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Chet Baker, Chet, 1959 on Riverside
The labels carry a subtitle of “Ballads by Chet Baker,” and the rear cover suggests “The lyrical trumpet of Chet Baker” but most people just call it Chet. Riverside RLP 12-299 (mono) and RLP 1135 (stereo). He’s joined here by Pepper Adams, Paul Chambers, Herbie Mann, Bill Evans, and Philly Joe Jones / Connie Kay…
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Aqualung, Dead Letters, 2022 on Okey-Donkey
First studio album from Matt Hales (aka Aqualung) in ~7 years. You may remember Aqualung from “Brighter Than Sunshine” or “Strange and Beautiful.” Illustrations by T.S. Hales “when she was 3 and saw it all.” Beautiful album – a real return to form. My copy via Waterloo Records in Austin TX
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Shawn Colvin, Uncovered, 2015 on Fantasy
This is actually at least Colvin’s second album of covers, ~20 years after she put out Cover Girl (1994). Some well known tunes here – Paul Simon’s “American Tune,” Gerry Rafferty’s “Baker Street,” and Tom Waits/Kathleen Brennan’s “Hold On” – but also some lesser known songs – Robbie Robertson’s “Acadian Driftwood,” Graham Nash’s “I Used…
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Old Crow Medicine Show Tiny Desk Concert
Old Crow Medicine Show on NPR’s Tiny Desk Concert series:
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Doomtree, False Hopes, 2007 on Doomtree Records
Doomtree are a hip-hop collective (and record label) from Minneapolis, including Dessa, Cecil Otter, P.O.S., Sims, Mike Mictian, Paper Tiger, and Lazerbeak. False Hopes came out (on CD) before their “debut” album, self-titled Doomtree, in 2008. There were many other “False Hopes” CDs of individual artists. The bandcamp for this release claims “This is the…
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Sly & Robbie; The Sixties, Seventies + Eighties = Taxi; 1981 on Mango
Great collection of songs produced by Sly Dunbar & Robbie Shakespeare, whose production company and label were both called Taxi, released on Mango which was an Island Records subsidiary focused on Caribbean artists. Great covers of Herbie Hancock’s “Watermelon Man” and the Lennon-McCartney “I Should Have Known Better” as well as some more traditional ska…
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The Allman Brothers Band, Eat a Peach, 1972 on Capricorn
Third studio album from the Allman Brothers Band, with a mixture of live and studio recordings, including some from the Fillmore East performances in 1971. Released after Duane Allman died in a motorcycle crash in Macon Georgia. The extended “Mountain Jam” is spread across two sides, B and D. The song “One Way Out” is…
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Nat King Cole, You’re My Everything, 1967 on Pickwick/33
Somehow this week has turned into posthumous collection week – this compilation was put out by Pickwick/33 in 1967 (Cole died in 1965), drawn from various Capitol Records releases. My copy is a Canadian pressing (see the “Made in Canada” on rim text on the label) via Beatnick Records in Montréal QC
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Big Joe Turner, Rhythm & Blues Years, 1986 on Atlantic
Although this compilation was put out by Atlantic in 1986 (Turner died in late 1985), the recordings come from the 1950s. Turner met the Erteguns at the Apollo Theater in 1951 and made five albums plus many singles and EPs on Atlantic during those years. Great 2xLP with a gatefold and liner notes including contributions…
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Angel Olsen, Whole New Mess, 2020 on Jagjaguwar
Whole New Mess presents new takes on the tracks from Angel Olsen‘s 2019 All Mirrors: though actually the Whole New Mess versions were recorded earlier, in 2018 at The Unknown, a studio in a former church in Anacortes Washington. (It is labeled as “the primer and precursor to All Mirrors“). It was produced by Michael…
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Annie Lennox, Nostalgia, 2014 on Blue Note
Annie Lennox is of course best well known as one half of the dynamic duo that recorded and performed as Eurythmics, but she’s also made a number of wonderful solo albums, going back to 1992’s Diva. This record, issued in the Blue Note Records 75th Anniversary series, has Lennox covering blues / jazz / soul…
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Eels, The Myspace Transmissions / Transmission Session 2009, 2009 on E Works
I’m a huge fan of Mark Oliver Everett (aka E) and Eels so was super excited to find this record at Down in the Valley in Golden Valley MN. These were made available for streaming and download at www.myspace.com/transmissions/ though I don’t think they are there anymore. Great version of Dylan’s “Girl From the North…
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Various Artists, Something About Joy Division, 1990 on Vox Pop
Great compilation / tribute to Joy Division on Italian label Vox Pop. Tracklist: The second edition was not a gatefold (which makes sense since the inside of the gatefold is just blank white anyway). I especially enjoy the versions of “Colony,” “Love Will Tear Us Apart” (piano and vocals), “Shadowplay” (acoustic guitar driven), and Warsaw…
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Ry Cooder, The Slide Area, 1982 on Warner Bros.
Ry Cooder is a long time favorite who still has a tendency to fly a bit under the popular radar (though musicians do tend to love him). This 1982 album I guess you’d call sort of mid-career though he’s still active so hard to say what that means – his 10th full length LP. Includes…
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Joe Jackson, Look Sharp!, 1979 on A&M
Joe Jackson’s debut full length, with “Is She Really Going Out With Him?,” “Fools In Love,” and “Sunday Papers.” Love this iconic cover photo by Brian Griffin. Recorded at Eden Studios in London, with the band including Graham Maby, Dave Houghton, and Gary Sanford – produced by David Kershenbaum. My copy is a promotional pressing…
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Joe Turner, Singing the Blues, 1967 on BluesWay / ABC
“Big” Joe Turner here with Buddy Lucas, Patti Bown, Wally Richardson, Thornel Schwartz, Bob Bushnell, Panama Francis, and Herbie Lovelle. This was his debut album on BluesWay though he was already ~30 years into his career. This then is Joe Turner with a voice a little more mellow than of yore, but still uniquely alive…
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Gerry Mulligan, Concert Days, 1966 on Sunset Records
Although this compilation came out in the mid-sixties, the recordings are all from 1954-1957. Thanks to the Gerry Mulligan Discography compiled by Antoine Perier, Gérard Dugely, and Kenneth Hallqvist, they would seem to be: My copy is a Canadian pressing via Aux 33 Tours in Montreal, QC
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Boygenius, The Record, 2023 on Interscope
Julien Baker, Phoebe Bridgers, and Lucy Dacus follow up to their self-titled EP as boygenius back in 2018. Loved that EP and all the other collaborations they’ve done together, and this full album is wonderful. Look forward to hearing more from them together and separately. Produced by boygenius with additional production by Ethan Gruska, Melina…