Tag: Salem MA
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Steve Earle, Townes, 2009 on New West Records
Steve Earle tribute to Townes Van Zandt, with guests including Tom Morello (on “Lungs”), Allison Moorer (married to Earle at the time), and son Justin Townes Earle (who’s middle name of course was inspired by Van Zanndt). A companion record, Townes (The Basics), was released for Record Store Day in 2021. Earle’s done a number…
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Various Artists, Red Hot + Fela, 2013 on Knitting Factory
Another entry in the set of benefit compilations from the Red Hot Organization (who also put out Red Hot + Blue, Red Hot + Latin, and others) this Fela Kuti covers album was released in 2013, raising money (and awareness) for HIV/AIDS education and relief worldwide. Lots of interesting takes here: tUnE-yArDs, Questlove, and Angelique…
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David Bowie, Hunky Dory, 1971 on RCA Victor
Bowie’s fourth full-length studio LP and one of my all-time favorites. This followed The Man Who Sold the World but all these early Bowie albums are so great they sound to me like they have just always existed. It can be hard to find decent early pressings of these but there have been many great…
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Wet Leg, Moisturizer, 2025 on Domino
Eagerly awaited follow-up to the 2022 self-titled debut album from Rhian Teasdale and Hester Chambers, here joined by Ellis Durand, Henry Holmes, and Joshua Mobarki. Produced by Dan Carey aka Mr. Dan. Great energy, catchy songs, and funny lyrics – no sophomore slump here. Love it from the drop. My copy—via the Record Exchange in…
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The Cure, Wake Me In the Dark, 2023 on Mind Control
Another live vinyl bootleg from The Cure (said to be an FM radio broadcast), this one from November 1st, 1987 at Forest National in Brussels Belgium. Many tracks from the then-new Kiss Me Kiss Me Kiss Me album. This has also been bootlegged as Belgian Kisses on Casino Records. You can find audio from the…
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Various Artists, The Vinyl Series Volume One, 2021 on Island
Great collection of Reggae / Ska / Rocksteady singles from the early days of Island Records, said to be hand-picked by label founder Chris Blackwell. There’s already been a Volume Two and Volume Three (going into the 70s) – not sure if there will be more or not. Somewhat idiosyncratically includes The Spencer Davis Group…
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The Cure, Hang On a Second, 2023 on Mind Control
Another bootleg claiming to be from an FM broadcast, this one features The Cure at the Paramount Theatre in Seattle Washington, from October 21, 1984. (It’s actually from October 23rd, 1984 as the night of the 21st was cancelled). As is common with these, it has been widely released and said to be an FM…
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The Cure, I Hear No Sound: Live at De Melkweg, Amsterdam Dec 12, 1979, 2024 on Dear Boss.
Live bootleg from late 1979, right before recording Seventeen Seconds. De Melkweg – you can find some of the same show on the Internet Archive: The Cure Live – 1979-12-12 Melkweg, Amsterdam, Netherlands. Melkweg is a music venue in Amsterdam on the site of a former dairy (Melkweg means “Milky Way” in Dutch). Not sure…
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The Cars, Panorama, 1980 on Elektra
This was the third studio LP from Boston band The Cars, situated between Candy-O and Shake It Up. Includes “Touch and Go.” An underappreciated album in The Cars’ discography: seen by critics as a let down and not as commercial successful as the one before or after. I like it though – more experimental, more…
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Leo Kottke, 6-and 12-String Guitar, 1969 on Takoma
Kottke’s second album, following 12-String Blues, and what would become reportedly the best-selling LP on John Fahey’s Takoma Records. Writing his own liner notes, Kottke writes “All that is left to be said is that Kottke’s voice does not appear on this album. His guitar does.” My copy—via Salem Flea Marketplace—has the gold and tan…
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U2, The Joshua Tree Singles: Remastered & Live, 2017 on Island Records
Another fan club release, for subscribers to U2.com, this was pressed in 2017, and features four of the singles from The Joshua Tree, each with one remastered studio trac and one live track recorded on tour in 2017: It’s four 10″ records (45rpm) with an obi wrap to hold them together. The photos are by…
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Norah Jones, Day Breaks, 2016 on Blue Note
Sixth studio album from Norah Jones, and the only one so far I’ve managed to locate on vinyl (I’ve been looking). Produced by Eli Wolf and Jones, and recorded in Brooklyn, this LP has Jones going back to the piano driven vocal-centric approach of Come Away With Me. Wayne Shorter shows up on four songs…
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Bob Dylan & The Grateful Dead, Dylan & The Dead, 1989 on Columbia
Recorded live in July 1987 during the six-city tour of that summer. While the shows from that tour typically had a first set of Dead material followed by a set with Dylan, this recording highlights the Dylan songs with the Dead serving as a backup band. Got some harsh critical reviews a the time as…
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The Grateful Dead, Aoxomoxoa, 1969 on Warner Bros
This was the third studio LP from The Grateful Dead, and was one of the first albums recorded in 16 tracks on an Ampex MM-1000. It was remixed by Garcia and Lesh in 1971. “China Cat Sunflower” and “St. Stephen” remain among my favorite Dead tunes, though I find it hard to get through “What’s…
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Leo Kottke, Guitar Music, 1981 on Chrysalis
Eleventh (?) LP from Kottke, a solo outing instrumental style. Recorded at Sound 80 in the Seward neighborhood of Minneapolis. Includes a cover of Ry Cooder’s Available Space” as well as “Tumbling Tumbleweeds” and eight originals. My copy—via Salem Flea Marketplace—is a Santa Maria pressing on blue Chrysalis labels.
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U2, Live “Under a Blood Red Sky, ” 1983 on Island
I always thought of this as recorded at Red Rocks in Colorado, but with additional tracks from the Orpheum in Boston (“11 O’Clock Tick Tock”) and Rockpalast in Germany (all of Side B, “I Will Follow”). There was a live video – Live at Red Rocks: Under A Blood Red Sky, which was the full…
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Steve Earle, Someday, 1987 on MCA
12-inch single with a presskit from 1987 – after the March 1986 release of Guitar Town. This was the second single from the debut album – including a live cover of Bruce Springsteen’s “State Trooper.” My copy—via the Record Exchange in Salem MA—also included a one page Rolling Stone feature on Earle, but not I’m…
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Shawn Colvin, Uncovered, 2015 on Fantasy
This is actually at least Colvin’s second album of covers, ~20 years after she put out Cover Girl (1994). Some well known tunes here – Paul Simon’s “American Tune,” Gerry Rafferty’s “Baker Street,” and Tom Waits/Kathleen Brennan’s “Hold On” – but also some lesser known songs – Robbie Robertson’s “Acadian Driftwood,” Graham Nash’s “I Used…