Tag: Concord NH
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Squeeze, Sweets From a Stranger, 1982 on A&M
Fifth studio album from Squeeze, this one including Don Snow, John Bentley, and Gilson Lavis alongside Chris Difford and Glenn Tilbrook. and featuring “Black Coffee in Bed” with backing vocals from Elvis Costello and Paul Young. Lover the overlay flap on the front – “When it comes to Squeeze, they can’t be called ‘critics’” –…
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Townes Van Zandt, At My Window, 1987 on Sugar Hill
Van Zandt’s eighth studio album and only one recorded in the 1980s, originally released on the bluegrass label Sugar Hill. I never miss a chance to pick up a Townes Van Zandt record in good shape. Recorded at Jack Clement’s studio in Nashville (“Cowboy Arms Hotel and Recording Spa”) and produced by Clement and Jim…
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Camouflage, Voices & Images, 1988 on Atlantic
Camouflage were a synth-pop trio from Bietigheim-Bissingen in West Germany (near Stuttgart). Voices & Images was their debut album and included “The Great Commandment” which was a hit in Germany and broke through to the US. My copy via Pitchfork Records in Concord NH, has the gold promo stamp and a hype sticker listing the…
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Guadalcanal Diary, Flip Flop, 1989 on Elektra
The fourth and final (original) full length from Marietta Georgia’s Guadalcanal Diary. Guadalcanal Diary is kind of the most underappreciated indie 80s band from Georgia – they weren’t R.E.M. or the B-52s or Pylon or even Let’s Active, but this is a great album. It takes some guts to label one side of your fourth…
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Heaven 17, The Luxury Gap, 1983 on Virgin
Heaven 17 included Martyn Ware and Ian Criag Marsh who had been founding members of The Human League – Glenn Gregory took the place of Philip Oakey to make Heaven 17. This was their second studio album (and best selling album) – with the single “Temptation” being the best known hit. My copy, via Pitchfork…
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JoBoxers, Like Gangbusters, 1983 on RCA
I had not actually heard of JoBoxers but took a flyer on this one just based on the sheer 80s new-waveness of the cover – the hair, the braces, the hats: vaguely Depeche Mode, vaguely Dexy’s Midnight Runners. They were a UK new wave band, who toured opening for Madness – their debut single “Boxerbeat”…
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Steve Earle, Guitar Town, 1986 on MCA Records
Earle’s debut album from the mid-eighties – note the proud “Digital Recording” stamp on the cover (where now you’d see “All Analog” promoted). Topped the country charts, and the title single made #7 on the country singles charts. I think Earle’s really matured into a wonderful elder statesman of a certain kind of roots /…
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Michael Franks, The Art of Tea, 1975 on Reprise
Franks is an interesting figure – from my pov very over looked these days, but quite successful at the time. He was the center of the so-called “Quiet Storm” movement – jazz influenced, sooth vocals – sort of adjacent to Yacht Rock but with a more R&B / smooth jazz base. (There was a “Quiet…
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Steve Earle & The Dukes, Jerry Jeff, 2022 on New West Records
Earle’s made a number of “tribute” records: Guy (for Guy Clark), J.T. (for his son Justin Towns Earle), Townes (for Townes Van Zandt), and this one, for Jerry Jeff Walker, known to most of us as the writer of “Mr. Bojangles.” Bojangles is here, of course, but so are a number of lesser known Walker…
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Billy Bragg, The Million Things That Never Happened, 2021 on Cooking Vinyl
This is Bragg’s COVID album, the title referring to all the events that didn’t take place due to social distancing and stay-at-home protocols. It was produced by The Magic Numbers’ Romeo Stodart and ends with a track co-written with Bragg’s son, Jack Valero: “”Ten Mysterious Photos That Can’t Be Explained.” I particularly like “I’ll Be…
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Lucinda Williams, Runnin’ Down a Dream: A Tribute to Tom Petty, 2021 on Highway 20 Records
As a fan of both Tom Petty and (especially) Lucinda Williams, I couldn’t pass on this three sided LP – the fourth side is etched with the photo of Williams used on the cover. The album was the first volume in the “Lu’s Jukebox In Studio Concert” series that has gone on to include tributes…
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The Ink Spots, If I Didn’t Care, 1964 on Crown Records (CST 448)
Crown is somewhat reviled as the king of the discount labels – records were issued without even paper inner sleeves, and issues records between 1953 and 1972. Records issue by Crown often have really noisy recordings or sound warn, but this one actually holds up pretty well. Their biggest single, the title track here, came…
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Bob Dylan, Fallen Angels, 2016 on Columbia
While I realize it’s not for everyone, I really like elder statesman Bob, here working his way through standards like Come Rain or Come Shine, Skylark, and Young at Heart. Producer credit to Jack Frost (a Dylan psuedonym). Supporting musicians include Tony Garnier, George Recile, Donne Herron, Charlie Sexton, Dean Parks, and Stu Kimball. Then…
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Adele, 19, 2008 on XL Recordings / Columbia
Her massive debut album, originally released in 2008. My copy is a later reissue but I’m not sure what year it was issued. Included the hit “Chasing Pavements” as well as a cover of Bob Dylan’s “Make You Feel My Love” that many think is her own. Hard to believe how fully formed she came…
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Sia, Some People Have Real Problems, 2008 on Monkey Puzzle Records
Sia’s fourth album as a solo artist, and her first on Monkey Puzzle Records. This is right around when I first heard Sia – a version of “I Go To Sleep” ( a Ray Davies song) was on the Sounds Eclectic: Covers Project release (related to the KCRW radio sho Morning Becomes Eclectic). This copy…
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She & Him, Volume One, 2008 on Merge
Debut album for the duo of Zooey Deschanel and M. Ward. Covers of “You Really Got a Hold on Me” and “I Should Have Known Better” plus a number of Deschanel originals. Produced by Ward, with performance and mixing by Mike Coykendall and Mike Mogis. My copy via Pitchfork Records in Concord NH