Breaking The Camel's Back: Hemispheres

Hello again everyone, Nick here. Sorry for the wait, but I finally have another album to speak on for "Breaking the Camel's Back". Happily, it's on another Rock classic.

In 1978, Canadian Power Trio/Hard Rock/Progressive Rock band Rush released which I believe to be their most heavily progressive and ambitious album: Hemispheres. Though there are only four tracks on the album, it sets a high mark on the band's musical talents, thematically and musically, as every song’s composition shows an intense and sophisticated edge. To an unprepared lover of music and/or musician, the songs are a NIGHTMARE. So many different instruments, time changes, moods, tempos, themes, radically shift evenly within their own paces. Even with their shorter length, "The Trees" and "Circumstances" have their own unique functions.

The instrumental "La Villa Strangiato" is overly long but flexes its might clocking in at a little over 18 minutes. "Cygnus X-1 Book 2: Hemispheres," is staggering and profound. Love Rush or not, both songs set new standards in Hard Rock and Progressive Rock styles during the 70s.

“Hemispheres” reached number 47 on the Billboards, going gold and later platinum in the 1990s. It became another classic to listen and own for any Rush fan. However, the strains of working on songs that were so complex, long, and difficult (with instrumentals done in one take), and with Cygnus having so many layers of musicianship. It became too much for the band. Alongside a massive tour schedule, they were burning out and decided to take a new route in music. Getting rid of the overly time consuming songs, changing the lyrical approaches from mythical to modern and social, shortening song lengths, and adding new musical influences (Electronic, Reggae, and New Wave). This was a wise and innovative choice for Rush, as it gave them more classic albums in the beginning of the 80s, such as Permanent Waves, Moving Pictures, and Signals.

Here is the first track of Hemispheres. This track, length-wise, may be a bit much for casual music-lovers, but through the whole song, Rush keep proving their worth in the world of Rock.

Breaking the Camel's Back: Queen 2

In a lot of band's careers, there tend to be powerful albums that (while extremely sophisticated, ambitious, and varied) run the risk of burning out their bands and causing them to alienate their fan base. With overwhelming in intensity, the material would be impossible to play on stage. Thus, a significant and vital change is made in order to keep the progress fresh and relevant. None of these albums are lackluster failures, but brave and risk-taking ventures. I call this section of my blog, "Albums that break the Camel's back."
Queen, "Queen 2."
Released; 1974
During the early years of Queen, they struggled to gain recognition for their pioneering sound, style, and individuality. After releasing their debut album in 1973 to dismal early sales and no real chart success, they went back into the studio, undaunted, with a more honed sound, increased song-writing craft, and the same energy and enthusiasm as before. Plus, in contrast with their previous album, healthier recording times. While their debut showed a lot of promise, Queen 2 showed the beginnings of their trademark sound: elaborate, heavily constructed, and (in my opinion) un-pompous compositions. Father to Son, Ogre Battle, Funny How Love is, and the predecessor to their biggest world-wide hit Bohemian Rhapsody, "March of the Black Queen." March is very heavy and progressive, produced with high amounts of vocals, instrumentation, and different time-changes and moods. Added with the concept of having a "White" side of the album with material mostly composed by guitarist Brian May, and the "Black" side by vocalist Freddie Mercury, this album was definitely designed to be epic.
Luckily, the album gave them their first notable chart success. In the U.K., it managed to reach Gold selling over 100 thousand copies, reach the Top 5 in the U.K, and produce their first hit: the top ten single "Seven Seas of Rhye," written by Freddie Mercury. The Song even enjoyed some underground success in the Top 50 stateside. Critically, while mixed at the time, has later been praised by musicians Billy Corgan of Smashing Pumpkins, and Axel Rose of Guns and Roses.
True to the band, they never stick to one style for a long time and choose to experiment with different musical styles. They constantly showed their growth in songwriting. Building on their earlier work with intense structure which can be seen as a move to avoid alienating their fans and leading to continued success.
Here is the video for "March of the Black Queen." This is indeed the father of Bohemian Rhapsody .
-Nick

The Skids: Absolute Game.

    The first album I will be talking about, is to me, an significant part of Punk, and in general, of Rock.  The reasons are not just because of the raw energy, excitement, and visceral feeling, but because of the growth in song writing maturity, instrumental progression, and the ability to stretch out beyond Punk’s  back to basics approach, just as The Clash did with “London Calling“, and the Jam with “Sound Affects“.  This CLASSIC album, is called “The Absolute Game” by The Skids, an Scottish Punk/New Wave Band, with strong traces of what people would call Progressive-Punk.  Some of you have probably have the old LP, or like me, have the newer version with the bonus tracks and “Strength through Joy” E.P combined with it.  Well, I am only going to be talking about the original L.P, and why I believe this is one of the best albums I have ever heard.
 

    Released in 1980, which is in my opinion a great year for music, The Absolute Game shows The Skids pushing forward even more beyond their previous albums Scared to Dance, and A Day in Europa, in 1978 and 79 respectively.  Played with more instrumental prowess, and intelligence, combined with their honed energy and enthusiasm, the band goes through different styles and sounds.  For instance, raging Punk and New Wave like the tracks Circus Games, Out of Town, and The Children Saw the Shame, to slower, more soulful songs like A Woman in Winter, and Hurry On Boys, to Progressive-Punk gems like Devil’s Decade, and Arena.  You can even hear clear Celtic sounds in the bit of the songs, for example, Hurry on Boys again.  

    Even when made during a tough time for the band out of internal fights and musical arguments, The Absolute Game is like before the mentioned albums “London Calling” and “Sound Affects“, a Champion of Punk and New Wave Rock, on a high artistic level.  Sadly, this would be the last album that guitarist, backing vocalist, songwriter, and co-founding member Stuart Adamson would play on fully, as he had gotten sick of the situations within the band, and left to form the legendary New Wave/Alternative Rock band “Big Country“.  The band shortly after one more album split up and went their separate ways, but still created significant music, and not just for their native Scotland.

-Nick Hale

Introduction!!!

Bands in different Rock genres, Hard Rock, Heavy Metal, Punk Rock, Prog/Art Rock, Glam Rock, Arena Rock, Soft Rock, etc…, have found massive success commercially and critically. They have found homes in record labels, had glowing reviews or bombed in magazines and newspapers, sold records to cult followings and the masses, and became embedded within the mindset of the people and their lives. From Boston’s debut album, to Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon, and The Clash’s London Calling, they will always receive constant praise, revamping the sound for new and old generations to enjoy their material, in Deluxe and Expanded editions. However, not every band gets the same sort of respect, and even if they manage well enough to make a good living, they aren't recognized in the same light as Queen, Metallica, The Beatles, Rolling Stones, Scorpions, Fleetwood Mac, and the like…

Outside of the popular reviews are hidden gems that you may not have heard. Whether you care for them or not, they have artistic merit. Some of these songs are hidden within "3 Star Albums" you find reviewed in Rolling Stones Magazine and AMG. The album that only went gold in the U.S, or Silver in the U.K., or may not be considered a shining example of what a ALBUM should be can contain genuine, worthwhile, and superb songs.

Luckily, within my spare time, and even when I am at work, I immerse myself in music. I love to keep the sonic, melodic, and rich details of the songs in my head. It can be raw or polished, aggressive or gentle, literate or street-smart, philosophical or spiritual. They all matter. Even starting now, and with the inspiration and encouragement of my brother Ben, with my very good friends Daniel Hemsath and the Kawalec brothers Greg and Dave, I plan to (from time to time) write about significant albums that deserve more credit than they got. I won't be writing because you should go out and buy them, (though if you do, good for you), but because I hope you will enjoy them the same way I do.

There are people out there like me, who praise music with an iron fist, but are in small numbers. I want to add to that number. Many bands are left in obscurity and unrecognized by the mainstream press. My vision is to find those RARE gems and bring them to you. This is: UNDERRATED ROCK CLASSICS.