Tag: Academy Records
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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 the album was released. Guests include Busta Rhymes, Redman, Mos Def, Leaders of the New School and Kid Hood. Production by The Ummah (which included Q-Tip and…
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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 Urgh, a Music War!. Artwork by Carl Grasso. Produced by Richard Mazda and recorded (mostly) in New York at Skyline Studios. I.R.S. was one of my favorite…
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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, cover designed by Reid Miles. Love these renditions of “I Didn’t Know What Time It Was” and “Two Bass Hit” – and the “I’ll Remember April” with…
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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 Hughes to see the band). This was their third and last studio album of the first go ’round (they put out a new album in 2022 on…
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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 lead vocals on “Tempted.” Produced by Elvis Costello and Roger Bechirian, except for “In Quintessence” which was produced by Dave Edmunds. My copy, via Academy Records in…
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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 Williams and The Highwaymen, to Dylan, Janis Joplin, and Joni Mitchell – plus Billie Holiday’s “Don’t Explain.” Chan Marshall is joined by Erik Paparazzi, Jim White, Judah…
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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 Records, and got them on Urgh! A Music War. Zaremba may be better known to some as the host of I.R.S. Records Presents the Cutting Edge on…
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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, Jackson White, David Matthews, and Ted Lyon. Check out that 1985 look on the back cover! Paul Souza went on to be in The Velveteen Playboys and…
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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 September 1923 and March 1930, all recorded in New York. Piano by Fletcher Henderson, Clarence Williams, Irving Johns, James Price Johnson, and Jimmy Jones. Other musicians include…
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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 Jam and Terry Lewis, who went on to become a well-known producing duo, and guitarist Jesse Johnson who made some solo releases. While most folks know The…
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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 album which none of us ever wanted to hear, the last milestone on that long fascinating road which stretches back to the day in 1922 when, as…
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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 copy must have been at some point in the collection of WRSU, the record station at Rutgers – but came to me via Academy Records in NYC.
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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 differentiate it from the others, based on the cover art (by Hipgnosis). Produced by Robert Fripp, with Frippertronics on “Exposure.” In the UK this was on Charisma,…
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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 the Mysterian’s “96 Tears” as well as “You Are My Sunshine” and “That’s Life.” Sometimes gets dismissed as the weak follow up to her Atlantic debut, but…
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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 US. CD Presents started as a promotions company organizing West Coast shows for PiL. My copy, which I found at Academy Records in New York, includes a…
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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 incarnations, and I love cover records, so this is among my favorites from him. My copy via Academy Records in New York City.
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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 are the exclusive licensees for the UK. Made in England” on the label – but still has the IRS logo. Hunter and Romweber would both move on…
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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 the US by Sire. Best well known hit was “Oblivious,” but really the whole album is wonderful My copy via Academy Records in NYC