Category: music
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Willie Nelson, Willie Nelson and Family, 1971 on RCA Victor
Nelson’s 12th studio album, while he was still at RCA Records, before moving to Atlantic. Some covers – “I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry,” “Sunday Mornin’ Coming Down,” “Fire and Rain,” and “Today I Started Loving You Again” – as well as some Nelson originals like “I Can Cry Again” and “That’s Why I Love…
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Bill Evans, Live at the Village Vanguard, 1967 on Riverside
This is actually a reissue of what originally came out in 1961 (also on Riverside) as Sunday at the Village Vanguard, credited to the Bill Evans Trio “featuring Scott La Faro.” La Faro died in a car accident less than two weeks after the gig was recorded. Evans on piano, La Faro on bass, and…
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Various Artists, Everyone’s Getting Involved: A Tribute to Talking Heads’ Stop Making Sense, 2024 on A24 Music
Tribute album on Amazon’s label timed with the release of the 40th anniversary restored film Stop Making Sense. Tracklist: It’s fair to say none of these are exactly revolutionary covers of fundamentally mind-blowing – but it is fun to hear an alternative version of a favorite album. My copy direct from Amazon.com
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Neil Young, Live at the Cellar Door (1970), 2013 on Reprise
Recorded in 1970, and long circulating in various bootleg versions, this was released finally om 2013 as part of the Neil Young Archives Performance Series. Young performed over six nights at The Cellar Door in Washington DC – solo with acoustic guitar and piano. (He actually does “Cinnamon Girl” on piano). My copy, via a…
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JoBoxers, Like Gangbusters, 1983 on RCA
I had not actually heard of JoBoxers but took a flyer on this one just based on the sheer 80s new-waveness of the cover – the hair, the braces, the hats: vaguely Depeche Mode, vaguely Dexy’s Midnight Runners. They were a UK new wave band, who toured opening for Madness – their debut single “Boxerbeat”…
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The Police, Outlandos D’Amour, 1978 on A&M
Outlandos D’Amour was the debut album by The Police, released on A&M in 1978. You’ll find cover variations with red, yellow, and green lettering – I don’t think there’s any logic to that, just variety. Love this whole album from the jump: “Next To You” / “So Lonely” / Roxanne” And “Hole in My Life”…
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Buck Clayton, Swingin’ and Dancing, 1964 on Mode Disques
I do a fair amount of record shopping while traveling, and picked up this Buck Clayton (et sa trompette) at La Fin Du Vinyle in Montreal, on Mode Disques, which was a sub-label of Disques Vogue, a French label. The liner notes are presented in French, English, and German. Personnel here include Jean-Claude Pelletier, Jean…
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David Bowie, The Lost Sessions, Vol 1, 2020 on Parachute Recording Company
Another Parachute Recording Company release, which collects radio broadcasts subject to different copyrights in the EU. In this case, that includes appearances Bowie made on: As is not uncommon with bootlegs, some tracks are misidentified / mislabelled: C14 is not Janine but the 4:42 version of “The Width of a Circle,” and C15 is not…
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Steve Earle, Guitar Town, 1986 on MCA Records
Earle’s debut album from the mid-eighties – note the proud “Digital Recording” stamp on the cover (where now you’d see “All Analog” promoted). Topped the country charts, and the title single made #7 on the country singles charts. I think Earle’s really matured into a wonderful elder statesman of a certain kind of roots /…
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T. Rex, T. Rextasy: The Best of T. Rex, 1970-1973, 1985 on Warner Bros.
Mid-eighties compilation of T. Rex. Between 1970 and 1973, the band had eleven top 10 singles in the UK – including many here. Produced by Tony Visconti. I came to T. Rex indirectly through The Replacements (who covered “20th Century Boy” on Let it Be), Bauhaus (who covered “Telegram Sam”) and The Power Station (who…
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Neil Young, Neil Young, 1969 on Reprise
Young’s debut solo album. It can be tricky to keep all the chronology straight here, as someone who came to Young much later in his career – but this is following his departure from Buffalo Springfield and before the first Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young record. Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere (with Crazy Horse) was…
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Ella Fitzgerald & Louis Armstrong, Ella & Louis: Complete Studio Small Group Recordings, 2015 on Waxtime
Waxtime is sometimes a controversial label. Based on some differences between US and EU copyright law, they’re releasing classic jazz recordings without explicit access o the source material. This means they might be working from a CD, or even a needle-drop on a good vinyl copy- but the source material is more or less unofficial.…
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Dessa, Bury the Lede, 2023 on Doomtree Records
Dessa is a part of the hip-hop collective Doomtree out of MInneapolis – great collection of artists and she is (for me) one of the standouts. She was also cohost of the Deeply Human podcast in 2021-2022. My copy is a signed red-vinyl “Collector’s Edition” via Waterloo Records in Austin TX. Unfortunately my copy did…
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The Replacements, Don’t Tell a Soul, 1989 on Sire / Reprise
This was the Replacements first album with Slim Dunlop replacing Bob Stinson on guitar. It was recorded in LA, produced by Matt Wallace and mixed by Chris Lord-Alge, purportedly in an attempt to be more radio friendly, though Westerberg said he preferred the rougher approach of other ‘mats albums. I think it’s a wonderful album…
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Junior Walker and the All-Stars, Anthology, 1974 on Motown
While many folks only know Walker and the All-Stars via their first and biggest hit, “Shotgun,” this 2xLP release collects recordings from 1965-1973 – good way to get to know more of their catalog. Motown issued a whole series of Anthology releases in the mid-seventies – mostly 2xLP releases of collections from their best selling…
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Bill Evans, Polka Dots and Moonbeams, 1967 (aka Bill Evans Trio, Moon Beams, 1962) on Riverside
This 1967 reissue of the 1962 album Moon Beams (which was credited to the Bill Evans Trio) is credited to Bill Evans and retitled to Polka Dots and Moonbeams – also given a new cover. (The original cover featured Nico, years before her time with the Velvet Underground). Personnel here include Chuck Israels on bass…
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Charlie Parker, The Mercury & Clef 10-inch LP Collection
This 2021 box collects / reproduces the 10″ LPs put out in the early 1950s: I don’t normally collect 10″ records, but got a good deal on this box, which is very well made, reproducing original covers and labels, and with an included book. Neither of the two “Charlie Parker With Strings” LPs actually has…
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Neil Young with Crazy Horse, World Record, 2022 on Reprise
Great to have Neil Young put out a new album in 2022, his fifteenth with Crazy Horse (including Nils Lofgren, Ralph Molina, and Billy Talbot). Neil Young Archives Official Release Series (NYA ORS) 52. Recorded at Shangri-La in Malibu (Rick Rubin’s studio), and produced by Rubin and Young. Recorded and mastered all analog, as you…