Today’s Albums 1101-1200

The 1957 Tony Bennett album The Beat of My Heart is primarily an experimental album, with an increased focus on percussion.   Art Blakey, Chico Hamilton and others guest on the skins.  I don’t think Bennett did much better than this LP.  tonybennett.com

When I heard The Who were releasing a new album, their first in 13 years, I must admit I let out a big sigh.  But you know what? WHO was a pleasant surprise.  With nods to their influences, and indeed their own back catalogue the LP exceeded my expectations.  thewho.com

The eponymous 2nd album by Chris Isaak was released in 1986.  Allmusic said “11 songs of smoky, wounded romance and dark menace.”  Includes Heart Full of Soul written by 10cc’s Graham Gouldman and the popular Blue Hotel.  chrisisaak.com

The 1986 Van Halen album 5150 was the first of four LPs to feature Sammy Hagar on vocals.  Named after Eddie Van Halen’s home studio, the LP was a smash hit in the US.  Always had a soft spot for Why Can’t This Be Love.  van-halen.com

The 1959 album Time Out by The Dave Brubeck Quartet is 60 years old today!  Blending cool and West Coast jazz, the LP became a hit and in 2005 was added to the National Recording Registry.  Includes Blue Rondo à la Turk and the wonderful Take Five.

Thanks to the @blueskitchen podcast for introducing me to the compilation album Local Customs: Lone Star Lowlands.  Texas’ Golden Triangle was home to a vibrant rock and garage music scene recorded at Mickey Rouse’s Lowland operation out of Beaumont, Texas.

The debut LP by The Kooks Inside In / Inside Out was released in 2006. Includes the singles the singles Eddie’s Gun, Sofa Song, You Don’t Love Me, Naïve, She Moves in Her Own Way, and Ooh La. Youthful indie pop at its best!  thekooks.com

The Alicia Keys album The Element of Freedom is 10 years old today!  Contains more low-key feel than previously, which gives a more intimate performance.  Reviews were mixed, with Independent calling it “anodyne and indistinguishable.”  Vary harsh, a nice LP.  aliciakeys.com

The 1964 Blue Note released Herbie Hancock album Empyrean Isles helped put Hancock on the map as an artist in his own right.  The LP of unconventional hard bop includes the popular Cantaloupe Island.  Still fresh as the day it was released.  herbiehancock.com

The 1971 debut eponymous Little Feat album was a commercial failure, but now admired as among their finest work.  It’s hard to pinpoint their sound, Zappa-esque at times, roadhouse blues, country rock, all of the above.   Check it out, if you haven’t already.  littlefeat.net

The 1958 Cannonball Adderley LP Somethin’ Else, released on Blue Note Records, featured an all-star cast of Miles Davis on trumpet, Adderley on alto sax and Art Blakey on drums.  Dancing in the Dark is sublime, as is One for Daddy-O.  cannonball-adderley.com

The 1960 debut self-titled album by Miriam Makeba was released on RCA, following success on the New York nightclub scene.  Features Harry Belafonte Folk Singers on some tracks, which was clearly an influence.  Love the tracks in her native South African tongue of Xhosa.

The debut Bush album Sixteen Stone is 25 years old today!  The obvious comparisons to Nirvana and Pearl Jam aside, the LP was critically acclaimed.  The singles Comedown and Glycerine were hits in the US.  Do you rate?  bushofficial.com

The 2nd and last album by The Stone Roses Second Coming is 25 years old today!  There was huge anticipation for the Manchester band’s 2nd release, although received mixed reviews.  Includes the singles Love Spreads, Ten Storey Love Song, and Begging You.  thestoneroses.org

The 3rd solo Dave Gilmour album On An Island was released on 6th March 2006, Gilmour’s 60th birthday.   Mostly recorded on his houseboat studio, the LP also featured Robert Wyatt, Jools Holland, Georgie Fame, David Crosby, and Graham Nash.  davidgilmour.com

The live album A Night At The Village Vanguard by Sonny Rollins showcases the tenor saxophonist at his peak. Music critic Robert Christgau said “Impressive always, fun in passing, his improvisations are what avant-garde jazz is for.”  sonnyrollins.com

The 1968 Johnnie Taylor album Who’s Making Love… is a Stax classic! The soul singer had the daunting honour of replacing Sam Cooke in The Soul Stirrers gospel group, so the kid could sing.  Who’s Making Love… is funky!

The 4th Fairport Convention album Liege And Lief is 50 years old this month! The English folk band released 3 LPs in the UK in 1969, with LAL combining electric instruments with traditional folk.   Includes the great Matty Groves.  Defining folk release?  fairportconvention.com

The 1974 Tangerine Dream album Phaedra was recorded at Virgin’s Manor studios, where Mike Oldfield recorded Tubular Bells.  The German electronic group’s first Virgin outing found success, and gave rise to the ambient movement.  tangerinedream.org

The Nick Lowe album The Impossible Bird is 25 years old today!  No filler on this wonderfully written LP, witty lyrics, catchy melodies, classic Lowe.  Love Soulful Wind and 12-Step Program (To Quit You Babe).  nicklowe.com

The 1964 album A New Perspective by jazz trumpeter Donald Byrd had an all-star cast.  Byrd, Mobley, Hancock, Burrell…and even an eight-voice choir.  Includes the popular Cristo Redentor.  Byrd’s finest moment?

It’s 20 years since I leaned on Chris Martin’s piano watching Coldplay at Colchester Art Centre, and excited by this new band.  However, I never liked what they became.  And finally Coldplay released Everyday Life.   At last, they are back.  coldplay.com

The 1983 studio album by Def Leppard Pyromania gave the Sheffield rock band huge commercial success.  The LP was kept off the Billboard top spot by Michael Jackson’s Thriller.  Includes Photograph, Too Late For Love and Rock of Ages.  defleppard.com

The first Ray Bryant solo LP Alone With The Blues, released in 1959, featured the American jazz pianist Bryant as the title suggests alone at a piano playing the blues…and it is stunning.  At the time considered a young modern traditionalist, but boy he knew his roots!

The 1993 album Midnight Marauders by A Tribe Called Quest is regarded as among the hip-hop band’s best work.  The LP has been called “a rap classic” and features stunning production, witty lyrics and clever use of musical genres.  atribecalledquest.com

The 2nd Public Image Ltd album Metal Box is 40 years old today!  The LP saw Lydon and co move to a more avant-garde style.  Now considered a post-punk classic, although my kids didn’t think so while playing in the car! Love Swan Lake or Death Disco as otherwise known.  pilofficial.com

The Pearl Jam album Vitalogy is 25 years old today!  Rolling Stone said “a wildly uneven and difficult record, sometimes maddening, sometimes ridiculous, often powerful.” I tend to agree.  Includes the wonderful Better Man and Corduroy.  pearljam.com

The 2018 debut album by Canadian blues rock band The Blue Stones called Black Holes was recommended to me by a friend, and I wasn’t disappointed.  Fans of Royal Blood, The Black Keys, and other chunky guitar riffed duos will love.  thebluestonesmusic.com

The Kevin Ayers debut album Joy Of A Toy is 50 years old this month!  The founding member of Soft Machine created a curious, quirky and almost folksy at times LP.  Kevin’s playful vocals and infectious tunes make an unforgettable listening experience.  kevinayers.org

The 1970 debut eponymous LP by Leon Russell is perhaps an underrated classic.  The tracks Hummingbird, Delta Lady, and Dixie Lullaby, and the wonderful opening track A Song For You showcase his talent.   A fab LP from the session maestro.  leonrussellrecords.com

The recent album by The Teskey Brothers Run Home Slow, their 2nd, was written while on the road.  Stack Magazine said “Its sweet ’60s syncopation, dreamy rock ‘n’ roll, romantic Van Morrison-esque rhythm and blues, and tender neo-soul compositions.”  theteskeybrothers.com

The debut self-titled and only Them Crooked Vultures album was 10 years old yesterday! The supergroup of John Paul Jones, Dave Grohl and Josh Homme also played a series of live shows.  There are rumours that the trio are planning new material!

The 4th album by The Jam Setting Sons is 40 years old today!  A brilliant album, despite Heat Wave, among their best.  The only single from the LP The Eton Rifles, became their first top 10 UK hit, reaching No. 3.   What’s your Jam LP top 3?  thejamofficial.com

The 2nd TLC album Crazysexycool is 25 years old today!  Allmusic said a “smooth, seductive collection of contemporary soul reminiscent of both Philly soul and Prince.”  Includes the hit singles Creep and Waterfalls.

The 1962 album Let Freedom Ring by jazz saxophonist Jackie McLean was influential in the expansion of the modernist era.  Allmusic said of McLean “perfected a long, piercing squeal capable of expressing joy, anguish, fury, and more.”  A jazz collection must.

The new album From Out of Nowhere by Jeff Lynne’s ELO is their first in four years.  Jeff Lynne has had a resurgence in recent years, touring extensively, a new release was inevitable.  The LP would be at home in his heyday.  Enjoyable listen.  jefflynneselo.com

The new Kanye West album Jesus Is King he described as “an expression of the gospel.”  Released to mixed reviews, the Christian themed LP has been called “masterworks,” “often disappointing, and always interesting work,” and “perfunctory religious discussion.” Your views?  kanyewest.com

The new Michael Kiwanuka album Kiwanuka is sure to rank highly on the ‘end of year’ lists.  The LP draws upon the greatness of music history, from Marvin Gaye’s What’s Going On to Rolling Stones at their best.  A masterpiece.  michaelkiwanuka.com

The first official live Grateful Dead album Live / Dead is 50 years old today!  The first live rock album to use 16-track recording, Live / Dead brilliantly portrayed what the Grateful Dead were about.  Dark Star and The Eleven are sublime.  dead.net

The Biffy Clyro album Only Revolutions was released 10 years ago today!  A critical and commercial success, making it the band’s bestselling album.  Includes Bubbles (with Josh Homme on guitar) and Mountains.  Their finest?  biffyclyro.com

The 2nd live album by The Eagles Hell Freezes Over is 25 years old today!  After 14-years, the Long Run era line-up reformed for a MTV special.  The LP began with 4 newly penned tracks, then a superb greatest hits performance.  A real soft spot for this LP.  eagles.com

The Eric Clapton album Journeyman is 30 years old today! Clapton was in a glory period, both professionally and personally after overcoming addictions.  Perhaps overproduced, but includes Bad Love, Pretending, and Hard Times.  ericclapton.com

The 1964 Lee Morgan album The Sidewinder is a Blue Note classic, and the infectious title track is a jazz standard.  The trumpeter’s LP became the label’s best-selling record ever.  A wonderful hard bop release and always a pleasurable listen.

The Scott Walker album Scott 4 is 50 years old this month!  Contains significantly less orchestral arrangements than previous LPs.  Released under his birth name Scott Engel, it failed to chart, years later considered among his strongest works.  Scott 1, 2, 3 or 4?

The 3rd album by The Damned Machine Gun Etiquette is 40 years old this week!  The first LP with the new line-up of Dave Vanian on vocals, Captain Sensible on lead guitar, Algy Ward on bass and Rat Scabies on drums.  A classic…  officialdamned.com

The Slayer album World Painted Blood is 10 years old today! The LP was executively produced by Rick Rubin, and as Classic Rock said “the amps were set to FUCK YOU rather than 11.” Included the singles Psychopathy Red, Hate Worldwide, and title track.  slayer.net

The Creedence Clearwater Revival album Willy and the Poor Boys is 50 years old today!  Includes the brilliant Fortunate Son and the fun Poorboy Shuffle and Down on the Corner.  Perhaps the finest CCR album? Always loved the cover as well!

The Nirvana MTV Unplugged in New York album is 25 years old today!  Perhaps the finest of all MTV Unplugged, recorded 6 months before Cobain’s death.  Includes great versions of All Apologies, Pennyroyal Tea and Bowie’s The Man Who Sold The World.  nirvana.com

The Lee Konitz, Brad Mehldau & Charlie Haden LP Alone Together was recorded in 1996.  The Blue Note release includes old classics such as ‘Round Midnight and What Is This Thing Called Love? Classics sounding fresh and new.

The 1988 debut album Push by British pop act Bros might be a controversial pick.   After enjoying Bros documentary I gave the LP another chance… Includes the singles I Owe You Nothing, When Will I Be Famous? and Drop The Boy.  Over to you…

The new Jimmy “Duck” Holmes album Cypress Grove was produced by Dan Auerbach of The Black Keys. The Mississippi Blue Front Café owner plays Bentonia blues, with Duck being one of the last practitioners. Unique and smouldering.

The latest Foals album Part 2 Everything Not Saved Will Be Lost is the brilliant follow up to Part 1 released earlier this year.  The singles Black Bull, Runner and Into the Surf are all top drawer.  A quality release from one of the best in the genre.  foals.co.uk

The 1979 Motörhead LP Bomber is 40 years old today!  One of the band’s finest releases.  Bomber includes classics such as Dead Men Tell No Tales, Stone Dead Forever and the title track.  The classic line-up of Lemmy, Clarke and Taylor delivered…bombs away!  imotorhead.com

The debut solo album Jaime by the Alabama Shakes lead singer and guitarist Brittany Howard is dedicated to her sister Jaime, who died as a teenager.  The LP blends Southern culture with funk, jazz, and even hip-hop.   Stunning LP.  brittanyhoward.com

The Joni Mitchell album Turbulent Indigo is 25 years old today!  Rolling Stone declared the LP inspired by Dutch artist Vincent van Gogh “best album since the mid-’70s.”  Stunning sax by Wayne Shorter.   Calming listen.  jonimitchell.com

The new Angel Olsen album All Mirrors is a euphoric triumph.  The inclusion of strings to accompany her synth-based-rock adds a greater depth to her sound.   There are moments of unpredictability and spine tingling beauty.  Her finest work to date?  angelolsen.com

The veteran American indie rock band Wilco usually receive rave reviews upon releasing a new album.  Their latest, Ode to Joy, is no different.  Uncut said “It’s a protest record only this sextet could make, one that rings loudest in its simplicity.”  wilcoworld.net

The 2nd Led Zeppelin album II is 50 years old today!  In the US twice knocked Abbey Road off the top spot.  Includes Whole Lotta Love, Heartbreaker and Ramble On.  Where does it rank in your Led Zep LP chart? Led Zep The Only Way to Fly!  ledzeppelin.com

The new Elbow album Giants of All Sizes is a return to form!  A well-crafted and whole album style listening experience.  A Metacritic reviewer described the LP “Dark but hopeful, bleak yet beautiful.” A perfect summary.  elbow.co.uk

The debut Nine Inch Nails album Pretty Hate Machine is 30 years old today!  Was this really an 80’s album?  Select magazine said “listenable labour of loathing.”  Includes the singles Down in It, Sin and the majestic Head Like A Hole.  Dark and delectable.  nin.com

The self-titled second album by Prince is 40 years old today! Written, arranged, composed, produced and performed entirely by Prince.  Includes Why You Wanna Treat Me So Bad? Sexy Dancer and I Wanna Be Your Lover.  Such a talent, such a loss.  prince.com

Today is the 20th anniversary of the release of Us And Us Only by The Charlatans!  Allmusic said “continually impressive song craft in a moody atmosphere, borrowed in equal parts from Blonde on Blonde, Beggars Banquet, and the Chemical Brothers.”  thecharlatans.net

The 3rd Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers album Damn the Torpedoes is 40 years old this week!  Commercially, a breakthrough album with two singles Don’t Do Me Like That and Refugee charting well.  A Petty classic, and worthy of any greatest album list.

Today is the 30th anniversary of the release of Hats by The Blue Nile!  Song-writer Paul Buchanan has a gift of writing simple melodies which pull the emotional heartstrings.  The Blue Nile have always been a band I’ve overlooked, but Hats has kick-started my curiosity.  thebluenile.org

The new Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds album Ghosteen is an album-of-the-year contender.  The songs are stunning, end of!   NME said “If Skeleton Tree gave a glimpse into grief in its immediate aftermath, Ghosteen is a grief considered.”  nickcave.com

The 2nd album from the electronic music duo Fuck Buttons Tarot Sport is 10 years old today!  Produced by Andrew Weatherall, the LP ranked high in the music press end of year lists.  Intense, rhythmic, and an euphoric assault on the eardrums…love it!

The Blondie album Eat To The Beat is 40 years old today!  A well-received follow up to Parallel Lines, searching for the rock/disco success of Heart of Glass.  Includes the Dreaming, Atomic and Union City Blue.  How do you rate?  blondie.net

The Fleetwood Mac double album Tusk is 40 years old today!  The follow up to Rumours was always going to be a challenge, so they went big.  At the time the most expensive LP recorded, includes Sara and title track.  Been called Mac’s White Album.  fleetwoodmac.com

The eponymous debut studio album by American nu metal band Korn is 25 years old today!  Recorded at the Indigo Ranch Studios in Malibu the LP was well received, and considered a forerunner of the genre. Epic LP on Epic Label.  kornofficial.com

The debut King Crimson album In The Court of the Crimson King is 50 years old today!  One of the most influential LPs in the progressive rock genre, despite critic Robert Christgau calling the album “ersatz shit.”  KC can be Marmite to some…fan?  dgmlive.com

The recent John Coltrane release Blue World was recorded in 1964 for a film soundtrack.  The recordings were made during a high point of Coltrane’s output with the classic quartet.  But were archived, and finally see the light of day.

The 7th Pet Shop Boys album Nightlife is 20 years old today!  Allmusic said “Pet Shop Boys do this music better than anyone else ever has, and they’re at the top of their form here…” Includes a duet with Kylie Minogue on In Denial.  petshopboys.co.uk

The Ray Charles LP The Genius of Ray Charles is 60 years old this month!  The A-side are big band numbers, and the B-side are ballads.  Q magazine said “swinging, emoting, cajoling and laughing his way through a selection of standards that he makes his own.” Love Am I Blue?  raycharles.com

The debut studio album by American heavy metal band Steel Panther, Feel The Steel, is 10 years old today!  I was undecided whether to post this LP, as said in Spinal Tap “it’s a fine line between stupid and clever.” Your views?  steelpantherrocks.com

The new Sturgill Simpson album Sound & Fury has seen the country artist funk things up.  The country song-writing remains, but has sprinkled glam rock, funk and even disco over the lyrics.  Simpson likes to evolve each LP, and I like this direction.  sturgillsimpson.com

The 1999 David Bowie album Hours… is 20 years old today!  Even when Bowie wasn’t at his very best, his work was still outstanding.  Includes Thursday’s Child, Seven and The Pretty Things Are Going To Hell.  How do you rate Hours?  davidbowie.com

The 2nd album by The Cranberries, No Need to Argue, is 25 years old today!  A continuation of their debut, No Need to Argue received mixed reviews, but commercially was a hit.  Includes their most successful single Zombie.  Always like Dreaming My Dreams.  cranberries.com

The 2nd album by The Police Regatta De Blanc is 40 years old today!  Translated as White Reggae, the LP was more polished than their debut.  Includes their first two UK No. 1 singles Message in a Bottle and Walking on the Moon.  Anyone own a vinyl copy?  thepolice.com

The Charles Mingus album Mingus Ah Um is 60 years old this month!  The American jazz bassist’s compositions and arrangement are among his best work.   Love Better Get It in Your Soul and Goodbye Pork Pie Hat.   His first LP for Columbia records.  mingusmingusmingus.com

The new Bat For Lashes album Lost Girls was inspired by the 1980’s.  Natasha Khan’s nostalgic love of synth 80’s soundtracks shines through on Lost Girls.  An over imitated genre feels fresh and absorbing under the guidance of Khan.  batforlashes.com

The 4th Alice in Chains album Black Gives Way to Blue is 10 years old today!  The band’s first LP following the passing (2002) of original lead singer Layne Staley.  The title track is a fitting tribute to Staley, and the LP was a welcome return of AiC.  aliceinchains.com

The debut album Black Diamond by American singer and songwriter Angie Stone is 20 years old today! Stone’s remarkable vocals delivered a fusion of funk, hip-hop and classic soul, with nods to Prince, Roberta Flack and many more.  Very satisfying LP.  theangiestone.com

The soundtrack to Quentin Tarantino’s 1994 film Pulp Fiction is 25 years old today!  One of the cult movie maker’s talents is picking a quality soundtrack.  The opening bars of Misirlou by Dick Dale & His Del-Tones is synonymous with the film. Classic.

The 2nd Massive Attack album Protection is 25 years old today!  Didn’t have the impact of their debut for me, but nevertheless and outstanding album.  Includes Karmacoma, Sly, Eurochild, and the title track.  Inspired choice of using Tracey Thorn.  massiveattack.co.uk

The Buzzcocks compilation album Singles Going Steady is 40 years old today!  We lost frontman Pete Shelley late in 2018, and this collection remains a fitting tribute.  Includes Orgasm Addict, Ever Fallen in Love and What Do I Get?  Love this album.  buzzcocks.com

The 1973 Donald Byrd album Blackbyrd is one of Blue Note’s best-selling albums.  The LP caused controversy from the jazz purists, with Byrd departing from his hard bop roots for a jazz–funk fusion sound.  A ground breaking release with the emergence of a new genre.

The 1969 Isaac Hayes album Hot Buttered Soul is 50 years old this year! The 2nd LP from Hayes includes four tracks, a 12 minute version of Burt Bacharach’s Walk On By, and an 18 minute version of Jimmy Webb’s By The Time I Get to Phoenix.  Helped transform soul music.  isaachayes.com

The self-titled 1969 album by The Band is 50 years old today!  The Brown Album as it’s sometimes known includes some of their best-known tracks including The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down and Up on Cripple Creek.  Classic…

The 4th album by The Stranglers, The Raven, is 40 years old today!  The band had moved on from their punk-influenced beginnings, appealing at times to the mainstream audience.  Includes the hit single Duchess, and Don’t Bring Harry.

The Leftfield album Rhythm and Stealth is 20 years old today!  The Mercury Prize nominated LP took production to a new level.  Less dance floor, and more headphone heaven.  Love Afrika Shox with Afrika Bambaataa on vocals.  leftfieldmusic.com

The 3rd Fleetwood Mac album, Then Play On, is 50 years old today!  The LP was the last to feature singer-songwriter and guitarist Peter Green, and their first on Warner records.  A Rolling Stone album guide called the LP “cool, blues-based stew,”  I like that!  fleetwoodmac.com

The Bob Dylan album Oh Mercy is 30 years old today!  Dylan’s 26th studio album was produced by Daniel Lanois, and was seen as a mini-comeback.  Allmusic said “this is a collection of small, shining moments…” Never grabbed me, despite my love of Lanois.  bobdylan.com

The Frank Zappa three-part rock opera Joe’s Garage is 40 years old today! Originally released as two separate LPs, it received mixed reviews given some of the sexual nature of the lyrics.  Despite the crazy lyrics, I’m always impressed by Zappa’s musicianship.  Unique character.  zappa.com

The Horace Silver led album The Cape Verdean Blues was inspired by his father John Silva, who was born on the island of Cape Verde.  Silver enlisted a superb quintet including trumpeter Woody Shaw and Joe Henderson on tenor sax, to explore a modernist jazz perspective of African folk.  horacesilver.com

The Megadeth album Endgame is 10 years old today!  Critics praised the LP, with Stephanie Burkett of BBC Music saying “their most reliable and proficient album since Rust in Peace.”  Never been the biggest Megadeth fan, but enjoyed Endgame.  megadeth.com

The 1970 Van Morrison album His Band and the Street Choir includes Domino, his most successful single to date.   John Tobler of ZigZag magazine said “even if it’s inferior to Moondance, it is still better than eighty per cent of the records you’ve got in your collection.”  vanmorrison.com

The debut album Ready to Die by The Notorious B.I.G. (Biggie) is 25 years old today!  The LP was critically and commercially a hit, helping revitalise the East Coast hip hop scene.  I’m not the biggest rap fan, but I found Ready to Die captivating.

The 10th Aerosmith album Pump is 30 years old today!  Rolling Stone ended their review with “Pump up the volume,” cheesy but spot on.  A popular period for the Boston band.  Includes Love in an Elevator, The Other Side, and Janie’s Got a Gun.  aerosmith.com

The Eurythmics album We Too Are One is 30 years old today!  The LP would be the duo’s last for a decade.  Feels like an album of a band that ran its course, ready for Annie Lennox to go solo.  Includes Revival, Don’t Ask Me Why, The King and Queen of America, and Angel.  eurythmics.com

The 1964 album Wahoo! by American pianist and arranger Duke Pearson played a big part in shaping the hard bop direction on the Blue Note label.  Also features Donald Byrd on trumpet, and Joe Henderson on tenor sax.  Splendid arrangements.