What Are You Listening To?

[Music Head]

from my library (cd)



Was never as thrilled with this album as most were. Yes it's Clapton and Allman so brilliant guitar work is a given.
Most songs are just average for me. Lengthy guitar jams expected I guess. I'm one of the few who think Claptons best
work was with Cream. Stop throwing stuff at me. I do love Bell Bottom Blues and Layla, the two singles so maybe
airplay did that. A couple of bombs to offset those gems. Some standard blues fare thrown in. Bobby Whitlock's
vocals do nothing for me. A 70+ minute album gets rather tedious. Maybe I should have split it up. It is a decent
album for me, just highly over rated, showing up on numerous best of all time lists, plus a five star rating from
allmusic. It peaked at #16 on the chart here with Layla at #10 and Bell Bottom Blues at #78. It's a good album just
not worthy of all the praise. Clapton is not God.

I LIKE THIS ALBUM

Worst Track - I Am Yours

Best Track - Layla

What'll you do when you get lonely
And nobody's waiting by your side?
You've been running and hiding much too long.
You know it's just your foolish pride.

Layla, you've got me on my knees.
Layla, I'm begging, darling please.
Layla, darling won't you ease my worried mind.

I tried to give you consolation
When your old man had let you down.
Like a fool, I fell in love with you,
Turned my whole world upside down.

Layla, you've got me on my knees.
Layla, I'm begging, darling please.
Layla, darling won't you ease my worried mind

Let's make the best of the situation
Before I finally go insane.
Please don't say we'll never find a way
And tell me all my love's in vain.

Layla, you've got me on my knees.
Layla, I'm begging, darling please.
Layla, darling won't you ease my worried mind

Layla, you've got me on my knees.
Layla, I'm begging, darling please.
Layla, darling won't you ease my worried mind

1) I Looked Away **
audio - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ruy3dLT5ss
2) Bell Bottom Blues ***
audio - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BKAYGVIkbok
3) Keep On Growing **
audio - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MJYdJ53_tS8
4) Nobody Knows You When You're Down And Out **
audio - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cah4f8OKmDY
5) I Am Yours *
audio - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AOiDF-BkeIo
6) Anyday **
audio - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pgNYXZL2fB4
7) Key To The Highway **
audio - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eK9E6-Eu3-Y
8) Tell The Truth *
audio - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pUQw8s-QZOg
9) Why Does Love Got To Be So Sad **
audio - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gaTkHCSGn1k
10) Have You Ever Loved A Woman **
audio - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kVRQd8WN4i0
11) Little Wing **
audio - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jLPHz8KT9No
12) It's Too Late **
live - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=StT9e_YDz8A
13) Layla ***
audio - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sw01019P19g
14) Thorn Tree In The Garden **
audio - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hEWvJHd67KE

3's - 2
2's - 10
1's - 2

Grade - 2.0

so many albums, so little time

[CRAZY-HORSE]

Derek....,Cream,Clapton are still overrated IMO as artists, a few nice tracks though, but if youve been around 40+yrs and aint made a few good tracks, then what the hell are you doing making music????

like the Derek Layla version but i still dont think he moulded it into perfection until he did that MTV-Unplugged acoustic version which is a 'classic' IMHO

[Jerome]

MIKE BATT - Caravans (1979)



Jerome recommended this album and I can see why! Mike Batt is a magnificent artist! He was born in Southampton, England and it seems that he garnered huge popularity in South Africa as well as the UK. He is an accomplished composer, producer, arranger, songwriter, vocalist and musician in his own rite. Mike has been involved in 60 albums or so over the past 45 years!

This album which is the Musical Score for the movie Caravans is a joy to listen to. It features Batt's diversity with classical music, traditional folk stylings, Iranian music, avant garde jazz, progressive rock and pop rock. He is accompanied by the infamous London Philharmonic Orchestra. I love this album! An artist to be explored extensively.

Biography from All Music

MIKE BATT

British singer/songwriter, producer, and composer Mike
Batt is a journeyman artist with a long track record of
successful productions that cross from film and
television to musical theater and pop music. Born in 1949
in Southampton, Hampshire, England, Batt was signed to
Liberty/United Artists Records at age 18 and left after
two years to form his own publishing company. Beginning
in 1974, Batt began writing and recording music for the
children's television show and bubblegum pop group the
Wombles, and ultimately scored eight hit singles with the
group. He then went on to write successfully for a bevy
of artists including Steeleye Span, Linda Lewis, Elkie
Brooks, Barbara Dickinson, the Kursaal Flyers, and Art
Garfunkel, with whom he won his second Ivor Novello Award
for 1979's "Bright Eyes" from the animated film Watership
Down.
Batt continued as a solo artist in the '70s, releasing
several albums including 1977's Schizophonia and the 1979
concept album Tarot Suite. However, it was as a writer
that he found his niche, and in 1983 he scored several
Top Ten hits for Cliff Richard, David Essex, and Alvin
Stardust. A year later, Batt made his debut as a
conductor at the Barbican with the London Symphony
Orchestra. Also in 1984, Batt embarked on the first of
his musical theater-inspired endeavors with the album
Snark (also referred to as The Hunting of the Snark). An
all-star cast recording based on the nonsensical poetry
of Lewis Carroll, the album featured John Hurt, Sir John
Gielgud, Roger Daltrey, Julian Lennon, Stéphane Grappelli
and others. Snark would be a continuing project for Batt
as he would return to the material with a live stage
version in 1991.
During the '90s, Batt continued his work in both the
classical and pop worlds by collaborating with several
high-profile artists and ensembles including the London
Philharmonic Orchestra, Finbar Wright, Vanessa-Mae, XTC,
and others. In 1994, he released the solo album
Arabesque. The following year, he received a royal
commission to compose the music for the inauguration of
the Channel Tunnel. Also during this time, he composed
the music for Stephane Grappelli, George Harrison, and
others.
During the '90s, Batt continued his work in both the
classical and pop worlds by collaborating with several
high-profile artists and ensembles including the London
Philharmonic Orchestra, Finbar Wright, Vanessa-Mae, XTC,
and others. In 1994, he released the solo album
Arabesque. The following year, he received a royal
commission to compose the music for the inauguration of
the Channel Tunnel. Also during this time, he composed
the music for the film A Merry War and even re-launched
the Wombles. Batt continued to hone his niche as a man
behind the scenes, developing and guiding the careers of
several acts including the classical-crossover groups
Bond and the Planets, whose 2002 album Classical Graffiti
spent three months at number one on the classical charts.
Batt also helped guide and launch the career of vocalist
Katie Melua, whom he discovered in 2003 while she was
attending the BRIT School for the Performing Arts &
Technology. Beginning with 2003's Call Off the Search,
Batt wrote, co-wrote, and produced three of Melua's
albums, and although he was not the main producer, he did
contribute to Melua's 2010 effort, The House.

Caravans album - Soundtrack for motion picture Caravans

SOUND SAMPLES

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EpHzzrFWL28 - Theme of Caravans

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vCWZX6vhRWk - Caravans on the Move

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v4qalhBmzkA - Caravan Song

Try 'Schizophonia' as well. Some outstanding pieces - 'The Ride to Agidir' for one!

[SteveO]

^ Mike Batt is definitely on my radar!...what a great artist!...thanks Jerome!

[Jerome]

My pleasure - Caravans always accompanies me when I am on holiday. It's a piece of music that just seems to fit wherever you are. I am surprised that it hardly ever gets mentiond anywhere. It is a masterpiece. He was very young when he composed this. A real gem of an album. What amazes me about this guy is that he is so diverse. An exceptional talent. He pops up all over the place but is relatively unknown. A humble magician.

Choral work, symphonic stuff, guitars, drums & ethnic instruments -all rolled into one magnificent track. And instead of bland lyrics - a bit of history thrown in as well. What more could you ask one man to put into one track. Incredible work.

http://youtu.be/MLBlep6ypsQ

[Music Head]

from my library (vinyl)



Around album #18 and the flame is pretty much gone at this point. Better to have burnt out. They still had two great
tracks here for me in Undercover Of The Night and She Was Hot. This quote from wiki sums the band up at this point,
"With the advent of the MTV generation, the band attempted to re-invent themselves for a new era." Pretty accurate
to me. I gave up on them after this. Gone to the ash pile of rock history. May ye rest in peace. It was a fun ride.
A Jagger/Richards tug of war had begun over the direction the band should take. Unfortunately Jagger won. Three
really bad songs on here to counter those two great ones, giving the album a just below average like score. The
album reached #3 in the UK and #4 in the US. Undercover Of The Night as a #9 single here with She Was Hot not faring
well. Those two being my favorite tracks, makes me wonder once again, did the airplay do it? Isn't the correct
answer obvious? Think people think, Ferris, anyone?

I LIKE THIS ALBUM

Worst Track - Wanna Hold You

Best Track - She Was Hot

New York was cold and damp
TV is just a blank
Looks like another dead end Sunday

What about an early night
Monday never feels so bright
Ooh the sheets feel cold and lonely

Who wants to brave the pouring rain
For a glass of French champagne?
Well grab a cab, grab a cap and baby, come right by

And she was hot - as she kissed my mouth
She was hot - as I wiped her brow
She was hot - she pinned me to the ground
She was quick - she knew her way around
She was hot - as she tore my clothes
She was hot - she had no place to go
She was hot - on a cold and rainy night

Detroit was smoky grey
Nothing like the good old days
Well I got a fever that I'm fighting

I don't need your company
Leave me in my misery
I can take the rebound just like lightning

And she was hot - in a 50's dress
She was hot - her lips were flashing red
I was lost - in her burning flesh
I was hot - I was dripping sweat
She was hot - in the Detroit snow
She was hot - she had no place to go
She was hot - on a cold and rainy night

And she was hot - and I had the blues
She was hot - honey, where were you?
If you were in my shoes
You would be excused
She was hot - you can never wait
She was hot - never hesitate
She was hot - on a cold and rainy night

I think I'm going off the rails
Riding down the pleasure trails
I was taking passion where you find it

Honey when you were young and fresh
And you need the touch of your flesh
Go take the treasure where you find it

And she was hot - in the melted snow
She was hot - in the molten glow
She was hot - she got it in the blood
She was hot - like the dam that bursts
She was black - she was strong and true
She was black - and her eyes were blue
She was lost - and she took a chance
At just a brief romance

Down the avenue into the lost bayou
Into the tall bamboo, back to the human zoo
I wish you all the best, I hope we meet again
On a cold Chicago night

She was hot
She was hot
She was hot hot hot
She was hot hot hot.........

1) Undercover Of The Night ***
video - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pekNHCgDWrw
2) She Was Hot ***
live - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HTc4ql7r-GM
3) Tie You Up (The Pain Of Love) **
audio - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=llP5ugT89rU
4) Wanna Hold You *
audio - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EfDP5eDBysE
5) Feel On Baby *
audio - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_0UGEWDA-4c
6) Too Much Blood **
video - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GugjdJzMePw
7) Pretty Beat Up *
audio - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QjpKLMhItCk
8) Too Tough **
audio - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5c-PW2VNLGo
9) All The Way Down **
audio - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qBBYaV4TCuM
10) It Must Be Hell **
audio - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FYQ_Y5DjR6A

3's - 2
2's - 6
1's - 3

Grade - 1.9

so many albums, so little time

[taco42]

FINDING CLYDE, "Get Higher" -- http://on.fb.me/KqEBVn

[CRAZY-HORSE]

really MH....????..."***" for "undercover of the night????, good job it was you and not me...."*" is more than that deserves IMO, but at least you got the "best track" right on that album so i wont hold it against you LOL


also agree on the "gave up on them after this one" comment....they lost me with "undercover", then went from bad to worse with their terrible cover of "harlem shuffle" a couple of years later....how hard the mighty fall eh???!!!

[Music Head]

from my library (vinyl)



Too bad I didn't pull this out of the box a few days ago to coincide with Robin's passing. Anyway, a late tribute
will do. The brothers Gibb with their ninth album. They had made the label switch over to the Robert Stigwood group
at RSO records, where their sound and audience would begin to make a dramatic move. Stigwood turned them into the
disco queens they became. Good for them I guess, but bad for me. This album still holds up though, so he didn't have
complete control yet. It would be two albums later for the mutation to begin. This one did not sell well, not even
touching the UK charts and a weak #69 here. Saw A New Morning was the only single, barely cracking the top 100. Only
two love tracks for me, Living In Chicago and I Don't Wanna Be The One. Either of those should have been the kick
off single. All the others tracks are good, nothing I don't like, but there's only eight tunes on here, a rather
short album. Always wonder, did the sales figures for this album, trigger the change in style. A good album for me,
but disco was in its infancy and bearing down.

I LIKE THIS ALBUM

Worst Track - My Life Has Been A Song

Best Track - Living In Chicago

If your happy and marching forward in your band
Holding hands together, I will understand
In my life I'm together on my own
With my own private eggshell, and my phone

If your mind is in the darkness, could you know
If it suits you to be fast or far too slow
Will you show me someone who may treat me kind
Or is this world I live in just a frame of mind

If you're living in Chicago , it's your home
If you're living in Chicago , you're alone

If you're happy living down on the ground
Where the crippled and the blind alone can see
I got a feeling God is still around
And if I'm right , there must be more then this to see

If your mind is in the darkness , could you know
If it suits you to be fast or far too slow
Will you show me someone who may treat me kind
Or is this world I live in just a frame of mind

And as soon as you discover where you're goin'
Can I walk along the way , along the way
I'm lonesome and I need somebody knowin'
Just a few nice words to get me through the day

If your mind is in the darkness , could you know
If it suits you to be fast or far too slow
And will you show me someone who may treat me kind
Or is this world just a frame of mind

If you're living in Chicago, it's your home
If you're living in Chicago, you're alone

If you're living in Chicago, it's your home
If you're living in Chicago, you're alone

If you're living in Chicago , you're alone \ repeat 4 times and fade
If you're living in Chicago , it's your home

1) Saw A New Morning **
live - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZbLzPtUZxmY
2) I Don't Wanna Be The One ***
audio - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qvCUhZv4grY
3) South Dakota Morning **
audio - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RblQu0va9iE
4) Living In Chicago ***
audio - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ril5MwRvROM
5) While I Play **
audio - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l3yBiCXCkSE
6) My Life Has Been A Song **
audio - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PgAiN79gGp8
7) Come Home Johnny Bridie **
audio - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4FZyHlf7O9o
8) Method To My Madness **
audio - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i32dSd5l-yo

3's - 2
2's - 6
1's - 0

Grade - 2.3

so many albums, so little time

[CRAZY-HORSE]

dont have any of their 1970s albums(only 1960s and best of sets), but i know most of the songs here...fair score IMO

man...all our radio stations have been playing the Bee Gees almost one track an hour over the last two days, getting a bit monotonous now!!!!!!guess theyll be back in the charts next week!!!