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Clark Terry, It’s What’s Happenin’: The Varitone Sound of Clark Terry, 1967 on Impulse

Clark Terry with George Duvivier, Dave Bailey, and Don Friedman. Liner notes by Nat Hentoff, produced by Bob Thiele. Impulse was an imprint of ABC Records: “The New…

The Replacements, Unsuitable for Airplay: The Lost KFAI Concert, 2022 on Twin/Tone.

Recorded live at the 7th St Entry on January 23rd, 1981 and released on vinyl as part of Record Store Day in April of 2022, this was also…

Nikki Lane, Highway Queen, 2017 on New West

This was Nikki Lane‘s third studio album and her second on New West. Not sure where she first got called the “First Lady of Outlaw Country” (or whether…

Archie James Cavanaugh, Black and White Raven, 1980 on Black and White Raven, Inc.

Self-released in 1980 but reissued by the Numero Group, Black and White Raven mixes Yacht Rock, Disco, and Gospel with some flavor of Cavanaugh’s native Tlingit heritage. Lots…

Neil Young, Harvest, 1972 on Reprise

Definitely one of my desert island discs (unless I can cheat and count Decade as one release), Harvest came out in 1972. This would be an absolute classic…

Bob Dylan, Blonde on Blonde, 1966 on Columbia

Dylan’s catalog is so extensive and so amazing it’s hard to keep track. Most of it just feels like it’s always just been there – part of the…

Rachel Kiel, Dream Logic, 2020, Self-Released

Kiel is a singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist from North Carolina. This is her fourth full-length album, and features a bunch of guests, including Mitch Easter and Robert Sledge (Ben…

Buddy & Julie Miller, Breakdown on 20th Ave South, 2019 on New West

Buddy & Julie have been releasing great Americana/Roots music since the 90s (for Julie since the 80s), and as a duo since 2001. Buddy’s also been an active…

Naughty By Nature, Naughty By Nature, 1991 on Tommy Boy

Though self-titled, this is actually their second album together, the first (Independent Leaders) being released under the artist name The New Style. The unavoidable massive hit here was…

Taco, After Eight, 1982 on RCA Victor

Taco is one of those bands/artists which fell into a trap after their first single from their debut album becomes a massive hit – Puttin’ on the Ritz…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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”)…