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Post by Slam_Bradley on May 23, 2023 13:29:56 GMT -5
Favorite albums of 1993 #3 - Junior Brown - Guit With ItI think you can make a good argument that this is the ultimate Junior Brown album. It has two of his very best singles, his cover of Red Simpson's "Highway Patrol" and his own "My Wife Thinks You're Dead." It also has his great version of "Sugarfoot Rag" and his nearly 12-minute long "Guit-Steel Blues." This is Junior hitting on all cylinders both as a vocalist and as an instrumentalist and he absolutely shows what he can do with his guit-steel. And, yeah, he's just as much fun in person as he is on recordings.
Excellent pick. As much as I love this album, I came to love the follow-up, Semi-Crazy, even more.
Semi-Crazy is a great album as well. As was 12 Shades of Brown. Honestly Junior could pretty much do no wrong in the 90s.
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Post by commond on May 23, 2023 17:27:06 GMT -5
Yep, 1983.
Marc & the Mambas's Torment and Toreros... this was a style of music called Dark Cabaret, which was almost like spoken word over the top of new wave, art pop. Some interesting songs, especially the up tempo tracks, but a wee bit difficult for yours truly.
The Three O'Clock's Sixteen Tambourines... this is a Paisley Underground record. I keep saying how much I love jangle pop yet I'm so picky about it. I was never that big on the 60s psychedelic sound,so I've never gotten too deep into Paisley stuff. In fact, I always mistake it for a Prince side project. The album was okay.
Black Flag's Everything Went Black... this was just okay? It felt like a comp tape of early pre-Rollins Black Fag material, including a shit ton of radio ads for Black Flag gigs. Cool vibe, but as a record it felt disjointed.
Cabaret Voltaire's The Crackdown... nice record! I struggle immensely with industrial, but add a little electronics to it and hey presto, you've got one of the more distinct sounding of the era. For a borderline synthpop, new wave act, this was very anti-pop. I dug it.
Dicks' Kill From the Heart... I love music, but I don't really know dick about it. What I do know is that one barometer for how much I enjoyed an album is whether I instantly want to hear more by that artist, and I definitely want more Dicks.
Ritual's Widow... part of the fun of being an early 80s metal band had to be choosing the band name, then deciding on the album name and the cover art. I can only imagine these guys being a bunch of pimply-faced, greasy UK teenagers, getting high and spit balling the most metal ideas they. A lot of early metal & NWOBH blends together after a while, but this guys were going the whole occult route, which not that many UK bands did (from memory) and there tinges of doom metal here and there. Decent stuff.
Severed Heads' Since the Accident... industrial record. Huge struggle for me, but that's more on me as I should have known better than to listen to this. Sounded like something stuck in the dishing washing machine.
Asmus Tietchens' Litia... I'm not a big electronic guy, and was never that comfortable on the dance floor with that type of music, or on any kind of dance floor really, but this German electronic album was decent background music (is that a sin?)
The Fixx's Reach the Beach... Very good new wave album. This was solid the whole way through. The kind of album where if you get into the top new wave releases from this year and you're looking for more, this is the perfect tonic.
Takanaka's Can I Sing? -- this album is a perfect example of why people enjoy city pop, as Takanaka blends jazz fusion into his pop tapestry and produces another hidden gem for western ears.
Verbal Abuse's Just an American Band... this either sounds like a bunch of snotty-nosed American teenagers or an awesome hardcore LP. I vote for the latter.
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Post by Slam_Bradley on May 24, 2023 9:21:07 GMT -5
Favorite albums of 1993
#2 - Robert Earl Keen – A Bigger Piece of Sky
A great album by REK, many would say it's his very best (and I'd be hard pressed to argue with them. Keen distills all his influences in to a paean to the smaller things in life that belie that this really is...Texas music. Keen's version of "Amarillo Highway" is definitive. He successfully gives us working-class blues, outlaw country, honky-tonk and acoustic folk with equal panache. Just a great album.
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Post by Slam_Bradley on May 25, 2023 9:37:24 GMT -5
Favorite albums of 1993
#1 - Dwight Yoakam – This Time
Six years after Guitars, Cadillacs, Etc. Dwight had his best selling album. Triple platinum with five singles that hit the upper reaches of the country charts, three of them going to number 2. This is not a party album. It's probably Yoakam's most serious album and there are tracks on here that are only nominally country music. Yoakam worked with songwriter Kostas on a number of these songs, but I think the strongest tracks are still pure Dwight. And it's a mature and very thoughtful Dwight Yoakam. There's a reason he's become one of my favorite musicians...and this album shows that reason.
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Post by Slam_Bradley on May 25, 2023 15:25:58 GMT -5
Had a little time during lunch so I watched this episode of the PBS documentary series American Experience about Muddy Waters. The best part were the musical interludes and the interviews with other musicians, particularly guys like Honeyboy Edwards who are no longer with us.
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Post by tartanphantom on May 25, 2023 16:06:25 GMT -5
Had a little time during lunch so I watched this episode of the PBS documentary series American Experience about Muddy Waters. The best part were the musical interludes and the interviews with other musicians, particularly guys like Honeyboy Edwards who are no longer with us. Slow day, eh?
You must be dealing with exciting stuff this week... like probate cases and will/estate executions. Or even more exciting, title work and real estate closings.
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Post by commond on May 25, 2023 16:54:07 GMT -5
'83.
Mike Oldfield's Crises... so, Moonlight Shadow starts, and I'm like, "Hey, I know that song! That was Mike Oldfield!?" That song's a banger! Love the guitar solo. The rest of the album is great as well. It's a mix of art pop and prog but super accessible. I imagine there were fans of Oldfield's older stuff who hated this shit, but I'm down with radio friendly Mike Oldfield.
The Durutti Column's Another Setting... this was okay. It was dreamy, ambient post-punk art pop (I really enjoyed stringing those words together!) Most of these records are first listens. I'm kinda listening for a song or two I like that makes me want to hear more from the artist. Plenty of the records deserve a second listen, but it's all about first impressions for now.
Johnny Thunders's Hurt Me... this was excellent. Acoustic folk punk from the New York Dolls and Heartbreakers' Johnny Thunder. I'm a big fan acoustic singer-songwriter types, and the fact that this is folk punk makes it all the better since punk and acoustic guitar don't immediately match. This could easily be an indy pop record from the 00s.
The Nits' Omsk... The Nits are an art pop band from the Netherlands. I like a lot of their singles, but this didn't really come together as a unifying whole.
George Clinton's You Shouldn't-Nuf Bit Fish... there's always something to enjoy on a George Clinton record, even a minor one like this. We're getting further and further away from the heyday of Parliament and Funkadelic, but Clinton is still experimenting and producing interesting music. Half the appeal of P-funk, for me, is the clever word play, and I dug the lyrics on this.
High Power's High Power... French metal! This was awesome! Now I'll be honest, this could have had the worst lyrics in the history of metal and I'd be none the wiser, and there is an element of me that likes this because it's French, but screw it, it rocked and it was cool that it was in French.
The Fleshtones' Hexbreaker! -- garage rock with a touch of power pop and new wave, just to keep with the times. Highly enjoyable.
Joan Jett and The Blackhearts' Album... this wasn't as highly regarded as some of the earlier stuff that Joan Jett had done, but that probably doesn't mean as much in 2023 as it did in 1983. If you like Joan Jett, this is more of the same and a record you should listen to.
Mink DeVille's Where Angels Fear to Tread... I love Mink DeVille, just like I love every band that came out of the CBGB scene, but I never got this far in their discography. This was, I wanna say, pretty close to the end stretch for those bands in terms of their peak, but a really good album from an awesome band.
DeBarge's In a Special Way... this was one of the better contemporary soul/funk/r&b/boogie records of '83. The production sounds a bit dated at times, but they were trying to sell records. Trippy moment when the sample from I Ain't Mad at Cha drops.
Alan Vega's Saturn Strip... I didn't know that Alan Vega from Suicide had a solo career. I also didn't know that he recorded idiosyntric synth punk. He looks like Prince on the cover. This was cool.
Martha and The Muffins · M+M's Danseparc... I'm not gonna lie, I totally listened to this because of the band's name. Didn't disappoint. Quirky post-punk new wave. I dug it a lot.
Gary Moore's Dirty Fingers... I liked this a lot. This was an older recording from Thin Lizzy's Gary Moore that was shelved in favor of something more radio friendly and released in Japan (back when Japan did that sort of thing.) Thank you, Japan! There's some cheesy, of-the-moment songs wailing about imminent nuclear war, but hey, people were legit scared. Mostly it's Moore playing the crap out of his instrument. Very cool.
Stray Cats' Rant n' Rave With the Stray Cats... rockabilly is a fun genre, and the Stray Cats are a fun band. i believe they're still playing (they recorded something for their 40th anniversary a few years back.) I guarantee that if you like this, you'll delve into their back catalogue. Super, super fun.
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Post by Slam_Bradley on May 25, 2023 18:25:52 GMT -5
Had a little time during lunch so I watched this episode of the PBS documentary series American Experience about Muddy Waters. The best part were the musical interludes and the interviews with other musicians, particularly guys like Honeyboy Edwards who are no longer with us. Slow day, eh?
You must be dealing with exciting stuff this week... like probate cases and will/estate executions. Or even more exciting, title work and real estate closings. I only practice criminal law. And it was lunch-time.
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Post by Slam_Bradley on May 26, 2023 9:35:35 GMT -5
Moving on to 2003. Yep...it's been 20 years.
Favorite albums of 2003
#10 - Tom Russell - Modern Art
I'm a big fan of Russell. Nobody writes stories songs better than he does. And nobody writes about more esoteric stuff. This is just an okay Tom Russell album. In a better year it would have missed the cut. But there are just enough good tracks here to make it in to the bottom slot. There are some pretty weak tracks on this one as well, but it's worth a listen or two.
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Post by commond on May 27, 2023 17:32:49 GMT -5
Still in 1983...
Kano's Another Life... this is Italian disco with a touch of synth funk and synth pop. It's cheesy, and awesome. Don't tell me you expected anything less.
V8's Luchando por el metal.. I love listening to metal from different countries, but I couldn't get into this Argentinian group. They weren't really heavy enough for my liking, and definitely not fast enough. More hard rock than metal (to my ears.)
The Creatures's Feast... I kept thinking this sounded like Siouxsie and the Banshees, and lo and behold, it was Siouxsie. The Creatures were a side project she did with her bandmate, Budgie. They almost had something with this record, but it wasn't as good as their Banshees output. They got close enough that I could see people championing the LP if they particularly like post-punk music, but personally, I'll chalk it up as an ambitious record that doesn't quite work.
Red Rider's Neruda... this was supposed to be new wave but it sounded more like heartland rock to me. Definitely didn't sound anything like the new wave that was coming out of the UK, New Zealand and Australia, or the New York club scene. It wasn't bad, but there was way too much guitarwork in it be new wave.
The Replacements' Hootenanny... The Replacements were about to become a much bigger deal over the next few years. In fact, I wouldn't disagree with anyone who argued they were the best band of the 80s. I can see that. But don't sleep on this early EP. It has all the energy and excitement of a great band that's on the cusp of breaking out. Great record.
Makoto Matsushita's Quiet Skies... this is such a beautiful record. Proof positive that city pop could be equal parts smooth pop and progressive rock. Highly recommended.
Mtume's Juicy Fruit... The Biggie sampled Juicy Fruit dominates this record, but I thought this was a really tight LP with a unified theme, and an excellent funk/soul album from an era where that type of music was dwindling.
Shonen Knife's Burning Farm... early Shonen Knife record. They hadn't quite mastered their Ramones-style bubblegum pop yet, but Shonen Knife are a pure joy. I could lock myself in a roomful of Jonathan Richman and Shonen Knife records and be happy for the rest of my life.
P-Funk All Stars' Urban Dancefloor Guerillas... cut and paste what I said about the George Clinton album. Same deal here, but I'm happy that this album exists. A lot of the time, I quit listening to an artist's discography because I reach the stage where their albums are no longer highly rated, but you miss out on a lot of good things when you do that, and in particular, you can hear here how this LP may not be groundbreaking but is a positive addition to the soul/funk catalogue from 1983.
Midnight Star's No Parking on the Dance Floor... the main track from this album is a really great synth funk song (one of my favorites from 1983.) The rest of the album was excellent as well. I have a soft spot for this era of funk -- Midnight Star, Lakeside, Dazz Band, Zapp, the S.O.S Band, etc. Some folks may not like the fact that they traded real instruments for synthesizers, but the real question is, does it make you wanna dance? And it does.
J.J. Cale's #8... this is J.J. Cale doing his thing. It doesn't sound like he gives a shit about what's happening in the charts, and you've got to respect that. A little bit of blues, a little country, some folk... A musician's record.
The Nomads' Where the Wolf Bane Blooms... Good Lord, this is awesome. Swedish garage punk! I absolutely loved this. This is why you go digging in the crates (metamorphically speaking -- doing it online is a shitty substitute.) Now I need to listen to everything these guys have ever done.
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Post by Slam_Bradley on May 28, 2023 9:57:31 GMT -5
Favorite albums of 2003
#9 - Dale Watson - Once More, Once More
Dale Watson is very prolific. And he's given to experimentation (within his wheelhouse). So it's not unusual that an album will fall under the radar. And this one definitely did. He's done a number of trucking albums. He did an album with songs inspired by Sun Studios rockabilly. This one is subtitled Dale Watson's Honky Tonk Swing Album. Now at first blush, swing and honky tonk don't seem to go together. That is until you remember that Dean Martin loved country music and did a number of albums that really were country swing. And Dale has a martini on the cover of the album...that's unusual for a guy who usually drinks Lone Star.
So is this album successful within its stated parameters? Not completely. But it's pretty decent and well worth a listen. The horns are generally well integrated. Watson, doesn't quite have the voice to be a crooner, but he does a creditable job. His version of Hank Williams' "You Win Again" is great. It's a decent album worth a listen now and then.
Now do some country, Dale.
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Post by Slam_Bradley on May 30, 2023 13:49:45 GMT -5
Favorite albums of 2003
#8 - Robert Earl Keen - Farm Fresh Onions
Any album from Robert Earl Keen is worth giving a listen and this is no exception. To me, there's no real stand-out tracks so this one isn't essential. But it's well worth some time, particularly because Keen stretches out in this one with a few tracks that rock a bit more than his norm. Just a solid album from a guy who is the definition of consistency.
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Post by commond on May 30, 2023 19:01:13 GMT -5
'83.
Sound President Odion Iruoje's Down to Earth... Nigerian Afro-funk. Won't change your life or anything, but pretty dang cool.
The Raincoats' Kitchen Tapes... The Raincoats were an all-girl post punk band that Kurt Cobain made famous. Their first LP, in particular, is fantastic. This is a live album that's mostly acoustic. It's a bit of a mixed bag. Some songs work, and some are a bit weird. I don't think it adds a ton to The Raincoats experience, but ymmv.
Maanam's Night Patrol... I've always loved the Polish new wave band, Maanam, but I found this fairly unremarkable. Nothing to really sink my teeth (ears?) into.
King Kurt's Ooh Wallah Wallah… This was a UK psychobilly act that dabbled in a lot of different genres and covered a wide variety of songs. It was hard to tell at times whether they were taking the piss, but I'm gonna assume that there was genuine affection for the styles they were drawing from. Definitely a fun record.
Neats' Neats.. This was a mix of psychedelic, Paisley Underground and post-punk, which on the surface sounds vaguely interesting, but this was decidedly mid-tempo and... average? Cool cover, though.
The System's Sweat... The System were Prince wannabes, but there are far worse things to be than a Prince wannabe. You're in My System is one of the great dance tracks of 1983, I can tell you that much.
Alien Sex Fiend's Who's Been Sleeping in My Brain??? -- this doesn't live up to the name of the band, or the name of the LP. Disappointing.
Tom Tom Club's Close to the Bone... Man, I love Tom Tom Club. People claim this doesn't live up to their first record, but they're ungrateful so and sos. Pleasure of Love is such an amazing song. This needs to be re-released instead of existing as a crappy vinyl rip.
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Post by Slam_Bradley on May 31, 2023 9:35:21 GMT -5
Favorite albums of 2003
#7 - Lyle Lovett – My Baby Don’t Tolerate
Lovett isn't a particularly prolific songwriter. This was his first album of originals since 1996's Road to Ensenada. It's a solid effort from Lovett, but probably doesn't quite measure up to his best albums. It feels just a bit too similar to Road to Ensenada without the songs being quite as strong. And it's definitely not got the introspective feel of Joshua Judges Ruth. Still, it's a good album and you're not going to go wrong throwing it on now and then.
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Post by Slam_Bradley on Jun 1, 2023 11:55:11 GMT -5
Favorite albums of 2003
#6 - B. B. King - Reflections
When you had as long a career as B. B. and were as prolific, you were bound to have good and bad albums. But B. B. was still well able to put out very good work in his late 70s and this album is the proof. Is it one of his best? No. But it's a solid album from top to bottom and give The King of the Blues an opportunity to revisit some old songs and record a few you wouldn't expect (Always on My Mind). This one is just like sitting down with a nice cocktail and an old friend and enjoying some good times.
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