The Zombies- Odessey & Oracle: 2025 MONO RM (1968/2025)- ****
(Pretty perfect start to the new year!)
XTC- Apple Venus Volume One (1999)- ****
(A modern day "Odessey & Oracle?" I hadn't thought of that before today, but man do these records sound great back to back!)
Wings- Venus & Mars (1975)- ***1/2
(After "Band On The Run," this record felt flat. And at the time, "Wings At The Speed Of Sound" felt even worse. I like both very much now, and actually enjoy "Speed Of Sound" more than "Venus &Mars." But "Call Me Back Again" is one helluva Paul vocal.)
Brad Mehldau- Largo (2002)-****
(Brad Mehldau's "Largo" was a game changer in 2002. Produced by pop
genius Jon Brion, "Largo" was nothing like the piano jazz of Mehldau's
previous records. This record blew my mind then and continues to blow my mind still. Even if you are not a jazz person, I suggest listening
to these tracks, and if you like them even a bit,
you might be compelled to hear more. )
The Salt Collective- A Brief History Of Blindness (2025)- ***
(Saw the recommendation from Paul In DK, but was hesistant since I've never been a Chris Stamey or Mitch Easter fan. But then I read a few more things, including the participation of Jason Falkner and Aimee Mann, as well as an Andy Partridge co-write. It was a nice spin, but less power pop than I was hoping for. The Andy track sounds like an Andy track, though.)
Tom Petty- Personal Playlist (2025)- ****
(I like 20 Tom Petty songs more than I like "American Girl." But man, the minute I hear "American Girl" my whole body changes. What a great record. That said, going to edit my playlist a bit. "Learning To Fly" slowed down the festivities. And still, my favorite TP song remains the one below. A deep cut from "You're Gonna Get It." That intro with those suspended chords is worth the price of admission. It also has one of my favorite Petty lyrics:
"And we both knowIt's too late to save itBetcha feel proud about it babyYou taught me how to hurt.")
9 comments:
I like plenty of Tom Petty, but those first three records were so good it's hard for anything to measure up. Not that measuring is all that important. I used to sing Breakdown and Don't Do Me Like That in a garage band many moons ago.
A great kick-off to 2026 indeed!
Glad you found some joy with The Salt Collective. I hear Andy singing background vocals on one or two tracks. I started my year with Miles and had a mostly jazzy day which suited the grey drizzle outside very well. It’s a toss-up between Miles and Cesaria for best of the day, though I give all 4 stars.
Miles Davis - Sketches of Spain
Cowboy Junkies - Trinity Sessions
Cesaria Evora - S/t
Connie Evingson and the John Jorgensen Quintet - All The Cats Join In
The Salt Collective - A Brief History of Blindness
Jan Gunnar Hoff - Fly North
Annie and The Caldwells - Can’t Lose My (Soul)
John Molder Quintet - The Eleventh Hour: Live at The Green Mill
Matthew Halsall - An Ever Changing View
- Paul in DK
I would put Apple Venus V1 right up there with English Settlement and Skylarking. Very strong songs - not a clunker on there. V2 is a favorite too, but does not quite rise to the level of greatness of V1.
Somewhere on one of these blogs, I ranked the XTC records, as did a few other readers. That band went out BIG! My favorite XTC records are the last five.
Hard to think of any act -- excepting the Beatles of course-- whose final five albums were its best.
You really think "Abbey Road," "Let It Be," "The White Album," "Magical Mystery Tour" and "Sgt. Pepper" are their best?
I'm with Sal on the Beatles best. Rubber Soul and Revolver would both be in the top five for me, also Help! (UK), Abbey Road, and then it gets hard between an early one and Sgt. Pepper. But I don't listen to Sgt. Pepper very often.
Okay, you knew this was coming.
Revolver
A Hard Day's Night
Rubber Soul
Abbey Road
With the Beatles
Beatles For Sale
Help
Magical Mystery Tour
Sgt. Pepper
The White Album
Let It Be
Please Please Me
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