El Camino Debo Recorrerlo Solo Yo

Some of my friends and I share music to listen to while we work. Sometimes we rate/review what gets shared with us and share those reviews with the group.

Roger Taylor – Strange Frontier (1984)

In a surprise move, Tim jumped back in … with an album he already shared almost two years ago: the second solo album from Queen drummer Roger Taylor.

I’m not really complaining. It’s nice to have someone else sharing in the group again. And it’s nice to have a suggestion of something to listen to. If you want to know what I thought, go back and check out my review of the last time I listened to this album.

Ruddy Brito (2011-2018)

One of the guys from my church recently moved here from the Dominican Republic. When he found out I play music, he struck up a conversation about getting started here. Among other things, I asked about his style. He sent me these:

If We Listen to the Voices that were Silent for So Long

For a few years, some of my friends and I have been sharing music to listen to while we work. We’re supposed to review/rate what gets shared with us then share those reviews with the group, but that doesn’t always happen.

This week, I’m sharing some music from some current coworkers. Last week was employee appreciation week and (almost) all employees at my company (about 35,000 of us) got some Bluetooth headphones. Our CEO posted a five song playlist on his blog of things he’s been listening to and encouraged everyone else to do the same:

Door to a Secret World

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

Roger Taylor – Strange Frontier (1984)

Here is the second solo album from Queen drummer Roger Taylor. There’s a little Queen in there (to be expected) and some just ’80s goodness (also, to be expected), but it’s mostly just solid, straight up rock and roll.

And When the Day is Done I Watch the Moon Rise Above

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.

This week was Spencer’s twins’ 4th birthday, so he challenged us to share a children’s album, starting with his own suggestion:

Dog on Fleas – Cranberry Sauce Flotilla (2003)

Musically, this is a great album. It feels like jazzy folk. Kind of like The Ditty Bops. Although there is some straight up jazz in there, too, that’s pretty reminiscent of the Squirrel Nut Zippers. Add to that the occasional vocal line that sounds remarkably like Steven Page from Barenaked Ladies. Maybe I’m predisposed to think I hear him because when I was going to share a children’s album, I thought of BNL.

But what gives this away as a children’s album is the lyrics. Song’s about multiplication tables? Check. Songs with nonsense lyrics, which are eventually explained as talking in code? Check. Songs about agricultural economics? Check.

Something More than Life

Some of my co-workers and I started sharing some of our favorite music. We’ve been doing it for a while, but now we’re actually reviewing them and sharing those reviews with one another. So here are the four albums that were suggested to me this week.

A note on how I rate things. One star means I don’t think it qualifies as music. Five stars means I wish I wrote the thing. Most music for me is a three.

Bruce Springsteen – Tunnel of Love (1987)

This is something I would never buy. I probably wouldn’t skip past most of the songs if they came on in a mix, but it was just OK. There were some good songs and there were some bad ones. All in all, though, this album just didn’t engage me. Probably my least favorite of these four. 2/5

And in the end, the love you take is equal to the love you make

I do not know if you saw the 54th Grammy Awards or not. This was my favorite bit.

Paul McCartney and his back up band (Rusty Anderson on guitar, Brian Ray on bass and Abe Laboriel, Jr. on drums) performed the last medley on Abbey Road.

But that is not all. For “The End,” Bruce Springsteen (from Bruce Springsteen), Dave Grohl (from Nirvana, Foo Fighters and Them Crooked Vultures) and Joe Walsh (from The Eagles) came out and joined them.

From L to R: The Boss, Joe, Rusty, Paul, Dave and Brian.