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.)

 

 

 

 

 

 

2/10/2026

The Byrds- The Notorious Byrd Brothers (1968)- ***1/2
(A friend casually mentioned this being his favorite Byrds album. I'd put it at #5 or #6 at best, but thought I should listen again first. I stand by my initial thoughts.)

Crosby, Stills & Nash- S/T (1969)- ****

The Beatles- More River Rhine (2010)- ***1/2
(I realize this stuff has been out there for ages, but there is so much I haven't heard. This 2010 boot on the legendary Swingin' Pig label is a blast. Great sound and selection. Love hearing Paul harmonizing with George on "Let It Down," even if it's only a minute. Paul and John singing "Across The Universe" is another gem.)

Opeth- Ghost Reveries (2005)- ****
(More on Burning Wood.)

Joe Bataan- Singin' Some Soul (1969)-****
Stanton Moore Trio- Crawfish Fest, N.J.: 6/2/12 (2012)- ***
Cheap Trick- All Washed Up (2025)- ****
v/a- Downtown Soulville! (1998)- ****
Dead Boys- We Have Come For Your Children (1978)- ****

 

 

2/9/2026

Ken Peplowski- Unheard Bird (2024)- ***1/2
Al Di Meola- Elegant Gypsy (1977)- ***
Sharks- First Water (1973)- ***1/2

Boxer- Below The Belt (1975)- ***
(I love Timebox. I love Patto. But Boxer just didn't do it for me. There are a handful of solid tunes on this debut, including the one below. But overall, it falls flat compared to their earlier works.)

Billy Preston- Encouraging Words (1970)- ****
(Billy's first record for Apple had him backed by Eric Clapton & George Harrison on guitar, Keith Richards on bass (!) and Ginger Baker on drums. This album is basically Billy with Derek & The Dominoes, as well as Klaus Voorman and Ringo Starr. Both records are getting reissued in a few weeks and both are really solid spins.)

The Toms- Sound Bytes (2025)- **1/2
(Stick with the debut. It's legendary. This did not work for me at all. It tries too hard and the songs lack the hooks and melodies of the debut.)

The Plugz- Electrify Me (1979)- ****
(One of the greatest punk records of all time! The follow-up, "Better Luck," is excellent too, just not as aggressive. Both are essential.)

(Plugz Lagniappe)

Clifton Chenier- King Of Louisiana Blues & Zydeco: Disc Two (2026)- ***1/2

James Taylor- New Moon Shine (1991)- ***1/2
(I hadn't listened to James Taylor in ages. No reason, really. I am a fan, saw him live a number of times in the late 70's and 80's, but I just stopped paying attention in the 90's and beyond.  I really enjoyed seeing him on the Colbert show and it put me in the mood. Listened to this record for the very first time and it's quite good. It's got Bob Dylan's favorite James Taylor song on it, according to J.T..)

  

Faces- A Nod Is As Good As A Wink... (1971)- ****

Pixies- Trompe Le Monde (1991)- ****
(I've always loved this album because this tour was the only time I saw the band live other than opening for U2. I had V.I.P. treatment. Reserved seats in the front row of the balcony at The Ritz, pre-show meet and greet where I had drinks with Frank Black, Joey Santiago and David Lovering. No Kim. Just a great night. The record still holds up. Really solid, even without the memories.)

Bryan Ferry- In Your Mind (1977)- ****
(My favorite Ferry. This record sounds like the perfect follow-up to "Siren" and a perfect lead-in to "Manifesto.")

2/8/2026

John Cale & Terry Riley- Church Of Anthrax (1971)- ***1/2
Nara Leao- Dez Anos Depois (1971)- ***

Sky High & The Mau Mau- African Vengeance (1990)- ***1/2
(I couldn't resist! Aside from the name of the band, the musicians include Earl "Chinna" Smith, Errol Brown, "Family Man" Barrett and "Horsemouth" Wallace. Not bad. A big time Black Uhuru vibe. I've heard worse. Worth a second spin.)

James Taylor- Classic Songs: Slightly Tweaked (1987/2026)- ****

The Searchers- Personal Playlist (2026)- ****
(Terribly underrated Brit Invasion band! Solid 30 minute mix is here, with a dozen of my faves.)

Lesley Gore- My Town, My Guy & Me (1965)- ****
(One of the rare 60's pop records that has no filler. Just perfect from top to tail.)

Handsome Jack- Barnburners! (2026)- ****

Pete Townshend/Ronnie Lane- Rough Mix (1977)-****1/2
Pete Townshend- Empty Glass (1980)- ****

Squeeze- Play (1991)- ****
(I play this more than any other Squeeze record and each time I play it, I am convinced it's their best.)

2/7/2026

Ron Carter & Ricky Dillard- Sweet, Sweet Spirit (2026)- ***1/2
(I was hoping this would take me right back to the Gospel Tent at the New Orleans Jazz Festival and it did just that. Exactly what I was hoping for. Also, nice touch to have Ron Carter's bass up front and featured throughout.)

Duane Eddy & The Rebels- $1,000,000.00 Worth Of Twang (1960)- **1/2
Boss Capone Meets George Dekker- Blackfire (2024)- ***1/2

Gene Clark with The Gosdin Brothers: MONO (1967)-****
(This record gets played a lot. It's perfect.)

Stevie Ray Vaughan- Couldn't Stand The Weather (1984)- **1/2
(I played in a band for a few years in the early 90's, and the guitar player was obsessed with SRV. We had about 15 songs in our repertoire, and seven of them were SRV covers. I couldn't listen to SRV for years after this. This record caught my eye today, but it's not doing it for me. This isn't about Stevie's ability. It's just that the record sounds dated. The 80's production does this type of music no favors. I made it through half. It didn't age well.)

Pixies- Doolittle (1989)- ****
(A Six Pack for those who may not be familiar with the band, or for those who love the band and just feel like getting a quick Pixies fix.)

Patto- Hold Your Fire (1971)- ****
(An Ollie Halsall tour de force!)

Handsome Jack- Barnburners! (2026)- ****
(Swampy goodness! These guys have been around for 20 years and this is the first I've listened. Excellent new record.)

Boz Scaggs- Dig (2001)- ***1/2

Todd Rundgren- Todds & Ends: Personal Playlist (2026)- ****
(Stray tracks, covers, remixes, guest appearances, etcetera. There must be at least three Todd fans reading, so it's HERE. You might dig it. I did.)

The Ventures- Where The Action Is (1966)- ***1/2
The Rolling Stones- Some Girls (1978)- ****

Queen- Sheer Heart Attack (1974)- ****
(How about Neko Case covering John Deacon's track from this album?)

QUINN MARTIN EPILOGUE:

That Handsome Jack record knocked me out. They've got something, but I am sucker for anything that sounds even remotely like C.C. Adcock. If anyone has been a fan of these guys, what do you think of the new one and what should I listen to next? 

 

2/6/2026

Miles Davis- Complete Plugged Nickel, 1st Set: 12/22/65 (1992)- ***1/2

Lennie Hibbert- Creation (1969)- ****
(One of my favorites and also one of the strangest reggae records in my collection. It's reggae exotica! I love all of it, especially "Nature Boy," which is clearly not "Nature Boy," but "It Was A Very Good Year.")

(Lennie, if u want)

Shocking Blue- At Home (1969)- ***
(Never heard a note other than "Venus," but my pal Sal Maida was a fan, so I decided to go in. Not bad. A little trippy. I liked this one, though it does sound a bit like "Venus.")

Blue Öyster Cult- Tyranny & Mutation (1973)- ****
(Once every two years or so, I post a BÖC appreciation on Burning Wood for those who have either pigeonholed the band as heavy metal or only know "Don't Fear The Reaper" and "Burning For You." This band is so much more.)

(BÖC Lagniäppe) 

Be-Bop Deluxe- Drastic Plastic: Stereo Remix (1978/2020)- ***1/2
v/a- CBGB-A New York City Soundtrack 1975-1986: Personal Playlist (2026)- ***1/2
Scott Walker- Scott 3 (1969)- ****

v/a- Soul Harmony: Sweet Soul Vocals, 1961-1984 (2025)- **1/2
(The press release made this collection sound like a must-have. Job well done, PR people. I bit! Unfortunately, so did this comp. I could only listen to 12 of the 24 tracks. It's all fine, second rate, mid-tempo soul. But nothing stood out. Essentially, a boring playlist, though I imagine any one of these two dozen tracks would delight elsewhere, just not all at once here.)

The Ventures- In Space: MONO (1964)- ****
(Never fails! It's been said it was Keith Moon's favorite record. It's definitely one of mine.)

(Ventures Lagniappe)

Kiki Dee- I'm Kiki Dee (1968)- ****
(Released as "Patterns" in the U.S., this record is pure bliss. Big, sweeping arrangements calling to mind Phil Spector, Burt Bacharach, John Barry, Scott Walker. And still, very girl group. Great, forgotten record. Here's a two-fer.)

 

Elvis Costello- This Year's Model (1978)- ****
Graham Parker & The Rumour- Squeezing Out Sparks (1979)- ****

 

QUINN MARTIN EPILOGUE:

"Scott 3" and "I'm Kiki Dee" is a great double feature, as is "This Year's Model" and "Squeezing out Sparks." 

2/5/2026

John Cale- Vintage Violence (1970)- ****
Ken Peplowski- Enrapture (2016)- ****
Al Di Meola- Casino (1978)- ****
Yes -Tales From Topographic Oceans: 2026 Steven Wilson Remix, Sides one & Four (1973/2026)- ***1/2
Jules Shear- The Eternal Return (1985)- ***1/2
Sly Dunbar- Sly-Go-Ville (1982)- **1/2
The Walker Brothers- Personal Playlist (2020)- ****1/2
Clifton Chenier- King Of Louisiana Blues & Zydeco: Disc One (2026)- ****