Why I dig 'em, anyway
Even as their music became increasingly bogged down by vintage cheesy synths, Sonar drums and other trendy production tricks of the time, the Philly soul element still managed to emerge from it — "One On One" is a prime example. If you listened closely enough, you'd find that John Oates was a better than average singer. Daryl Hall's singing was simply outstanding, and you don't have to listen closely at all to know that.
And if none of this convinces you, then I guess it's time to pull out my trump card: these were the same guys who came up with Abandoned Luncheonette. That album alone bought them some serious cred. Sure, they might have since spent it all, but what the hell, the spending spree was mostly fun.
5) Jeff Lorber
Why he gets scorn
Lorber is a conservatory-trained fusion keyboardist, and sounds like it. Sure, he's got chops galore, but none of them are his own. Mostly, he stole them from Chick Corea. He started out with jazz-funk, but now he's a smooth jazz star. Another strike against him, unless you generally like that kind of music.
Oh, and he gave Kenny G(orelick) his big break. Thanks, Jeff.
Why I dig him, anyway
Lorber's brand of funk-jazz, when he doesn't dilute it with guest vocalists and banks of synthesizers, is straightforward and genuinely soulful. His keyboard licks are consistently concise and in the pocket. Even some of his latter smooth jazz recordings retain those attributes. But early albums like Lift Off and Water Sign are some of the finer examples of non-nonsense fusion I've come across. A lot like middle-period Return To Forever without the excesses. So maybe Lorber did separate himself a little bit from Corea after all, and in a good way.
So there you have it. There might be a few more guilty pleasures I didn't put on the list, but I might've embarrassed myself enough already. I need to make amends and find a nice, arty record to review. Has anyone covered Tom Waits' Bastards CD yet?
Article comments
1 - Mark Saleski
Michael Franks?!! yeesh. i guy a worked for a long time ago found out i was into jazz. he sez, really? you should check out Michael Franks.
so i bought Skin Dive. gross.
love Hall & Oates.
hmmm, i think i wrote a guilty pleasures post many moons ago...
2 - Mark Saleski
...and here it is
3 - JC Mosquito
Urk. Guilty as charged.
Gentlemen, the confessional is over on the culture page. Ask for forgiveness and pull out some pre-1975 Stone's albums.
4 - Pico
So before listening you bought an album with a picture of a guy who put too much sculpting gel in his hair? Tak, tak, you've got only yourself to blame for that one, Mark.
Notice the Michael Franks at the top of this article; he looks a member of Crosby, Stills, Nash and Franks. Now that's the kind of dude who's likely to have some good music inside ;&)
5 - Mark Saleski
hey, i think it was his most recent release at the time. i pull it out (vinyl) every once in a while....and it's still not very good.
6 - Mark Saleski
Now that's the kind of dude who's likely to have some good music inside ;&)
yea, yea...sez the guy who listens to Jeff Lorber.
7 - Heatshield
Hall & Oates have been consistently outstanding for decades. What's there to feel guilty about?
8 - JANK
I have NO guilt over liking Michael Franks very much thank you. Check out "The Lady Wants to Know", "Tiger in the Rain", "The Cookie Jar is Empty"....
9 - Tom Johnson
"The Cookie Jar Is Empty"? Seriously? That's a real song?
10 - Tom Johnson
And that RS list is completely ridiculous with Rush at the top. And that's not just me being a huge fan. I've seen non-fans even saying that's stupid of them to say they're a guilty pleasure.
What's funny is that RS wouldn't publish my comment on their site - I suggested that they used lists like this only to generate traffic for their advertisers (and it sure works!) and they really don't care what the lists actually say. See if you can find it - it's under my name, but it ain't there! Hitting a little too close to home, perhaps?
11 - sean Paul Mahoney
Bananarama are totally my guilty pleasure! But Hall and Oates rock too.
12 - Pico
so sez Tom Johnson:
"And that RS list is completely ridiculous with Rush at the top. And that's not just me being a huge fan. I've seen non-fans even saying that's stupid of them to say they're a guilty pleasure."
That was my thought, too, when I first saw Rolling Stone's list. And even though I consider Moving Pictures to be a classic, I'm not really a Rush fan. But even if you might disagree with the number of times they've struck out, Rush always seem to be swinging for the fences. Yet, they're being put in the same company as some acts who are content to bunt every time out.
13 - Barend and Trees
Never ever feel guilty about being a music-lover, especially when you LOVE GINO VANNELLI's voice and music!!!
Thanks for your opinion but for us GINO VANNELLI is the Master of Music and we do not feel ashamed for writing this...
Our apologies for our English/American writing but we do the best we can.
GINO VANNELLI created 15 albums and each album has a vibe for certain emotions and feelings, so you can grab a Gino Vannelli album for 15 different moods or states you are in at that moment...
14 - Glen Boyd
I've always dug Hall and Oates. G.E. Smith, who played on a number of their records is one bad ass guitar player for one thing (he was also in the old Saturday Night Live band).
Speaking of SNL, I'm reminded of an old skit from Second City with Eugene Levy (I think) doing "I Just Wanna Stop" as Gino V. Every time he turns around, his chest is just a little harrier.
But for guilty pleasures, nothing tops Abba.
Fun read, Pico---and thanx for the link and the props.
-Glen
15 - Mark Saleski
i'm a pretty big G.E. Smith fan....even have his Smith Band record. cool stuff. hey, come to think of it, i have an album made back in the 70's that Smith was a part of: The Scratch Band.
nothin' guilty about Hall & Oates either.
16 - Pico
Thanks for the comments and the inspiration for this article, Glen.
I also dig seeing someone represent for good ol' Gino. His fans really get behind him; just go to Amazon to find all the five star ratings on his records. You can't fault a guy too much for bringing that kind of happiness to so much folks' lives, can you?
As to the the question posed in the title "If It Sounds Good, Should You Feel Guilty?", the answer I'm getting from most everyone is NO. So I won't. I just won't play it around certain company, that's all ;&)