Two Words, One Answer.
Steppenwolf
 Steppenwolf: A Novel $14.00 Half-way through this short treatise on duality, despair, decay; telling us that we have many people living inside us fighting for control; I relate the description as my experiences so far of 27 years. Enjoying seclusion. Privacy. Free-time to study literature, philosophy, religion and listening to music etc. Feeling life's a tragedy and molding it into a Kafka/Beckett tragi-comedy. Moving into the later parts of the novel I'm not sure what Harry/Hesse is saying. I've come away with advice from someone almost double my age, saying, LAUGH! Reminiscent of Rabelais. Be objectively serious and at the same time laugh at the same time know what we're laughing at, with and what-for. Hesse was peeling off layers of his psychology that were contradictory, dual, synthetic, unitary and I think laughing at it all like a mad-clown/Fool/joker... Who'll win the battle; animal or man or neither or both..for us to decide- skin or hide?  Steppenwolf the Second $9.98 You know I truly don't care how much time has gone by, *this* is the reason people love the music from the 60's. This second album by Steppenwolf is the reason we look back and remember how melodic and easy-going and just really REALLY superb the rock and roll from the 60's was. I think the best thing about Steppenwolf's second album is how the lead singer is in excellent shape with his AMAZING voice where he sounds like he's crying while he sings, and to me it's absolutely terrific when someone sings with THAT kind of emotion because you know it's totally real and not some attempt to give the listener some bogus feelings like all those commercial bands out there today. Nope, this kind of rock and roll comes from deep within. To me, that makes Steppenwolf a very soulful band. I'm absolutely impressed with the quality of the music. For 1968, it still sounds quite fresh and easily way and beyond your average rock band. The second side of the album has the famous hit song that we all know and love (at least you *should* love it because it's a classic, despite being played a thousand times in a thousand different places) but what's amazing is how there's also a bluesy song on the second side that absolutely delivers as far as the lead singers emotions go. INCREDIBLE vocal job on the blues I must say. Then, the rest of the songs on side two is actually just one super gigantic jam with guitar, harmonica, keyboards, but most of all, and probably more specifically, a showcase of different vocal melodies takes place, and each vocal melody just as great as the previous one. You'll probably agree once you hear it. It's bluesy jam rock done right. Side one features some shorter pop songs and more honest, emotional vocal performances. You MUST own this Steppenwolf album. |
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