived, but that’s another story…). Here are some of the most famous and rightly celebrated tracks from Joplin's repertoire, wonderfully emotional interpretations of songs like "Summertime" (Gershwin, no less) and especially an immense version of "Ball and Chain," undoubtedly among the highest peaks reached by Janis. Compared to the later works, this album has a generally more rock-acid feel typical of California in '68; however, it shines when Joplin tackles Blues, Soul, and yes, Rock as well. I'm less convinced when it takes purely Californian psych-rock directions, as in "Sweet Mary," which is nice enough, but the standout tracks of the album lie elsewhere. In any case, great record. Immense Janis. more
Elton John -Here and There
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hjhhjij

Elton John — Here and There | DeRank™: 3,00

The live album remains the definitive one that marks the years of the Elton John Band, even though it would have been better if it had remained a unique record, the first one, that from London at the Royal Festival Hall in May '74; this live performance is a bombshell and showcases the Elton John Band in splendid form (Dee Murray on bass is fantastic) with a great selection of tracks mainly from "Elton John" and "Tumbleweed Connection" plus some from '72-'73, featuring phenomenal renditions of songs like "Burn Down the Mission," "Bad Side of the Moon," "Your Song," or "Honky Cat," just to name a few. Unfortunately, including the second disc (from the MSG in NY in November of the same year, featuring a special guest appearance by John Lennon, historically significant but honestly the part that bores me about the live album) perhaps stretches it a bit too much, even though the NY concert begins strongly like the one in London ("Funeral for a Friend," "Grey Seal") and, therefore, in the end, "Here and There" maintains the status of the incredible live album of the best Elton John ever (I mean in general that '69-'75 period) that no one can take away from it. more
Quella Vecchia Locanda -Il Tempo Della Gioia
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A cover as beautiful as that of the previous album frames a work even more stunning than the last one. In "Il tempo della gioia," Jethro Tull have now left the old inn, but the Shulman brothers have briefly stopped by (in the title track, the inspirations from GG are evident at a couple of moments; it's a true "gentlegiantata"), and at certain melodies, the ear is drawn to the very early King Crimson; otherwise, in style, the band renounces their rock side (only guitar passages and the rhythm section remind us that we are still close to the "electric rock-pop" territories of the '70s) and the redundant pessimism of the lyrics (which remain a weak point, but are of the kind that—this often happens in prog—can slide away in the face of the central importance of the musical framework). Piano and violin are absolute protagonists; the backbone of the album is much more acoustic and has "classical" tones, the flute serves as a connector or performs in moments of beautiful calm ("E' accaduto una notte"). Basically, one finds oneself in areas of strong classical inspiration (especially "Villa Doria Pamphili" and the splendid "A forma di..." with its constant crescendo of volume and a start that is a whisper) and then it flows into distinct tones of that typical Prog-Jazz-Rock of those years, particularly in the beautiful "Un giorno, un amico" (marred only by those idiotic backing vocals, seriously, guys... Why?). more
Bob Dylan
bluesboy94
bluesboy94

Bob Dylan | DeRank™: 6,00

The most influential, but not necessarily the best of the English-speaking singer-songwriters. Nonetheless, I can only give the highest rating. more
Alusa Fallax -Intorno alla mia cattiva educazione
hjhhjij
Really a beautiful album, never heard over fifteen years of progressive listening. 13 "concept" tracks directly connected to each other, like sections of long suites, originally conceived as a theatrical work (there's a trace of this in the grotesque recitation "Perché ho venduto il mio sangue"), it's a convincing piece that perfectly balances the medley of influences that can be identified throughout the tracks; in the constant alternation between instrumentals and sung pieces, one moves between moments of splendid melodic pop-prog, classic progressive rock, jazzy passages, and the beautiful gritty voice with a bit of "rock-soul" of Duty Cirla, whose singing takes the songs to a place between singer-songwriter rock and the most refined pop ballad, complemented by his excellent percussion work, the keyboards of Massimo Parretti (one of the two main composers of the band), the flute, and sometimes the sax and horn of Mario Cirla (the other main author) and the guitars of Guido Gabet (on bass the third Cirla, Guido). The arrangements are rich and varied, it's a fun, intense album, where the singing excels and the instrumental textures are imaginative and inspired, in both the more intricate and the more melodic nuances. A cool album, a gem. more
Airbag -Identity
Mereope
Mereope

Airbag — Identity | DeRank™: 0,00

If you love Pink Floyd, don't miss this work; the recording is good too. more
Joni Mitchell
rnr
rnr

Joni Mitchell | DeRank™: 3,50

I could drink a case of you..... more
Metamorfosi -...e fu il sesto giorno
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I would have been very happy if, as a child, they had played this record in church during Sunday morning masses back in the days of the never-too-terrible catechism; in that context, this record would have been amazing, a hit, because musically speaking, the tracks are quite good, with their melodic and elegant rock/beat/pop framed by gospel-soul quirks. And "Il sesto giorno" is a beautiful song, for example. But... the lyrics... It’s not, of course, the religious theme itself that’s the problem, but how it’s approached: the lyrics aim to express the moral decay of man with (continuous references, the 9 minutes of "Crepuscolo"...) to Jesus as a light of hope and salvation, resulting in preachy statements that contain all the naive pacifism with echoes of the '60s and all the hypocritical Catholic moralism, with a simplistic and naive portrayal of themes that is almost endearing. Spitaleri's beautiful voice, which has this very theatrical and pronounced singing style, amplifies it all. There are things here that are just unbearable to listen to, and I reiterate, musically speaking, the songs are nice pieces too, what a shame. Long live Geggiù! "Inferno," from the following year, which also has its limits, is on another level. more
Premiata Forneria Marconi -Per un amico
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Here’s the main example for when I say that I don't love PFM as much as other names in Italian prog. "Per un amico" is an album that leaves me cold; it gives me the impression of a band that has created "the progressive album exactly as one would expect it to be" in the most institutionalized way possible: an elegant record, tracks with complex and multifaceted structures, numerous time changes, rhythms, styles, and atmospheres, played by excellent musicians... and none of it feels fully convincing. The compositions seem to lack cohesive flow, with various sections and constant shifts within this or that piece (for example, "Appena un po' ") appearing too distinct from one another—moments of well-played music but not particularly inspired, failing to create organic and truly engaging compositions. Moreover, the fragile and limp singing, with the exception of a few hints of bucolic sweetness borrowed from the atmospheres of "Storia di un minuto," further penalizes the album this time. It certainly saves itself with those beautiful melodic moments that, especially in this case, the keyboards of Premoli bestow here and there in this or that piece ("Geranio") or with other nicely placed touches, like Mussida's beautiful electric guitar on "Generale" or the title track, which is a good song. Yet, it gives me the impression of a forcedly intricate album that overall lacks inspiration. more
Ewan MacColl
bluesboy94
bluesboy94

Ewan MacColl | DeRank™: 0,00

One of the greatest British songwriters that ever existed; and unfortunately, few of us know it. more
Franco Battiato -Patriots
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hjhhjij

Franco Battiato — Patriots | DeRank™: 2,45

In (practically) perfect pop class with Franco Battiato. After his more experimental phase had folded in on itself, the Light-Pigmented Boar brought Francuzzo back to the expressive freshness of the first four albums, and "Patriots" continues on the path of inspiration, fully embracing the art of Pop with a capital P. The quartet "Up Patriots to Arms," "Venezia-Istanbul," "Prospettiva Nevski," "Passaggi a livello" alone would be enough to guarantee him the status of Great Disk (but all seven songs are beautiful, by the way, a very short record, a real gem); stunning melodies under a waterfall of synthesizers, ARP, Hammond, pianos, and Pio il Giusto's violin (and a fantastic bass from Gigi Cappellotto). For lyrics and music, this album is an excellent example of the "stylistic quintessence" of Battiato's pop in the '80s. more
Pantera
Secche
Secche

Pantera | DeRank™: 0,00

The greatest metal band of all time! 🔥🔥 more
Quella Vecchia Locanda -Quella Vecchia Locanda
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A beautiful pop-rock album deeply hybridized, with the Roman band skillfully maintaining a good balance between genres, inspirations, and the rich arrangements present in the tracks, which clearly go beyond the classic song form while keeping within the duration (all between 3 and 5 minutes). Compositional choices typical of progressive rock, elegant pop made of intertwining and vocal harmonies, a clear inspiration from classical authors, especially baroque style, and electric accelerations, with the inevitable flute (because Ian Anderson must have stopped to sleep in that old inn) played by singer Giorgio Giorgi (...) and the electric violin of Donald Lax (the acoustic violin plays a major role in the more evident classical excursions), instruments that stand alongside Roselli's keyboards, supported by the interventions of electro-acoustic guitars and a nice rhythm section. I find it a very cohesive album; the only weak point is the naivety of the lyrics, which seem to be written with the “big book of dark pessimism for beginners," but the melodies, both in the singing and especially those created by the violin and piano, are truly beautiful, and the more rock and energetic moments are very enjoyable with no poorly executed songs. The cover is a masterpiece, one of the most beautiful I have in my collection. more
Terry Allen
bluesboy94
bluesboy94

Terry Allen | DeRank™: 3,00

One of the many phenomena of Texas singer-songwriter music in the '70s and '80s. more
Genesis -...Calling All Stations...
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Curious how the most underrated, forgotten, and even scorned albums by Genesis—often dismissed by their own creators—are precisely the first and the last; from the very immature "From Genesis to Revelation" to "...Calling All Stations...", the circle has closed after 28 years (actually, after exactly thirty years starting from the first singles released in 1967). Phil Collins had removed himself from the picture after becoming an increasingly commercially essential and artistically detrimental figure for the band. This, on one hand, completely sinks the final attempt by Banks and Rutherford to "make it on their own" in the charts, while on the other hand allows the two, especially Tony, to conceive songs that are musically a bit more dignified and refined and less tragically bleak compared to the worst stuff scattered across the albums from 1981 onwards. It feels very much like a Banks solo album, with somewhat charmingly melancholic melodic ballads that are mostly insubstantial, along with a few tracks with a more defined and lively feel; some songs are too watered down, a few valid ones (like the title track or "The Dividing Line," for instance), and a couple of clunkers ("Congo"). But compared to the ups and downs of "We Can't Dance," this is more "balanced" in its quiet mediocrity. I want to give it a nod; it’s an album I like. Ah, and Ray Wilson has a nice voice; he's good, poor guy, in the wrong place at the wrong time. more
Genesis
bluesboy94
bluesboy94

Genesis | DeRank™: 1,30

The "pop turning point" taken in the 1980s makes them unforgivable and irredeemable. more
Elio e le Storie Tese -Elio Samaga Hukapan Kariyana Turu
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Re-listening today, it suffers from what I ultimately find to be the main limitation of the Elii: being a comedic-absurd group that hardly ever makes me laugh. So yes, as always and even in this their first album, there are a handful of cool songs, musically speaking, true gems, with a cultured collage of quotes and luxury musical inspirations that will become their trademark, crafted by great musicians. All very nice. In the best moments, even the comedic lyrics have their amusing insights, I won't deny that, but overall, especially in the for me utterly useless brief comedic sketches scattered between songs, their humor has more coarseness than genuinely funny sparks. Four or five excellent songs, but for me the Elii would have worked better in a less purely comedic vein, perhaps maintaining a strong grotesque-absurd and ironic streak, absolutely yes, but the obstacle of a musical band with lyrics entirely based on absurd comedy and parody—especially because they don’t really amuse me—remains insurmountable. more
Biglietto per l'Inferno -Il Tempo della Semina
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"The time of sowing," which opens the album of the same name, and "The father's song," which closes it, are the two great tracks left to us by Biglietto per l'Inferno in this second album "which was not," recorded in 1975 (produced by Finardi), later aborted and rescued, published only in the early '90s. These two pieces, the longest, represent the two different ways of interpreting the "prog-rock material" of Banfi, Canali & co (one is almost entirely instrumental, featuring a brief emphatic and grotesque recitation by Canali, which becomes a fluted pagan dance; the other wears their concrete outfit, with lyrics of explicit and sincere rawness, dominated by Canali’s sung-recitations, while the band bursts into rhythms filled with funky-rock acid groove, complemented by a great Banfi on synths). They are two excellent tracks that stand up to comparison with the previous album, even if they do not reach its best results ("Confessione" and "Amico suicida"). It's a shame that the central block of the album is decidedly less successful; mostly made up of 3-minute songs, it suffers from the lyrics (where social criticism becomes superficial and too naïve) and not only that: "Solo ma Vivo" (6 minutes of ballad) I really don’t like at all, "Mente-sola-mente" is a curious joke, a divertissement that really has too little to do with the rest. "Vivi, lotta, pensa" is more successful, a good piece, but overall in the central body of the album, I can save very little. more