Tag: Academy RecordsPage 1 of 2

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…

Billy Bragg, Brewing Up With Billy Bragg, 1984 on CD Presents

Billy Bragg’s sophomore full length, subtitled “a puckish satire on contemporary mores.” This was released on Go! Discs in the UK but David Ferguson‘s CD Presents in the…

Elvis Costello & The Attractions, Almost Blue, 1981 on Columbia

Recorded in Nashville, this is Costello’s covers album of country greats – including Hank Williams and George Jones. I love Costello in his Americana / roots / country…

Let’s Active, Cypress, 1984 on IRS Records

Mitch Easter, Faye Hunter, and Sara Romweber’s debut full-length as Let’s Active, following after the Afoot EP. My copy is UK pressing – “A & M Records Ltd…

Aztec Camera; High Land, Hard Rain; 1983 on Sire

Aztec Camera were a Scottish new wave band led by Roddy Frame – this was their debut album recorded for Rough Trade in the UK and distributed in…

Bob Marley & The Wailers, Legend (The Best Of Bob Marley & The Wailers), 1984 on Island Records.

This was required listening and a mandatory part of any healthy CD collecting heading into college in the 80s. It didn’t matter what musical subculture you came from,…

James Blood Ulmer, Free Lancing, 1981 on Columbia.

A happy and accidental find at Academy Records in New York. Ulmer had played on several Ornette Coleman releases before going out on his own – this was…

Peter Gabriel, Peter Gabriel (aka Peter Gabriel III, or Melt), 1980 on Mercury

The third in the series of self-titled releases Gabriel put out between 1977 and 1982, Melt features lots of complex synthesizer and percussion work, with guests like Robert…

The Replacements, Unsuitable for Airplay: The Lost KFAI Concert, 2022 on Twin/Tone.

Recorded live at the 7th St Entry on January 23rd, 1981 and released on vinyl as part of Record Store Day in April of 2022, this was also…

The Alarm, Standards, 1990 on IRS

Compilation from IRS records in 1990 – most of the songs you’d expect from their earlier LPs, plus A New South Wales and Happy Christmas (War is Over)….

AIR, 10 000 Hz Legend, 2001 on Source/Virgin.

I’ve long been a huge fan of Moon Safari, AIR’s debut album. This LP came four years later, with the soundtrack to the Virgin Suicides coming in between….

The National, Sleep Well Beast, 2017 on 4AD.

The National, Sleep Well Beast, 2017 on 4AD. (2xLP white vinyl). Cover photo of the Hudson Valley NY barn that Aaron Dessner rebuilt and they recorded the album…