Category: music
-
Soon (Boston Calling 2023)
Got my wristband, registered, connected to credit card. Now just waiting for May 26th
-
Go Go’s, Vacation, 1982 on I.R.S. Records
This was the sophomore release, following Beauty and the Beat. Lead off single “Vacation” was an unavoidable hit that summer. Cowriting credit on “He’s So Strange” to Leonard Phillips from The Dickies and Catie Curtis – otherwise Carlisle, Caffey, Schock, Wiedlin, Valentine. Found my copy at Vinyl Destination in Lowell MA.
-
Boston area record stores
Last week Boston.com shared The ultimate guide to independent record stores in greater Boston, including many of my favorites: Ones they missed, from my POV:
-
John Mayall / Jerry McGee / Larry Taylor, Memories, 1971 on Polydor
More blues without drums from Mayall accompanied by Jerry McGee on dobro & guitar and Larry Taylor (from Canned Heat) on bass. Recorded in 1971 in LA. Via a Thread & Groove record fair at Mill No. 5 in Lowell MA.
-
David Bowie, Space Oddity, (originally) 1969 on Mercury
An album so great they named it three times. 😉 Originally released with the album title “David Bowie” by Philips in the UK, but by Mercury in the US/Canada with the subtitle “Man of Words / Man of Music” added, in 1969; reissued in 1972 as “Space Oddity” to capitalize on the popularity of the…
-
Boston Calling 2023 Lineup
Schedule published for Boston Calling 2023, coming up late next month. (These may change, so get their official iOS / Android app for updates). It’ll be great to see Foo Fighters, who were scheduled for Boston Calling 2022, but cancelled after the passing of Taylor Hawkins. Unfortunately to have the Yeah Yeah Yeahs on at…
-
Twain, Adventure, 2020 on Keeled Scales
Twain‘s third LP, and second on Keeled Scales – came out digitally in 2019, then as an all analogue (AAA) vinyl release in 2020. Mt Davidson is the core of twain with Ken Woodward and Pete Pezzimenti. My copy via VNYL curation
-
Justin Townes Earle, Kids In the Street, 2017 on New West Records
Originally released in 2017, my copy is a 2021 reissue as part of Record Store Day (Black Friday). This was Earle’s penultimate album (the last was The Saint of Lost Causes) and his first on New West. Some great songwriting on Champagne Corolla, Faded Valentine, and really across the album.
-
Missy Elliott, Under Construction, 2002 on Elektra / The Goldmind, Inc.
Originally released in 2002 – my copy is a Vinyl Me, Please 20th anniversary reissue from 2023 on “orange crush” vinyl. What a fantastic release – working with Timbaland and Nisan as producers, guests from Ludacris, Method Man, Jay-Z, Ms. Jade, Beyonce, TLC, and, on the remix of Work It, 50-Cent.
-
The Beatles, Rare Beatles, 1982 on Phoenix Records
One in a series of releases recorded in the early 60s in Hamburg. These were recorded by Ted Taylor in April 1961 – while Ringo was not yet a full-time member he was sitting in for Pete Best that night. Picked up this copy at Vinyl Destination in Lowell MA
-
Led Zeppelin, Houses of the Holy, 1973 on Atlantic
As many record collectors know, it’s increasingly rare to find a reasonably priced Led Zeppelin LP in original pressing – I found this one at Thread & Groove record fair at Mill No. 5 in Lowell – in pretty decent shape. Monster album – the fifth full length, with Over the Hills and Far Away,…
-
Doris Day, Whatever Will Be, Will Be (Que Sera, Sera), 1968 on Harmony
Harmony was Columbia’s “budget” label, first from 1925-1931, but then revived in 1957 into the mid-seventies. While some of the budget labels from that time created poor quality LPs, Harmony’s were the same quality as equivalent Columbia releases – I love finding these. Worth it for the title track alone, there’s a lot of great…
-
Dizzy Gillespie and His Orchestra, Afro, 1954 on Norgran Records
While this came out in 1954 on Norman Granz’s Norgran Records, my copy is a Vinyl Me, Please reissue from 2022, via UMG Recordings/Verve. When Granz formed Verve in 1956 he carried over the Norgran (and Clef) catalog. Verve then was sold to MGM in 1960, Polydor in 1972, and then became part of Universal…
-
Raia Was, Angel I’m Frightened, 2021 (Self-Released).
Raia Was is a New York City based songwriter, vocalist, producer, and pianist. The record was produced by Autre Ne Veut and Raia Was, and the A side was released online back in 2019, but this vinyl edition came out in 2021. I got my copy via VNYL but it’s also available directly from Raia…
-
Tower Defense covers “A Forest”
-
Giant Sand, Heartbreak Pass, 2015 on New West Records
Giant Sand is an Americana / Roots band out of Tucson, AZ who formed originally back in the 80s. My copy, direct from New West, is the 180g limited edition on grey marbled vinyl – sounds great. Songs written by and produced by Howie Gelb, who has recorded with all kinds of bands and performers…
-
Fiona Apple, Extraordinary Machine, 2005 on Epic / Clean Slate
My copy is a 2022 reissue by Vinyl Me, Please. This was Apple’s third LP. The album was initially completed in 2003 with production by John Brion, but the label shelved it. Various tracks and versions started to leak online, but Apple went back into the studio and the record came out in 2005 with…
-
AIR, Moon Safari, 1998 on Caroline/Source.
The debut album from AIR (labelled as “AIR French Band” on the cover – originally released on Source in France and Caroline in the US. My copy is a 2023 reissue on Parlophone via Vinyl Me, Please. (25th anniversary edition, with listening notes by Sophie Frances Kemp). Jean-Benoit Dunckel and Nicolas Godin are the core…