Tag: 2021
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Steve Earle, Townes: The Basics, 2021 on New West
As the back cover explains, the album Townes (a collection of Townes Van Zandt covers) was released in 2009 – but this LP collects the solo guitar and vocal tracks Earle originally recorded. This was issued as a bonus CD – The Basics – along with the CD release of Townes, but then issued for…
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Los Lobos, Native Sons, 2021 on New West
This is a three sided LP, with an etching on the fourth side. Los Lobos, proud Angelenos, covering songs by other Los Angeles bands, including folks like Stephen Stills, Jackson Browne, and the Beach Boys, but also Lalo Guerrero, Thee Midnighters, and Percy Mayfield. The band sounds great as ever, and I love hearing their…
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Sara Watkins, Under the Pepper Tree, 2021 on New West
I’ve been a big fan of Sara Watkins going back to Nickel Creek, I’m With Her, and her solo work. Great versions of “Pure Imagination” and “Tumbling Tumbleweeds.” Produced by Tyler Chester and with guests from I’m With Her and Nickel Creek My copy direct from New West
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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 normally thought of as the home of country music). Jenny Connors (aka Jenny Don’t) previously fronted a punk outfit called DON’T along with Kelly Halliburton who also…
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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 “solo” recording, came out in 2021 and is Gibbons working with Mike Fiorentino, Matt Sorum, and Chad Shlosser. I also saw Gibbons at the Cabot Theater in…
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Chrissie Hynde, Standing in the Doorway: Chrissie Hynde Sings Bob Dylan, 2021 on BMG
I’m a sucker for a cover album, especially one dedicated to a specific artist. I’m also a huge fan of both Bob Dylan and Chrissie Hynde, so it should not be surprising I was excited to find this record. Hynde is joined by The Pretenders‘ James Walbourne and engineer/producer Tchad Blake, but the instrumentation and…
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Various Artists, Broken Hearts & Dirty Windows: Songs of John Prine vol. 2, 2021 on Oh Boy Records (OBR-063).
Second volume of tributes to John Prince via Oh Boy. Great collection of songs and versions, but standouts for me include Brandi Carlile’s “I Remember Everything,” Valerie June’s “Summer’s End,” and Jason Isbell’s “Souvenirs.” Volume 1 I have digitally, but also is on my wantlist for a vinyl version if I can locate one. Volume…
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Pink Floyd, Live at Knebworth 1990, 2021 on Pink Floyd Records / Sony Music Entertainment
Although the concert recorded here is from 1990 (“Recorded at Knebworth House, Knebworth, Hertfordshire, UK, on 30 June 1990 in aid of the Nordoff Robbins Music Centre and The BRIT School for Performing Arts and Technology”), the release is from 2021. Great pressing and packaging – two 45rpm records with an included booklet. This is…
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The Meters, Rejuvenation, 1974 on Reprise
My copy is a Vinyl Me, Please Essentials reissue from 2021, on yellow vinyl, with listening notes by Josh Terry. Produced by Allen Toussaint (who also did some horn arrangements) this was their fifth studio album and second with vocals (the first three were mostly instrumental). Lots of people sampled from this album and the…
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Roberta Flack, Quiet Fire, 1971 on Atlantic
Flack’s third album, with “Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow” as the hit single, but also including covers of Bridge Over Troubled Water and To Love Somebody (among others). Produced by Joel Dorn. My copy is the Vinyl Me, Please reissue from 2021, with listening notes by H. Zahra Caldwell, newly cut laquers by Ryan…
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Son of the Velvet Rat, Solitary Company, 2021 on Fluff & Gravy.
11th album from Georg Altziebler and Heike Binder – their third on Portland label Fluff & Gravy. My copy via VNYL curation. I was concerned at first, not knowing the band and just reacting to the name, but I really came to appreciate the record.
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Gram Parsons, Grievous Angel, 1974 on Reprise
My copy is a 2021 Vinyl Me, Please reissue, on what they call Turquoise Galaxy vinyl, with listening notes by Jonathan Bernstein. Released posthumously in 1974, with vocals by Emmylou Harris (with whom he’d been touring in 1973) and the TCB Band (Ronnie Tutt, James Burton, Emory Gordy, and Glen Hardin, plus pedal steel from…
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Katie Schecter, Bad for Business, Soul Step Records, 2021
Sophomore album from Schecter, a Nashville via New York City songwriter, singer and guitarist in a kind of R&B/Soul tradition but modern rock edge. Recorded with her partner Nick Bockrath (of Cage the Elephant), Homer “Funky-Foot” Steinweiss (who played with Amy Winehouse, Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings, Lee Fields and others), and Nick Movshon…
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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.
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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…
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Coma Culture, Camouflage, 2021 self-released
Coma Culture features Eric Cannata and Francois Comtois (both of Young the Giant) and Jon O’Brien – this was their debut full length record. The opening track is also called “Coma Culture”: I’m a modern person with no much left to sayMillions of distractions just to camouflage decayJust to buy another day in coma culture
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Tom Petty, Finding Wildflowers (Alternate Versions), 2021 on Warner Records.
Tom Petty, Finding Wildflowers (Alternate Versions), 2021 on Warner Records. Standalone 2x LP of tracks that were previously in the 9 LP super deluxe Wildflowers & All the Rest. Via a Mill No. 5 record bazaar.
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Maggie Rose, Have A Seat, 2021 on Starstruck / Soundly.
Maggie Rose, Have A Seat, 2021 on Starstruck / Soundly. Rose’s third album – with Marcus King guesting on one track Recorded at Fame in Muscle Shoals