Tag: 2024
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Guy Clark, Old No. 1, 1975 on RCA Victor
Guy Clark’s debut album, out in 1975 on RCA Victor, reissued here by Vinyl Me Please in their Country track in 2024. Cover painting by his wife Susanna Clark. Backing vocalists here include Emmylou Harris, Rodney Crowell, and Steve Earle – among a shortlist of the folks Guy Clark was a tremendous influence on. Liner…
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Jimmy Scott, Falling In Love Is Wonderful, 1963 on Tangerine Records
American jazz vocalist sometimes referred to as “Little” Jimmy Scott, who had a very high contralto voice due to Kallmann’s syndrome, a genetic condition.Scott performed in the final episode of Twin Peaks which led to a bit of a career resurgence in the 1990s. This album was out of print between the 1963 release and…
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Various Artists, All My Friends: Celebrating the Songs & Voice of Gregg Allman, 2014 on Rounder
A tribute concert to Gregg Allman with a star-studded set of guests, recorded January 10th, 2014 at the Fox Theater in Atlanta, and put out on Blu-Ray, DVD, and CD by Rounder. Allman faced significant health issues in the 2010s, including hepatitis c, liver cancer, and a lung transplant – it’s great they were able…
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Creedence Clearwater Revival, Willy and the Poor Boys, 1969 on Fantasy
This was the fourth LP from CCR, and the third released in 1969 (one in January, one in August, and this one in November) – talk about striking while the iron is hot / saturating the market. John Fogerty, older bother Tom Fogerty, Stu Cook, and Doug Clifford are in fine form, including “Down On…
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Billy Joe Shaver, Old Five and Dimers Like Me, 1973 on Monument
This was Shaver’s debut album, produced by Kris Kristofferson. I know Shaver more through tributes (2022’s Live Forever) and other famous artists recording his songs more than I knew him. “Live Forever,” the song, was covered by Robert Duvall in the film Crazy Heart but was also done by the Highwaymen. This is the kind…
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Labelle, Nightbirds, 1974 on Epic
Labelle were a trio including Patti LaBelle, Nona Hendryx, and Sarah Dash, and grew out of Patti Labelle and the Bluebells. They are the original “Lady Marmalade” power trio – and this was their best-selling album. Allen Toussaint produced and The Meters supplement (replace?) Labelle’s usual band. My copy is the January 2024 Vinyl Me…
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Tinsley Ellis, Naked Truth, 2024 on Alligator Records
Tinsley Ellis has put out over 20 albums between 1982 and 2024, including more than a dozen on Chicago’s Alligator Records, one of my favorite blues labels (founded in 1971). This, his latest, Includes “Grown Ass Man” (which I think should probably be “grown-ass man” since it’s really a compound adjective, isn’t it?) as well…
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Junior Wells, It’s My Life, Baby, 1966 on Vanguard
Junior Wells’ sophomore album, released on Vanguard in 1966 after Hoodoo Man Blues came out on Delmark. From the liner notes: Some of this album, Junior Wells’ first solo record for Vanguard, was recorded in Pepper’s Lounge on Chicago’s south side, to get the feeling of a blues band working with its blues audience. The…
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Various Artists, Everyone’s Getting Involved: A Tribute to Talking Heads’ Stop Making Sense, 2024 on A24 Music
Tribute album on Amazon’s label timed with the release of the 40th anniversary restored film Stop Making Sense. Tracklist: It’s fair to say none of these are exactly revolutionary covers of fundamentally mind-blowing – but it is fun to hear an alternative version of a favorite album. My copy direct from Amazon.com
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Grandaddy, Blu Wav, 2024 on Dangerbird
New record from 90s indie rock band Grandaddy – their first in ~6 years and the first since bassist Kevin Garcia died. Blu wav is meant to be a portmanteau of “Bluegrass” and “New Wave” but it makes me think of the blue wave we hoped to see in the last election. Tucker Martine did…
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Violent Femmes, Violent Femmes (box set), 2024 on Craft Recordings
This was one of my favorite albums of the 1980s (it came out on Slash Records in 1983), and I’ve been looking forever for a decent copy on vinyl. This box set, as you’d expect from Craft, is amazing. It includes a newly remastered version of the self-titled album itself, plus additional LPs of demos…
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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 of “The Look of Love” and “Cherish” neither of which I thought of as particularly Nina Simone material, along with a brilliant “I Wish I Knew How…
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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 drums. Recording supervised by Rudy Van Gelder. Nelson had earlier recorded Screamin’ The Blues with Dolphy and Richard Williams. It is safe to say that if you…
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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, she earned fans including Ernest Hemingway, Tennessee Williams, Jean-Paul Sartre, Simone de Beauvoir and Marlon Brando – can’t vouch for any of that). She performed and recorded…
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SXSW March 15th, 2024
Started my last day at SXSW with the “Hair of the Three Legged Dog” party sponsored by the Austin Chronicle and name in honor of their canine mascot. I then made my way over to the Community Concerts at Lady Bird Lake, to see Zapp with Bootsy Collins Right as the band finished “I’d Rather…
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SXSW March 12th, 2024
On Tuesday I started the night at the High Road Touring SXSW showcase at the Empire Control Room and Garage. Sugadaisy, from Bowling Green, KY, opened the larger outdoor stage and were a pleasant suprise – check them out if you get a chance. The real reason I chose that showcase, though, was Kathleen Edwards,…
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SXSW March 11th, 2024
A few highlights of music I saw on Monday at SXSW in Austin. I tried to find the balance between spending too much time getting video on the phone versus just being there in the moment, but did catch a few videos. Grace Sorensen is an Austin local, doing her first set at Cuatro Gato…