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Black Nasty, Talking To The People, 1973 on Enterprise

Enterprise was a sub-label of Stax, and released the early solo work of Isaac Hayes. It is actually named after the Star Trek spaceship – Al Bell was…

Lou Rawls, Come On In, Mister Blues, 1969 on Pickwick/33

One has to be careful about some of these discount releases on Pickwick/33 – they were a discount label for a reason, offering cheap compilations of previously released…

Julie Byrne, The Greater Wings, 2023 on Ghostly International

This is Byrne’s first release on Ghostly International and third full-length. Her collaborator and partner Eric Littmann died suddenly during the recording of the album which he was…

Neil Young, Bottom Line 1974, The Radio Broadcast, 2018 on Parachute

Although this claims to be a radio broadcast (likely to make it appear legit under EU copyright laws which treat broadcasted material differently) it’s likely actually an audience…

Irma Thomas, Down at Muscle Shoals, 1984 on Chess

Thomas recorded for Chess in the late sixties, and made this recording at Fame Recording Studios in Muscle Shoals in 1967, but the album was not released until…

Dr. John, Desitively Bonnaroo, 1974 on ATCO

Dr. John’s seventh solo LP, Desitively Bonnaroo is the source of the name for the Bonnaroo music festival. It was produced by Allen Toussaint, who is also credited…

Nina Simone, Silk & Soul, 1967 on RCA Victor

This was Simone’s second album for RCA, following Nina Simone Sings the Blues, and was recorded in RCA Victor Studio B in New York. It includes great renditions…

Nickel Creek, Celebrants, 2023 on Repair Records

The first Nickel Creek album since 2014 and a welcome reunion for Chris Thile, Sara Watkins, and Sean Watkins, all of whom have been busy doing other things….

The Decemberists, I’ll Be Your Girl, 2018 on Capitol

The Decemberists is one of my top twenty bands of all time – I could leave their discography on repeat all week and never tire of them. That…

Bruce Springsteen, Nebraska, 1982 on Columbia

Springsteen’s sixth studio album, which he recorded himself on a four track to use as demos but then decided to release them directly. (Somewhere in the vaults exist…

Leo Kottke, Ice Water, 1974 on Capitol

Although he was born in Georgia, I think of Kottke as another Minneapolis folkie. He’s one of the folks who, when I find an album I don’t have,…

Oliver Nelson with Eric Dolphy, Straight Ahead, 1961 on Prestige / New Jazz

Nelson on sax and clarient, with Dolphy also on sax, bass clarinet, and flute, supported by Richard Wyands on piano, George Duvivier on bass, and Roy Haynes on…

Various Artists, L80s: So Unusual, 2023 on Numero Group

Really interesting package here – the sleeve is basically denim, with a pocket looking like an 80s jeans pocket, complete with lipstick mark and phone number (which actually…

Japanese Breakfast, Soft Sounds From Another Planet, 2017 on Dead Oceans

First release on Dead Oceanes from Michelle Zauner, aka Japanese Breakfast, and her/their second full length LP. It’s an eclectic record but I really enjoy it. (The AV…

Prince, Controversy, 1981 on Warner Bros.

Prince’s fourth full-length album, which he wrote, produced, and played most the instruments on. (André Cymone gets co-writing credit on “Do Me Baby” on some later versions, but…

David Bowie, The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars, 1972 on RCA Victor

I came to this album indirectly and backwards – from the Bauhaus cover (“Ziggy played guitar, jamming good with Weird and Gilley, and the Spiders from Mars”). But…

La Lupe, Queen of Latin Soul / Reina De La Canción Latina, 1968 on Tico

Guadalupe Victoria Yolí Raymond – aka La Lupe – was a Cuban singer who emigrated from Cuba in the early 60s. (According to Wikipedia, while performing in Havana,…

Baby Rose, Through and Through, 2023 on Secretly Canadian

Debut album on Secretly Canadian for Baby Rose (aka Jasmine Rose Wilson) and her second album. Sort of a psychelic soul throwback – her voice gets lots of…

Tinsley Ellis at Shalin Liu, Rockport

If you’ve never been to the Shalin Liu performing arts center in Rockport, it’s a fantastic venue, with a large scale window backing up to Rockport Harbor. Last…

boygenius, boygenius, 2018 on Matador

Phoebe Bridgers, Lucy Dacus, and Julien Baker are boygenius – this was their debut self-titled EP, which came out in 2018. They recorded and produced the EP in…