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Barbra Streisand, Barry Manilow, Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, Chef Travis Myers, Diana Ross, Discogs, George Harrison, Jane Olivor, Jeff Lynne, Jonathan Butler, Julio Iglesias, Linda Ronstadt, Melissa Manchester, Michael Bolton, Mike + The Mechanics, Music, Neil Diamond, Records, Roy Orbison, Starship, The Less Desirables, The Platters, Tom Petty, Traveling Wilburys, Underdog Records
Salutations™!!
The BCPF and I didn’t go to Underdog Records last week because Jonathan was on vacation. We didn’t go this week because I was at Pride from 8a until 7p yesterday. And, we haven’t really gotten to listen to many albums because we’ve been slammed both weekends and during the week.
©Columbia
But, we got lucky when Chef Travis Myers brought me a boot box full of records. Many of them I already had so I looked to see which version I wanted to keep and put the discarded one in the boot box. The albums that we didn’t have I cleaned up and added to my Discogs (which we use to keep up with our collection). Thanks, Chef! All of these are to be considered VG+ unless otherwise noted. Here’s what we got:
- Julio Iglesias – 1100 Bel Air Place — A collection of love songs from Julio and considered the breakthrough English-speaking album. It has “To All the Girls I’ve Loved Before.” VG++.
- Starship – No Protection — considered the “second” album from Starship, this is the follow up to Knee Deep in the Hoopla which had one of the most horrible songs ever, “We Built This City.” This had “Nothing’s Gonna Stop Us Now” from the film Mannequin. VG++.
- The Platters – The Golden Sides of The Platters — 2xLP greatest hits album.
- Barbra Streisand – Songbird — It has her solo version of “You Don’t Bring Me Flowers” that she had done as a duet with the song’s co-writer, Neil Diamond.
- Traveling Wilburys – Volume One — George Harrison, Jeff Lynne, Bob Dylan, Roy Orbison and Tom Petty all on one album. That is a “supergroup.” VG++.
- M1ke + The Mechan1c5 – Living Years — The second album by Mike Rutherford’s side hustle. I loved the first album. I like the title track of this one okay. VG++.
- Bruce Springsteen – Tunnel Of Love — #467 on the RS list, this is actually a decent album, especially with “Brilliant Disguise,” the title track and “One Step Up.” I was happy to get this even if I’m not a huge Springsteen fan. VG++.
- Neil Diamond – Heartlight — The title track made it all the way to #5 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in late 1982. It was Neil Diamond’s last top 10 pop hit and also his last #1 on the Easy Listening chart.
- Melissa Manchester – Don’t Cry Out Loud — I don’t know much about this album, but I like a few of her tunes, so yeah.
- Jonathan Butler – Jonathan Butler — I know absolutely nothing about Mr. Butler other than what’s on his Wikipedia page. He’s South African and he’s on Jive and it’s from 1987. That’s the label that Billy Ocean was on about the same time and the tune “Lies” from this album hit the Top 40 at #27. 2xLP VG++.
- Barry Manilow – One Voice — I have no problem with Barry Manilow. This was his sixth studio album and came out in 1979. It only had one relevant tune, “Ships.”
- Linda Ronstadt With Nelson Riddle & His Orchestra – Lush Life — I dig Linda Ronstadt and I dig Nelson Riddle. Standards with talent. I dig that, too!
- Jane Olivor – Stay The Night — I’ve never heard of Jane Olivor before. Like Jonathan Butler, just what her Wikipedia page says. She had performance anxiety and dealt with her husband’s illness and passing. This album doesn’t have an entry on Wikipedia, either.
- Julio Iglesias & Diana Ross – All Of You — 45RPM, 7″, Single, whatever you want to call it. It’s in its original sleeve and it’s in awesome condition.
- Michael Bolton – (Sittin’ On) The Dock Of The Bay — Same as above.
Thanks, Chef, for the additions to my collection. Hopefully, now that Pride is over, I’ll have some listening time. Underdog Records is back up and being awesome again. Listen to each new episode of The Less Desirables to hear what the TLD/UR special is.
Until tomorrow, same blog channel…
Scorp out!
—
“Woke up this morning my house was cold. Checked out the furnace she wasn’t burnin’. Went out and hopped in my old Ford. Hit the engine but she ain’t turnin’. We’ve given each other some hard lessons lately but we ain’t learnin’. We’re the same sad story that’s a fact. One step up and two steps back.” – “One Step Up” (Springsteen)
what we did. This album had seven singles (out of nine total songs) and all seven went top 10 on the Billboard charts. The only two that didn’t was “Baby Be Mine” and “Lady In My Life.” I didn’t realize that “The Girl Is Mine,” with Sir Paul McCartney, was the first single released, in October 1982, a month before the album was released. I always liked that song and listened to it, but didn’t realize it was first. It reached #2. Up next was “Billie Jean.” That was the first one I remember hearing on the radio. I was just starting to listen to the radio because we had finally gotten a station to listen to. I’d been in my KISS hole up until then. I always thought he was saying “Billie Jean is at my door.” Louis Johnson of Brothers Johnson provided that fantastic bass line. It never stops. Those are always the ones that give me the most trouble, the repetitive ones. The song reached #1. “Beat It” next and it had a true all-star personnel list. Hidden for a while was Eddie Van Halen, but those who knew his style heard it in the solo. I wasn’t familiar with him so I didn’t, but when I figured it out, it all made sense. Steve Lukather played all the leads other than the solo and was the bass player. Steve and Jeff Porcoro plays keys and drums respectively. Another #1. “Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin'” came out next. Not my favorite. I did like the “mama say mama sah…” part and I still haven’t figured out why we have to bring vegetables into it. It only reached #5. “Human Nature” only went to #7. “P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing)” only went to #10. “Thriller” went to #4. This is a monster album and it continues to climb on the all-time sales list. I really, really enjoy this album. Let’s even go with a little light “love.”
me, certainly not. Top 100? Probably not. Top 500? Maybe. But, it’s not up to me and it’s here. At times it’s like he is just wailing and not in a good jammin’ kind of way. So, it’s here and I don’t much care for it. Beautiful, but boring. Did not dig.
off by The BCPF that I took time to listen to what was going on. I’ve only known her for a time going on seven years, so that means that I just came around a mere couple of years ago, or so. I purchased it. I listened and thought, okay, it isn’t so bad. But, listen to it in headphones, if you haven’t before. If you’re not too familiar with the album (uh huh really) give it a listen that way. Your mind will be blown how well produced (no, it’s not just noise like I thought) this disc is. And it’s not all gloom and doom that I always thought, either. Cobain was a lyrical genius. Was he the modern day John Lennon like his followers want to portray him as? Well, perhaps modern day, but not exactly. There’s only one of those. I’ve not even touched any of the songs, yet. The opening notes of “Smells Like Teen Spirit” is a light setup for the punch in the mouth the rest of the album is going to be. It’s a teaser at the beginning and an onslaught to follow. The title was from a friend of Cobain’s who wrote on the wall the he smelled like the deodorant that his then-girlfriend wore. He was trying to rip off the Pixies. “In Bloom” has great harmonies and was fun to play on Guitar Hero. I love the flanged intro and feel of “Come As You Are.” That whole song feels dark but not necessarily foreboding. “Lithium” is a search for sanctuary in religion upon contemplation of suicide. But, it’s a great song. “Polly” is a good departure from the previous five songs, a little more melodic. After that, it gets a little noisy and less organized. There’s still good stuff there but it doesn’t compare to the first side of songs. Well, the first part, I don’t think this was on vinyl until reissues recently. Dave Grohl is a beast of a drummer, even without a lot of fills – he was pretty much kept at bay; and bad arse harmonies. Same with Krist Novoselic. A mediocre bass player, at best, but solid, all the way. I’m going to kick myself for this, but I believe it should have been about 5 positions higher on this list. Not quite top 10 but close. I love this album. Yes, I just said that.
arpeggiated mandolin parts in that. Overall, I liked it, although after a bit it started sounding run together. I think it is definitely where it needs to be on the list, and I’ll say “dug’ but I’m not in a hurry to listen to it, in full, again for a bit.
favorites. This was the last one to be recorded by the Fab Four. Yes, Let It Be came out afterward but that had mostly been recorded by the time these sessions started. Contention was high in the studio and tempers flew. After the recording of this was completed, John Lennon left, albeit secretly, and Sir Paul left publicly a year later. One purpose of this list for me was to explore more the “album form.” That’s why I don’t do compilations, no matter how important those may have been (at least in some cases). Of course, I’m a huge fan of the production, I love production. Another reason I am not usually a fan of live albums. But, it’s the construction, dedication to, and execution of the album, itself. This, to me, is one of the best and well constructed albums, ever made. The track listing is nearly perfect. From the “shoot” and bass line at the beginning of “Come Together” it’s a non-stop barrage of all things musical and really, all things Beatles. You get a little bit of everything here. Slow, heavy, pop, blues, everything. I won’t go into a song-by-song analysis because as I write this I’m already 2200 words in on this post. But, it should be noted that side two is basically a medley of unfinished songs that McCartney pushed together to create its famed weirdness. A lot of it makes perfect nonsense. Some of my favorite Beatles songs are on this album: “Come Together,” “Something,” “Here Comes the Sun,” “You Never Give Me Your Money,” “Golden Slumbers,” “The End” (telling wasn’t it?) and “Her Majesty.” The Vagabond Saints Society did a fantastic job with this album even though it was all a core band deal (I was part of the opening act). So, yeah, I could see this higher in the countdown, possibly even top 10 but, I’m satisfied with its placement here. I LOVE this album.
this album must be on the list, give them spot #500. I will never understand the appeal of this 49 minutes I will never get back. I’m sorry, baby, I just do not dig it. Hate is a strong word but the most descriptive I can use politely.
other than he’s just awesomely funky-n-groovy? That on many of his albums and tracks, he plays most of the instruments himself. Lots of clavinets happening on this album and other great keyboard spots. He plays the drums, synth basses, a bit of everything. That and guest spots from Ray Parker, Jr., Jeff Beck, Deneice Williams, “Buzz” Feiten make this album even more spectacular. Stevie’s use of melody and orchestration fills the cracks and holes (not in quality, just covers the speakers) with aural splendor. The ultra-powerful and urgent, “Superstition” is there and offset by the sweetness of “You Are the Sunshine of My Life” and “You and I” and “You’ve Got It Bad Girl.” There’s range and spread on this album and that’s a great thing. Groove and shuffle, intensity and tenderness, bits of it all. I dug this album and thought it was well composed.
There’s so much power in her music and in these songs it’s easy to get lost in them. This is a fantastic album. I DUG it!
yet another check on the “I’m from West Virginia and my parents listened to country music” tally of life. Neither of those, by the way are knocks nor mock on the facts. We didn’t have radio stations that played Pink Floyd, or anything like that until around 1981 or 1982. Ma Mère listened to gospel or older pop stuffs like Leslie Gore or folksy stuff like Peter, Paul & Mary. Ma Père listened to country. Tears-in-beer country. Plus, none of my friends listened to Pink Floyd, so I had no exposure, at all. I do remember walking into a record store on Main Street in Welch, WV, looking for KISS’ Unmasked (1980) album and seeing a cardboard cutout of the album cover and Gerald Scarfe posters that were associated with the album. I moved to WSNC, as I’ve said countless times, in 1986 and there was a reissue of “Another Brick in the Wall, Part 2” around 1987-88 or so and I bought it on 45. I had just started listening to the local classic rock station and got more familiar with some other Floyd songs. I decided, sometime later, to buy The Wall, but it was in or after 1990 because I didn’t buy my first CD player until December 27, 1989. I did have Delicate Sound of Thunder on cassette (it was released two days after my 18th birthday) and heard three of the songs that way. Anywhat! All that to say, I love the album and with the exception of a song or so (can we say “Bring the Boys Back Home?”). My faves are (all three) “Another Brick in the Wall,” “Goodbye Blue Sky,” “Young Lust,” “Hey You,” “Comfortably Numb” and “Run Like Hell.” I love the album.
#86 – Born in the U.S.A. by Bruce Springsteen. I think this is the first time in a bit, if not the entire list, that I have two albums in a row that I actually own. It may have happened. But, I’m pretty positive that it is the first time that I own two in a row on vinyl. Sadly, I didn’t have time to listen to this on vinyl at home. I’ll try to do a vinyl listen soon, if I have something that is available on it. That’s something that I’ve not done since I’ve started this countdown. It’ll be fun. When I first heard the first single, “Dancing in the Dark,” believe it or not, that was the first time I heard of Bruce Springsteen. Yeah, yeah, I know, but it really was. Chalk it up to my total immersion into KISS and just breaking out of the mold. And, here’s the other thing, I hated it, every bit of it. I don’t know that I heard “Cover Me” (the second single until much later. If I did, I probably turned it off or went out to play or something. I’ve mostly come around to who I used to call Spruce Bedspring over the years. Most of that with the help of my friend Beth who is the biggest Springsteen fan I have ever met or even ever heard of. To me, though, at the time, the title track and to some extent “Dancing…” sounds like he’s just yelling the whole time. I just wanted to shout back “just shut up!” Now, fast forward to now. I don’t know how I feel about “Darlington County” but the rest of the album (if you take into account I like more laid-back and alternative versions of the title track) is fantastic. Of course, my favorite tune (since I asked for it and did it at the VSS Springsteen show) is “I’m on Fire.” It’s a sultry little number. I loved the video, too. “My Hometown” and “Glory Days” are also faves of mine. There are some throwaways, at least to me, such as “Working on the Highway” and the aforementioned “Darlington County.” “Downbound Train” and “I’m Goin’ Down” make up for both of those, though. There were seven singles released on this album. While none of the songs are virtuosity tunes or even particularly intrinsic or complex, that’s not what this album was about it, I don’t think. It was just putting out a good album. This is that. Great even. I really dug it.
this countdown are any better than most of the albums that were in the top 200-100? Does it deserve to be on this list, absolutely and I dig it, but I still don’t think it’s Top 100 material. Not a knock on the album, I just think some stuff is better. Dug.
well-planned nonsense). Three staples of Sirius XM’s First Wave channel, “Hanging on the Telephone,” “One Way or Another,” which starts this album out right, and “Heart of Glass,” all three are the flour while the rest of the album is the egg in the cake; the rest holds it together. It truly is in your face. You can look away but you can’t escape. “Picture This” is probably some of the best capturing of a live feel in the studio I’ve heard since the 76-77 era of KISS, while “Fade Away and Radiate” has that Blondie reggae beat but a sultry and seductive backbone. “Pretty Baby” reminds me of the Shangri-Las or something like that. It hearkens back to the 50s rock and roll pop girl groups. I know that was the point and I’m quite okay with it. I hear some Cheap Trick (or just similarities therein) in the music of “I Know But I Don’t Know.” The dissonant chord changes are what do it for me, I think. I’m ashamed to say that I really don’t know much about Blondie other than the hits on this album, “Rapture” and “Call Me.” This is a reminder of how sucky I can be at knowing my classic bands. Pity, Scorp, pity. I think “Heart of Glass” is a good indication as to where the band would be going in the following few years. It sounds more futuristic than the rest of the album and, to me, was more than just a representation of the disco stuff that was still lingering and hanging on at the time; it was advanced in structure and sound. I really like that song. I really like this album! Dug!
spend money on it as it’s not my thing, really. BUT, I got it and put it on my iPod and listened to it whilst driving around in Nigel (my Kia Soul) and I have to say, this is some really good stuff. Well, let’s not go crazy, whether or not it’s “good” is subjective but I really like it. I’ve enjoyed listening to it. As always, I could certainly do without all the “n” word strewn about the album, but what can you do? I’d actually consider this a Snoop Dogg album over a Dre album. He’s highlighted throughout and his work is the best on the record. There’s a lot of shots at Eazy-E, who owned Ruthless Redords and Ice Cube, both former N.W.A. members. Dre and gang also take shots at Tim Dog and Luther Campbell (Luke of 2 Live Crew). They’re not at all apologetic about it, either. They don’t hold back. It was a pleasure to listen to. “F*** with Dre Day (And Everybody’s Celebratin’),” “Let Me Ride,” “Nuthin’ but a ‘G’ Thang,” “A N***a Witta Gun” and “Deeez Nuuuts” are my favorites on here. I almost wish I’d have bought the vinyl version, now. I’m still happy with it. Dug!!
alternative rock would have sounded like in my head. I know it’s a travesty and all that but I knew nothing of The Replacements, other than the song “Alex Chilton,” prior to this complete countdown. I don’t know how I didn’t. Well, that’s not true. This was released before I moved to WSNC and we didn’t have access to this where I was from. “Dose of Thunder” sounds like something Cult would have done. I like that. “Hold my Life,” “I’ll Buy” are both solid songs. The first one that really made me go, that’s cool is “Waitress in the Sky.” Next is “Swinging Party” and I REALLY like that one. At the time it was rough and dirty, I’m sure. But, I think it fits perfectly snug in the annuls of the early alternative (or First Wave) motif. It’s rebellious but not totally defiant; accessible. There’s not a single song on this album that I’d skip over. I may not think them my favorite tunes, but they’re certainly a great listen. One of my faves in the last bit. And closing out on “Here Comes a Regular?” I nearly wept. Priceless. DUG!
I’m done with it and don’t care if I ever listen to it again, other than a handful of tunes. Dug-ish.
loved Ozzy’s rendition of that and “Children of the Grave” on the Tribute album. I never got Pantera’s cover of “Planet Caravan” but I think this version sits easy as a mood shift from the heaviness. It’s very Doors-like to me with some Allman Brothers thrown in. Great vocal effect on that, too. I listened to this one through headphones and love the panning on “Iron Man.” Really, does a song get much heavier than this? This is the heavy that Death and Speed Metal bands wish they could get. A menacing riff to go with a menacing figure in the lyrics. What I get out of the lyrics are: he goes to the future and sees destruction. He tries to get back to warn everyone in his own time that this is going to happen. In the magnetic field that enabled his time travel, he’s turned into a bit metal dude and he can’t talk. We know in this society, anything the masses don’t understand, they shun. He gets mad and destroys those who mock him. So, I guess he created the destruction he saw the vision of? Do I hear a talkbox mixed with the wah pedal in “Electric Funeral.” I’d love to ask Ed B. here in WSNC what Geezer Butler is playing to make the bass sound so boxy. Is it the Rickenbacker 4001? I generally don’t like that kind of bass sound but this is actually perfect for what they’re doing. The album closes with “Fairies Wear Boots” and as it goes quiet afterwards, you kind of feel like something’s over. A feeling of finality. That’s sad, but good that you can feel that way about an album, right? I certainly dug it. It’s a great album.