The Music Project, Pt. 4

I have a very warm, fuzzy, special place in my heart for Janis Joplin, and with all due respect to Big Brother and the Holding Company and The Kozmic Blues Band, she finally got the musicians she deserved - The Full Tilt Boogie Band - on her swan song, "Pearl." According to legend, Janis was going to come back to the studio, after a short break, and put a vocal track on "Buried Alive in the Blues," but died in the interim. I think that dollop of rock and roll lore smacks of apocryphilia. (Is that a word?) The track sounds like a perfect instrumental, to me. I've always wanted to sing "Half Moon," live, but I never got the chance. I love you, Pearl.
I'm sorry, Genesis fans. I know that "Wind and Wuthering" is where a lot of you lost interest, but it's the only Genesis album I need. Just check out the bitter-sweet whimsy of "Blood on the Rooftops." It makes me feel so sad, but you know, in a good way.
"Are you ready, Steve? ("Uh huh.") Andy? ("Yeah.") Mick? ("Ok.") Alright, fellas - LET'S GOOOOO!!!" Side 1 of Sweet's "Desolation Boulevard" consists of ooey-gooey, sticky sweet Chinn and Chapman "glam rock hit machine" power pop. On side 2, the boys try stepping out on their own, with delicious, hard rocking results.
I looked long and hard to find Focus' "Hamburger Concerto" on CD. It contains the follow-up to "Hocus Pocus": "Harem Scarem." Amazing musicianship from Jan Akkerman, Thijs Van Leer and the boys. Yep, they're from Holland.
"Goodbye Yellow Brick Road" is, without a doubt, my favorite Elton John album. Four sides (on vinyl) of incredible songwriting and playing. Every song on here could have been a hit.
The Zappa cover pictured below is a Double CD of "Overnight Sensation" and "Apostrophe." "Apostrophe" is my favorite, with "ONS" coming in a hard second. I miss Frank. He was a true original and a musical genius.
Experience the pinnacle of the Mahavishnu Orchestra. "Visions of the Emerald Beyond" feels like a mystical journey. Take a Jazz-fusion fueled carpet ride.
Pink Floyd's "Dark Side of the Moon" feels like a journey, also - an excursion into the murkiest recesses of the human soul. At least it's comforting to know you are not alone on this voyage.
I could have listed Eno's first 4 solo albums here - all of them classics. On "Here Come the Warm Jets," Eno displays his penchant for quirky, quasi-prog-rocking melodic noise, while keeping his tongue planted firmly in cheek - which was probably his saving grace.