7/20/2026

Louis Armstrong & Duke Ellington- The Complete Sessions (1990) ***1/2

Charlie Hunter- Space Bomb (2026) ****

Sly & The Family Stone- Stand! (1969) ****

L7- S/T (1988) **1/2

Roxy Music- For Your Pleasure (1973) ****

Grey De Lisle & Les Greene- Grey & Greene (2026) ****

Roxy Music- Manifesto (1979) ***1/2

The Roches- Live At The Bottom Line, 10/23/85 (2026) ***1/2

Grey De Lisle & Les Greene- Grey & Greene (2026) ****

7/19/2026

Mavis Staples- Sad And Beautiful World (2025) ****

Michael Kiwanuka- Home Again (2012) ***1/2

Charlie Hunter- Space Bomb (2026) ****

McGough & McGear- S/T (1968) **

Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers- Long After Dark (1982) ****

The Who- My Generation: Japanese True Stereo (1965/2023) ****

The Beatles- With The Beatles: MONO RM (1963/2009) ****

Led Zeppelin- I (1968) ****

The Meters- S/T: Kevin Gray Master (1969/2023)- ****

Jon Cleary- So Swell (2020) ****

The Dukes Of Stratosphear- 25 O'Clock (1985) ****

Big Star- Radio City (1974) ****



• This new Charlie Hunter record dropped out of nowhere, at least in my world. It's a quartet improvising over 15 tracks which could be a recipe for disaster. But not on "Space Bomb." Rather than extend each idea longer than it needs to be, we get 15 two, three and four minute tracks that give you just the right amount of time to get groovy without overstaying the welcome. Good stuff.

• Just added my 40 essential New Orleans records to the Popsurfing site.  Jon Cleary made the list. Twice.

 

 

7/18/2026

Irish Baroque Orchestra And Choir & Peter Whelan- Handel: Messiah (2026) ****

Karl Bohm, Winer Philharmoniker- Beethoven Symphonie Nr. 6>>Pastorale (1971) ***

Allen Toussaint- The Bright Mississippi (2009) **** 

Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers- Hard Promises (1981) ****

Chris Squire- Fish Out Of Water: 50th Anniversary Remix (1975/2025) ***12

Bee Gees- 1st: MONO (1967) ****

Ronnie Wood- Slide On This (1992) ***

V/A- Licensed To SKA: Studio One 007 (2023) ****

Dio- Holy Diver (1983) ***1/2

The Zombies- Greatest Hits In MONO (2017) ***1/2

The Slits- Cut (1979) ****

Motorhead- Overkill (1979) ****

7/17/2026

U Roy- Version Galore (1971) ****

Leon Redbone- Champagne Charlie (1978) ****

Tom Waits & Crystal Gayle- One From The Heart (1982) ****

Lenny Kaye- Goin' Local (2026)**

Clint Eastwood- Step It In A Zion (1978) ***1/2

Yes- Roosevelt Stadium, Jersey City: 6/17/76 (2026) ***

The Rolling Stones- Foreign Diamonds (2026) ****

Mississippi Rail Company- Coal Black Train (2012) ****

Bob Seger System- Mongrel (1970) ****

Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers- Damn The Torpedos (1979) ****

Utopia- Oops! Wrong Planet (1977) ****

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



• I love Lenny Kaye as a guitar player, as a human, as a customer and as a writer. But this record just ain't happening. I can't see this record getting past the gatekeepers 50 years ago. 

• Been wanting a clean sounding version of that Yes show for a long time. Great set list and performance, but the sound quality on this official release is just slightly better than a third generation cassette.

• I tried a third Stones mix, this time creating an album of tracks from both "Hackney Diamonds" and "Foreign Tongues," and sequenced it differently. I thoroughly enjoyed it. Though I like both albums enough, I just might stop experimenting and listen to them as they were released.

FOREIGN DIAMONDS
Angry
Jealous Lover
Get Close
Ringing Hollow
Depending On You
Bite My Head Off
Some Of Us
Living In A Ghost Town
Beautiful Delilah
Driving Me Too Hard
Bad Luck Hideaway
Dreamy Skies
Back In Your Life
Rolling Stone Blues

• I haven't heard Bob Seger's "Mongrel" in years. Holy Crap! This is some badass rock and roll. Even All Music mentions the MC5 in their review. Heavy duty shit. 

7/16/2026

Charlie Rich- That's Rich (1965) ****

Eddy Arnold- Best of (1967) ****

Tom Petty- Wildflowers (1994) ***

Ricky Grant- Poverty People (1980-81?) ***1/2

Descendents- Milo Goes To College (1982) ****

Motorhead- Kiss Of Death (2006) ***1/2

The Specials- More Specials (1980) ***1/2

New Radicals- Maybe, You've Been Brainwashed, Too (1998) ****

Ray Barretto- Senor 007 (1965) ****

Baby Rose- Yearnalism (2026) ***1/2

Mavis Staples- You Are Not Alone (2010) ***1/2

 

 

 

• I promise I'm not starting trouble, but I think "Wildflowers" is just a tad overrrated. Really good record, but not sure it's deserving of its "best TP record" status.

 

 

7/15/2026

Leon Redbone- Double Time (1977) ****

Allen Toussaint, Dan Penn & Joe South- London, 7/25/94 (1994) ****

The Courettes- The Soul Of...The Fabulous Courettes (2024) ****

The Parlor Mob- And You Were A Crow (2008) ***1/2

Curtis Mayfield- Superfly: Kevin Gray Master (1972/2026) ****

Brand X- Unorthodox Behavior (1976) **** 

Stiff Little Fingers- Inflammable Material (1979) ***1/2

Rhett Miller- The Believer (2006) ****

The Who- Sell Out: Stereo (1967) ****

Bob Seger- Back In '72 (1973) ****

The Who- Live At Hull 1970: Disc One (2012) ****

 

 

 

 

 

•I caught the Parlor Mob play the very compact Mercury Lounge back in 2008, as an opener for The London Souls. There weren't too many in the room but a few minutes into the first song, it felt as if I was in Madison Square Garden circa 1975.This band was gargantuan in every way. Their riffs, their attack, their drum sound. Everything reminded me of all the bands I loved -Led Zeppelin, Thin Lizzy, Black Sabbath. They pulled it off.
 

•This Kevin Gray cut of "Superfly" is, in a word, stunning!

•The Who "Live At Hull" will never be "Leeds," but I'd argue that they were better in Hull.

7/14/2026

iPod on Shuffle:
Happy Go Lucky Girl- U-Roy
Too Close/On My Way To Heaven- Mavis Staples
Baby It's You- Elvis Costello & Nick Lowe
Stop! In The Name Of Love- The Supremes
Two Lights In The Nighttime- Bonnie Raitt
Mystery Track- World Party
Freaks In Love- Elton John
Can We Still Be Friends (Live From Daryl's House)- Todd Rundgren & Daryl Hall
That 70's Song- Cheap Trick
Polly- Dillard & Clark
Head First- The Babys
Mouth Almighty- Elvis Costello & The Attractions
Watch The Moon Come Down- Graham Parker & The Rumour
Girl From The Pawnshop (Marie Laveau Sessions) The Black Crowes
Let Him Run Wild- The Beach Boys
Nervous- Jo-Ann Campbell
Won't Take No For An Answer- Cheap Trick
Life In The Air Age- Be-Bop Deluxe
Sugar On Sunday- The Three Degrees
I Can't Stand It- Lou Reed
Fish- The Damned

 

Little Ann- Deep Shadows (2009) ***

The Human League- Reproduction (1979) **1/2

Joni Mitchell- Blue: Kevin Gray Analog Master (1971/2026) **** 

Steel Pulse- Handsworth Revolution (1978) ***1/2

The Beatles- Please Please Me: MONO RM (1963/2009) ****

T. Rex- Electric Warrior: Kevin Gray Analog Master (1971/2025) **** 

Beastie Boys- Ill Communication (1994) ****

Jeff Beck- Truth (1968) ****

Circle Jerks- Group Sex (1980) ****

Rose Tattoo- Assault & Battery (1981) ***12

The Human League- Greatest Hits (1988) ***

 

•American soul singer Little Ann, born Ann Bridgeforth, was originally from Chicago, but moved to Detroit with her family, where she sang in church, inspired by local gospel legend Aretha Franklin. She recorded an album’s worth of songs between 1967 and 1969, primarily with Detroit musician/producer Dave Hamilton, although, save for one song, the work never saw the light of day. Interestingly, the only released song was not "Deep Shadows," which is now her most known, and perhaps the greatest example of the emotive power of her voice. Little Ann wrote in a letter to her mother, “If it doesn't work out, I tried." Cut to the 1980’s: two British soul collectors, Gilly and Andy Taylor, are digging through Hamilton’s personal music archive and find a box of reels labeled “The Possible Little Ann Album,” and it’s love at first listen. The dust is wiped off, and the music begins making the rounds, trickling out into the world by way of the British northern soul DJ scene, various compilations, covers, and samples, garnering enough attention that Little Ann was able to experience her own resurrection, and even perform one UK show, before her passing in 2003.

 

•I don't recall ever hearing The Human League's debut, having come in, like most people, at "Don't You Want Me." But this review on All Music killed me. "Pop fans a bit put off by the Human League's dispassionate vocals on their breakout hit "Don't You Want Me" would have been shocked by the degree of emotionlessness heard two years earlier on the band's 1979 debut. It's a surprise that the Human League hit the British charts at all (with the single "Empire State Human"), since this could well be the most detached synth pop record ever released." That pretty much nailed. And the cover of "You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'" is pretty hilarious, yet I didn't hate it.

•This new Kevin Gray cut of Joni's "Blue" is, in a word, stunning!

•This Kevin Gray cut of "Electric Warrior" is, in a word, stunning! 

•I am a Led Zeppelin superfan. I don't buy into any of the negative comments. I've listened to scores of live bootlegs and performances. Quite simply, they are in my Top Ten of all time. That said, Jeff Beck "Truth" is better than LZ's first.

•I have Rudy Vallee records that have aged better than The Human League. 

 

 

 

7/13/2026

John Coltrane- Sun Ship (1965/1971) ***1/2

Robert Palmer- Honey (1994) ***1/2

Elton John - Tumbleweed Connection (1970) ****

Dr. John- Desitively Bonnaroo (1974) ***1/2

Paul Weller- Fat Pop Vol. 1 (2021) ***1/2

The Kinks- Lola Versus Powerman & The Moneygoround, Part One (1970) ****




 

7/12/2026

Grant Green- Sunday Mornin' (1962) ****

Junior Parker- The Outside Man (1970) ****

Captain Beefheart & The Magic Band- Clear Spot (1972) ****

v/a-The Harder They Come, O.S.T. (1972) ****

Jo-Ann Campbell- That Real Gone Gal: The Complete Gone & Roulette Recordings (1997) ***1/2

The Records- Shades In Bed (1979) ***

Thin Lizzy- Vagabonds Of The Western World...Plus Bonus LP (1973/2023). ***1/2

The Partridge Family- Up To Date (1971) **1/2

Paul Simon- Essentials: Edit (2024/2026) ****

Blue Oyster Cult- Agents Of Fortune (1976) ****

Iggy Pop- Every Loser (2023) ****

 

 

I first heard Jo-Ann Campbell in a bar about 25 years ago. The bartender had her mix of mostly rockabilly going and the song "Nervous" came on, and after a couple drinks, sounded great. Everything did. Been a fan since and if you've never heard Miss Campbell, this collection from 1997 is a great one.

I know this will be sacrilege to many but, as much as I loved that debut from The Records and respect its status as a power pop classic, it just hasn't aged well for me. Half of it is great and half is just plain mediocre, or at least that it how it sounded the last few times I played it.

Here's one more great Junior Parker cover from "The Outside Man."

 

 

7/11/2026

Peter Tosh- Equal Rights (1977) ****

Thin Lizzy-S/T: 2026 Richard Whitaker Stereo Mix (1971/2026) ****

The Kinks- Are The Village Green Preservation Society: Kevin Gray Stereo Master (1968/2018) ****

Yes- S/T (1969) ****

The Rolling Stones- Foreign Tongues: Edit #2 (2026) ****

Paul McCartney- Flowers In the Dirt (1989) ****

Genesis- Foxtrot (1972) ****

Thin Lizzy- Renegade (1981) ****

David Bowie- Live Nassau Coliseum '76 (2017) ***1/2

The Mamas & The Papas- Golden Album (1968) ****

Pixies- Surfer Rosa (1988) ****

I finally tracked down the Stones iTunes bonus track, "Bad Luck Hideaway," without having to buy the files of the entire album and man is it good! You can tell within seconds it's Charlie on drums, and the dual lead vocals give it a "Salt Of The Earth" vibe. Shoulda been on the album instead of "Mr. Charm." And I really dig my second edit.

Rough & Twisted
In The Stars
Jealous Lover
Divine Intervention
Ringing Hollow
Never Wanna Lose You
Some Of Us
Covered in You
Bad Luck Hideaway
Back In Your Life
Beautiful Delilah

Lizzy's "Renegade" is underrated, misunderstood, and unfairly dismissed. It covers a lot of musical ground, and it's all very convincing. But diehards hated the keyboards. The one-two punch of "Hollywood" and "No One Told Him" that opens Side Two should have given this band two big hits. "Hollywood" alone has enough hooks to snag a flounder, from the killer refrain- "When you're down on your luck," to the brief but meaty guitar solo, to Phil Lynott's "WOOO HOOOS" on the coda, this song is a killer.

7/10/2026

Tom Waits- Rain Dogs (1985) ****

Screamin' Jay Hawkins- At Home With...(1958) **

The Courettes- The Soul Of...The Fabulous Courettes (2024) ****

Scritti Politti- Cupid & Psyche 85 (1985) ***

Bobby "Blue" Bland- Two Steps From The Blues (1961) ****

Curtis Mayfield- Never Say You Can't Survive (1977) ***1/2

The Nice- Autumn To Spring (1973) ****

Jack White- Frozen Charlotte (2026) ****

The Rolling Stones- Foreign Tongues: Sal Edit (2026) ****

The La's- S/T (1990) ****

The Kinks- Face To Face: MONO (1966) ****

 

I was reminded by my friend cmealha of a post I had written in 2022 about bands with gimmicks, one of which was The Courettes. I had totally forgotten about them, but cmealha recommended their most recent album, promising it was better than their 2022 release. He was right. Here is that post, if interested. 

Here's something I should have known. I was surprised to find out that Johnny Ace, who had a hit with "Pledging My Love," was first a piano player in the Beale Streeters Blues Band, with guitarist Riley "B.B." King and singer Bobby Bland. What a band.

7/9/2026

Miles Davis- Plugged Nickel, 12/22/65: 1st Set (1992) ***

v/a- The Instant & Minit Story: 20 Track Highlights (1996/2026) ***1/2

The Rolling Stones- Foreign Tongues (2026) ***1/2

Rush- Hemispheres (1978) ****

Jack White- Frozen Charlotte (2026) ****

The Rolling Stones- Foreign Tongues (2026) ****

Redd Kross- Show World (1997) ***1/2

Jack White- Frozen Charlotte (2026) ****

7/8/2026

Gal Costa- Legal (1970) ***

MT Jones- Joy (2026) ***1/2

Fleetwood Mac- Mirage (1982) ****

Rose Tattoo- S/T (1978) ****

The Partridge Family- Sound Magazine (1971) ***1/2

Van Der Graff Generator- Still Life (1976) **

Quicksilver- S/T (1971) ***

The Hotrats- Turn Ons (2010) ****

Adam Lambert- ADAM (2026) **1/2

Redd Kross- Born Innocent (1982) ***

Glenn Tilbrook & The Fluffers- Pandemonium Ensues (2009) ****

Bonerama- So Much Love (2026) ****

 

Rose Tattoo are from Australia, they are produced by Vanda & Young and they sound like AC/DC. But don't let that stop you. Their debut is a killer.

The McDonald Brothers mention The Partridge Family "Sound Magazine" in their documentary, and one of them casually tosses off this, "Side Two of 'Sound Magazine' is like 'Pet Sounds.'" Okay, it's not. But I really enjoyed  the album. Solid AM radio pop.

One would think after doing a fantastic job as Freddie Mercury's replacement in Queen for the last 10-15 years, Adam Lambert would make an album that might appeal to Queen fans. But apparently, he's not feeling it and "ADAM" is just another generic electronic dance pop record never to be played again.

 

7/7/2026

The Beatles- Let It Be...Naked (1970/2003) **** 

The Rolling Stones- Sticky Fingers (1971) ****

Redd Kross- Teen Babes From Monsanto: Version Especial (1984/2018) ****

Quicksilver Messenger Service- S/T (1968) ****

Rush- Permanent Waves (1980) ****

Quicksilver Messenger Service- Happy Trails (1969) ***1/2

Redd Kross- Researching The Blues (2012) ****

Bash & Pop- Anything Could Happen (2017) ****

Killing Joke- S/T (1980) ***1/2

The Stranglers- La Folie (1981) ***

 

 

No, I did not skip "Brown Sugar."

This was the first time I listened to Quicksilver in 34 years. I had to write about it on Burning Wood.

Bash & Pop's debut is too good. It's as if The Beatles' debut was "Revolver." I thought "Anything Could Happen" was a good record, but it just couldn't hold a candle to "Friday Night Is Killing Me," so I've rarely played it since 2017. As per me, it sounded really great tonight. But I stand by what I said. 

 

 

7/6/2026

Fela & Africa-70- Authority Stealing (1980) ***

v/a- Jamaica Jazz From Federal Records: Carib Roots, Jazz, Mento, Latin, Merengue & Rhumba 1960-1968 (2019)- ***

The Heavenly Bodes- Green Hills (2026) **

Prophet Benjamin- S/T (2013) **

Motorhead- Orgasmatron (1986) ***1/2

Prince- The Black Album (1987/1994) ****

Billy Cobham- Spectrum (1973) ***1/2

Roy Harper- HQ (1975) ***1/2

Iggy Pop & James Williamson- Kill City: 2010 Remix (1977/2010) ***1/2

v/a- Lafayette Saturday Night (1992) ***1/2

 

The press release for the Heavenly Bodes said, "The album’s opener, “De Gruene Heuvels” (the album’s title in Dutch), and its closer, “The Heavenly Bode,” both have a jangly late-’60s country-rock vibe reminiscent of The Byrds and Mike Nesmith’s solo output. "WRONG! Not even close. The five songs I made it through sounded like third rate Hawkwind demos.

I don't think I've ever enjoyed Prince's "Black Album" as much as I did today. It really takes off with Track Three, "Dead On It."

 

 

 

7/5/2026

Aretha Franklin- Spirit In The Dark (1970) **** 

Merrill Moore- The Very Best Of... :Disc One (2010) ***

Maria McKee- You Gotta Sin To Be Saved (1993) ****

Marshall Crenshaw- What's In The Bag? (2003) ***1/2

Redd Kross- Phaseshifter (1993) ****

7/4/2026

Ray Barretto- Hard Hands (1968) ****

Ray Barretto- The Message (1971) ***1/2

Eddie Harris- Silver Cycles (1969) ****

Traffic- The Low Spark Of High Heeled Boys (1971) ***1/2

Bob Marley & The Wailers- Natty Dread (1974) ****

Ike & Tina Turner- Story: Disc One (2007) ***1/2

Rush- Caress Of Steel (1975) ***1/2

The Clash- Super Black Market Clash (1993) ****

Banda AL9- Hey! Hey! We're Banda AL9 (2026) ***1/2 

Galactic- Ruckus (2003) ****

The Rolling Stones- Their Satanic Majesties Request: Personal Edit (1967/2025)- ****

Donna Summer- Gold: 14 Song Edit (2005/2026) ****

 

 

Somewhere between five and ten years ago, my friend Tim B., a fellow record dealer, was just a table away from mine while we worked a show. I took a walk around the room while he watched my records and I bought a few things, including four Eddie Harris records. When Tim saw my little haul, he said, "Don't sleep on those Eddie Harris records!" I knew exactly what he meant. The worst record dealers won't bother with Eddie Harris records because they don't sell for much. A jazz record to these clowns, needs to be on Blue Note or on some indie boutique label, and has to sell for $100-$500 before it is worthy to sit in one of their boxes. But Tim and I knew just how great these Eddie records were, so we'd snatch them up for $5 or $8 whenever we saw them, and then resell them for $15-$20, with little stickers that showed our reviews. We never failed to sell every one. So, don't sleep on "The In Sound," "Mean Greens," "Electrifying," and "Silver Cycles" if you see them.

"Super Black Market Clash" and The Jam "Extras" are so good, they often play better than either band's regular releases.

Here is that "Satanic Majesties" edit, if you're interested.
https://music.amazon.com/user-playlists/510bf61e7f0643f9a10f071506025f77sune?ref=dm_sh_reJ7d1aWH0tHKOTcuO5ljNRdF

 

 

 

 

7/3/2026

The Grateful Dead- Fillmore, July 3rd, 1966 (2026) **1/2

Marie Queenie Lyons- Soul Fever (1970) ***1/2

Jon Cleary & The Absolute Monster Gentlemen- S/T (2002) ****

The Rolling Stones- Hackney Diamonds (2023) ****

Lester Winchester McKendree- They Got It All (2026) **1/2

Banda AL9- Hey! Hey! We're Banda AL9 (2026) ***1/2

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

Led Zeppelin- Physical Graffiti (1975) ****

Motorhead- Ace Of Spades (1980) ****

 

Prompted by a Facebook thread posted by a musician who is not a fan of Andrew Watt or what Watt has done to the Stones, Iggy, or Macca, I decided to listen to "Hackney Diamonds." I still love it. And I love Iggy's "Every Loser," which I will get to this weekend. 

Lester Winchester McKendree released a debut and the press release was intriguing, far more than the actual music on the record.

And I already planned on resisting Banda AL9, feeling completely satisfied with The Lemon Twigs and completely put off by the Uni Boys. But, the Banda AL9 record is hard to resist. Yes, it's more Merseybeat/British Invasion, but it's too much fun to ignore. I didn't feel that way about Uni Boys. Banda AL 9 is a grower...I think.

I've all but given up the Motorhead fight. I guess you either get it or you don't, and actually, while I get it completely, I still get why others don't. That said, if you are ever in the mood to go in, either again or for the first time, listen to "Ace Of Spades" and "Overkill." Those two are the real deal.

 

 

 

7/2/2026

Lee Perry- Roast Fish, Collie Weed & Corn Bread (1978) ****
Stranger Cole-  "Forward" In The Land Of Sunshine (1976) ***1/2
The Grateful Dead- Workingman's Dead (1970) ***1/2
Preservation Brass- For Fat Man (2025) ****
The Plastic Ono Band- Live Peace In Toronto 1969: Side One (1969) **1/2
Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers- Echo (1999) ***
Deep Purple- SPLAT! (2026) ***
Rush- Presto (1989) ****
Corey Harris & Henry Butler- Vu-Du Menz (2000) ****
Bad Brains- I Against I (1986) ****
Thin Lizzy- Black Rose (1979) ****

 

Preservation Brass received a Grammy nomination for this album. If traditional New Orleans jazz isn't your thing, but you maybe want to try again. Listen to "For Fat Man." It's the best of its kind. 

I was really looking forward to loving the new Deep Purple after reading a number of positive reviews, a few using words like "heyday" and "the seventies."  And while the band sounds great, especially Ian Gillan who will be 81 years old next month, the songs go nowhere. They all have a sameness to them that could not keep me interested. Not a bad record, but not nearly the great record I've been reading about.

And Petty's "Echo" needs a major edit.

As for "Presto," I've played this at least three times in the last year, which is two more times than I had since 1989. Whatever I wasn't hearing, or not getting, I am getting now. This one is solid. Check out "War Paint."

 

7/1/2026

Elvis Costello- This Year's Model (1978) ****

v/a- All Stars Jamaican Blues (1961) ****

Nicky Hopkins- The Revolutionary Piano Of...(1966) **

Billy Ward & His Dominoes- Sixty Minute Men: The Best Of...(1993) ***1/2

The Holmes Brothers- Simple Truths (2004) ****

Living Colour- Vivid (1988) ****

Fela & The Africa-70- Shakara (1973) ***

The Rolling Stones- Emotional Rescue (1980) ****

Dwight Twilley Band- Sincerely (1976) ****

The Heartbreakers- L.A.M.F.: The Found '77 Masters (1977/2021)- ****

 

I saw a clip of my old friend Spike, who now resides upstate and owns Spike's Record Rack in Catskill, answering the question, "What is your perfect record?" I already knew his answer- Dwight Twilley's "Sincerely." I had to listen, of course. And I do love it. Though, I think I like "Scuba Divers" more. It depends on the day.

And that Nicky Hopkins record! I had no idea it existed before this week, thinking "The Tin Man Was A Dreamer" was his first solo record in 1973. "Revolutionary Piano..." is a strange mix of Liberace, classical, and 60's easy listening with a chorus of singers ruining things further.

We all knew Bill Wyman was a great bass player, but after last night's visit with "Undercover" and tonight's visit with "Emotional Rescue," I think more props need to be given for his ability to funk it up.

And as the Holmes Brothers mini binge continues, today's spin "Simple Truths" really hit the spot. This in particular, killed me.
 

6/30/2026

Todd Rundgren's Utopia- S/T (1974) ***1/2

Bruford- Feels Good To Me (1978)  ****

Pink Floyd- The Early Years, 1965-1967 Cambridge St/ation: Single Disc Edit (2017/2026) ****

Paul McCartney- The Boys Of Dungeon Lane (2026) ****

Peter Gabriel- Geneva, 9/21/80 (1980) ****
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a9UyPYpVYIc)

Muse- The Wow! Signal (2026) **12

King Stitt- Reggae Fire Beat (1996) ***

The Rolling Stones- Undercover (1983) ****

Leon Russell- S/T: Kevin Gray Master (1970/2017) ****

NRBQ-Tiddlywinks (1980) **** 

It was a few songs into the live Peter Gabriel set where I felt inspired to jot down a few notes. 

First, finding this was a real surprise. I saw Gabriel on his first, second and fourth album tours, the fourth being a surprise, last minute announcement on Thanksgiving night at The Ritz, in NYC, serving as an intimate kickoff to the 1982 tour. Somehow, I missed the tour for his third "Peter Gabriel," the one referred to as "Melt," which at that point was my favorite solo Peter so far. And after years and years of collecting live music, owning hundreds of tapes and CDs of live recordings by everyone, I don't recall ever seeing a set list of the 1980 "Melt" tour. It's a good one!

The other interesting thing about this record and tour is, it is widely known that the "Melt" album features NO cymbals, as per Gabriel's request. Not one cymbal or hi-hat can be heard on the entire album. It was so unique, that a few years later at a Pep In The Cat rehearsal, I was instructed by our leader to stop hitting my cymbals for this one song we had just started to learn; an exercise that after 15 years of playing drums, was not as easy as it sounded.

All that said, this Geneva recording is a really solid audience capture, made all the more special because drummer Jerry Marotta is hitting cymbals on a few of the "Melt" songs, changing the sound and dynamic of songs I have only heard one way for 46 years. This live set was great fun. 

And then on Facebook...

I posited that the Stones' "Undercover" is a lot better now than it was then. I think this record gets better with each spin. "Too Much Blood" is amazing record-making. I don't care if it doesn't sound like "Mona."
"Pretty Beat Up" is a killer groove, too. Good record, and a whole lot more interesting and fun than "Voodoo Lounge."

When you listen to both "Leon Russell" and NRBQ on the same day, it's a good day.