Tag: Salem MA
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Golden Smog, On Golden Smog, 1992 on Crackpot Records
Golden Smog were a “supergroup” of sorts (see the hype sticker) with members of The Jayhawks, Soul Asylum, The Replacements, and Run Westy Run. When this EP was released in 1993 it was not pressed on vinyl. The band members all used pseudonyms in the credits, and the songs are all covers, by: Michaelangelo, Har,…
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Mazzy Star, Among My Swan, 1996 on Capitol
This was Mazzy Star’s third album out in 1996 on Capitol. (I posted their sophomore album in the last few weeks: So Tonight That I Might See). It would be their last album until a re-formed Mazzy Star put out 2013’s Seasons of Your Day on their own label. It was produced by Hope Sandoval…
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U2, Songs of Surrender, 2023 on Island
This album features re-recordings of U2’s own songs, re-interpreted from their 2023 vantage point. It was something of an accompanying record to Bono’s memoir (Surrender: 40 Songs, One Story) and the AppleTV documentary Bono: Stories of Surrender. The vinyl editions (2 x LP) only have 16 songs, where some of the other editions had more…
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The Decemberists, What a Terrible World, What a Beautiful World, 2015 on Capitol
Seventh studio album from Portland Oregon’s The Decemberists. The album was a bit of a return to the band following a hiatus of a couple of years after The King is Dead. So many great songs here, many of which get stuck in your head for weeks. My favorite is maybe a toss-up between “Carolina…
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U2, How to Re-assemble an Atomic Bomb, 2024 on Island
Let’s see if the title gets flagged by the bots. This was the “shadow album” released alongside the 20th anniversary edition of How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb and features songs from the sessions for that album. Basically any U2 vinyl I don’t already have (or don’t need an upgrade copy) is on my wantlist,…
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Mazzy Star, She Hangs Brightly, 1990 on Capitol
Debut album from Mazzy Star, fronted by Hope Sandoval and founded by David Roback (originally as Opal before changing singers). If you only know them from “Fade Into You” (which is a fantastic song, of course) it is worth going back to this debut album (as well as their third LP Among My Swan). This…
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Acoustic Alchemy, Red Dust and Spanish Lace, 1987 on MCA
This was the debut album from Nick Webb and Greg Carmichael, aka Acoustic Alchemy. They’d later be on GRP after MCA acquired the jazz label. Great album that is also fantastic sounding – recorded by Klaus Genuit at Hansahaus (Berlin). My copy—via Residency Records in Salem MA—is a KM Records pressing that included an original…
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Bill Callahan, Resuscitate!, 2024 on Drag City
This was the follow-up to 2022’s Reality – a live double album recorded at Thalia Hall in Chicago, on March 6, 2023. Callahan is joined by Matt Kinsey, Jim White, and Dustin Laurenzi – great band captured midway through this tour. I’ve yet to have the chance to see Callahan live, but this feels like…
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Bill Callahan, Reality, 2022 on Drag City
Some people write this as Ytilaer, based on how it appears mirrored on the cover and labels. Drag City’s website lists it as YTI⅃AƎЯ, and on discogs they call it Reality, which is what I think of it as. Whatever you call it, it’s the eight solo album Callahan’s put out on Drag City. Recorded…
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James Taylor, Walking Man, 1974 on Warner Bros.
I became a James Taylor fan in the 80s via a CD of Greatest Hits but as I’m rebuilding my vinyl collection have been picking up his early 70s albums. Walking Man was his fifth, out in 1974 on Warner Bros. (after his debut had been on Apple Records). It was less successful commercially than…
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Chris Stapleton, From A Room: Vol 1., 2017 on Mercury Nashville
Stapleton was a fairly successful Nashville based songwriter for more than a decade before his 2015 debut LP Traveller, as well as fronting a bluegrass band (The Steeldrivers) and a southern rock band (The Jompson Brothers). Ironically his big hit – “Tennessee Whiskey” is a cover of a David Allen Coe song (written by Dean…
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Bill Callahan, Shepherd In A Sheepskin Vest, 2019 on Drag City
Bill Callahan’s sixth studio album under his own name (he previously led a project under the name Smog), recorded at Wonder Chamber in Austin Texas, which is Brian Beattie‘s home studio. Beattie plays on the record along with Matt Kinsey, Adam Jones, Gary Newcomb, and Callahan. Callahan is a consistent and prolific artist – maybe…
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Regina Spektor; Home, Before and After; 2022 on Sire
I was a bit obsessed with Soviet Kitsch, Spektor’s major label debut, when it came out in 2004 via Sire (she’d previously self-released it), as well as Begin to Hope which included the song “Samson”. This is Spektor’s eighth full-length album and her sixth for Sire. It was produced by John Congleton (along with Spektor…
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Sonny Terry & Brownie McGhee, Sonny & Brownie, 1973 on A&M
Not to be confused with the earlier Sonny Terry & Brownie McGhee album on Fantasy records, Sonny & Brownie was recorded in the early 70s at Paramount in LA and released in 1973 by A&M. Great 2xLP collection, including covers of Randy Newman’s “Sail Away” and Michael Franks’ “You Bring Out the Boogie in Me”…
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The Connection, 7 Nights to Rock, 2013 on King Yum Records
This may actually be called Connection Collection Vol 1 – there’s no real title on the cover or the labels but that’s what it is currently called on Bandcamp (which also says it came out in 2012). But the “one sheet” for the release I found on Facebook (see below) calls it “7 Nights to…
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The National, The National, 2001 on Brassland.
This was the debut album from Matt Berninger, Aaron Dessner, Bryan Devendorf, Scott Devendorf, with Bryce Dessner listed under additional performers under “with” rather than as part of the band. Maybe the harshest reviewed records in The National’s catalog. I’d agree it is not their strongest but it it where it all started. Who knew…
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Eli “Paperboy” Reed, 99 Cent Dreams, 2019 on Yep Roc Records
Boston’s own (Brookline via Somerville) Eli “Paperboy” Reed’s sixth full length and his second on Yep Roc, 99 Cent Dreams was recorded in Memphis at Sam Phillips Recording Studio in Memphis with Matt Ross-Spang producing and engineering. My copy—via Residency Records in Salem MA—is an RTI pressing and sounds great.
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Neil Young, The Times, 2020 on Reprise
Live recordings from Fireside Sessions at home, released in 2020 on CD and 2021 on vinyl. Includes “Alabama,” “Ohio,” and “Southern Man” as well as a cover of “The Times They Are A-Changing’.” All just Neil himself with acoustic guitar. My copy—via Residency Records in Salem MA—is the US edition pressed at GZ Media.