Salutations™!!

So, yes, I’m a day late with this because I had to talk about something more important yesterday. But, here we are today. Let’s just get right into it.

©Island Def Jam/De Lite

• Alice In Chains – Dirt — One of my top 20 albums of all time. Front-to-back a fantastic album. Heavy and melodic. Deep and full of drug references that I don’t think I realized how intense they were at the time. It was like Layne Staley was asking for help and he probably was. Jerry Cantrell is a great songwriter and guitarist (and vocals). My faves on here are “Them Bones,” “Rooster,” “Down in a Hole,” “Angry Chair,” “Dam that River,” “Would?” New in 180g vinyl – Audiophile edition.
• Michael Jackson – Bad — #203 on the RS list, it’s my second favorite MJ album. I listened to this one a lot. It was really the last album of his that I was really that interested in. Great songwriting and production! EX/VG++.
• AC/DC – Let There Be Rock — AC/DC’s fourth studio album and one that brought them from the brink of extinction. I’m not a huge AC/DC fan as I’ve mentioned many times but I feel any real rock fan needs to have a few of their albums, right? The Canadian release of this album. EX/VG++.
• The Shins – Wincing The Night Away — The Shins is one of those bands that The BCPF really digs. They are “indie rock” through and through. And from New Mexico. How about that? I enjoyed listening to this album. It was really great. VG+.
• Iron + Wine – Our Endless Numbered Days — The BCPF is reading a book of the same title and the author thanks Sam Beam in the dedication. My favorite tune from this album is “Naked as We Come” which was put on a mix CD when The BCPF and I started talking. We saw him do his thing in McGlohon Theatre in Charlotte and it was a great show. VG+.
• Jessica Lea Mayfield – Make My Head Sing… — This one confused me a bit. It was a little like Blossom Dearie with an edge. But, it was also some post-punk heaviness. There would be a couple of more laid back songs and then a heavy beater was thrown in from nowhere. I liked it, don’t get me wrong, but it was confusing. NM.
• Okkervil River – Sleep And Wake-Up Songs — We got an Okkervil River album last week and it was great. We haven’t listened to this one, yet, but I’m betting it’s also a great one. EX/VG++.
• Meat Loaf – Bat Out Of Hell — #343 on the RS list. Jim Steinman is a weird and wacky dude, but he is a heck of a songwriter and add that to Marvin Aday’s voice and you have a spectacular rock opera that really isn’t a rock opera. The album isn’t a cohesive story but it is epic in scope just based on the songwriting, singing style and orchestration. I believe this may be the Canadian edition. EX/VG++.
• Eddie Murphy – How Could It Be — I had this on cassette because I still love “Party All the Time.” This is not a great album, but Murphy can actually sing and it’s entertaining. The title track could be my favorite song on the album. VG+.
• Kool & The Gang – Emergency — I wore the ever-lovin’ crap out of this cassette when it came out. I then played the ever-lovin’ crap out of it on CD. Now I have it on vinyl and I will probably wear it out (at least the first side) here, too. It was my Kool & the Gang album. “Celebration” was a hit and I loved it, even had it on a “45” that had a crack in it that I made sure still lined up and playable. But, it was early for me to grab those albums. This was part of the RCA (eventually BMG) Record Club take I got. I loved it. It’s their biggest selling album with the title track, “Fresh,” “Misled,” “Cherish.” VG+.
• REO Speedwagon – You Can Tune A Piano, But You Can’t Tuna Fish — I don’t know about album-wise but the title is one of the most iconic (and overused) musical references ever. “Roll with the Changes” and “Time For Me to Fly” are probably the album’s biggest hits. VG+.
• REO Speedwagon – Wheels Are Turnin’ — I think of this as the “cheesy REO album.” I don’t know if that’s fair. I really don’t have a great knowledge of REO’s history or catalog other than what I have. I just know it has “I Do’ Wanna Know” and “Can’t Fight This Feeling,” which were both kind of cheesy, even if I do like them. VG++.
• Stanley Black And His Orchestra – Spain — Orchestral versions of Spanish tunes. It’s a great Sunday listening album. Lots of tremolo style strumming and Spanish guitar with orchestrations overtop. Pretty much what the title says. It’s a fun listen. VG+.
• Emerson, Lake & Palmer – Pictures At An Exhibition — This is a recording of the band’s arrangement of Pictures at an Exhibition by Modest Mussorgsky, performed at Newcastle City Hall on 26 March 1971. According to Wikipedia, “Emerson wished to arrange the piece after seeing an orchestral performance of it several years before. He bought a copy of the score, and pitched the idea to Lake and Palmer, who agreed to adapt it.” I look forward to hearing it. It was a $1 bin find and I’d say it is in VG/VG+.
• Various – Emotions — Another notch in my K-Tel collection. Dan Hill, Seals & Crofts, Paul Davis, England Dan & John Ford Coley, Crystal Gale, Commodores, Yvonne Elfman, Samantha Sang, Player and more. I didn’t even look at what was on it, I just looked that I didn’t have it. It’s a $1 bin find and I’d say in VG.

It was a great haul that day and we’ve enjoyed listening to what we have and I am happy with the take, really. Underdog Records was getting busy as we left, which we love seeing. Listen to each new episode of The Less Desirables to hear what the TLD/UR special of the week is. Also, use Discogs to catalog and track your music collection(s)!

Until tomorrow, keep spinning…
Scorp out!

—
“And all I can do is keep on telling you: I want you. I need you. But, there ain’t no way I’m ever gonna love you. Now don’t be sad ’cause two out of three ain’t bad.” – “Two Out of Three Ain’t Bad” (Steinman)