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The Decemberists, The Crane Wife, 2006 on Capitol

his was the band’s fourth studio LP, and the first on Capitol Records. Production by Tucker Martine and Chris Walla. This album is one I could just leave…

Flight of the Conchords, Flight of the Conchords, 2008 on Sub Pop

The soundtrack to Jermaine Clement and Bret McKenzie’s brilliant and hilarious show about two New Zealand musicians trying to make it in the states. They’d previously released an…

Billy Bragg, Bloke on Bloke, 1997 on Cooking Vinyl

Seven songs from the William Bloke sessions, released as a limited edition “mini-album.” Johnny Marr joins on “The Boy Done Good” and gets co-writing credit. Also included is…

Sia, 1000 Forms of Fear, 2014 on Monkey Puzzle / RCA

I first heard (at least consciously) Sia on the beautiful “I Go To Sleep” from her appearance on KCRW’s Morning Becomes Eclectic in 2006, which then appeared on…

Wilco, A.M., 1995 on Sire / Reprise

Wilco emerged out of the breakup of Uncle Tupelo (some of the band remaining with Jeff Tweedy as Wilco, some with Jay Farrar as Son Volt). This was…

Icicle Works, Icicle Works, 1984 on Arista / Beggars Banquet

In the UK (and elsewhere) this was credited to The Icicle Works and was on Beggars Banquet, but in the US it was titled just Icicle Works (no…

A Tribe Called Quest, The Love Movement, 1998 on Jive

Fifth studio album from Tribe, and the last released before Phife Dawg died in 2016 from complications related to diabetes. Tribe announced they were disbanding a month before…

Fleshtones, Roman Gods, 1981 on IRS Records

Debut album from Queens New York’s own The Fleshtones (credited as just Fleshtones here). This included the song – “Shadow-line (to J. Conrad)” – that was included in…

Sonny Clark Trio, Sonny Clark Trio, 1958 on Blue Note

Sonny Clark with Paul Chambers on bass and Philly Joe Jones on drums – recorded by Rudy Van Gelder in 1957 in Hackensack. Liner notes by Leonard Feather,…

The Rave-Ups, Chance, 1990 on Epic

The Rave-Ups are likely best known as the band in Pretty in Pink. (Molly Ringwald’s sister Beth was in a relationship with Jimmer Podrasky, and Ringwald brought John…

Squeeze, East Side Story, 1981 on A&M

Squeeze’s fourth studio LP, between 1980’s Argybargy and 1982’s Sweets from a Stranger. This was the first album after Jools Holland departed, replaced by Paul Carrack, who provided…

Cat Power, Jukebox, 2008 on Matador

Eighth studio album from Cat Power, mostly covers with two originals mixed in. Pretty eclectic selection of tunes to cover, from Kander & Ebb’s “New York” through Hank…

Fleshtones, Up Front, 1980 on I.R.S. Records

First EP Fleshtones issued, before the release of Roman Gods. Fleshtones were Bill Milhizer, Jan Marek Pakulski, Keith Streng, and Peter Zaremba. Miles Copeland signed them to IRS…

Beat Surrender, Foundation, 1985 on Shake Records

Beat Surrender (this one at least – there are many things by that name including the Jam’s last single) was a Boston band made up of Paul Souza,…

Bessie Smith, Any Woman’s Blues, 1970 on Columbia

This is was the second in a series of five 2xLP releases on Columbia in 1970-1972 that covered Smith’s recordings for the label. These recordings were made between…

The Time, The Time (Self-Titled), 1981 on Warner Bros.

This was the debut LP from Morris Day and co, though they started playing together in the early seventies under different names. The band here still includes Jimmy…

Coleman Hawkins, Sirius, 1974 on Pablo

Recorded by Val Valentin December 1966 but released posthumously in 1974 (Hawkins died in 1969). Produced by Norman Granz, with liner notes by Benny Green: This is the…

Big Joe Williams, Hand Me Down My Old Walking Stick, 1969 on World Pacific

World Pacific was an imprint of Liberty Records. Recorded in London in 1968, when Williams was ~65 years old and was regularly touring European and American festivals. My…

Peter Gabriel, Peter Gabriel, 1978 on Atlantic.

The second in the series of self-titled albums Gabriel put out between 1977 and 1982, this one is sometimes called Peter Gabriel 2 or known as “Scratch” to…

Aretha Franklin, Aretha Arrives, 1967 on Columbia

Aretha’s 11th album and second for Atlantic – the follow up to I Never Loved a Man. Includings covers of the Rolling Stone’s “Satisfaction” and the ? and…