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ZZ Top, Rio Grande Mud, 1972 on London Records
Second album from the Texas blues/rock trio of Billy Gibbons, Dusty Hill, and Frank Beard. London Records basically represented Decca in the US from 1947 to 1980. I love all of their output up to (and including) Eliminator in 1983 – after that I feel like there is a bit of a fall off into…
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Simon & Garfunkel, Bookends, 1968 on Columbia
I’m not sure there are any missteps anywhere in the Simon & Garfunkel songbook (or even across Paul Simon’s solo work), but if there is it isn’t on this LP. I didn’t ask to be an old man Produced by Simon, Garfunkel, and Roy Halee who also Engineered. My copy via a record fair at…
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Jenny Don’t and The Spurs, Fire on the Ridge, 2021 on Fluff and Gravy Records
One of the great finds curated for me by VNYL, to which I used to subscribe. Something of a cowpunk / outlaw country outfit from Portland OR (not normally thought of as the home of country music). Jenny Connors (aka Jenny Don’t) previously fronted a punk outfit called DON’T along with Kelly Halliburton who also…
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Shovels & Rope, Busted Jukebox Volume 2, 2018 on Shrimp / New West
I’m a sucker for a good cover/tribute album, perhaps especially with an Americana / Alt-Country / Folk twist. This volume 2 came out digitally in 2017 but on vinyl in 2018 – Volume One was released in 2015 digitally and on vinyl in 2016 – it’s still in my wishlist. There’s a third as well,…
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Wall of Voodoo, Ring of Fire (Remix) / The Morricone Themes (Live), 1982 on Index
12″ single from Stan Ridgway and Wall of Voodoo. The live tracks were recorded live at “The Barn” (Barstow CA?) November 22, 1980. Not sure why they chose to label Hang ‘Em High as composed by Morricone as it wasn’t – it was actually composed by Dominic Frontiere. My copy via a record fair at…
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Johnny Cash, I Walk the Line, 1971 on Hilltop / Pickwick.
Labelled as Pickwick/33 on the cover, by arrangement with Share records, but then with Hilltop yellow labels – discount reissue of material previously released on Sun Records. (Share acquired Sun’s catalog in 1969; Pickwick/33 was a subsidiary of Pickwick International which also owned Hilltop – Hilltop focused on country/western.). There are so many reissues of…
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Aretha Franklin, I Never Loved A Man The Way I Love You, 1967 on Atlantic
My copy is a 2022 reissue by Vinyl Me, Please as a part of their Essentials track. It was actually Franklin’s tenth studio album but her first release on Atlantic. Imagine having Respect as the lead off track on your debut album at a new label? Not that the nine albums at Columbia aren’t good…
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Billy F Gibbons, Hardware, 2021 on Concord Records
Billy Gibbons is best known as one third of ZZ Top, but has released a lot of music under other side brands as well. This LP, his third “solo” recording, came out in 2021 and is Gibbons working with Mike Fiorentino, Matt Sorum, and Chad Shlosser. I also saw Gibbons at the Cabot Theater in…
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Lisa Hannigan, At Swim, 2016 on ATO Records
Like many people, I first got familiar with Lisa Hannigan given her role on Damien Rice’s debut record O, but it is well worth checking out her solo work which starts around 2009 with Sea Sew. This LP, her third, was produced by omnipresent Aaron Dessner of The National. My copy via Newbury Comics in…
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Juluka, Scatterlings, 1982 on Warner Bros Records
US version on Warner Bros – globally came out on Safari Records, Lark, and/or MINC. Johnny Clegg – sometimes referred to as Le Zoulou Blanc (“the White Zulu”) founded Juluka in the late seventies and came to my attention in association with the anti-apartheid movement in the early 80s. This was their fourth full length…
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John Mayall, Jazz Blues Fusion, 1972 on Polydor
Mayall is joined here by Larry Taylor, Freddy Robinson, Ron Selico, Clifford Solomon and Blue Mitchell – adding sax and trumpet to his traditional blues approach. Recoded in Boston (venue unstated) November 18th, 1971 and then at Hunter College in New York on December 3rd and 4th. My copy via a record fair at Mill…
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Ramblin’ Jack Elliott, Hard Travelin’: songs by Woody Guthrie and others, 1977 on Fantasy
This is really a 2xLP reissue of two Prestige records: Jack Elliott Sings The Songs of Woody Guthrie (1960) and Ramblin’ Jack Elliott (1961). Fantasy purchased the catalog of Prestige, Riverside, and Milestone in the early seventies. My copy is a pressing from some time in the 80s with the blue Fantasy labels, which I…
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Laura Veirs, My Echo, 2020 on Raven Marching Band Records
Portland Oregon singer-songwriter who’s been putting out consistently strong records since 1999’s self-titled debut. Produced by Tucker Martine, with a set of musicians including Karl Blau, Justin Chase, Steve Moore, and Tim Young and guest spots from Bill Frisell, M. Ward and Jim James. My copy (on pink translucent vinyl) via Newbury Comics in Boston.
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Bob Dylan, Fallen Angels, 2016 on Columbia
While I realize it’s not for everyone, I really like elder statesman Bob, here working his way through standards like Come Rain or Come Shine, Skylark, and Young at Heart. Producer credit to Jack Frost (a Dylan psuedonym). Supporting musicians include Tony Garnier, George Recile, Donne Herron, Charlie Sexton, Dean Parks, and Stu Kimball. Then…
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De La Soul, Stakes Is High, 1996 on Tommy Boy
So happy to see De La Soul’s catalog get reissued with quality new pressings. Three Feet High and Rising was one of my favorite hip hop albums of the 80s and their work continued to be strong well into and beyond this album. My copy of this (Stakes is High) is a 2023 reissue on…
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Peter Schilling, Error in the System, 1983 on Elektra
Most well known for “Major Tom (Coming Home)” which was a top 20 hit in the US. Unfortunately the runaway success of that single relegated Schilling to something of a one-hit wonder – too bad, as it is really an interesting album and suggests he might have had a more interesting career. My copy had…
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Marvin Gaye, What’s Going On, 1971 on Tamla.
My copy is a late 90s reissue on 180g vinyl with replicated artwork, which I picked up at a record fair at Mill No. 5 in Lowell. This is a must-have in every collection – find an older pressing if you can or a modern quality reissue. If you don’t know this album, go get…
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Johnny Hodges and Earl “Fatha” Hines, Stride Right, 1966 on Verve.
Produced by Creed Taylor, and recorded January 14th, 1966 at Rudy Van Gelder’s in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey. Hodges (alto sax) and Hines (piano & organ) are joined by Kenny Burrell (guitar), Richard Davis (bass), and Joe Marshall (drums). My cop via Beverly Coin & Jewelry, which has a surprisingly strong and curated vinyl selection.