Tag: Antone's Records
-

Pat MacDonald and The Essentials, Essentialist Propaganda, 1983 on Counter-Pop
Pat MacDonald would go on to be one half of Timbuk 3 with his wife Barbara Kooyman, listed here as Barbara K. MacDonald. “Too Much Sex (Not Enough Affection” from this EP also was later on Eden Alley in 1988. Pat MacDonald and The Essentials put out one full length album and this EP, which…
-

DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince, He’s the DJ, I’m The Rapper, 1988 on Jive
Second album from the duo of Jeffrey Townes (aka DJ Jazzy Jeff) and Will Smith (aka The Fresh Prince), including “Parents Just Don’t Understand” which won the first Best Rap Performance Grammy in 1989. Not sure I even realized this at the time, but their first two albums came out before The Fresh Prince of…
-

Re-Flex, The Politics of Dancing, 1983 on Capitol
Debut album from English new-wave band Re-Flex, on EMI in the UK but Capitol in the US. Produced by John Punter who produced Roxy Music and Japan. Re-Flex formed in Birmingham UK in the early 80s and only put out two albums in the 80s. Clearly the title track on this album is the one…
-

The Special AKA, Nelson Mandela, 1984 on Two Tone
Extended version 12″ single from The Specials (Special AKA), produced by Elvis Costello. One of my favorite early 80s ska protest songs. Now dated in its reference but hey – never forget: Mandela was in prison for 27 years but would go on to be the president of South Africa. It’s an amazing story in…
-

The Robert Cray Band, Who’s Been Talkin’, 1980 on Tomato
Debut album from Robert Cray and band (Curtis Salgado, Richard Cousins, and Dave Olson). Tomato was a NY based indie label started in the late 70s by Kevin Eggers, who also released albums by Albert King, Townes Van Zandt, Lightnin’ Hopkins, and John Cage (among others). My copy—via Antone’s Records in Austin TX—is an original…
-

Oscar Peterson & Dizzy Gillespie, 1975 on Pablo
Pablo records, with a logo and name inspired by Picasso, was started by Norman Granz (who also produced this record) in the early seventies. There’s a ton of great Pablo jazz records—I generally pick them up whenever I see them. Recorded in 1974 in London, this release brings together two greats but it is not…
-

Randy Newman, Live, 1971 on Reprise
Randy Newman recorded at The Bitter End, Sept 17-19th, 1970, and released in 1971. Only his self-titled debut (1968) and “12 Songs” (April 1970) had been released at this point. Such a talented songwriter – “I Think It’s Going to Rain Today” and “Lonely at the Top” are great versions here. Produced by Larry Waronker…
-

John Prine, Sweet Revenge, 1973 on Atlantic
Prine is one of my favorite songwriters of all time. This was his third full-length, and third on Atlantic. Produced by Arif Mardin, it was mostly recorded in Nashville, with one track (“Dear Abby”) recorded live at SUNY New Paltz. Musicians include Steve Goodman and many of the folks who played on Prine’s debut album.…
-

Peter Buck, I Am Back to Blow Your Mind Once Again, 2014 on Mississippi/Change Records
The follow up to Buck’s self-titled debut release, also on Mississippi Records out of Portland OR. Buck works again here with Scott McCaughey, William Rieflin, Corin Tucker, and Jenny Conlee, but also Patterson Hood who co-wrote and sings “Southerner.” Also includes a cover of The Mummies’ “(You Must Fight To Live) On the Planet of…
-

Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble, The Sky is Crying, 1991 on Epic
This was the fifth and final studio album from Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble, compiling tracks cut earlier and released more than a year after Vaughan’s death in August of 1990. (Compiled by Jimmie Vaughan). It includes a wonderful version of Hendrix’s “Little Wing” in addition to the title track and Willie Dixon’s “Close…
-

Pinetop Perkins, Live at Antone’s Vol. 1, 2000 on Antone’s Records.
Pinetop Perkins, Live at Antone’s Vol. 1, 2000 on Antone’s Records. My copy is the 2xLP reissue from 2015 through New West Records. Great live blues recorded in 1995 for @antonesnightclub 20th anniversary
-

James Cotton, Mighty Long Time, 1991 on Antone’s.
James Cotton, Mighty Long Time, 1991 on Antone’s. My copy is a 2015 New West reissue as a double LP with four bonus tracks. Great blues album, with a 6:47 Stormy Monday on side 3
