Salutations™!!

The BCPF and I got to Underdog Records right after opening and Jonathan and De had spent the week rearranging the store, so we had to get our bearings but it was cool to see the change. We had a beer tour with The Joneses last night so we only got one album in for listening. Here’s the haul:

Kanye West – The College Dropout — The College Dropout is the debut studio album by Kanye. It was #298 on the RS list that matters and #74 on the one that doesn’t. Here’s what I said about it when I listened in 2015: Okay, Kanye is an a-hole. I’ve said it. I just now said it, again. The POTUS even said he was an idiot. Some of the things he does, yeah, makes him look like one. I think he’s an attention wh*re and enjoys being such. But, while he does look like an idiot, I don’t think that he is one. This is his debut album and it took a long time to record. He uses samples from several of his 1Kanyewest_collegedropoutcontemporaries throughout the album. It’s been a while since the “N” word was prevalent in an “RST500” album but I knew this was going to have it in there. I was right. That’s bad for me, but he’s got a decent voice and isn’t too abrasive in the raps. He uses a good bit of actual singing vocals from others, like “All Falls Down” with Syleena Johnson. “I’ll Fly Away,” by Albert Brumley is a modern gospelized version of the tune that heard growing up going to Ma Mère’s (and eventually Ma Père’s as well) Pentecostal-Hades-Fire-and-Brimstone church. Yes, Dear Reader, I haven’t always been the heathen I am today. Let me say, it sounds a lot better on this album that it ever did in that little white church by the creek. Kanye seems to have fun, but is serious. Lots of musicality and I’ll be honest, I didn’t hate listening to it. I’ll admit that with 20 tracks it does tend to become background music, but at the same time, it’s very accessible (minus the “N” word). The last song, “Last Call,” pretty much is KW talking about the making of the album and signing the deal with Roc-A-Fella records after Capitol passed on him. I like the behind the scenes stuff. All in all, I dug it.
2×LP, Reissue. New.

Lou Barlow – Reason To Live — The BCPF has been a long-time fan of Lou Barlow’s. She likes him in Sebadoh, Folk Implosion and solo. We were at a concert for Superchunk once and she got to meet Lou. She had to lean in because the music was loud. She said he had great-smelling hair. Okay. This came out this week. Limited Edition, Blue Baby vinyl. New.

The Cure – Faith — The third studio album by Robert Smith and company. We didn’t have this on vinyl and it was there, brand-spankin’ new and calling our name. We picked it up. Reissue, Remastered, 180g. Has Rhino Vinyl hype sticker, includes the text “Remastered by Robert Smith” and “180 gram heavyweight vinyl”. New.

The Cure – Pornography — Then, the fourth studio album from The Cure. Same as above. We didn’t. Now, we do. Reissue, Remastered, 180g. Has Rhino Vinyl hype sticker, includes the text “Remastered by Robert Smith” and “180 gram heavyweight vinyl”. New.

Billy Joel – Piano Man — The second album from BJ. This is in EX condition and while we already had this, it wasn’t in this good of condition.

Billy Joel – The Bridge — The tenth studio album by Billy Joel, released on July 9, 1986, just after I moved here to WSNC. It was the last studio album produced by Phil Ramone as well as the last to feature Joel’s long-time bassist Doug Stegmeyer and rhythm guitarist Russell Javors. I remember seeing the video for “A Matter of Trust” and liking it. I have to admit that other than the radio hits that J104 played in WV, I didn’t know much about Billy Joel at the time, so this was one of the first things that I got to see him in. I didn’t have MTV until we moved here. I like the tunes on the album. EX.

Various – Newport Broadside — The BCPF if fascinated by the Newport Folk Festival, even though she’s never been to it. I didn’t know that it was started in 1959. I thought it was a relatively new festival. Hmmm… This is one of the first comp albums released from this festival. This was from 1963. It features Joan Baez, Bob Davenport, Bob Dylan, The Freedom Singers, Jim Garland, Sam Hinton, Peter La Farge, Ed McCurdy, Phil Ochs, Tom Paxton, and Pete Seeger. As far as I can tell, this is an original pressing and is in EX condition.

Roger Laredo And His Orchestra – Italy — Italian music from, you guessed it… Roger Laredo and his orchestra. EX.

You really need to go see the newly rearranged store. More space and things are easier to get to, I think. Jonathan is open Wednesday through Saturday from 11a-7p. You can order new (unused) vinyl 24/7 by visiting the Underdog Records website. Record Store Day Drop #1 is June 12 so go to the RSD website and see what is coming! I use Discogs to track my collection, what I may need and use their marketplace to collect my records. you should, too!

Until tomorrow, keep spinnin’…
Scorp out!

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“Some love is just a lie of the heart. The cold remains of what began with a passionate start. And they may not want it to end. But it will, it’s just a question of when.” – “A Matter of Trust” (Joel)