Category: music
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Bruce Cockburn, Waiting for a Miracle: Singles 1970-1987, 1987 on True North
Collection of singles from Canada’s Bruce Cockburn, whose career ranged widely from folk to what we might call world music to rock. Cockburn was a Berklee School of Music dropout before being a dropout from Berkelee was de rigeur. I first found Cockburn via “If I Had A Rocket Launcher” and his association with various…
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The Honeydrippers, Volume One, 1984 on Es Paranza
Robert Plant’s early 80s group dedicated to reproducing the sound of R&B, which had a big hit with a cover of “Sea of Love.” The title, Volume One, turned out to be aspirational as it was their only LP. The lineup, however, includes (in addition to Plant): Jimmy Page, Jeff Beck, Paul Shaffer, Nile Rodgers,…
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Wall of Voodoo, The Ugly Americans in Australia, 1988 on I.R.S. Records
Live Wall of Voodoo recorded on their 1987 tour in Australia, primarily at The Palace in Melbourne. The cover painting is by Robert Williams (aka Robt. Wms.). This was their last output on I.R.S. and basically the end of their label support – after this things were self-released or reissues. My copy—via Vinyl Destination in…
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The Romantics, Strictly Personal, 1981 on Nemporer
Third album from The Romantics, who originally came out of Detroit MI. Look at the new wave style here – matching pink leather suits and bolo ties. Did not reach the same heights as their self-titled debut and “What I Like About You” but continues in that same sound. Nemperor was a label founded by…
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Flesh for Lulu, Long Live The New Flesh, 1987 on Beggars Banquet / Capitol
Third full-length album from Brixton London post-punks Nick Marsh, James Mitchell, Rocco Barker, Derek “Del Boy” Greening, and Kevin Mills—and their first on Beggars Banquet/Capitol. (Capitol in the US, Beggars Banquet in the UK). The lead single “I Go Crazy” was featured in the film Some Kind of Wonderful and became a minor hit. This…
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Cactus World News, Urban Beaches, 1986 on MCA
This was the debut album for Cactus World News, with a different cover in US and UK editions- this one is the US cover. They were an early 80s band in Dublin, and had the good fortune to have Bono produce their first single “The Bridge” (a re-recording of which is on this album). What…
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T-Bone Burnett, Trap Door, 1982 on Warner Bros.
Most people think of T-Bone Burnett these days as a Grammy-winning producer associated with Americana and roots music, but has also long been a solo artist releasing music since the 80s. This EP was Burnett’s first release on Warner Bros, after leaving Takoma. Rhino released a compilation including this EP and the companion EP Behind…
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Flesh for Lulu, Plastic Fantastic, 1989 on Capitol / Beggar’s Banquet
This was the fourth studio LP from Flesh for Lulu, and the second on Beggar’s Banquet (in the UK) and Capitol (in the US). “Decline and Fall” from this LP was a hit on the “modern rock tracks” charts. It would also be their last studio LP. (Gigantic was later released under the Flesh for…
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Bob Marley & The Wailers, Babylon By Bus, 1978 on Island
Wonderful live album recorded (despite the maps on the inner sleeves showing the US leg of the tour) in Paris, Copenhagen, London, and Amsterdam. It’s 2xLP but not a gatefold. It’s die-cut in the front windows of the bus, so depending on the order you put the printed inner sleeves you determine what shows through.…
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John Mayall, Down The Line, 1973 on London Records
Compilation of songs previously released: First LP includes songs from Blues Breakers, A Hard Road, Crusade, The Blues Alone, Bare Wires, Blues From Laurel Canyon, and Looking Back, and the second LP is John Mayall Plays John Mayall (1965) which was never released on vinyl in the US (and had not been issued in the…
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Blues Brothers, Made in America, 1980 on Atlantic
The Blues Brothers’ second album, released the same year the film came out (1980). Lots of folks are surprised (I was) that the Blues Brothers pre-existed the film – they performed on Saturday Night Live in April 1978 and put out Briefcase Full of Blues that same year. The band on this release includes, in…
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The Alarm, Change, 1989 on I.R.S. Records
We recently lost Mike Peters of The Alarm, after a 30 year battle with cancer. He also had a lengthy solo career following the band’s breakup in the early 90s, and founded the Love Hope Strength Foundation. This album was their penultimate with the original lineup, and has NID YN CYMRU AR WERTH carved into…
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Flesh For Lulu, Big Fun City, 1985 on Statik Records
This was the sophomore studio album by Brixton’s Flesh For Lulu, released by London-based Statik Records in 1985. Nick Marsh (vocals, guitar), James Mitchell (drums), Kevin Mills (bass), Rocco Baker (guitar), with Cassell Webb (percussion). Great mid-eighties post-punk / gothic sound. They later signed to Beggars Banquet and then Capitol Records. My copy—via the now-defunct…
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The Modern Lovers, The Modern Lovers, 1976 on Beserkley
Jonathan Richman and the Modern Lovers are part of the indie rock canon, especially here in greater Boston. They formed in Natick MA in 1970, and were active from 1970 to 1974, but most of their records came out later – this one in 1976. Jerry Harrison (of Talking Heads) gets credit for piano, organ,…
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Nilsson, Pussy Cats, 1974 on RCA Victor
I first came to discover Harry Nilsson via The Point!, the fable accompanied by an animated film adaptation that aired on ABC in 1971. (I was too young for it at the time but came upon it later). I then came to realize all the songs he was responsible for and how deep and broad…
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Various Artists, The Best of Chess Blues, 1987 on Chess / MCA
Great 2xLP 80s compilation of the post-war blues that made Chess such a critical label, issued by MCA who acquired the rights to the Chess catalog in the mid-eighties. My copy—via Mel’s Record Shop in Amesbury MA—is a 1987 pressing by MCA Records’ plant in Gloversville, NY.
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Wall of Voodoo, Dark Continent, 1981 on I.R.S. Records
This was the debut album for Wall of Voodoo, before the big hit “Mexican Radio” which was on their follow-up Call of the West. In addition to the immensely talented Stan Ridgway (credited here as “Stanard Ridgway”) the band here includes Bruce Moreland, Joe Nanini, Marc Moreland, and Chas Gray. A live version of “Back…
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Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble, Texas Flood, 1983 on Epic
Hard to believe given how fully formed the sound is, but this was the debut album for Vaughan and Double Trouble. Said to have been recorded in two days with no overdubs. What a fantastic debut: “Love Struck Baby,” “Pride and Joy,” and the title track lead off side one. The band here is Vaughan…