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A Brand New Me (Album of the Day)
On the heels of her landmark IN MEMPHIS album, Dusty Springfield made a pilgrimage to another U.S. soul capitol, Philadelphia, for 1970's A BRAND NEW ME. Once again the British singer was ahead of the curve, working with producer-songwriters Kenneth Gamble and Leon Huff and arranger Thom Bell a couple of years before their credits would become ubiquitous on R&B hits. Consequently, the Atlantic collection has a little more urbane funk than the Southern grit of its predecessor, but Springfield proves just as well-suited to the smoother style on such singles as “Silly, Silly Fool,” “I Wanna Be a Free Girl” and the Top 40 hit title track. Dusty Springfield was among the era's most versatile pop vocalists, and A BRAND NEW ME stands with its predecessor among her very best albums.
The Best of Brandy (Album of the Day)
Brandy Norwood's rise to fame was quick; the Mississippi-born singer was signed by Atlantic Records and released a multi-platinum debut before turning 16 (and a couple of years later, had her own TV sitcom). With more than 40 million records sold worldwide, THE BEST OF BRANDY was pretty much inevitable - as was the quality of its 18 tracks. The 2005 album features almost all of the performer's charting singles, including Top 10 hits “I Wanna Be Down,” “Baby,” “Have You Ever?” and her recording with Monica, “The Boy Is Mine,” which is among the most successful female duets ever. Mase, Kanye West, Heavy D and Ray J are additional guests on the collection, which also includes non-album, soundtrack and remixed tracks. A terrific survey of her first decade in music, THE BEST OF BRANDY has just been released as a 2-LP set on fruit-punch vinyl.
In the Dark (Album of the Day)
The Grateful Dead had been making music for more than 20 years before their 12th studio set, IN THE DARK, finally put them in the Top 10. The material on the 1987 collection is outstanding, with many of the originals having been workshopped by the group in concert for years; among the highlights are “Hell in a Bucket,” “Throwing Stones” and “Touch of Grey,” the band's sole Top 40 single. The album's title reflects its recording at Marin Veterans Memorial Auditorium, where the house lights were turned down as though an audience was present. “Everybody played their parts in real time, together,” recalled drummer Bill Kreutzmann. “When we took breaks, we'd go into the wings by the stage door and sit there and talk about what we'd just done … the analysis served the songs and the camaraderie served the band.” IN THE DARK captured lightning in a bottle and became a double-platinum hit.
Tormato (Album of the Day)
TORMATO was the final album of the 1970s from Rock and Roll Hall of Famers Yes. Recorded in London following an exhaustive tour behind comeback set GOING FOR THE ONE, the sessions strained the group - vocalist Jon Anderson and keyboardist Rick Wakeman would depart soon afterward - but resulted in some wonderful music. Housed in a distinctive Hipgnosis-designed cover, the platinum-selling collection features immaculate performances (with several new instruments broadening the quintet's sound) and such strong songs as “Release, Release,” “Onward” and popular single “Don't Kill the Whale.” Coupling epic lyrical fantasies to forceful arrangements, the 1978 set was called “one of Yes' strongest and most important albums” by the Los Angeles Times upon release, and TORMATO is a must for progressive rock fans.
+ (Album of the Day)
Ed Sheeran's high school classsmates voted him “most likely to be famous” and within a few years he proved them right – the British singer-songwriter has become one of the world's best-selling artists. Following several self-released E.P.s and indefatigable gigging, his debut album PLUS (or +) was released in 2011, and the talent that turned the likes of Jamie Foxx and Elton John into Sheeran boosters is on full display. Shifting skillfully from melodic balladry to hip-hop beats, these dozen originals are sure to strike a chord with listeners, and “The A Team,” “You Need Me, I Don't Need You” and “Lego House” were all Top 10 U.K. singles. The album helped the performer earn a pair of Brit Awards and was a hit stateside as well, reaching the Billboard Top 10. We'll give the platinum-certified PLUS another spin now to wish Ed Sheeran a happy birthday.
The Very Best of Curtis Mayfield (Album of the Day)
Among the pioneers of soul music with The Impressions in the 1960s, Curtis Mayfield's solo career was equally distinguished as a hitmaker, producer and label owner (of Curtom Records). THE VERY BEST OF CURTIS MAYFIELD is an inspiring display of the singer-songwriter's sweet falsetto, socially conscious lyrics and funky arrangements. The 1997 collection includes such classics as “(Don't Worry) If There's a Hell Below, We're All Going to Go,” “The Makings of You” and “Freddie's Dead,” a Top 10 single from the Super Fly soundtrack. These 16 tracks are an ideal introduction to the work of the two-time Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Grammy Hall of Fame inductee, and for Black History Month, THE VERY BEST OF CURTIS MAYFIELD has just been re-released on sky-blue vinyl.
So So Satisfied (Album of the Day)
While songwriters Nickolas Ashford and Valerie Simpson penned enough hits at Motown to last a lifetime, the creative well was far from dry when the duo signed to Warner Bros. as performers in the mid-1970s. SO SO SATISFIED was the husband-and-wife team's fourth longplayer for the label, and opener “Tried, Tested And Found True” is an apt description of the set's superb songcraft, rich orchestration and lushly romantic atmosphere. “Over and Over,” “Destiny” and the title track are other highlights of the self-produced album, which set the stage for a trio of gold records that followed. Out now on spring-green vinyl, this 1977 collection will leave R&B fans SO SO SATISFIED.
Dire Straits (Album of the Day)
Mark Knopfler didn't always get “money for nothing”; after his divorce, he moved in with his brother David to save on rent, prompting a friend to dub their new band “Dire Straits.” They might not have had much cash, but they put what they did have to good use – it took all of £120 to record their first major label single, “Sultans Of Swing,” which became a Top 10 hit on both sides of the Atlantic. That ode to cool club combos may be the most famous of the 9 tracks on DIRE STRAITS, but the album is filled with sharply sketched gems like “Water Of Love,” “Down To The Waterline” and “Wild West End.” Knopfler's lean guitar licks and Dylanesque delivery add a kick to the band's intoxicating blend of roots, jazz and pub rock sounds, and one listen to DIRE STRAITS makes clear that these sultans were swinging for the fences.
Stellar Fungk: The Best of Slave/Steve Arrington (Album of the Day)
Part of the Dayton, Ohio music scene that gave birth to the Ohio Players, Slave knew how to bring the funk. The horn-powered collective was founded in 1976 by trumpeter Steve Washington and trombonist Floyd Miller, but within a few years, drummer Steve Arrington emerged as frontman; STELLAR FUNGK features highlights of the group's 1970s and '80s output along with choice solo sides from Arrington. The 1994 Rhino set includes such R&B Top 10 singles as “Slide,” “Just a Touch of Love,” “Watching You” and “Snap Shot,” and the compilation made the R&B album chart. STELLAR FUNGK: THE BEST OF SLAVE FEATURING STEVE ARRINGTON returns to stores tomorrow on red vinyl for Black History Month.
Homework (Album of the Day)
Has it really been a year without Daft Punk? While the robotic duo officially disbanded on this day in 2021, their music remains, starting with debut HOMEWORK. “We made the record at home, very cheaply, very quickly, and spontaneously, trying to do cool stuff,” noted Thomas Bangalter, who with bandmate Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo had been focused on making singles before realizing they had enough strong tracks to fill an album. Among the instant classics here are “Alive,” “Around The World” and “Da Funk” - the latter two both topped Billboard's Hot Dance/Club Play chart. Rolling Stone hailed the 1997 collection as the greatest EDM album of all time, and you too will give HOMEWORK an A+.