2/17/2026

Music City- Welcome To Music City (2026)- ****
(Excellent! Thank you, Dr. Wu. More on Burning Wood.)

The Rumble- Stories From The Battlefield (2024)- ****
(Happy Mardi Gras!)

John Ellis & Double Wide- Fireball (2026)- ****
(Great to have new music from Double Wide, which also includes Matt Perrine and Jason Marsalis. This really works for Mardi Gras, in a wonderfully twisted way.)

Allen Toussaint- Southern Nights (1975)- ****

Bad Bunny- Debi Tirar Mas Fotos (2025)- ***
(Finally gave this a go. The difference between this record and the music that purportedly "influenced" this record is that the classic salsa and boogaloo records had discernible songs, whereas this record plays like a 60 minute DJ set, and that exhausted me. There is good stuff throughout, but it ultimately bogs itself down with sameness. Or maybe it just feels that way because it's over an hour long. Not a fan of that reggaeton beat to begin with, so most of those tracks did nothing for me. I'd love to hear a shorter, cleaner version, with space between songs, allowing the listener to digest each mood. I love this music, but would rather listen Joe Bataan, Ray Barretto and Willie Colon. Those records are pure. They are organic. And they are hot! This record felt messy.)

Faces- A Nod Is As Good As A Wink...: 2026 Chris Bellman Cut (1971/2026)- ****

Creedence Clearwater Revival- S/T (1968)- ****
("Suzie Q" continues to be badass, almost 60 years later.)

Bobby Charles- Last Train To Memphis (2003)- ****
The Kinks- Are The Village Green Preservation Society: Kevin Gray Stereo RM (1968/2018)- ****

Jon Cleary- The Bywater Sessions (2025)- ****
(This hit the spot on this Mardi Gras Day in Astoria Queens! And if you dig Jon Cleary, grab this lagniappe. Trust me!)

(JCLagniappe) 

The Wild Tchoupitolas- S/T (1976)- ****
(It's Mardi Gras! And I love this Cassandra Wilson sample.)

 

2/16/2026

Elvin Jones- Live At The Lighthouse, Vol. 1 (1972)- ***
Esther Phillips- Atlantic Recordings:1966-1967 (2020)- ***1/2
John Boutte- Live At WWOZ, 2/5/2026 (2026)- ****
The Tubes- Young & Rich (1976)- ***1/2

Phil Thornalley- Stacked (2026)- ***1/2
(This sounds like a lost Weezer record and I don't love Weezer. But the parts that were fun reminded me of Mike Viola and Fountains Of Wayne. Definitely worth a second spin.)  

Brand X- Unorthodox Behavior (1976)- ****
(I hated this record when I bought it '76. It didn't sound anything like Genesis, and that made me angry. Of course, I love it now. Mindblowing musicianship!

Joe Jackson- Look Sharp! (1979)- ****
(This record is so good, even the throwaway novelty "Instant Mash" is fantastic.)

(JJ Covers Six Pack)

Beady Eye- Complete 7" Singles: A White Trash Soul Compilation (2025)- ****
(This is the most I have ever listened to this band. More fun than Oasis, I think. Really dug this. More on BW this week.)

The Plugz- Better Luck (1981)- ****
Crowded House- Temple Of Low Men (1988)- ****

2/15/2026

Ron Carter, Herbie Hancock, Tony Williams- Third Plane (1978)- **1/2
Billy Preston- That's The Way God Planned It (1969)- ****
Tomeka Reid Quartet- Dance! Skip! Hop! (2026)- **1/2
Clive Matthews- Jah Live (2018)- ***1/2
Third World- Rock The World (1981)- ***
The Wild Magnolias- Outtakes + Live 1973-1974 (2026)- ***1/2

The Who- Meaty, Beaty, Big & Bouncy: Alternative White Trash Soul Version (1971/2025)- ****
(The creator ditched "Boris The Spider," and added "Circles" and "Call Me Lightning," which I am really okay with. But he tacked on a live "Going Down" from 1971 at the end. As nasty as that live version is, it doesn't belong on the GOAT studio singles collection.)

The Throb- Meet The Throb (2025)- ***1/2
(Another White Trash Soul creation, featuring all 7 known singles by Australian R&B/garage band The Throb, recorded in 1965-1966. Pretty good stuff, if somewhat predictable. Like The Animals meets The Cramps.)

Rod Stewart- Atlantic Crossing (1975)- ***1/2
Jon Cleary & The Absolute Monster Gentlemen- Highlights From The Maple Leaf, 1/17/2026-****

Bash & Pop- Friday Night Is Killing Me (1993)- ****
(Was this Tommy Stinson's "All Things Must Pass?" Had he been stockpiling brilliant songs that Paul Westerberg was rejecting? A perfect record.)

 

Aerosmith- Rocks (1976)-****

2/14/2026

Abdullah Ibrahim- Water From An Ancient Well (1986)- ****
(The first time I heard the title track was at Preservation Hall, played by the Stanton Moore Trio just six months after Katrina. It was an incredibly emotional evening. This is a beautiful record, by the way.)

(Stanton Lagniappe)

Krasno/Moore Project- Book Of Queens (2023)-****
Queen- Greatest Hits II (1991)- ****
The Dukes Of Stratosphear- Psonic Psunspot (1987)- ****

Paul McCartney- Off The Ground (1993)- ***
Paul McCartney- Off The Ground: Sal Edit (2026)- ***1/2
(This is one of two Macca records that I have never come around on. The other is "Press To Play." Both have a few winners because it's McCartney. But both fail to keep me interested. I guess you could throw "Broad Street" in there, too. I just don't count it as a proper record. I think an "Off The Ground" edit is in order, since a number of the bonus tracks from the complete works of "Off The Ground" are better than what made the album.

Off The Ground
Hope Of Deliverance
Mistress And Maid
Keep Coming Back To Love
Golden Earth Girl
The Lovers That Never Were
Long Leather Coat
Sweet Sweet Memories
C'mon People

Sal's "Off The Ground" Edit)

Lydia Loveless-Nothing's Gonna Stand In My Way Again (2023)- ***
The Beatles The River Rhine Tapes (2010)- ***1/2
Judas Priest- Screaming For Vengeance (1982)- ****

2/13/2026

Curtis Mayfield- There's No Place Like America Today (1975)- ***1/2
David Bowie- 'hours...'- (1999)- ****
The Beach Boys- Smiley Smile: Stereo (1967)- ***1/2
Desmond Dekker & the Aces- Intensified (1968)- ****
David Bowie- Diamond Dogs (1974)- ****
Rainbow- Down To Earth (1979)- ****
Mink DeVille- Where Angels Fear To Tread (1983)- ***1/2
Todd Rundgren- The Hermit Of Mink Hollow (1978)- ****
Sparks- Mad! (2025)- ***
NRBQ- Grooves In Orbit: Remastered & Expanded (1983/2026)- ****
Dead Boys- We Have Come For Your Children (1978)- ****
Eurythmics- Savage (1987)- ***1/2
T. Rex- Electric Warrior (1971)- ****

(Today's Playlist)

 

2/12/2026

John Coltrane- Giant Steps: MONO (1960)- ****

The Beach Boys- We Gotta Groove: Disc Two, "Adult/Child" Sessions and Outtakes '74-'76 (2026)- **
(This was a tough listen. I guess I wasn't familiar with the "Adult/Child" bootlegs because this not what I was expecting. It plays like an off-Broadway musical and it isn't very good. I am looking forward to the other two discs, but I'll never listen to this again.)

Opeth- Damnation (2003)- ***1/2
(After being blown away by the hard, heavy and epic "Ghost Reveries," the relatively tame sounds on this record are a bit of a disappointment. I don't miss the death metal growling. There's none of that here. But there's not much change from song to song either. It's a solid mid-tempo affair throughout, more along the lines of The Moody Blues or early Genesis, but without the latter's knack for melody.)

Bill Wyman- S/T (1982)- ***
(I always liked the singles off this record. I still do, though there are some real bad clams on the album.)

 

The Beach Boys- We Gotta Groove: Disc Two, "15 Big Ones" & "Love You" Outtakes and Alternates (2026)- ***
(Stick with the original albums. The new mixes are not better. The outtakes are mediocre.)

Charli XCX- Wuthering Heights (2026)- **
(Snapped out of my coma just in time to type this up.)

Esther Phillips- Release Me: Reflections Of Country & Western Greats (1962)- ****
(Thanks to a tip from a pal, I got to hear what one writer said was "the greatest country record you've never heard." He was right. I never heard it. It's pretty damn great. It's streaming under "The Country Side of Esther Phillips," and might I suggest pairing this with Charlie Rich's "That Rich," my favorite C&W record. That one is streaming, too.)

Sparks- Terminal Jive (1980)- ***1/2
(Not as Moroder-ish as "No. 1 In Heaven," but a solid record nonetheless.)

Bad Brains- Rock For Light (1983)- ****
("WE WILL NOT DO WHAT THEY WANT OR DO WHAT THEY SAY NO NO!")

Van Halen- Fair Warning (1981)- ****

Badfinger- Wish You Were Here (1974)- ****
(Arguably, their best. Inarguably, their most consistent.)

(Badfinger Lagniappe)

Dion & The Belmonts- Together Again (1967)- ****
(I don't know which came out first, this record or "The Velvet Underground & Nico." But man, this is one helluva double feature. Trust me.)

Tim Hardin- 1 (1966)- ****
(See above. Make it a three-fer.)

2/11/2026

Ellis Marsalis- For All We Know (2020)- ****
(His final recording with his son Jason on vibes. A gorgeous record. Here's a nice vinyl rip, since it is unavailable to stream.)

Pink Floyd- Animals: 2018 Remix (2020)- ****
Gang Of Four- Entertainment! (1979)- ****

The Harvey Averne Dozen - S/T (1969)- ****
(A quintessential Latin boogaloo record! Put this on your list to listen to.)

The Electric Prunes- Release of An Oath (1968)- ***1/2
(The Prunes meet David Axelrod, though no actual Prunes are on this record. It's basically The Wrecking Crew--and you can tell that the rhythm section is Carol Kaye and Earl Palmer from the second they start playing---performing Axelrod's music. Really compelling work, especially if you are a fan of Axelrod's "Song Of Innocence" and "Songs Of Experience" records.) 

 

R.E.M.- Green (1988)- ***1/2
Pete Townshend- Who Came First (1972)- ****
Nico- Desertshore (1970)- ***
Little Feat- Feats Don't Fail Me Now (1974)- ***1/2
NRBQ- Dummy (2004)- ***1/2


The Bees- Free The Bees (2004)- ****
(NYCD's entire staff's favorite record of 2004.)