Tuesday, April 5, 2011

"1-Sided"/Diamonds in the rough

Continuing this ongoing analysis of progressive rock, here's 2 posts 4 the price of 1....

The "1-sided album" effect seems fairly common in prog -- that being the effect when 1 side of an album is clearly brilliantly planned, composed & performed, whereas the other side seems more like plunging off a cliff.
My favorite Xample of this is Camel's THE SINGLE FACTOR (1982) -- which I 1st discovered a cassette of in that same San Antonio, Texas, Target store in 1983 where I stumbled over that series of Italian best-of "Storia E Musica" cassettes I wrote about awhile back.
Like sevral other prog albums I'm about 2 list, Side 2 of THE SINGLE FACTOR seemed among the best, most consistent, most rockin' & ear-grabbing work I'd ever heard by Camel. But the 1st side seemed as if it were done by a completely diffrent band -- tired, schlogging, lethargic, lifeless. Going thru the motions. Contractual Obligation.
It wasn't 'til I found a vinyl copy of the album years later & got a look at the inner sleeve that I learned about summa the stress behind the making of the album: The fact that drummer Andy Ward had left, that British Decca had applied some pressure 2 get the album done, & that guitarist/leader Andy Latimer completed the album with help from members of the Alan Parsons Project & tons of special guests -- like former Genesis guitarist Anthony Phillips, former Sky & Curved Air keyboardist Francis Monkman, & original Camel keyboard whiz Peter Bardens.
This at least Xplained why some of the album sounded confused & distracted. But it couldn't Xplain how Side 2 came out so solid -- with the classic intertwining melodic guitars of "Sasquatch," the FURIOUS guitar midsection & overall feeling of anger & frustration in "Manic," & the poignant gtr epilogue "End Peace."
But as I looked around & listened more over the years, it seemed 2 me like this "1-sided-ness" happened rather a lot in prog, 4 whatever reason. At least 2 me.
A few other Xamples of albums with 1 outstandingly strong side:
Jethro Tull: MINSTREL IN THE GALLERY (1975), Side 2.
Be-Bop Deluxe: SUNBURST FINISH (1975), Side 1.
Kate Bush: THE KICK INSIDE (1978), Side 1.
Camel: BREATHLESS (1978), Side 1.
Hawkwind: HALL OF THE MOUNTAIN GRILL (1974), Side 2.
Supertramp: EVEN IN THE QUIETEST MOMENTS (1977), Side 2.
Mike Oldfield: TUBULAR BELLS (1973), OMMADAWN (1976), INCANTATIONS (1978), all Side 1.
Gryphon: RAINDANCE (1975), Side 2.
Al Stewart: PAST PRESENT AND FUTURE (1974), Side 2.
Tangerine Dream: ENCORE/LIVE (1977), Side 3.
Saga: WORLDS APART (1982), Side 1.
Not sure why this seems 2 happen so often -- or if it only seems that way 2 me. Also curious about why Side 2 of a single album so often seems the stronger of the 2 -- U'd think the artist would wanna put all the best stuff on Side 1 2 grab yer ear right off, yes...?

...Then there's those albums where brilliant bits & pieces R sprinkled thruout, but not all 2gether, not all on 1 side -- albums that U keep just cos the Good Stuff is so damn GOOD. If anything, this sorta thing happens WAY MORE OFTEN than the "1-sided" effect. This is where U havta sift out those diamonds in the rough.
Some Xamples:
Jethro Tull: SONGS FROM THE WOOD (1977). At least 4 great songs, scattered all over....
Manfred Mann's Earth Band: CHANCE (1980). "Stranded" is freaking BRILLIANT, summa the rest is at least "intresting" ... in a robotic, mechanical, then-high-tech sorta way....
Spirit: TWELVE DREAMS OF DOCTOR SARDONICUS (1970). 7 great songs, all clumped at the beginning & the end.
Gentle Giant: FREE HAND (1975). The beginning & the Nd R mush, but there's 5 great songs squoze in the middle.
Barclay James Harvest: GONE TO EARTH (1977). 3 pretty-great songs scattered thruout, but the rest is merely avg....
Gentle Giant: THREE FRIENDS (1972). "Schooldays," "Peel the Paint" & "Mister Class and Quality" R all high-quality Giant. But summa the rest is mush. & it's 2 short....
Caravan: BLIND DOG AT ST. DUNSTAN'S (1976). 2 gorgeous pieces buried at the Nd, a couple above-avg at the Bginning, + a bit of silliness & 1 real dog.
Gentle Giant: OCTOPUS (1973). 3/4 of a solid 1st side, but only the haunting "Think of Me With Kindness" lifts Side 2.
Rare Bird: EPIC FOREST (1972). The title track & "Birdman" R both pretty great. 2 bad there's 7 more dull songs here.
Rush: MOVING PICTURES (1981). "The Camera Eye" is a gorgeous 10-minute mood piece & "Red Barchetta"'s great. 1/2 the rest U've heard 2 much. & there was a reason U never heard the other 2 trax....
Genesis: ...AND THEN THERE WERE THREE... (1978). Well, the more adventurous 1/2 of it's pretty great ("Undertow," "Burning Rope," "Snowbound," "Deep in the Motherlode," "Down and Out," "The Lady Lies"). But the rest gets pretty dull.
Moody Blues: LONG DISTANCE VOYAGER (1981). I love these guys, but they've hardly ever done a side without something U HAVE 2 skip....
Pink Floyd: DARK SIDE OF THE MOON (1973). Maybe what I need's a CD. The 1st track I can listen 2 on Side 1 is "The Great Gig in the Sky." After that, I don't have 2 many problems....
King Crimson: IN THE COURT OF THE CRIMSON KING (1969). Still think there's 2 (pretty great) heavy-Moody-Blues trax & "Schizoid Man." & that's all....
David Sancious & Tone: TRANSFORMATION (THE SPEED OF LOVE) (1976). 2 great, gorgeous pieces. Out of 4. But 1 of 'em takes up a whole side....
Nektar: THRU THE EARS (1977). 2 pretty-great sides. But a lotta filler.
Genesis: WIND AND WUTHERING (1977). 3&1/2 great songs. & speaking of filler....
Camel: I CAN SEE YOUR HOUSE FROM HERE (1979). 3 pretty great songs. & a lot more filler....
ELP: WORKS VOLUME 1 (1977). 3 solid pieces spread over 4 sides....

Not everything can always B a masterpiece -- not every album, not every book, not every post. I understand that. Sometimes U just gotta do the best U can with what U have. But the perfectionist in me would love more consistency....

1 comment:

R S Crabb said...

I think a great example of the One good side album would be Love Da Capo, great side 1, and then we're stuck with Revelation all 16 and half minutes of pointless jamming. And Vanilla Fudge Near The Beginning to which they have a decent side one and then bore the fuck out of us with 23 minutes of Break Song. However, I come to play the whole 17 minutes of Iron Butterfly In Da Gadda Da Vida more than the other songs on side 1.

Prog rock I come to find Jethro Tull's Thick as a brick Part 1 better than part 2 and likewise Nektar Remember The Future. And Coldwater Canyon by Tangerine Dream you're right about the best side long track off the live album although I can listen to first two songs while driving. Spirit, 12 Dreams remains the go to album for me outside of the best of. The rest of the albums are why there's FF button on the cd player. And I think I'm one of the rare few who never owned Dark Side Of The Moon. Most of the highlights are on Echoes and sound just fine but I tend to skip over Great Gig since I'm not much into Clare Torry's vocals. As for Court of the Crimson King, 21st Century Schozoid Man, there's never been a more jarring song to start out a band's career and the final song just as well. Moonchild needed about 9 minute edit. Just my observations ;)