Tags
Bananarama, Cobblestone Farmers' Market, Discogs, Humble Pie, Local, Mary's Gourmet Diner, Music, Neil Young & Crazy Horse, Old Salem, Randy Newman, Record Store Day, Records, Scorpions, Simon and Garfunkel, Stan Getz, Stephen Stills, The Who, Underdog Records, West End Coffeehouse, Willow's Bistro
Salutations™!!
©Reprise
Yesterday was a beautiful day. It was warm but not hot, the humidity was quite low, the windows on “Annabelle” were all open, including the moonroof. The BCPF and I walked around Old Salem and visited with friends at the Cobblestone Farmers Market, at breakfast at Mary’s Gourmet Diner, visited Underdog Records, put together our new vinyl shelf, started the reorganization process (re-alphabetizing) of the “reset” which I’ll explain in a bit, early dinner at Willows Bistro and finished with a little get together with our very good friends. So, here’s the haul:
- Neil Young & Crazy Horse – Life – This was still sealed from 1987. We listened to it but didn’t have time to post a Facebook or Instagram log about it. It was different but exactly the same. I would say a little less singer-songwriter and more just late 80s rock. NM.
- Randy Newman – 12 Songs – #356 on the RS list. I found that I really dig some Randy Newman whilst listening to that song. He actually wrote a lot of stuff that other folk recorded; like “Mama Told Me Not to Come,” made more famous by Three Dog Night. VG++.
- The Who – It’s Hard – Early 80s Who. The Who isn’t one of my favorite bands but I find myself wanting their stuff. It was a good price and it was available, so there you go. VG+.
- Stan Getz – Another World – I have loved just about everything I have heard from Stan Getz, so here’s hoping that I like this 2xLP from the late 70s. VG+.
- Bananarama – True Confessions – A mid-80s classic. This is the one with “Venus” on it. The BCPF made a comparison that Bananarama’s harmony style is a lot like the Spice Girls. I’d say that Bananarama was probably a direct influence. VG++.
- Bananarama – Bananarama – This was their debut album featuring “Cruel Summer” and “Robert De Niro’s Waiting.” Haven’t listened to this one, yet. VG+.
- Simon & Garfunkel – Wednesday Morning, 3 A.M. – 1965 debut album of a little duo that is going to go places! One of my favorite S&G tunes is “Sound of Silence” and as The BCPF says, “Paul Simon is a genius.” Yeah, he is. VG.
- Scorpions – Animal Magnetism – Wracking up on my Scorpions collection. The song “The Zoo” has always been a favorite of mine from this group. VG.
- Stephen Stills – Stills – We can’t figure out whether Stephen Still is a huge football fan or if he just likes wearing the t-shirt “jerseys.” It seems like you see him in those a lot from the pics on albums and magazines and such from back in the 70s. $1 bin find in VG condition.
- Humble Pie – Eat It – I have no Humble Pie albums and I’m not sure I’ve even ever heard a song by them. I am sure I have but I wouldn’t know what it was. This is a 2xLP that is part rock, part R&B covers, part acoustic, and live performances. So, I don’t know what to make of it. $1 bin find and in “good” condition.
Jonathan was gearing up for Record Store Day and he was a bit befuzzled but we made it a little better when we arrived at the shop with an iced coffee of some sort that Dana Moody of West End Coffeehouse sent for him. But, we are revving for Record Store Day, as well. We bought this brand new shelf and have started resorting our collection. We’re going to change our process, too.
We already do it alphabetically by artist/band first name because that’s the way Discogs does it and I want to be able to look in order to find them according to Discogs. We are taking the classical out and we’re going to separate that from the regular collection so they’re easier to find. We also keep the ones that we haven’t listened to separate but that part of the collection was becoming quite a stack. So, we decided that since there are two Record Store Days a year – a big one in April and a minor one in the fall (I think Black Friday) – those will be “reset” days. Anything that hadn’t been listened to gets inserted into “gen pop” of the collection. That gives us time to listen and if we haven’t then, oh well.
Visit the Record Store Day website and find out what is coming out next Saturday and go support your local record stores. These are exclusive to indie stores and these albums won’t be on Amazon or in the big box stores. You may find some stuff on eBay but it will most likely be marked up ridiculously. Jonathan has ordered a large sum of product for this event and he needs to unload it. That’s where you (and we) come in. Support local business and indie record store. Yeah, I know I said that already… it’s important.
And, I use Discogs to keep track of what I have, which that list has grown a lot. I have to look at it in the store to make sure I do or don’t have an album before I make duplicate purchases. It’s a fun resource. Try it! They do CDs, too.
Until tomorrow, same blog channel…
Scorp out!
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“And the people bowed and prayed to the neon god they made. And the sign flashed out its warning in the words that it was forming. And the sign said the words of the prophets are written on the subway walls and tenement halls. And whispered in the sounds of silence.” – “The Sound of Silence” (Simon)
wheelhouse. We just have gotten to know more about the music. Our summer Sundays on the lawn include dialing up some JM on Pandora and letting it play through. It wasn’t always her but when it was, we really enjoyed it. This was a catalyst for the whole modern singer-songwriter movement. Some people that guested on the album are James Taylor on three songs and Stephen Stills who played bass on the whole album. He does impressive work, too. I’m not quite sure what was going on, or the effect they were trying for during “This Flight Tonight” but it’s weird. I don’t not like it, it’s just weird. The title track is one of my faves from this album and “California.” Joni is a definite storyteller. It’s not just songwriting for the sake of writing a song, she has something to say and the lyrics are a vivid tale, not just rhyming babble. I like her piano playing, too. It’s simple but effective. “All I Want, “A Case of You” and “River” are also great tunes. I dug it!
Times” and “Your Time is Gonna Come.” Understanding the importance and significance of this album is key. I’d rate Zep II or IV in front of this album on the list, if it were me. But, I still dig it good bit.
reminds me of a time when I hated U2 (what I knew of them) because it wasn’t the other pop drivel I had come to love. I know better, now, considering them one of my top 10 acts, if not top 5. It doesn’t have a bad song on it. I LOVE this album.
bombastic, energetic and loud. This was early, I get it, but it just wasn’t fun to listen to, history and significance be darned. I just didn’t care for it. I did like “Night Train,” so there’s that.
Spector plays piano on “Love,” which is a little bit of fresh air after all the depressing songs that precede it. I was thrown off by the little instrumental interlude before the end of the song; the song disappeared and came back. “Well Well Well” is just an abundance of screaming. I can’t find any redeeming qualities about it, really. Billy Preston plays piano on “God” where Lennon pretty much questions everything and I can’t blame him for that. It’s a beautiful song, though, musically. And the album ends as morbidly as it starts and keeps with the sad theme, “My Mummy’s Dead.” I like John Lennon. He’s never been my favorite Beatle, or even my second fave, probably. I’m used to his stuff being better than this. That doctor (and Yoko) really messed him up. Other than a few flashes, I really couldn’t get into this album. For the three or four songs I did like, I’ll say I dug it, but just barely.
smeared all over this gem. Keyboardist Rod Argent and bassist Chris White wrote all the tunes of this album, telling great stories. This album is well written and the sonic quality of it seems to be way ahead of its time. It sounds like it could have been written about 5 to 10 years later. All the musicians on the album are beyond competent and are masterful of their instruments. Usually, I’d pick out a few songs and say those are better than others or this one I didn’t like. I’m certainly not going to do that here. The entire album from front to back is great. I am going to pull one out and discuss that, though. One of my favorite tunes of the ’60s, the entire decade, is “Time of the Season.” I have always wanted to cover that in a band and I never turn it when it comes on. I have to look at this album as a complete, singular unit but that song stands out as a fantastic peak of the mountain. I don’t know why I thought one of the CSN boys was in this band. They weren’t and that’s okay. I still love the album. I want to find it on vinyl. I DUG this album. Great start of the segment.
midway point. Overall? Dug – it’s Sly and the Family Stone. A bit of kinship I have with this album is it was released on my first birthday. So I’m exactly one year older than it is.
Paradise” and “Radio, Radio.” Absolutely, I DUG it!
initial reaction of “blah blah blah blah” I actually enjoyed the album. I’d listen again, but when I can pick and choose what to listen to. Dug.
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!
thus far. There’s plenty of energy flowing in this concert. I’m sure the whole thing (thirty-three songs) would be a great listen but who has the time? Seriously, it’s back to the previous point: the original was only six songs. The songs, “Young Man Blues,” “Substitute,” Eddie Cochran’s “Summertime Blues,” Johnny Kidd’s “Shakin’ All Over,” an amalgamation of “My Generation/See Me, Feel Me/Listening to You/Underture…” and so on, and a seven minute jam on “The Magic Bus.” Like I said, it seems powerful from this little sampling. I will probably take time to listen to the rest later but this is for “now,” for those who will start throwing out “Dude, you really need to listen to all of it” at me. I really like this and I’m not a big fan of The Who. Dug!
producer Nick Lowe, I’d say in a hurry: approximately 24 hours total. It’s raw but well produced, not slick. It captures energy and has an open ambient sound as if it’s recorded in an open room. Extra plate reverb on the vox create the effect. Nice. It should also be noted that this was prior to the Attractions becoming his permanent backing band. It was recorded with members of a group called Clover which had to be credited as “The Shamrocks” (if credited at all) due to contractual obligations/restrictions. This album contains “Alison,” “(The Angels Wanna Wear My) Red Shoes,” “Watching the Detectives” (US version only) and “Less Than Zero” which is the first single released by the Stiff label. I also thought “Blame It on Cain” was pretty cool, too. I’ll definitely say I dug it.
because I’ve really never given it a chance. Between Ride the Lightning, “Black” (Metallica) and …In Justice For All this was just what I listened to the least, then Kill ‘Em All. This was Cliff Burton’s exodus album, though tragically. I can’t get over the speed of his finger picking style, at least at that time. Thinking on the time, this wasn’t “normal” to me. His bass solo in “Orion” showed his melodic side. I will admit that I was a bigger fan of Jason Newstead (basically for putting up with Lars’ and James’ crap and his resilience in the face of his parts basically being erased from “Justice”), but Cliff was great on this. This is also the first major label album for the band: Elektra Records. The production is slick as all get out but somehow raw at the same time. Some of the songs are epic (three songs over eight minutes) with the shortest being 5:12 (“Battery”). I think my favorite song on this is “The Thing That Should Not Be.” Somehow, it just sounds mean. Differently than most of the other songs. All of them are definitely punching you in the face but this one sounds evil. I think it’s the tone, the subject matter (Cthulhu) and weird solo, etc. It all comes together to create a beautifully chaotic mess. I think Metallica used more complex rhythms on this album as compared to the prior ones. “Disposable Heroes” has some of the fastest rhythms that I’ve heard on any Metallica, Megadeth, Slayer, etc. album. It’s smoking fast. Word has it that Lars Ulrich actually took some drum lessons for this album. I know that Kirk Hammett took direction from Joe Satriani on how to better record his parts. I think I treated this album unfairly in the past. I am listening to it now and find that it’s actually a really good album. With its themes of drug use (title song), mythical creatures, politics and anti-war sentiments (“Disposable Heroes”), insanity (“Welcome Home (Sanitarium)”), false prophets (“Leper Messiah”) and so forth, this album is what Metallica was all about “pre-Load.” I don’t know after that because like Samson, once they cut their hair, they lost all power. Honestly, the hair had nothing to do with it, but when they cut it, the music started sucking. So… meh. But, this album? It gets a definite dig. I really liked it.
opportunity to listen to since the Purple One signed his exclusive deal with Tidal and I don’t pay for that. This, to me, is the penultimate Prince album as far as quality goes. Some may disagree with me on that, in fact, I expect that. The first is Purple Rain as that was the height of his popularity and power. This, is the one, that at least for me, broke him into the mainstream. For You, Prince, Dirty Mind and Controversy all had quality stuff on it, but this was the climb. Mostly on the fact that not only was radio playing the snot out of the title track and “Little Red Corvette,” but because MTV, BET, Night Flight and Night Tracks were all playing the videos of them ad naseum. I did “Little Red Corvette” for the Vagabond Saints Society Presents Purple Rain show November before last, acoustically. I remember when I listened this (on cassette, I borrowed it from a friend) when I was a kid, “Let’s Pretend We’re Married” was one of my favorite tracks because I was thirteen or fourteen and that was the first time I ever heard someone use the word “f**k” on a musical album. And, I somehow, in my sheltered childhood, realized what pretending to be married actually meant. There was a lot of sniggering going on then, for sure. “D.M.S.R.” was a bit of a oddity for me, not because of the song or what the letters mean (dance, music, sex, romance), but that in the first CD pressing, it was simply not there (there was a disclaimer explaining the reasoning). I hadn’t been into collecting CDs long and didn’t realize they had to do that. Compression and mastering being what they are today, that’s not the case; it’s included. And it’s actually one of the best dance songs that Prince ever did. I’d have rather them get rid of something else and kept that as it was one of my faves. The song order threw me off, too, on the CD because on the cassette version, “Free” was the last on the first side. It was moved to even up the sides, I guess. I think that was commonplace with 8-Tracks, too. My short attention span being what it is (awful) some of the lengthy songs start to lose me, but it’s still great stuff. Even though Prince had his “band” together – if you look closely in the “football” in the “1” in his name on the cover, it says “and the Revolution” – Dez Dickerson is the only other person playing any of the instruments, which in his case is the guitar solos. Prince plays and programs every other instrument that happens on the album. Lisa Coleman and Jill Jones (the ones you see in the videos) do most of the backups but this is where Wendy Melvoin joins in and does some backup on “Free.” Like I said, this album is his second greatest, to me. I’ll be honest and say that this is the first time that I’ve really ever listened all the way through since I was a kid. I listened to the first four songs and that was about it. This listen, though, is fantastic and I certainly will also say, I DIG it!!
Radiohead songs after (or before) that album’s finale. To me, their best song was “Creep.” Low and behold that’s what I’ll doing for the show. Okay (computer), enough of that. My past utterances in this album’s direction could have been misguided or just a sign of immense stubbornness or even ignorance. The two tracks that immediately stand out first are “Paranoid Android” and “Karma Police,” of course. But, there’s so much more to it like “Let Down,” “Exit Music (For a Film),” “Electioneering,” “No Surprises” and “Lucky” (which truly may be the dark horse of the album. 1997 was still the “infancy of the modern home computer” and the track “Fitter Happier” was a representation of tech-speech patterns in compu-self-help and a good one, at that. I know that at least “Paranoid Android” was inspired by Marvin Paranoid Android from The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy but I’m thinking more of it could have been, too. Reading up on it, I noticed the influences were all over the place for this album, but I think that they reigned it in to a cohesive package. This departure from where they were (previous two albums) defined much of what Radiohead would be and is today; for better or worse. I think overall, as I stated previously in the section, I have judged thee unfairly, O Radiohead. I doth dig thy OK Computer collection.
