5/20/2026

Todd Rundgren- Initiation: Side One (1975)- ****
Nick Drake- Five Leaves Left (1969)- ***1/2
John Hammond- Mirrors (1967)- ***
Black Uhuru- Guess Who's Coming To Dinner (1983)- ***1/2
Bob Dylan & The Band- The Basement Tapes (1975)- ****
Rainbow- Rising (1976)- ****
Trouble- S/T (1990)- ****

5/19/2026

Peter Erskine, Alan Pasqua, Scott Colley- Peregrine (2026)- ***1/2
(Nice trio session, though Erskine is a bit more subdued behind the kit than I'd like him to be. Still some great stuff.)

The Who- Sell Out: MONO (1967)- ****
(Happy Birthday, Pete! Thanks for the greatest record of all time!)

The Kinks - Arthur, Or...:Kevin Gray Stereo Master (1969)- ****

Robert Fripp- Exposure: Third Edition (1979/1983/1985- ****
(I did this once, maybe even twice on Burning Wood, but I've improved and expanded "The Exposure trilogy" playlist.)
https://amazon.com/music/player/user-playlists/0c89d151155f4e10840950175931c507sune?marketplaceId=ATVPDKIKX0DER&musicTerritory=US&ref=dm_sh_H72rtf4gFKeblYSdLPRgiUyUb

The Who- Who's Next: Steven Wilson Remix (1971/2023)- ***1/2
(Big fan of Steven Wilson's Yes and XTC remixes, but this is a muddy mess. No high end at all. Moon's drums sound like they are covered in towels. Maybe it works better in Dolby Atmos. I'll need to try that. But the original W-1 press on Decca is still the one to beat.)

Dwight Twilley- Scuba Divers (1982)- ****
(His best! Period.)

Blue Oyster Cult- Agents Of Fortune (1976)- ****
Thin Lizzy- Chinatown (1980)- ****
(Top ten concert of all time- The Dictators opening, followed by Thin Lizzy, followed by Blue Oyster Cult, The Palladium, NYC 1978.)

Graham Parker- Imaginary Television (2010)- ***1/2
(Pretty sure this was the first time hearing it. I really liked it. Short, sweet. GP fans, thoughts?)

5/18/2026

Steve Hackett- Defector (1980)- ***1/2
(Both "Spectral Mornings" and this record were really solid, though I still prefer his first two.)

The Appletree Theatre- Playback (1968)- **1/2
(Terence & John Boylan and a whimsical collection of psychedelic twee. Eh.)

Elvis Costello- Mighty Like A Rose (1991)- **1/2
(Every few years I try this record, hoping something inside me changes. But nothing ever does. I always feel the same. With the exception of three or four great tracks, the songs feel forced and clumsy, the arrangements are heavy handed and the kitchen sink production is nerve shredding.)

Faces- Ooh La La (1973)- ****
Chris Bergson- East River Blues- **1/2

The Hollies- Butterfly...Plus (1967/2020)- ****
(The classic, one of my favorite albums of all time, augmented with a few tracks and b-sides from around the session.)

The Fabulous Thunderbirds- What's The Word? (1980)- ***

iPod on Shuffle:
Jewel In A Cobweb- Jules Shear
Ruination Day (Part 2)- Gillian Welch
License To Kill- Bob Dylan
Hearts Of Stone- Los Lobos
I'll Be Gone- Tom Waits
Do Do Do- Joe Jackson
On I Go- Fiona Apple
Going Down- Bryan Ferry
You're Lonesome Now- Charles Perrywell
Don't Bring Me Down- David Bowie
This World- World Party
I Don't Mind- Buzzcocks
Rattlesnake Shake- Fleetwood Mac
Sweet Dreams- Tommy McLain
Jeepster- T. Rex
Summer's Day Song- Paul McCartney
5:15 The Angels Have Gone (SACD Mix)- David Bowie
You Don't Know Me At All- Nick Lowe
Things Are Gonna Work Out Fine- Taj Mahal
Medley: Blues Minuet/Until The Real Thing Comes Along/Baby Won't You Please Come Home- James Booker
Downbound Train (Electric Nebraska)- Bruce Springsteen

5/17/2026

Velvet Underground & Nico- S/T: MONO (1967)- ****
Steve Hackett- Spectral Mornings (1979)- ***1/2

Maria McKee- Life Is Sweet (1996)- ***1/2
(Never got on board with Lone Justice, but I really enjoy McKee's solo records. This one especially. It's filled with great melodies and it's also noisy at times. Been years since I heard it. Still holds up.)

Milton Nascimento- Milton (1970)- ***1/2
Roxy Music- Country Life (1974)- ****

The Beach Boys- SMiLE: White Trash Soul Version ('66/'67'/2026)- ***1/2
(Fun hybrid using tracks from the unofficial, official and "Smiley Smile." It's HERE, if you care.)

The Beatles- Rubber Soul: U.K. MONO RM (1965/2009)- ****

The Young Rascals- Groovin': MONO (1967)- ****
("...on a Sunday afternoon.")

Johnny Thunders- Que Sera, Sera (1985)- ***1/2
Black Sabbath- Heaven & Hell (1980)- ****
David Bowie- Diamond Dogs: Bonus Tracks (1974/2004)- ****

Carlene Carter- Musical Shapes (1980)- ****
(This record, Rockpile "Seconds Of Pleasure," Elvis Costello's "Trust," Nick Lowe's "Labour Of Lust," and Squeeze's "East Side Story." Put'em in your CD carousel and hit shuffle.)

Dead Boys- Young, Loud & Snotty (1977)- ****

Television- Marquee Moon (1977)- ****
(When life gives you lemons, play "Marquee Moon.")

5/16/2026

Chicago Transit Authority- S/T (1969)- ***1/2

The Who- Live At Leeds (1970)- ****
(The greatest live album of all time turns 56 today. Turn it up!)

July-S/T (1968)- ***
(One of Sal Maida's favorite psych records. I prefer Blossom Toes and Skip Bifferty. This one never takes, and I keep trying.)

The Beach Boys- Pet Sounds: Kevin Gray Stereo Cut (1966/2015)- ****
(This record turns 60 today!)

Ron Wood & Ronnie Lane- Mahoney's Last Stand (1976)- ***
The Beatles- S/T, 2009 Stereo RM: Single Disc Edit (1968/2026)- ****

Todd Rundgren- Live In Chicago '91: The Riviera Theater (1999)- ****
(Amazing performance. Band is on fire. Todd's in excellent voice.)

Van Halen- 1984 (1984)- ****
Thin Lizzy- Johnny The Fox (1976)- ****
Joan Jett- S/T (1980)- ***

5/15/2026

Gillian Welch & David Rawlings- Acoustic Reckoning, Port Chester: 4/11/2026 (2026)- ***
(A brilliant idea and a terrific show. But, I am used to Gillian's and David's voices blending as one, and on this set, it seems Gillian is struggling a bit to hit her high harmonies. Maybe it's age, or as a friend suggested, maybe it's the Dead's material that is out of her comfort zone. Still worth listening to if you're a fan.)

Peter Gabriel- S/T (1978)- ***1/2
Mahavishnu Orchestra- Inner Mounting Flame (1971)- ***1/2
Prince- Graffiti Bridge: Personal Edit (1990/2026)- ***1/2

Peter Frampton- Carry The Light (2026)- **1/2
(I wanted more from this. Songs are very samey and they go nowhere. His guitar playing is still fab, but I'll never listen again.)

Teddy Thompson- Never Be The Same (2026)- ****
(Might be his best record. I'll decide on second or third spin.)

King Crimson- Larks' Tongues In Aspic: 2023 Mix (1973/2023)- ****
Paul McCartney- Flowers In The Dirt, 1988 Demos (2017)- ****
Bad Brains- I Against I (1986)- ****

Johnny Thunders- So Alone (1978)- ****
(Marriott, Lynott, Cook, Jones, Chrissie, Johnny--so many of my fave miscreants on one record!)

Pretenders- Viva El Amor (1999)- ****
(The unsung classic in Chrissie's catalogue, and the rare occasion when the cover "Human" is better than the Divinyls original.)

5/14/2026

Nico- Chelsea Girl (1967)- ***1/2
Sarah Quintana- Baby Don't (2025)- ***1/2
Boozoo Chavis & The Magic Sounds- Boozoo, That's Who? (1993)- ***1/2
The Boys- Alternative Chartbusters (1978)- ****
The Fabulous Thunderbirds- The Doc Pomus Album, 1978 (1978/2026)- **1/2
Robert Walter, Eddie Roberts, Stanton Moore- The Breaks (2026)- **** 
Amy Grant- The Me That Remains (2026)- ***
The Bluerunners- Honey Slides (2005)- ****
Sally Baby's Silver Dollars- Live At Jazz Fest, 4/23/2026- ****