I Saw You, I Met You, I Loved You, I Left You

For more than a year, some of my friends and I have been sharing music. We’re supposed to review/rate what gets shared with us, and share those reviews with the group, but that doesn’t always happen.

The Young Veins – Take a Vacation! (2010)

This is a Panic! at the Disco off-shoot. These guys wanted to have more retro rock material while the rest of Panic wanted to have more dance-oriented music. Of the two, I like this retro rock more. It sounds very ’60s despite being released 40 years later. But they’ve had less success. They just released this one album, decided they’d done all they set out to do and went on indefinite hiatus. A no-hit wonder perhaps, but the album is good.

Reflections in the Waves Spark My Memory

For more than a year, some of my friends and I have been sharing music. We’re supposed to review/rate what gets shared with us, and share those reviews with the group, but that doesn’t always happen.

Styx – The Grand Illusion (1977)

It’s Styx. And literally half of these songs are on every greatest hits album of theirs I’ve ever seen. This is the album before Pieces of Eight (which I reviewed about nine months ago) and the album that really changed Styx from being just another prog rock kind of band to one of the leading acts of the time.

I’ll spoil the minor surprise by telling you that after Spencer shared this, Tim shared REO Speedwagon and it made me want to change what I had shared to someone who would have toured with these two bands. There are some other bands I put in this category of classic stadium rock from the ’70s and ’80s: Boston, Chicago, Foreigner, Journey, Kansas, .38 Special, Yes, and maybe some others I’m forgetting right now.

I’m Busy in the Blissful Unaware

For more than a year, some of my friends and I have been sharing music. We’re supposed to review/rate what gets shared with us, and share those reviews with the group, but that doesn’t always happen.

Chicago – The Transit Authority (1969)

In case you didn’t know, the band Chicago was originally The Chicago Transit Authority and this was their self-titled (eponymous) debut album. But then the actual transit authority of the city of Chicago brought legal action against the band. So they became just Chicago and this album became known as The Transit Authority. Most Chicago albums are only numbered with roman numerals – they have no titles per se, so this is also I.

I feel like a lot of Chicago’s stuff (especially their later, and maybe more well-known stuff) could be classified as progressive soft rock … or should that be soft prog rock? Anyway, I was surprised how this record wasn’t really a surprise. It was exactly what I expect from Chicago, except funkier (especially the last half hour). It’s like these guys were younger and had more energy.

If You Don’t Mind Your Mother’s Words a Wicked Wind will Blow

For more than a year, some of my friends and former coworkers have been sharing music. The idea is that we’re supposed to review/rate what’s shared with us, then share those reviews with the group, but that doesn’t always happen.

The Decemberists – The Crane Wife (2006)

I’ve been listening to these guys for a long time, and I really like them. And I think this is their best album. Although I think the album artwork is a little creepy.

I feel like they’re a lot like Arcade Fire, but maybe more acoustic. But both The Decemberists and Arcade Fire are the kind of band I have to mix in with other bands. For something like this it’s fine, because it’s been a while since I’ve listened to just them in one sitting and I’m really focusing on the music, but I think because I’ve been listening to them so much over the past 10+ years, I get a little bored with the just alright stuff. Does that make any sense?