Song of the Week #312

This week the World Wide Woozle is coming to you live and not so exclusive from Surfers Paradise.  It's a paradise if you like rain. Foolishly I thought I could get all this done on the iPad without trialling it at home. Bear with me.

H sent me a link to an article about whether or not albums are dead. The upshot of that quick read was that the jury is out. In my opinion singles and compilation albums are a quick fix, a sugar hit, something without any lasting effect. Albums are something to immerse yourself in and to give time to grow. Singles and compiles are the equivalent of 20/20 cricket. The crowd loves it, TV adores it and people have a good time. But, the players (musicians) tolerate it and it has no real credibility or lasting effect. Singles are for the jukebox and maybe your workout iPod playlist but albums have substance. Well that's my opinion.

What I'll do this week is play 5 tracks from albums that I think are worthy of your listening time...start to finish, over and over. By the way, these don't have to be thematic long players rather a solid group of cohesive tracks.

First is Queensrÿche's "Operation : Mindcrime". This one does have a story all the way but other than that it is musically and lyrically strong and frankly it sounds great. Metal's magnum opus?

Queensrÿche' - I don't believe in love - http://youtu.be/2c3g6tTYoxM

Staying with harder rock I really can't go past Ozzy's "Blizzard of Ozz". The full review I mentioned last week is still coming but the LP has fantastic guitar work and Ozzy singing up an energetic storm. No filler on this one.

Ozzy Osbourne - Steal Away The Night - http://youtu.be/4PdcW8jadCU

Jason Isbell is my new favourite songwriter. You may have noticed. His recent album "Southeastern" has catchy tunes with unexpectedly deep lyrical content and, my favourite, tasty guitars! The album works really well from front to back and I never want to skip a track or to press stop! It's one I'll be getting on vinyl.

Jason Isbell - Flying Over Water - http://youtu.be/hsa_Fwn2xJA

This may shock you if you're new to my ramblings but I'm a Kylie fan. Her "Impossible Princess" album sealed it for me. Sure she has some very, very catchy tunes but this record with its rock and pop sensibilities is a real treat.

Kylie - Some Kind Of Bliss -  http://youtu.be/tuB9RRSja9o

Finally something a little older.  The artists originally known as Tom and Jerry had some great LPs but this one, which my parents had and I taped more than once, is brilliant. The voices, the clarity of sound and yeah, the songs. "Sounds of Silence" was their second LP.

Simon and Garfunkel  - I Am A Rock - http://youtu.be/My9I8q-iJCI

Sorry this is a bit brief. Next time I'll use a real keyboard. D'oh!

DJ Rob

"...another gig my ears bleed..."  - Motörhead - We Are The Road Crew - http://youtu.be/H71VEV1c_XE