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Begin To Hope (Album of the Day)
Born in the Soviet Union and raised in the Bronx, Regina Spektor turns an unusually broad array of influences into a cohesive whole on BEGIN TO HOPE. The 2006 Sire album (her second for the label and first of all-new material) includes listener-friendly singles “Fidelity,” “Better” and “On The Radio” and the polished production of David Kahne, but the performer's individuality is proudly on display as well. Spektor's voice is a sweet, quirky instrument, her lyrics go beyond confessional intimacy to encompass orca whales and biblical verse, and her arrangements reflect the classical piano she grew up playing, as well as anti-folk, vintage soul and contemporary electro-pop. Greeted with critical acclaim upon release, the gold-certified BEGIN TO HOPE topped the Billboard Heatseekers chart and offers new hope for singer-songwriter fans.
Solitude/Solitaire (Album of the Day)
On Peter Cetera’s second solo set – and first after leaving the group Chicago – the vocalist displays the same knack for romantic balladry that helped make his previous band one of the most successful in pop history. Though titled SOLITUDE/SOLITAIRE, the singer-songwriter is hardly alone; among the ace session players here are guitarist Ray Parker Jr., percussionist Jeff Porcaro of Toto and keyboardist Michael Omartian (who co-produced this collection). The nine tracks include two No.1 singles: the Amy Grant duet “The Next Time I Fall” and the Karate Kid II theme “The Glory Of Love.” Released 35 years ago today, the platinum-selling SOLITUDE/SOLITAIRE proved to be Cetera’s most popular album, and its consummate craftsmanship and memorable melodies retain their allure.
Anticipation (Album of the Day)
On Peter Cetera’s second solo set – and first after leaving the group Chicago – the vocalist displays the same knack for romantic balladry that helped make his previous band one of the most successful in pop history. Though titled SOLITUDE/SOLITAIRE, the singer-songwriter is hardly alone; among the ace session players here are guitarist Ray Parker Jr., percussionist Jeff Porcaro of Toto and keyboardist Michael Omartian (who co-produced this collection). The nine tracks include two No.1 singles: the Amy Grant duet “The Next Time I Fall” and the Karate Kid II theme “The Glory Of Love.” Released 35 years ago today, the platinum-selling SOLITUDE/SOLITAIRE proved to be Cetera’s most popular album, and its consummate craftsmanship and memorable melodies retain their allure.
All the Greatest Hits (Album of the Day)
Formed around Roger Troutman and three of his brothers, Zapp was among the leading lights of the rich '70s/'80s Dayton, Ohio, funk scene. Signing with Warner Bros. at the suggestion of Bootsy Collins and George Clinton, Zapp and its frontman released a string of R&B hits for the label, the best of which are gathered on ALL THE GREATEST HITS. The collection's 17 tracks include such classics as “More Bounce to the Ounce,” “Dance Floor” and “Computer Love” and feature guest vocals from Shirley Murdock - along with plenty of Roger's signature “talk-box” singing. Released in 1993, by which time rappers including Tupac Shakur and the Beastie Boys had begun to champion Zapp, ALL THE GREATEST HITS became a platinum certified, Top 10 R&B album, and is now available as a double-LP on colored vinyl.
Soul Brothers (Album of the Day)
Atlantic Records' Tom Dowd was mastering a Modern Jazz Quartet album when Ray Charles overheard some of it and remarked that the band's Milt Jackson has “got soul.” That the admiration was mutual resulted in the 1958 album SOUL BROTHERS, the first of two collaborations between the performers. In spite of the title, the music leans more toward jazz than R&B, but the smooth and relaxing sounds here are just as effective as Brother Ray's more raucous hits. The chemistry between the two is strong on these half-dozen tracks, and both prove versatile instrumentalists - keyboardist Charles blows a mean alto saxophone on "Soul Brothers” and vibraphonist Jackson lights up the frets on “Bag's Guitar Blues.” An unusual but satisfying entry in two stellar discographies, SOUL BROTHERS has just been released on vinyl in honor of Black Music Month.
Golden Hits (Album of the Day)
Vocal group The Drifters was initially a rougher R&B outfit led by Clyde McPhatter, but when the group broke up in 1958, its manager recruited singer Ben E. King and a new band to take a more mainstream pop approach. Released in 1968, GOLDEN HITS gathers the best of the band's preceding decade with King and successors Rudy Lewis and Johnny Moore. The Drifters had their pick of radio-ready hits penned by top Brill Building songsmiths, including “This Magic Moment,” “Up On The Roof,” “On Broadway” and the No.1 smash “Save The Last Dance For Me” - all of which are included in the Atlantic collection. A supremely listenable introduction to the work of the Rock And Roll Hall Of Famers, GOLDEN HITS was just re-released on vinyl as part of Black Music Month.
Fever (Album of the Day)
Kylie Minogue's knack for self-reinvention and ability to anticipate the pop zeitgeist is surely on a par with that of Madonna. More than a decade after she first reached the Top 10 (with a cover of “The Loco-Motion”), Minogue returned to U.S. record stores with FEVER. Clearly the Australian performer spent her time away polishing her craft - with a small army of top producers at work, the collection boasts a gleaming studio sheen and 14 energetic dance-pop tracks. Among the irresistible singles are “In Your Eyes,” “Can't Get You Out of My Head,” the Grammy winning “Come into My World” and Pride-worthy anthem “Love at First Sight.” Coupled with a massive 2002 tour, FEVER became quite contagious, surpassing Platinum status to become Kylie Minogue's most successful album to date.
Curtis! (50th Anniversary) (Album of the Day)
As a founder of The Impressions, Curtis Mayfield played a key role in the development of soul; the singer-songwriter launched a solo career with a self-produced 1971 debut that boasts the same social awareness as his previous group while traversing tougher musical territory. Cut in Chicago, CURTIS serves up simmering funk and psychedelia on eight originals, including epic side openers "(Don't Worry) If There's a Hell Below, We're All Going to Go" and "Move On Up." Seen through the eyes of one of R&B's greatest poets, the collection offered a look at “what's going on” in black America during the Nixon years – though its compassion for all people makes the album timeless. Now available as a 180-gram pressing, a 50th Anniversary edition of CURTIS features a second LP of bonus tracks new to vinyl.
Jackie Brown: Music From The Miramax Motion Picture (Album of the Day)
Quentin Tarantino followed his Oscar win for Pulp Fiction with the equally audacious crime film Jackie Brown, starring Pam Grier as a smuggler in search of a big payday. As in most Tarantino films, music plays a key role and the 1997 soundtrack album features a highly listenable mix of radio hits and off-the-beaten-path tracks with a bit of movie dialogue sprinkled in. Given the film's debt to '70s blaxploitation, vintage R&B from the likes of Bobby Womack, Bill Withers and The Delfonics predominates, but there are also a few cool curveballs thrown in (such as Johnny Cash's “Tennessee Stud”). As part of Rhino's summer soundtracks campaign, JACKIE BROWN: MUSIC FROM THE MIRAMAX MOTION PICTURE is now available at indie retail as a limited edition blue vinyl pressing.
Tiny Music... Songs from the Vatican Gift Shop (25th Anniversary Edition) (Album of the Day)
Stone Temple Pilots embraced experimentation and open-mindedness to make their third album, 1996’s TINY MUSIC ... SONGS FROM THE VATICAN GIFT SHOP. It was recorded with longtime producer Brendan O’Brien at a home studio in California’s Santa Ynez Valley and the 25,000-square-foot house became a muse for STP, who recorded in different rooms – from the attic to the garden – to explore new sounds. The Atlantic collection is a pitch-perfect amalgamation of the band members’ musical personalities, yielding three #1 hits - “Big Bang Baby,” “Lady Picture Show” and “Trippin’ On A Hole In A Paper Heart.” Just in time for the album’s 25th anniversary, the new 3-CD/1-LP TINY MUSIC … SONGS FROM THE VATICAN GIFT SHOP: SUPER DELUXE EDITION includes a disc of early versions, instrumental and alternate mixes of album tracks plus a previously unreleased 1997 concert from Panama City Beach, Florida.