Tag Archives: Alan Parsons Project

Now Normal Chronicles or: Loads and Loads

27 Thursday Aug 2020

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Salutations™!!

Today was a big day in releases. A lot of things came out. Let’s run through some…

Love To Love You Baby from Donna Summer (with the title track, her first big hit) turns 45. The Roaring Silence from Manfred Mann’s Earth Band (with “Blinded By The Light”) and No Reason To Cry from Eric Clapton each turn 44. Alan Parsons Project’s Eve turns 41 as does Pat Benatar’s In The Heat Of The Night. Wild Planet from B-52s is 40. Garth Brooks’ second and breakthrough album, No Fences, is 30. Pearl Jam’s debut, Ten is 29 as is Hoodoo from Alison Moyet, The Prodigal Stranger from Procol Harum, Bad English’s second and final album, Backlash, and Bob Seger’s The Fire Inside. No Code from Pearl Jam is 24. Uncle Kracker’s No Stranger To Shame which had his cover of “Drift Away” is 18, as is Corporate America, the last Boston album to feature Brad Delp before his suicide.

So, that’s a lot! I had to pick one to do and that was hard. This is the easy out, I think, but such a great rendition. That guy’s voice dips deep in the low baritone, high bass range. I dig it. Enjoy!

Until tomorrow, same blog channel…
Scorp out!

—
“Blame it all on my roots. I showed up in boots. And ruined your black-tie affair. The last one to know, the last one to show, I was the last one you thought you’d see there. And I saw the surprise and the fear in his eyes when I took his glass of champagne. And I toasted you, said, honey, we may be through, but you’ll never hear me complain.” – “Friends In Low Places” (Blackwell/Lee)

Spinning Sunday or: The Haul 8/11/18

12 Sunday Aug 2018

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Salutations™!!

Queensryche_-_Operation_Mindcrime_cover

©EMI

It was a great average Saturday for The BCPF and me. Sun was out mostly in the morning/early afternoon. We got home from Underdog Records and the bottom fell out. It was done before we went to Willows and stayed nice the rest of the evening. Here’s what happened at Underdog:

  • Queensrÿche – Operation: Mindcrime — I didn’t buy this from Underdog but I did get it from there. After looking for this album for a long while and through some negotiation, I finally was able to convince my friend Bill B-A to part with his copy. It sounds fantastic on vinyl and I actually heard things I hadn’t ever noticed. That happens with vinyl I have noticed. Once my favorite album of all-time, it moved down one notch when I realized the love I had for So by Peter Gabriel. Listening to this again, it can still be a contender. VG+ from Bill.
  • U2 – Achtung Baby — #63 on the RS list which brings me to 200 from that list. The search continues. One of my favorite U2 albums and the last before they went into “temporary insanity” state. “Mysterious Ways” and “One” are probably my two faves on this album, while “Who’s Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses” and “Even Better Than the Real Thing” are awesome, too. 2xLP New.
  • The Sisters Of Mercy – Floodland — This is solely a The BCPF thing. She went through (and still lives through some memories of) a goth stage when she was a bit younger. This is definitely “Dark Wave” material and I can see why she likes it. She is especially fond of “This Corrosion.” New.
  • Dio – The Last In Line — I couldn’t pass it up. VG.
  • Whitesnake – Whitesnake — One of my favorite hard rock albums of all time. There are no real clunkers on this album and I had hoped to get it on Record Store Day but while Jonathan ordered several copies, he only got two. Even being fourth in line didn’t get me that album. He had it this time. It was a label promo but that’s okay. It’s the full album. VG+.
  • Golden Earring – Moontan — Although there are only five songs on the album, it isn’t an EP because it still comes in at about 40 minutes. This is the “Radar Love” album. I didn’t know that Golden Earring were Dutch. VG.
  • George Harrison – George Harrison — A good album with some great tunes. It’s no All Things Must Pass, to be sure, but it is good nonetheless. “Blown Away,” “Faster,” and “Love Comes to Everyone” are on this album. VG+.
  • Nick Lowe – Labour Of Lust — Yes, I got this for “Cruel to be Kind.” No, the rest of the album isn’t as good as that tune. But, there are some good pop-music things going on in this album. It’s decent. VG+.
  • Journey – Look Into The Future — Journey’s second album and the penultimate to feature Gregg Rolie on vocals exclusively (which I think is a good thing, I’ve never really been a big fan of his). VG.
  • Various – The Story Of Great Music: Prelude To Modern Music and Various – The Story Of Great Music: The Romantic Era — Each from 1966 and are TimeLife collections, 4xLP each and the “Modern Music” one is VG++ in mono and the “Romantic Era” is NM in mono. I’m actually listening to the first one as I write this.
  • Traffic – The Low Spark Of High Heeled Boys — Notable for its really strange die-cut cover, this is a really good album from Traffic. The title song is a great listen as well as the whole album, really. Better than I initially gave it credit for. VG+.
  • The Alan Parsons Project – The Turn Of A Friendly Card — Man, I really dig me some APP. Who’d-a-thunk when I was a young lad listening to music and only knowing “Eye in the Sky” that I would grow up to become such a fan of the other (and in many ways better) APP albums? “Games People Play” and “Time” are the two best tunes on here, in my opinion. VG.
  • Robert Palmer – Heavy Nova — $1 bin find. It has “Simply Irresistible” and I know not much more than that. I think I got it from Columbia House on cassette when it came out because I forgot to send in my card. I may have sent it back or considered sending it back. I think I kept it, though. Oh well, it was $1. VG.
  • The Voices Of Walter Schumann – Songs Of The Ivy League — I have no idea what this is other than college songs. School songs and such. So it will be interesting. The BCPF wanted it for some song that was on The Gilmore Girls and it was $1. 10″ and in VG.

It’s always fun just going into Underdog Records and hearing people say they were playing “Beat the Beemans.” Yeah, we get there and start grabbing stuff as this list shows but there is a method to the madness, but we shan’t divulge the method. Check out The Less Desirables for the weekly TLD/UDR special that runs.

Discogs is where I catalog my entire collection. It (usually) keeps me from getting duplicates and helps me figure what’s left to get for my collection. I recommend using them.

Until tomorrow, keep spinning…
Scorp out!

—
“Did I disappoint you? Or leave a bad taste in your mouth? You act like you never had love and you want me to go without. Well, it’s too late, tonight, to drag the past out into the light. We’re one, but we’re not the same. We get to carry each other. Carry each other. One.” – “One” (Evans/Hewson/Mullen/Clayton)

Spinning Sunday or: The Haul 5/4-5/18

06 Sunday May 2018

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Salutations™!!

First off, notice I changed the title of this one. It seems my Sunday posts are a bit verbose at times, and they’re usually about records. Neither of which really lends to the “silent” aspect of Silent Sunday. So, I think I’m changing the “haul” posts up a bit. I’ll still do Silent Sunday for non-record posts.

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©A&M

 

Well, this is a little different in the record category, as well. I went to Underdog Records, three different times from Friday to Saturday. I went on Friday because I didn’t think I’d get there Saturday because of a party we were having with a dear friend of ours. That included a bus and beer. Yep. Bus. Beer. And, also, on Friday, I was given a few records by a friend of mine. She said, here you can have these. Some of them ended up crossing off a few entries off the RS List. So, here’s what we got:

  • Poison – Open Up and Say…Ahh! – Yeah, I know it’s cheesy “hair metal” but I don’t care. I love this album. I think Bret Michaels sings perfectly well for what they were. Still, when people talk hair metal, I’d say 17 out of 20 would say Poison first. This was a reissue, so new.
  • Dr. Dog – Critical Equation – A new album from a band that, to me, sounds like a mixture between Robert Smith of the Cure and Bob Dylan. It’s right up The BCPF’s alley and that’s why I picked it. New.
  • Liz Phair – Exile In Guyville – #327 on the RS List, this was a reissue on 180g vinyl to celebrate its 25th anniversary. It’s a great album. She’s ballsy for a chick. That’s a good thing. New.
  • Bob Dylan – Desire – #174 on the RS List. It was there in the used bin and in VG condition.
  • Frankie Goes To Hollywood – Welcome To The Pleasuredome – Yep, this is the “Relax” album, which is all most people know about. My second favorite song from the band is also on this album, “Two Tribes (For the Victims of Ravishment).” VG
  • Ella Fitzgerald – Ella Fitzgerald Sings The Johnny Mercer Song Book – Ella. ‘Nuff said. VG+.
  • Crosby-Nash – Live – Another rendition/combination involving any or all members of CSNY. Jonathan said it’s great so well see. VG+.
  • Stephen Stills – Stephen Stills 2 – Another in the CSNY shuffle.
  • The Motels – All Four One – “Only the Lonely” is on this one. I love that song and I want to hear more from them. VG+.
  • Bruce Springsteen – Nebraska – #226 on the RS List, it was a little more on the subdued side. That’s okay. I think I gave it a neutral review on the list. VG+.
  • Journey – Infinity – The first with Steve Perry singing and the last with Aynsley Dunbar on drums. I’d say “Wheel in the Sky” was the big hit on this one. VG+.
  • Stan Getz – Stan Getz I hope this is as good as the other Stan Getz things I have. I love his stuff. VG.
  • Squeeze  – Cosi Fan Tutti Frutti – I like Squeeze. It was there. I grabbed it. Done. VG+.
  • Fleetwood Mac – Heroes Are Hard To Find – Pre-Buckingham/Nicks Mac with Bob Welch still in the band. I like Bob Welch. Let’s see what we got. VG+.
  • The Alan Parsons Project – Eve – Another in the Alan Parsons Project cannon! VG++.
  • 10cc – Bloody Tourists – I love the song “Dreadlock Holiday” which is about reggae. I think it’s a great song. We’ll see what the rest of it sounds like. VG++.
  • Supertramp – “…Famous Last Words…” – I see a few of my friends talk about this album as something special. I like Supertramp, let’s see. NM.

These are the ones that were “gifted” to me:

So, a pretty big haul there. Thanks, Lori for the gifts. And thank you Underdog Records for providing me a “candy store” to be proud of. And thanks to Discogs for providing such a great place for me to catalog my stuff!

Until tomorrow, same blog channel…
Scorp out!

—
“Winter is here again oh lord. Haven’t been home in a year or more. I hope she holds on a little longer. Sent a letter on a long summer day. Made of silver, not of clay. I’ve been runnin’ down this dusty road.” – “Wheel in the Sky” (Schon/Fleischman/Valory)

Silent Sunday or: The Haul 2/17/18

18 Sunday Feb 2018

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Salutations™!!

Yesterday was misty and cold.  A near perfect day if you ask me. Why? Because I was with my best girl and I had records. I love records. And, The BCPF and I love us some Underdog Records. We got to see several of our friends whilst there and that’s always a plus. So, here’s the haul:

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©Elektra/EMI

 

  • Belle & Sebastian – How To Solve Our Human Problems – Belle & Sabastian’s 3xEP that was released one every month has come out in a box set. We traded in the old and got the box. Call us crazy. New.
  • Queen – Queen – The debut album from one of the most prolific bands in rock history. I’ll be doing the choir part in the opening track from this when the Ramkat opens next month, along with quite a few other songs. This was mostly overlooked for, as someone said yesterday, its lack of “hits.” I agree. It’s not what we’d come to know and love from Queen but it certainly had some glimpses of it. Someone named Dave Doolittle wrote his name on the front cover and that irks me, but the record is in really, really great shape. VG+.
  • U2 – The Unforgettable Fire – The BCPF’s first U2 album when she was but a youngster. We saw it come across the Instagram feed whilst eating breakfast. We got in the door and I went straight for it, to secure it for our collection. VG+
  • Love And Rockets – Earth • Sun • Moon – The BCPF also loves Love and Rockets and she even yelled at me (whilst I was in the bathroom, mind you), I LOVE THIS RECORD! I was in Underdog on Friday when he bought this. VG+.
  • Joni Mitchell – Ladies Of The Canyon – A VG+ copy of a classic. It has “Big Yellow Taxi,” “Woodstock” and “The Circle Game” on it. Great album.
  • Willie Nelson – Stardust – The lone RS list pickup for this week. It was there waiting for me to grab. VG+. Oh, and it’s #260 on the list. Right in the middle.
  • Pretenders – Pretenders II – The BCPF loves the Pretenders, too. So, this was there, we had to have it. It is VG+.
  • Dire Straits – Dire Straits – The debut album but now-Hall-of-Famers, Dire Straits. I’ve really loved listening to them lately. This is a VG+ version.
  • Various – Cocktail Piano Time, Music In An Intimate Mood – I love cocktail piano music. I couldn’t pass up this 5xLP box set. All of it in VG+ condition, too.
  • Ferrante & Teicher – Holiday For Pianos – I really don’t know what this is, but it was in the $1 bin. I went to wash it and it was in NM condition. Even the cover was immaculate. So, we have it.
  • Barbra Streisand, Sydney Chaplin – Funny Girl (Original Broadway Cast) – VG $1 bin find. I have “Funny Lady,” why not have both?
  • Siobhan McKenna – Irish Ballads Folk Songs And Lyrics Read By Siobhan McKenna – Again, no clue, we love international music and with a name like Siobhan McKenna, it’s gotta be good! A “G” $1 bin find.
  • Cliff Richard – Every Face Tells A Story – UK’s 60s/70s heartthrob, and it was a VG $1 bin find.
  • Randy Meisner – One More Song – The former bass player for The Eagles, he had some pretty big songs with them. This is a VG+ $1 bin find.
  • Neil Diamond – Serenade – I’m always amazed when I find Neil Diamond albums that I’ve never heard of, or have. I haven’t really taken the time to look at his discography, but it must be vast. $1 bin find.
  • Various – FM (The Original Movie Soundtrack) – I loved the film and the soundtrack is just chock full of great tunes. A VG $1 bin find.
  • The Alan Parsons Project – I Robot – Because I have a new-found obsession with the Alan Parsons Project, I had to grab this when The BCPF came across it. And it was only $1. Best I can tell is that it is at least VG.
  • Daryl Hall & John Oates – Voices –  A very good album, this. It has some hits on it and some throw-aways. It was enjoyable and it was only $1 and in VG+ condition. Why do almost all H&O albums have the slits in the top of the album jackets and not on the side? Weird.
  • Kingston Trio – The Kingston Trio No. 16 – As with Neil Diamond for me, The BCPF is on a constant search for a Kingston Trio album we don’t already have. Well, this $1 bin find was one of those. Best I can tell, it was VG.

There’s this week’s haul. We enjoyed listening to what we got to hear yesterday (not all of these, for sure). Again, we’ve become like a family there at Underdog Records. When we see each other, we smile and talk and catch up and it’s like we’re all part of a clan or something. I really love it. I’m there several times a week, usually, and someone’s always coming through. It’s so much fun to collect and listen. It’s so much better when you’re part of that community. We’re welcoming, too. Come in and see us!

As you can tell, I use Discogs to document my collection and I have another K-Tel record coming this week that I purchased from the Discogs Marketplace. Check it out. I can watch my friends’ collection, as well. Again, it’s just fun.

Until tomorrow, happy spinning…
Scorp out!

—
“You cannot go against nature because when you do go against nature, it’s part of nature too. Our little lives get complicated. It’s a simple thing. Simple as a flower. And, that’s a complicated thing. No new tale to tell.” – “No New Tale to Tell” (Ash/Jay/Haskins)

Silent Sunday or: The Haul 2/3/18

04 Sunday Feb 2018

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Salutations™!!

It was a pretty routine day for us other than having to go do some phone stuff for The BCPF. Of course, the highlight is going to Underdog Records where several of our Facebook group were and we got to chat a bit. Also, we added to the Rolling Stone (RS) List collection. I’ll tell you more about it as we go on. Speaking of which…as_front_300k

So that’s a pretty good haul, we think. We’re happy with it. Underdog had some nice speakers for sale yesterday. They always have something new and gently used come in, be it records, speakers, turntables, cassette players, receivers, even reel-to-reel at times. Keep up with them on social media to keep up with their “newly posted” items.

Discogs is a great way to keep up with your collection. Also, buying from their marketplace is pretty fun (but be careful, you can spend a lot of money in there).

Until tomorrow, same blog channel…
Scorp out!

—
“She packed my bags last night pre-flight. Zero hour, nine AM. And I’m gonna be high as a kite by then. I miss the earth so much I miss my wife; it’s lonely out in space on such a timeless flight.” – “Rocket Man (I Think It’s Going To Be A Long, Long Time)” (John/Taupin)

Silent Sunday or: The Haul 12/16/17

17 Sunday Dec 2017

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Salutations™!!

R-4922693-1478118355-5834.jpeg

©A&M Records

 

It was a beautiful but chilly day in downtown WSNC. The BCPF and I really enjoyed being out and about. We did our normal routine stuff but added a trip to the Krankie’s Craft Fair. We saw some cool things, bought a few small items from local craftsfolk and of course, went to Underdog Records. It was about the fourth time this week I had been in there. It’s just where I go to kill time, to have a nice chat, to thumb through some rekkids, or whatever. I just love being there. Here’s what we got from there this week:

We really enjoyed what we got to listen to yesterday of this haul. It’s good stuff. Jonathan has gift certificates for sale at Underdog Records. Plus, if you’ve thought about getting into collecting vinyl, but don’t have a turntable, Jonathan has several for sale in the store, new and used. Don’t forget to always listen to The Less Desirables for the week’s TLD/UDR special offer. And, to keep track of what you have, or if you’re looking to buy something you’ve been looking for or to unload stuff, use Discogs. You can use it for CD collections, too.

Until tomorrow, same blog channel…
Scorp out!

—
“No stop signs, speed limit. Nobody’s gonna slow me down. Like a wheel, gonna spin it. Nobody’s gonna mess me around. Hey Satan, paid my dues. Playing in a rocking band. Hey mama, look at me. I’m on my way to the promised land, whoo! I’m on the highway to hell.” – “Highway to Hell” (Scott/Young/Young)