The Beatles and iTunes part II

Here's my top twenty must have itunes from 1967-1970.
1.Strawberry Fields Forever
2. Fixing a Hole
3. Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds
4. A Day in the Life
5. I Am the Walrus
These 5 probably represent the best of the Beatles Psychedelic Period. Three from Pepper and Two from Magical Mystery Tour. Lennon would never be more lyrically obscure after these tracks. Even McCartney's Fixing a Hole is a trippy affair.
6. All You Need is Love
7. Baby You're a Rich Man
Two more from Mystery Tour. Track 6 is of course one of the two unofficial themes of the summer of love. The other is that Scott McKenzie tune ( San Fransisco)
While Sgt. Pepper gets all the glory, I've always felt the tracks on Magical Mystery Tour were overall Stronger, except for Your Mother Should Know and Flying....
8. While My Guitar Gently Weeps
9. Dear Prudence
10. Helter Skelter
11. Don't Pass Me By
Four from the White Album, one apiece. Harrison is clearly an equal in songwriting with the other two. The band is now 4 guys in different studios, doing different things but it's still magical.. Helter Skelter, Paul's answer to the Who's I Can See For Miles is the heaviest, dirtiest track the Beatles every put together, redeeming his absolutely crappy Ob-La- Di, Ob-La-Da
12. Revolution
Lennon's at his roughest in the Beatles. Brilliant. Crank up the opening riff!!!
13. Get Back
14. Hey Bulldog
15. It's All Too Much
Two from Yellow Submarine. Some psychedelic leftovers that still hold up today.
16. Come Together
17. Here Comes the Sun
18. Golden Slumbers/Carry That Weight/ The End
O.K. I'm cheating a bit here. Three from Abbey Road. Harrison's 'Sun" is pure optimism and always makes me feel good. Come Together, Lennon's anthem for what??? and a bit the medley. Ringo's solo and a three guitar duel!! and the most prophetic line the Beatles ever sang.. And In the End...
19. Two of Us
20. Let It Be
Two from the Let It Be album. Two of Us is my favourite Beatles song. If I didn't own the discs, it would be the first iTune I would buy.
There it is. Twenty must have tracks from the Beatles studio years. Now will they be available tomorrow on iTunes???

The Beatles and iTunes Part 1

With Sept. 9th rapidly approaching and the Beatles' remasters and Rockband set for release, the rumour of an iTunes deal continues to swirl. When and if the Beatles make the move to legal digital downloads the questions will be how much? and which songs? I've decided to throw my two cents in and give my list of the 40 must have Beatle tunes. 20 from 62-66 and 20 from 67-70. This is MY list, so it's not just a greatest hits list. I've tried to include mostly upbeat songs songs so there are some glaring omissions. You be the judge!
1962 - 1966
1. Please Please Me
2. I Saw her Standing There
3. Twist and Shout
4. There's A Place
5. Boys
All from Please Please Me. Please Please Me was the Beatles first true hit and is the blueprint for many of the early hits: Good harmonies., Lennon's harmonica and a solid beat. I Saw Her Standing There is quite possibly the group's best rocker from the early days. Contains a great throw away line and one of Harrison's best guitar solo. This track gives you an idea of how good a rock band the Beatles were. Twist and Shout and Boys are covers and definitely show the lads skill at covering tracks. Lennon's vocal on Twist and Shout is legendary ( only two takes and the first one was used). Boys is just a plain fun rocker with Ringo on vocals giving a lesson to all drummers who want to sing!
There's a Place was the B side to Twist and Shout and is the first track that's not just a love song. Lennon's harmonica is so plaintive that it can still cause shivers.
6. I Want to Hold Your Hand
7. A Hard Day's Night
Two more "classic' early Beatles tracks. I Want to Hold Your Hand was the biggie., The one that broke them in the U.S. and A Hard days Night introduced the 12 string to rock. Also no one is quite sure what the opening chord is!!
8. I'm a Loser
9. Ticket to Ride
10. Help
11. You've Got to Hide Your Love Away
4 of Lennon's best. Tracks 8 and 11 showing the influence of Bob Dylan. Help is Lennon's first really personal tune. Ticket to Ride is the Beatles taking the "formula' and messing with it. Ringing guitars, quick solos and a double time outro and this was only one year after A Hard Day's Night!
12. Norwegian Wood
13. Think For Yourself
14. I'm Looking Through You
Three from Rubber Soul, the Beatles first truly classic album. The boys are beginning to experiment and use the studio and other instruments to greater effects. I personally think that this is truly the album where Ringo and George shine. Ringo's drumming and use of various percussion instruments are top notch. Harrison's sitar on Norwegian Wood set off a stampede of Eastern influenced music and Think for Yourself is a great track. McCartney's songs start to also have a more personal touch. This album caused Brian Wilson to make Pet Sounds!!
15. Day Tripper
16. We Can Work It Out
Possible the greatest double sided single?
17. Rain
B-side to Paperback Writer. The Beatles best b side? Ringo has picked this as the best drumming he did with the Beatles. Was it Lennon or George Martin who came up with the backward outro... Who cares. Rain is the perfect Beatles song.
18. She Said, She Said
19. Taxman
20. Tomorrow Never Knows
Three from Revolver or as Lennon called it the Acid album. Clearly drug influenced and drug fuel, Revolver is the Beatles at the beginning of their peak as creative artists. The studio is now their domain and no topic is off limits ( LSD - She Said, She Said, Got to Get You Into My Life) the Tibetan Book of the Dead ( Tomorrow Never Knows)
There it is. 20 from the first half of the Beatles career. Yes I left off Yesterday. I don't really like it that much. The same with Eleanor Rigby. In My Life or Girl from Rubber Soul were cut to make the list only twenty tracks. She Loves You was also cut. 67-70 coming soon.

the action - Ulitmate Action

Along with the Who and the Small Faces, the Action or simply Action were one of the premier Mod bands of the 60's. Fronted by the soulful voice of Reg King, the band could take r n b covers to places other groups could only dream of. Sadly they never had any sizable hits even though they were produced by George Martin ( yeah that guy!!). Ultimate Action collects up those early single sides and places them in one neat packed.
Highlights ; Harlem Shuffle, In My Lonely Room, Come on Come with Me, the Place, Since I Lost My Baby.
Ult-Act-.rar

http://rapidshare.com/files/258981340/Ult-Act-.rar

54.40 - 54.40 (the Green Album)

B.C.'s 54.40's first major label release still holds up as a solid debut album. Favouring quality over quantity the 9 tracks showcase the band's strengths: tight simple arrangements, passionate vocals, rough and tumble guitars and a solid bottom end. The themes on the album (social/political activism, love, loss, separation and family) are still the themes singer/lyricist Neil Osbourne regularly deals with today. The group's follow up to the "Green Album" as it's known to by fans was tighter, clearer and more concise but all those elements are evident on this release.
Of course, it's the songs that matter and the Green album kicks off with one of 54.40 best known and best loved tunes: "Baby Ran". Full of loud guitars verging on feedback, a thundering bass line and crashing drums "Baby Ran" is the pure straight rock and roll. Neil Osbourne's laid back vocals remind me of how Ray Davis sang The Kinks classic "You Really Got Me". Not over the top, but restrained. When Neil screams out "My baby ran away" just before the guitar solo his voice is fullof despair and a hint of menace. Pure gold.
The other "big" track is 'I Go Blind".
Hootie and the Blowfish would make this a hit with a near note for note cover in the mid 90's but the original just has that little bit of edge to it. When Osbourne sings 'Hold me, hold me, 'cause I wanna get higher and higher, higher than" there's a bit of faer or wonder of something that the Blowfish just couldn't muster.

High points: I Go Blind, Baby Ran, Me Island, Take My Hand, Grace and Beauty
54-40.rar

http://rapidshare.com/files/258575174/54-40.rar

Cisco Ottawa Bluesfest -- LIVE -- Thursday, July 16, 2009

While LIVE's record sales may not be what it was during the Throwing Copper era they can still deliver a great crushing rock and roll show.
The band hit the stage in Ottawa at the Bluesfest looking like they had something to prove. This was no mere run through of their hits. Selling the Drama got the crowd moving and provide the first of many high points. I Alone and Dolphin's Cry turned into singalongs with singer Ed Kowalczyk directing the action.
The band was tight, loud and pushing the music forward creating an almost hypnotizing rhythm.
High points: I Alone, Lightning Crashes, Heaven, Lakini's Juice, Turn My Head.
Rating 3 1/2 out of 4 stars.

Cisco Bluesfest - The church Live in Ottawa Saturday, July 11, 2009

Caught the Church show in Ottawa on July 11th at the Bluesfest and wow what a show.
The band played a short but powerful set despite the on stage technical problems, (monitors cutting out, amps and cord problems) and the rain delays.... Something sure ticked Singer/bassist Steve Kilbey off. While he was all smiles and polite to the crowd he clearly was a having a tough time on stage. He joked that it had been 23 years since the church had played Ottawa. I for one hope they will be back very soon!!
The set highlighted the band's most recent release Untitled #23 with tracks such as Deadman's Hand, Pangaea, and Happenstance taking on a tougher, grittier feel than on the disc. (You do own it, don't you?, If not go and get it...NOW!!!!).
The sound out front was clear and full but could have been louder. Which is my biggest complaint concerning Bluesfest this year. I know noise bylaws are making it tough, but it is a rock show. Turn it up!!
For a band that's been around for 20 odd years, the church proved that they are a great, tight rock and roll band. If you get a chance, go see them live.
Rating 3 1/2 out of 4 stars.
What they played:
07/11/09 Ottawa, ON, Canada - Cisco Ottawa Bluesfest

Tantalized, Block, Day 5, North South East and West, Happenstance, Deadman's Hand, Pangaea, You Took, Operetta, Under the Milky Way, Reptile

Youngtown - Rock and Roll Museum - a Review

A little background info first.
Neil Young lived in Omemee during the 40's and early 50's. When his parents split up Neil went west with his mother and the rest of his family stayed in Omemee.
The Youngtown Rock and roll Museum celebrates Neil's life and work plus the great artists of the 50's 60's and 70's.
Is it worth the trip?
You better believe it is.
The museum is full of great pieces of memorabilia from the 50's through the 70's. So if you're not a Neil Young fan there is still plenty to see, hear and read.
Highlights include a marvelous Beatles display including John Lennon's hat that he wore in what would be the Beatles last photo shoot. See the Hey Jude album for a picture.
But there's more, lots more. Items from the Who, the Rolling Stones, the Guess Who. The list goes on and on.
So if you're off the beaten path and looking for somewhere to go, go to Omemee ( just outside of Peterbrough) and soak up some history.