Recent and Current Reads

RECENT READS

Duino Elegies, by Rainer Maria Wilke

Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, by Hunter S. Thompson

The House at Pooh Corner, by A.A. Milne

Letters to Orpheus, by Rainer Maria Wilke

The Little Prince, by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen

The Sign of Four, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

A Study in Scarlet, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

The Wind in the Willows, by Kenneth Grahame

Winnie-the-Pooh, by A.A. Milne



CURRENT READS

Divine Comedy, by Dante

The Magic Mountain, by Thomas Mann

Moby Dick, by Hermann Melville

Omeros, by Derek Walcott

The Silver Chair, by C.S. Lewis

I TAKE IT BACK ...

In 2010, I state how pained I was when Stone Temple Pilot's eponymous album flopped in my estimation. Well, I take that back.

A year has gone by and I revisited the album last month and have been relistening to it for several weeks. My opinion has changed.

I now believe that this is a very good album and is worth the listening. In fact, I have yet to put it down.

But why did I initially not like it? Here is my theory:

For this argument, there are three types of albums for me:

- Albums I initally enjoy.
- Albums I do not like.
- Albums I do not initially like but then learn to enjoy over subsequent listenings.

Now STP was my favourite band of the 1990s and I have either loved or really enjoyed all of their albums. Core (1992) and Purple (1994) are in my Top 50 Favourite Albums and the latter has occasionally been in my Top Ten.

Furthermore, I have either loved or liked every single STP album at first listening. Not a single variation in their first five. But here is their sixth and I do not like it on the first go.

I was flummoxed. But now that I have had more opportunities for the tunes to settle in and find their groove ...


I am now very much relieved. I can now happily state that STP has made 6 albums in a row that I have enjoyed.

Bring on number seven!

MY TOP ALBUMS OF 2011

Best of Gloucester County (2011) – Danielson

I discovered Danielson and he (they) became one of my favorites real quickly. I lauded Ships (2006) as probably the best “Christian album” I’ve ever heard. Well, it is the best “Christian album” I’ve ever heard and it was the best album I heard last year. In fact, Ships has now been moved into my Top 10. Top 10! Do you know how often that occurs? The last time was 2004! But what about the dreaded follow-up? No fears. This is another great album by one of the best Christian musicians out there. I highly recommend it.



Helplessness Blues (2011) - Fleet Foxes

I discovered Fleet Foxes last year and immediately fell in love with them. Their album, Fleet Foxes (2008), - which has now been moved into my Top 50 - was one the best albums of last year. Wonderfully, their sophomore effort was just as brilliant and is the best album of the year. Their EP Sun Giant (2008) was an honorable mention last year.



Oh, Perilous World (2007) – Rasputina

Here is a quirky little album of cello-rock. Yes, cello-rock. These songs combine great songwriting and arrangement, good production, good singing, great lyrics (many about historical events), and the cello. A great listen. I’m currently listening to the follow-up album, Sister Kinderhook (2010)



Ringo (1973) – Ringo Starr

I first learned of this album while I was in high school. Think about it:

- This album came out in 1973
- ALL FOUR BEATLES wrote songs for the album
- ALL FOUR BEATLES perform on the album

Can we not argue that this is practically the LAST Beatle album? But throw all that out and it’s still a really great album with top-notch songs. Ringo Starr appears in Revolver (1966), Sgt. Pepper’s ... (1967), and The Beatles (1968) which are in my Top 50 and in Abbey Road (1969) which is in my Top 10.



Seven Swans (2004) - Sufjan Stevens

Here is another fantastic album by certainly one of the best musicians who happens to be a Christian. In fact, I think this album is my favorite of his and once of the best Christian albums I’ve ever heard. I highly recommend it. His album, Illinois (2005) appeared on my last year’s Top Ten. His album, Age of Adz (2010), appears as an honorable mention.



Smile (2011) – The Beach Boys

After forty plus years, The Beach Boys finally released Smile. This was to be the follow-up to Pet Sounds (1966) but was abandoned by the group before it could be completed. For the following decade, songs from the Smile Sessions were “salvaged” for subsequent Beach Boy albums. These, plus many of the unreleased songs, found their way onto bootlegged copies of Smile. It wasn’t until 2004 that Brian Wilson released a newly recorded Smile as a solo album. The popularity of this solo album (and the release of The Pet Sounds Sessions [1997]) sparked renewed interest in this unfinished project. So finally, this year, The Smile Sessions was released and included all of the recordings that were to be a part of the originally proposed album. Now obviously, since the project was abandoned, much of the album lacks the polish that one heard in Pet Sounds and which one can hear in Smile (2004). Think of it in terms of The Beatles Anthology (1995-1996). Nevertheless, this is a great album and a wonder to finally behold. Smile (2004) by Brian Wilson is in my Top 10 and also my favorite album.



Write About Love (2010) - Belle and Sebastian

Belle and Sebastian continue to amaze me with their superb songwriting, vocals, and arrangement. The lead singer and songwriter is a christian and his faith often appears in his songs, Write About Love is no exception. This is a really great album. Their albums, Fold Your Hands Child, You Walk Like a Peasant (2000), If You’re Feeling Sinister (1996), and Tiger Milk (1996) all appeared as honorable mentions last year. Dear Catastrophe Waitress (2003) is in my Top 50.



HONORABLE MENTIONS

Age of Adz (2010) - Sufjan Stevens

Band of Joy (2010) – Robert Plant

Berlin (1973) – Lou Reed

Blue Cathedral (2004) – Comets on Fire

I’m Going Away (2009) - The Fiery Furnaces

In the Wake of Poseidon (1979) – King Crimson

Joe’s Garage (1979) – Frank Zappa

King of Limbs (2011) – Radiohead

Logos (2009) – Atlas Sound

The Myths and Legends of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table (1975) – Rick Wakeman

Oar (1969) – Skip Spence

Octopus (1972) – Gentle Giant

S.F. Sorrow (1968) - The Pretty Things

Simple Things (2001) – Zero 7

Thickfreakness (2003) – The Black Keys

Vampire Weekend (2008) - Vampire Weekend

Veckatimest (2009) – Grizzly Bear

Volume One (2008) – She & Him

Widow City (2007) – The Fiery Furnaces

Yeah Ghost (2009) – Zero 7