Tags
AC/DC, Crow, David Bowie, Discogs, Elvis Costello, Jesus and Mary Chain, Love and Rockets, Music, Pink Floyd, Records, The BCPF, The Byrds, The Connells, The Less Desirables, The Rolling Stones, Underdog Records
Salutations™!!
The BCPF and I made our way to Underdog Record for the first time in over a week the day after Christmas. I couldn’t go any longer. We had put together our fifth record case and had shifted the whole collection around and now it was time to get more records! I think we did a good job, too. Here’s the haul:
©RCA
- Pink Floyd – A Saucerful Of Secrets — This past April, we got the “mono version” of this for Record Store Day, but you’ll remember that it wasn’t a full version because I got a mis-pressed copy that had some weird dance/electronic song on the first side. Turns out, you needed to run that at 45RPM and when I Shazamed it, it came up “Track 1” from 04 by Moi. Well, this isn’t the cool mono version, but I wanted to have the album anyway, so I bought the stereo reissue from 2016. New.
- Love And Rockets – Seventh Dream Of Teenage Heaven — This is the debut album from Love and Rockets, the band that was Bauhaus without Peter Murphy. It was a fun listen and is on a cool deep blue vinyl. It’s big on The BCPF’s list of bands and things she likes so when she saw it, she was like, “can I?” and I can’t tell her no. New.
- David Bowie – Low — This was the first of the “Berlin Trilogy” (along with “Heroes” and Lodger). It was done with Brian Eno and Tony Visconti and was recorded mostly in France, not Berlin. It’s instrumental- and synth-heavy. The album is #251 on the RS list. I really like this album and while it doesn’t really feel like a Bowie album to me, it is a great listen. New.
- The Jesus And Mary Chain – Psychocandy — This is a weird album. Jangly pop, I like it, but you can’t hear what they’re doing because there is so much “noise.” I think they added the noise and while I respect the artistic “vision,” it makes it really distracting and I think that really takes away from the overall integrity. VG.
- The Rolling Stones – 12 X 5 — The second American studio album by the Stones, which released in 1964 following the success of their American debut The Rolling Stones (England’s Newest Hit Makers), which was released concurrently with their UK debut, The Rolling Stones. 12 × 5 is an expanded version of the EP Five by Five, which had followed their debut album in the UK. I had asked The BCPF if we had this album when we were rearranging our records on Monday. This is a really good copy of the 1986 reissue. EX/VG++.
- The Connells – Fun & Games — The BCPF gasped audibly when I showed her this album, so to say she was excited would be an understatement. I thought it was a decent listen but not “great.” This is Jangle Pop and it’s okay for that. She was happy and that’s what matters the most! EX/VG++.
- AC/DC – Fly On The Wall — I’ve never been a huge AC/DC fan, especially Brian Johnson era, but I didn’t mind this album at all. It’s a mid-80s record and I guess the big tune on this one is “Sink the Pink.” It’s really cookie-cutter 80s AC/DC. So, yeah. VG+.
- Crow – Crow Music — I got the “Best Of” from Crow a few weeks back and thought it was decent. This one is their debut and it has what is probably their biggest hit, although I hadn’t heard of them before, “Evil Woman (Don’t Play Your Games With Me),” even though I have heard that song and don’t know if it was from that compilation album or perhaps on a comp CD from Time-Life or what. Anyway, it was pretty good. VG.
- Various – The Best Of Laurie, Volume 1 — Compilation album of songs from early- to mid-60s. Dion, Chiffons, The Royal Guardsmen, The Mystics and more. NM.
- Elvis Costello And The Attractions – Imperial Bedroom — I believe this is the first real album I heard of EC’s and I remember being really impressed with it. It has a lot of emotions and as The BCPF said, “he writes good torch songs.” VG/VG+.
- The Longines Symphonette – Somewhere My Love and Other Romantic Movie Melodies — 6xLP of symphonic film melodies. I couldn’t pass it up. $1 bin find and it’s in NM.
- Byrds – Byrds — I found this in our reshuffling and realized I had never put it in Discogs. I don’t know why. This is the Byrds twelveth and final album. Most of the press I see is less than stellar. But, The BCPF feels like she needs all of them and I’m not arguing over that! VG.
It was so good to see Jonathan again and just being in my favorite local store was a big relief. Jonathan had some good freshly-acquired vinyl and I noticed there was still a good bit of used stereos/turntables/speakers for sale. You gotta go by and check that out. You got Visa gift cards for Christmas, right!? Go invest in some vinyl!
Listen to each new episode of The Less Desirables and hear what the TLD/UR Special of the Week is. Obviously, I use Discogs to track my collection, find what I may have, may need, and definitely want. And, as we found out (or confirmed what we already knew) whilst reshuffling our collection, it is great for the Random Grab!
Until tomorrow, keep spinning…
Scorp out!
—
“Wickedness lies in your moistened lips. Your body moves just like the crack of a whip. Black cats lay atop your satin bed. You sure wish that you could see me dead. Evil woman, don’t play your games with me.” – “Evil Woman (Don’t Play Your Games With Me)” (Waggoner/Wiegand/Wiegand)
little drops of honey onto a biscuit. She’s so powerful that you can hear the diaphragm inside the microphone cringe. No joke; she pegs the needle in many of the songs, especially in “My Dearest Darling.” I’m running out of adjectives and adverbs to describe how amazing she is. No one that has been to a wedding in the last 30 years hasn’t heard “At Last!” and that’s never a bad thing. She feels this music and in return you have no choice but feel it, at least as long as you’re listening. Again, I’m starting to ramble. This is a great album and you absolutely should get lost in it. DUGx1000!
I think what he’s trying to do with this album is respectable. I just can’t get past his diarrhea of the mouth; in real life, though, not on this recording. I believe notoriety, for good or bad, has an impact on people’s success. While it turns a lot of people off that he is how he is, some really like his outspokenness. And, as they say, any press is good press. His storytelling is quite intricate. Plus, there’s a few “skits,” scattered throughout the album, that center on a fictional fraternity called Broke Phi Broke, that prides itself on a non-worldly and simple lifestyle. Kanye’s “character” sneaks to do some of his “art” to make some money and also buys clothes and takes a bath. These things are against the rules of the fraternity. A few of my faves on here would be “Heard ‘Em Say,” “Roses,” “Bring Me Down” (featuring Brandy), “Addiction,” “Diamonds from Sierra Leone” (that features Shirley Bassey’s “Diamonds are Forever”), “We Major.” There’s actually some good vocals on this album, too. It’s not exactly hip-hop but certainly not not-hip-hop.There are a lot of pop elements involved here, as well. I dug it and I think you will, too.
thing that is really worth my time listening to on this version. Did not dig (as a whole).
far as I know) and “Help Me” (and I didn’t even know that was her). Again, not something I went out looking for and I had absolutely no exposure to it as a kid. Now, all that being said. This gal is going places! “Help Me” is on this album and I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. I guess I had never paid attention before. A lot of it reminds me of Lynn Ahrens’ work on Schoolhouse Rock but it was around the same time as this and yes, I LOVE Schoolhouse Rock. I don’t know if it was listening to this more laid-back stuff after the mostly crap that the Cream album was, but I really enjoyed this album. This is making me want to go back and listen to the aforementioned songs that I dismissed to give another chance. I like the singer-songwriter and folky aspect, but there’s also hints of jazz and soft rock in there. I like it. The whole album is great and just like The Who previously, I’d be amiss to pick just a few. I’d like to own both of them on vinyl. DUG!
the Phil Spector/Jerry Leiber penned “Spanish Harlem” is quite excellent, too. I could see Ma Mère listening to this as she liked the folk stuff and while this isn’t Peter, Paul and Mary, it’s still good stuff! I like this album a good bit! Dug!
length. That’s okay and all, just wow. Yeah, I don’t know that I’d have gone out looking for this, but I’m glad I listened. Dug.
one screaming through most of the songs. I don’t know how Iggy has any voice left. It was a decent album with some really good stuff on it, but I wouldn’t say it was great. I will, however, say that I dug it.
reggae as of late. Really, though, if I’m going to listen, it has to be Marley. The other stuff doesn’t have the same effect for me. But, I’ll definitely go with dug!!
disappointing. Anyway, I dug this album. It was righteous. My only complaint was that I had to work so hard to find it. I could have listened to it in around 30 minutes, but because it wasn’t readily available on anything (and with some of them album being removed), it took me almost an hour to piece it together. Boo!
Higher” and “Everyday People.” Larry Graham, you, sir, are a beast of a bass player. I love funk bass and wish I were more versed in it. Lots of grit and dirt on this album and I love it! It’s funny to hear a laid-back “Somebody’s Watching You” right after the flash of “I Want to Take You Higher.” The virtuosity on this album is astounding, to me. Variety and style, too. And, really, I’d never paid attention to the lyrics of “Everyday People,” but holy smokes that’s an awesome song. I’ve always liked the song but when you read the lyrics, especially along with the song, it’s a fantabulous ditty. I’d say it’s coming into my top 1000 or so of songs as we speak. Honestly, I don’t know that I could name 1000 songs off the top of my head. That would be a feat, huh? Sly shows his bass chops on the last song of the album, “You Can Make It if You Try.” Good job, but I prefer Larry Graham. The only thing I could say is wrong with this album is the nearly-14 minute “Sex Machine.” But, really, that moves along pretty easily. This is an album that I’d love to find on vinyl. I know I say that about most funk albums, but this one is heavy and I want it. DUG!!
anyway. Give me the Beatles anyday. Speaking of which, Chuck Berry’s “You Can’t Catch Me” (recorded here) features the lyric, “Here come old flat top” just like “Come Together” from Abbey Road. There was some stink about that but it was settled. Some of why I don’t care for this record is the blues aspect. We know how I am about that. I like the more polished late-60s-through-early-90s Stones, if I’m going to listen to them at all. Another thing, twelve songs and only four are written by them. Again, I know it’s still really, really early in their careers, but that perplexes me. I have to say that I do not mind the RS originals but their covers on this, drives me up the wall. Meh.
songs about dancing and it not only not be cheesy but be relevant and serious. ‘Cause really, who doesn’t just want to funk out? “Groovallegiance” features a very rare bass solo, but I didn’t find clarification if it’s “Bootsy,” “Boogie” or “Skeet” that’s playing said solo. All three as listed as personnel but nothing is necessarily denoted as who does what where. It’s awesome no matter whom it is. “Who Says a Funk Band Can’t Play Rock?!” is truly a rock song. The whole album is about breaking through to something more. This song proves exactly what the title suggests, wrong. “Promentalshitbackwashpsychosis Enema Squad (The Doo-Doo Chasers)” wins the award for the longest song title on the countdown (at least that I can tell). It’s pretty much saying that the world can be a “shite hole” and there are those that perpetuate that assumption. We’ve all gone in the crapper, if you will. A great (almost) 11 minute song, that. I am pretty certain that “Bootsy” is playing the bass on “Cholly (Funk Getting Ready to Roll)” as he’s a co-writer. All in all this is a great funk/rock album. I have really gotten in to most everything in that genre that I’ve heard in this countdown, thus far. Yay, me and dug!
Dylan I know and that’s a good thing. “Isis,” “Mozambique” are mesmerizing. They are so easy to listen to but strangely complex. “One More Cup of Coffee” which I believe has Emmylou Harris singing backup is sad and beautiful. Although, the story isn’t bad, I don’t really care much about “Joey.” It drags, it’s whiny and it’s eleven minutes long. It seems that one got some negative attention for glorifying gangsters. Yikes! I do like the Mexican-style of “Romance in Durango.” Reminds me of some stuff Ma Père would listen to when I was a child. He’s not Mexican but liked Marty Robbins and such. “Sara” is an almost pleading, directly personal direction of songwriting as it was about his wife. It wasn’t often, at least that I can figure, that he did that. That’s one of my favorite songs on this album. I’d own this album if I could skip “Joey.” Dug!
the first single. I have that on a Time-Life compilation, which I’m sure is Sounds of the 70s. You can hear the imperfections in the drumming and other instruments, but I think that adds to the uniqueness. At the beginning of side two, he gives a small tour of studio sounds like hum and hiss. It was odd hearing it. “Marlene” has xylophones and such on it and at one point sounds just like that new chime that Facebook uses for it’s Instant Messenger and I kept thinking someone was messaging me. Side four is comprised of songs that were done with full ensembles. Musicians include Mark Klingman, Rick Derringer, Vicki Sue Robinson and Edward James Olmos (yes, that Edward James Olmos, vox). The third released single was “Hello It’s Me” which is a side four song. The second was “Couldn’t I Just Tell You” and the fourth was “Wolfman Jack” which is probably the worst song on the album and it was released TWO years after “Hello It’s Me.” There was another album released before “Wolfman Jack” came out. I don’t understand that. Anywhat! Overall I thought the album was fantastic, but really, Rundgren could have cut that down to about eleven songs and left it as an LP. Most of it was filler, some of which sounded very much like other songs on the album and could have been done away with or released two separate albums. It was too much. But, because I liked the material, I’m still going with a “dug” here.
