The idea of a brief album review is quite appealing. Can a meaningful commentary be jammed into, say 200 words? A little while back, a number of bloggers took up that challenge, with interesting results. Vinyl Connection’s contributions are here and here.
But what about reviewing an album using no words at all? That was the gauntlet recently thrown down in the #0wordchallenge.
After staring at said gauntlet for a while, Vinyl Connection decided to pick it up and give it a shake. But what record to choose?
What about an album released precisely 50 years ago and widely (though not universally) considered one of the greatest of all time? Is VC in speechless agreement with countless magazine and book ‘Best Ever’ lists?
Find out below as we rate [out of 10] each track of an album that needs no introduction from an act you’ve known for all these years…
1
-
- Soundtrack – Fellini’s 8 ½
2
-
- JJ Cale – 5 [Mercury 1979]
3
-
- Ira – 9 [Universal]
4
5
-
- Prince & The New Power Generation – 7 [Paisley Park-Warner Brothers 1992]
6
-
- JJ Cale – #8 [Mercury 1983]
7
-
- After Crying – 6 [Periferic 1997]
8
-
- U2 – 7 [Island 2002]
9
-
- Reunion Jazz Band – 3 [W&G 1968]
10
-
- Foreigner – 4 [Atlantic 1981]
11
-
- Ekseption – 5 [Phillips 1972]
12
-
- Ringo Starr – Liverpool 8 [Capitol 2008]
13
-
- OST – 9 ½ Weeks [Capitol 1986]
*
George Martin, Producer [10/10]
*
Geoff Emerick, Engineer, with his Grammy for Sgt Pepper [10/10]
*
-
- Design: Cover, lyrics, insert, gatefold
-
- Midge Ure – 10 [Proper Sales & Dist. / AFM 2006]
*
*
The Beatles — Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band Label: Parlophone Released 26th May 1967 Duration: 39:52
*
SCORERS
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- Reunion Jazz Band – 3 [W&G 1968]
-
- Foreigner – 4 [Atlantic 1981]
-
- Ekseption – 5 [Phillips 1972]
-
- JJ Cale – 5 [Mercury 1979]
-
- After Crying – 6 [Periferic 1997]
-
- Prince & The New Power Generation – 7 [Paisley Park-Warner Brothers 1992]
-
- U2 – 7 [Island 2002]
-
- Ringo Starr – Liverpool 8 [Capitol 2008]
-
- JJ Cale – #8 [Mercury 1983]
-
- Soundtrack – Fellini’s 8 ½
-
- Ira – 9 [Universal]
-
- OST – 9 ½ Weeks [Capitol 1986]
-
- Midge Ure – 10 [Proper Sales & Dist. / AFM 2006]
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- The Smithereens – 11 [Capitol/EMI 1989]
vinylconnection.com.au 
WOW. Just wow.
Incidentally I predicted the wrong album. I was thinking Zappa. But to do THIS album? IN NO WORDS? Wow.
I’m seriously impressed sir.
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Thank you Mike. Usually I avoid iconic albums as it’s so difficult to find anything new or interesting to say. And I don’t often rate albums either. So what went on in my head with this decision? Lucy only knows. As JDB says (below) it is a conceit, but hopefully an entertaining one.
PS. Appreciate both your inspiration and tech advice.
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Entertaining indeed. And that comes across.
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Love the conceit: fantastic!, and sensational timing to boot. (Did I miss it: what earned the Smithereens-esque11 rating?) I scanned an article about the 50th anniversary of Pepper this weekend. It noted that only Paul considered Sgt. Pepper his favorite of the Beatles’ albums. Ringo favored Abbey Road, George Rubber Soul and Revolver. Interestingly, John included “When I’m Sixty-Four”, “Lovely Rita” and “Good Morning Good Morning” among his least favorite numbers of the entire Beatles oeuvre. The author also reminded readers that Pepper wasn’t the first concept album, just the biggest.
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I’d been planning to pointedly avoid the 50th anniversary, but then when this idea gelled, I had to do it. Do you know, it took three times as long as a 1,000 word article? Guess that’s why I write and don’t do photography/graphic design.
Thanks for adding in some contextual words, J. It’s always been Revolver for me, just as I mostly prefer John’s songs to Paul’s.
Oh, the 11. (1) I was going to give the cover art / design a score of eleven, but decided that was a bit sycophantic; (2) The Smithereens stayed in to even up the ‘Scorers’ grid; and (3) It’s a nice little Spinal Tap reference.
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Awesome job!
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Thanks very much.
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Nice concept. I broadly agree with the ratings, although I would have maybe pushed Being For the Benefit of Mr Kite a little higher, and When I’m Sixty Four into the negative numbers where it belongs along with Octopus’s Garden…
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Ha ha! I thought i might get pilloried for dissing WI’m64, so glad to have brought forth agreement. (And I wouldn’t argue vociferously about another mark or so for Mr Kite!)
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So glad you added the lyrics from the album as most consider Sgt. Pepper’s the first to print them. Awesome, as always, Bruce.
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It was a game changer to have the lyrics on the back cover, despite them being quite hard to read (especially when the band were overlaid)!
Delighted you picked up on that Michael. Thanks.
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Great work of art – but “Sergeant Pepper” is overrated!
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Was? Nicht vier Sterne?
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George Martin war davon überzeugt, dass “gross” mit “pompös” gleichzusetzen war. Drei Sterne!
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Wonderful! The only Beatles album I care enough about to seek out on vinyl, y’know (I accept they have many very good albums, but I’m not too fussed).
Really great work, though… truly.
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Thanks J. When I’ve converted you to Revolver, my work here will be done. 😉
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Very clever! But actually I’m thinking it’s probably more work than actually writing a review! 🙂 – Marty
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‘Never again!’ I moaned to Ms Connection.
‘I could have written two 1,000 word posts’ I bleated to Thom.
‘I’m neither photographer nor designer’ I whinged to JDB.
‘Build a frickin’ bridge and get over it’ roared the world.
‘But,’ I whispered, ‘It was a day in the life…’
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Brilliant! I just read to my wife and we laughed. Your blog comments are as good as the posts. 🙂
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Wonderful Bruce, although if I liked you less we might have had to come to blows over ‘When I’m 64’ – I love that song so much.
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It seemed likely that someone would take me to task about ‘W I’m 64′, but in all honestly I wouldn’t have predicted it to be you. You ol’ softy.
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Haha well done! And I like how A Day In The Life is both a 9.5 AND sexy!
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I’d love to turn you on…
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Exemplary review Bruce, really enjoyed this!
Though it came to a screeching halt at When I’m 64 of course 😉
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Oh dear, Geoff. Hope I didn’t stomp on a fave.
(Is there an emoticon for an evil grin?)
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There should be – and there ought to be one for a scowl when a fave is stomped on too!
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Great and fun concept !
I won’t mention how long it took me to understand it (sigh i’m dumb).
Regarding the ratings, I disagree with most, but that’s no surprise with an album we all have heard sooooo many times.
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Thanks. Of course, disagreeing is part of the fun!
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11/10 for coming up with this.
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Ha! Thanks CB.
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Thoroughly enjoyed this.
Reminds me of the summer of ’67 listening to the chart show on the radio. Back then there was only one chart and it only featured pop singles. Counting down from 40 I was trying to predict what would be number 1. The DJ hinted that it would be a surprise. By the time we got to number 2 I just knew we had heard all possible candidates for the top slot and the tension was becoming unbearable. Had I missed a fantastic new single or had the radio station cheated somehow?
Finally, the DJ spilled the beans. They had taken a track from an album that hadn’t yet been released and, breaking all the rules, installed it at number 1 on the singles chart. The song? It was A Day In The Life from Sergeant Pepper. And did it deserve that accolade? Yes, it most definitely did!
This was, of course, something that only an off-shore (pirate) radio station could do. I still mourn for the old Radio London sometimes and your post just triggered another little tear in the corner of the eye. (Full story here: http://www.radiolondon.co.uk/rl/scrap60/fabforty/sgtpepper/sgtp.html)
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What a fab story (sorry!) Phil. Thankyou for enriching this word-free post with such a terrific anecdote.
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Amazingly, you found a fresh take on SPLHCB. Kudos.
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Thanks. Hadn’t planned to mention it at all (for the exact reason your comment implies), until this idea gelled. Glad you enjoyed it.
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Can a meaningful commentary be jammed into, say 200 words you say? Yes. Most reviews are full of back stories about an artist before they even get to the point. Though occasionally even a short review cannot tell me if I am going to like a record or whether it is any good.
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Someone once suggested that writing about music was like dancing about architecture.
But we still try!
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