Greetings and salutations everyone. Today let's go into another Evening Groove / Three Tune Tuesday post.
I keep the Evening Groove name because that was the name of the series I started way back when in the early days of Steemit exploring music, back when I actually posted these in the evening. Recently I've been inspired by this Three Tunes Tuesday initiative by @ablaze which has gotten a lot of participation around the chain, so I'm using both names.
If you have read my last two posts in the series, you'll know I've been pulling from the March playlist I made for my kids. Well I haven't made them a new one yet, so I'm going off script for this post. But these are three tunes I may add to the next one I make for them.
Today I have a mix of 80s, jazz, and prog. Possibly the greatest prog song ever made. Let's jump in.
Thompson Twins - You Take Me Up
This is their third single from their Into the Gap record. They were bigger overseas, but in America they are probably mostly only remembered for Hold Me Now which was huge back in the day and found new popularity after it was featured in The Wedding Singer soundtrack. While that was a good song, they had a lot of other great tunes too, including this one. Just listen to that harmonica. I love this song.
Yuji Ohno - Saturn - Pierrot in the Heaven (土星 - 天界のピエロ)
Yuji Ohno is probably best known for the Lupin III main theme, but he did a lot of other stuff too. This is the eighth track from his 1981 jazz exploration of the solar system. The entire album is good but not great, a collection of 12 average songs that never really go anywhere. I wouldn't put it on any best of list, but it's good enough for a listen every now and again. Very uplifting and a nice easy listen. This would be classified as jazz fusion I think, because it combines jazz with synthesizers and all kinds of other things, including funk which appears here and there throughout the album that makes it fun. There are several hints of great ideas; these are sadly never really explored, but are returned to enough to keep your interest and be fun. This is maybe the best track. I love the themes and who can resist a title like that?
If you enjoy it, you can listen to the entire album here.
Close to the Edge - Yes
This is just about the ultimate Prop Rock song, clocking in just shy of 20 minutes. What can I say about this? This song is next to godliness. It was said to be inspired by Hermann Hesse's Siddhartha and Lord of the Rings, if that tells you anything. This is a trip to be experienced, a meandering journey through a landscape of dizzying imagination. It's almost more like a symphony than a rock song. This is easily one of the best—if not the best—prog tracks you will ever hear. It is 20 minutes, but the time will fly as you get absorbed in the music.
Do yourself a favor and sit back in your chair as you listen, focusing entirely on the sound. This is one of a kind.
And there you go. Any favorites? Let me know which one in the comments.
If you also have three songs to share, then why not make your own Three Tunes Tuesday and join the fun?
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David LaSpina is an American photographer and translator lost in Japan, trying to capture the beauty of this country one photo at a time and searching for the perfect haiku. |