Tag: vinylfinds
-
Wilco, Cousin, 2023 on dBpm
Wilco’s 13th full length studio album, produced by Cate Le Bon, and recorded at the Loft in Chicago. The cover artwork is by Azuma Makoto – see Frozen Flowers 2023. Truly a fantastic Wilco album – if you’ve fallen off the Wilco train time to get back aboard. My copy via Waterloo Records in Austin…
-
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…
-
Aaron Neville, Like It Is (reissued as Humdinger), 1967 on Minit
Although this was released in 1967 on Minit (and Liberty in the UK) as Like It Is, my copy is a 1986 reissue titled as Humdinger, on Stateside (a UK label designed to reissue things from smaller American labels). As John Broven’s sleeve notes (from 1986) put it: This album harks back to Aaron’s first…
-
Chet Baker, Chet Baker in New York, 1958 on Riverside
In something of the same vein as the West Coast / East Coast rap rivalry of 90s hip hop, the jazz scene in the 50s had a bit of a California vs New York thing happening. As the sleeve notes by Orrin Keepnews puts it: . . . during much of the 1950s considerable conversation…
-
Eli Paperboy Reed, Down Every Road, 2022 on Yep Roc
Reed here covers Merle Haggard. Not exactly what you might expect from the blue-eyed soul singer, who I understand to be from Boston (graduated Brookline High in 2002) – but it is a wonderful set of versions. Liner notes by his dad, Howard Husock, pointing out that country music actually “grabbed ‘E’ first.” Produced by…
-
John Grant, Pale Green Ghosts, 2013 on Bella Union / Partisan Records
In the US on Partisan Records, elsewhere on Bella Union, this was John Grant’s second solo album, recorded in Reykjavik, with backing vocals from Sinéad O’Connor (credited as Mrs. John Grant). Grant is one of my favorite artists of last 15 years. He was in a band called the Czars in the 90s and first…
-
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…
-
Ike Quebec, Easy Living, 1987 on Blue Note
Though this was first released / issued by Blue Note in 1987, it was actually recorded in 1962 at Rudy Van Gelder’s studio in New Jersey, and represents that early 60s jazz era. It was originally going to be issued as BST-84103 – but the tracks on side one did ultimately make it on Blue…
-
Dexter Gordon, Daddy Plays the Horn, 1956 on Bethlehem Records
Wonderful mid-50s bop jazz record I’d have bought just for the cover illustration by Howard Stabin. Gordon is joined here by Kenny Drew on piano, Leroy Vinnegar on bass, and Lawreance Marable on drums. Liner notes by Joseph Muranyi. This was recorded just after Gordon got out of prison at Chino and before being incarcerated…
-
St. Paul and the Broken Bones, The Alien Coast, 2022 on ATO Records
I’m a big fan of St. Paul and the Broken Bones since their debut album, Half the City, came out in 2014. On this record the 8-piece band is founders Paul Janeway and Jessie Phillips plus Al Gamble, Allen Bransetter, Amari Ansari, Browan Lollar, Chad Fisher, and Kevin Leon. This is their 4th studio full-length…
-
David Byrne & St. Vincent, Love This Giant, 2012 on 4AD
Two of the most creative and eclectic artists and musicians collaborate here on a brass-band heavy record. (St. Vincent also contributed to Here Lies Love, Byrne’s collaboration with Fatboy Slim – a concept album / rock musical about Imelda Marcos). The Dap-Kings and the Antibalas Afrobeat Orchestra join on “The One Who Broke Your Heart”…
-
Willie Nelson, Milk Cow Blues, 2000 on Island Records
Originally released in 2000, but issued on vinyl for the first time in 2023, this is Willie singing the blues, with guests including Francine Reed, Keb’ Mo’, Jonny Lang, Dr. John, Susan Tedeschi, B.B. King, and Kenny Wayne Shepherd (doing a mean “Texas Flood”). Mix of Wilie’s own songs plus covers (“The Thrill is Gone.”…
-
Various Artists, A Very Special Christmas, 1987 on A&M
Long before Maria’s “All I Want For Christmas” came this wonderful compilation to benefit Special Olympics International with a whos-who of mid-late 80s artists covering holiday songs: This is holiday music I can get behind – though Christmas in Hollis does have a certain earworm quality I still love it. Artwork by Keith Haring, of…
-
Otis Redding, The Dock Of The Bay, 1968 on Volt.
This was the first posthumous release after Redding died in 1967, and his seventh studio album. It collected some singles, b-sides, and previously released tracks, including the title track “(Sittin’ On) The Doc of the Bay” which was cowritten by Steve Cropper and Redding. Also has a great version of “Nobody Knows You (When You’re…
-
Chet Baker, Chet, 1959 on Riverside
The labels carry a subtitle of “Ballads by Chet Baker,” and the rear cover suggests “The lyrical trumpet of Chet Baker” but most people just call it Chet. Riverside RLP 12-299 (mono) and RLP 1135 (stereo). He’s joined here by Pepper Adams, Paul Chambers, Herbie Mann, Bill Evans, and Philly Joe Jones / Connie Kay…
-
Aqualung, Dead Letters, 2022 on Okey-Donkey
First studio album from Matt Hales (aka Aqualung) in ~7 years. You may remember Aqualung from “Brighter Than Sunshine” or “Strange and Beautiful.” Illustrations by T.S. Hales “when she was 3 and saw it all.” Beautiful album – a real return to form. My copy via Waterloo Records in Austin TX
-
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…
-
Doomtree, False Hopes, 2007 on Doomtree Records
Doomtree are a hip-hop collective (and record label) from Minneapolis, including Dessa, Cecil Otter, P.O.S., Sims, Mike Mictian, Paper Tiger, and Lazerbeak. False Hopes came out (on CD) before their “debut” album, self-titled Doomtree, in 2008. There were many other “False Hopes” CDs of individual artists. The bandcamp for this release claims “This is the…