Elvis Costello & The Attractions- Punch The Clock (1983)- **** (This needs a trim, but it still holds up, I think.) The Pleasure Fair- S/T (1967)- **1/2 Appaloosa-S/T (1969)- ** (Carrying over yesterday's chamber pop mini binge, these two were disappointments. Pleasure Fair had its moments, but Appaloosa was horrible. Four songs in and I had enough.)
The Bunch- Rock On (1972)- ***1/2
Key- Fit Me In (1978)- **** (I don't play this enough. Forgotten pop gem so obviously inspired by Paul McCartney, Emitt Rhodes.)
Paul McCartney- Driving Rain (2001)- **** (Two days in a row! I am loving this album.)
iPod on Shuffle: Pandora's Box (Quad Mix)- Aerosmith Try- Marshall Crenshaw I Need A Roof- The Mighty Diamonds Rip This Joint- The Rolling Stones Farmer's Daughter- The Beach Boys It Ain't Easy When You Fall/Shades Off- Ian Hunter Renee- Talk Talk Things Are Gonna Change (The Morning After)- Ray Davies Money & Corruption- The Kinks Something Has Hit Me- The Action Got To Be Sure- Horace Andy It's Up To You- The Specials Don't Listen To Linda- The Monkees Mouth Almighty- Elvis Costello & The Attractions Red Brick Dream- XTC Dusk Til Dawn- Paul Weller Once You Love- Steve Earle The 6th Of January (Yasgur's Farm)- Amy Grant I Wish, I Wish- The Rails Wheels- The Flying Burrito Brothers
Skin, Flesh & Bones- Dub In Blood, Vol. 1 (1976)- ***1/2 (Good one. Thanks Dr. Wu.)
Sly & Robbie- Rhythm Killers (1987)- **** (Loved this the first time I heard it 40 years ago. Not a traditional reggae record, but the rhythms do indeed kill.)
Paul Weller- Saturns Pattern (2015)- **** Paul McCartney- Driving Rain (2001)- **** (Another Paul record that put me off upon release, but over the years has become a favorite. The stretch of seven songs from "I Do" to "Heather" plays as well as anything in his solo catalogue. "Your Way" could have been on "Ram.")
v/a- American Baroque: Chamber Pop And Beyond 1967-1971 (2025)- **** (Excellent collection of faves and many never-heard-befores. Highly recommended, if you dig this type of stuff.)
Eternity's Children- S/T (1968)-***1/2 (The collection above sent me right to this. A Curt Boettcher classic, though as good as it is, it can't hold a candle to The Millennium's "Begin.")
Chris & Peter Allen- Album #1 (1968)- ***1/2 (Working on a post for Burning Wood.)
Tom Waits- Bad As Me (2011)- **** (Surprised I hadn't rated the Waits catalogue for Popsurfing. Just submitted it.
Closing Time- ****1/2
The Heart Of Saturday Night- ****
Nighthawks At The Diner- ***1/2
Small Change- ***1/2
Foreign Affairs- ****
Blue Valentine- ****
Heartattack & Vine- ****
One From The Heart w/Crystal Gayle- *****
Swordfishtrombones- ****
Rain Dogs- *****
Frank's Wild Years- ****
Big Time- ***
Night On Earth- **1/2
Bone Machine- *****
The Black Rider- ***1/2
Mule Variations- *****
Blood Money- ***1/2
Alice- ***
Real Gone- ***1/2
Orphans: Brawlers, Bawlers & Bastards- ****
Glitter & Doom- ***
Bad As Me- ****1/2)
Dennis Linde- S/T (1973)- *** (Not bad record from the man who wrote Elvis' "Burning' Love." Hard to categorize as it seems to jump from pop & country to R&B. A few songs sound like Leon Russell. I didn't take it off, so that's a good sign.)
Depeche Mode- Essentials: Edit (2025)- *** Billy Bremner- Bash (1984)- **** Joe Bataan- Singin' Some Soul (1969)- **** (An amazing soundtrack to the dog days of summer im NYC, 1969.)
The Kinks- Something Else By...MONO (1967)- **** The Rolling Stones- Now!: MONO (1965)- **** Paul Collins' Beat- The Kids Are The Same (1982)- *** The Lemon Twigs & Friends- Written By Ronnie D'Addario (2025)- **** Ratt- S/T (1983)- ***1/2 Foxy Shazam- Introducing (2008)- **1/2 Bee Gees- Life In A Tin Can (1973)- ***1/2 (Titus-Oaks, the greatest record store that ever lived on Flatbush and Church Avenue in Brooklyn, had a second floor where they stocked their used records, and off to the right, in the back, were the 99 cent bins. It might have even been 69 cents. It's been a while. I grabbed a lot of stinkers from those bins, including three Bee Gees records--"Mr. Natural," "To Whom It May Concern," and "Life In A Tin Can." All were disappointments...then. Now? All worth your time. Great stuff on all three.)
Dr. Michael White- Blue Crescent (2008)- ***1/2 (Lovely trad jazz from one of my favorites out of New Orleans. I think "A Song For George Lewis" is a better album, but this has some fantastic stuff on it, too.)
Wailing Souls- Fire House Rock (1981)- **** (Thanks for the reminder, Paul In DK. Been a while since I played this one.)
James Booker- Faubourg Cafe, 1981 (1981)- **** (This is insanely good. It's a raw but very listenable tape of Booker playing solo piano, recorded by his friend who drove him to the cafe. I've listened to hundreds of hours of Booker, and his playing during this 30 minute tape might be some of the best. If you have any interest in James Booker, this is a must listen.)
XTC- Black Sea: Steven Wilson Remix (1980/2017)- ***1/2
The Cynz- Confess (2026)- ***1/2 (Good solid record. I enjoyed the last one, thanks to Shriner's suggestion over at BW, but I think I like this one more. Am I crazy or does the track below sound like a cross between Matthew Sweet and Bruce Springsteen?)
The Beatles- Abbey Road: Giles Martin Mix (1969/2019)- **** Joan Armatrading- Personal Playlist (2026)- **** Althea & Donna- Uptown Top Ranking (1978)- **** (R.I.P., Sly Dunbar.) St. Vincent- Actor (2009)- **** (This sounded great, as it always does. Really only "Daddy's Home" that I can't listen to.) Corey Fonville, Sam Fribush, Charlie Hunter- R&B Organ Trio (2026)- **** (Short and super sweet. Perfect! Dig it below.) https://samfribush.bandcamp.com/album/r-b-organ-trio
Quincy Jones- Walking In Space (1969)- ***1/2 Milt Jackson- Bags' Bag (1980)- **1/2 Kenny Dorham- Trompeta Toccata (1965)- **** v/a-The Harder They Come, O.S.T. (1972)- **** Genesis- The Lamb Lies Down Broadway: Personal Edit (1974)- **** Herman's Hermits- Into Something Good: The Mickie Most Years, '64-'72- Disc Four (2008)- **1/2 The Electric Flag- A Long Time Comin' (1968)- *** The Cramps- Stay Sick! (1990)- **** Lee Michaels- Carnival Of Life (1968)- *** Electric Light Orcheatra- Face The Music (1975)- ****
45s The Staple Singers- When Will We Be Paid The Dells- A Whiter Shade Of Pale Larry Williams- Bad /She Said "Yeah" The 5 Stairsteps-Ooh Child Betty Wright- Shoorah Shoorah
Nino Tempo & April Stevens- All Strung Out (1967)- ****
The Action- Highlights From "Shadows & Reflections": Personal Playlist (2018/2023)- **** (Amazing that these guys never released a proper album, yet there is a 4 disc boxed set that is complete. What's more amazing is that most of the box is stellar, with very little filler.)
Sparks- Propaganda (1974)- **** Bob Marley & The Wailers- Satisfy My Soul Jah Jah, 1971-1972 (1998)- ***1/2 Leon Russell & Mark Benno- Look Inside The Asylum Choir (1968)- ***1/2 Taj Mahal- Mo'Roots (1974)- **** (Best spin of the day, so far. So many perfect minutes. "Cajun Waltz" is simply stunning.)
Lucinda Williams- World's Gone Wrong (2026)- ****
45s The Four Tops- Reach Out I'll Be There
The Supremes: Back In My Arms Again You Keep Me Hangin' On'/Remove This Doubt Where Did Our Love Go Stop! In The Name Of Love You Can't Hurry Love/Put Yourself In My Place Love Child Stoned Love
Martha & The Vandellas- In My Lonely Room Marvin Gaye- Ain't That Peculiar Nappy Brown- Don't Be Angry
James Brown I Can't Stand Myself (When You Touch Me) Give it Up Or Turn It Loose Licking Stick-Licking Stick Pt. 1 I Don't Want Nobody To Give Me Nothing (Open Up The Door, I'll Get It Myself) Pt.1 Mother Popcorn Pt. 1/Mother Popcorn Pt. 2 Get On The Good Foot Pt. 1/Get On The Good Foot Pt. 2 There It Is Pt. 1/There It Is Pt.2 Talking Loud And Saying Nothing Pt.1 Cold Sweat Pt. 1 Hot Pants Pt. 1
The Dominoes- Sixty Minute Man The Jive Five- I'm A Happy Man Eddie Floyd- I've Never Found A Girl Johnny Adams- Salt Of The Earth The Diamonds- The Stroll Phil Phillips- Sea Of Love Berna Dean- I Walk In My Sleep James Booker- Gonzo/Cool Turkey The Passions- Just To Be With You The Jive Five- What Time Is It? Mable John- If You Give Up What You Got/You're Taking Up Another Man's Place Dion- My Girl The Month Of May
Lloyd Parks- Officially (1973)- **** (I don't remember if I ever made this Reggae Record Of The Week. It ventures slightly into southern soul occasionally, but it never abandons its Jamaican roots. Great, great record.)
Nick Drake- Bryter Layter (1971)- ***1/2 Joe Henderson- Page One (1963)- ***1/2 Love Da Capo: Side One (1967)- **** The Chambers Brothers- The Time Has Come: MONO (1967)- **** (This record is not easy to come by in MONO, and yet about 10 years ago, I came across two. I kept one and gave the other to my pal Sal Maida. I had to sell mine out of necessity and have regretted it since. Today, 2/3 of The John Sally Ride went to visit Sal's wife Lisa, when she gave me what was left of Sal's collection after she sold the bulk of the heavy hitters to someone who gave her what I couldn't afford to give her. But guess what? They didn't want the crappy ol' Chambers Brothers, because they probably didn't look to see it was the rare MONO version. A happy ending to a bittersweet afternoon. Plus, I could listen to the groove of "Uptown" for an hour, written by the former Mrs. Miles Davis, Betty Mabry.)
The Jimi Hendrix Experience- Axis: Bold As Love, MONO Remaster (1967/2025)- **** (Jimi's best, I think.)
The Replacements- Tim: Ed Stasium Mix (1985/2023)- ****
45s Otis Redding: I Can't Turn You Loose/Just One More Day Try A Little Tenderness/I'm Sick Y'all A Lover's Question/You Made A Man Out Of Me Hard To Handle/Amen The Dock Of The Bay/Sweet Lorene
The Bar-Kays- Soul Finger/Knucklehead Booker T. & The MGs- Time Is Tight/Johnny, I Love You Mable John- Your Good Thing (Is About To End)/It's Catching Jean Knight- Mr. Big Stuff/Why I Keep Living These Memories
Sam & Dave When Something Is Wrong With My Baby/A Small Portion Of Your Love I Thank You/Wrap It Up Soothe Me/I Can't Stand Up For Falling Down Hold On I'm Coming/I Got Everything I Need
Eddie Floyd Raise Your Hand/I've Just Been Feeling Bad Knock On Wood/Got To Make A Comeback
