Tag: Portsmouth NH
-
The Replacements; Sorry Ma, Forgot to Take Out the Trash; 1981 on Twin/Tone
This was the debut album of Minneapolis’ own The Replacements, in all its ragged glory. Somehow – likely because of how I acquired them – I’d always thought that Stink! (the EP) came out before Sorry, Ma – but it was the other way ’round. I don’t usually by CDs these days, but this reissue…
-
Rush, Exit . . . Stage Left, 1981 on Mercury
Like many, I found Rush as teen (or maybe pre-teen?) and was immediately hooked by the aggressive musicality and complexity and the allusive nature of Peart’s lyrics. Even the album title here is a reference to Snagglepuss (as well as a reference back to All The World’s a Stage?). Still holds up as an amazing…
-
Ry Cooder, Borderline, 1980 on Warner Bros.
Cooder’s 9th studio solo LP, with John Hiatt, Jim Keltner, Jesse Harms, George Pierre, Bobby King, Willie Green Jr., Reggie McBride, and Tim Drummond. Produced by Cooder with Leslie Morris. Personally I don’t quite love this one as much as 1978’s Jazz, but it is a really sold album including a cover of John Hiatt’s…
-
Ry Cooder, The Slide Area, 1982 on Warner Bros.
Ry Cooder is a long time favorite who still has a tendency to fly a bit under the popular radar (though musicians do tend to love him). This 1982 album I guess you’d call sort of mid-career though he’s still active so hard to say what that means – his 10th full length LP. Includes…
-
Dire Straits, Alchemy – Dire Straits Live, 1984 on Warner Brothers
Wonderful 2xLP live album of early 80s Dire Straits. Recorded in London at the Hammersmith Odeon over two nights in July 1983. Great versions of “Romeo and Juliet” and “Sultans of Swing.” There was also an accompanying film (on VHS, later reissued on DVD and Blu-Ray). My copy – hype stickered as being on Quiex…
-
Simon & Garfunkel, The Concert In Central Park, 1982 on Warner Bros
One of the best live albums from one of my favorite duos. Good variety of tempos and tunes, enough stage banter to feel live but no so much that you feel the need to skip ahead. Wikipedia correctly recognizes it as “the” concert in central park – recorded in front of a half million people…
-
Depeche Mode, Some Great Reward, 1984 on Sire
I’ve not shared many Depeche Mode records here, mostly because I’m sharing new additions to my collection and I don’t find many DM records I don’t already have, but also because my collection is very 80s heavy, and I’m trying to rotate through decades. That said, I have been a massive Depeche Mode fan from…
-
Commodores, All the Great Hits, 1982 on Motown
Wonderful collection of Commodores songs – their second compilation of hits, with many more to follow. “Lady.” “Sail On,” “Brick House,” “Easy,” and “Three Times a Lady” are each worth the price of admission. Solid find as I don’t have any of their original records from the 70s or 80s. My copy, via Bull Moose…
-
Screaming Blue Messiahs, Bikini Red, 1987 on Elektra
Bill Carter and the Screaming Blue Messiahs put out four major label studio albums in the 80s – this was the third, in 1987. Some great and funny songwriting here: “I Wanna Be a Flinstone” and “Jesus Chrysler Drives a Dodge” as well as “I Can Speak American.” Power rock trio of Carter on guitar…
-
The Romantics, The Romantics, 1980 on Nemperor / Epic
“What I like about you, you hold me tight / tell me I’m the only one / wanna come over tonight” The Romantics were a Detroit power-pop / new wave band formed in the late 70s: Wally Palmer, Rich Cole, Mike Skill, and Jimmy Marinos. “That’s What I Like About You” made a top 50…
-
Butterfield Blues Band, Live, 1970 on Elektra
Paul Butterfield and band (sometimes labelled as The Paul Butterfield Blues Band, here just last name) live at the Troubador in Los Angeles, produced by Todd Rundgren, engineered by Rundgren and Ray Thompson. Great live blues album – Chicago Blues with a horn section and more jazz foundations mixed in. The lineup here does not…
-
Stephane Grappelli, Uptown Dance, 1978 on Columbia
Only available on vinyl, cassette, and 8-track, Grappelli is joined here by two different bands – one with Jimmy Rowles, Ron Carter, Grady Tate, and Jay Berliner and the other with Richard Tee, Anthony Jackson, Steve Gadd, Hugh McCracken, and Rubens Bassini. For my ears, this album veers at times into easy listening / fusion,…
-
Jeff Tweedy, Love is the King, 2020 on dBpm Records
Tweedy went into recording mode when Wilco’s tour was put on hold due to Covid-19 in April of 2020. Both Tweedy’s sons, Spencer and Sam, contribute to the album: Spencer primarily on drums and Sam (credited as Sammy) on harmony vocals. It’s a wonderful album full of great writing and classic Tweedy vocals. (Side note:…
-
Dean & Britta, Quarantine Tapes, 2021 on Double Feature Records
This was released first in 2020 in digital format by Dean & Britta themselves, but then issued on vinyl and CD by Double Feature Records in 2021. Dean & Britta are Dean Wareham & Britta Phillips of Luna. (Wareham was also one of the founding members of Galaxie 500). They’ve been doing film scores under…
-
Maggie Rogers, Notes From The Archive: Recordings 2011-2016, 2021 on Debay Sounds
Like many people, I first became aware of Rogers when a clip of her song “Alaska” being played to Pharrell Williams during a class at NYU Tisch went viral – he essentially had no advice for her other than to keep doing what she was doing. This release (on her own imprint) collects pieces from…