Jeroen's Micro Blog

The fifty-second album: #52 The Beach Boys - The Beach Boys Today

Despite trying to abandon the surf pop with this album, the Beach Boys still lead off with some light songs. It's not a bad thing, setting up a pleasant, happy sound. The complicated vocals set it apart, sounding more complex than other bands, and harmonising nicely in a way I'm not that used to hearing. It's so much more sophisticated and developed than other songs.

The second of the half moves from the upbeat and happy songs to slower ballads. It doesn't go completely dark, but gets sadder for sure. It still has the technical qualities from the other songs, maybe not as lyrically impressive, but harmonising so nicely it sounds really good throughout.

Having an interview at the end is interesting, but on the whole, quite meaningless for me.

The fourty-eighth TV show: #584 My Family

There are a lot of comedies that, essentially, revolve around the family. Roseanne and King of the Hill, for example, draw a lot on it. My Family draws on similar roots, in a wealthier family (read: more conventional TV family) that feels a bit more like the standard comedy family. Here the family has older children (starting at 12-18 years old, I think, and growing up as the season goes on) and the general tenor is one of parents who hate their children and would rather be on their own. It somehow feels incredibly rote and predictable early on, and it's not something the serie tries to avoid.

In the early seasons, it's the kids that stand out. Being older, they can talk back more, and in particular Kris Marshall sticks out. He's the happy, optimistic one in the group, and his silliness really brightens his storylines, especially where he can also inject some more emotion into it. It makes him feel like a more realised character. Daniela Denby-Ashe, playing their daughter Janey, mostly pulls off the same, while Gabriel Thomson had to grow in front of the cameras. Early on he still managed to pull off quite a bit, but it's not as easy.

Robert Lindsay and Zoe Wanamaker clearly have comedic chops and pull off a lot, but the writing hems them in a lot and doesn't allow them to grow and develop as character. While the others go through things that change them, I feel the two of them just play the same stereotypes (type A housewife, put upon annoyed father) who, fatally, don't get many chances to show affection towards their children or each other. While it's often said they made a mistake, them staying together feels more like a drama than a comedy.

The main flaw seems to be the repetitive, unnuanced writing that doesn't give anyone a large chance to go anywhere. That might have been fine in the past, but now it seems dated and just doesn't work as well in a show. If it had ended earlier, it would have been amazing, but watching later seasons, it doesn't work as well.

The two hundred and fifty-eighth song: Say It Loud–I’m Black and I’m Proud - James Brown

While not just a funky song, this is a song that also attempts to address issues in a time when civil rights were still and racism was rife. It works as good, contemporary 'anthem'. Not a protest song, but more an affirmation. There's places where it gets repetitive, but that's what sets the right tone to whip people up.

The two hundred and fifty-ninth song: Hard to Handle - Otis Redding

I just listened to an album of his, so it's good to hear a slightly later work. Released posthumously, this doesn't indicate anything about that - it's full of life, catchy and fun. Head bobbing good, really. It's more up tempo than he normally would, but it excites more and shows a range that's fun to listen to.

The two hundred and sixtieth song: A minha menina - Os Mutantes

Watching City of Men, and seeing a Brazilian act coming up for the songs list, made me wonder how it would reflect here. There is an odd mix going on here - we've heard South American bands before, but this introduces the electric guitar from contemporary rock into a more relaxed song, adding an odd note to the combination of sounds that is coming through. It was an experimental stage for them, and you can almost tell that throughout the song, as it mixes bossa nova with rock, the Beatles coming through without quite being referenced in the song.

The two hundred and sixty-first song: Sympathy for the Devil - The Rolling Stones

From Brazilian music with rock influences, we now go to rock with samba influences. It is a familiar sound, one that doesn't go for anything too loud, and has a fairly friendly, up beat melody. That, of course, contrasts with the lyrics about the devil's deeds. It becomes fairly hypnotic, and good to listen to - maybe not the best song, but so enjoyable.

The two hundred and sixty-second song: Pressure Drop - Toots & The Maytals

Reggae doesn't necessarily work for me, although this example sounds better than others in the genre. It's a bit faster, a bit more of a full sound, but at the same time, the core doesn't deviate enough from what I hear elsewhere, and it still doesn't appeal to me.

The two hundred and sixty-third song: Cyprus Avenue - Van Morrison

Cyprus Avenue starts slow and ramps up slowly, not necessarily by much. It's wistful and longing at first, and some of that goes, but it still inspires you to mentally visit another place. It's a longer journey, not one I might necessarily always have felt on board of, but flows through okay. I can see how it would work better life, when the full emotion is there, as here it never quite takes me far enough on that journey.

The two hundred and sixty-fourth song: Hey Jude - The Beatles

With how weird the later work of the Beatles get, it's good that we end their presence on this list with a more conventional song. It's a sweet, simple song, set up to make you feel better. It slowly builds its instruments and sound. In that sense, the first four minutes or so sound good and encouraging. At that point, the long fade out has begun, unrelated as much to the original, and more playing around with the music. That doesn't add as much to it, and it feels like the original part would have been amazing and touching on its own. The fade out makes the song memorable, but it feels a bit unnecessary. It's still good though - and the more you listen to it, the more it makes sense, showing how repetition can work well in context. It was the first half that really got to me though.

The two hundred and sixty-fifth song: Voodoo Child (Slight Return) - The Jimi Hendrix Experience

Jimi Hendrix's sound feels completely different in this era. It's raw and dark, his vocals drowned out by loud guitars. It makes his lyrics sound distant and mysterious, giving an inviting disconnect. And in the end, the guitars sound amazing, and that's what he was best at. Let that pull you away.

The two hundred and sixty-sixth song: The Pusher - Steppenwolf

We're getting this song from Steppenwolf, rather than the more famous Born to be Wild. I can't say I disagree with the choice, as the message in the song, matched to the music, makes for a more interesting experience and a more interesting whole. It's dark and angry, mostly accompanied by a bass riff with the guitar coming in occasionally to emphasize. The lyrics dominate in between in what feels like a stripped down, powerful combination.

The two hundred and sixty-seventh song: The Weight - The Band

I've mentioned before that country isn't quite my genre. This country rock song, however, does show it's not absolute (but that rock always does good for me). It's not a loud song as before, a gentler song with a piano featuring well but still having the swing rock provides. It's a pleasant chorus as well, and it just relaxes me nicely.

The two hundred and sixty-eighth song: Days - The Kinks

Smaller and sweeter than the more famous You Really Got Me, this is a more wistful, dreamier song thinking back to the good times. Where other songs have done it, here it's still rockier, perhaps closer to what we're used to from the Beach Boys and the like (although less produced). It's incredibly well written, and pleasant to listen to because of that.

The twenty-first classical recording: #11 Nicolas Gombert - Motets

I'm not sure I'm proficient enough to distinguish one set of motets from another. Here, while the polyphonic motets sound nice, they quickly blended with the others I've heard. There's no statement, no intent, and no story, as I've heard in others. It doesn't bring you further and doesn't elevate you. While the technique is impressive, the soul that I normally feel in these isn't really there.

The fifty-first album: #51 Otis Redding - Otis Blue: Otis Redding Sings Soul

From the blues tradition, we go deeper into soul. The songs feel slower and, as covers, it's clear he's putting his own stamp on these songs. On the whole, that means a focus on the vocals, slower and more deliberate. It sounds good, but I do sometimes wish there was a bit more to it. It's good background music, something that's present but not overwhelming, but it's not something to exclusively pay attention to - it just doesn't deliver enough to make that worth it for me.

The fiftieth album: #50 Bob Dylan - Bringing It All Back Home

Bob Dylan is back, and still sounds the same. While the lyrics are still equally meaningful, it feels like the music for this album is more complex and innovative, introducing more interesting elements than we heard in the first album. It's a bit more special, which makes it more interesting to listen to. The lyrics explore some different topics as well, reading up on them, making them more complex, although that's not always as clear.

It means that the longer songs towards the back of the album feel more interesting. I feel this isn't necessarily always the case, but here there's more variation in the songs so that six to seven minutes don't feel as long.

The fourty-seventh TV show: #661 Nip/Tuck

That was an interesting show for me to watch. I don't deal with blood well, and most medical dramas get to me. A show where we see everything of cosmetic surgery, then, is at times unpleasant for me to wath, and I admit that for part of it, I had my hand in front of my eyes so I wouldn't need to see what was going on.

What keeps you going is how much of a compelling drama this is. I thought it'd be fairly case of the day at the start, but that becomes less relevant as time goes on. It's a good thing - while they are used to address some social problems and had some preachy moments, they can also impede the continuing story.

And that's the thing. They've created some compelling, complex characters that you can empathise with on more levels than you expect. There are also plenty of times where they are reprehensible, but you feel that way about all of them. No one is really right. They have been some really compelling stories... and it's a shame that the gore is the main reason I'm happy to leave this behind regardless.

The fourty-ninth album: #49 The Sonics - Here Are the Sonics

For some reason, I thought the Sonics were one of those girl groups that were prevalent around this time, a strong female lead singer with backup. I was wrong, we're listening to rock instead. Quite a different sound.

The Witch, the first song, starts off sounding vaguely Beatles-like, but a few seconds in shifts. The vocals change a lot of this, sounding aggressive and strained (closer to other shoutier rock bands), while the sound is odd in how non-fluid it is. It's proto punk for sure. Do You Love Me becomes a more traditional smooth song, a weird contrast in between the two. It's fairly conventional, one of those covers that seemed needed for bands of this time, evne if it seems unnecessary. As always, the covers are fine but not exceptional, performed well and showing the skill the Sonics have. It also feels like they were enjoying this plenty - they're not just there because they have to be, as the early Beatles covers sounded.

But as always, their own songs is where they shine. The Witch, as mentioned earlier, is a good statement of their style, while Psycho is slightly more normal while still being loud. It's where their sounds really comes out, and it's one I enjoy.

The fourty-eighth album: #48 Jerry Lee Lewis - Live at the Star Club, Hamburg

As I've said before, live albums always have a different energy from studio album, and unlike James Brown, this makes full use of that. The crowd is excited and Lewis' loud music and style matches it perfectly.

Great Balls of Fire is still one of the center pieces of the performance, but it's surrounded by rock adaptations of blues songs and straight up rock songs. It's all wild, any sloppiness part of the song as it's being performed. It's high energy and works to wake you up. It made me happy to listen to.

The thirtieth book: #30 Clarissa - Samuel Richardson

If you wondered why it's been a while since I covered a book (but why would you) this is the reason: I was reading the longest book in the English language.

It hasn't been smooth sailing. To be able to get myself through, I split my reading into two parts. The morning commute was for Clarissa. The afternoon was for comics or another diversion. A bit cheap, but it worked.

As I said before, epistolaries aren't my thing, and as the book that follows up on Pamela - not as the character, but as Samuel Richardson further developing his style and writing a book from a similar foundation, but taking a different twist. While Clarissa is still an idealised character - everyone has only praise for her, only those who are against her don't (but only once they're made out to be bad people). On the whole, it's still a bit much, but it's not as far over the top as Pamela was.

Switching between viewpoints helped a lot here, with letters from many people in the narrative, though mostly focused on Clarissa, her friend Miss Howe, her lover/antagonist Lovelace and his friend/later Clarissa's friend Bedford. It creates a lot more variation, although some writers get boring in the way they expound on things.

And that's where it falls down for me, really. This book could have used an editor, to remove some of the repetition and some of the explanations that don't go anywhere. While they set the tone, in a book of this length it can feel more like filler and it loses my attention. It's unfortunate, but it was a bit too much a bit too often.