Jaco Pastorius: Jaco Pastorius
CD Audio I have it ★★★★★
Jaco Pastorius: Word Of Mouth
CD Audio I have it ★★★★
James Brown: I Got The Feelin'
CD Audio I have it ★★★★
Although his masterpieces are quite different, this album remains an excellent and very enjoyable listen. James Brown is an absolute guarantee. Good album.
James Brown: Sex Machine
CD Audio I have it ★★★★★
1970, here’s one of the highest peaks of his career. Formidable album, mind-blowing groove, a wild band, and him... he’s insane, an unstoppable rhythm machine on stage, flesh, blood, sweat, and a constantly moving ass. A fundamental masterpiece to understand, among other things, what "Funk" really means, and to launch it into the empyrean, the title track alone (in its best version) would suffice—a ten-minute whirlpool from which you cannot, and do not want to, escape. Immense. This is THE GROOVE.
  • rolando303
    27 jan 14
    From '67 until "The Payback," a raging river. Already in '67 with Cold Sweat, he was way ahead. A legend. Funky Drummer is the most sampled track in this world. Do we want to add anything else?
  • imasoulman
    27 jan 14
    uh, the Godfather again... is it Holy Week a bit early? (while we're at it, I continue to recommend listening - also - to "Get on the Good Foot". In the studio, perhaps the definitive endpoint of the Funk Gospel according to the Godfather and his Apostles JB's)
  • hjhhjij
    27 jan 14
    Since '67 only rolà? It seems to me that Live at the Apollo was released in 1963 and recorded in '62 ;) Then, of course, the Funk period is absolutely amazing. Ima: I don't know, I've been feeling a strong urge for Funk during these feverish days. "Get on the Good Foot" I have, his ultimate Funk album (among the ones I've heard, I'm missing some from the '70s). Ah, I'm telling you because you definitely know: the other day I stumbled upon the first album of "Mademoiselle Mabry," which they say is quite hard to find. I left it there due to lack of funds (nobody will give a damn about it anyway). Pretty wild, right?
  • rolando303
    27 jan 14
    Since '67, in my opinion, heavy funky super weight. For that. Always enjoyable since the beginnings, James. Even a couple of gems from H. Hancock, funky as hell.
  • rolando303
    27 jan 14
    Pure Root Down by Jimmy Smith is a knockout.
  • hjhhjij
    27 jan 14
    Yes, yes, I agree, but from the pre-'67 era, that Live is an incredibly high, monstrous peak. Herbie's Funk turn ("Headhunters"...) is extraordinary; he came from a very challenging triad and suddenly he started shaking his butt.
  • imasoulman
    27 jan 14
    the first of Betty "I'm Not a Queen" Davis? Unmissable. If you even found it on vinyl, you're to be excommunicated... ;) just kidding, I have it on CD, mediocre dynamics, but hey, I know the original racked up quite a few greenbacks...
  • hjhhjij
    27 jan 14
    No no, I found it on CD. I've received the message anyway, I will take care of it :)
  • darth agnan
    27 jan 14
    Rolando, do you know back at the chicken shack by J. Smith? I can (more or less) play it on the sax ;)
    Anyway guys, I'm getting emotional seeing so many praises for dear old James. A fucking GOD.
  • rolando303
    27 jan 14
    Yes, Darth, I know that piece (a jazz blues at the end). Well done! Do you have a tenor? Great, Smith.
    James was a great (despite the ankle boots).
  • darth agnan
    27 jan 14
    No, I play the alto sax... but my teacher still gave me the sheet music and I'm trying it anyway, even though logically it sounds better with the tenor. Pieces with the alto sax that I can play are "Alligator Boogaloo" by Donaldson (another bluesy number) and "Pass the Peas" by the JB's, I don't know if you know them!
  • rolando303
    28 jan 14
    What nice pieces! Congratulations. I really like Pass!!
Janis Joplin: Pearl
CD Audio I have it ★★★★★
And in the end, the Masterpiece.
A pure, extraordinary emotional hurricane. If I had to choose just one album by Janis Joplin, I would pick this one; it’s my favorite. Out of 8 songs, at least 7 are among the essential masterpieces of her career, including gems like "Try," "Maybe," "As Good as You've Been to This World," "Work Me Lord," "Little Girl Blue," and the astonishing version of "To Love Somebody" by the Bee Gees, completely transformed and tailored to her. Wherever you turn, there’s always an incredible piece.
  • Matteo95
    2 aug 19
    I think that "Little Girl Blue" is one of the most beautiful soul blues ballads in the history of music. Janis would have kicked a lot of asses. It’s just a shame that she couldn’t continue to influence future generations with more music, due to her death at only 27. When they say "a voice from the soul," I think of hers. An amazing album. A Must Have.
Jean-Luc Ponty: Aurora
CD Audio I have it
Jeff Buckley: Grace
CD Audio I have it
I listened to it again a few times these days; it had been a while since I last did. Well, it’s still a great album with some beautiful songs, some real gems (“Dream Brother” above all) and excellent interpretations of the covers. The voice, well, Jeff Buckley had one of the most beautiful voices in "rock,” leaving aside the extraterrestrial father, of course. Very beautiful, a classic from the '90s that Fortunello Buckley (Part II) managed to leave us.
  • Aquarius27
    28 nov 16
    But please, give those 5 stars!!!
  • hjhhjij
    28 nov 16
    No more stars. I prefer that my judgment lies within these few lines; I believe I can make it clearer than with 4 or 5 dots, which frankly I've decided to let go of, they were driving me crazy :-) I would like to remove them from all the albums I've de-collected, but then you'd be flooded with me on every page, and that doesn't seem very nice. I will do it little by little.
  • Mr. Money87
    28 nov 16
    Great record and great voice from Jeff. To be honest, I prefer his vocal timbre to his dad's. His father was a vocal monster, and here I’ve discovered hot water.
  • hjhhjij
    28 nov 16
    For what Tim has done with his voice, there is absolutely no comparison, there never can be, against Jeff. The timbre, however, is a bit of a different matter and depends on personal taste.
  • Mr. Money87
    28 nov 16
    Yes, I completely agree with you! I'm talking about the vocal timbre. For example, Stratos is the singer who has explored the limits of the voice more than anyone else, but I don’t like his timbre. It's a matter of taste...
  • hjhhjij
    28 nov 16
    To me, yes XD But we agree on the concept (ps: I'm not crazy about Mercury's stamp, you know?).
  • bluesboy94
    28 nov 16
    I agree: "Dream Brother" is the most beautiful.
  • hjhhjij
    28 nov 16
    And to me, those atmospheres and that pace remind me a bit of the feverish-psychedelic state of "The End." Am I crazy? Especially since it's the most '60s/'70s track on the album.
  • Aquarius27
    28 nov 16
    But it's like your vote is 0... Well, details! My favorite piece, however, is "Forget Her"... Too bad it was included only later!
  • hjhhjij
    28 nov 16
    No, my vote doesn't exist; my judgment is expressed in the comment :-) I also like the more energetic "Eternal Life" to refute the thesis of "Jeff Buckley whining." This ranged from covers of the MC5 to those of the dirtier and rougher Genesis, MC5 and Genesis... He was great.
  • Aquarius27
    28 nov 16
    Here’s someone who finally mentions "Eternal," I’m crazy about that track too!
Jefferson Airplane: Volunteers
CD Audio I have it ★★★★★
  • jdv666
    3 may 12
    well done! :)
  • hjhhjij
    3 may 12
    Well, Hey Fredrick alone would deserve 6 balls ;)
  • jdv666
    3 may 12
    In my opinion, there isn't a single dull moment in this record, it's perfect from start to finish... even though perhaps my favorites are "Wooden Ships" and "We Can Be Together."
  • hjhhjij
    3 may 12
    In fact, there is no moment of decline; in some ways, I consider it their masterpiece.
Jefferson Airplane: Live at Monterey Festival
CD Audio I have it ★★★★★
Jefferson Airplane: Bark
CD Audio I have it ★★★★
Despite the significant defections, and although the members kept the best for other projects (Blow Against the Empire by the Kantner-Slick duo, the Tuna), this remains a great album. There are some lows, but the overall quality is good.
Jefferson Airplane: After Bathing At Baxter's
CD Audio I have it ★★★★★
Jefferson Airplane: Crown Of Creation
CD Audio I have it ★★★★★
One of the manifestos of California pop-rock music from the late '60s. A sound very much tied to its time, some might say aged not so well, but if you like these sonorities, those of pop, folk, and California acid rock, the Surrealistic Pillow remains one of the most enjoyable and iconic albums from that entire "scene." Smooth and easy to listen to, as it is essentially an album of folk-pop-rock songs with an acid twist, it marks a qualitative leap for the Airplane. Partly because Grace Slick arrives and brings with her the two songs that make the album timeless (one borrowed from her brother-in-law, Darby Slick, a legacy of the Great Society, the other composed directly by her, and it’s a masterpiece, the perfect pop song, lisergic in lyrics and exquisitely crafted from music that draws inspiration from Ravel and Davies’ "Sketches of Spain") and with her voice she finds the balance in a style characterized by almost always communal singing, featuring beautiful interweaving of male and female voices (the Fairport Convention will recall some of this, particularly in certain pieces). Partly because Balin dresses up as an inspired folk singer-songwriter, a folk sound that is veiled and almost unreal, that of his other masterpiece, "Comin' Back to Me." Just as with the other superb lisergic ballad "Today." Friendly participation from Gerardo Garcia, if you please. Kaukonen treats us to two minutes of acoustic virtuosity. In short, a jewel of an album.
  • hjhhjij
    30 sep 20
    The rest is acid guitar pop-rock with peaks like "Plastic Fantastic Lover," "She Has Funny Cars," and "3/5 of a Mile in 10 Seconds" (all featuring the signature or at least co-signature of Balin, highly inspired). Ah, there's still ("My Best Friend") the track from the time in the band of one Alexander Spence, known as "Skip," drummer on their debut album. He doesn't play here, but there's this song written by him. I know that in the English edition of the album there are some songs, evidently recorded earlier, where you can still hear Spence playing with the Jefferson Airplane. For completists, but cool.
  • Kism
    2 oct 20
    Uhm...nice, but my favorite remains "Volunteers"!
  • hjhhjij
    2 oct 20
    True, "Volunteers" is their peak.
Jefferson Starship: Dragon Fly
CD Audio I have it ★★★
Cute and dignified little disc, this debut from the new Jeffersons of Kantner and Grace Slick (actually they were "Starship" already since the masterpiece of 1970). The best things, to be fair, come from the three tracks sung solo by Slick (even though "Hyperdrive" has that awful instrumental part...). I also save "cavalca il tigrotto" and Balin's guest appearance ("Caroline" which could have been shorter). The rest is completely insubstantial.
Jerry Lee Lewis: 18 Greatest Hits
CD Audio I have it ★★★★★
Jethro Tull: A Passion Play
CD Audio I have it ★★★
After 5 mind-blowing albums, the Jethro period begins to slow down; this is Anderson's most ambitious work both in lyrics and in music. While the lyrics are excellent, the album doesn't hold up at all compared to the previous "prog opera" of the Tull, losing all its freshness and, despite having its great moments, comes across as too heavy, boring, and meandering overall. A significant decline compared to the marvelous albums that came before. P.S.: Anderson here dabbles with the sax...
  • March Horses
    8 oct 14
    In the long run, Thick As A Brick has also tired me out, but this is still a negligible album compared to at least 4 or 5 other great albums.
  • hjhhjij
    8 oct 14
    I know that even Thick doesn't drive you crazy, for me it's still a masterpiece; you can really feel the distance between that (and Benefit, and This Was and obviously Stand Up and Aqualung) and this one here.
  • pana
    8 oct 14
    Well, for me this is the best right after Thick... which, by the way, I listened to again today, there's some kind of telepathy going on here on the deb :)
  • hjhhjij
    8 oct 14
    About tastes: however, Thick goes down like a glass of water for me, it’s fresh, ironic, inspired, never boring. This is cool at times, but for long stretches it feels like one of those horrible cough syrups :)
  • RIBALDO
    8 oct 14
    I also really love JT; what do you think about THICK AS A BRICK II, which was recently released? I honestly think it's quite good, actually. Yes, maybe the criticism I can direct is that Ian hasn't modernized at all, but still...
  • hjhhjij
    8 oct 14
    I don't know, I haven't listened to it, I only know the albums up to the early '80s (I don't like them). Obviously, the period '68-'79 is amazing, overall.
  • March Horses
    9 oct 14
    TAAB II is not bad, I agree with Riba.
  • adrmb
    10 jun 18
    But hey, honestly: they recommend the album to me, I come here to read some feedback and you cut my expectations in half, that’s not cool lol
  • hjhhjij
    10 jun 18
    Well, what can I say. It has some very beautiful things (both textually and musically), but the work as a whole, the most ambitious of Anderson's entire career, has always seemed to me like a half-success: a bit of a mess, in short. Then again, there are those who consider it a masterpiece, to each their own. It has always kind of annoyed me; let's just say there are many Tull albums I would listen to again even today, and tomorrow, and the day after, until I’m exhausted. This one, no, that's all.
  • adrmb
    10 jun 18
    Haha, I'll see (after listening to Aqualunq first). My favorite, however, remains Songs from the Wood.
Jethro Tull: Benefit
CD Audio I have it ★★★★
Great album, among all those from the band's best era ('68-'78), it is the most unfairly underrated and least appreciated after their debut. Not a masterpiece like Stand Up, Aqualung, and Thick As A Brick, but it comes close. "For Michael Collins, Jeffrey and Me" remains one of my favorite tracks by the agronomist.
  • ranofornace
    17 jul 13
    It's an unjustly underrated album, with very beautiful folk-prog melodies that mark the end of the first blues period. Perhaps from this moment on, Jethro will take their more peculiar path, and for me, they will be even more skilled and admirable.
Jethro Tull: Songs From The Wood
CD Audio I have it ★★★★★
After the mediocre previous album, in the height of '77, Ian Anderson and his Jethro Tull come out with a true masterpiece; they shift direction once again, emphasizing the electro-acoustic Folk vein of the band and placing it at the center of their compositions. Thus, we find songs with new life, arranged splendidly, once again vibrant, emotional, alive, after the lifeless Too Old... A masterpiece of acoustic British Folk with sublime bursts of electricity. One of their best records.
  • hellraiser
    19 nov 14
    I agree with you, great album and for me the last masterpiece. Since Heavy Horses, they don't say much to me, the '80s begin and it's painful...
  • hjhhjij
    19 nov 14
    I agree on the last masterpiece, but "Heavy Horses" and "Stormwatch" are still great albums for me. Then yes, I listened to some of their albums from 1980 onwards that I didn't like and I moved on from them. I would say they gave enough between '68 and '79, and that's a lot.
  • BARRACUDA BLUE
    19 nov 14
    The Whistler is one of my favorite pieces to come from Anderson’s pen. Another album I've always liked is The Broadsword And The Beast; I don’t mind that '80s restyling at all, and the tracks are very, very beautiful.
  • hjhhjij
    19 nov 14
    I adore "The Whistler" (which, in the introduction, reminds me of the sounds of "Entangled" by Genesis, which is a plus) it’s a fantastic, incredibly fun piece. Anyway, this is a perfect album, all 9 tracks are excellent, and my favorite varies from listen to listen.
Jethro Tull: Thick As A Brick
CD Audio I have it ★★★★★
Someone here may not agree, I know, but to me, the fifth album by Ian Anderson's band remains a masterpiece and certainly ranks among their best albums, the last at this level before a somewhat less inspired period (though not the absolute last masterpiece, there will be another...). The first of their two truly "Prog" albums but unlike the subsequent one, fresh and entertaining in both halves. Complex lyrics, somewhat obscure but excellent, with Anderson really at his peak.
  • ZannaB
    3 oct 14
    Actually, Hj, I remember that many consider it a masterpiece like you. I’m a bit less convinced, although I acknowledge the merits of the great Ian, but progressive music annoys me, so I’m not a valid reference.
  • hjhhjij
    3 oct 14
    Aside from you, mine was a good-natured jab at March Horses, in case he ever happens to pass by here :)
  • hellraiser
    3 oct 14
    Absolutely agree, I personally find it magnificent, much better than the next two..
  • CristianoDA
    3 oct 14
    beautiful, a bit redundant but one of the best works
  • pana
    3 oct 14
    For me, it's their best :)
Jethro Tull: This Was
CD Audio I have it ★★★★★
"My Sunday Feeling" "Beggars Farm" "A Song for Jeffrey" "Serenade to a Cuckoo"... An exceptional debut that undoubtedly remains among their best albums. An original and highly personal Blues-Rock, dominated in many tracks by Anderson's flute, a decidedly atypical instrument in the Blues realm. After this album, it would no longer be Blues-Rock but only the fantastic hybrid that is the music of Jethro Tull. Excellent Abrahams on guitar, in his first and last work with the Tull.
Jethro Tull: War Child
CD Audio I have it ★★★
The Jethro, after the prog hangover of the previous biennium, return to song form but the results don't improve much after the disappointing "Passion Play"; Anderson's period remains unimpressive. Oh, the album isn't bad, but it's rather insubstantial and not very engaging, the tracks just aren't that great. I like "Back Door Angel" and the two songs that are pop versions closer to the "old" Tull, "Skating Away" and that "Bungle in the Jungle," which isn't anything special but has stuck in my ears.
  • proggen_ait94
    13 oct 14
    I agree, but I assure you that Passion Play just needs many listens: then it keeps getting better.
  • hjhhjij
    13 oct 14
    Damn proggen, I've been listening to him for 4 years, you know :) He doesn't grab me.
  • BARRACUDA BLUE
    13 oct 14
    A Passion Play is wonderful, it was love at first listen, and The Hare who lost His Spectacles remains a delightful British madness from that Hammond-Hammond. His video is fantastic. In War Child, I've always loved the riff of SeaLion.
  • hjhhjij
    13 oct 14
    Guys, you might be right about "A Passion Play," but for me, the album as a whole doesn't really blow my mind, sorry.
Jethro Tull: Minstrel In The Gallery
CD Audio I have it ★★★★
Absolutely fantastic album, the 4 should be understood as very abundant. Anderson and company return to being exciting and engaging just like they were up to three years ago, with inspired and convincing tracks and melodies. There are no weak pieces; on the contrary, it’s all excellent stuff, from the splendid initial trio (with the title track first and foremost) to the 16 minutes of excellent and very smooth Baker St. Muse, passing through two acoustic gems like "Requiem" and "One White Duck." For me, it’s beautiful and very close to a 5.
  • Dragonstar
    29 oct 14
    How can I disagree with you! My absolute favorite progressive rock band, and this album is undoubtedly one of their milestones. Great recommendation!
Jethro Tull: Stand Up
CD Audio I have it ★★★★★
Less than 5 is impossible for me for this album; a perfect work, excellent in the "ballad" moments, simply irresistible and uncontrollable in the numerous fast parts. Anderson and his flute are orgasmic, but shall we talk about Barre's solo on "We Used to Know"? Rock, Blues, Hard-Blues and even a bit of "British" Folk. Masterpiece.
Jethro Tull: Aqualung
CD Audio I have it ★★★★★
I would like to write something, but after listening to it again, I can only say that words are useless: masterpiece.
  • hellraiser
    26 sep 14
    This is the classic album that comments on itself, one that is rarely remembered because it's so famous, and sometimes taken for granted, but it's a record that every time I listen to it, it always leaves something inside me, no weak moments, with "Stand Up" and "Minstrel In The Gallery" being my absolute favorites...
  • hjhhjij
    26 sep 14
    Absolutely right. "Minstrel in the Gallery" is another beautiful album, but for me the only one from the "middle period" of the Tulls in the '70s, I prefer the '77-'79 phase at this point.
The official live album of Jethro (Tool) from the '70s. A great live performance (though not a masterpiece, in my opinion). It takes a while to get going, but from "Jack in the Green" onwards, it's increasingly fun. The trimmed version of "Thick as a Brick" is still very nice (rightly so, more functional for a live performance), and I really enjoy the renditions of "Hunting Girl" (may the forest god bless "Songs From the Wood") and "Locomotive Breath," in particular, but there are other excellent tracks as well. Cool live show, but not my favorite among those I've listened to by Tool... erm, Tull, sorry.
If "Minstrel in the Gallery" had brought them back to levels only slightly lower than the glories of the first 5 years, with this album the Tull hit the lowest point of their career in the '70s, for me their only mediocre album of that decade. Flabby, no memorable songs, boring, tired. I only fondly remember the title track and "Big Dipper," but it’s too little to save it. How Anderson managed just a year later to come out with an amazing album like "Songs From the Wood," only he knows.
  • macaco
    5 nov 14
    I didn't buy it for nothing at a very low price. Trash!
I might be wrong, but for me, an album like this does not stray far from the most beautiful things Capaldi has done with the Traffic band on the GRA. In fact, it comes across as fresher, inspired, and more passionate than the recent, albeit valid, works by Traffic released in those same years. Accompanied by an excellent backing band and supported by all his companions in Traffic, scattered here and there throughout the various tracks, Jim proves once again to be more inspired than ever. All the songs are gems, but three in particular are fabulous: "Don't Be a Hero" (which reminds me of feelings akin to "Epitaph," featuring the beautiful guitar solo by Dave Mason and a chilling performance by Jim), "How Much Can a Man Really Take" (with Wood's flair on the flute and the golden years' Kossoff shining through in the finale), and his personal, immense, pulsating, and moving interpretation of "Oh How We Danced," the album's only cover.
Jim Jarmusch: Taxisti di Notte
DVD Video I have it ★★★★
First film by Jarmusch from the '90s (before the masterpiece "Dead Man"), 5 stories for 5 cities, beautifully narrated by this great director. A very nice film, it doesn't bore, flows wonderfully, shot and acted excellently (perhaps the best Winona ever). Jarmusch had done better (Daubailò) and will do better (the already mentioned "Dead Man"), but this is also a beautiful film, standing out wonderfully in his filmography. Among other things, it's the first of his films I saw.
Joel & Ethan Coen: Fargo
DVD Video I have it ★★★★★
Joel & Ethan Coen: Arizona Junior
DVD Video I have it ★★★★
Joel & Ethan Coen: L'Uomo che non c'era
DVD Video I have it ★★★★★
Joel & Ethan Coen: Crocevia della Morte
DVD Video I have it ★★★★★
Joel & Ethan Coen: Barton Fink
DVD Video I have it ★★★★
Joel & Ethan Coen: Il Grande Lebowski
DVD Video I have it ★★★★★
joel schumacher: number 23
DVD Video I have it ★★★
A quite convincing thriller, by the way I believe it's one of Schumacher's best works, who is otherwise truly mediocre. Carrey is very, very good, as always in dramatic roles, the film has several weak points, but overall I enjoyed it (despite having caught on to the twist long before it was revealed). 6.5
If the first, with all its flaws, is a cornerstone of the horror genre, this is just a bland sequel, directed by John Boorman, who gifted us with a horror gem like Deliverance (1972), and from which one would reasonably expect something more. The flashbacks set in Africa, featuring Von Sydow, are very beautiful, but everything else is truly terrible. A mediocre film (except for the aforementioned scenes). 5
John Cale: Helen Of Troy
CD Audio I have it ★★★★
Great album, with several tracks that are truly very, very beautiful. The third from Cale features the good Brian Eno on synths (this time without his buddy Manzanera on guitar), along with another fine ingredient on drums: Phil Collins. Cale has done better, but this one is no joke either.