10/6/25

Taylor Swift- The Life Of A Showgirl (2025)- ***1/2
(I didn't hate it. More tomorrow.)

Holly Cole Trio- Girl Talk- (1990)- ***
Richard Thompson- Henry The Human Fly (1972)- ***1/2

Neal Francis- Return To Zero (2025)- ****
(I was not expecting this. I was expecting a laid back, hippie R&B set and instead got a retro, disco funk set that reminds me of when rock bands tried to get on the disco bandwagon. Thing is, this really worked! What a blast!)

Betty Harris- Soul Perfection Plus (1998)- ****
Prince- Dirty Mind (1980)- ****

The Plugz- Electrify Me (1979)- ****
(Top Ten punk rock record!)

The Move- Message From The Country (1971)- ****

Bruce Springsteen- Somewhere North Of Nashville (1995/2025)- ****
(Thanks to C In California for the nudge. This hit me harder than my first pass. Great record. Never give up on your legacy artists!)

Elton John- Caribou (1974)- ****
(A fantastic album lost in the wake of "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road." "I've Seen The Saucers!" A Top 5 John/Taupin song.)

Queen- A Kind Of Magic (1986)- ***1/2

10/5/25

Holly Cole- Dark Moon (2025)- ****

Supertramp- A Butterboy Compilation (2025)- ***1/2
(I made a manageable 60 minute playlist out of Butterboy's three disc compilation. I only know of Supertramp's hits, most of which I don't like. But many friends are fans, so I decided to hear what the fuss was all about. Not bad. Some really good tracks and some that just go on way too long. Still, I enjoyed the listen, especially the song below.)

 

Say She She- Cut & Rewind (2025)- ****
(Just great! Going to be in my Top Ten of 2025.)

v/a- Cameo-Parkway: 1957-1967 (Personal Playlist)- ****
Judy Mowatt- Black Woman (1979)- ****
Irma Thomas- Break-A-Way: The Best Of (1986)- ****

Squeeze- Play (1991)- ****
(My favorite Squeeze record that gets better with age, both its and mine.)

The Black Crowes- By Your Side (1999)- ****
Barbara Lynn- Crazy Cajun Recordings (1998)- ****
Squeeze- East Side Story (1981)- ****

10/4/25

Joan Baez- Farewell, Angelina: Kevin Gray Master (1965/2025)- ***1/2
Bob Dylan- The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan (original issue with withdrawn tracks, 1963)- ****

Vernon Reid- Hoodoo Telemetry (2025)- **1/2
(I was hoping this wouldn't be exactly how I expected it to be. Alas, it is and it got on my nerves by song 5. Too busy. Too much noodling. Unnecessarily noisy.) 

Dr. John- In The Right Place: AP 45 RPM RM (1973/2023)- ****

Lindisfarne- Back And Fourth (1978)- ***
(Not a great record, but I do love the single, "Run From Home.")

David Bowie- Toy: Unplugged & Somewhat Slighty Electric (2022)- ***1/2

Say She She- Cut & Rewind (2025)- ****
David Bowie- The Heart's Filthy Lesson Mix E.P. (2025)- ***1/2

Nick Lowe- Party Of One (1990)- ****
(I think I say this every time I play it- it's his best record.)

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

10/3/25

Max Romeo & The Upsetters- War Ina Babylon: Kevin Gray Master (1976/2025)-  ****
(The best this classic has ever sounded.)

 

 

Alan Hull- Pipedream (1973)- ***1/2
(First time, on a rec from hpunch. Really good stuff. More interesting than Lindisfarne, I think.)

Holly Cole- Dark Moon (2025)- ****
(I haven't listened to Holly Cole in years and I've been a fan from day one. This new record is fantastic! Review coming up on Burning Wood...this week...maybe. Really, listen to it.)

Sparks- Madder! (2025)-****
(I like all four songs on this E.P. more than most of the "Mad!" album.)

Phil Lynott-Solo In Soho (1980)-****
The Cyrkle- Red Rubber Ball (1991)-***1/2

The Who- By Numbers (1975)- ****
(Released 50 years ago today!)

Alan Hull- Squire (1975)- ***1/2
(Another good one. I think better than "Pipedream."

Ted Nugent- S/T: Original Japanese (1975)-****
(Yeah, he's a Hall Of Fame doosh and most every record before and after this is a time waster. But this remains an all timer for me. If you love rock and roll, there's no reason not to love the song below.)

The Replacements- Boink!! (1986)- ****
(My favorite 'Mats record. Well, it's the one I play the most.)

Rockpile- Seconds Of Pleasure (1980)- ****

10/2/25

Arthur Verocai- S/T (1972)- ***1/2
Joao Gilberto- Chega de Saudade (1959)- ****
(Two essentials out of Brazil. Nice start to the day.)

George Harrison- Personal Playlist/Weekend Mix (2025)- ****
Neko Case- Neon Grey Midnight Green (2025)- ***1/2
Sparks- Propaganda (1974)- ****
v/a Bushyard Telegraph (1974-1983)- ***12
The Flame- S/T (1970)- ***1/2

The Everly Brothers- Sing (1967)- ***1/2
(The terrible Procol Harum cover aside, this is a pretty great, almost psych pop record from Phil & Don.)

Bad Brains- Rise (1993)- ***1/2
(New singer. New drummer. More of a trendy 90's metal record than what the Brains are known for, but it's still solid, regardless of the AMG review.)

Queen- A Day At The Races (1976)- ****
Humble Pie- As Safe As Yesterday Is (1969)- ***1/2

10/1/25

Michael Chapman- Fully Qualified Survivor (1970)-****

v/a- I Love The Reggay!: Boss Sounds From Randy's (2021)- ****
(Great set of early-ish rock steady and ska. Actually, it covers a lot of ground stylistically. Highly recommended.)

Steve Howe- Beginnings (1975)- ***1/2
Marcus Hook Roll Band- Tales Of Old Grand-Daddy: Expanded (1973/1994)- ***1/2

Aerosmith- Rocks: Original Japanese (1976)- ****
(I've been wanting to hear this pressing for ages. It delivered. Really massive sound, a bit more bottom than the U.S.. Both this and the original U.S. put the recent remaster to shame.)

Bobby Charles- S/T (1972)- ****
The Soft Boys- A Can Of Bees (1979)- ****
The Who- Who's Next (1971, Doug Sax Master)- ****

Grace Jones- Nightclubbing (1981)-****
(This record is one genius moment after another, starting with the first track, a cover of Flash & The Pan's "Walking In The Rain," speaking of Harry Vanda, and then Sly & Robbie's groove on "Pull Up To The Bumper"---that bass line! Over 40 years, and this remains in regular rotation.)

The Darkness- Dreams On Toast (2025)- ****

9/30/25

John Coltrane- Ole: Kevin Gray Stereo Remaster (1961/2024)- ****
Harry Connick Jr.- Oh My Nola (2007)-  ***1/2
Emerson, Lake & Palmer- S/T (1970)- ****

Paul Westerberg- 49:00 (2008)- ***1/2
(I totally forgot about this. I don't even recall hearing it at the time, probably being put off by the one long 49 minute file. Plus it was pulled very quickly. Some great stuff here, like a lost Replacements record. And as far as I can tell, the last recorded music from Westerberg.)

Duke Ellington • Charlie Mingus • Max Roach- Money Jungle (1962)- ****
(One of my ten favorite jazz records.)

Iggy Pop- CBGBs Festival, 9/27/25 (2025)- ***
(Ig sounds really good. The band, not so much. No fire. It might have been better being there.)

The Easybeats- Absolute Anthology, 1965-1969: Sides 1 & 2 (1980)- ****
Bee Gees- Personal Playlist (2025)- ****
Cheap Trick- The Epic Archive, 1975-1992: Personal Playlist (2020)- ****
The Beatles- Rubber Soul (U.K. MONO, 1967/2025)-****