2020: Year in Review

Let’s be honest: 2020 hasn’t been a great year. From the chaos of the pandemic to the stress of the election, this hasn’t been an easy time. Still, there were a few artists that released new music. I know I’ve been less and less active on this blog but I just don’t have the inspiration that I used to. However, one tradition that I would like to keep going is the Year in Review.

This is an article of my takes on the music from 2020 that I’ve purchased.

New albums

X
Alphabetland
Rating: **** 

FAVORITE ALBUM OF THE YEAR 

            More than 25 years since the release of Hey Zeus, LA punk rockers X surprised everyone by releasing a new studio album. The album, Alphabetland, was dropped back in April 2020- almost 40 years to the day the band released their 1980 debut Los Angeles. While not a groundbreaking album, Alphabetland is a fun batch of tunes in the spirit of the band’s first four albums. In just 24 minutes, X present a little bit of everything: you got all-out punk rockers, rockabilly-tinged tunes and ska flavored ditties. Some fans might gripe about the album not being entirely originally- given the re-recordings of “Delta 88 Nightmare” and “Cyrano deBerger’s Back.” Even if not entirely original, Alphabetland is an all around good effort from a veteran artist.

Highlights: Water and Wine, I Gotta Fever, Goodbye Year Goodbye, Free

 

Bob Dylan
Rough and Rowdy Ways
Rating: **** 

            Now entering the sixth decade of his career, Bob Dylan released his first album of original tunes since 2012’s Tempest. While Dylan’s 79-year-old voice may not please everyone, the man still has a lot to say. The ten songs on Rough and Rowdy Ways are songs that see Dylan questioning his morality- along with singing songs of remorse and heartbreak. Musically, Dylan sounds like he’s picking up where he left on Tempest- although you will find some rock n roll numbers and a few bluesy tunes. While a solid album, Rough and Rowdy Ways is a bit longer than it should be- with the 17 minute “Murder Most Fowl” being the misstep on the album. While many have been praising the Kennedy assassination themed epic, the song has one too many name drops. Despite its weaknesses, Rough and Rowdy Ways is still worth a listen.

For a more in-depth review on this album, read my review on Pop Culture Beast. 

Highlights: False Prophets, I Made Up My Mind to Give Myself to You, Goodbye Jimmy Reed, My Own Version of You

Fee Waybill
Fee Waybill Rides Again
Rating: *** ½ 

            More than 20 years since his last solo album, Tubes frontman Fee Waybill surprised everyone by releasing a brand new studio album. While a new album, some of the songs were apparently recorded a few years earlier. Although Waybill worked with friends such as Richard Marx on this album, Rides Again is just okay. The songs are catchy and Waybill’s voice sound great. The only thing working against this album is that it isn’t entirely memorable. I’ve only heard the album a few times and I’m struggling to remember the names of the songs. While not entirely memorable, Rides Again isn’t bad at all.

Highlights: Faker, Don’t Want to Pull the Trigger, Man of the World

 

The Residents
Meat, Metal and Bone
Rating: **** 

            When it comes to the Residents’ work after the 1970s, their output is either hit or miss. In the case of Meat, Metal and Bone, I’d say this is a good album. I’ll admit that I haven’t listened to all of the group’s discography but compared to the other albums I’ve heard, this is a really solid effort from the group. As per usual with Residents albums, this follows a concept- performing the songs of Alvin Snow, aka the Dyin’ Dog. Part of the experience in listening to this album is reading the liner notes included- which tells the story of the (more-than-likely fictional) blues singer. This is a very inspired effort from the group and it gets better on repeated listens.

For a more in-depth review on this album, read my review on Pop Culture Beast. 

Highlights: DIE! DIE! DIE!, River Runs Dry, Momma Don’t Go, Midnight Man

 

AC/DC
Power Up
Rating: **** 

            Despite the drama surround the band in 2016, AC/DC returned this year with a brand new studio album- with singer Brian Johnson and drummer Phil Rudd back in the band. Dedicated to the late Malcolm Young, Power Up is a surprisingly decent album. Throughout the album, the band are in fine form playing an array of catchy rockers. Musically, the band are firing on all cylinders- which is impressive considering how older these guys are. This is probably the band’s most consistent since 2008’s Black Ice- albeit with a shorter runtime. With the Brian Johnson era albums after Back in Black, it’s a bit of a bumpy road through their discography. With Power Up, this is a thoroughly consistent effort. If this ends up being their last one, Power Up would be a perfect end to their career.

Highlights: Realize, Shot in the Dark, Through the Mist of Time, Systems Down

 

Paul McCartney
McCartney III
Rating: **** 

            Paul McCartney had no plans in releasing new album in 2020. Once the lockdown came around, McCartney went to work on a new studio album. As the title would suggest, McCartney III is the third in a trilogy of albums, with the other two installments coming out in 1970 and 1980. Staying true to the first two albums, McCartney III sees the former Beatle playing every instrument- giving the album a more intimate feel and vibe. Musically, the album does have some of the acoustic and experimental elements found on the first two album. However more than anything, it sounds like a follow up to 2018’s Egypt Station in terms of the production and overall sound. While not an instant classic, McCartney III is still an all-around solid album.

 

Highlights: Find My Way, Pretty Boys, The Kiss of Venus, When Winter Comes

 

 

Ranking

1.     X- Alphabetland

2.     Paul McCartney- McCartney III

3.     AC/DC- Power Up

4.     Bob Dylan- Rough and Rowdy Ways

5.     The Residents- Metal, Meat and Bone

6.     Fee Waybill- Fee Waybill Rides Again

 

Archival Releases

Neil Young
Homegrown
Rating: **** 

Shelved for over 40 years, Homegrown was supposed to be Neil Young’s follow-up to the immensely successful Harvest. However due to the depressing nature of the songs, Young shelved the album. Now in 2020, Homegrown has finally been released. As an album, it’s pretty solid. However, it’s hard to fully immerse myself into this album. Had Homegrown been released back in the day, perhaps it would’ve been considered one of Young’s best albums. Though if it was released then, would Young’s other great work have ever happened? Still, I do like the album. As to if I listen to it many years from now- I don’t know.

 

Paul McCartney
Flaming Pie
Album Rating: ****
Bonus disc: ***

           

            After a two-year delay, the Paul McCartney Archive Collection continued this year with Paul’s 1997 effort Flaming Pie. Usually considered to be one of McCartney’s best later efforts, the album has a rock/pop-indie thing going on here. From beginning to end, this is strong abum- featuring songs such as “The Song We Were Singing,” “The World Tonight,” “Calico Skies,” the title track and “Little Willow”- with the last being a touching tribute to Maureen Starkey. For an album made in the late 1990s, this remaster surprisingly sounds better than the original CD. Looking in Audacity at the files, the original CD was much louder. With the new remaster, it sounds warmer. As for the bonus disc, you can skip it.

           

Jimmy McCulloch
White Line 
Rating: **** 

            An indie label reissued the long out-of-print White Line tapes from Wings guitarist Jimmy McCulloch. Formed in the late 1970s, White Line was a band formed by McCulloch with his brother Jack and bassist/singer Dave Clark. The band would only release one single but had about a dozen of demo tracks recorded- which finally saw the light of day in 1994. By surprise, this collection was reissued and it’s good to see this back in print. While most of the songs are incomplete, this is a solid collection of tunes. Highlights include “Call My Name” the McCulloch sung “Too Many Miles” is an absolute killer.

 

Listed below are my reviews for other archival releases- all coming from Pop Culture Beast. To read them, simply click on the text that’ll lead you to the reviews.

Peter Green- The Name of the Game
Harry Nilsson's The Point Blu Ray- FAVORITE ARCHIVAL RELEASE
Sir Lord Baltimore- Complete Albums
Trapeze- Trapeze/Medusa/You Are The Music We're Just The Band
The Residents- Cube E Box
Culpeper’s Orchard- The Polydor Years
Billion Dollar Babies- Battle Axe
Iron Butterfly- Unconscious Power: 1967-71
The Stooges- From KO to Chaos

Movies

Zappa
Rating: ****

Directed by Alex Winter (Bill and Ted), Zappa is a career-spanning documentary about the brilliant Frank Zappa. Using archival footage and new interviews from Zappa's peers, Zappa is able to paint a picture of one of the most unique musicians of the 20th century. While a good movie, it isn't without it's flaws: several parts of Zappa's career are missing while some fans might be disappointed that his actual music is barely discussed. If anything, this is a documentary about Frank Zappa as a person. As such, it does its job. 

In Memoriam
Neil Peart- drummer for Rush
Bill Rieflin- drummer for REM and King Crimson
Lou Kouvaris- guitarist for Riot
Florian Schneider- member of Kraftwerk
Little Richard- rock n roll musician
Astrid Kirchher- photographer/artist, fiancé of Stuart Sutcliffe
Bob Kulick- session musician for Kiss
Peter Green- guitarist of Fleetwood Mac
Pete Way- bassist of UFO
Frankie Banali- drummer of Quiet Riot
Lee Kerslake- drummer of Uriah Heep and Ozzy Osbourne
Eddie Van Halen- guitarist for Van Halen
Ken Hensley- keyboardist of Uriah Heep
Dieter Horns- bassist of Lucifer’s Friend
Leslie West- guitarist/singer of Mountain

Lucifer's Friend bassist Dieter Horns dead at 74

 Dieter Horns
February 28, 1946 - December 19, 2020

Dieter Horns, bassist and co-founding member of German hard rockers Lucifer's Friend, passed away Saturday morning. His death was announced by the band's Facebook page- with singer John Lawton saying Horns will be remembered for his "musicianship, songwriting and the respect of other musicians." No cause of death has was announced. 

Horns was on the co-founding members of Lucifer's Friend, who originally formed in 1968 as Electric Food. Along with Horns was singer George Mayros, guitarist Peter Hesslein, drummer Joachim "Addie" Reitenbach and keyboardist Peter Hecht. After two albums, Mayros left the band and was replaced by English singer John Lawton. The band would then change their name to Asterix before finally changing their name to Lucifer's Friend. For most of the early 1970s, Lucifer's Friend were part of the German rock- aka Krautrock- scene. The band would achieve success throughout most of Europe and elsewhere except the United States- where they never toured. The band are perhaps best known for their song "Ride the Sky"- a trailblazing heavy psych rocker. While mostly associated with heavy psych and progressive rock, the band would change it up with every album released. In their time together, the band would go through several line-up changes- with the most notable being singer John Lawton departure. Lawton joined Uriah Heep, replacing original singer David Byron. Lucifer's Friend would continue with singer Mike Starrs, which drove the band to a more AOR sound. Lawton rejoined in 1981 but the band would soon cease activity in 1982. 

Lucifer's Friend would reform briefly in 1994 under the name Lucifer's Friend II. Due to inner tensions between the band members at the time, Horns was not in the band during this time- with Lawton and Hesslein being the only original members. Nearly 20 years later in 2014, Lucifer's Friend reunited with Horns, Lawton and Hesslein as the returning original members. Given Reitenbach's death in the early 2010's and Hecht lack of interest, the band recruited drummer Stephen Eggart and keyboardist Jogi Wichmann to replace them. Prior to Horns' passing, Lucifer's Friend had released two albums- Too Late to Hate (2016) and Black Moon (2019). 

According to the Facebook post, Horns is survived by his longtime partner Hannelore. 

Hearing about Mr. Horns' passing is sad. I interviewed Lucifer's Friend via email in 2016. While email interviews aren't the best, these guys were friendly and it was great to learn a little more about a band that aren't all that famous. 

My thoughts go out to Mr. Horn's family and friends at this point in time. 

To read my interview with Lucifer's Friend from 2016, click here.