6/17/2026

The Band - Jubilation (1998) ***1/2
Paul McCartney- The Boys Of Dungeon Lane (2026) ****
The Claudettes- Garage Glamour (2026) ****
v/a- Sing Me Back Home: The New Orleans Social Club (2006) ***1/2
The Velvet Underground- White Light/White Heat: Kevin Gray MONO Master (1968/2019) ****
Cream- Wheels Of Fire: Phase Corrected (1968/2026) ***1/2
Rick Derringer- Guitars & Women (1979) ****
Cheap Trick- S/T (1997) ***1/2
Shaun Cassidy- Wasp (1980) ***1/2

6/16/2026

Seu Jorge- The Other Side (2026) ***1/2
(18 years in the making and finally released. This did not disappoint.)

Renaissance- Prologue (1972) ***1/2
Sparks- Kimono My House (1974) ****

The Claudettes- Garage Glamour (2026) ****
(Surprise of the week!)

Fischer-Z- Going Deaf For A Living (1980) ***
Rush- Signals (1982) ***1/2
Elvis Costello & The Attractions- Armed Forces (1979) ****

Blue Oyster Cult- Secret Treaties (1974) ****

(I think about June 16, 1981 every time I listen to Blue Oyster Cult, which is often because I love this band. But as each year passes, now 45 of them, the memories from that night in 1981 become foggier than the year before. But this is what I remember...I think.

It was late afternoon and I got on the D train at Sheepshead Bay Road with my friend Mike and my cousin Al and we rode to Times Square. Six or seven hours later, we got back on the D train at what might have been one in the morning or even possibly two in the morning to get back home from a concert that was a bit of a disaster, to say the least.

We arrived around 7:PM and waited until the doors opened at 8:00 for a 10:PM show and by midnight, we were still standing in this legendary space having heard not a note of music. Whatever the technical difficulties were, lights, sound, monitors, it just wasn’t happening. I found out years later that the show was being recorded for a radio broadcast and the recording truck went missing, not to mention there being some serious issues with stage lights and an untuned Steinway piano.

We were very excited about this night. One of our favorite bands, Blue Oyster Cult, was playing a club under their original moniker Soft White Underbelly and we got tickets! Yet six hours after leaving Sheepshead Bay, we only ended up hearing about 30 minutes worth of music, none of which I remember at all. We were falling asleep while standing up, and we just couldn't stand up any longer.

But I have that ticket stub and I still think Blue Öyster Cult deserves a hell of a lot more from the rock ‘n’ roll cognoscenti than being thought of as one hit or maybe two hit wonders. That run from their debut through "Fire Of Unknown Origin" covers a hell of a lot of ground. The band often gets pigeonholed as heavy metal, which I think is unfair and inaccurate. They are too good at too many things to be tossed aside as one thing.)

 

The Dukes Of Stratosphear- 25 O'Clock (1985) ****
 
The Who- Live At Leeds: Abbey Road HSM (1970/2016) ****
(I listened to this last week and my copy was a bit too noisy after years of abuse. I found a copy of the Half Speed Master for $15. No goodies. No inserts. But amazing sound. This will be the go-to version from here on out.)

 

6/15/2026

Alice Coltrane- Universal Consciousness (1971) ***1/2
James Chance- Irresistible Impulse: Disc Two (2003) **1/2 
Pink Floyd- 8-Tracks (2026) ****

The Beatles- Yesterday & Today: Deidre's 2026 Stereo Mix (2026) ****
(I'm not usually a fan of fan made remixes, but this was absolutely stunning. It's on YouTube, and there is a link to download WAV files in the comments.)

The Mamas & The Papas- Golden Album (1968) ****
(Japanese only vinyl hits collection on RCA Living Stereo! Did not know this existed but I'm thrilled that I found it. Perfect song selection and fantastic sound.) 

Jennifer Lara- Studio One Presents...(1981) ****
Rush- Anika's Third Night, Inglewood: 6/11/2026 (2026) ****
The Kinks- Misfits (1978) ***1/2

Lou Reed- Rock 'n' Roll Animal: Complete (1974/20??) ****
(This album and "Lou Reed Live" edited together and resequenced by someone, sometime ago. "Lou Reed Live" is often considered a throwaway, but I like it more than "Rock 'n' Roll Animal" and this "deluxe" edit is a killer. It's the only way to fly.)

6/14/2026

Cannonball Adderley- Somethin' Else (1958) ****
Allen Toussaint- Songbook: Expanded (2013/2026) ****
Judy Mowatt- Black Woman (1979)- ****
Elvis Costello & The Attractions- Goodbye Cruel World: Rhino Bonus Disc (1984/2004) ***1/2
XTC- Skylarking: Steven Wilson Remix (1986/2016) ****
Jason Falkner- Presents Author Unknown (1996) ****

Jason Falkner- Genius: Personal Playlist (2022) ****
(This-

Play Myself Some Music
Johnsberg, Illinois
Pretty Ballerina
Author Unknown
Very Best Years
The Neighbor
The Lie In Me
Eloquence
Maybe The Universe
Friend of Mine
Follow Me
Afraid Himself To Be
Revelation
All God's Creatures
Runaway
Moving Up
Both Belong
I Go Astray
Both Sides Now-First Version)

Cyril Neville- Don't Wait Til I'm Gone (2026) ***
Los Straitjackets- Rock En Espanol Vol. 1 (2007) ****
Motorhead- Another Perfect Day (1983) ****

6/13/2026

Ry Cooder- S/T (1970)  ***1/2

Will Bernard- Blue Plate Special (2008) **** 
(Almost the Stanton Moore Trio, but with John Medeski replacing Robert Walter on keyboards, and Andy Hess on bass. Been awhile, but it still sounds great.)

 

 

Bonerama- So Much Love (2026) ****
Robert Walter, Eddie Roberts, Stanton Moore- The Breaks (2026)- **** 
Brenda Holloway- Motown Unreleased 1966 (2017) ***1/2
Neil Young- Walk On (1973-74/2020) ***1/2
Todd Rundgren- Something/Anything?: Sides 1-3 (1972) ****
Led Zeppelin- III (1970) ****
Rush- Fly By Night (1975) ****


Dave Edmunds- Tracks On Wax 4 (1978) ****
(Who did it better?)

  

Squeeze- East Side Story (1981) ****

The Bluebells- Sisters (1984) ***
(I prefer Bananarama's version of "Young At Heart.)

6/12/2026

Johnny Cash- American VI: Aint No Grave (2010) ***1/2
Grateful Dead- American Beauty: Kevin Gray Master (1970/2024) ***1/2
Nat "King" Cole- Personal Playlist (2026) ****
Pink Floyd- Animals: 2018 Remix (1977/2022) ****
Ringo Starr- Ringo (1973) ***1/2
The Zombies- Odessey & Oracle: 2025 MONO RM (1968/2025)- ****
Daryl Hall/John Oates- War Babies (1974) ***1/2
Lou Reed- New York (1989) ****
Nazz- Nazz Nazz: MONO (1969) ****
The Replacements- Pleased To Meet Me (1987) ****
Jon Spencer- Songs of Personal Loss and Protest (2026) ****

6/11/2026

Girl Satchmo- Blue Beat 45s (2023) **1/2

Earth, Wind & Fire- I Am (1979) **** 
(My fave EWF album. I used to warm up to "In The Stone" before band rehearsal.)

The Doobie Brothers- Takin' It To The Streets (1976) ****
(My fave Doobies album. Listen to "Wheels Of Fortune" with headphones. The instrumental break is badass. Two drummers grooving perfectly without stepping on each other's toes.)

Bill Kirchen- Cat Out Of The Bag (2026) ***
World Party- Give It All Away: Studio Rarities By Rob/Dbs (2026) ***1/2
Nine Inch Nails- Broken (1992) ****

The Stooges- Fun House: Kevin Gray Master (1970/2026) ****
(No question, the best version I have ever heard. You can feel it in your chest. I am glad I pulled the trigger on the vinyl. Some of the reviews turned me off, but it's one of my favorites of all time and so I took a chance. It paid off. It sounded so good, I let "L.A. Blues" play until the end.)

Tom Waits- Mule Variations (1999) ****
Blue Oyster Cult- Fire Of Unknown Origin (1981) ***1/2
The Beatles- Magical Mystery Tour: MONO (1967) ****