The Rave-Ups are likely best known as the band in Pretty in Pink. (Molly Ringwald’s sister Beth was in a relationship with Jimmer Podrasky, and Ringwald brought John…
Squeeze’s fourth studio LP, between 1980’s Argybargy and 1982’s Sweets from a Stranger. This was the first album after Jools Holland departed, replaced by Paul Carrack, who provided…
Though I imagine it’s the one Supertramp album most folks could name, this was their sixth LP. It’s got “The Logical Song” “Goodbye Stranger” and “Take the Long…
Beck’s second studio LP, following Truth, and credited to the Jeff Beck Group. The cover is René Magritte’s “The Listening Room.” Ron Wood on bass, Rod Stewart on…
BLP 1520, originally released in 1956. Horace Silver on piano with Art Blakey on drums and three different bass players on different cuts: Gene Ramey, Curly Russell, and…
Recorded in 1972 but not released until 2019. More of an album for completists, this is the first time Gaye had performed in a number of years (since…
Eighth studio album from Cat Power, mostly covers with two originals mixed in. Pretty eclectic selection of tunes to cover, from Kander & Ebb’s “New York” through Hank…
Amos’ sophomore album every bit as compelling and memorable as her debut Little Earthquakes. Very much also on repeat throughout the Eckman household in the 1990s – I…
First EP Fleshtones issued, before the release of Roman Gods. Fleshtones were Bill Milhizer, Jan Marek Pakulski, Keith Streng, and Peter Zaremba. Miles Copeland signed them to IRS…
1973’s Sextant was the last LP with the so-called Mwandishi-era sextet: Bennie Maupin, Eddie Henderson, Julian Priester, Buster Williams, and Billy Hart. It was also his debut on…
Johnny Winter’s self-titled official debut album (The Progressive Blues Experiment came out the year before as a kind of unauthorized debut on Sonobeat, then sold to Imperial). Mix…
Clark’s third studio LP, produced by Jay Joyce. Includes “Bigger Boat” (a duet with Randy Newman) and “Who You Thought I Was.” I think Clark is a fantastic…
Tori Amos’ debut album from 1992. I had this CD (and Under the Pink) on constant repeat through graduate school – happy to finally get a copy on…
Beat Surrender (this one at least – there are many things by that name including the Jam’s last single) was a Boston band made up of Paul Souza,…
Labelle were a trio including Patti LaBelle, Nona Hendryx, and Sarah Dash, and grew out of Patti Labelle and the Bluebells. They are the original “Lady Marmalade” power…
First released in 2023, this set was recorded at Teatro Apollo in Lugano Switzerland by RSI Radiotelevisione svizzera (the Swiss Broadcasting subsidary covering Italian speaking Switzerland) on May…
This is was the second in a series of five 2xLP releases on Columbia in 1970-1972 that covered Smith’s recordings for the label. These recordings were made between…
Tinsley Ellis has put out over 20 albums between 1982 and 2024, including more than a dozen on Chicago’s Alligator Records, one of my favorite blues labels (founded…
Frisell on guitar, joined by Don Byron (clarinet, bass clarinet), Guy Klucevskek (accordion), Kermit Driscoll (bass), and Joey Baron (drums). Covers a wide variety of sounds here including…
Fifth studio album from Squeeze, this one including Don Snow, John Bentley, and Gilson Lavis alongside Chris Difford and Glenn Tilbrook. and featuring “Black Coffee in Bed” with…