« Back to Top Level | Stone The Crows

Stone The Crows - Ode To John Law (1970)

Track listing:
  1. Sad Mary 6:54
  2. Friend 6:28
  3. Love 6:36
  4. Mad Dog And Englishman 3:34
  5. Things Are Getting Better 6:10
  6. Ode To John Law 5:47
  7. Danger Zone 6:21
  8. Things Are Getting Better 4:04

Notes

Size: 85.5 MB
Bitrate: 256
mp3
Ripped By ChrisGoesRock
Artwork Included


This album is a stone classic (pun intended).Cut 1:"Sad Mary", present-tense ruminations of Mary Queen of Scots awaiting & being lead to her beheading,musical portryal of the moment the axe blade falls.Cut 2:"Friend" a wonderful haunting soulful dirge imploring 'open up your body let a friend in'.Cut 3:"Love" another dirge imploring 'give me your love, I want your love, give me your love..., in this world of false ideals, love you can count on..'Cut 4:"Mad Dogs And Englishmen" light relief about the good times the band had touring as back up to a top-hatted singer/pianist and his band. Cut5:"Things Are Getting Better", slow anthem to 'those who died for freedom...help us fight for freedom every day.Cut 6:"Ode To John Law", present-tense talking to a riot cop 'Listen please dear John, go easy with that stick, cause if you keep on hitting I'll fall and then you'll kick'. Cut7:"Danger Zone" ruminations on the state of the modern world, 'Just read your paper and you'll see just what exactly has been bothering me'. (Cut 8 bonus track, an edited-for-radio-play version of cut 5 but a nice alternative way to finish the album if you want to end on a positive note or can't be bothered programming it out). The musical mood of most of the album is is one of sadness and of coping with the cruelty of life, with a sombre eerie feel to the musical arrangements, which have strong influences from American Indian drumming & chanting, soulful slow psychedelia tinged guitar solos and prominent organ fills and dynamic shading. As always the lead singer Maggie Bell is as one with the rest of the band. For me,"Danger Zone" is outstanding in an album full of gems. I'd suggest anyone who likes to explore music that's a little different take a punt on this one. If you're already an STC fan you won't be dissappointed. I rate it as my favourite.

01. Sad Mary
02. Friend
03. Love
04. Mad Dogs and Englishmen
05. Things Are Getting Better
06. Ode to John Law
07. Danger Zone
08. Things Are Getting Better [Single Version]