Tag: Vinyl Destination
Formerly a record store in Lowell MA, located inside Mill No. 5. Now closed.
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Joe Jackson, I’m the Man, 1979 on A&M
I knew Joe Jackson’s music from the early 80s – he was pretty hard to avoid on mainstream radio at that point – but I don’t think I really appreciated his unique talent until I was a bit older. This was his sophomore album, following 1978’s Look Sharp – and included the title track as…
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James Taylor, One Man Dog, 1972 on Warner Bros.
This was Taylor’s fourth studio album, with “Don’t Let Me Be Lonely Tonight.” 18 tracks means lots of short bits / interludes, some of which can feel a bit unfinished but overall I like the effect. Performers include Carly Simon and Carole King on backing vocals, Danny Kortchmar, Leland Sklar, Russ Kunkel, and John McLaughlin…
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Eagles, The Long Run, 1979 on Asylum
Fun fact: even though virtually everyone calls them The Eagles, it’s really just Eagles. (There was already some soul band called The Eagles). This was their sixth (and penultimate) studio album, their final one for Asylum records, and the first with Timothy Schmidt on bass (replacing Randy Meisner). They wouldn’t release another studio album until…
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Steely Dan, Katy Lied, 1975 on ABC Records
Walter Becker and Donald Fagen on the fourth full length studio album from Steely Dan. This was the first album after the departure of Skunk Baxter and Jim Hodder and the shift into studio albums with session musicians. (One of the session musicians here is Michael MacDonald providing backing vocals.) Apparently Becker and Fagen were…
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Joe Cocker, Mad Dogs and Englishmen, 1970 on A&M
Technically the soundtrack to the live movie of the same name, a sprawling live set with a tremendous band including (led by?) Leon Russell, across rock, soul and R&B. If you can only have one Joe Cocker album this probably ought to be it. Great renditions of “Cry Me A River,” “Bird on a Wire,”…
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Son Volt, Day of the Doug: The Songs of Doug Sahm, 2023 on Transmit Sound
Jay Farrar and Son Volt performing the songs of Doug Sahm, over 20 years after he passed in 1999. This was a “Record Store Day First” release back in 2023 on green vinyl. It’s got a vocal intro and outro by Doug Sahm, lifted from voicemails. The back cover is an homage to the cover…
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Various Artists; The Sam Phillips Years: Sun Records Curated By Record Store Day Volume 9; 2022 on Org Music
Great collection timed to coincide with Sun Records’ 70th anniversary, Record Store Day’s 15th anniversary, and Tito’s Vodka’s 25th anniversary – which is why the inner sleeve is basically a Tito’s ad. Selections: Compilation produced by Michael Kurtz & Carrie Colliton and put out by Org Music My copy via Vinyl Destination (RIP) in Lowell…
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Koerner Ray & Glover, The Return of Koerner Ray & Glover, 1965 on Elektra
“Spider” John Koerner, Dave “Snaker” Ray, and Tony “Little Sun” Glover were a Minneapolis blues/folk trio who met at the University of Minnesota and played frequently in Dinkytown and the West Bank. This was their third release on Elektra and the the last before a seven year gap – capturing their early folk/blues approach. Produced…
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Eric Von Schmidt, Eric Sings Von Schmidt, 1965 on Prestige
I first heard of Eric Von Schmidt via Bob Dylan’s “Baby Let Me Follow You Down” which begins with the intro: I first heard this from Ric von Schmidt. He lives in Cambridge / Ric is a blues guitarplayer. I met him one day on / The green pastures of the Harvard University As someone…
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John Mayall, Blues from Laurel Canyon, 1968 on London Records
Released on Decca in the UK and London Records in the US, this was Mayall’s first LP after the breakup of the Bluesbreakers and his last on Decca before moving to Polydor. Mayall wasn’t yet living in the US when this was released – this was recorded at the Decca Studios in West Hampstead, London.…
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Jeff Beck, Truth, 1968 on Epic
This was Beck’s solo debut, following after time in the Yardbirds, and features Ron Wood, pre-Faces Rod Stewart, Keith Moon (credited as “You Know Who”) and Mick Waller as well as John Paul Jones on Hammond Organ on one track. I came to Jeff Beck late – I knew his work in the Yardbirds but…
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The Rolling Stones, Flowers, 1967 on London Records
This was the second compilation album for the Stones, collecting some studio cuts that had not been released (or released but not on the US versions of albums). My copy, via Vinyl Destination in Lowell MA, has definitely seen better days The black tape seam repair was the work of a previous owner. Nonetheless it…
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The Dave Brubeck Quartet, Time Further Out – Miro Reflections, 1961 on Columbia
While movie science fiction fans celebrate May 4th as Star Wars Day (“May the 4th be with you”), jazz heads know it as Dave Brubeck Day, 5/4 time being the signature of Time Out. Lesser known is that there were three more albums following: Time Further Out, Countown – Time In Outer Space, and Time…
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Japandroids, Near to the Wild Heart of Life, 2017 on Anti- Records
Third full length from Vancouver BC rock duo Japandroids, and their first on Anti-. Came with a 24 page booklet insert and poster. There was a ~5 year break after Celebration Rock and lots of incessant touring. I think it’s a more mature record than the previous two and look forward to more. My copy…
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Georg Holm, Orri Páll Dýrason, Hilmar Örn Hilmarsson, and Kjartan Holm, Circe, 2015 on Krúnk
Two members of Sigur Rós (Holm and Dýrason) working with Icelandic composer Hilmarsson and Georg Holm’s brother Kjartan (touring guitarist with the band) on the soundtrack to The Show of Shows – a documentary by Benedikt Erlingsson on vaudeville, circuses, and carnivals that aired on the BBC as part of Storyville (unfortunately listed as “not…
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Johnnie Frierson, Have You Been Good To Yourself, 2016 on Light in the Attic
Took a flyer on this one at a $10 sale at Vinyl Destination in Lowell, based on my appreciation of other Light in the Attic reissues – it’s really a wonderful collection. Call it lo-fi gospel with some almost spoken word production. Frierson originally put these recordings out on home-produced cassettes in the 1990s but…
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Savages, Adore Life, 2016 on Matador
Sophomore LP from English post-punk band fronted by Gemma Thompson (guitar) and Jehnny Beth (vocals), with Ay?e Hassan (bass) and Fay Milton (drums). Love the post-punk revival sound here but they’re no tribute act – this is vibrant compelling and modern. Unfortunately they’ve not released any new music since 2017. Found this copy at Vinyl…
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Benjamin Booker, Self-Titled, 2014 on ATO Records
Wonderful debut full-length on ATO from New Orleans based blues / soul guitarist/singer/songwriter Booker. Recorded (analog) at the Bomb Shelter (Nashville) and produced by Andrija Tokic who worked with Alabama Shakes and Hurray for the Riff Raff. My copy via Vinyl Destination in Lowell MA