Tag: NYC

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

    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…

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

    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.

  • Let’s Active, Cypress, 1984 on IRS Records

    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…

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

    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

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

    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, this was the lingua franca. I went on to many other Marley albums and deeper knowledge of Reggae and Caribbean music, but this was the one everyone…

  • The Alarm, Standards, 1990 on IRS

    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). My copy is a UK pressing I picked up at Academy Records in NYC. Rare that I buy an LP just for one or two songs where…

  • Veggie Grill, NYC

    Veggie Grill, NYC

    So I was in NYC last week and happy to see that Veggie Grill‘s east coast presence continues to grow, with two locations: one at 12 W 23 Street (Fifth Ave) and another at 1004 2nd Ave (at East 53rd). Here’s the “Más Veggies” Vegan Taqueria menu – this is the first time I’ve seen…

  • Don’t Step Out Of This Area

    Don’t Step Out Of This Area

    Shot of the Manhattan skyline from Queens during takeoff from LaGuardia, at Sunset.

  • Friday, May 13th, 2022 – NYC

    Friday, May 13th, 2022 – NYC

  • Various Artists, Magnolia Record Club Presents: Spotify Singles, 2020

    Various Artists, Magnolia Record Club Presents: Spotify Singles, 2020

    Various Artists, Magnolia Record Club Presents: Spotify Singles, 2020 Great compilation from late last year, featuring The Lumineers, Mandolin Orange,  Lord Huron,  Rayland Baxter,  Phoebe Bridgers,  Mt. Joy,  Judah and the Lion, Langhorne Slim, Phosphorescent, and Sarah Jarosz All recorded at the Spotify studios in NYC Pressing by Precision Record Pressing One of my favorites…

  • Men At Work, Cargo, 1983 on Columbia.

    Men At Work, Cargo, 1983 on Columbia.

    Men At Work, Cargo, 1983 on Columbia. Their second album: It’s A Mistake, Dr. Heckyll & Mr. Jive, Overkill – they were not one hit wonders after Who Can It Be Now or a novelty act after Down Under, though Australia did seem rather far off and cool. Colin Hay, the late Greg Ham, Ron…

  • Alter Boys, Soul Desire, 1987 on Big Time Records.

    Alter Boys, Soul Desire, 1987 on Big Time Records.

    Alter Boys, Soul Desire, 1987 on Big Time Records. I always felt like they ought to be from Minneapolis but they were indie rockers out of NYC. Produced by Andy Shernoff of The Dictators right as the label folded so never got the promotion it deserved.

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

    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 in. Wonderful record lyrically and musically. Via Academy Records Brooklyn annex

  • Antibalas, Fu Chronicles, 2020 on Daptone Records .

    Antibalas, Fu Chronicles, 2020 on Daptone Records .

    Antibalas, Fu Chronicles, 2020 on Daptone Records . Antibalas return to Brooklyn, recording at Daptone’s House of Soul in Bushwick One of the tours I was excited for in 2020 – they were due to play The Sinclair in Sept. Someday

  • Blancmange, Don’t Tell Me, 1984 on London Records.

    Blancmange, Don’t Tell Me, 1984 on London Records.

    Blancmange, Don’t Tell Me, 1984 on London Records (uk pressing). 12″ single, b-side is “Get Out of That.” Neil Arthur and Stephen Luscombe, my favourite electropop duo named after a gelatinous milk dessert. They aren’t on Insta but see http://blancmange.co.uk/ for updates on new music and tour dates Via The Thing in Greenpoint, Brooklyn (pre-covid)

  • Bob Dylan, New Morning, 1970 on Columbia

    Bob Dylan, New Morning, 1970 on Columbia

    Bob Dylan, New Morning, 1970 on Columbia Via Academy Records in NYC

  • Blondie, Parallel Lines, 1978 on Chrysalis.

    Blondie, Parallel Lines, 1978 on Chrysalis.

    Blondie, Parallel Lines, 1978 on Chrysalis. Their third full length, with: Hanging On the Telephone, One Way Or Another, Heart of Glass. Via Academy Records

  • The March Violets, Electric Shades, 1985 on Relativity

    The March Violets, Electric Shades, 1985 on Relativity

    The March Violets, Electric Shades, 1985 on Relativity Tom Ashton, Cleo Murray, Loz Elliott, Simon Denbigh – great 80s goth out of Leeds UK Via Academy Records