Tag: vinyl
-
Specials, Specials, 1979 on Two-Tone
Ska greats The Specials (later renamed The Special AKA) in their debut full length on Coventry label Two-Tone, started by Jerry Dammers (of the Specials). The Specials included Terry Hall, Neville Staple, Dammers, Lynval Golding, Roddy Radiation, Horace Panter, John Bradbury, Dick Cuthell and Rico Rodriguez. This album was produced by Elvis Costello, and features…
-
Dave Brubeck Quartet, 1960 Essen Grugahalle, 2010 on Jazzline
Brubeck with Paul Desmond, Gene Wright, and Joe Morello, recorded live in Essen Germany (at the Grugahalle) in 1960. Jazzline is a German label, and has a series of “WDR Original Masters” recorded by the Westdeutscher Rundfunk (WDR) which is basically West German NPR/PBS – a public service radio and TV broadcaster. These are great…
-
Various Artists, Rip It Up: The Best of Specialty Records, 2021 on Craft
Craft Recordings release from 2021 – but all the original recordings are from the 1950s (and a few from the 40s). Wonderful collection – the Little Richard tracks are likely the most well known, but I love the early Sam Cooke, Percy Mayfield, Lloyd Price, and Jesse & Marvin. Tracklist: Released on yellow vinyl via…
-
Nat King Cole, From The Very Beginning, 1973 on MCA
Although this was released in 1973, the recordings collected were originally recorded between 1936 and 1941 and had been released earlier by Decca, credited to King Cole Trio and Eddie Cole’s Solid Swingers. The tracks credited to Eddie Cole’s Solid Swingers feature Eddie Cole (Nat’s older brother) on bass and Jimmy Adams on drums –…
-
Silk Sonic, An Evening with Silk Sonic, 2021 on Aftermath / Atlantic
Super duo with Bruno Mars and Anderson .Paak, with special guest “host” Bootsy Collins. So far this is their only full length LP, but “Leave the Door Open” won a ton of awards. It’s a wonderful album and I hope the first of many more to come. My copy via a record fair at Mill…
-
Ella Fitzgerald, Ella at the Shrine, 2018 on Verve
Previously unreleased live appearance by Ella at the Shrine auditorium in LA January 21st, 1956 – making it two weeks earlier than Ella at Zardi’s: Verve Records, celebrating Ella Fitzgerald’s 100th birthday in 2017, released at the end of that year Ella At Zardi’s – a vibrant, previously unreleased album recorded during a two-week stint…
-
Heaven 17, The Luxury Gap, 1983 on Virgin
Heaven 17 included Martyn Ware and Ian Criag Marsh who had been founding members of The Human League – Glenn Gregory took the place of Philip Oakey to make Heaven 17. This was their second studio album (and best selling album) – with the single “Temptation” being the best known hit. My copy, via Pitchfork…
-
Willie Nelson, Willie Nelson and Family, 1971 on RCA Victor
Nelson’s 12th studio album, while he was still at RCA Records, before moving to Atlantic. Some covers – “I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry,” “Sunday Mornin’ Coming Down,” “Fire and Rain,” and “Today I Started Loving You Again” – as well as some Nelson originals like “I Can Cry Again” and “That’s Why I Love…
-
Bill Evans, Live at the Village Vanguard, 1967 on Riverside
This is actually a reissue of what originally came out in 1961 (also on Riverside) as Sunday at the Village Vanguard, credited to the Bill Evans Trio “featuring Scott La Faro.” La Faro died in a car accident less than two weeks after the gig was recorded. Evans on piano, La Faro on bass, and…
-
Various Artists, Everyone’s Getting Involved: A Tribute to Talking Heads’ Stop Making Sense, 2024 on A24 Music
Tribute album on Amazon’s label timed with the release of the 40th anniversary restored film Stop Making Sense. Tracklist: It’s fair to say none of these are exactly revolutionary covers of fundamentally mind-blowing – but it is fun to hear an alternative version of a favorite album. My copy direct from Amazon.com
-
Neil Young, Live at the Cellar Door (1970), 2013 on Reprise
Recorded in 1970, and long circulating in various bootleg versions, this was released finally om 2013 as part of the Neil Young Archives Performance Series. Young performed over six nights at The Cellar Door in Washington DC – solo with acoustic guitar and piano. (He actually does “Cinnamon Girl” on piano). My copy, via a…
-
JoBoxers, Like Gangbusters, 1983 on RCA
I had not actually heard of JoBoxers but took a flyer on this one just based on the sheer 80s new-waveness of the cover – the hair, the braces, the hats: vaguely Depeche Mode, vaguely Dexy’s Midnight Runners. They were a UK new wave band, who toured opening for Madness – their debut single “Boxerbeat”…
-
The Police, Outlandos D’Amour, 1978 on A&M
Outlandos D’Amour was the debut album by The Police, released on A&M in 1978. You’ll find cover variations with red, yellow, and green lettering – I don’t think there’s any logic to that, just variety. Love this whole album from the jump: “Next To You” / “So Lonely” / Roxanne” And “Hole in My Life”…
-
Buck Clayton, Swingin’ and Dancing, 1964 on Mode Disques
I do a fair amount of record shopping while traveling, and picked up this Buck Clayton (et sa trompette) at La Fin Du Vinyle in Montreal, on Mode Disques, which was a sub-label of Disques Vogue, a French label. The liner notes are presented in French, English, and German. Personnel here include Jean-Claude Pelletier, Jean…
-
David Bowie, The Lost Sessions, Vol 1, 2020 on Parachute Recording Company
Another Parachute Recording Company release, which collects radio broadcasts subject to different copyrights in the EU. In this case, that includes appearances Bowie made on: As is not uncommon with bootlegs, some tracks are misidentified / mislabelled: C14 is not Janine but the 4:42 version of “The Width of a Circle,” and C15 is not…
-
Steve Earle, Guitar Town, 1986 on MCA Records
Earle’s debut album from the mid-eighties – note the proud “Digital Recording” stamp on the cover (where now you’d see “All Analog” promoted). Topped the country charts, and the title single made #7 on the country singles charts. I think Earle’s really matured into a wonderful elder statesman of a certain kind of roots /…
-
T. Rex, T. Rextasy: The Best of T. Rex, 1970-1973, 1985 on Warner Bros.
Mid-eighties compilation of T. Rex. Between 1970 and 1973, the band had eleven top 10 singles in the UK – including many here. Produced by Tony Visconti. I came to T. Rex indirectly through The Replacements (who covered “20th Century Boy” on Let it Be), Bauhaus (who covered “Telegram Sam”) and The Power Station (who…
-
Neil Young, Neil Young, 1969 on Reprise
Young’s debut solo album. It can be tricky to keep all the chronology straight here, as someone who came to Young much later in his career – but this is following his departure from Buffalo Springfield and before the first Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young record. Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere (with Crazy Horse) was…