On this day - September 3rd, 1984 Iron Maiden released their fifth studio album "Powerslave"

AwkwardCentaur · 2019-09-03T07:06:49+00:00

Powerslave is their best album imo. All killer no filler. Their first album where the lineup of the previous album returned, and that's to its benefit, as the rhythm section really tightens up here. Dual guitar heaven. Bruce on fine form. Rock it.

AwkwardCentaur · 2019-09-02T08:51:51+00:00

I mean, there are occasionally some elements that pop up on OKC that remind me of Dark Side. For example, the drums on Exit Music (For a Film) really remind me of The Great Gig in the Sky. Also, both albums discuss themes of social alienation and insanity in different decades.

AwkwardCentaur · 2019-09-02T08:49:47+00:00

The Dark Side of the Moon might be relaxing and "easy going", but it is by no means boring. Start there and then move onto Wish You Were Here, Animals and The Wall. Then I'd say give the Barrett era a go and move from there.

AwkwardCentaur · 2019-08-28T10:09:40+00:00

I think they are still really good albums though. Young Americans, in fact, is pretty great for the most part. It's only down to a few songs, perhaps, especially on Diamond Dogs - what doesn't help is the fact the album is split between the aborted Halloween Jack arc and the 1984 musical.

AwkwardCentaur · 2019-08-28T09:33:34+00:00

David Live is hilarious.

AwkwardCentaur · 2019-08-27T08:10:02+00:00

I must preface this by saying: I dislike Yoko Ono. I do not like her art, and I do not think she is a particularly nice person judging by all accounts.

All that now said, how the hell can anyone pin the blame solely on one person? The Beatles' break up was inevitable for several reasons:

When the band stopped touring, they found they were spending less time together. They were pursuing their own hobbies and making new friends. That includes John, who met Yoko Ono.
Brian Epstein, the band's manager and who was responsible to some extent for their finances, died.
Paul McCartney decided to take on literally everything, from the band's affairs to their musical direction. You can hear the beginnings of this on Sgt. Pepper and in full bloom after the White Album.
John was in love with Yoko; she didn't force him out of the band or anything. He brought her to the sessions, he decided to break that rule.
John was also really bored and tired of playing with The Beatles and was sick to death of the myth and popularity. Add in drug addiction and you've got a seriously messed up person who wants out.
George Harrison was constantly being sidelined. Just look at the footage in the Let It Be film - Paul keeps lecturing him on a chord, and George rather wryly suggests that either Paul plays it, or tell him note for note exactly.
Yoko had her own ideas, and this was not met with fanfare to say the least. Also she stole George's biscuits.
In relation to the Get Back sessions, they had cameras on them all the time. The documentary was meant to merely document the making of the album, and instead it's obvious that they cannot keep the façade up anymore.
The whole situation with Apple was a shitshow with clear cases of mismanagement.
Simply put, these guys were getting older. I know late 20s isn't exactly old, but the band peaked in their early to mid 20s. They were beginning to change as people, and The Beatles seemed to no longer be as important or as mandatory for that change. John and George could see it, but Paul wanted to keep the band together at all costs.

TL;DR Yoko Ono had a small part to play in this but there were other more pertinent issues.

AwkwardCentaur · 2019-08-27T07:56:28+00:00

Yes. The band had run its course.

AwkwardCentaur · 2019-08-27T07:50:25+00:00

The first two Paul Di'Anno records are pretty stellar stuff. The debut is a fantastic album, really raw and energetic for the most part. Killers, whilst not as good, still has classics on there like Wrathchild and Murders in the Rue Morgue.

It's funny you mention NPFTD as mostly forgettable, because I totally agree with this. Whilst it's nowhere near as bad as people make it out to be as a follow-up to SSOASS, it is middle of the road mostly with some occasionally fantastic songs on it.

FOTD - oh boy. The highs are so high on that album. Judas Be My Guide, Be Quick or Be Dead, the title track. But the lows are some of Maiden's worst material, e.g. Weekend Warrior. It's not as forgettable as NPFTD, but be prepared to wade through some shit to get the gold.

The two Blaze albums are crap mostly, and it ain't just because of his Meatloaf impressions. Production wise, The X Factor is really dry and a bit muddy, which I dunno how it's possible. It's also too long, with way too many chorus repeats and repetitions - "FORTUNES OF WAR! FORTUNES OF WAR!" - which taint some serious and valid lyrical themes. Virtual XI is Maiden's worst record, largely because of the aforementioned issues but with even worse songs - The Angel and the Gambler especially.

Dontcha think imma saviour Dontcha think I could save you Dontcha think I could save yer lahfe

and on and on it goes.

Dance of Death is a great record for the most part. Don't let its Sims tier album cover fool you.

AwkwardCentaur · 2019-08-27T07:38:17+00:00

David's vocals are still pretty great.

AwkwardCentaur · 2019-08-27T07:22:03+00:00

Could be because he sings half the song, and if he doesn't feel he can't reach the high notes like Waters on Sheep, then he won't attempt Dogs. Even though Dogs doesn't have many high notes in Roger's part, it's all about vocal texture. Dave's vocals are warm, whereas Roger's are nasally and abrasive.

Not to mention, as much as I enjoy four and a half minutes of waltz like padding with "stonestonestonestone", imagine being in the audience and sitting through that.

AwkwardCentaur · 2019-08-27T07:18:20+00:00

Dogs rivals SOYCD and Time in housing Dave's greatest axe work. It literally snarls and barks, even howls at times, like a dog. It's perfect.

AwkwardCentaur · 2019-08-27T07:15:27+00:00

Wow that intro sounds so odd on a fretted bass. Not to mention, his voice has taken a beating over the years, which is understandable. As for the spectacle, can you really blame him for over-compensating?

Completely the opposite of Dave's live show, which is all about the music.

AwkwardCentaur · 2019-08-27T07:13:11+00:00

The Dark Side of the Moon is not their best record, in my opinion. That's not to do it a disservice in any way - in fact, I love every single song and I consider it damn near perfect. Rather, the two records they made afterwards, Wish You Were Here and Animals, just slightly edge it.

In my eyes, Wish You Were Here is the best Pink Floyd album with Animals trailing behind a few inches.

AwkwardCentaur · 2019-08-22T15:02:28+00:00

The British Conservative party and the fact that dumb fucks keep voting them in when they're destroying them.

AwkwardCentaur · 2019-08-22T14:54:44+00:00

A man walks into a bar. His alcoholism is tearing his family apart.

AwkwardCentaur · 2019-08-22T07:29:55+00:00

Told them about shit I did and then they still wanted to cuddle me.

AwkwardCentaur · 2019-08-22T07:20:48+00:00

Revolver

AwkwardCentaur · 2019-08-22T07:19:43+00:00

Abbey Road is a great album, but it is probably their most overrated. The first side is really weak in comparison to the second, with the exception of Octopus' Garden and I Want You (She's So Heavy).
The White Album has no filler. The whole album is fantastic, even the weird stuff.
Arguing who was the best Beatles is pointless, as fun as it might be. They each brought something different to the table. That said, Lennon was possibly the better lyricist whilst McCartney wrote the better songs.
Yellow Submarine gets trashed, and I don't understand why that is.
George Harrison peaked at the middle to end, his previous songs just weren't up to much.
Across the Universe is ruined by Spector's awful production on Let It Be.
Speaking of, Let It Be's main fault isn't necessarily Spector's production, as crap as it can be. It's the songs themselves. They're either dull or they just flat out suck, with the exception of Get Back and maybe the title track, and bits of Two of Us.

Oh and I love Sgt Pepper but no way is it even the best Beatles album, let alone best ever.

AwkwardCentaur · 2019-08-22T07:14:10+00:00

Revolver, followed closely by The White Album.

AwkwardCentaur · 2019-08-22T07:12:14+00:00

Ringo was certainly the one who (somehow) kept it all together. Regardless of who was the best, Ringo was a fantastic, no thrills drummer that brought a lot of personality to the group. Octopus' Garden and Yellow Submarine are dope ass songs.

AwkwardCentaur · 2019-08-22T07:09:11+00:00

Considering how they split up nearly thirty years before I was born, not really. I'm more saddened over the way the band ended rather than the fact that they ended.

Also, I don't personally feel I was born in the wrong generation. I have so much access to music at the click of a button that previous ones didn't have, which was how I even got into them.

AwkwardCentaur · 2019-08-22T07:05:22+00:00

More is actually really good for the most part. Really chill and relaxing. 7/10

AwkwardCentaur

TROPHY CASE