6/24/24

Electric Light Orchestra- Balance of Power
The Style Council- Confessions Of A Pop Group
Paul Weller- "66" (Bonus Tracks)
Sadler Vaden- Dad Rock
Peter Green's Fleetwood Mac- Greatest Hits
Robert Palmer- Drive
John Waite- Temple Bar

6/23/24

Sun Ra- We Travel The Spaceways
Django Reinhardt- Golden Classics
Bob Dylan- Shadow Kingdom

Jerry Reed- The Unbelievable Guitar & Voice Of...
(Lost classic!)




The Lemon Twigs- World Cafe, 6/21/24
(The covered "Red Rubber Ball.")

Peter & Gordon- Stars Of The Sixties

Richard Hawley- In This City They Call You Love
(Really good new record!)

Cheap Trick- The Latest

Daryl Hall- D
(Nah. I don't like this record. Nothing here.)

The Style Council- Long Hot Summers: The Story Of...(Records One & Two)
Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers- Into The Great Wide Open
Sade- Stronger Than Pride

6/22/24

Sun Ra- Lanquidity
(As good as advertised.)

St. Vincent- Marry Me
Marshall Crenshaw- #392: The E.P. Collection

Linda Thompson- Proxy Music
(Love this. Review on Burning Wood coming soon.)

The Smithereens- 11

Todd Rundgren- Live In Chicago '91
(Edited version for vinyl, but a stellar show. Really enjoyed this today, which happens to be Todd's 76th.)

David Bowie- ChangesNowBowie
Sade- Promise
King's X- Ear Candy

The Jam- Extras
(Like "Taking Liberties," this plays less like a sweep of "extras," and more like a well-thought-out album.)

6/21/24

Daryl Hall- D
(Hall sans Oates on first solo record in years. Some nice stuff. Nothing overwhelming but solid.)

Arooj Aftab- Night Reign (four songs)
(Quite the buzz around Miss Aftab. First time listening. Probably last time, too. A little too precious and atmospheric. In other words, a bore.)

The Agrovators Meets The Revolutioners At Channel One Studios

Sade- Diamond Life (Abbey Road HSM)
(I love these Sade records now more than I ever did.)

Sadler Vaden- Dad Rock
(I liked his last record, though maybe it was just a bit overrated. This one sounds nothing like I remember his last one sounding. This is a big FM rock radio record, full of great riffage and hooks you can hang onto. Even a couple of tunes that would pass for power pop. Great stuff.)

Ray Barretto- Acid
Shannon & The Clams- The Moon Is In The Wrong Place

King's X- Personal Playlist
(More people need to love this band.)

The Weeklings- Raspberry Park
(This is a really good record.)

Faces- A Nod Is As Good As A Wink....

6/20/24

The Wonderful World Of Louis Armstrong All Stars- A Gift To Pops
Emerson, Lake & Palmer- Tarkus (Steven Wilson Remix, Side One)
John Doe- A Year In The Wilderness

Linda Thompson- Proxy Music
(Excellent first pass.)

Izzy Stradlin & The Ju Ju Hounds- S/T
Paul McCartney & Wings- One Hand Clapping
Television- Sketches (The Demos, 1974-75)

6/19/24

Paul McCartney- Ram

Paul Weller- Wake Up The Nation (10th Anniversary Remix)
(Mixed reviews on this remix, but I dig it.)

John Cale- POPtical Illusion
John Cale- Mercy

The Style Council- Confessions Of A Pop Group
(I can't believe this record gets trashed. It's gorgeous!)

Faith No More- The Real Thing (the hits and a few more)
Todd Rundgren- Faithful

Bee Gees- 1st (Kevin Gray Stereo Cut)
(Their best. And this KG cut is stunning!)

Keith Hudson-Flesh Of My Skin, Blood Of My Blood
(Hey ardent reggae non-supporters, try this one.)

Lou Rawls- Feelin' Good
(Coolest record you'll listen to today, if you listen to it. I'll give you two.)

6/18/24

Margo Guryan- Take A Picture
(A "baroque masterpiece," they say. Feh.)

The Upsetters w/Vin Gordon- Musical Bones
The Velvet Underground- White Light/White Heat
Freddie McKay- Creation (four songs)

Bob Dylan- Shot Of Love
(This should be in every Dylan fan's Top Ten.)

Jamme- S/T
(Now this is a "baroque masterpiece.")

King Crimson- Red (Side One)

Black Uhuru- Anthem
(Saw them on this tour and because of that, I'll always love this record and this Sly Stone cover.)

Joe Bataan- Mr. New York & The East Side Kids
(Side Two of this record is insanely good. Side One is almost horrible.)

The Dirtbombs- Ultraglide In Black
Sly & The Family Stone- Fresh (Kevin Gray Master)

6/17/24

Bob & Marcia- Pied Piper
(My new favorite reggae record. Sweet, uplifting, wonderful.)

Norris Reid- Give Jah the Praises

John Cale- POPtical Illusion
(Second spin not as great as first spin. Like "Mercy," a bit tedious, though this has more melodies to hang onto than "Mercy." Still, very dense.)

Paul McCartney- Press To Play
(This and "Off The Ground" are the only two Macca albums that I have never come around to. Still, I keep trying. And still, I don't like either. Though, "However Absurd" is epic!)

Bill Nelson- Powertron
(I think I read this is his 158th solo record. It certainly is one of his best! Recorded in 2016 and released last month, this is a rock record with vocals and classic Bill Nelson guitar playing on every track. A very nice surprise!)

The Runaways- S/T

Squeeze- The Knowledge
(Another fantastic record, 40 years after the fact!

The Replacements- Hootenanny

Led Zeppelin- Presence
(If you're paying attention, then you saw this coming. Gonna do a post about this record. Stay tuned.)

Lee Moses- How Much Longer Must I Wait: Singles & Rarities 1965-1972
(Every track is a killer!)

6/16/24

Roy Ayers- Everybody Loves The Sunshine
Peter Gabriel- So
Eurythmics- Savage
Bob & Marcia- Pied Piper
v/a- Let's Do Rock Steady: The Soul Of Jamaica
Whitesnake- Saints & Sinners
The Left Banke- Walk Away Renee/Pretty Ballerina (MONO)
Thin Lizzy- Vagabonds Of The Western World
The Pogues- Rum, Sodomy & The Lash
The Specials- S/T
Damned- Damned Damned Damned
The Ventures- In Space

6/15/24

Ornette Coleman- Free Jazz
Kenny Dorham- Una Mas!
Stiff Little Fingers- Inflammable Material
Ultravox!- S/T

6/14/24

Arthur Alexander- A Shot Of Rhythm & Blues
David Bowie- Rock 'n' Roll Star (Single LP Edition)
Tin Machine- S/T
Chris Isaak- San Francisco Days
Van Halen- Fair Warning
The Who- My Generation (Japanese True Stereo)
Sex Pistols- Never Mind The Bollocks...
The Rolling Stones- Emotional Rescue
Shannon & The Clams- The Moon Is In The Wrong Place

6/13/24

Moby Grape - '69 (Kevin Gray Master)

David Bowie- Rock 'n' Roll Star (D1)
(I thought I heard everything. Some great stuff here.)

Nazz- Nazz Nazz (Original 2LP Mono Master)

John Cale- POPtical Illusion
(I enjoyed the first spin.)

The Heptones- On Top
(A perfect summer record.)

Jessica Pratt- Here Is The Pitch
(Mercifully only 27 minutes long.)

Paul McCartney & Wings- One Hand Clapping
(Amazingly, I had never listened to this bootleg. This was a first and it was pretty damn great! Glad to have an official release.)

Niney The Observer- Presents Reggaematic Sounds Of 1972
(Not as good as it sounds.)

Television- Roseland, 10/2/04

6/12/24

The Paragons- On The Beach
(Found a beater original when I was in Kingston, and just yesterday found an upgrade. Nice to hear this with less snaps, crackles and pops.)

Alice In Chains- Jar Of Flies
The Walker Brothers- Nite Flights

Crowded House- Gravity Stairs
(Still trying. Side Two just ain't happening for me.)

The Replacements- Bristol, 8/31/89
(Killer!)

6/11/24

Shannon & The Clams- The Moon Is In The Wrong Place
(Without question their best and most consistent. Finally substance over style. Great!)

Billy Tibbals- Stay Teenage
(I'm still in it.)

Black Sabbath- S/T (Kevin Gray Master)
(This was a disappointment. Brittle and grating, like they took Geezer Butler out of the mix.)

Traffic- Mr. Fantasy (U.K. MONO)
King Crimson- In The Wake Of Poseidon (Steven Wilson Remix)
The Byrds- Sweetheart Of The Rodeo (Deluxe, Sides A, B & E)
David Bowie- Heathen
(Big block of all time faves.)

Patti Smith- Curated By Record Store Day
(Excellent overview. I would have preferred "Ain't It Strange" and "Space Monkey" over the 10 minute "Land," but no one asked me.)

Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers- Damn The Torpedoes
Billy Tibbals- Nightlife Stories

St. Vincent- All Born Screaming
(Better and better with each play. Shaping up to be a Top 5.)

6/10/24

John Coltrane- Ole (Kevin Gray Master)
Squeeze- Cradle To The Grave
Polite Company- Please Go Wild
Keith Moon- Two Sides Of The Moon
King Crimson- Mister Stormy's Monday Selections (Personal Playlist)
R.E.M.- Out Of Time
The Psychedelic Furs- Mirror Moves
Thin Lizzy- Johnny The Fox

6/9/24

v/a- Man From Galilee: Studio One Gospel
(Eh. Stick to reggae.)

The Davis Sisters- Memories (D1)
(The NRBQ/Skeeter Davis reissue led me to this. Didn't realize Skeeter and her sister were doing close Louvin/Everly harmonies early on. Fantastic.)

Bob Marley & The Wailers- One Love At Studio One: 1964-1966
(It's hard to beat these early tracks.)

Marshall Crenshaw- S/T & Bonus E.P.
The Weeklings- 3
Love- Forever Changes

Todd Rundgren- No World Order (Personal Edit)
(Even my edit can't save this album. The boy can't rap.)

Billy Tibbals- Stay Teenage
Billy Tibbals- Nightlife Stories
(New favorite. Stay tuned.)

Pretenders- II
(I can't believe I thought I didn't like this record for 40 years!)

6/8/24

Skeeter Davis & NRBQ- She Sings, They Play
(The new reissue with the extra tracks is fantastic. This is an underrated classic.)

The Weeklings- Raspberry Park
(Saw The Weeklings with Steve Conte opening on Friday at My Father's Place in Roslyn. Fantastic sets by both. The new Weeklings record is great, but the vinyl pressing is shite! Give "Raspberry Park" a listen. You will have fun.)

Steve Conte- The Concrete Jangle
(This album is really growing on me now that I am over the initial disappointment in the Andy Partridge tracks. And Conte's live set on Friday sealed the deal.)

Pokey LaFarge- Rhumba Country
The Beatles- 1962-1966 (2023 Remix: Sides One, Two & Five)
Rachel Sweet- Fool Around
The Young Rascals- Collections (Stereo)

The Prophets- King Tubby's Prophecies Of Dub
(Can't rave about this album enough. A perfect summer soundtrack!)

The Rolling Stones- Black & Blue
Led Zeppelin- III

6/7/24

Velvet Underground- 1969 (Sides One & Two)
R.E.M.- Life's Rich Pageant
Stories- S/T
Queen- Rock Montreal (Sides One, Two & Three)
Whitesnake- Slide It In (35th Anniversary Remix)
Iggy Pop- The Idiot
Peter Gabriel- S/T (Debut, Side One)

6/6/24

Dick Stusso- In Heaven
(Totally new to me, suggested by an Instagram friend. Interesting record.  Lo-fi, glam country...if that's possible. Sound a little like Peter Wolf fronting early T. Rex, at times.)

v/a- Listen To the Voices: Sly Stone In The Studio, 1965-1970

The Lemon Twigs- Live In Barcelona, 6/1/24
(The harmonies these kids pull off on stage are off the hook!)

Iggy Pop- Lust For Life

Aurora Nealand & Tom McDermott- Live Stream From Buffa's Lounge, New Orleans: 6/6/24 (First Set)
(Almost like being there.)

6/5/24

U-Roy- Dread In A Babylon
Cheap Trick- Next Position Please

Jerry Garcia- Garcia
(My favorite Dead album.)

Pokey LaFarge- Rhumba Country
(Shaping up to be a Top Ten of '24.)

Keith Richards- Talk Is Cheap Sessions
(Six boring bonus tracks.)

Traffic- The Low Spark Of High Heeled Boys (Kevin Gray Master)
The  Rolling Stones- Between The Buttons (UK MONO)

Georgie Fame- Seventh Son
(So much of this record kicks ass. Start with these.)

6/4/24

Emerson, Lake & Palmer- Tarkus (Steven Wilson Remix)
(Well, this kinda blew me away.)

The Replacements- Don't Tell A Soul (Matt Wallace Mix)
The Specials- The Best Of

Grace Jones- Nightclubbing (Bonus Tracks)
(This album is so good, remixes, extended versions and alternates all sound fresh. Five versions of "Pull Up To The Bumper" and I could still listen to five more. Sly & Robbie, baby!)

The I Don't Cares- Wild Stab

Kiss- Dressed To Kill
(Another social media Kiss diss session happening. Fok dat! I'm playing my fave!)

John Foxx & The Maths- Howl
(Best thing he's done since is last Ultravox record in 1978.)

6/3/24

The Rolling Stones- Foxborough, MA: 5/30/24 (most of it)
(Mick really sounds great. Unbelievable.)

I Roy- Heavier Than Lead
Cheap Trick- We're All Alright
Tom Verlaine- S/T
v/a- The History of Ska, Volume 1: The Golden Years '60-"65

Ian Hunter- All Of The Good Ones Are Taken
(Happy 85th to Ian! This is a better record than its rep.)

Squeeze- Cradle To The Grave
(When was the last time you listened to this gem? A late career masterwork.)

6/2/24

Velvet Underground- White Light/White Heat (MONO)
Phyllis Dillon- Rocksteady
Yes- Tales From Topographic Oceans (Sides One & Four)
Strawbs- Ghosts
Lol Creme & Kevin Godley- L
Crowded House- Gravity Stairs
Elvis Costello & the Attractions- IbMePdErRoIoAmL
Elvis Costello & the Attractions- Blood & Chocolate
Jellyfish- Bellybutton
Steve Conte- The Concrete Jangle

6/1/24

James Booker- Let's Make A Better World
(Not the greatest live performance.)

The Who- Meaty, Beaty, Big & Bouncy

Jackie Mittoo- Macka Fat
(First time hearing this. More like a Booker T. record than earlier Mittoo stuff. Not bad.)

Crowded House- Gravity Stairs
(Well not much better second time around. Side One is solid. But Side Two lost me again. Nothing to sink my teeth into.)

Sly & Robbie- The Rhythm Remains The Same: Sly & Robbie Greet Led Zeppelin
(Just discovered this. From 2007, yes it's Sly & Robbie covering Led Zeppelin with a few different vocalists, including Toots Hibbert's daughter Leba on a few. Some winners but more losers. But I can't say I didn't enjoy it...once.)

 

 

The Clash- Sandinista! (Sides One, Two & Four)

Lou Reed- Live
(This needs more attention. The versions of "Walk On The Wild Side" and "Oh Jim" are insane!

Love- Da Capo (MONO, Side One)
Gene Clark- No Other

5/31/24

Richard Thompson- Ship To Shore
(Solid first pass. Must Zara Phillips sing on every track?

Ray Charles- Genius+Soul=Jazz

Crowded House- Gravity Stairs
(Meh. Only one pass, but I am underwhelmed. Mitchell Froom's drum sound is crap. The record has no life. And Neil needs to take a few bucks and go buy some hooks. The Tim Finn track is gorgeous, though. Will hope for more on take two. This could be a grower.)

The Doors- S/T (Side One)
The Waitresses- Wasn't Tomorrow Wonderful?
Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers- Hard Promises
The Upsetters- Scratch The Upsetter Again
The Style Council- My Ever Changing Moods

The Rolling Stones- Garden State 78
(A beautiful, sloppy, punk ass classic!)

The English Beat- I Just Can't Stop It
(Killer Side One. And a damn good Side Two, too.)

The Turtles- Present The Battle Of The Bands