Category: Vinyl / Tunes Blog

FAVORITE ALBUMS

Compiling a personal list of favorite albums can be challenging. From the first song to the last – not many records hang together as a whole.

This is one of the supposed advantages of downloading singles. You get to hear just the “good stuff”. Unfortunately, the good stuff tends to change with time, and this practice tends to ignore the concept of the well-crafted thematic album that can transport you to a another place. Continue reading “”

ENJOYING TURNTABLES AND VINYL WITHOUT OBSESSING

Record Store Day is this Saturday. In preparation, here are a couple of good articles in The New York Times and the LA Weekly on enjoying the advantages of vinyl records without going crazy. There are lots of options for turntables, cartridges, and phono stages now that make spinning wax very easy. Collecting near mint first pressing original LPs, or tracking down the best sounding records? Well, you can go a little nuts doing that! Continue reading “”

KID CHARLEMAGNE

Three dozen years ago, Walter Becker and Donald Fagen of Steely Dan were putting the finishing touches on one of their lesser known albums – The Royal Scam. It’s a “fusion of a funk rhythm and jazz harmonies with rock and roll instrumentals and lyrical style” according to Wikpedia.

Of particular note is the track, “Kid Charlemagne”. On this song, guitarist Larry Carlton incorporated a jazz-inflected electric solo. It’s become famous for its difficulty to play and also for the finger-tapped hammer-on technique implemented near the end. This effect was not widely used until Van Halen’s first album was released two years later. Continue reading “”

BOB DYLAN

Fifty years ago today, Bob Dylan released his debut album on Columbia Records. Billboard said at the time, “Dylan, when he finds his own style, could win a big following.”

Like many of Dylan’s early albums, including Freewheelin’, you want to hear this in mono. The stereo records of this title are hard panned 2 track mixes with the guitar in one channel and vocals in the other. Sony recently put out a Dylan mono LP and CD box set that sounds great. Continue reading “”

GIVE US A RING

In the wee small hours of the evening/morning when I’m home I often sit down and listen to vinyl records on my stereo. Sometimes it’s Sinatra. Sometimes it’s Miles Davis, Bill Evans, Beck, Nick Drake or John Martyn. Here’s something I find fascinating…

Once I begin to play certain songs, I know I will be hearing them in my head for hours. Here’s a virtually unknown tune from 1970, it’s disarmingly simple and comforting, an endless poem/lullaby song cycle that’s somewhat melancholic, with lyrics that make no sense whatsoever. Perfect for those trying to fall asleep. Paul Harris on piano is sublime.

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BLUES BREAKERS MONO LP REVIEW

My article discussing this landmark 1966 British blues album and Sundazed’s recent mono reissue is now on-line at Michael Fremer’s MusicAngle.com. Included is a brief history of the role Eric Clapton played in John Mayall’s Blues Breakers band and how the various pressings compare for this often preferred mono mix.

(Photographer: Unknown. Layout: John Mayall)

Update 6/4/12: My article did not make the transition when MusicAngle switched to AnalogPlanet, but is still available here. Continue reading “”

NICK DRAKE : PINK MOON

This week is the 40th anniversary of Nick Drake’s third and final album, Pink Moon. It was recorded live in four hours during two midnight sessions in October 1971 at London’s Sound Techniques by the legendary John Wood.

Released on Island Records February 25, 1972, the eleven-track album is only 28 minutes long. But it’s 28 minutes of some of the most graceful, poetic, and introspective music cut to vinyl. Featuring Drake’s intimate vocals and guitar (piano was added to the title track) it is very personal stuff. This is melancholic music to listen to at midnight… And one of my favorite records of all time. Continue reading “”

THE BEATLES

My in-depth article on collecting The Beatles White Album has been updated and is now on Michael Fremer’s MusicAngle.com website.

Released in time for Christmas 1968, it’s appropriate that this seminal album should be revisited at this time. Continue reading “”

LED ZEPPELIN IV

Forty years ago Led Zeppelin ruled the charts and airwaves with the epic (and overplayed) “Strairway to Heaven”. I still remember when I first heard it. I was a senior in HS and my girlfriend’s best friend was ultra hip. She had somehow got a copy of LZ IV before the stores carried it. One listen and I knew what I’d be playing for my “Creative Poetry” class the following week. Everybody was mesmerized as the LP spun that day. I went King Crab fishing in Alaska six months later and was essentially incommunicado. By the time I returned it was playing every half hour on the radio. Continue reading “”

NEW MUSIC

There are several items of “new” music being released this week including Kate Bush’s latest atmospheric album 50 Words For Snow:

NPR live streaming of 50 Words For Snow

On Black Friday there will be several exclusive LPs, EPs and singles by a wide variety of artists made available through select stores linked to Record Store Day:

record store black friday list

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PINK FLOYD : MEDDLE

Pink Floyd’s sixth album was their breakthrough record in many ways. Many PF fans believe the end started with the earlier departure of Syd Barrett, but this next line up created some great art rock, including this surreal soundscape. The cover photograph portrayed a close-up of an ear underwater. Continue reading “”