2/6/2026

Miles Davis- Complete Plugged Nickel, 1st Set: 12/22/65 (1992)- ***1/2

Lennie Hibbert- Creation (1969)- ****
(One of my favorites and also one of the strangest reggae records in my collection. It's reggae exotica! I love all of it, especially "Nature Boy," which is clearly not "Nature Boy," but "It Was A Very Good Year.")

(Lennie, if u want)

Shocking Blue- At Home (1969)- ***
(Never heard a note other than "Venus," but my pal Sal Maida was a fan, so I decided to go in. Not bad. A little trippy. I liked this one, though it does sound a bit like "Venus.")

Blue Öyster Cult- Tyranny & Mutation (1973)- ****
(Once every two years or so, I post a BÖC appreciation on Burning Wood for those who have either pigeonholed the band as heavy metal or only know "Don't Fear The Reaper" and "Burning For You." This band is so much more.)

(BÖC Lagniäppe) 

Be-Bop Deluxe- Drastic Plastic: Stereo Remix (1978/2020)- ***1/2
v/a- CBGB-A New York City Soundtrack 1975-1986: Personal Playlist (2026)- ***1/2
Scott Walker- Scott 3 (1969)- ****

v/a- Soul Harmony: Sweet Soul Vocals, 1961-1984 (2025)- **1/2
(The press release made this collection sound like a must-have. Job well done, PR people. I bit! Unfortunately, so did this comp. I could only listen to 12 of the 24 tracks. It's all fine, second rate, mid-tempo soul. But nothing stood out. Essentially, a boring playlist, though I imagine any one of these two dozen tracks would delight elsewhere, just not all at once here.)

The Ventures- In Space: MONO (1964)- ****
(Never fails! It's been said it was Keith Moon's favorite record. It's definitely one of mine.)

(Ventures Lagniappe)

Kiki Dee- I'm Kiki Dee (1968)- ****
(Released as "Patterns" in the U.S., this record is pure bliss. Big, sweeping arrangements calling to mind Phil Spector, Burt Bacharach, John Barry, Scott Walker. And still, very girl group. Great, forgotten record. Here's a two-fer.)

 

Elvis Costello- This Year's Model (1978)- ****
Graham Parker & The Rumour- Squeezing Out Sparks (1979)- ****

 

QUINN MARTIN EPILOGUE:

"Scott 3" and "I'm Kiki Dee" is a great double feature, as is "This Year's Model" and "Squeezing out Sparks." 

2/5/2026

John Cale- Vintage Violence (1970)- ****
Ken Peplowski- Enrapture (2016)- ****
Al Di Meola- Casino (1978)- ****
Yes -Tales From Topographic Oceans: 2026 Steven Wilson Remix, Sides one & Four (1973/2026)- ***1/2
Jules Shear- The Eternal Return (1985)- ***1/2
Sly Dunbar- Sly-Go-Ville (1982)- **1/2
The Walker Brothers- Personal Playlist (2020)- ****1/2
Clifton Chenier- King Of Louisiana Blues & Zydeco: Disc One (2026)- ****

2/4/2026

Erik Satie- Tout Satie! Complete Edition: Disc One, Orchestral Works & Ballets (2015)- ***1/2

Ken Peplowski- Little Dogs (2003?)-****
(This is a record Ken gave to me around 2003 or 2004. It was a CDr that he said was unreleased stuff he hoped would eventually come out. As it turns out, almost all of the songs did indeed come out over several different records, some newly recorded. I love this set because it's mostly duets. "Love Locked Out" is a fave. The newly recorded version is below from his 2010 release "Noir Blue.")

   

Olu Dara- In The World From Natchez To New York (1998)-  ****
(This is a really special record. If you've never heard it, I suggest putting it on your to-do list. Never thought I'd see it on vinyl, but Real Gone just released a fab pressing, which sounds terrific.)

Dennis Bovell & The 4th Street Orchestra- Ah Who Seh? Go Deh! (1976)- ****

Pink Floyd- The Wall: Dr. Wu's Edit (1979/2026)- ***1/2
(Much better than my edit, though I still think it needs to end with "Comfortably Numb.")

Dolly Parton, Linda Ronstadt, Emmylou Harris- Trio (1987)- ****

NRBQ- We Travel The Spaceways (2012)- ***
(You need to be there, in person. It's always better in person with The Q.)

Jeff Beck Truth (1968)- ****

2/3/2026

Leon Redbone- Double Time (1977)- ***1/2
King Crimson- In The Wake Of Poseidon: Steven Wilson Remix (1970/2025)- ***1/2

The Necessaries- Completely Necessary: Anthology, 1978-1982-Disc One (2026)- ***1/2
(Completely missed these guys first time around. Solid, post punk. Very hooky, a few tracks border power pop.)

The Kinks- Are The Village Green Preservation Society: Kevin Gray Stereo Master (1968/2018)- ****
John Cale- Fear (1974)- ****
Al Green- To Love Somebody (2026)- ****

R.E.M.- Accelerate (2008)- ****
(Man, this was great! I remember loving it at the time, but I haven't played it in years. It's lean and mean, with songs and hooks you could hang onto.)

Paul McCartney- Egypt Station: Sal's Version (2018/2025)- ****
(Removed some, added some from the Travelers Edition and singles.

Opening Station
I Don't Know
Happy With You
Who Cares
Confidante
Hand In Hand
Dominoes
Do It Now
Get Started
Home Tonight
Get Enough)

And dat's dat.)

The Power Station- DLX: Raw Instrumentals (1985/2026)- ****
(New remaster just out with extras that include raw instrumentals. What a revelation! If you like this album, you need to hear this. 80's reverb all the way down. Fewer overdubs. Just these amazing musicians laying down the tracks. Killer.)

Van Halen- For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge (1991)- ****
The Lemon Twigs- A Dream Is All We Know (2024)- ****

2/2/2026

Jaume Vilaseca Trio-Jazznesis II: The Music Of Genesis 1970-1974 (2015)- ***1/2
(This was really good! Vocals were a bit offputting, but thankfully it was only two songs. Thanks Paul In DK, for the rec.)

Bonerama- So Much Love (2026)- ****
(Excellent return to form from one of my favorite brass bands out of New Orleans, though I'd be hard-pressed to name favorite brass bands from anywhere else.)

Frank Zappa- Essentials: Personal Edit (2022/2026)- ****

Tyler Ballgame- For The First Time, Again (2026)- ****
(Second time around was very rewarding. I think I paid more attention to it. Some great stuff here.)

Todd Rundgren- With A Twist (1997)- ****
New Radicals- Maybe You've Been Brainwashed, Too (1998)- ****

Nico- The End (1974)- ***
(I bought this a year after it came out, as I was into all things Roxy, Eno & Cale. I was mortified! I stopped listening at Track Three. My friend and cousin were laughing at me. Now, 50 years later, I really don't mind it. It's a tough spin, but like a trainwreck that you can't look away from, I keep listening. The YouTube description of the song below says "avant-folk!")

 

Willy DeVille- Victory Mixture (1990)- ***
(The roster of New Orleans legends on this record should have made it a much better session than it is. It's not terrible, just a bit lifeless for a New Orleans record.)

NRBQ- Workshop (1973)- ****
(The Q to the rescue...every time!)

(Q4U)

Ultravox!- S/T (1977)- **** 
(Another record that always comes through.)

Kula Shaker-Kollected: The Best Of (2002)- ***1/2
(Hayley Mills kid doing a more interesting version of Oasis. Loved the debut, then it became a blur. There's a new one out so I decided to prep with a "best of." Good stuff.)

2/1/2026

Sam Rivers- Fuchsia Swing Song (1965)- ***

Sly & Robbie, Nils Petter Molvaer- Nordub (2018)- ***1/2
(I enjoyed a lot of this. Thanks Randy!)

Roger Nichols & the Small Circle Of Friends- S/T (1968)- **1/2
(Sunshine pop, cult classic that I've tried to get into a number of times over the years, but it just never takes. Not even this time.)

Willy DeVille- Loup Garou (1995)- ***
(First time hearing this and it is not what I was expecting at all. Stylistically all over the place, and Willy doesn't always sound like Willy. Not terrible, but still weak, though it got better as it played. The Brenda Lee duet is pretty nice, but "White Trash Girl" sounds a little too much like C.C. Adcock.)

Led Zeppelin- Houses Of The Holy (1973)- ****
Small Faces- S/T: Immediate, MONO (1967/2023) - ****
Steely Dan- Countdown To Ecstasy (1973)- ****

Pink Floyd- The Wall: Personal Edit (1979/2026)- ***1/2
(Imperfect. Tried to tighten it up and make it lighter and more song oriented, but some of the transitions are abrupt. Back to the drawing board.)

Aerosmith- Permanent Vacation (1987)- ****
Ronnie Spector- The Very Best Of... (2015)- ****

 

1/31/2026

Sam Rivers- Dimensions & Extensions (1967/1986)- ****
(1967 session that remained on the shelf until 1986. This is an excellent hard bop showcase for both Rivers and Donald Byrd. It occasionally wanders off into free jazz territory, which makes it all the more exciting for me.)

v/a- Ultra-Lounge One The Rocks, Part One (1997)-***
(I know many find muzak and swingin' pop versions of rock and soul classics sacrilege, but for reasons I can't fully explain, I find some of the arrangements really appealing. I don't recommend a regular diet of this, but once in a while, it's fun.)

Willy DeVille- Backstreets Of Desire (1992)- ****
(One song, "Chemical Warfare," is a major speed bump on an otherwise brilliant record. Unquestionably, Willy's best.)

R.E.M.- Collapse Into Now (2011)- ***1/2

Mink DeVille- Coup De Ville (1981)- ****
(Really enjoying Willy today.)

(Willy Lagniappe) 

 
Mississippi River Revival- Live At NOLA Funk Fest, October 2025 (2026)- ***
(Supergroup featuring Stanton Moore & Rob Mercurio from Galactic, Roger Lewis & Gregory Davis from the DDBB, Big Sam, Luther Dickinson and Jennifer Hartswick. I bet this was fun in person. On tape, it seems very bland, with the usual NOLA covers and extended jams.)

R.E.M.- Reckoning (1984)- ***1/2
The Replacements- Live At City Gardens, 1984 (2025)-***1/2

Mink DeVille- Cabretta (1977)- ****
Johnny Thunders- So Alone (1978)- ****
Mink DeVille- Le Chat Bleu (1979)- ****
(An inadvertent chronological trifecta of brilliant junkie music!)