Bob Marley & the Wailers- Survival (1979)- ***1/2
(I rarely reach for this record, but I just read a review of the upcoming Lucinda Williams album and there is a duet with Mavis Staples on "So Much Trouble In The World." Lucinda said something like, "Bob sings it so well, not sure what I can do with it." So, I needed to hear it for myself. I can hear why I never reach for the album. It's fine. No real standouts, other than "So Much Trouble In The World." So many other better Wailers records.)
Allen Toussaint- The Bottom Line, 2/6/87: Late Show (1987)- ***
(This set features Bernard Purdie on drums with a few other New York musicians, and from Allen's banter, it sounds like this show was a warm-up before the March, NYC opening of "Staggerlee," the musical Toussaint co-wrote with Vernell Bagneris. Fun set, but Pretty Purdie is a little heavy handed behind the kit. As great as he is, he doesn't have the subtle New Orleans swing and backbeat. And neither do the rest of the band.)
John Boutte- Good Neighbor (2008)- ****
(One of my favorite records from one of my favorite artists out of New Orleans. It also has one of my favorite cover versions.)
Jon Cleary- Do Not Disturb: Hotel Room Ruffs (2007)- ***1/2
The Beatles- The White Album, U.K. MONO: Sides Two & Three (1968/2025)- ****
Average White Band- The Essential Selection: Disc One (2025)- ***1/2
(I found out today that Chaka Khan's excellent hit single "Whatcha Gonna Do For Me" was actually a cover of an Average White Band song. I had no idea. I think Chaka's version is better. Here are both.)
Alice In Chains- Essentials (2023) - ****
(This Apple Music "essentials" has 34 songs, which I think means Apple is saying, what? That AIC's entire output is essential? I don't get the randomness of this series at all. Are they fan made? I cut this down to a tight 16 tracks and I think I may be able to get it down to a dozen. What's great is really great by these guys. But an almost three hour playlist is silly.)
XTC- Skylarking (1986)- ****
Teenage Fanclub- Essentials (2023)- ****
Marty Stuart & The Superlatives- Space Junk (2025)- ***1/2
4 comments:
I long to hear that Staggerlee musical.
Thanks for the Teenage Fanclub callback, sir. So many of my favorite albums are by this band. And their greatest hits, Four Thousand Seven Hundred And Sixty-Six Seconds – A Short Cut To Teenage Fanclub, was part of every roadtrip and nearly every weekend and expertly represents their imperial phase.
Should you find yourself so inclined, may I suggest 1997’s Songs From Northern Britain (underrepresented with only two songs on Apple Music’s Essentials) and 2000’s Howdy! (unrepresented).
Agree with your thoughts on the randomness, and often the excess, of many of the Essentials collections. AIC’s 2001 Greatest Hits with 10 tracks and a 45 min runtime is an excellent sampler. Dirt and Jar of Flies in a loop would also work for me. :)
Thanks for all you do. :)
It seems that the streaming version of the above-mentioned greatest hits contains only 17 of the original 21 tracks for a runtime of 63 mins. And, the missing 4 tracks are all from the album you don’t like. (Apple Music listens. Lol!). Plus, 3 songs exclusive to the collection.
Anyway, that may be a further introduction (hook) to the band. It’s all goodness. :)
I was on a Skylarking kick over this past weekend, listening to it three or four times. I hadn't played it in a while. Boy, is that a great album. A favorite in our house (and per previous discussions, I've hidden Dear God).
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