THE HAZARDS OF LOVE

Another album that has taken me a LONG time to get to know in order to write a review of it--partly because I am not particularly attracted to this kind of music--let's call it the modern version of BIG BROTHER AND THE HOLDING COMPANY. Great production, cool concept album, but boy do I get tired of feeling like I'm sitting round the campfire after the long day's work cattle ranching or prospecting under the hot sun. And, excuse me, but I was never, am not, a fan of JANIS JOPLIN. Plus I get very tired of that electric bluesy bass riff spouting off every four beats for four to six minutes ("Won't Want for Love," "The Wanting Comes in Waves," The Queen's Rebuke," etc.) By the way, call me crazy or something, but, isn't the music on this album just good ole standard rock and roll? My three favorite songs rely on sounding like classic rock proto-prog groups from the 1960s: "Prelude" (PROCUL HARUM), "The Hazards of Love 1" (TRAFFIC "John Barleycorn") and "Margaret in Captivity" (RENAISSANCE [and later, PEARL JAM]), and the others like JANIS and her HOLDING COMPANY. Not my favorite album. Not one I particularly enjoy. I understand the 'goodness' of it. I just don't like this music.