John Coltrane- Coltrane's Sound: Kevin Gray MONO Master (1964/2025)- ****
McGuinness Flint- S/T (1970)- ***
(I've always enjoyed this record, though nothing on it is as strong as the single.)
Genesis- Rock Roots (1976)- ***1/2
(Essentially "From Genesis To Revelation" enhanced with a few singles and b-sides. If you aren't a fan of the band, or prog rock, or long songs, I think you should listen to this record. It's none of those things.)
Robyn- Sexistential (2026)- **
(Okay. Whatever.)
Queen- II: 2026 Remix (1974/2026)- ****
(One of my favorite Side Twos in all of rock, this new remix really shines. It's always been a very hot, muddy and metallic recording, but not anymore. It breathes. You hear Freddie's miraculous vocals with more clarity. Guitar parts, percussion, things that have been buried for 50 years, suddenly stand out. Great, great spin!)
Flea- Honora (2026)- ***
(This record is all over the place. Some nice musical moments here and there, like his takes on "Maggot Brain" and "Willow Weep For Me." But there's a lot of pretentious crap here, too.)
The New Pornographers- The Former Site Of... (2026)- **1/2
(Not sure what happened here. It's been some time since I've listened to these guys, but I loved everything through "Brill Bruisers." This record never got started. It played as one long mid-tempo song without a melody. Is it me, or is this a whole lotta nothing?)
The Beach Boys- Pet Sounds: Kevin Gray Stereo Cut (1966/2015)- ****
Blur- Parklife (1994)- ****
(Forgot how good this record is. Thanks to a friend on Facebook, I revisited. Their most consistent, I think.)
Lou Reed- S/T (1972)-****
(This record deserves more love. It's Lou and some of YES! Come on! Lou, Steve Howe and Rick Wakeman demands your time!)
5 comments:
Blur and Damon Albarn in general loom large for me. Boy I want that Coltrane.
I'm never sure where to comment on the cover of the day. But I don't want to interfere with the Pet Sounds thread and I know all the cool people come to Now Playing, so I'll comment here. Thx for the Richard and Linda Thompson cover by Continental Drifters. Just what I needed this morning.
Ditto on the Continental Drifters. Great band, and Susan Cowsill is a fine singer.
Today’s cover is very good, as is “Lou Reed”. For some reason The New Pornographers have never clicked with me. I much prefer Neko Case and Destroyer (up through Destroyer’s Rubies) to TNP.
The past few days I’ve been enjoying some Bill Frisell boots that I found here https://www.nowbodhisblissness.com/2026/03/string-modulator-bill-frisell-75.html . He’s just reached 75.
- Paul in DK
Not sure why but there seem to be a lot of single-name pop artists of late. Judging from your comments about 2 of these today, perhaps that is an indicator of someone to approach with caution. :-)
- Paul in DK
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