Tag: vinylfinds
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Wye Oak, The Louder I Call, The Faster It Runs, 2018 on Merge Records
The most recent full length from Andy Stack and Jenn Wasner, on Merge. The Wye Oak was the largest white oak tree in the US until it died in 2002 (at over 460 years old). There is still a Wye Oak State Park in Talbot County. The album was mixed by John Congleton and mastered…
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The Housemartins, The People Who Grinned Themselves To Death, 1987 on Elektra
On this record the Housemartins were Norman Cook, Dave Hemingway, Stan Cullimore, Pete Wingfield, and P.D. (Paul) Heaton. Heaton & Hemingway went on to form The Beautiful South, while Norman Cook went on to form Beats International (and also was Fatboy Slim). The Housemartins were Christian Socialists from Hull (in the UK, not Massachusetts), which…
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Wye Oak, Tween, 2016 on Merge
Baltimore’s Wye Oak (who started as Monarch) are Andy Stack and Jenn Wasner, and get described as either indie-rock-infused folk, or folk-infused indie rock. Either way I like it. Tween collects things recorded between their albums Civilian (2011) and Shriek (2014) though it came out later. Ashley North Compton did the cover (as she did…
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Cowboy Junkies, The Trinity Session, 1988 on RCA
I could have (and would have) sworn this album was called The Trinity Sessions, plural, but I would have been wrong: it’s singular. (The session was recorded at the Church of the Holy Trinity in Toronto). Fair, since it truly is a singular (in the sense of unique / one of a kind) album. It…
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Ella Fitzgerald, Misty Blue, 1968 on Capitol
My copy is a pressing on Pickwick/33, “by arrangement with Capitol Records” – not sure what year. (45 Worlds says 1971). These reissues only have 9 tracks where the original Capitol release had 11 – omitted are “I Taught Him Everything He Knows” and “Turn The World Around (The Other Way).” As the liner notes…
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Justin Townes Earle, Live at Grimey’s, September 4th, 2014, on BMG.
Though it was recorded in 2014, and released in 2015 on Vagrant Records, my copy is the 2023 Record Store Day reissue on BMG – two 45rpm records in blue vinyl. This was recorded the month Single Mothers was being released but also includes songs that would be on Absent Fathers My copy via Newbury…
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M. Ward, The End of Amnesia, 2001 on Future Farmer Recordings
M. Ward’s sophomore album, following up Duet for Guitars #2 – and what a wonderful album it is. My copy is a 20th anniversary reissue on vinyl from Jealous Butcher Records which sounds amazing. Future Farmer did release a vinyl edition in 2009 but this one is remastered by Adam Gonsalves at Telegraph Mastering. Liner…
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The Time, Pandemonium, 1990 on Paisely Park
This was the fourth full length from Morris Day’s The Time, with Terry Lewis, Jellybean Johnson, Jesse Johnson, Jimmy Jam, Monte Moir, and Jerome Benton (who delivers the mirror). The song “Donald Trump (Black Version)” resurfaced back in 2016 for obvious reasons, but otherwise it’s just a fun funk album about food and sex.
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David Bowie, Diamond Dogs, 1974 on RCA Victor
Bowie’s eighth studio album, recorded following the disbanding of the Spiders from Mars, working (again) with producer Tony Visconti. The recording band includes Tony Newman and Aynsley Dunbar on Drums, Herbie Flowers on Bass, Mike Garson on Keyboards, and Bowie (credited only by last name) playing guitar, saxes, moog, and mellotron. The cover painting is…
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Donovan, Catch the Wind, 1965 on Hickory
Donovan’s debut, this LP was titled “What’s Bin Did And What’s Bin Hid” in the UK (and it seems like everywhere outside the US), but “Catch The Wind” in the US . It came out a bit later here and the single was already on the charts, so they wanted the LP title to match.…
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Conor Oberst, Ruminations, 2016 on Nonesuch
Oberst was hospitalized in 2015 in the middle of a tour for the punk band Desaparecidos, and this album was written and recorded in the recovery from that experience. It was recorded in Omaha in just two days, with Ben Brodin as Engineer, Mike Mogis doing the mixing, and Bob Ludwig mastering. My copy is…
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R.E.M., Dead Letter Office, 1987 on IRS Records
Divded into a “Post” side and a “Script” side, this was one of my favorite R.E.M. releases of the 80s, with the unofficial subtitle from the rear cover: “We do sountracks, a virtuous compost, Being a Compendium Of Oddities Collared and B-sides compiled.” “Voice of Harold” was a completely different vocal improvised over the track…
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Leon Russell, Leon Russell and the Shelter People, 1971 on Shelter Records
There’s been a resurgence of interest in Leon Russell lately, with a tribute album (A Song For Leon) and a biography (Leon Russell: The Master of Space and Time’s Journey Through Rock & Roll History) both out this spring. I’ve been a fan for a long time – “A Song for You” (especially the Donny…
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The Alarm, Equals, 2018 on The Twenty First Century Recording Company
The Alarm joined here by Billy Duffy from the Cult. The Twenty First Century Recording Company was set up by Mike Peters back in the 90s. The Alarm have actually put out six records since 2011, though I’ve not followed them as closely as I did back in their heyday in the 80s. They are…
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Various Artists, 89.3 The Current, 2005 on Minnesota Public Radio (MPR 116)
Great compilation of recordings made in the studios of Minnesota Public Radio. The Current is the branded name for KCMP, 89.3, and was created when MPR bought WCAL-FM, the college station at St. Olaf, in 2004. So I guess this release was partially celebrating the roll out of The Current. Lots of great things here,…
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Modern English, After the Snow, 1982 on Sire
This was Modern English’s second album, following Mesh & Lace, and had the massive hit “I Melt With You” which I think was so iconic in the early 80s. Doesn’t always fare well in reviews – Melt With You is definitely the stand out on the album, but I actually really like the whole thing.…
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Crosby, Stills, Nash, & Young, So Far, 1974 on Atlantic
I didn’t realize until many years later this was a compilation album – basically [Greatest Hits] So Far because I was coming to their music so many years later. Wikipedia tells me (and i believe them) that the 11 tracks here represent 50% of what the band had put out at that point, as studio…
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Desmond Dekker, The Israelites, 1969 on Pyramid
The title track was top 10 both in the UK and in the US in 1969, making Dekker one of the most visible early stars of reggae outside Jamaica. My copy is a 2016 mono reissue through BMG, reproducing the Pyramid label from the 1969 UK release. Via Reykjavik Record Shop in Iceland.