John Coltrane- Giant Steps: MONO (1960)- ****
The Beach Boys- We Gotta Groove: Disc Two, "Adult/Child" Sessions and Outtakes '74-'76 (2026)- **
(This was a tough listen. I guess I wasn't familiar with the "Adult/Child" bootlegs because this not what I was expecting. It plays like an off-Broadway musical and it isn't very good. I am looking forward to the other two discs, but I'll never listen to this again.)
Opeth- Damnation (2003)- ***1/2
(After being blown away by the hard, heavy and epic "Ghost Reveries," the relatively tame sounds on this record are a bit of a disappointment. I don't miss the death metal growling. There's none of that here. But there's not much change from song to song either. It's a solid mid-tempo affair throughout, more along the lines of The Moody Blues or early Genesis, but without the latter's knack for melody.)
Bill Wyman- S/T (1982)- ***
(I always liked the singles off this record. I still do, though there are some real bad clams on the album.)
The Beach Boys- We Gotta Groove: Disc Two, "15 Big Ones" & "Love You" Outtakes and Alternates (2026)- ***
(Stick with the original albums. The new mixes are not better. The outtakes are mediocre.)
Charli XCX- Wuthering Heights (2026)- **
(Snapped out of my coma just in time to type this up.)
Esther Phillips- Release Me: Reflections Of Country & Western Greats (1962)- ****
(Thanks to a tip from a pal, I got to hear what one writer said was "the greatest country record you've never heard." He was right. I never heard it. It's pretty damn great. It's streaming under "The Country Side of Esther Phillips," and might I suggest pairing this with Charlie Rich's "That Rich," my favorite C&W record. That one is streaming, too.)
Sparks- Terminal Jive (1980)- ***1/2
(Not as Moroder-ish as "No. 1 In Heaven," but a solid record nonetheless.)
Bad Brains- Rock For Light (1983)- ****
("WE WILL NOT DO WHAT THEY WANT OR DO WHAT THEY SAY NO NO!")
Van Halen- Fair Warning (1981)- ****
Badfinger- Wish You Were Here (1974)- ****
(Arguably, their best. Inarguably, their most consistent.)
(Badfinger Lagniappe)
Dion & The Belmonts- Together Again (1967)- ****
(I don't know which came out first, this record or "The Velvet Underground & Nico." But man, this is one helluva double feature. Trust me.)
Tim Hardin- 1 (1966)- ****
(See above. Make it a three-fer.)
3 comments:
Thanks for the Esther Philips tip. Looking forward to that one.
Best thing I listened to yesterday was a first listen of some avant-garde jazz, Jaimie Branch -
Fly Or Die II: Bird Dogs Of Paradise (2019). It is strange and angry and beautiful.
- Paul in DK
Terminal Jive has aged rather well.
Badfinger cover Pink Floyd? I'm down! :) I'm still looking forward to the Beach Boys, but am properly warned. FYI I think one of your reviews should be Disc One.
Post a Comment