2/21/2026

Assagai- S/T (1971)- ***1/2
Jimmy Campbell- Son Of Anastasia (1969)- **1/2
Linda Hoyle- Pieces Of Me (1971)- ****
Catapilla- S/T (1971)- **
The Psychedelic Furs- S/T (1980)- ***
Jackson Heights- The Fifth Avenue Bus (1972)- ***1/2
Still Life- S/T (1971)- ***
Warren Zevon- Excitable Boy (1978)- ****
Boz Scaggs- Silk Degrees (1977)- ****
Rod Stewart- Gasoline Alley (1970)- ***1/2
Foo Fighters- Medium Rare (2011)- ****
Michael Monroe- Outerstellar (2026)-****

2/20/2026

Rockin' Horse- Yes it Is (1971)- ****
Gordon Waller- Gordon (1972)- **
Phil Thornalley- Stacked (2026)- ***1/2 

2/19/2026

Jimmy Campbell- Half Baked (1970)-  ****
Beggar's Opera- Act One (1970)- **
James Booker- Such A Wonderful Feeling: Original Instrumentals (2026)- ***1/2
Joe Higgs- Life Of Contradiction (1975)- ****
May Blitz-S/T (1970)- **1/2
Thomas F. Browne- Wednesday's Child (1971)- ****
Gracious- Gracious! (1970)- ****
Cressida- S/T (1970)- ***1/2
Led Zeppelin- Coda (1982)- ****
The Yardbirds- Live At The Anderson Theater, 3/30/68: Remix (2017)- ***1/2

2/18/2026

Curtis Fuller- The Opener (1957)- ****

Curtis Fuller Two Bones (1980)- ***1/2
(Nice 1958 session for Blue Note with Sonny Clark, released in 1980. Good stuff, but after "The Opener," it makes sense that this session remained unreleased. "The Opener" really cooks.)

Willie Colon Canta Hector Lavoe- Crime Pays (1972)- ****

Galactic And Irma Thomas- Audience With The Queen (2025)-****
(Happy Birthday to the Queen.)

It's A Good, Good Feeling: The Latin Soul Of Fania Records: The Singles (2021)- ***1/2
The James Gang- Yer Album (1969)- ****

Motorhead- Overkill (1979)- ****
(This is where I came in and never left.)

Earl King- 1963 Motown Sessions (1996)- ***1/2
v/a- Where The Girls Are- Girl Group Deep Cuts: Personal Playlist (2026)- ****
Martin Newell- The Greatest Living Englishman (1993) - ****
Irma Thomas- Love Is The Foundation (2020)- ****

Wilson Pickett- The Best Of ...(1967)-****
(In MONO!)

 

2/17/2026

Music City- Welcome To Music City (2026)- ****
(Excellent! Thank you, Dr. Wu. More on Burning Wood.)

The Rumble- Stories From The Battlefield (2024)- ****
(Happy Mardi Gras!)

John Ellis & Double Wide- Fireball (2026)- ****
(Great to have new music from Double Wide, which also includes Matt Perrine and Jason Marsalis. This really works for Mardi Gras, in a wonderfully twisted way.)

Allen Toussaint- Southern Nights (1975)- ****

Bad Bunny- Debi Tirar Mas Fotos (2025)- ***
(Finally gave this a go. The difference between this record and the music that purportedly "influenced" this record is that the classic salsa and boogaloo records had discernible songs, whereas this record plays like a 60 minute DJ set, and that exhausted me. There is good stuff throughout, but it ultimately bogs itself down with sameness. Or maybe it just feels that way because it's over an hour long. Not a fan of that reggaeton beat to begin with, so most of those tracks did nothing for me. I'd love to hear a shorter, cleaner version, with space between songs, allowing the listener to digest each mood. I love this music, but would rather listen Joe Bataan, Ray Barretto and Willie Colon. Those records are pure. They are organic. And they are hot! This record felt messy.)

Faces- A Nod Is As Good As A Wink...: 2026 Chris Bellman Cut (1971/2026)- ****

Creedence Clearwater Revival- S/T (1968)- ****
("Suzie Q" continues to be badass, almost 60 years later.)

Bobby Charles- Last Train To Memphis (2003)- ****
The Kinks- Are The Village Green Preservation Society: Kevin Gray Stereo RM (1968/2018)- ****

Jon Cleary- The Bywater Sessions (2025)- ****
(This hit the spot on this Mardi Gras Day in Astoria Queens! And if you dig Jon Cleary, grab this lagniappe. Trust me!)

(JCLagniappe) 

The Wild Tchoupitolas- S/T (1976)- ****
(It's Mardi Gras! And I love this Cassandra Wilson sample.)

 

2/16/2026

Elvin Jones- Live At The Lighthouse, Vol. 1 (1972)- ***
Esther Phillips- Atlantic Recordings:1966-1967 (2020)- ***1/2
John Boutte- Live At WWOZ, 2/5/2026 (2026)- ****
The Tubes- Young & Rich (1976)- ***1/2

Phil Thornalley- Stacked (2026)- ***1/2
(This sounds like a lost Weezer record and I don't love Weezer. But the parts that were fun reminded me of Mike Viola and Fountains Of Wayne. Definitely worth a second spin.)  

Brand X- Unorthodox Behavior (1976)- ****
(I hated this record when I bought it '76. It didn't sound anything like Genesis, and that made me angry. Of course, I love it now. Mindblowing musicianship!

Joe Jackson- Look Sharp! (1979)- ****
(This record is so good, even the throwaway novelty "Instant Mash" is fantastic.)

(JJ Covers Six Pack)

Beady Eye- Complete 7" Singles: A White Trash Soul Compilation (2025)- ****
(This is the most I have ever listened to this band. More fun than Oasis, I think. Really dug this. More on BW this week.)

The Plugz- Better Luck (1981)- ****
Crowded House- Temple Of Low Men (1988)- ****

2/15/2026

Ron Carter, Herbie Hancock, Tony Williams- Third Plane (1978)- **1/2
Billy Preston- That's The Way God Planned It (1969)- ****
Tomeka Reid Quartet- Dance! Skip! Hop! (2026)- **1/2
Clive Matthews- Jah Live (2018)- ***1/2
Third World- Rock The World (1981)- ***
The Wild Magnolias- Outtakes + Live 1973-1974 (2026)- ***1/2

The Who- Meaty, Beaty, Big & Bouncy: Alternative White Trash Soul Version (1971/2025)- ****
(The creator ditched "Boris The Spider," and added "Circles" and "Call Me Lightning," which I am really okay with. But he tacked on a live "Going Down" from 1971 at the end. As nasty as that live version is, it doesn't belong on the GOAT studio singles collection.)

The Throb- Meet The Throb (2025)- ***1/2
(Another White Trash Soul creation, featuring all 7 known singles by Australian R&B/garage band The Throb, recorded in 1965-1966. Pretty good stuff, if somewhat predictable. Like The Animals meets The Cramps.)

Rod Stewart- Atlantic Crossing (1975)- ***1/2
Jon Cleary & The Absolute Monster Gentlemen- Highlights From The Maple Leaf, 1/17/2026-****

Bash & Pop- Friday Night Is Killing Me (1993)- ****
(Was this Tommy Stinson's "All Things Must Pass?" Had he been stockpiling brilliant songs that Paul Westerberg was rejecting? A perfect record.)

 

Aerosmith- Rocks (1976)-****