7/12/2026

Grant Green- Sunday Mornin' (1962) ****

Junior Parker- The Outside Man (1970) ****

Captain Beefheart & The Magic Band- Clear Spot (1972) ****

v/a-The Harder They Come, O.S.T. (1972) ****

Jo-Ann Campbell- That Real Gone Gal: The Complete Gone & Roulette Recordings (1997) ***1/2

The Records- Shades In Bed (1979) ***

Thin Lizzy- Vagabonds Of The Western World...Plus Bonus LP (1973/2023). ***1/2

The Partridge Family- Up To Date (1971) **1/2

Paul Simon- Essentials: Edit (2024/2026) ****

Blue Oyster Cult- Agents Of Fortune (1976) ****

Iggy Pop- Every Loser (2023) ****

 

 

I first heard Jo-Ann Campbell in a bar about 25 years ago. The bartender had her mix of mostly rockabilly going and the song "Nervous" came on, and after a couple drinks, sounded great. Everything did. Been a fan since and if you've never heard Miss Campbell, this collection from 1997 is a great one.

I know this will be sacrilege to many but, as much as I loved that debut from The Records and respect its status as a power pop classic, it just hasn't aged well for me. Half of it is great and half is just plain mediocre, or at least that it how it sounded the last few times I played it.

Here's one more great Junior Parker cover from "The Outside Man."

 

 

7/11/2026

Peter Tosh- Equal Rights (1977) ****

Thin Lizzy-S/T: 2026 Richard Whitaker Stereo Mix (1971/2026) ****

The Kinks- Are The Village Green Preservation Society: Kevin Gray Stereo Master (1968/2018) ****

Yes- S/T (1969) ****

The Rolling Stones- Foreign Tongues: Edit #2 (2026) ****

Paul McCartney- Flowers In the Dirt (1989) ****

Genesis- Foxtrot (1972) ****

Thin Lizzy- Renegade (1981) ****

David Bowie- Live Nassau Coliseum '76 (2017) ***1/2

The Mamas & The Papas- Golden Album (1968) ****

Pixies- Surfer Rosa (1988) ****

I finally tracked down the Stones iTunes bonus track, "Bad Luck Hideaway," without having to buy the files of the entire album and man is it good! You can tell within seconds it's Charlie on drums, and the dual lead vocals give it a "Salt Of The Earth" vibe. Shoulda been on the album instead of "Mr. Charm." And I really dig my second edit.

Rough & Twisted
In The Stars
Jealous Lover
Divine Intervention
Ringing Hollow
Never Wanna Lose You
Some Of Us
Covered in You
Bad Luck Hideaway
Back In Your Life
Beautiful Delilah

Lizzy's "Renegade" is underrated, misunderstood, and unfairly dismissed. It covers a lot of musical ground, and it's all very convincing. But diehards hated the keyboards. The one-two punch of "Hollywood" and "No One Told Him" that opens Side Two should have given this band two big hits. "Hollywood" alone has enough hooks to snag a flounder, from the killer refrain- "When you're down on your luck," to the brief but meaty guitar solo, to Phil Lynott's "WOOO HOOOS" on the coda, this song is a killer.

7/10/2026

Tom Waits- Rain Dogs (1985) ****

Screamin' Jay Hawkins- At Home With...(1958) **

The Courettes- The Soul Of...The Fabulous Courettes (2024) ****

Scritti Politti- Cupid & Psyche 85 (1985) ***

Bobby "Blue" Bland- Two Steps From The Blues (1961) ****

Curtis Mayfield- Never Say You Can't Survive (1977) ***1/2

The Nice- Autumn To Spring (1973) ****

Jack White- Frozen Charlotte (2026) ****

The Rolling Stones- Foreign Tongues: Sal Edit (2026) ****

The La's- S/T (1990) ****

The Kinks- Face To Face: MONO (1966) ****

 

I was reminded by my friend cmealha of a post I had written in 2022 about bands with gimmicks, one of which was The Courettes. I had totally forgotten about them, but cmealha recommended their most recent album, promising it was better than their 2022 release. He was right. Here is that post, if interested. 

Here's something I should have known. I was surprised to find out that Johnny Ace, who had a hit with "Pledging My Love," was first a piano player in the Beale Streeters Blues Band, with guitarist Riley "B.B." King and singer Bobby Bland. What a band.

7/9/2026

Miles Davis- Plugged Nickel, 12/22/65: 1st Set (1992) ***

v/a- The Instant & Minit Story: 20 Track Highlights (1996/2026) ***1/2

The Rolling Stones- Foreign Tongues (2026) ***1/2

Rush- Hemispheres (1978) ****

Jack White- Frozen Charlotte (2026) ****

The Rolling Stones- Foreign Tongues (2026) ****

Redd Kross- Show World (1997) ***1/2

Jack White- Frozen Charlotte (2026) ****

7/8/2026

Gal Costa- Legal (1970) ***

MT Jones- Joy (2026) ***1/2

Fleetwood Mac- Mirage (1982) ****

Rose Tattoo- S/T (1978) ****

The Partridge Family- Sound Magazine (1971) ***1/2

Van Der Graff Generator- Still Life (1976) **

Quicksilver- S/T (1971) ***

The Hotrats- Turn Ons (2010) ****

Adam Lambert- ADAM (2026) **1/2

Redd Kross- Born Innocent (1982) ***

Glenn Tilbrook & The Fluffers- Pandemonium Ensues (2009) ****

Bonerama- So Much Love (2026) ****

 

Rose Tattoo are from Australia, they are produced by Vanda & Young and they sound like AC/DC. But don't let that stop you. Their debut is a killer.

The McDonald Brothers mention The Partridge Family "Sound Magazine" in their documentary, and one of them casually tosses off this, "Side Two of 'Sound Magazine' is like 'Pet Sounds.'" Okay, it's not. But I really enjoyed  the album. Solid AM radio pop.

One would think after doing a fantastic job as Freddie Mercury's replacement in Queen for the last 10-15 years, Adam Lambert would make an album that might appeal to Queen fans. But apparently, he's not feeling it and "ADAM" is just another generic electronic dance pop record never to be played again.

 

7/7/2026

The Beatles- Let It Be...Naked (1970/2003) **** 

The Rolling Stones- Sticky Fingers (1971) ****

Redd Kross- Teen Babes From Monsanto: Version Especial (1984/2018) ****

Quicksilver Messenger Service- S/T (1968) ****

Rush- Permanent Waves (1980) ****

Quicksilver Messenger Service- Happy Trails (1969) ***1/2

Redd Kross- Researching The Blues (2012) ****

Bash & Pop- Anything Could Happen (2017) ****

Killing Joke- S/T (1980) ***1/2

The Stranglers- La Folie (1981) ***

 

 

No, I did not skip "Brown Sugar."

This was the first time I listened to Quicksilver in 34 years. I had to write about it on Burning Wood.

Bash & Pop's debut is too good. It's as if The Beatles' debut was "Revolver." I thought "Anything Could Happen" was a good record, but it just couldn't hold a candle to "Friday Night Is Killing Me," so I've rarely played it since 2017. As per me, it sounded really great tonight. But I stand by what I said. 

 

 

7/6/2026

Fela & Africa-70- Authority Stealing (1980) ***

v/a- Jamaica Jazz From Federal Records: Carib Roots, Jazz, Mento, Latin, Merengue & Rhumba 1960-1968 (2019)- ***

The Heavenly Bodes- Green Hills (2026) **

Prophet Benjamin- S/T (2013) **

Motorhead- Orgasmatron (1986) ***1/2

Prince- The Black Album (1987/1994) ****

Billy Cobham- Spectrum (1973) ***1/2

Roy Harper- HQ (1975) ***1/2

Iggy Pop & James Williamson- Kill City: 2010 Remix (1977/2010) ***1/2

v/a- Lafayette Saturday Night (1992) ***1/2

 

The press release for the Heavenly Bodes said, "The album’s opener, “De Gruene Heuvels” (the album’s title in Dutch), and its closer, “The Heavenly Bode,” both have a jangly late-’60s country-rock vibe reminiscent of The Byrds and Mike Nesmith’s solo output. "WRONG! Not even close. The five songs I made it through sounded like third rate Hawkwind demos.

I don't think I've ever enjoyed Prince's "Black Album" as much as I did today. It really takes off with Track Three, "Dead On It."