Vol II, Issue 2 – Stoned soul picnic (01 Feb 2017)
Name of song– Stoned soul picnic
Singer- Laura Nyro
Album- Eli & The 13th Confessions
Writer– Laura Nyro
Release year– 1968
Cover versions- The 5th Dimension, Roy Ayers, Swing Out Sister,
Similar artists– Carole King, Joni Mitchell, Neil Young
Resources– Wikipedia.org, Last.fm
Stoned soul picnic
Reviewer- Bikash Shrestha/Nirab Kayastha
Laura Nyro is an unfamiliar name for most of the rock enthusiasts. Born Laura Nigro in 1947 in New York, she had her musical career soaring from early childhood. Her poems were deeply regarded, her music highly acclaimed, and her songs were extensively sought after as well as covered. With her roots in jazz, soul, gospel, folk and rock, she clearly had her influence of her hometown, New York, in most of her recordings. She passed away at an early age of 49 years in 1997 with ovarian cancer, but has remained a source of inspiration for many rock enthusiasts as well as rock-stars.
Vol II, Issue 1 – Love you for a life time (15 Jan 2017)
Name of song- Love you for a life time
Band- The Sensational Alex Harvey Band
Album- Fourplay
Writer- Hugh McKenna
Release year- 1977
Similar artists- David Bowie, Badfinger, Smokie, T. Rex
Love you for a life time
Reviewer-Bikash Shrestha/Nirab Kayastha
The Sensational Alex Harvey Band (SAHB) was one of the most popular bands to have come from Scotland. Started as an off shoot from a progressive rock band “Tear Gas”, SAHB was formed by Alexander James Harvey (1935-1982) in 1972 in the era of bloom of British glam rock. They were quite successful in Britain however they could not replicate the English success in US. They are particularly famous for their highly regarded albums and exciting live performances, especially during the seventies. Their most successful numbers include “Boston tea party”, “Delilah” (Originally by Tom Jones), “Midnight moses”, “Next”, “The faith healer”, “Love you for a life time” etc. They may have been a perhaps an underrated band, but they have definitely contributed immensely to the progressive development of seventies rock.
Similar artists– Mud, Badfinger, Sweet, Smokie, Suzy Quatro,
First hit
Reviewer-Bikash Shrestha/Nirab Kayastha
The Arrows, a British American band based in London is an amazing band in the history of rock music. They could be taken as a prototype seventies rock band lost in the glory of themselves. It was formed in 1974 with 3 people, Alan Merrill (Vocals/bass), Jake Hooker (Guitars) and Paul Varley (Drums) and disbanded in 1977. For many, it is a surprise fact that the song “I love rock ‘n’ roll” which was a chart topper for Joan Jett & The Blackhearts in 1982, is actually the single by the Arrows produced in 1975.
Chart records – Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks Chart – 2 (1990)
Billboard Hot 100 – 64 (1990)
Similar artists – Yes, King Crimson, ELP, Magnum, Toto, Cinderella
Days like these
Reviewers-Bikash Shrestha/Nirab Kayastha
Asia, perhaps the dream team combination from the offshoot members from various progressive rock bands of the seventies like Yes, King Crimson, Emerson, Lake And Palmer, was formed in Britain in 1981. Their debut album ‘Asia’ was smash hit all over the world in 1982, but subsequent albums could not live up to the expectations of the first one. But interestingly, despite various line-up changes, they are still surviving today.
‘Days like these’ is the number from their half studio and half greatest hits fourth album of 1990. This was the only song from the album whose song writing was credited to Steve Jones. Asia have many great songs to their credits like ‘Heat of the moment’, ‘Don’t cry’, ‘Only time will tell’, ‘Wildest dreams’, ‘Sole survivor’, etc however; ‘Days like these’ is a prototype stadium anthem rock number for which the band has always been famous for.
The song opens up with a heavy thundering sound of drums, guitars and keyboards, all taking off at once and then follows John Wetton’s manly voice. After that, the song has no return. The tempo, the built up of the song and the harmonious rock blends well till the end. Steve Lukather’s short and sweet solo is another mind-blowing masterpiece part of the song. This is the song about us all-it chants about the confidence which we require in every step of life. The struggle to carry on, the pains we suffer, the hardships we face, the challenges we handle, all make us stronger as we go on. It is a very optimistic song which instills into us the courage to carry on and never give up.
Although this song may not be the song for which Asia is best known for, it is definitely one of the best songs which exactly suits the overall theme of rock music. Definitely, this is a song which gives courage, hope and confidence in an extremely rocky manner to all of us.
