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Strategem (Album of the Day)
After forming in Colorado in the mid-1980s, Big Head Todd & The Monsters built a strong regional following before signing to Giant Records and releasing SISTER SWEETLY to platinum-certified success. Recorded in Boulder, STRATEGEM was the 1994 follow-up to that breakthrough, and Todd Park Mohr and company perform these roots and Southern rock-drenched originals with understated assurance. The singing and playing here are superb, and the songwriting (inspired in part by Buddhist koans) invites repeated listening, particularly on such highlights as “Magdelina,” “In the Morning” and the title track. Released 25 years ago this week, the Top-30 charting STRATEGEM is recommended to anyone with an ear for no-frills, straight-from-the-heart rock.
Better Can't Make Your Life Better (Album of the Day)
Washington, D.C. indie rockers Lilys emerged at the end of the 1980s, adopting a U.K. shoegaze approach. But any band with as many lineup changes as this one (nearly 50 musicians have passed through the still-active group, with singer-guitarist Kurt Heasley the sole constant) is bound to change, so the mid-1960s stylings of BETTER CAN'T MAKE YOUR LIFE BETTER shouldn't be too surprising. Heasley's still looking to Britain for inspiration, but the 11 originals on the 1996 Elektra set hew closer to The Kinks and The Zombies than My Bloody Valentine, as vibrant melodies, hooks and guitar riffs carry the day. “Cambridge California,” “Returns Every Morning” and U.K. hit “A Nanny in Manhattan” are among the ear candy on BETTER CAN'T MAKE YOUR LIFE BETTER, and this consistently listenable album is perhaps the best point of entry for anyone curious about the Lilys.
Junta (Album of the Day)
Phish's long, strange trip began at the University of Vermont in the mid-1980s; with a healthy chunk of Grateful Dead in their repertoire, they soon grew to become one of rock's preeminent jam bands. It's little surprise that the quartet's self-released 1989 debut, JUNTA, reflects a love of improvisation – what's really impressive is the ambition and execution of this music. Forged from extended rehearsal sessions, these progressive rock epics display amazing versatility as the foursome navigates song structures that are both compelling and unusual on cuts like “Fee,” “You Enjoy Myself” and “The Divided Sky.” Reissued on Elektra with three live bonus tracks a few years after the original cassette, JUNTA announced the arrival of a great band, and we'll cue it up now to wish Phish guitarist-songwriter Trey Anastasio a happy birthday.
Saint Of Circumstance: Giants Stadium, East Rutherford, NJ 6/17/91 (Album of the Day)
The Grateful Dead started outgrowing theaters in the late 1970s as another generation of fans discovered the band, and the new SAINT OF CIRCUMSTANCE: GIANTS STADIUM, EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ 6/17/91 captures what is widely considered to be one of the greatest shows the Dead played in its final decade of performing. Recorded about a year after the untimely death of keyboardist Brent Mydland, the 3-CD set features new keyboardists Vince Welnick and Grammy-winner Bruce Hornsby, who brought with them a sense of exploration of repertoire that reinvigorated the setlists. One of only two Grateful Dead shows ever recorded to 48-track tape, SAINT OF CIRCUMSTANCE is rightfully described by the group's archivist David Lemieux as “the stuff of legend.”
Wildflowers (Album of the Day)
Tom Petty's second solo album, WILDFLOWERS, marked a couple of firsts for the singer-songwriter – it was his inaugural release for Warner Bros., and his first of three collaborations with producer Rick Rubin. While most of the Heartbreakers can be heard here (along with Ringo Starr and Beach Boy Carl Wilson), it has a relaxed sound distinct from Tom's previous work with the band (“Rick and I both wanted more freedom than to be strapped into five guys,” he noted at the time). The standard for material remained as high as ever, though, and such songs as “You Wreck Me,” “It's Good to be King” and hit single “You Don't Know How It Feels” rank with Petty's best. We lost the Rock and Roll Hall of Famer two years ago today, and in his memory, we'll give the triple-platinum WILDFLOWERS another spin.
Carnival (Album of the Day)
Oxford quartet Ride's third studio album, CARNIVAL OF LIGHT, shares its name with a legendary unreleased Beatles song, and the 1994 collection is steeped in 1960s classic rock and psychedelia. There's a fine cover of The Creation's “How Does It Feel to Feel?” among the dozen tracks, Deep Purple organist Jon Lord guests on “Moonlight Medicine” and the closing “I Don't Know Where It Comes From” features a school choir that could've come from a Jimmy Miller-era Stones record. The John Leckie-produced set didn't fall easily into the band's former shoegaze camp or the then-ascendant Britpop scene, and 25 years on, that may be part of its appeal. Songwriters Mark Gardener and Andy Bell both contribute winners (as does drummer Loz Colbert with “Natural Grace”) and the harmonies and guitar work are also strong – you're sure to enjoy the ride on CARNIVAL OF LIGHT.
Crash! Boom! Bang! (Album of the Day)
When Per Gessle and Marie Fredriksson teamed up as Roxette in the late 1980s, Sweden's most popular musical duo was born. CRASH! BOOM! BANG! was the pair's fifth studio album, and as the title suggests, the 15 originals (mostly by Gessle) boast a tougher edge than their previous work. That said, there's still lots of variety on the 1994 collection, which ranges from the hard-rocking lead single “Sleeping in my Car” to the pop of “Fireworks” to the acoustic “The First Girl on the Moon” and the title ballad. The album made the Top 10 in nearly 20 countries around the world, but missed the chart in America, where it was issued as a stripped-down McDonalds promotional version whose sales went largely uncounted by Billboard. Don't let some marketer's mistake dissuade you from giving this a listen; on its 25th anniversary, CRASH! BOOM! BANG! still hits the spot.
Realism (Album of the Day)
Released 10 years ago, The Magnetic Fields' REALISM was the last of a “no synths” trilogy that also includes I and DISTORTION. In fact, the Nonesuch collection takes the low-tech concept a step further, largely abandoning electric guitars and rock drumming. Magnetic mastermind Stephin Merritt has described the set as a folk album, and even if it does include a song called “We Are Having a Hootenanny,” it takes a broader approach to acoustic music along the lines of Judy Collins' baroque late-'60s collaborations with Joshua Rifkin. The cellos, banjos and sitars serve a baker's dozen originals whose sardonic takes on heartache are among Merritt's most accessible since 69 LOVE SONGS, both beautifully sung and well-produced. From indie pop gem “You Must Be Out of Your Mind” to “The Dada Polka” to a twisted holiday number (“Everything Is One Big Christmas Tree”), REALISM offers a lot of variety, and shows The Magnetic Fields remain among the most adventurous in alternative music.
Atlantic Unearthed: Soul Brothers (Album of the Day)
Atlantic Records emerged as the leading independent label for R&B after WWII, and as the 1960s soul boom hit, the company remained at the head of the pack. Along with its companion survey of female artists, ATLANTIC UNEARTHED: SOUL BROTHERS shows that quality remained high well beyond the hits. Blues & Soul journalist David Nathan combed through unreleased tapes and rare B-sides to compile this 16-track set, and comes up with gems from both famous names (Wilson Pickett's “Can't Stop a Man in Love,” Otis Redding's “I Love You More Than Words Can Say”) and lesser known artists (Mighty Sam McClain, Walter Jackson, Darrell Banks). Anyone looking to explore the mid-'60s to mid-'70s golden age of this music beyond the basics would do well to dig up ATLANTIC UNEARTHED: SOUL BROTHERS.
Gutterflower (Album of the Day)
Following the massive success of DIZZY UP THE GIRL, New York alternative rock hitmakers the Goo Goo Dolls entered the new millennium with GUTTERFLOWER. Produced by the band and Green Day helmer Rob Cavallo, the 2002 Warner Bros. collection has all the studio polish you could ask for without sacrificing any of the passion. Even when the lyrics are wrought with heartache (songwriter Johnny Rzeznik had recently been through a divorce), they're played and sung with never-say-die attitude – and packed with hooks. “Here Is Gone,” “Big Machine” and “Sympathy” were the singles, but the consistent listenability of these dozen originals has made the gold-certified GUTTERFLOWER a major favorite with Goos fans.