Tag Archives: REO Speedwagon

The Monday Recap or: The Listens 6/7/20

09 Tuesday Jun 2020

Posted by in Records

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Salutations™!!

Yep, missed the boat on this yesterday so, I’m getting it for you today. Per usual, this week’s streaming listens comes from Discogs’ shuffle feature and it has to be an album that I own on vinyl (outside of peripheral things like Beeswax Vinyl & More listens), that way it’s like listening to my vinyl but with headphones from my computer whilst The BCPF works 10 feet away. Here’s the list (this is in order of listens):

collage60820

So, all the records that I had in Discogs for this, I believe they all came from Underdog Records. 99% of my records came from there.

Again, check out Underdog Records’ social and web stuffs. Buy records. Use Discogs to keep track of your collection and use it’s groovy (see what I did there) shuffle feature.

Until tomorrow, keep spinnin’…
Scorp out!

—
“Although the things you’ve done I wouldn’t criticize. I guess you had your way. You see I gotta make you understand. I know it sounds a foolish thing to say. But it don’t matter baby ‘cos’ today’s another day. You shine a little love on my life.” – “Shine a Little Love” (Lynne)

Spinning Sunday or: The Haul 1/18/20

19 Sunday Jan 2020

Posted by in Records, Spinning Sunday

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Salutations™!!

The BCPF and I finally had a normal Saturday. We didn’t have to put anything together. We didn’t have to install anything. We didn’t have to go anywhere. We didn’t have to work on the house. We had breakfast. We went to Underdog Records. We came home and listened to records all day. I told The BCPF I want today to be as “mindless” as possible. It fit the bill perfectly. Here’s our haul:

Too_Fast

©Elektra/Leathür

  • Megadeth – Peace Sells… But Who’s Buying? — As much as I love hard rock and metal, I don’t really have a lot of it on vinyl. I’ve been looking to add some Megadeth and this was there and ripe for the picking. It’s a 2017 reissue, but that’s good enough for me. Not necessarily my favorite from Dave and Co, but it’s a good start! New.
  • Tori Amos – Little Earthquakes — Amos’ debut solo album after breaking up Y Kant Tori Read. It was co-produced by Ian Stanley who used to be with Tears for Fears and was a big reason why Songs from the Big Chair was so popular. This was happening about the time I was rejecting anything that wasn’t hard or heavy and nothing that remotely sounded “alternative” was allowed. I realize how ridiculous that is, but at the time, my angst was against those with angst. This is good, although she does still kind of get on my nerves. Like a more talented Jewel. New.
  • Mötley Crüe – Too Fast For Love — I did this for the Eugeology list back in 2017. You can read my review here. I try to collect anything that I did on a “list” and again, hard rock in my collection. My review more than describes anything you need to know about it. New.
  • Ultravox – Rage In Eden — I have grown to dig what I hear from this band. They were new wave and most of what I know of them I hear on 1st Wave on SiriusXM. When I see or hear them, I immediately think of my pal Doug Davis (yes, that Doug Davis) and a conversation we had after a Vagabond Saints Society gig sitting at Finnigan’s Wake. I only have one other thing from Ultravox and that’s Vienna. This is good First Wave synthpop. I dug it. EX/VG++.
  • R.E.O. Speedwagon – R.E.O. Speedwagon — I have a confession to make. Well, a couple, actually. First, I’ve never really liked REO (or R.E.O.) Speedwagon. I loved Hi Infidelity and some of Wheels Are Turnin’ (that album is mostly crap) and a few other songs here and there. But, overall? Nah. The other thing is I never knew that Kevin Cronin didn’t found the band. I always thought that since he was the end-all-be-all in the band that it was his baby. Nope. This is the band’s debut and Terry Luttrell is the lead vox. I couldn’t pass up having it, but I don’t see me really enjoying it so much. VG+.
  • Cutumay Camones De El Salvador – Patria Chiquita Mía — Cutumay Camones was a band from El Salvador whose stated objective was to “recover Salvadorean cultural roots and to provide popular music for the national liberation movement.” I guess they accomplished that? I don’t know. The BCPF picked it up. VG+.
  • Frank Strozier – Fantastic Frank Strozier — So this was not from Underdog Records. This is from a “first.” One of our loyal listeners on the Apartment 5B podcast sent this to me. The album was in a jacket and had a post-it that reads, “For Producer Tim (that’s what I go by on that show)… Had to go really deep… my 5th Grade Social Studies Teacher.” I think from what Jeff Evans (the podcast’s host) said, the 5th-grade teacher really recommended that album to him. I looked this up because I don’t know anything about it. So, the rhythm section, that’s the bass, drums, and piano had all played on Miles Davis’ Kind of Blue earlier in 1959. It was also one of the few recordings to feature a brilliant, young trumpeter named Booker Little who died of uremia at the age of 23 in 1961. Strozier is a saxophonist and I really can’t wait to hear this. So, many, many thanks to you, “Loyal Listener Matt,” for sending this to me. I really, really appreciate it. NM.

So, a mid-sized haul and a lot of good stuff. Jonathan had a lot of new-to-the-store used vinyl and has restocked some of the new stuff so he is churning out some records! Good used equipment there, too. Speakers, receivers, good stuff. Listen to each new episode of The Less Desirables to hear the TLD/UR special. I’m going to give you one for free right here. There are a lot of cool records in the clearance bin there at Underdog Records. Go in and tell Jonathan that you heard from The Less Desirables that you should get something from the clearance bin and you’ll get an additional discount on the things in that section. Don’t expect me to give away the beans every time, I still need you to listen to the podcast! I use Discogs to track my collection and the collections of my friends.

Until tomorrow, keep spinning…
Scorp out!

—
“Excuse me, but can I be you for a while? My dog won’t bite if you sit real still. I got the Antichrist in the kitchen yelling at me again. Yeah, I can hear that. Been saved again by the garbage truck. I got something to say, you know but nothing comes. Yes, I know what you think of me, ‘you never shut up.’ Yeah, I can hear that.” – “Silent All These Years” (Amos)

Spinning Monday or: The Haul 7/20/19

22 Monday Jul 2019

Posted by in Records, Spinning Sunday

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

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.

Emergency1984

©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)

Silent Sunday or: The Haul 12/2/17

03 Sunday Dec 2017

Posted by in Records, Silent Sunday

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Salutations™!!

We got to Underdog Records way before they opened. It was cool to see a crowd forming just as Jonathan opened the door. I hope the rest of his day was that busy. We got to see Clay Howard, Michael Hoch, Jorge that comes in all the time and a few people, obviously, that are in the group with us that I didn’t know. Anywhat! It was a good haul this week, I think. We have enjoyed most of it already. So, let’s do it!R-7979900-1497975710-5777.jpeg

So, yeah, a great week and some great listening. I played Boston’s first album this morning in honor of my brother-in-law, Bill, whom I never got to meet. Today would have been his 52nd birthday. Happy solar circumnavigational anniversary day, buddy! Hop by Underdog for some great records, record players, gift certificates and so on! Use Discogs to catalog your stuff!

Until tomorrow, same blog channel…
Scorp out!

—
“Hey, you know what paradise is? It’s a lie. A fantasy we create about people and places as we’d like them to be. But you know what truth is? It’s that little baby you’re holding. And, it’s that man you fought with this morning. The same one you’re going to make love with tonight. That’s truth, that’s love.” – “I’ve Never Been to Me” (Miller/Hirsch)

“Ewww!” – The BCPF

Bonus Record Day or: Just Because

28 Tuesday Nov 2017

Posted by in Life as We Know It, Records

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Salutations™!!

I didn’t record The Man Who Ate the Town podcast today because it was a slow day and I would have just talked about Thanksgiving food. I don’t think forcing topics is good for the podcast, so I didn’t. I mean, if you want to read about what I made, check out the upcoming blog post over there about what I did. It should be interesting. R-6033566-1409343720-3911.jpeg

No, Dear Reader, today, I want to talk about records. GASP! I know, right? It seemed like I had a lot of discussion on Facebook today about it and wanted to talk about what I listened to for a sec. First, I was doing some cooking today and usually, I listen to Amazon Prime when I cook (again… GASP…) but I’m trying to get through some of the piled up “to be listened to” stack that is amassing at an alarming rate.

We purchased a new four-cubed shelf for those as to separate them from the main collection. They’re not in any real order and some of them are The BCPF’s and some are mine. So, I did the random grab method with a little prejudice. If it was something that was The BCPF’s, then I put it back and tried again.

The first one up was Tales From Topographic Oceans from Yes. It’s a 2xLP that has four songs on it. Yes, one per side. I really enjoyed listening to 90125 last night and figured I’d go for the older, more proggy Yes for a bit. I can say that it was well done. It was a bit too deep for me, I think. As you may recall from my RS Top 500 list, I am not always a fan of long, drawn-out, tunes. I think that’s why I like pop music so much, four minutes and next. My ADD gets in my way. I didn’t really care for it.

A few weeks ago, I had to admit that I knew nothing from King Crimson. In my “bonus-stack-I-didn’t-know-I-had,” there was the greatest hits comp, The Young Persons’ Guide To King Crimson. So, okay, let’s do that one next. I don’t know if the production was wonky or what, but it was extra quiet in spots and, yes, I know with that kind of music dynamics are important and the breadth is vast, but I don’t know that this is what that was. Anywhat! It was basically “more of the same” as it was with Yes. It was good. Well done, even. I just didn’t get into it. I will admit that I didn’t listen to the second disc. Why? It wasn’t because I was ditching it. A package arrived at my door and it was one that I’ve waited a long time for. Which brings me to the next:

All That Jazz from Breathe. Yes, it’s some very sugary pop music but it’s well written and it’s from my junior-senior years in high school. I sang the songs to an ex-girlfriend. It has eluded me since I started my vinyl journey and was one of my most coveted. I found it in VG+ condition on the Discogs Marketplace (where, like the name suggests, you buy and sell albums to and from all over the world). That and another album showed up together. I sang several of the songs quite disjointedly as I don’t hear them often. I love that album and was so excited to have it.

The next was Hi Infidelity from REO Speedwagon. I had never given it a fair shake and it was cheap from the same seller on Discogs and shipping was free. I sang a good bit of those tunes whilst cooking, as well.

Next was a twofer that is unusual I found out. It’s Nursery Cryme and Foxtrot in the same 2xLP set from Genesis. I love me some Peter Gabriel and I really like Genesis but I don’t like them together, mostly. Nursery Cryme was their third studio album and it was pretty good. I didn’t know what to expect, but I did know I was going to get long songs like the Yes and King Crimson. I wasn’t wrong about that, but I did actually enjoy listening to it. Foxtrot, its follow-up, was good but I didn’t like it as well as I did Nursery Cryme.

I finished off the listening (to this point) with Midnight Madness from Night Ranger. Yes, “Sister Christian.” I love a lot of stuff on this album and that song, in particular, has a special place in my heart. I probably wouldn’t be either the musician I am today or at all if it weren’t for that song. I performed that as an audition to get into this “contemporary music class” in ninth grade. That’s where I was pushed to learn bass guitar and piano. It pushed me to be a good musician. Whether or not I ever accomplished that? I can’t say, but I wouldn’t be anything musical without that, at least not until much later.

That’s my day’s playlist so far, but the reason I wanted to talk about them was the fact that they garnered a lot of talk on Facebook and Instagram. See, I post every album I listen to, twice. Once in the #nowspinning Facebook group from Underdog Records that The BCPF and I, along with many of our friends are part of and then on Instagram copying to Facebook and Twitter. The group is private so only members see that and I’m not necessarily Facebook friends with all the members, but we get good conversations from it. The IG post carries to anyone who is friends with me and follows me.

I know I’m in a good spot when I get Doug Davis, Ed Bumgardner, Lee Wallace, Clay Howard and others in the music community, all of whom I respect as far as their tastes and opinions, to comment and start an hours-long thread about what is “good” or not, or what is a better album or why this may be overrated or this may be underrated. I love musical conversations and when my playlist is at the core of it, I feel all gooey. Okay, that’s probably pushing it, but I really enjoy it. I enjoyed my listening today for all those reasons.

Do you have any comments on any of those albums, or any albums, Dear Reader? Surely, Superfan Damien has some to recommend. I want to hear from any of you, your thoughts or recommendations for albums to listen to. They don’t have to be on vinyl but I prefer them to be. That’s what we’re doing right now. Thanks for indulging me in this long-winded post!

Until tomorrow, same blog channel…
Scorp out!

—
“So raise your hands to heaven and pray that we’ll be back together someday. Tonight, I need your sweet caress. Hold me in the darkness. Tonight, you calm my restlessness. You relieve my sadness.” – “Hands to Heaven” (Glasper/Spice/Delahunty/Lillington)

Silent Sunday or: The Haul 11/18/17

19 Sunday Nov 2017

Posted by in Records, Silent Sunday

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Salutations™!!StreetSurvivorsFlames

So this week will be a mixture of the take from Underdog Records and a shload of records that I didn’t know that I owned. Let me explain. About 10 years ago, my ex-wife and my mother went to an auction (they were always going to auctions) and purchased a ton of records. They only wanted to rock records but it was one of those, you take one you have to take the whole thing deals. Well, I didn’t have a record player back then. So they got stored. And, I forgot about them. About 3 weeks ago, my ex-wife asked me if I got the ones out of the cabin. What are you talking about? We didn’t have any in the cabin. She informed me that yes we did. I thought perhaps it was one or two things that I had over time. Well, I had to go in the attic with my mother and she said, there are your records. I was looking through and just like a kid, kept saying these are mine!?!? So, I brought them home and am going through them a little at a time. Many rock albums to add to my collection and a lot of jazz, folk and classical, too. I did the rock ones first. Again, these are mixed here.

This is the Bonus Stack below the line

So, that’s a lot and that’s only the rock and few that The BCPF wanted to listen to. I have at least 50 more to put in that are of all other genres. This coming Friday is Black Friday and Underdog Records will have a ton of awesomeness for Record Store Day – Black Friday Edition. Go to the RSD website to find out what is coming. Jonathan said he’s stocking 90% of that list, so make plans now. And buy a gift certificate for someone, do it now and get an additional 10% added for no additional cost. And as you can see, we do a lot of cataloging with Discogs and we love it!

And RIP not only to Malcolm Young, but Mel Tillis passed away, too. RIP Mel.

Until tomorrow, same blog channel…
Scorp out!

—
“Heaven. Heaven is a place. A place where nothing. Nothing ever happens.” – “Heaven” (Byrne)