JOESEDDIT’S CRATES FULL OF VINYL – JACKSON BROWNE, DON MCLEAN, BOB SEGER

I’ve got a couple of crates full of old vinyl albums that I haven’t listened to in years due to lack of equipment to play them. Over a period of about a year and a half I revisited each album on the internet or bought the CD and ranked the songs. I also recorded some brief thoughts, rated the album, and posted the results on Rolling Stone’s 100 Greatest Artists comment section. I’m recycling and categorizing/grouping  the posts on this website.

Late For the Sky

The only Jackson Browne album in the crates. I’m sure about #1 and the last two. The rest are inseparable. Like I said about “August and Everything After” a while back; great album and although depressing as hell, excellent lyrics.

Scale of 1 to 10:  A +

1-The Late Show

2-For a Dancer

3-Fountain of Sorrow

4-Late for the Sky

5-Farther On

6-Before the Deluge

7-The Road and the Sky

8-Walking Slow

American Pie

The title song is as iconic to Americans as apple pie, and the opening line to “Vincent” is usually sung by at least one if the campers gathered around the fire on a cloudless night. But that’s about all most people know of Don McLean. There are a couple of other songs that aren’t bad, but some of them sound the same musically.  The lyrics are direct and introspective/pensive in a Paul Simon/Jackson Browne kind of way. There isn’t much music, though. Mostly just acoustic guitar. I think for the most part it comes off more as a poetry reading than an album.

Scale of 1 to 10:  C –

1- American Pie

2- Vincent

3- Crossroads

4- Winterwood

5- Till Tomorrow

6- The Grave

7- Empty Chairs

8- Everybody Loves Me, Baby

9- Babylon

10- Sister Fatima

Stranger in Town

Although I don’t dislike his music, I never got into Bob Seger much. I lump him in with Tom Petty – plenty of songs on the airwaves that I like OK, but not enough to buy one of his albums. I didn’t know I had this album. I don’t remember buying it, but there it was, sitting in the crates. I don’t even remember listening to it so this would hardly classify as a revisit if it weren’t for the fact that I’m familiar with most of the songs due to airplay. “Old Time Rock and Roll” is probably the most recognized here, partially due to “Risky Business”. But frankly, I’ve about had enough of that one. In fact, I never considered it to be all that great in the first place. This album is consistent enough as there really isn’t a bad song on it - my list could be ranked in just about any order. But for me, there really isn’t a great song on it, either. I’m guessing his fans would disagree.

Scale of 1 to 10:  B

1- Ain’t Got No Money

2- Feel Like a Number

3- Hollywood Nights

4- The Famous Final Scene

5- Old Time Rock and Roll

6- We’ve Got Tonite

7- Till it Shines

8- Brave Strangers

9- Still the Same