Sowing

A wise man once said
As you sow, so shall you reap
#JustSaying

A Nod Is As Good As a Wink... To a Blind Horse by Faces

1971 was a great year for Rod Stewart. As well as his hit solo album featuring the song Maggie May, he released this album with Faces. The tracks are split between those written by Stewart and ones by bassist Ronnie Lane who also steps up to the microphone for vocal duties and does a great job.

The music is bluesy rock and roll played with what sounds like considerable enjoyment from everyone involved. Stay With Me is probably the standout track but great cover of Memphis, Tennessee by Chuck Berry is also worthy of note.

It’s no surprise that this band were one of John Peel’s favourites until The Undertones came along a few years later, and there are a lot of similarities in the feel of a band of young shavers in their 20s having a grand time.

https://album.link/gb/i/1031007095

Lamb

One more sleepless night
The lamb of god sacrificed
Uncertain respite

Music by Madonna

The early 90s were a bit of creative low point for our Madge, at least as far as music was concerned. It wasn’t until Ray of Light in 1997 and this album in 2000 that she found her mojo again. I’ve probably listened to Ray of Light more (being a fan of producer William Orbit) but Music has a lot going for it and it certainly confounded expectations at the time.

The major issue that most people seem to have with this is the cover of American Pie by Don McClean. There seems to be something of a ‘don’t you dare touch a classic’ reaction from some music fans, but if you are going to do a cover at least try to find something different to say and I think Madonna definitely manages that. 

Aside from that, there’s a good mix of stuff on this album with the title track and What It Feels Like For a Girl being the standouts for me. Overall this gets 4 stars from me but that’s only because Ray of Light is even better.

https://album.link/gb/i/316826011

Pond

Still waters run deep
However this humble pond
Is barely a foot

System Of A Down by System Of A Down

Listening to this album is a little bit like standing on the edge of a cliff during a howling storm. Initially a bit disconcerting, but you quickly come to enjoy the raw power and the random gusts that push and pull you in all directions, followed by brief moments of quiet.

There’s a lot going on here with fascinating flourishes and a vocal range that ranges from a trilling falsetto to something like sounds like a demon gargling broken glass. The music is mostly towards the heavy end of the spectrum but with immensely pleasing digressions into jazz and elements of classical. 

Lyrically there are attacks on the church and the Armenian genocide, reflecting the cultural heritage of the band. There are some nicely surreal moments too (“Shake your spear at Shakespeare!”) but one line sums it up nicely

Loud-and-noisy-tastic!

https://album.link/gb/i/456707731

Carp

I was just fishing
In your ornamental pond
No need to carp on

https://merlinbirds.org/species/graher1