Album Reviews

Big Brother & the Holding Company (1967), Big Brother and the Holding Company – WARNING! This isn't the Cheap Thrills by Janis Joplin feat. Big Brother and the Holding Company that everyone has come to know and love (that's assuming one's not counting I Got Dem Ol' Kozmic Blues Again Mama! or Pearl, because then I'm safe). This is more like Big Brother and the Holding Company feat. Janis Joplin, and Janis Joplin is being treated like that of Nico (i.e. The Velvet Underground & Nico). Oh sure, don't get me wrong, she's a part of a band and being a part of a band means everyone should get a turn singing lead, right? Anyways, that's cool having Miss Joplin score only four songs to sing lead upon; not bad for a lead singer (that's one more than Nico!), but this is no ordinary lead singer, this is Janis motherf-ckin' Joplin. I mean, she is/was kinda known for that. This is acid rock, though I should use that term loosely; however that may change when one questions the connection between a caterpillar, a butterfly, a pterodactyl, or an abominable snowman all having to do with love, and yet it sort of lacks the whole acid feeling, although I’m not saying that I know what that feels like. The studio scrubbed that down and made the band sound tame. Though, given the state that it's in, I would've arranged it to have "Bye, Bye Baby" to the closer. ("Bye, Bye Baby," "Women Is Losers," and "Call on Me") B

Cosmo's Factory (1970), Creedence Clearwater Revival – Can't really turn a corner without hearing a hit on this album. Sixty-four percent of music will later appear on Chronicle, Vol. 1, making up thirty-five percent of that album. Aren't percentages fun? This album has everything; there's slide guitars, roots rock, a Marvin Gaye cover, swamp rock, country rock, John Fogerty, a Bo Diddley cover, elephants, and a Roy Orbison cover. The statement that seems to summarize it well: “oh, that's also on this album.” So are the elephants playing the tambourines, John Forgerty? (“Lookin'Out My Back Door,” “Run Through the Jungle,” “Who'll Stop theRain,” and “Long as I Can See the Light”) A

Destroy All Astromen! (1994), Man or Astro-man? - If there's anything one should know about Man or Astro-man? it is that they are very nice to vinyl junkies. That's always a good thing, but who knew Sci-Fi-themed surf rock straight out from the '90s could be that cool? So when I grow up I wanna be a Man or Astro-man?. (“Of Sexand Demise,” “Joker's Wild,” “Intoxica,” “The Heavies(Let's Surf the River of Blood),”Mystery Science Theater 3000 LoveTheme,” and “Landlock”) A-

Some Nights (2012) – Fun. - Wasn't really expecting them to be potty mouths, but oh well; I guess that's what one has to do to not sound average. Nor was I expecting them to use “string-arrangements,” similar to that of a sixties baroque pop album, throughout the record. It was just a mixture of piano, some Queen-esque vocal styles (which are on the borderline of being parodies- thanks auto-tune), and the use of stock music. Though, at the end, “Stars” sounds like they're having a real good time, an ode to Metal Machine Music. At least they're just setting the world on fire, instead of the Vatican (i.e. Macklemore). Wait, what? Though, on the bright side, it isn't Some Girls. (“We Are Young,” “Why Am I the One,” and “All Alone”) B-