9/1/2026

Stefon Harris + Blackout -Legacy Dances (2026) ***

Erykah Badu & The Alchemist- Before The World Blows (2026) ***

The Rascals- Time Peace: Greatest Hits (1968) ****

St. Vincent- Actor (2009) ***1/2

Aerosmith- Draw The Line (1977) ****

The Beach Boys- Sunflower (1970) ****

The Jayhawks- Sanctuary Park (2026) ***1/2

Jethro Tull- Stand Up: Kevin Gray Cut (1969/2026) ****

Prince- Timeless (2026) ****

Duwayne Burnside- Red Rooster (2025) ****

Rhetta Hughes- Re-Light My Fire (1969) ***1/2

 

• "Legacy Dances" is a pretty terrific jazz record from Stefon Harris, and it would have rated higher if not for the ill-advised vocal tracks. 

• The new Badu is two records in one- a really good 35 minute record and a pretentious 35 minute load of nothing. Unfortunately I wasn't paying attention to song titles as it played, so I can't make an edit and I'm not sure I want to spend another 70 minutes figuring it out. But, there were many moments where I thought, "Hey! This is good!" And, there were just as many where I said "Oh shut up!" out loud to no one.

• Some nice stuff on the new Jayhawks. See how it goes on the second spin.

• "Stand Up," like "This Was" is stunning!  

• I heard the Duwayne Burnside record a few days after I posted my best of 2025 list. If I heard it earlier, it would have been bubbling under the Top Ten. A great record!

8/31/2026

Yes- Relayer: Steven Wilson Remix (1974/2018) ***1/2

Jethro Tull- Thick As A Brick: Kevin Gray Cut (1972/2026) ***1/2

Bunny Lee & The Aggrovators- Dub Will Change Your Mind (2011) ***

Prince- Timeless (2026) ****

The Meters- Struttin': Kevin Gray Master (1970/2023) ****

Led Zeppelin- In Through The Out Door (1979) ****

The Flying Burrito Brothers- The Gilded Palace Of Sin: Vinylphile Edition (1969/2026) ****

10cc- ...Meanwhile (1992) **1/2

The Wild Magnolias- They Call Us Wild: Kevin Gray Cut (1975/2026) ****

The Cramps- Smell Of Female (1983) ***1/2

Prince- Timeless (2026) ****

 

• "Thick As A Brick" sounded really good, probably the best this record has ever sounded. But it did not take my breath away the way "This Was" did.

• In a word, "WOW!" This Vinylphile Burritos LP is outstanding.

•I have two memories of this 10cc "reunion" record. I didn't like it and it was hardly a reunion. But I saw it scrolling the library and the truth is, I didn't remember any of the music. And so, according to the credits, Godley & Creme only lend their voices to four songs, and there is only one song where all four are credited together. In other news, Dr. John plays piano on three songs. He needed the work in 1992, I'm sure. Overall, this record is soaked in 90's reverb and half the songs sound like they belong in some late 80's/early 90's rom-com. Pretty weak crap, though Gouldman and Stewart's knack for melody shines through on a few tunes, but the production sabotages any chances for repeated plays, like on the last track, which is a McCartney co-write. 

• The first ever vinyl repress of The Wild Mags second album is put in the hands of Kevin Gray, who recently cut the Wild Mags first album. Well worth the wait! Fantastic. 

8/30/2026

Dolly Parton- Jolene (1974) ***

Os Tincoas- S/T (1973) ***1/2

Carlos Santana & John McLaughlin- Love Devotion Surrender: MoFi HSM (19732024) ****

Horace Andy- Mr. Bassie (1998) ***

Jethro Tull- This Was: Kevin Gray Cut (1968/2026) ****1/2

Deep Purple- Perfect Strangers (1984) ***1/2

Michael Penn- Six Pack (2026) ***1/2

Taj Mahal- Mo' Roots (1974) ***1/2

Genesis- Selling England By The Pound: Nick Davis Remix (1973/2008) ****

Elvis Costello & The Attractions- IbMePdErRoIoAmL (1982) ****1/2

The Heartbreakers- L.A.M.F.: The Found '77 Masters (1977/2021)- ****

Generation X- S/T (1978) ****

The Replacements- Boink!! (1986) ****

• Revisiting "Love Devotion Surrender" last week knocked me out. I decided I needed an upgrade and this MoFi half speed master is perfect. A fantastic pressing. 

• "This Was" is my favorite Tull album, followed by "Stand Up" and "Thick As A Brick." Needless to say, I was stoked to see Rhino release a box with the first five Jethro Tull records all revamped by the one and only Kevin Gray. I've had an original U.K. MONO of "This Was," an original U.K. stereo, an original U.S. stereo and a Steven Wilson remix. None come close to this Kevin Gray cut. Can't wait to dig in to the other four.

8/29/2026

Bob Marley & The Wailers- Natty Dread (1974) ****

Elton John- Madman Across The Water (1971) ****

David Bowie- Hunky Dory (1971) ****

Strawberry Alarm Clock- Incense And Peppermints (1967) ***1/2

Jellyfish- Spilt Milk: Vinylphile Edition (1993/2026) ****

Dr. John- Locked Down (2012) ****

8/28/2026

Burning Spear- Marcus Garvey (1975) ****

v/a- Good News: Bunny Lee & Friends (2013) ***1/2

Tom Waits - Bone Machine (1992) ****

Badfinger- Magic Christian Music (1970) **1/2

Alabama Shakes- I Must Be Dreaming (2026) **1/2

Mastodon- Marrow Deep (2026) ***1/2

The Linda Lindas- Gotta Get Out (2026) **1/2

Todd Rundgren- A Cappella (1985) ****

Elton John - Captain Fantastic & The Brown Dirt Cowboy: Sal's Version (1975/2025) ****

Grace Jones- Living My Life (1982) ****

 

 

• Bunny Lee & Friends is a really solid reggae collection from Doctor Bird. Worth seeking out. I'm also going to check out a companion dub disc called "Dub Will Change Your Mind" featuring The Agrovators. 

• I never got the Alabama Shakes, but I liked Brittany Howard's solo stuff enough to try again. I still don't get the Alabama Shakes. This new record goes nowhere. 

• For "Capt. Fantastic," I removed "Meal Ticket" and replaced it with "Philadelphia Freedom." That is all.

 

8/27/2026

Iggy Pop- Blah Blah Blah (1986) ****

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

Adrian Belew- Mr. Music Head (1989) ***1/2

Lunachicks- Pretty Ugly (1997) ***

The Meters- Fire On The Bayou (1975) ****

Pearl Jam- Backspacer (2009) ****

Pink Floyd- Piper At The Gates Of Dawn : MONO (1967) ****

Jet- S/T (1975) ****

The Knack- Get The Knack (1979) ***1/2

Elvis Costello- Extreme Honey: The Very Best Of The Warner Years (1997) ****

Judas Priest- Screaming For Vengeance (1982) ***1/2

 

 

• It's been years since I listened to "Blah Blah Blah," an Iggy/Bowie record that I always thought was good, but not great. Man, did it sound great after the long lay off.

• Watched the Lunachicks documentary "Pretty Ugly" and enjoyed it. I really hadn't listened to much of their music. Decent punk rock. The two records I've heard so far have been uneven, but the tracks that are good are really good.

• Jet's 1975 debut is the great lost Sparks record, and actually better than a few Sparks records from the 70's. Andy Ellison, Davy O'List, Martin Gordon! This is the Traveling Wilburys of 70's glam and no one cared. Actually, I had never heard it until a few years ago. Now it's a fave!

• I played "My Sharona" 10 times a day for the entire summer of 1979 and then I just couldn't listen to it for years. But that guitar solo is one for the ages. There may be better solos, by better guitarists, but it's hard to find a guitar solo as exciting as Berton Averre's solo in "My Sharona."

 

8/26/2026

The Wailers- The Wailing Wailers (1966) ****

Dolly Parton- Hello, I'm Dolly (1967) ***1/2

Paul McCartney & Wings- Band On The Run (1973) ****

Strawberry Alarm Clock- Where's One ? (2026) ****

Dolly Parton- The Bargain Store (1975) ****

Willie Tee- I'm Only A Man (1970) ****

Carly Simon- Comes In Waves (2026) **1/2

XTC- The Big Express (1984) ****

King Crimson- In The Wake Of Poseidon: Steven Wilson Remix (1970/2010) ***1/2