Category: music
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Thompson Twins, In the Name of Love, 1982 on Arista
This was the first Thompson Twins album in the US – a compilation of two tracks from 1981’s A Product Of . . . (their debut album in the UK) and 8 tracks from their followup 1982 album Set. Set was produced by Steve Lillywhite and had Alannah Currie replacing Jane Shorter who was on…
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Peter Gabriel, Peter Gabriel, 1978 on Atlantic.
The second in the series of self-titled albums Gabriel put out between 1977 and 1982, this one is sometimes called Peter Gabriel 2 or known as “Scratch” to differentiate it from the others, based on the cover art (by Hipgnosis). Produced by Robert Fripp, with Frippertronics on “Exposure.” In the UK this was on Charisma,…
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Aretha Franklin, Aretha Arrives, 1967 on Columbia
Aretha’s 11th album and second for Atlantic – the follow up to I Never Loved a Man. Includings covers of the Rolling Stone’s “Satisfaction” and the ? and the Mysterian’s “96 Tears” as well as “You Are My Sunshine” and “That’s Life.” Sometimes gets dismissed as the weak follow up to her Atlantic debut, but…
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Ella Fitzgerald, Ella at the Hollywood Bowl: The Irving Berlin Songbook, 2022 on Verve
Recorded in August 1958, but not released until 2022, this concert followed the release of the Ella Fitzgerald Sings The Irving Berlin Songbook LP. The concert was conducted and arranged by Paul Weston, who had played the same role in the LP. There’s an animated video for Puttin’ on the Ritz, one of the songs…
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Georg Holm, Orri Páll Dýrason, Hilmar Örn Hilmarsson, and Kjartan Holm, Circe, 2015 on Krúnk
Two members of Sigur Rós (Holm and Dýrason) working with Icelandic composer Hilmarsson and Georg Holm’s brother Kjartan (touring guitarist with the band) on the soundtrack to The Show of Shows – a documentary by Benedikt Erlingsson on vaudeville, circuses, and carnivals that aired on the BBC as part of Storyville (unfortunately listed as “not…
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The Who, The Kids Are Alright, 1979 on Polydor
The Soundtrack LP to the 1979 rock documentary The Kids Are Alright, with performances from 1965 to 1978. It was originally released on MCA Records in the US and Polydor in the UK – my copy is a reissue from 2019 on Polydor based on a 2017 remastering by Jon Astley. Note the record labels…
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Magnolia Record Club Presents Spotify Singles Vol. 2, 2022
Second volume in the series – see Magnolia Record Club Presents Spotify Singles for the first volume. Manufactured and distributed by Dualtone, but labelled only as Magnolia Record Club. This one includes: It’s a great collection – mostly from the Spotify studios. Likely digitally recorded though they don’t say, but sounds great.
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Mary Gauthier, Rifles & Rosary Beads, 2018 on In The Black
All the songs on this LP were co-written with service members and spouses – and a portion of the proceeds go to SongwritingWith:Soldiers. Bullet Holes in the Sky sticks with me the most – cowritten with Jamie Trent: It’s the 11th of November down in Nashville Tennessee Free breakfast at the Waffle House if I…
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Herb Ellis, At Montreux, 1980 on Concord Jazz (CJ-116)
Recorded live by Mountain Studios at the Montreux Jazz Festival, Montreux, Switzerland July 1979. With: Produced by Carl Jefferson, who founded Concord Records (as well as the Concord Summer Festival in Concord CA) and sold it in 1994. My copy via Beverly Coin & Jewel.
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Erroll Garner, Feeling is Believing, 1970 on Mercury
Garner’s first album in the 1970s, with five of his own compositions plus recordings of the Beatle’s “Yesterday;” Blood, Sweat, & Tears’ “Spinning Wheel;” “For Once In My Life;” “Strangers in the Night;” and the Hal David Burt Bacharach “The Look Of Love.” Listed as “A Product of Octave Records” – who are currently reissuing…
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Billy Strings, Renewal, 2021 on Rounder
I first heard of Billy Strings because he started showing up in YouTube recommended videos next to lots of other performers I follow – sometimes actually duetting with them, other times just at the same festivals or similar stages. Seems like the classic word-of-mouth artist, making it by spending his time on the festival circuit,…
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Johnnie Frierson, Have You Been Good To Yourself, 2016 on Light in the Attic
Took a flyer on this one at a $10 sale at Vinyl Destination in Lowell, based on my appreciation of other Light in the Attic reissues – it’s really a wonderful collection. Call it lo-fi gospel with some almost spoken word production. Frierson originally put these recordings out on home-produced cassettes in the 1990s but…
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Boogaloo Joe Jones, No Way!, 1971 on Prestige
Jones is joined by Grover Washington, Jr, Sonny Phillips, Butch Cornell, Jimmy Lewis, and Bernard Purdie. Recording by Rudy Van Gelder with Bob Porter. Great early seventies soul/jazz fusion. My copy is the Vinyl Me, Please reissue in the Classics track from 2022, via Craft Recordings (CR00476).
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Preservation Hall Jazz Band at the Cabot, December 2nd 2024
I’ve long been a fan of Preservation Hall – a New Orleans institution dedicated to protect, preserve, and perpetuate traditional jazz. The full Preservation Hall Jazz Band is some 60 members strong, currently, but this sextet is out touring a Creole Christmas celebration. (upcoming dates). Left to right, that’s Clint Maedgen on saxophone and vocals…
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Willie Nelson, Always On My Mind, 1982 on Columbia.
I had always thought that “Always on My Mind” was a much older song than 1982 – and it turns out it is. It was recorded by Brenda Lee in 1972 – but Willie’s take didn’t come out until 1982. The album also includes Willie’s takes on “Do Right, Do Right Woman,” “A Whiter Shade…
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Leonard Cohen, Songs of Leonard Cohen, 1968 on Columbia
You don’t often find Leonard Cohen LPs in record stores as people tend to hold on to them to the end. Even if you haven’t had a turntable in years you’re reluctant to give these up. Cohen is one of those artists I came to a bit later in life but feels like he’s always…
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Dawes, Misadventures of Doomscroller, 2022 on Rounder
I’m a huge fan of Dawes going back to Nothing is Wrong in 2011 and look forward to everything they put out. (They’re also playing the Cabot Theater in December). There’s more long-form instrumental work here – two tracks clocking in at 9 minutes plus. Those longer, proggier songs may be to distract you from…
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Savages, Adore Life, 2016 on Matador
Sophomore LP from English post-punk band fronted by Gemma Thompson (guitar) and Jehnny Beth (vocals), with Ay?e Hassan (bass) and Fay Milton (drums). Love the post-punk revival sound here but they’re no tribute act – this is vibrant compelling and modern. Unfortunately they’ve not released any new music since 2017. Found this copy at Vinyl…