4/29/2026

Alice Clark- S/T (1972)- ***1/2
St. Vincent- Actor (2009)- ****
Greazy Alice- As Time Goes By (2026)- **1/2
The Aerovons- Resurrection (1969)- ***1/2
The Stranglers- Black & White (1978)- ***1/2
Nine Inch Nails & Boys Noize- Nine Inch Noize (2026)- ****
The Scruffs- Wanna Meet The Scruffs? (1977)- ***1/2
Black Flag- The First Four Years (1988)- ***
Aerosmith- Draw The Line (1977)-****
Bonerama- So Much Love (2026)- ****

4/28/2026

Jorge Ben- A Tabua De Esmeralda (1974)- ****
(#6 on Rolling Stone's Top 100 Tropicalia albums list.)

Midnight Movers- Do It In The Road (1969)- **
(Third rate R&B. Album is named after The Beatles' track, which they cover, but sing "Why CAN'T we do it in the road." Bad Traffic cover, too.)

R.E.M.- Fables Of The Reconstruction (1985)- ***
Squeeze- Trixies (2026)- ***
Rickie Lee Jones- The Other Side Of Desire (2015)- ****

Gloria Jones- Come Go With Me (1966)-****
(Surprise hit of the day from Mrs. Marc Bolan!)

 

Li'l Queenie & The Percolators- Home (2007)- ****
The Left Banke- The History Of...(1985)- ***1/2
Joe Jackson- Hope & Fury (2026)- ****
The Slits- Cut (1979)- ****

4/27/2026

Larry Willis- Inner Crisis (1974)- ****
(Fantastic jazz funk session produced by Sonny Lester.)

Moses Dillard & The Tex-Town Display- Now! (1969)- **1/2
(Average southern soul out of Muscle Shoals on Side One, lifeless muzak-y jazz on Side Two, never to be played a second time, and still vinyl copies sell for between $500 and $1000!)

The Rolling Stones- Now (1965)- ****
Marcia Ball- Roadside Attractions (2011)-  ***1/2

Minor Threat-S/T (1981)- ***
(Another from Jesse Malin's hardcore Top Ten, aka as the "Bottled Violence" E.P., this races through eight songs in nine minutes, and original copies sell for $2500!)

Brian D'Addario- Till The Morning (2025)- ***1/2
Todd Rundgren- Tokyo, 3/23/2026 (2026)- ***
Rush- Permanent Waves (1980)- ****
Adrian Belew- Pop Sided (2019)- ****

The Lemon Twigs- What We Know (2015)- ***1/2
(Their very first cassette! I dig it. I liked it the first time I heard it and I still like it. Very psychedelic. Some of it sounds like they were listenting to The Monkees' "Porpoise Song.")

Marcia Ball- Gatorhythms (1989)- ***1/2
Ian Hunter- You're Never Alone With A Schizophrenic (1979)- ****
              









 

4/26/2026

Ray Charles- The Genius Sings The Blues (1961)- ****
Rotary Connection- S/T (1968)- ***
v/a- The Complete U.K. Upsetter Singles Collection, Vol. 1: Disc Two (1998)- ***1/2

Chocolate Milk- Action Speaks Louder Than Words (1975)- ***1/2
(Solid 70's funk and soul, produced by Allen Toussaint.)

The Beatles- Please Please Me: Stereo RM (1963/2012)- ****

Joe Jackson- Big World (1986)- ****
(Great record. Still holds up, though I created a 10 track edit that plays better.)

Joe Jackson- Night & Day (1982)- ****
(I could write a chapter about this record, this tour and the days after its release.)

Diana Ross & Marvin Gaye- Diana & Marvin (1973)- ***1/2
(Pretty good record with one of my all time favorite 45s.)

Kool & The Gang- Wild And Peaceful (1973)- ****

Traffic- Heaven Is In Your Mind: U.S. MONO, Kevin Gray Cut (1967/2021)- ****
(Definitive edition!)

10cc- How Dare You (1976)- ****
(I love this band. I love this album. I love their first four albums and I really like albums five and six. Gouldman/Stewart. Godley/Creme. Too much genius for one band. A split was inevitable. Here's a playlist for you.)

10cc Lagniappe

Bad Brains- S/T (1982)- ****
(The heavyweight champion of hardcore records!)

4/25/2026

Harlem River Drive- S/T (1971)- ****
(Legendary for a reason!)

Letta Mbulu- Letta (1970)- ***
(South African singer with an amazing set of pipes, backed by Wilton Felder, Joe Sample and Hugh Masakela, who also produced. When she keeps to her native tongue and sounds, she is really effective. But the few songs in English lose their bite and she sounds like a Vegas pop singer.)

Irma Thomas- Love Is The Foundation (2020)- ****
(Arguably her best, 60 years after the fact, and still not streaming or on CD. But you can grab it HERE for the next 7 days. You're welcome.)

Spanky Wilson- Doin' It (1969)-****
(Oh yeah!)

Claudia Lennear- Phew (1973)- ***1/2
(Side Two saves this record with five Allen Toussaint songs, which he sings backing vocals on, as well as having a rhythm section of Chuck Rainey and Jim Keltner and Spooner Oldham on keys. Though Jim Dickinson and Ry Cooder are all over Side One, it just doesn't cut it.)

The Bluerunners- Honey Slides (2005)- ****
(One of my favorite albums out of New Orleans just got a 20th anniversary vinyl release, though a few songs were cut from the CD for space and fidelity. Record sounds pretty great. Here are two.)

  


Bobby Boyd Congress- S/T (1971)- ***1/2
(Another obscurity, an American band who had a following in France. This record is all over the place and that's not a bad thing. Sly & The Family Stone, Chicago when they veered off into free jazz territory, Sun Ra, Mothers' Finest. Lotsa fun. And if you act now, you can get an original vinyl copy for $1500!)

The Junipers- The Solid & The Hollow (2026)- ***

Mott The Hoople- The Hoople (Sal's Version, 1974/2024)- ****
(Removed both "Trudi's Song"- yes, I know it's about Ian's wife, but it's not very good- and "Through The Looking Glass," because the b-side "Rest In Peace" is a better ballad than both. And I added the two last singles "Foxy Foxy" and "Saturday Gigs," because they belong!)

Marva Whitney- It's My Thing (1969)- ***1/2
Cheap Trick- All Shook Up (1980)- ***1/2

Scream- Still Screaming (1983)- ***
(One more from Jesse Malin's Top Ten hardcore list, I was unaware of this band but they were produced by Ian MacKaye of Fugazi. Not as fast or hard as I expected, but I dug it...once.)

David Bowie- Aladdin Sane (1973)- ****

Cro-Mags- The Age Of Quarrel (1986)- ****
(Jesse Malin doesn't mention this record until midway, but we did both agree on #1, which I'll get to. "The Age Of Quarrel" is my #2.)

4/24/2026

Ronnie Hawkins- Ronnie Rocks (2008)- ***1/2

Barbara Lynn- Here Is... (1968)- ***
(Half of this is new material and half is remakes of Lynn's Jamie singles, the latter of which lack the life and cool of the originals. I remember not loving this record, but I love Barbara Lynn, so I tried again. Stick with the Jamie recordings.)

Swamp Dogg- Total Destruction To Your Mind (1970)- ****
(Totally mad and sick and badass.)


Ohio Players- Pain (1972)-***1/2
(I forgot how groovy the Westbound stuff was. They hit the big time once they signed with Mercury, but the early records are solid.)

Julia Cumming- Julia (2026)- **

Don Julian & The Larks- Super Slick (1974)- ***
(Sometimes sounding like Curtis Mayfield, other times like late 60's/early 70's Temptations. Some very cool stuff, though their covers are weak. The originals work better.)

Edwin Starr- War & Peace (1970)- ***1/2
(Really enjoying this until the really stupid cover of "Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head" came on.)

Agnostic Front- Victim In Pain (1984)- ***1/2
(One of Jesse Malin's ten favorite hardcore records. Going to hit all ten this weekend.)

Circle Jerks- Group Sex (1980)- ****
(Another from Malin's list. Agnostic Front would not be on my list, but "Group Sex" would.)

4/23/2026

Minnie Riperton- Adventures In Paradise (1975)- ****
(I found an old hard drive with about 60 soul, funk and R&B records. I'm guessing this was from my days playing in The Cool Jerks, the band that played old soul, funk and R&B covers. There are some amazing titles here, many rare, and many I have no recollection of hearing before, like this Minnie Riperton record, which is absolutely fantastic. Great arrangements that feel like their own genre. Highly recommended. More to come over the next few days. Might fall into a rabbit hole with this stuff.)

The Exciters- Caviar And Chitlins (1969)- ***1/2
(Only a few years from "Doo Wah Diddy" and "Tell Him" but the Exciters sound like a different band. Good pop/R&B. Solid record.)

Julius Brockington- Sophisticated Funk (1972)- **1/2
(Brockington's an organ player and both he and this record are new to me. It isn't very good. It's subpar R&B and groove music with extended jams by a band that is really sloppy. I gave up about four songs in.)

The Beatles- Magical Mystery Tour (MONO, 1967/2025)-****
(Palate cleanser.)

Coke- S/T (1972)-**
(Another one that is new to me, amateurish Latin funk and soul out of Miami. It's a bit third rate. Made it through three tracks. Originals get good money, and it was reissued in 2025 on the Mr. Bongo label, so they must have a cult following.)

Joe Tex- The Love You Save (1966)- ***
Dave Mason- Let It Flow (1977)- ***

Stanley Clarke- S/T (1974)- ***1/2
(Love Bill Connors guitar playing on "Power" and "Life Suite," as well as Tony Williams' drum solo on "Life Suite!" Great record after the weak opening track.)

Ringo Starr- Long, Long Road (2026)- ***1/2
(He's 86. And a Beatle. And this ain't bad.)

Damn Sam The Miracle Man & The Soul Congregation- S/T (1970)- ***
(Another obscurity that is new to me, with original vinyl copies selling for as much as $1000.  It's pretty rollicking funk and R&B, though nothing particularly amazing. Every song has the same tempo and rhythm, like a Fela album, and Damn Sam's vocals are mostly a growl. I listened to al of it, so I suppose that says something. Glad I didn't pay $1000 for it, but I dug these two below.)

Radio Stars- Holiday Album (1978)- ***1/2
The Jam- All Mod Cons (1978)- ****

4/22/2026

Budgie- In For The Kill (1974)- ****
Eric Dolphy- Out To Lunch! (1964)- ***
Neil Young- Oceanside Countryside (1977/2025)- ****
The American Dream- S/T (1970)- ***1/2
Todd Rundgren & Utopia- Counterpart Studios, 11/11/73 (2016)- ***
v/a- That Feel: A New Orleans Souvenir (2026)- ****
Little Queenie & The Mixed Knots- Q Ball (1996)- ****
Daryl Hall & John Oates- S/T (1975)- ****
Al Hirt- Soul In The Horn (1967)- ***1/2
The Rolling Stones- Goat's Head Soup (1974)- ****

4/21/2026

Scott Ligon & Casey McDonough- Chicago, 9/8/14 (2014)- ****
(Great, close harmony set of covers from The Everlys & The Byrds to NRBQ and Roy Orbison, played to about 8 people at Schuba's in Chicago.)

The Kinks- Percy (1971)- ***1/2

The Tony Williams Lifetime- (Turn It Over): 1999 Bill Laswell Mix Translation (1970/1999)- ****
(Expanded and restored Laswell mix of the hard fusion classic that was delivered to Verve and then shelved once Universal's new regime took over. John McLaughlin, Jack Bruce, Larry Young & Williams go completely off the rails. It's HERE, if you dare!)

Joe Jackson- Fool (2019)- ****

Helene Smith- Sings Sweet Soul (1967)- ****
(If you hurry, you can snag an original vinyl copy of this super rare Miami soul gem for $6000.)

The Stranglers- La Folie (1981)- ***
Radio Stars- Songs For Swinging Lovers (1977)- ****

The Pretty Flowers- Never Felt Bitter (2026)- **1/2
(Power pop bands are the reason I no longer enjoy power pop. Maybe a future Burning Wood post. This record could be a hundred other records. I listened to five songs and had enough.)

Dr. John- Remedies (1970)- ****
(Underrated. Neglected. "Angola Anthem" is a trip!)

4/20/2026

The Beach Boys- Pet Sounds: Brother MONO (1966/1972)- ****
(This particular MONO pressing has been touted for years as the definitive MONO pressing, and it's getting an audiophile repress this spring. I hadn't heard this Brother master until today and it truly is a fantastic MONO press.)

The Beach Boys- Love You (1977)- ****
Guy Clark- Dublin Blues (1995)- ***

Godley & Creme- L (1978)- ***1/2
(I always enjoy this record when I play it. It's like 10cc playing Zappa, or maybe Zappa playing 10cc.)

Bill Bruford- Feels Good To Me (1978)- ****
Bill Nelson's Red Noise- Sound On Sound: 2022 Stereo Remix (1979/2022)- ***1/2

Motorhead- Lemmy's 50th Live At The Whisky A Go Go, 12/28/95 (2025)- ****

(Every live record should sound like this one. Recorded at the Whisky-A-Go-Go for Lemmy's 50th birthday, this live set perfectly captures that chest-pounding feeling of being up close in a small room. If you have ever experienced Motorhead in a small room---The Ritz, L'Amour or the Whisky---this will jog your memories, your heart and your nerves. My favorite Record Store Day piece.)

Elf- S/T (1972)- ****
(Ronnie James Dio and a terrible cover photo equals a big time misunderstanding. If you don't know Elf, you'd think heavy metal and you'd be wrong. This record owes more to the Faces than it does to anything Dio has been associated with. Listen to it.)

4/19/2026

Miles Davis- Dig (1951/1956)- ***1/2
Miles Davis- Miles Smiles (1967)- ***1/2

David Torkanowksy's Fleur Debris- Live At Jazz Fest, 5/6/11 (2011)- ****
(Here's a project that unfortunately ended before it truly started. David Torkanowsky on piano, Aaron Fletcher on sax with The Meters' rhythm section George Porter Jr. on bass and Joseph "Zigaboo" Modeliste on drums and special guest Nicholas Payton on trumpet. As Tork mentions, it's the first time George and Zig played the jazz tent and this set is a far cry from The Meters funk. I'll leave it here for a week, so you can dig it like I dig it. Don't sleep on this one. You're welcome.)

Todd Rundgren & The Hello People- Sigma Sound, 6/30/71- ***1/2

Joe Jackson- Night & Day II (2000)- ****
(I don't remember enjoying this record as much as I did today. Loving "Hope & Fury, so that could be why I was open to revisiting this. Great record. The musical quotes from "Night & Day" are a really nice touch throughout.)

The Meters- Cabbage Alley (1972)- ***1/2
Todd Rundgren- Irving Plaza, 11/26/97 (1997)- ***1/2
Freddie King- Taking Care Of Business: Disc One (2009)- ****
Humble Pie- As Safe As Yesterday Is (1969)- ***1/2
The Strokes- Is This It? (2001)- ****
T. Rex- Bolan's Zip Gun (1975)- ***1/2

4/18/2026

Hot Knives- S/T (1976/2011)- ****
Electric Light Orchestra- A New World Record (1976)- ****
Joe Bataan- Subway Joe (1968)- ****

Aerosmith- Detroit, 4/7/74 (1974)- ****
(Really fantastic early show. They were something else before the descent into hell.)

David Bowie- Low: Side One (1977)- ****
World Party- Arkeology Highlights- (2012/2026)- ***1/2
Todd Rundgren- Todd: Personal Edit (1974/2024)- ****
King's X- Personal Playlist (2024)- ****
Thundercat- Distracted (2026)- ***1/2
The Dukes Of Stratosphear- Psonic Psunspot (1987)- ****
Sally Baby's Silver Dollars- The OffBeat Session, 9/18/24 (20204)- ****

4/17/2026

The Chantells & Friends- Children Of Jah (1999)-***
The Police- Nunziatta Mondatta: Personal Playlist (2026)- ****

The Termites- Searching So Long: The Olympic Singles, '67-'69 (2018)- ****
(Killer, vinyl only boxed set of their late 60's singles. It's HERE, if you want it.)

Sally Baby's Silver Dollars- Live On WWOZ, 4/8/2026 (2026)- ****
Sun Ra- Aurora Borealis (1981)- **1/2
Hot Tuna- Burgers (1972)- ****

Hot Knives- S/T (1976/2011)- ****
(If it wasn't for The Flat Five covering "Sooner Or Later," which I loved, I would not have known about these guys. Interesting story, which you can read on All Music. Great, lost 70's folk/power pop from the Bay Area, featuring members of the Flamin' Groovies. They sound like Peter, Paul & Mary fronting Moby Grape or The Byrds.)

The Walker Brothers- Nite Flights (1978)- ***1/2
(Finally, a proper, inexpensive reissue courtsy of Record Store Day. I really abhor RSD, but there are always three or four records I need to have and this is one of them. Strange album, in all the best ways. This isn't 60's Walker Brothers. It's more like Berlin Bowie. Worth the price of admission for "The Electrician," an absolute stunner, that was released as a single!! Those were the days.)
 

 

The Who- A Quick One: Record Two (1966/2026)- ****
(Smart Record Store Day piece with the original album in MONO and a second LP of all related B-sides, U.K. & U.S. single mixes, the full "Ready, Steady, Who" E.P. AND the acoustic "Happy Jack" with Pete on cello.)

Small Faces- S/T: Immediate, MONO (1967/2023) - ****
(Nick Robbins' MONO master is a monster!)

4/16/2026

David Torkanowsky- Steppin' Out (1989)- ****
Shannon Powell- Powell's Place (2006)- ****

Dandy Warhols- Apple Essentials (2022)- ***1/2
(Thanks, Dr. Wu. This was a great listen. Much better than that covers collection.)

Led Zeppelin- II (1969)- ****

Joe Jackson- Hope & Fury (2026)- ****
(Three or four spins and it's still holding up. Another great one from Joe.)

Corrosion Of Conformity- Good God/Baad Man (2026)- ***1/2
(Stanton Moore back in the saddle for his second stint as COC's drummer. Really solid record, and better, I think, than the last one with Stanton.

  

 
Rickie Lee Jones- Girl At Her Volcano (1983)- ****
(Most of my band in 1983 absolutely loved Rickie Lee and this E.P.. We went as far as working up an acappella version of "Under The Boardwalk" modeled after this arrangement. Rhythm guitarist sang bass, lead guitar sang the middle, lead vocalist sang the falsetto and yours truly, the drummer, sang lead. And yes, a recording exists, but it will remain in the vault.)

Led Zeppelin- Presence (1976)- ****
(Two of my five favorite Page solos are on this record. Thinking of a Burning Wood, Jimmy Page "Solos" week. Do you think "Stairway..." will be on the list? Stay tuned.)

Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers- You're Gonna Get it (1978)- ****

4/15/2026

Paul Weller- On Sunset (2020)- ****
Los Lobos- Native Sons (2021)- ****

The Flat Five- Live At The Hideout, Chicago: 11/13/14 (2014)- ****
(Absolutely mind-blowing. Two sets, 34 songs, covers of Sun Ra, Captain Beefheart, Dolly Parton, Henry Mancini, The Monkees, The Platters, Wings and...AND...the Beach Boys' "Friends" album in its entirety! Who does this?)
https://archive.org/details/ajc01802_flatfive2014-11-13

The Soft Boys- Underwater Moonlight (1980)- ****
Sally Baby's Silver Dollars- NPR Tiny Desk Concert (2026)- ****

Uni Boys- S/T (2026)- **1/2
(These kids are weak.)

v/.a- T. For Texas Road Trip (2026)- ***1/2
(Nice job, BBJ! I prefer Waylon & Willie's "Pancho & Lefty" over TVZ's live version, but still a great mix.)

Piper- S/T (1977)- ***
Todd Rundgren- Runt: Alternate April 1970 Master (1970/2023)- ****

4/14/2026

Fairport Convention- Liege & Lief (1969)- ****
Queen- Live At The Rainbow, 1974 (2026)- ***1/2
Todd Rundgren- Healing (1981) - ****1/2

4/13/2026

Fantastic Cat- Cat Out Of Hell (2026)-  ***

Ween- White Pepper (2000)- ****

The Impressions-The Young Mod’s Forgotten Story (1969)- ****

The Beatles & Wings- The White Life Album (2025)- ****

4/12/2026

Bob Dylan- Personal Playlist #2 (2023)- ****

Herbie Hancock- Empyrean Isles (1964)- ***1/2

Squeeze- Personal Playlist (2023)- ****

4/11/2026

Handsome Jack- Barnburners! (2026)-****

C.C.Adcock & The Lafayette Marquis- S/T (2004)-****

4/10/2026

Robert Palmer- Pressure Drop (1975) **** 

Ian Hunter- Personal Playlist (2022)-****

Galactic- Ruckus (2003)-****

4/9/2026

Thundercat- Distracted (2026)- ****

Ken Boothe- Freedom Street (1971)- ****

Jon Cleary- GoGo Juice (2015)- ****

Guy Clark- Boats To Build (1992)- ****

Lil’ Band O’Gold- S/T (2000)- ****

Wet Leg- moisturizer (2025)-****

4/8/2026

Joe Jackson-Hope & Fury (2026)- ****

(This sounded great thru headphones at 30,000 feet. Another solid effort from Joe.)

 

iPod on Shuffle:

Lieber Hoenig- Neu!

I Know There’s A Word- Aimee Mann

Jamaica Jerk Off- Elton John

She’s Pulling Out The Pin- Elvis Costello & The Imposters

Smoke Rings- Sam Cooke

007 (Shanty Town)- Desmond Dekker

These Days- Cheap Trick

It’s My Life- Shaun Cassidy

Down Boy Down- Nick Curran & The Nightlife’s

Hit Me Back (October)- Dave Barker

Judge Dread- Prince Buster

It’s Time- Elvis Costello & The Attractions

I’ve Been Wrong Before- Dusty Springfield 

You Don’t Know Like I Know- Peter Frampton

Borderline- Cheap Trick

Baby- World Party

The Clash- London Calling (1979)- ****

4/7/2026

Angine de Poitrine- Vol. II (2026)- *
(I had to stop it midway through the second song. It gave me an anxiety attack.)

The Maytals- The Sensational Maytals (1965)-****

Joe Jackson- Hope & Fury (2026)- ***1/2
(Good record after first pass. Reminds me a bit of "Blaze of Glory" or "Laughter & Lust.)

The Wild Magnolias- S/T (1974)- ***1/2
Todd Rundgren- Space Force (2024)- ****
Paul McCartney- Chaos & Creation In The Backyard (2005)- ****1/2
The Legal Matters- Lost At Sea (2026)- ****
The Tubes- The Completion Backward Principle (1981)- ***1/2

4/6/2026

The Band - A Musical History: Disc One (2005)- ***1/2
(Just started Robbie Robertson's "Testimony." Gotta listen along to Ronnie & The Hawks as I read.)

Jim Croce- You Don't Mess Around With Jim (1972)- ****
(Was blown away by the fact that this record was released on the Vertigo label in the U.K. When Croce was good, he was great.)

The Sensational Alex Harvey Band- Tomorrow Belongs To Me (1975)- ***

John Lennon- New York City: The Ultimate Mix (1972/2025)- **
("Got to, got to, got to, got to, Got to, got to, got to, got to, Got to, got to, got to, got to, Got to, got to, got to, got to set him free." I do like that one song. )

The Beatles- Past Masters (2009)- ****

Marshall Crenshaw- Downtown (1985)- ****
(The debut was so good, everything that followed seemed like a disappointment, as good as those records were. I know people defend "Field Day." It is really good. But it's not the debut. I think "Downtown" is better than "Field Day.")

Blossom Toes- We Are Ever So Clean (1967)- ****
(The Sal Maida/Sal Nunziato friendship began with this record in 1990. Know it? If not, listen tout de suite.)

The Jam- All Mod Cons (1978)- ****

4/5/2026

Big Youth & Prince Buster's All Stars- Chi Chi Run (1972)- *** 

Allen Toussaint- Connected (1996)- ***1/2
(A few snips and this is a 4 star record.)

v/a- Studio One Archives, Vol. 1 (2026)- ****
(15 volumes of Studio One a-sides and b-sides ripped from vinyl, courtesy of:
https://compartilhandoreggae.blogspot.com/)

Thundercat- Distracted (2026)- ****
(Even better the second time around.)

Todd Rundgren- The Hermit Of Mink Hollow (1978)-****

AC/DC- Powerage (1978)- ****
(If you are of the mind that every AC/DC album sounds the same, then surely you'd be okay with just one! This is the one!)

XTC- Nonsuch: Steven Wilson Mix, Personal Edit (1992/2013/2026)- ****

Leon Russell- S/T: Kevin Gray Master (1970/2017)- ****
Johnny Thunders- So Alone: Kevin Gray Master (1978/2014)- ****
(Two of my favorite Saturday night records work on Easter Sunday, too. Love how Kevin Gray covers all bases. Both of these versions are defintive.)

Sex Pistols- Never Mind The Bollocks...(Kevin Gray AAA Master, 1977/2025)-****

John Cale- Fear (1974)- ****
("Orgy." Hard G. Go Cale.)

Rod Stewart- Every Picture Tells A Story (1971)- ****

4/4/2026

Steve Lacy- Evidence w/ Don Cherry (1962)- ****

Larry Young- Mother Ship (1969/1980/2026)- ***1/2
(Recorded in 1969, shelved until 1980, remastered by Kevin Gray in 2025, released in 2026)

Joe Pernice- Sunny, I Was Wrong (2026)- ***

Thundercat- Distracted (2026)- ****
(Trippy, retro, psychedelic soul. Just great. And it's got The Lemon Twigs co-writing and producing two tracks, to boot!)

 

Barbara Lynn- The Crazy Cajun Recordings (1998)- ****

Budgie-  In For The Kill (1974)- ****
(Deal with his voice and just get lost in the jam. This is hot!)

The Pursuit Of Happiness- Love Junk (1988)- ****

U2- Easter Lily E.P. (2026)- ***1/2
(Very good. I liked this, too.)

World Party- Goodbye Jumbo (1990)- ****
("You can't see the bottom from the top. You don't see the edge before you drop.")

Timebox- The Deram Anthology (1998)- ****
The Rolling Stones- Through The Past Darkly: U.K. MONO (1969)- ****
The Datsuns- S/T (2002)- ****

4/3/2026

The Termites- Do The Rock Steady (1967)- ***1/2

Olive Jones- For Mary (2026)- ****
(She is the real deal.) 

David Bowie- The Rise & Fall Of Ziggy Stardust...Half Speed Master (1972/2022)- ****

The Sensational Alex Harvey Band- Framed (1973)-****
(I think this might be the very first time I listened to this band. This was great! Like early Bon Scott AC/DC trying to be glam.)

The Plugz- Better Luck (1981)- ****
Close Enemies- S/T (2026)- ***1/2

Robin Trower- Live!: 2026 Remix (1976/2026)- ***1/2
(Always loved this record, and now it's been expanded to offer the full set, and resequenced to how it was played live. Problem is the remix, which to my ears, sounds somewhat distorted and harsh. Still, it is peak Trower, and it has one of my favorite drum solos, courtesy of Bill Lordan.)

Etta James- Deep In The Night (1978)- ****
("Take It To The Limit" is a tour de force. And so is this, an Elton John b-side written by Kiki Dee.)

  


The Jam- Sound Affects (1980)- ***1/2
Cheap Trick- Heaven Tonight (1978)- ****

4/2/2026

v/a- Ska Authentic Vol. 2 (1964)- ****
Howlin' Wolf- Personal Playlist (2026)-  ****
Grateful Dead- American Beauty (1970)- ****
Emitt Rhodes- S/T (1970)- ****

XTC- Nonsuch: Steven Wilson Mix, Personal Edit (1992/2013/2026)- ****
(Andy & Dave's dueling guitar solos that close out this song are without a doubt, some of the tastiest solos in guitar god history.)

The Datsuns- S/T (2002)- ****
(This record absolutely killed me when it was released. Me and my buddy saw these guys no less than four times within 18 months. I hadn't thought about this album in ages because nothing that followed ever came close to this debut, not even with help from John Paul Jones. They are described as "garage rock out of New Zealand," but I've always said they sounded like Deep Purple trying to be Motorhead."

 



The Pursuit Of Happiness- The Downward Road (1993)- ****
(Speaking of debuts, TPOH's Todd Rundgren produced "Love Junk" is a power pop masterpiece. But the follow-up, also a Todd production, fell short, at least to my ears. "The Downward Road" was a great bounce back. Jules Shear got involved, too. See below.)

Electric Light Orchestra- Discovery (1979)- ****

4/1/2026

v/a- T.G.I. Ska Day (2026)- ****
(Tomorrow's Weekend Mix. A blast, if I do say so myself.)

Sir Douglas Quintet- Together After Five (1970)- ***1/2
Todd Rundgren- Initiation: Side One (1975) ****
Elvin Jones- Poly-Currents (1970)- **1/2
Wilco- A.M. (1995)- ***1/2
The Beatles- Rubber Soul (U.K. MONO, 1967/2025)-****

The Style Council- Personal Playlist (2026)- ***
(The Jam can do no wrong. And for the most part, that's how I feel about Weller's solo career, give or take a record or two. But even creating a playlist of my favorite Style Council tunes doesn't help matters. I just don't care for them.)

The Jam- Setting Sons (1979)- ****

The Black Crowes- A Pound Of Feathers (2026)- ***1/2
(Five or six spins in and my feelings have remained the same. Some great songs, but it starts to fizzle in the second half.)

The Dandy Warhols- Pin Ups (2026)- **
(Can't say I've heard much from these guys, but from the sound of these covers, I don't think I'm missing much. If you're a fan, tell me where to start. This was a bore.)

David Bowie- Pin Ups (1973)- ****
(Now we're talking.)

3/31/2026

The Keith Tippett Group- Dedicated To You, But You Weren't Listening (1971)- ***1/2

Grateful Dead- Dick's Picks Vol. 8: Binghamton, 5/2/70- Acoustic Set (1997)- ****
(This is the record that made me go from an ardent non-supporter of the Dead to a genuine fan.)

Hi-Tech Roots Dynamics- Tokyo Dub (1995)- **1/2
Sir Douglas Quintet- Mendocino (1969)- ****
U2- Days Of Ash E.P. (2026)- ****
Todd Rundgren- A Wizard/A True Star (1973)- ****
Close Enemies- S/T (2026)- ***1/2
Paul McCartney- McCartney III (2020)- ***1/2
v/a- The Art Of McCartney: Highlights (2014)- ***