5/8/24

World Party- Dumbing Up
(Probably the weakest of Wallinger's five WP albums, but it does include five of his best songs. Just that the others really don't cut it.)

V/A- Licensed To SKA: Studio One 007
Grace Jones- Nightclubbing

Mdou Moctar-Funeral For Justice (four songs)
(This one is a nerve shredder.)

Patti Smith- Personal Playlist
Glenn Tilbrook & The Fluffers- Pandemonium Ensues
Badfinger- Personal Playlist

Irma Thomas- Love Is the Foundation
(A gorgeous, late career masterpiece and she has two more new ones coming this year.)

Joe Jackson- Look Sharp
(A perfect debut! Seriously, this record does not get enough recognition. No bad songs, not even the throwaway "Instant Mash" which is too good to be a novelty. Five stars!)

 

5/7/24

Traffic- When The Eagle Flies
Steve Winwood- S/T
(I had a dream about buying both of those records and being really excited, as if I had found gold. The Traffic album is and has always been weak. But that debut solo from Stevie is quite good.)

 

Joe Jackson- I'm The Man
Tom Verlaine- Cover

Geraint Watkins- In A Raw Mood
(Pure joy.)

 

 

Daughters Of Albion- S/T
Montage- S/T
(Just saw a recent clip of The Lemon Twigs and the brothers were asked, "What is your favorite record right now?" Michael said "Montage," which I have been raving about for years. Brian said "Daughters Of Albion" which I haven't played in years. The former, a Michael Brown project, post-Left Banke, that I think is 100 times better than the second Left Banke album. The latter is a Leon Russell produced sunshine psych record that apparently has The Wrecking Crew on it and was recorded in and around the time of "Smile." Makes sense. You can hear and feel both of these records all over the Lemon Twigs records.)

 

 

Elvis Costello- Ten Bloody Marys & Ten How's Your Fathers
("I was seriously thinking 'bout hiding the receiver when the switch broke 'cause it's old" is one of the most genius lyrics of all time.)

The Hollies- Stop! Stop! Stop!

5/6/24

Jennifer Lara- Weekend Loving
(A recommendation from a reggae guy I follow on IG. I know Lara's first, but never heard this. Very nice. Some of it felt more like a Chaka Khan record than a dancehall, lovers rock, reggae record, but it worked.)

Rickie Lee Jones- S/T (Kevin Gray Master)
Alice Cooper- Killer

Blue Oyster Cult- Secret Treaties
(BOC is another great candidate for a run of four, starting with this through "Mirrors.")

The Tubes- S/T

John Lennon- Walls & Bridges
(Good record, but what was the point of rewriting "How Do You Sleep" as "Steel & Glass?")

Genesis- Turn It On Again: The Hits
(I remember reading an interview with Tony Banks where he mentions how the older fans want to hear the "long songs" and so they added "Tonight Tonight Tonight" and "Driving The Last Spike" into the set. Someone should have said, "Tony, we meant the GOOD long songs.")

5/5/24

Laufey- Bewitched
The Toms- S/T
Gene Clark with The Gosdin Brothers- (Kevin Gray Stereo Cut)
Lou Reed- Legendary Hearts
The Lemon Twigs- Brothers Of Destruction

The Keys- The Keys Album
(The Lemon Twigs covered a track from this record, which I didn't recognize. Turns out to be a solid power pop/new wave record from 1981, produced by Joe Jackson. Actually, sounds a helluva lot like Joe himself. Maybe the album he would have released instead of "Jumpin' Jive.")

 

 

Fleetwood Mac- Then Play On
The Keys- Unlocked
The Heartbreakers- L.A.M.F.: The Found '77 Masters

Johnny Thunders- So Alone
(Thunders, Phil Lynott, Steve Jones, Steve Marriott...all my favorite reprobates.)

 

Utopia- Deface The Music
(Lemon Twigs had this album, as well as The Toms and Hall & Oates playing before they took the stage.)

Billy Idol- Rebel Yell (New Remaster)

5/4/24

Charles Mingus- Blues & Roots
Evi-Edna Ogholi- My Kind Of Music (Side One)

His Lordship- S/T
(Absolutely nuts! Relentless rock and roll from Pretenders' and Rails' guitar player James Walbourne.)

The Toms- The 1979 Sessions (Side One)
Lightnin' Hopkins- Thinkin' & Worryin': The Aladdin Singles 1947-1952
Skyy- Skyy Line

Swag- Catch-All
(The greatest power pop album of all time...in my house.)

John Cale- Fear
(How about John Cale as a nominee for an album run?
"The Academy In Peris," "Paris 1919," "Fear," "Slow Dazzle," "Helen Of Troy.)

5/3/24

Society Of Rockets- Tough Trip Through Paradise
The Cynz- Little Miss Lost
Marshall Crenshaw- #447

Peter Harris & Firm Roots featuring Herlin Riley, Dwight Fitch Jr, Derek Douget, and Ashlin Parker -Live From The WWOZ Jazz Tent, 5/3/24
(This is one killer quintet. They hold court every Wednesday night at The Bayou Bar. Happy to catch this live set.)

The Mighty Hannibal- Hannibalism!
(Essential!)

Krasno/Moore Project- Book Of Queens
Neil Young- After The Gold Rush
The Lemon Twigs- A Dream is All We Know

Cheap Trick- The Latest
(The secret weapon of the CT catalogue! Man, this one deserves more!)

5/2/24

The Lemon Twigs- What We Know
(Their first, cassette-only release, which I had never heard until today. Fantastic. Trippy. Like Macca's "The Fireman" stuff, or Todd Rundgren's "A Wizard/A True Star," or even The Beach Boys' "Smile.")

 

The Black Crowes- MGM Music Hall, Boston: 4/28/24
(Band sounds really good. Solid set list, too. Sorry I missed them this time.)

David Ruffin- David
(Third solo album that Motown shelved for years. More than a few gems. Good stuff.)

 

The Lemon Twigs- A Dream Is All We Know
(Time to give it a rest. But, I could play it again before the day is through.)

The Black Crowes- Three Snakes & One Charm
(The Crowes covered a b-side from these sessions, "Just Say You're Sorry," at that MGM Boston show on 4/28. Great track from a great album.)

 

 

Lil' Band O'Gold- The Promised Land
(This record falls into my Top Twenty New Orleans records, maybe even Top Ten, though technically, most everyone on it is from Lafayette.)

 

 

The Lemon Twigs- What We Know
(Second play. Still dig it. Weird, for sure, but loving their ideas at 15 and 17 years old.)

Laufey- Bewitched
(Suggested by an old friend. Stunning. She apparently won a Grammy for Best Traditional Pop Album. One listen to this and I can hear why.)

The Rolling Stones- Stripped
(It's "Rolling Stones Day" at the New Orleans Jazz Fest. They just took the stage as I dropped the needle on my fave RS live record. I'm there in spirit.)