Review #66: A Love Supreme, John Coltrane
Review #66: A Love Supreme, John Coltrane
Our second truly jazzy album.
I’ll be the first to admit that I’m not exactly the world’s biggest jazz fan. That said, each time I hear jazz, I feel a little bit more equipped to listen. Does that make sense?
Now let’s talk about Coltrane. He was a saxophonist and freeform jazz dude. We’ve actually already heard him — he plays on Kind of Blue!
Apparently, this is about Coltrane’s relationship with God after he kicked heroin. (Bummer, Coltrane died of liver cancer when he was 40, probably because of all that heroin use.) Knowing that made me feel a little bit differently about it on a second listen because I could follow the music a little more, like a story. I suppose that’s what makes jazz cool.
If I had to choose between A Love Supreme and Kind of Blue, I suppose I would choose this one.
FAVORITE SONGS:
“A Love Supreme, Pt. I — Acknowledgment” — This sax makes me think of Bleeding Gums Murphy. (I’m really sorry, The Simpsons is how I contextualize things for myself.) Also, I love when he goes A looove supreme. What a voice.
“A Love Supreme, Pt III — Pursuance” — Wow, a two-minute drum solo — what fun! Do you think drummers are guitarists reincarnated as lower life forms? Who cares, Pt. II doesn’t jam nearly half as hard as this. Also, I love the name. “Pursuance.” What are we pursuing?
“A Love Supreme, Pt. IV — Psalm” — Sounds like pastoral rain.
LEAST FAVORITE SONGS:
“A Love Supreme, Pt. II — Resolution” — I love the first 20 seconds of this song, but WOW is it long.
IS RS FULL OF IT?
No. I’m really glad that RS has forced me to listen to all this jazz. I’m still not really equipped to explain it, though, so I’ll just link to this Lisa Simpson classic.
