I occasionally have to take a break from reviewing new music. While I wait another week for the new Wilco album and try to figure out that Sunn O album I bought (I'll discuss that in a few days), check out one of these American landmarks I've been listening to:
Grateful Dead American Beauty - If you are part of my generation, you probably only know this band for their 30 minute jams and the excessive drug use of their fans. Did you know they created albums of brilliant 4-minute roots-Americana tunes? This is their best: "Box Of Rain" has an amazing chorus that will be stuck in your head for days, and "Friend Of The Devil" is what Hank Williams probably wanted country to sound like. "Ripple" is one of the greatest country-gospel tracks ever recorded. There is no other word for it - this album is perfect.
Lynyrd Skynyrd's (Pronounced 'Len-'Nerd 'Sky-'Nerd) - Yes, it is the worst album title ever. If you've ever listened to classic rock radio, you've probably heard all of the 8 tracks here, and "Simple Man" and "Tuesday's Gone" have probably made you sing along and/or cry when you were drunk at some point. Oh yeah, did I mention "Free Bird"? If you ever have a bad break-up, just play that song and you will forget your ex three minutes into the guitar solo. Country rock was never better than this and never will be.
The Band's The Band - Talk about a one of a kind band - a group of mostly Canadians who were each ridiculously talented at every instrument, all wrote songs, and all sang. Good God. And they wrote songs about labor unions and the Civil War - not particularly popular topics in 60s music (or ever). Every track on this record is memorable and distinctive: "The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down" is a beautifully melodic history lesson, "Rag Momma Rag" is barroom dance music from a Western, and "King Harvest (Has Surely Come)" even ventures into funk. The world needs another band like this.
Enjoy!
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