The Armpit Collection XXVI: Spectrum

Good Old Boys/Sail Away - Randy Newman
Darkness On The Edge of Town/Nebraska - The Boss
Beggars Banquet/Let It Bleed - The Stones
Music From Big Pink/The Band - The Band
Harvest/Time Fades Away - Neil
Workingman's Dead/American Beauty - The Dead


These albums are all gamers in terms of American or classically American influenced song form and themes (being recorded by Americans, Canadians, and Brits).

I recently got the pleasure of hearing the deluxe version of Good Old Boys in which Randy Newman narrates the sketches of his songs and planned record as he's in the studio demo-ing them for the impending album recording. These are my favorite Newman: thematic, gritty, classy in the arrangements. Look for "Mr. President...".

Darkness is an interesting record in the Boss' canon. The follow up to BtR, it has a very definitive rock sound, but the songs are less dramatic and more a step in the working man direction that Bruce would continue and maintains his grasp upon. Then of course Nebraska has gained a lot of mileage through they years, serving as a pillar for many indie hipster songwriters at this point who wear the lo-fi badge. I think the truth was that Bruce recorded the songs as demos for the band, carried the tapes around in his back pocket and was finally convinced to release them as is. I urge you to find the Hank Williams III version of Atlantic City.

The Stones had quite an evolving sound from the mid sixties to the mid seventies, a very understandable progression if compared to American popular rock n roll's evolution in the same time period. Beggar's is their true homage to American country music, and it's wildly successful in substance. Let it Bleed gives is argued by some to be their best record. It does cover a lot of ground.

The Band opened their career in historical fashion. They opened their first official release with a biting, challenging number cowritten by Richard and Bob, "Tears of Rage," a song that could be interpreted as a serious jab at the counter culture. Since Basement Tapes serves as the unofficial godfather of modern Americana music to many, Big Pink is the Band's extension of that. They crush the competition, if you look at it that way. The self-titled release confirms that.

Despite this record's desperate need of remastering, Harvest is a milestone for the weaker singer songwriters budding in the early 70's. It opened doors. It proved that a few chords, distinctive voice and wistful romantic lyrics could get a long way in folk/country rock. None of them went on to make their Harvest because in hindsight, they couldn't get that real country sound. Neil superseded these shortcomings, something few of his contemporaries did. He went on to make a series of broken,legendary, and extremely honest records that will likely be included later. This is somewhat chronicled harshly by Time Fades Away.

The Workingman's Dead and American Beauty reflect the sound of the Dead that I personally enjoy the most. I side with Workingman because of "New Speedway Boogie" and "Black Peter," two of my favs by them. It's also a great reflection of the times in terms of folk/country "rock." Europe '72 may even be a better choice, but I'm stickin' with my Workingman's. American Beauty is just shake on the packed bowl.