8/30/25

Brad Mehldau- Ride Into The Sun (2025)- ****1/2
(Even better on second spin. Contender for my Top 5 of 2025.)

Maurice Brown- Betta Days (2025)-  ***

Paul Weller- A Kind Revolution (2017)- ****
(I was not a fan of this record when it came out. But time has been kind and it's now a favorite. Not sure what I was hearing in 2017.)

Goo Goo Dolls- Summer Anthem (2025)- **1/2

Oasis- Dig Out Your Soul (2008)- ***1/2
(If I had heard this record before, I have no recollection. Not bad. But they just don't keep me engaged. Every album starts to feel like one long song halfway in...except "Morning Glory.")

Belinda Carlisle- Once Upon A Time In California (2025)- ***
(I like the song selection, but she sounds like she is trying to pass an audition, over-enunciating, adding annoying vibrato. These are AM pop hits and she is singing them like a Gilbert & Sullivan musical.)

 

 

Peter Gabriel- S/T (1978)- ***1/2
The Rolling Stones- Between The Buttons (1967, U.K. MONO)- ****

 

 

 

 

8/29/25

v/a- 20 Years: A New Orleans Weekend Mix (2025) - ****
Miriam Batucada- Amanha Ninguem Sabe (1974) - ****
Bee Gees- 1st (1967, Stereo)- ****

Brad Mehldau- Ride Into The Sun (2025)- ****
(I've been a fan of Brad Mehldau from the very beginning. I can't say the same about Elliott Smith. I don't mind some of Smith's music, but it tends to be a bit too samey. So this Mehldau record which features "songs of and inspired by Smith," might as well be all Mehldau originals to my ears, though that Big Star cover stood out. This record is a beauty. My fave Brad record is "Largo," and there are many similarities here on the new one. This is NOT a jazz record. There's no need to label it, other than it's simply fantastic.)

Lewis Taylor- Beefheart's Trout Mask Replica Reborn (1997?)- ***1/2
Bob Marley & The Wailers- Catch A Fire (1973)- ****
Anton Barbeau- Glitch Wizard (2025, four songs)- **1/2
Steve Riley & The Mamou Playboys- Grand Isle (2011)- ****

The Beatles- '65 (1965, MONO)- ****
(Gotta look this up, but I think this record is toploaded with John more than any other. "Beatles For Sale" is better, but I haven't heard this in ages, and it hit the spot.)

Aerosmith- Nine Lives (1997)- ***1/2
(There is solid 35 minute Aerosmith record here. But it's hard to find among all the bloat.)

The Rumble- Stories From The Battlefield (2024)- ****

8/28/25

Aretha Franklin- Aretha Arrives (1967)- ****

Harvey Scales- Trying To Survive (2025)- ***
(Twice as much Harvey Scales as I need, but no doubt some good stuff here.)

Joe Bataan- Fania Singles (2021)- ****
(Just great stuff! Perfect summer time music.) 

 

Elvis Presley- That's The Way It Is (1970)-  ***1/2
The Beatles- Rubber Soul (1965, U.S. MONO)- ****

Paul McCartney & Wings- Red Rose Speedway (1973)- ****
(I've got two things to say about this. First, back in 1973, there was a game on the Asbury Park Boardwalk, where you placed a quarter on a number, the man running the booth would spin the wheel, and if your number came up, you could pick NOT a stuffed animal, but a record. 45's were on the bottom shelf. LPs were on top. Three wins got you a top shelf pick. I won "Red Rose Speedway" after about an hour and $19 in quarters. Second, the songs I usually don't care for on this record sounded great today, hence the **** instead of the usual ***1/2.)

Pete Townshend- Another Scoop (1987) - ***1/2
(Some great demos. Some not so great.)

The Beatles- Yesterday & Today (1966, Stereo)- ****

Martin Newell- The Greatest Living Englishman (1993) - **** 
(The harmonies on this Martin Newell record are not of this Earth, especially on the chorus of the title track. The low voice is absolutely stunning.)

 

 

8/27/25

iPod on Shuffle:
No Money Down- Dave Edmunds
Meet Me In Church- Bobby Marchan
Daddy- Toots & The Maytals
I Do Not Miss You- Glenn Tilbrook
Open Letter (To A Landlord)- Living Colour
Loco- The Iguanas
Funny Vibe (Live In Lyon, 6//15/89)- Living Colour
Heavy Metal Kids- Todd Rundgren
Empty Heart- The Rolling Stones
Music For Evenings- Young Marble Giants
Don't Take Your Love- Angel
Little Annie Lou- Bobby Fuller Four

Fleetwood Mac- Then Play On (1969)- ****
Bobby Fuller Four- I Fought The Law (1966)- ****
Elvis Presley- Blue Hawaii (1961) - ***1/2
Pretenders- S/T (1980)- ****

Affinity- S/T (1970)- ***1/2
(Heretofore unknown to me, but thanks to Butterboy's blog, I got to hear this British cult classic. Not quite progressive, not quite jazz rock. Feels more like Brian Auger & Julie Driscoll only a bit harder. Arrangements by John Paul Jones. Fun spin.)

 

Al Campbell- Ain't That Loving You (1978)- ****
(Another new one for me, solid, bass heavy rock steady. Good record.)

Bruce Springsteen- Grand Rapids, 8/3/05 (Personal Edit)- ***

Sam Cooke- One Night Stand: Live At The Harlem Square Club, 1963 (1985)- ****
(Legendary! The club was not in Harlem, by the way, but in Miami. An all time great live album.)

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

Gary Moore- Dirty Fingers (1980/1984)- **1/2
(Recorded in 1980 and shelved until 1984, this is a weak attempt at heavy metal glory. Of course, Moore shreds wonderfully thoughout, but singer Charlie Huhn is just awful, with his squealing and screeching sabotaging almost every song. Highlights are few and far between.)

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

Bad Brains- I Against I (1986)- ****
(Their best. One of the best of its kind. Always in heavy rotation. Essential)

 
Sam Cooke- My Kind Of Blues (1961)- ****
(He could sing anything. "Night Beat" gets all the acclaim for good reason. But this album is something else. Here's my theme song.)

 

C.C. Adcock- S/T (1994)- ****
(This. Always.)

 

8/25/25

Doc & Merle Watson- Live A Tipitina's, 1984 (2025)- ***
(A strange release from the Tip's Record Club. With all respect to the amazing Doc & Merle, this is just not what I want from this club. Bring on some New Orleans rarities.)

Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band- Live At the Main Point, 2/2/75 - ****
(Just about through with friend of Burning Wood, Peter Carlin's excellent book on the making of "Born To Run." 50 years later, that record still kills. And so does this legendary performance from Bryn Mawr.)

Jon Batiste- Big Money (2025)- ****
(Review is up at the other place.)

Gary Moore- After The War (1989)- ***1/2
The Beatles- The Early Beatles (1965, MONO)- ****
v/a- Stiff Records (Personal Playlist)- ****

Motorhead- Ace Of Spades (1980) - ****1/2
(I know, I know. This band is a hard sell. But Jeebus, they fucking kick ass!)

G-Force- S/T (1980)- ****
(Fun facts about this Gary Moore side project. First, keyboardist Joachim Kuhn performed live with Ornette Coleman for one of my favorite Ornette records, "Colors." See? We could all get along. Next, my band Pep in The Cat covered "The Woman's In Love." It never quite gelled, but all five of us really liked this record. And speaking of this record, I loved it in 1980 and I really enjoyed it tonight. It has a few clams, but it's mostly a solid hard rock record with amazing playing throughout. Thanks to hpunch for the nudge.)

8/24/25

Allen Toussaint- American Tunes (2016)- ****
Django Reinhardt- Chronological Classics, 1935-1936 (1993)- ***1/2
Charles Brown- Cocktail Combos (1997)- ***1/2

Homer & Jethro- The King Years (2019, Personal Playlist)- ****
(It was Marshall Crenshaw who hipped me to the fact that these guys were far more than a joke act. Great harmonies, killer guitar playing. Just a whole lotta fun!)

The Beatles- Beatles VI (1965, MONO)- ****
Tommy McLain- I Ran Down Every Dream (2022)- ****
The Beatles- Help Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (1965, MONO)- ***1/2
Frankie Valli/The Four Seasons- 25th Anniversary Collection: Personal Edit (1987/2025)- ****
The Beatles- Hey Jude (1970) - ****
Nine Inch Nails- Pretty Hate Machine (1989) - ****