First -- the drolly amusing product endorsement that is "Bob Dylan Whiskey"...
...and then the obviously-and-frighteningly relevant to our current historical moment "Follow the Money."
As you can probably intuit, the album can justifiably be interpreted as a commentary on life under the incoming Vic Hitler Jr. administration. But even forgetting that, it's a splendid piece of acoustic-ish Americana songwriting, and it also just sounds great, thanks to the instrumental contributions of such worthies as guitarists Rick Vito and Anson Fundergurgh. I should add that it has now become an entry in my surprisingly short list of Albums of the Year.
Seriously -- it's that good.
In the meantime, you can find out more about Nicholson, and hear (and order) more of his music, OVER HERE.
Which brings us, however obliquely, to the other subject at hand. To wit:
...and your favorite or least favorite largely (or somewhat) acoustic-instrument based album that might be (or has been) characterized by the less than reputable genre name "Soft Rock" is...???
No arbitrary rules whatsoever, but as you no doubt have realized, we're mostly talking about post-Beatles singer/songwriter stuff here.
And in case you guys are wondering, here's my favorite song from my favorite album of the genre.
I should add that I include it largely because Carole King's piano work on it is so goddamned brilliant it hurts. As it is on the album as a whole; as far as I'm concerned, she's the record's secret weapon.
Man, what I wouldn't give to be able to play stuff like that.
In any event, discuss.
And have a great weekend, everybody!!!
18 comments:
So much from this era is still wonderful. Maybe my favorite is Jackson Browne's "For Everyman" as those ballads are stunning in their introspection and personal candor. Of course, the era where The Section plays on anything is some of my favorite music which much of is older than myself.
1/Cat Stevens - Tea for the Tillerman - only just now have I learned of expanded editions, re-recordings, deluxe buying opportunities galore
2/Donovan - Sutras - maybe not even hard enough for "soft rock", just "folk rock" - maybe not actually rock
3/since my inquiry yesterday about Elon's baby mama Grimes I have listened to something by her - as Sylvester Stewart so aptly put it "different strokes for different folks" - I am not her target audience, not that there's anything wrong with that
The Beatles- Girl
The Rolling Stones- Lady Jane
The Kinks- No Return
😜
Captain Al
One more
The Weasels- Steve’s Song
🦃😵💫‼️
Captain Al
Nobody likes a wiseguy, pal.
Jackson Browne debut Saturate Before Using
Donovan Barabajagal and Wear You Love Like Heaven
Guy Clark Boats To Build (as close to perfect as any record ever)
Lance Cohen So Far So Good
Van Morrison Astral Weeks
Cleveland Jeff
Really like this Nicholson guy - two excellent songs. I really like the touch of the Nashville Skyline soundalike organ in Bob Dylan Whiskey.
As for the subject of this post, you asked for albums, so: Bridge Over Troubled Water by Simon & Garfunkel, because it has one of the most beautiful, sad, wistful songs in history, America.
The Alan Parsons Project - Turn of A Friendly Card is a winner.
The antidote to most of it is, of course, Tonio K. - H-A-T-R-E-D.
- Paul in DK
I could pick almost any one of her dozen or so albums, but I'll go for an early one: Letters from Sinners & Strangers by Eilen Jewell, for the quality of song craft, great melodies and expert playing.
Try: Rich Man's World https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nl4CYSBpR5o
Here Goes...
Michelle Shock - Short,Sharp,Shocked
Johnny Cash - Songs Of Our Soul
Arlo Guthrie - Alice's Restaurant Massacre
Jaime Brocket - North Mountain Velvet
John Prine - Orange
Joan Baez - Diamonds and Rust
David Mallet (RIP/12/18/24)
His first three albums.
rob
Favorites:
Willis Alan Ramsey's 1972 self-titled album on the Shelter label - The only LP he ever released, and it's a really good one.
Danny O'Keefe - So Long Harry Truman album from 1975 on Atlantic.
Love - Forever Changes
Bob Dylan - John Wesley Harding
Brewer and Shipley (RIP Mike) - Weeds
Okay, being serious:
Peter Spencer - Fare You Well
Great stuff! My favorite: Reservation Blues.
Captain Al
Michael Nesmith - The Hits Just Keep On Comin'
Randy Newman - Live
Bruce Springsteen - Nebraska
Tom Waits - Closing Time
None of which would be mistaken for Soft Rock
Steve, just listened to both Nicholson songs - I shared the first with my sister. Tho different it reminds me of McCartney - Picasso Last Words.
Follow the Money had that Ry Cooder sound.
Sweet Baby James...many a night in the 60's, turntable spinning, a certain fragrance in the air accompanied with a bottle of Hearty Burgundy
"those were the days my friend"
rob
I can't tell you guys how nice it is to find out that maybe I'm not crazy, i.e Nicholson's really good.
The late and very lamented Chris Whitley’s “Dirt Floor” is entirely acoustic and recorded live to two tracks in an old barn; although I’m a bit skeptical that anyone would characterize it as “soft rock”. His first album, “Living With the Law” has a fair amount of electric guitar but still has a lot of that acoustic vibe to it; probably not too many would call that one soft rock either. But they’re both fabulously brilliant albums.
Ry Cooder’s “Bop Till You Drop” is kinda soft at first listen, as is Lyle Lovett’s “Joshua Judges Ruth”. But both reward further listening and are great discs.
Chris Whitley was amazing. And I say that as somebody who knew him when he was the maitre d' at a bar the Floor Models used to play,
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