“Trespass”, Genesis second album, is one of those albums were the cover art draws you in. I love the blue cover. It’s from a fantastical world; a king, a queen, a balcony with domed windows, an angel, the devil and a knife.
Recorded during the full moon night of August 11, 1976, at Indigo Ranch Recording Studio in Malibu, California, Neil sits alone with a guitar. Old friend David Briggs at the mixing desk. During one of Neil’s most creative periods ever, the songs poured out of him. Sometimes a song was created on the spot right in front of David’s eyes (“Pocahontas”). In between recording songs Neil only stopped to consume beer, weed or coke. Ahh, those were the times.
“Is it avant-garde?” principal Snyder asked at the end of the episode “The Puppet Show” and I could say the same. Is it avant-garde?
The album “Atom heart mother” is the last album before Pink Floyd “arrived”. By the next release they would forever be among the greatest bands in history.
But here in 1970 they were still honing their skills. Their previous album “Ummagumma” was built on some great ideas that didn’t translate to the black gold. The result was really not that good. It was more psychedelic than melodic. “Atom heart mother” suffers from the same, but it is a giant leap forward and they are close to “getting there”.
The second album from Sabbath was released just a few months after the first. It follows the lead by the debut album with a stellar first side with three great songs and a filler. The second side this is where this album differs to the debut album. Let’s review!
What is this that stands before me?
Figure in black which points at me
Turn ‘round quick and start to run
Find out I’m the chosen one.
Oh, no!
Big black shape with eyes of fire
Telling people their desire
Satan’s sitting there, he’s smiling
Watches those flames get higher and higher
Oh, no, no, please, God, help me!
Is this the end, my friend?
Satan’s coming ‘round the bend
People running ‘cause they’re scared
The people better go and beware
No, no, please, no!
Was Robert Jordan, the author of the massive fantasy epos “The Wheel of Time”, a Black Sabbath fan? Incredibly, the whole 15 books saga is described more or less in those three verses above. Jordan used a few more words though.
Ahhh…No, no, no
There is no help in the wake of our needs
There is no help to dispel the pain
There is no help still some cling to a phantom
There is no help
Only circles on the water
Sorceresss is Opeth’s twelfth studio album and the fourth with only ”normal” singing, no growling, which I clearly prefers. As usual the lyrics are like small fantasy stories. They send me me spinning into another dimension. A very nice feeling.
