Bob Geldof - The Happy Club (1993)

Not that I was really interested in Bob Geldof and his music, but I saw this CD in the library and I just needed to stretch out my hand - why not! Robert Frederic Zenon Geldof is an Irish musician and political activist. As far as I remember I heard his name for the first time in connection with the Live 8 concerts. His charity effort picks up both both praise and criticism, but that's life, it is hard to make everyone happy.

The Happy Club is Bob Geldof's third solo album, released in 1993. I won't say it is impressive but it's not bad either, and it's a kind of interesting. My favories are The Soft Soil, A Hole To Fill, and The Song Of The Emerging Nationalist. I'll keep listening and I'll come back to this post if I have something more to say.

Radiohead - In Rainbows (2007)

Before the release of In Rainbows, all I used to know about Radiohead were two of their most famous songs - Creep and Karma Police. Honestly, I didn't even know the titles of these two songs. One day however, I was listening to the online radio ZRock and the program was dedicated to the new album by Radiohead. It sounded quite weird, but intriguing at the same time. I got the album and I think it is one of the best in my music library.

Radiohead is an English alternative band from 1985. The frontman Thom Yorke is acclaimed as one of the greatest and most influential singers ever. In Rainbows was released in quite an unusual way by the band - they made it available online for a download, and the customers could choose the price they want to pay (including 0).

I really love In Rainbows, it is very touching and sometimes tracks like Reckoner even make me feel sad. I wouldn't say that any song is better than the others, they all peculiar but somehow they fit together perfectly. This album should be listened from beginning to end, including the bonus disk (containing 8 tracks).

Bob Dylan - Street Legal (1978)

I just discovered Bob Dylan! Better late than never, people say. His real name is Robert Allen Zimmerman and he is an American artist performing with guitar, keyboard, and harmonica. Bob Dylan's discography lists countless number of studio albums, live albums, singles etc. He is just a legend in the popular music and I'm gonna consider seriously his work.

Street Legal was my random choice at the library a few weeks ago. The 18th studio album by Bob Dylan is very pleasant and easy to listen, and brings me really lovely emotions. I find it more moving on the headphones than on the stereo, but probably on a good stereo in the right environment it will be equally enjoyable. 

Señor (Tales Of Yankee Power) is maybe my favorite track. The opener, Changing Of The Guards, is quite heartwarming, New Pony is a slow rocker, and No Time To Think is catchy but it could've been shorter. The rest of the songs are all just really good.

That's it for now. I'm really excited about Bob Dylan's works and I'm happy that I reached out for Street Legal the other day.

U2 - How To Dismantle an Atomic Bomb (2004)

U2 is an Irish rock band formed in 1976, which remained intact with the original band members - Bono (real name Paul Hewson) (vocals, guitar, harmonica), The Edge (real name David Evans) (guitar, keyboards, backing vocals), Adam Clayton (bass) and Larry Mullen, Jr. (drums, percussion). Their success is out of discussion with over 150 million records sold and 22 Grammy Awards.

How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb is the eleventh (out of twelve) studio album of U2. I start my U2 posting with it, just because it is the first one I have listened from beginning to end. 

I won't really make comments at this point, before exploring carefully other U2 albums. It's enough to say that the record is good, it has the peculiar U2 style, and it sounds quite refined. Besides the single Vertigo I like City Of Blinding Lights, All Because Of You and Original Of The Species, but the entire album is listenable and enjoyable.

How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb is available on Spotify!

Since I love the live performance of U2 I can't help myself for embedding this one:

Temple Of The Dog - Temple Of The Dog (1991)

Temple Of The Dog is a Seattle rock band formed as a tribute Andrew Wood (1966-1990). He was an American rock singer and bassist who died 24 years old of a heroin overdose. After his death his roommate and friend Chris Cornell initiated the band together with future Perl Jam members.

The reason I got to this album is my enthusiasm about Chris Cornell, and particularly his work with Audioslave. I was taken with his remarkable voice and after some googling I found out among the other stuff, his one-album project Temple Of The Dog.

Chris Cornell alone wrote the first two songs, Say Hello 2 Heaven and Reach Down, when he went touring in Europe after Wood's death. Later on, he and some of Wood's former bandmates  decided to form a band, and they recorded the album in 15 days.

The album is melodic, slow, and sounds emotional, but it still rocks. Lots of nice guitars together with Chris Cornell's sterling vocals... that's Temple Of The Dog. Don't miss it! Apart from the above mentioned singles, Pushin' Forward Back and Call Me A Dog are one of the best tracks, in my opinion.

The album is freely available on Spotify!

Dio - Holy Diver (1983)

The mighty Ronnie James Dio is dead, what a sad news! Rest In Peace Ronnie, you were wonderful and we'll always remember you.

He passed away yesterday, May 16 2010, of stomach cancer. Ronnie took part is several rock bands -  Elf, Rainbow, Black Sabbath, Heaven & Hell, and Dio. Thanks to his Italian grandmother he "invented" and popularized the famous sign of the horns in heavy metal. The powerful magnificent voice of Ronnie James is something that nobody can take away from us, and it'll never be forgotten.

Writing this, I am listening to the debut album Holy Diver (1983) by Ronnie's own band, Dio. Excellent classic heavy metal CD, where the peculiar voice of Ronnie James reveals itself in a fantastic manner. Holy Diver and Rainbow In The Dark are killer hits that probably everyone have heard. Another favorite is Don't Talk To Strangers, but the whole album is quite enjoyable. 

Holy Diver on Spotify

Jamiroquai - Emergency On Planet Earth (1993)

Jamiroquai is actually a band. I just want to make it clear for everyone that never bothered to check Wikipedia and thought this is the name of the sneaky guy that sings and makes freaky moves. The guy is Jay Kay, his real name is Jason Cheetham, he's British, and he's got a Grammy Award. I disliked him when I was younger but things change, luckily.

Nowadays I do not only like his music but I sympathize his passion for fast cars and motorcycles. Jay Kay is currently the fastest man on the BBC show Top Gear. He made the lap in 1:45.81 in Chevrolet Lacetti. With the previous "Reasonably-Priced Car", Suzuki Liana, he was down on 12th place with time 1:48.0.

Emergency On Planet Earth is Jamiroquai's debut album, released in 1993. Even though acid-jazz music is not the one that brings me real pleasure, it sounds cool and it's good for any occasion. And this album is surprisingly consistent and complete for a debut. Nothing extraordinary but just good.

Here is the Spotify link.

In Flames - A Sense Of Purpose (2008)

Another Swedish rock band - In Flames, formed in Göteborg, 1990. Their style is broadly featured as melodic death metal, which I think is not the case with their ninth studio album A Sense Of Purpose. This is melodic and it is metal but alternative, rather than death.

It sounds really good and consistent. Obviously, In Flames have started with melodic death metal (as many other self-respecting scandinavian rock bands) and somewhere on the way they moved away. Which is a good thing (I like changes), but I am curious to hear their early work.

Fast and solid drum sections attract my attention in this album. The vocals remind me of some Nu Metal band, but right now I cannot figure out which one. 

I should give credits to Solna Stadsbibliotek, where I got this CD from. The album is freely available on Spotify. 

Iron Maiden - Iron Maiden (1980)

Iron Maiden is certainly one of the most significant heavy metal bands. They were formed by Steve Harris in East London. Iron Maiden's mascot is called Eddie (right), and apparently he brought them some criticism to be Satanists. Eddie's full name is by the way Eddie the 'Edd or Edward The Head, or even Edward The Great.

The band was initiated in 1975, and the first studio album, the self-titled Iron Maiden, came in 1980. I haven't yet been on Iron Maiden concert unfortunately, but I can see that some of the songs from this album are present in the set lists of almost all their stage performances - these are Running Free, Phantom Of The Opera, Iron Maiden and Sanctuary. 

I think Phantom Of The Opera is exceptionally good one, also Transylvania, Remember Tomorrow and Charlotte The Harlot. Charlotte is a fictional prostitute who is mentioned in several other songs.

It is quite strange fact that many Iron Maiden fans tend to overlook the band's first albums. I personally find them really good and they are among favorites.

Iron Maiden on Spotify.

The Doors - Waiting For The Sun (1968)

The Doors was the most hated band in my life. Ten years ago most of my friends used to adore this band and couldn't stand it. On every party, the moment they (my friends) started playing Doors was a nightmare for me. These strong negative feelings started to fade away with the years and now I it seems I'm ready to give The legendary Doors a chance.

My friend Pesh, whom I consider as a Doors expert, said Waiting For The Sun is not the best choice to start with. Nevertheless, since I happened to find this album in the library (Solna Stadsbibliotek) I start from it.

The opener Hello, I Love You is catchy but not really my favorite kind of song. Love Street and Not To Touch The Earth are a bit better. I like Summer's Almost Gone, Wintertime Love, and The Unknown Soldier. I wonder what the spanish guitar is doing in the beginning of Spanish Caravan, but the track is not bad. I cannot bear My Wild Love I, I never liked such kind of songs and I tend to doubt that I'll ever do. We Could Be Together and Yes, The River Knows, and Five To One are good.

There is something weird with this music. It doesn't really sound enjoyable to me but at the same time it is quite catchy. I still need to force myself to listen to it.

I've heard the album a couple of times and I'll continue trying, hoping that it will come.

Nirvana - Bleach (1989)

It's time for Seattle grunge, another favorite rock line for me. Nirvana was formed in 1987 by Kurt Cobain (vocals and guitars) and Krist Novoselic (bass).

Even though Nirvana's big success came with Nevermind (1991), their debut album Bleach is, as a matter of fact quite good. I appreciate every single track from Bleach, without exceptions. I knew the most famous Nirvana songs from a long time ago but never bothered to hear full album. Bleach surprised me in a very good way when I first played it, I simply didn't expect something so enjoyable. 

Highly recommended CD.

kent - Tillbaka Till Samtiden (2007)

kent is a Swedish rock band formed in 1990 in Eskilstuna, about 110 km west from Stockholm. They are quite popular in Sweden, with 20 Grammis Awards (the Swedish equivalent of the Grammy Awards) and over a million records sold, but are barely known outside Scandinavia. I guess the main reason is that they sing in Swedish only.

The first kent album I heard is titled Tillbaka Till Samtiden, which is supposed to mean Back To The Present. Its their seventh studio album released in 2007. Very good and pleasant to listen album, in my opinion.

Those disco beats that I hear in most of the tracks are a typical Swedish feature, their understanding for entertainment is strongly coupled with the disco music. Exceptions are Vid Din Sida, Colombus, Sömnen, LSD, Någon?.

Spotify link.