Tag Archives: classic-rock

April 21 to Star Wars

Posted on by
Reply

As usual, I had an eclectic week of music, from Willie Nelson’s outlaw country to Sixties Music’s hard rock. I didn’t listen to a large number of albums this week, 13, which works out just short of two per day. In reality, I listened to four albums on some days and nothing on other days.

Willie Nelson  Red-Headed Stranger

This album is labelled by many sources as a classic in modern music, and rightfully so. Red Headed Stranger is a quasi-concept album about love, lust and loss. It is very high on my list of songs on the boat ride to the deserted island, when I get their I’ll let you know if it made it to the island or not.

Wikipedia: “Red Headed Stranger was a blockbuster among country music fans and mainstream audiences. It was certified multiple-platinum and made Nelson one of the most recognized artists in country music. The cover of “Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain,” released as a single before the album, became Nelson’s first number-one hit. The title of the album became a lasting nickname for Nelson. It was number 183 on Rolling Stone’s list of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time and number one on CMT’s 40 Greatest Albums in Country Music. In 2010, it was inducted into the National Recording Registry.”

Willie Nelson  The Troublemaker

The Troublemaker is a good album, containing gospel standards with the trademark Willie Nelson feel running through it.

Willie Nelson  To Lefty From Willie

I have listened to this album dozens of times and never tired of it. As far as tribute albums go, Willie nails it on To Lefty From Willie. Willie captures the emotion Lefty wrote into his songs and can retain most of the song’s musical and lyrical feel. Lefty Frizell was an incredible all-around musician, a guitar picker, a singer, and a writer. This album is a good place to start if you are getting acquainted with Willie Nelson or Lefty Frizzell. To Lefty From Willie is a deserted island pick in my library.

Willie Nelson  Somewhere Over The Rainbow/The Minstrel Man

It’s a waste of vinyl. These are overcooked, with the orchestra obliterating any notion of this being a C/W album. Willie was good when he was an outlaw, not so hot as a pop crooner. I’ll go back and listen to Red Headed Stranger again to get The Minstrel Man out of my brain.

Pink Floyd  Wish You Were Here

This album has been overdue for a listen. I plopped down in the recliner, cranked the volume to 8, and opened Wikipedia to read about the album as I listened to it. I need to hear this more often; it has some very good music.

Oxbow  Thin Black Duke

I don’t know what genre Thin Black Duke belongs in; I hear alt-rock and experimental rock. Something quirky about this album caught my attention and has stuck with me. I have never listened to any of their other recordings, but I frequently listen to Thin Black Duke—a quality-over-quantity situation.

Various.  Electric Sixties

What a fun listen this was! Electric Sixties was a trip down memory lane with an album full of top-notch songs. The Electric Sixties will reside in my various artist’s collection with five stars beside it. It leans towards the harder rock bands of that era, and I was carried away hearing these songs again.

Juice Newton  Juice

Juice Newton has enjoyed a stellar career in music, with numerous cross-over albums that charted, as well as a long list of charting singles in both pop and country charts. Juice is her third solo album and the only one I have ever owned; it is a good one if it is the only one. Juice is packed with good songs and three charting singles, with Angel of the Morning being my favourite song from the album.

Bobby Bond  The Roger Miller Songbook

I could swear that this is a recording by Roger Miller. It isn’t. The Roger Miller Songbook is the first album, recorded in 1965, for an aspiring musician named Bobby Bond. The Roger Miller Songbook sold more for the name Roger Miller than Bobby Bond. Bobby Bonds’s next album, which was dedicated to Jim Reeves, enjoyed good sales, but like The Roger Miller Songbook did nothing to establish Bobby Bond as a singer. The Roger Miller Songbook is a nice album, especially for those of a certain age who can remember these songs from years long gone.

Van Morrison  Enlightenment

Enlightenment is a cassette that I used to sound test a new old cassette deck that I had purchased. The cassette is good, but the deck needs some TLC. Several Moments Later… I ran a pair of cleaning cassettes through the deck and it sounds better, but not good. It has a dirty sound that I suspect is more than I can fix.

A person that I used to work with was a fan of Van Morrison but stated that if you heard one Van Morrison album, you’ve heard them all. There is an element of truth in that statement. There are, however, different lyrics, fresh musical arrangements, and new emotions and feelings in every one of Van Morrison’s albums. I liked listening to Enlightenment and can see myself returning to this album someday. 

The Violet Burning  Chosen

The Violet Burning is a Christian alternative rock band from the days when I went to church. It is still a decent album; it has aged well. I suspect this could easily be categorized as an alternative rock band, but they got labelled as a Christian band. That label has been a weight around the necks of many good bands. They get stuck in the nowhere world of music, they are too Christian for popular media and too rock for most churches. Larry Norman and Daniel Amos are two fantastic bands, in my opinion, that never broke out of that wasteland. All three of those artists were able to make a career of walking that tightrope. The Violet Burning went on from this debut album to record about a dozen more albums and a slew of other related music projects. I enjoyed listening to this album again and realized that this is the only recording by The Violet Burning that I have. I’ll keep my eyes open for more in my search through thrift and second-hand stores.

Kevin on Repeat #294

I wasn’t familiar with these bands, other than Hendrix, but being open to listening to new music, I listened to this while I tapped out this blog. They are all good, Kevin, according to Norman.

March 17 & 24

Posted on by
Reply

This blog started on Monday, March 17, St. Patrick’s Day, covering my listening for the previous week. It has spun into a blog that carries that forward and blends in with my listening for the week leading up to today, March 24. I am hitting a brick wall when it comes to reviewing music. I can only give generics, but that seems so small compared to what I have been able to do in the past. Regardless, what you see is what you get; I will not cut and paste or plagiarize other people’s reviews.

Steve Miller Band Greatest Hits 1974-78

In 1975, my friend Steve Miller and I quit our jobs at the coal mine in the Crowsnest Pass and headed for Mexico. We listened to a lot of music on that trip, but I don’t recall ever listening to anything by the musician Steve Miller.

Bill Monroe & His Blue Grass Boys – Bluegrass Classics Radio Shows 1946-1948

The header is almost as long as the review—classic early bluegrass music.

The Monkees The Monkees

The Monkees Headquartes

The Monkees More Of The Monkees

These three albums came in a haul of about 100 albums that I paid $20 for. It is a fun trip down memory lane for those of a certain age, and I think I got my money’s worth.

Harry Rusk Canadian Country Hits

Included in those boxes were numerous Canadian albums; this was among them. I couldn’t find much information about Harry Rusk besides the fact that he had a single that charted in 1969; it isn’t on this album. This album is a good listen if you enjoy Country and Western music.

Duane Eddy Twistin’ ’n’ Twangin’

Classic sock party music.

Jimmy “Arthur” Ordge Tears From A Country Hear

More classic C/W music. Jimmy “Arthur” Ordge was an Albertan who made a bit of a wave in C/W music. He had a few songs that charted, he appeared on Canadian television, and toured relentlessly. I enjoy his music; I’m not sure if I saw him live or on television, but I can remember him from the distant past.

The Moody Blues On the Threshold of a Dream

The Moody Blues Days of Future Passed

The Moody Blues Long Distance Voyager

The Moody Blues To Our Children’s Children’s Children

My musical week had two heavy hitters, one of them being The Moody Blues. They were a band I enjoyed in the past but didn’t dive into deeper than casual listens. They had their unique sound and made some delightful music.

Francine Morrison Sweet, Sweet Spirit

Francine Morrison had a strong and sweet, sweet voice, and my wife and I enjoyed listening to this sweet, sweet southern black church music album.

Montreux Sign Language

Montreux is considered a supergroup of electronica in the contemporary jazz scene. I enjoyed this album, but not enough to run out and buy another one.

Mountain Climbing

Mountain are a band with a long article in Wikipedia that you can read on your own. I will only add that I have a long history with this album. I’m not sure when I bought it, but I know I have been listening to it for a long time. It has held its age very well in my library. It is often cited as an album that started the heavy metal scene. I can hear why that connection exists. I like listening to this recording, and it has remained glued in my repertoire for good reason; it is a good album.

Tina Turner Gold

I gave my wife tickets to Tina – The Tina Turner Musical for Christmas. It was a grand show that both of us enjoyed immensely. Then we came home and listened to the album I gave her, along with the tickets. We should have withheld the album listen for a bit longer because the hangover from the live show was still fresh, and I couldn’t help myself from referencing back and forth. The show was top-notch, but Tina Turner, at her best, was a tough act to follow. She had powerful vocals and owned the show when she let loose.

Van Morrison Astral Weeks

Van Morrison Moondance

I only managed two Van Morrison records this past week; more will come next week. Van Morrison has a style that blends many elements of music. Here is what shows up on Wikipedia: blue-eyed soul, Celtic, rock, R&B, folk, blues, jazz, country and Christian. His music has something for everyone; you may have to listen to all of his records to find it, but it is in there somewhere. I don’t have a go-to Morrison album. I enjoyed playing through all of them. His music has something for everyone; you may have to listen to his complete discography, but it will be somewhere. I don’t have a go-to Morrison album. I enjoy playing through all of them. If you ask the casual man on the street what their favourite Van Morrison album is, you will probably get Moondance more often than not. While it is a good album, I’m unsure about holding down the number one slot. It came early in his solo career, and he was prolific, with 48 solo albums. If someone held a gun to my head and told me to pick a favourite Van Morrison album, I would have to say No Guru, No Method, No Teacher with Hymns To The Silence a close second. There are some that I am relistening to this week, and that answer might change.

Next up, the week from March 17 to 24.

Van Morrison Tupelo Honey

Van Morrison Saint Dominic’s Preview

Van Morrison Common One

Van Morrison Poetic Champions Compose

Van Morrison Van Morrison

I listened to an abundance of Van Morrison over the last two weeks. I have enjoyed the journey, but it is time to move on.

Elton Motello Victim Of Time

This album was a small-time hit with the song Jet Boy, Jet Girl. There was a bit of talk about the song’s contents, Jet Boy, Jet Girl.” It is about a 15-year-old boy’s sexual relationship with an older man, who then rejects him for a girl. Victim Of Time has not aged well from where I listen. It checked all the boxes for a punk/new band in 1977, but not in 2025.

Werner Muller and His Orchestra Percussion In The Sky

A bit of background music for whatever you are doing.

Various The All American Pop Collection Volume 5. I now have all five of these albums. I still love collections like this. I scored a couple of boxes of vinyl last week, and this was in that box.

Various 30 Original Artists Sing Their Original Country Hits

Adding another best-of collection to my collection.

Judy Mowatt Only A Woman

Judy Mowatt had a modest solo career but will most likely be best remembered as a backup singer to Bob Marley. This album was a good listen for a golf ball like me.

Barbara Mandrell The Best of Barbara Mandrell

Pop country. It’s pleasant, but not the country music I enjoy listening to; see the album two stories up; that is the original country I like listening to.

And now for some new music mentions.

Ecce Shnak Shadows Grow Fangs

I have enjoyed listening to this album. It is a bit of fresh music in an era that all too often celebrates the mediocre. Ecce Shnak, Eh-kay sh-KNOCK wanders between gentle sentimental songs, Stroll With Me, to the thunder of ‘Jeremy, Utilitarian Sadboy.’ Shadows Grow Fangs is a thrilling EP that takes the listener along on a journey I was never sure about when it started or where it should end.

Thanks to Shauna McLarnon for Shameless Promotion PR

Tombstones In Their Eyes Asylum Harbour

Tombstones In Their Eyes would be a good title for a spaghetti western. They could use Asylum Harbour as the soundtrack. I listened to the album again while I was writing, and I changed my mind. Tombstones In Their Eyes would work wonders with something like Jonah Hex or The Preacher, some of the new Western-themed shows.

The LA-based psych-rock shoegaze collective is made up of long-time members John Treanor (vocals & guitar), Stephen Striegel (drums), Courtney Davies (vocals), Phil Cobb (guitar) and Paul Boutin (guitar), along with new band members Joel Wasko (bass) and Clea Cullen (vocals).

“‘Gimme Some Pain’ was written in May 2023 – one of the worst years I’ve experienced since way back in my 20’s. Life was falling apart, I was feeling heavy guilt and shame. Suicidal ideation almost every day. I have no idea how I managed to perform normal functions like go to work along with all the other responsibilities I have. All that is background to the song’s creation. I realize that, compared to those in really unfortunate circumstances, my problems are probably pretty petty, but the thing about pain is that it’s a subjective experience,” says John Treanor.

  “I don’t usually write on acoustic guitar but I like to mix it up occasionally. The song is made up of some pretty simple chord progressions that rolled right out. The lyrics are like a mantra repeated over and over. A mantra about where I was and what I was feeling at that time. The chorus, which just came out of my mind as is, turned out great and is in a range where I can sing it with a lot of energy and feeling”.

Singing with energy and feeling is what Tombstones In Their Eyes do. They lasso you and pull you into the arc of their music, and it is very easy to linger there.

This album is another gem from Shameless Promotion PR 

Dragon Welding The Naughty Step

This album is another gem from Shameless Promotion PR . It’s been a good month listening to their tunes. The lyrics of The Naughty Step connected with me on more than a casual basis. The music adds to the allure of the album.

“The lyrical theme of the album overall is me trying to deal with problems that I’ve never quite resolved in my mind, while all the time, new problems appear. It’s never ending and I will continue to write songs about it until I stop caring,” says Andy Golding.

“The song is about that vague feeling you get when your judgement is questioned. You’re pretty sure you’ve done nothing wrong, but you still have the nagging cloak of guilt draped around your sloping shoulders,” Golding explains. “I was at school at a time when corporal punishment was still allowed: beating children with canes and slippers. The line about the ‘punishment boys’ is about queuing up outside the sport teachers office, waiting for the cane, but neither you nor the teacher remembering the exact reason you were there. It sounds Dickensian, but it was the 1980s!” continues Andy Golding.

Full stop. I look forward to what I shall listen to this week. Have fun and listen to the music.

Feb 24 2025

Posted on by
Reply

It has been a wild and crazy week in my music sphere. A bit of vintage and a bit of new music. I hope you enjoy music as much as I do.

Steve Martin – A Wild and Crazy Guy

Classic Steve Martin. I saw Steve Martin open for The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band in 1987 in The Northern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium. Forty years later, I saw The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band with my wife and son at the same venue. Alas, no, Steve Martin the second time. He didn’t get a very good response from the audience, with only sporadic laughter. I think he got to Edmonton a couple of years before Edmonton got into that kind of comedy. I enjoyed it. I guess I was ahead of the curve.

Mashmakan – Mashmakan

1970, it’s hard to grasp that this album was released over 50 years ago. I have enjoyed it at least 55 times. I remember hearing the song, As the Years Go By, on the radio. It was a massive hit for them, with over 100,000 copies sold in Canada, 500,000 copies in the United States, and over 1,000,000 in Japan. After releasing three tracks from their self-titled album, Mashmakan released this album, and it had a more subdued response than the singles had generated. It garnered a better response from the critics, AllMusic critic Lindsay Planer stated that Mashmakhan blended “intricate progressive rock” and “resilient jazz fusion-inspired rhythms” and that Mashmakhan “consistently came up with brilliant material, rivalling many of their American contemporaries. Allmusic gave the album a solid 4 out of 5 stars. I do believe I will provide it with the same score.

Nick Mason – Nick Mason’s Fictitious Sports

I have the solo albums of all four of the members of Pink Floyd, but for some reason, I have a sentimental feeling about this album. Mason was less bombastic than Gilmour or Waters, and I gravitate towards that, being a reasonably calm person myself. The album was recorded outside of Pink Floyd, which was self-destructing. The band released The Wall in 1979, the end of Pink Floyd as a band. Everything that Pink Floyd released later than that is scavenged from the cutting room floor. Nick Mason’s Fictitious Sports was recorded in October 1979, but its release was delayed for almost two years. From out of the ashes of Pink Floyd, Nick Mason brought together an impressive list of collaborators, including Carla Bley, who wrote all of the songs.

The opening salvo from Nick Mason’s Fictitious Sports reminds me of King Crimson. The opening track, Can’t Get My Motor to Start, slides away from that into a rambling trip. The presence of Carla Bley is undeniable; it has a definite jazz feel to it. I had to listen to it thrice while writing this blog to let the music settle in. Subtle nuances could be easily missed on a more casual listen.

I quite enjoy this album; it is not Pink Floyd. It is Nick Mason’s album. None of the other Floyd band members contributed to making Nick Mason’s Fictitious Sports.

Pink Floyd A Saucerful of Secrets

Nick Mason’s Saucerful of Secrets Live at the Roundhouse

I had to listen to the Pink Floyd version to give me an anchor point for the Nick Mason version of the two songs on this extended single featuring “See Emily Play” and “Vegetable Man.” In all honesty, I can add this to the Floyd albums within my album collection, but it does not reside in any place near the top. The Pink Floyd album is a better listening experience for me. Sorry, Nick, but Fictitious Sports and the original A Saucerful of Secrets trump this recording.

BLOKE – Living Without Expectations

“It promises to be a bold statement from a band unafraid to challenge conventional musical and social boundaries.” –  MYSTIC SONS

The wait is finally over for fans of the experimental noise-rock collective BLOKE, fronted by German artist Jakob Buraczewsk.

In a world oversaturated with predictable sounds, BLOKE emerges from the shadows with a sonic assault that defies categorization. Drawing inspiration from two legendary acts I enjoy, Spacemen 3 and Black Rebel Motorcycle Club.The London/Berlin outfit has delivered a masterclass in controlled chaos, where waves of psychedelia crash against jagged post-punk rhythms and Krautrock persistence. Serving as more than just a collection of songs, their debut EP emerges as a carefully orchestrated soundscape that reflects society’s collective response to recent global events. 

“The project primarily revolves around my personal experiences in creating music and art and contemplates the struggle of being human in the 21st century.” lead singer Jakob Buraczewski adds. “Ultimately, it represents a journey of self-discovery and artistic growth, allowing me to express my thoughts and emotions more freely. I hope that listeners can connect with these themes and find their own reflections within the music.”

Born in the intimate confines of a home studio and meticulously refined professionally, each instrument on Living Without Expectations was carefully re-recorded to achieve the perfect balance of raw energy and polished production.

“It’s a process filled with passion and dedication, where every note matters and every sound contributes to creating something truly special,” says Jakob. The result is a cohesive sonic experience where feedback becomes an instrument of its own, developed through countless live performances and studio experimentation. 

While already released singles’ Money Says’ and ‘Up Tight’ tackle broader political and social landscapes, the EP’s standout track ‘Tomorrow’ delves into more intimate territory. Here, the band explore how past relationships shape our perception of reality, weaving through the hazy fabric of memory. The song reflects how we reconstruct our personal histories, even as time distorts the details. In contrast to the EP’s more outward-looking tracks, ‘Tomorrow‘ captures that universal experience of how memories of lost love continue to echo through our lives, bending and reshaping our understanding of what once was. “Initially, the sound of the track may come across as repetitive, but it is merely building momentum.” Jakob expands, “When it finally bursts into life with the roar of distorted guitars, the effect is truly poignant. This dramatic peak is made even more powerful by the soulful sound of a harmonica, highlighting the deep emotions in the music.”

Straddling the pulsing underground scenes of London and Berlin, BLOKE has emerged as a formidable force in contemporary psych rock. At the helm is German artist Jakob Buraczewski, whose five-year immersion in London’s alternative underbelly has shaped the project’s distinctive sound – a blistering fusion of Krautrock’s hypnotic rhythms, psychedelic textures, and raw garage punk. The band’s reputation for electrifying live performances has earned them spots alongside underground heavyweights like Helicon and Verstärker (Fuzz Club), Data Animal (Dedstrange), Body Horror (Permanent Creeps), and The Shadracks (Sub Pop).

I love this album. It has just the right amount of noise to keep it raw. It has just the right amount of originality to keep it fresh. This album brought the term controlled chaos to my mind. Within the apparent randomness of chaos, Jakob has crafted underlying patterns that create interconnection between and within songs. He uses repetition, similarity, and self-organization to build the songs. “Initially, the sound of the track (Tommorow) may come across as repetitive, but it is merely building momentum.” Jakob

And build momentum, this EP does very, very well. By the time the last strains of Tomorrow fade, I will be hitting repeat to keep the momentum flowing. I will close this discourse with the quote that started it. 

“It promises to be a bold statement from a band unafraid to challenge conventional musical and social boundaries.” –  MYSTIC SONS

It fulfills that promise boldly and courageously.

Living Without Expectations is available across all streaming platforms and in cool cassette and record formats for oldtimers like me who like physical copies.

DISCOVER BLOKE 

INSTAGRAM | BANDCAMP | SPOTIFY 

Tonzonen Records/Cargo Records

Mystic Sons

BARK PR

Press | Radio | Consulting

http://www.barkpr.co.uk/ 

For all press enquiries, please contact james@barkpr.co.uk or Charlotte@barkpr.co.uk For all press enquiries, please contact james@barkpr.co.uk or Charlotte@barkpr.co.uk 

2024 In The Rearview Mirror

Posted on by
Reply

Making year-end summaries is always a long and occasionally tedious process. I have to review all the blogs I wrote this year and take notes on which bands I liked and some fringe players I think deserve a second listen. Then, I listened to all the albums (some get a brief glance) again, reviewing what I had written, which was enjoyable. Generally speaking, I wouldn’t say I like making best-of lists, but I will indulge and offer some highlights from this year’s listening sessions.

I listened to about 400 albums this year, with a mix of vinyl, streaming, CDs and a few cassettes thrown in. Having broken my hip certainly impacted my listening for the first 3 or 4 months of the year. I didn’t make a spreadsheet this year, so I don’t have the data on my listening that I usually have.

Regardless of the numbers, it was a good year. There were plenty of new albums and artists that I had not heard of before. I want to thank the PR firms that kept entertaining me with new music. A few independent bands sent me their albums. Thank you. p.s. I am always grateful for the physical copies, any media type.

My beloved Technics turntable reached its last run-out groove. It is 42 years old, so it is ready for retirement. I bought a new audio-technica turntable from Record Collectors Paradise, and look forward to hearing it play music in 2025. I also put new speakers in my office, where I do most of my writing. So, without further ado, here is what I heard in 2024.

Best New Music

Evidence of a Struggle – Keep It

From Shameless Promotion PR, I was offered this album to blog something about. I listened to it numerous times, and apart from saying that I enjoyed it, I provided no commentary on why I liked it.

The press sheet called the music ‘lush, cinematic, beautiful and sometimes chaotic compositions.’ Yeah, it is all of those words, ’nuff said.

Modern Guilt – We’ll Always Have Vegas

I am listening to Modern Guilt’s album We’ll Always Have Vegas. I blogged it in February, so there has been a significant amount of time between my first exposure to the music and now.

I originally wrote that We’ll Always Have Vegas felt very personal, and the lyrics’ sent me chills.’ I am listening to the album as I write this, and it has not lost anything since my first listen and today. It has enjoyable music and good lyrics; Modern Guilt hit a home run with We’ll Always Have Vegas.

Between the Dead and the Dreaming from Ten Millimeter Omega Recordings

Atmospheric chill music. Bandcamp describes Between the Dead and the Dreaming as “dark ambient/instrumental music from Jason Herring of the Mystery Plan, the Interstellar, and Muchacho.” That about sums it up.

Thanks to Ten Millimeter Omega Recordings for suggesting this album to me.

Welcome to The Marble Zone. I am still figuring out what to add to my blog in April. It sums it up well. I enjoy this album; it is a standout for the year, to be sure. Thank you to Bark Music for this audio gem.

GCBC

Best Compilation Albums

Generation Blue from Big Stir Records

I like mix tapes and compilation albums, so when Christina & Rex from Big Stir Records told me about Generation Blue, I was happy to give it a virtual spin. The Shufflepucks’, Where The Hell Is She is the opening salvo, which has retained its energy since my first spin in March. Broken Tooth by Campfire Girls is another standout song I am enjoying as I blog about it. It’s good music. This is a good collection of good tunes.

Various – Stiffs Live

Nick Lowe, Elvis Costello and Ian Dury & the Blockheads appeared on this compilation album. I’ve said a hundred times and will say again, ‘I like compilation albums.’ And this is a humdinger of a collection, loaded with favourite artists of mine from the British New Wave period.

Best Live Show 

Explosions In The Sky – Live at Midway

It still sends a chill down my spine when I think about this live show. I was enthralled, held, and fixated for a couple of hours. A handful of bands and artists have wrapped their music around me like chains fashioned from sheet music. Explosions In The Sky is the most recent band to do so. They are not a flashy band. The lights used on stage were subtle and occasionally blinding when they used backlighting for the stage, Explosions In The Sky is not the only band guilty of this. That was the only mar on an otherwise enchanted evening. Thank you Joel. https://jweatherly.ca

Best New Vintage Album

CSN&Y – Live At Fillmore East, 1969

This album was recorded shortly before their standout album, Déjà Vu (1970), and before their live album, 4 Way Street (1971.) On Live At Fillmore East, 1969, we get to hear four talented musicians, who are arguably stars outside of CSN&Y, coming together and feeling their way towards being a group and not four men on guitars. They are rough in patches and golden on other tracks. A highlight for me was the 16-minute solo of Down By The River showcasing what Young brought to the band. It’s not as polished as 4 Way Street, but it is part of its charm to hear the rough edges before they did Déjà Vu, their most successful album and a studio album squeezed between these live albums.

Best Video 

David Byrne – American Utopia

The American Upopia show was one of the best live shows I have been to, and this video captures a lot of the charm. The video is from the Broadway show of American Utopia, which received a Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album.

Best Band Name

Ned’s Atomic Dustbin – God Fodder

Thanks to Kevin from On Repeat for reviewing this album, which I promptly listened to.

Best Album/band names

Jerry Jerry and the Sons of Rhythm Orchestra – Road Gore: The Band That Drank Too Much

Best Electronic/Rock/Industrial/Coldwave

PIG – Red Room 

Thanks to Shauna (contact@shamelesspromotionpr.com) at Shameless Promotion PR for suggesting this to me. 

Best Single

RORO and snapir – Mass

Thank you to Daniel Jones at Mystic Sons music publishing.

My Favourite Albums That I Play Every Year

Pink Floyd – The Dark Side Of The Moon

The consistent yearly winner 51 years in a row. I never tire of listening to this album. I first bought it on vinyl, the next day I bought it on cassette so I could play it in my car. Between 1973 and 2024 I have probably acquired over a two dozen copies of this album in various formats. I use this album for the first listen on any bit of new hardware I acquire since I know how DSotM sounds. Within the last week or so I have used DSotM twice, a new turntable and a new set of speakers. It’s getting better all the time.

The Beatles – Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band

I don’t know what I could at to this album’s notes. It fully deserves to be called a classic album.

Bee Gees – Best Of The Bee Gees

Best Of Bee Gees is the first album I bought with my own money.

King Crimson – In The Court Of The Crimson King

I have 12 records by King Crimson, and I listened to all of them chronologically this year. The photo below was taken in London at the Royal Albert Hall in 2019, where King Crimson put on a fantastic concert to celebrate the 50th anniversary of In The Court Of The Crimson King.

Assorted and Sundry Albums

Isaac Hayes – Hot Buttered Soul

A fantastic album, Isaac Hayes’s cover of ‘By The Time I Get To Phoenix’ is brilliant on an already excellent record. Hot Buttered Soul is on my list of deserted island records.

Jethro Tull – Aqualung

1971 for this one, 53 years ago. I remember when I bought Aqualung and played it when I got home. Mom and Dad had one stereo in the living room, and my parents were less enthusiastic about Jethro Tull than I was. It’s funny; the only two albums they ever complained about were Aqualung and Imagine by John Lennon. And then I bought a stereo and a good pair of over-the-ear headphones and never heard them critique my music again.

Talking Heads – Fear Of Music

I can remember surveying a well site south of Hardisty and playing this cassette over and over. Now I play it on vinyl or CD, it is still an album that gets played yearly.

Jefferson Airplane – Surrealistic Pillow

Joy Division – Unknown Pleasures

Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds – No More Shall We Part

Bill Evans Trio – Live at the Village Vanguard

Bill Evans Trio performing Live at the Village Vanguard ranks up near the top of my favourite live album, and it is a damn good record even if it wan’t live.

Dave Brubeck Quartet – Time Out

Musicians That We Lost In 2024 

Kris Kristofferson (June 22, 1936 – Sept. 28, 2024)

Melanie (Feb. 3, 1947 – Jan. 23, 2024)

They have shuffled off their earthly coils, but they will live on through the gift of music that they have given to us.

Best Late Addition

St. Vincent – All Born Screaming

I am at a loss to explain how this flew under my radar since it was released in April. I have been a casual listener of St. Vincent’s music, but this album made me a fan. Powerful music that leaps out of the speakers and engulfs me, this album pumps energy to the next level. All Born Screaming opens with pulses of bass/percussion, and then Hell Is Near settles into a smooth crooner. All good, right? Yes, it is good. Any album’s opening track should draw the listener in and pique their curiosity enough to keep listening past track one. St. Vincent accomplishes that with ease. Track two, Reckless, comes along with soft piano musings and the smooth vocals of St. Vincent, showing the versatility of her vocals, accompanied by a gentle bit of orchestration. Boom! At 2:40, the song explodes and jars our attention to ensure we are still listening. I am! I am listening! The drama, suspense and energy keep unfolding through the remainder of the album; this truly deserves to be included on my list of good ones in 2024.

2024 is fading in the rear view mirror and 2025 is unfolding before me. I finished the letter K in my quest to listen to all my records. I started this journey January 2022. I look forward to the letter L in January.

I wonder what musical gems I will listen to in the year ahead.