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Straight Shooter (Remastered) (Album of the Day)
Comprised of former members of Free, Mott The Hoople and King Crimson, Bad Company started at the top from its formation some four decades ago. The band's second longplayer, STRAIGHT SHOOTER, rose to #3 on the U.S. album chart and was certified 3x platinum behind the hit singles “Feel Like Makin' Love” and “Good Lovin' Gone Bad” as well as the rock radio staple “Shooting Star.” Released 45 years ago this month, the collection boasts a broader range of instrumentation (including keyboards, acoustic guitars and even some strings) than the group's debut while sacrificing none of its power. The British rockers recently unearthed the original multi-track tapes from their first two albums, and bad never sounded as good as it does on the remastered STRAIGHT SHOOTER.
High Time (Album of the Day)
MC5 was justifiably legendary for their live shows, but the Detroit quintet could also kick out the jams in the studio, as evidenced by the powerful HIGH TIME. With Atlantic Records staff producer Geoffrey Haslam keeping the needle from going too far into the red, the band laid down what might be their most accessible set of songs, with “Sister Anne,” “Baby Won't Ya” and “Miss X” being just a few of the highlights. If the politics have been dialed back a bit, the performances – from Rob Tyner's take-no-prisoners vocals to Wayne Kramer and Fred "Sonic" Smith's dueling guitars – are as incendiary as ever. The 1971 proto-punk collection was the group's last (and for many fans, best) album and we'll give HIGH TIME another spin now to wish Kramer a happy birthday.
Duty Now For The Future (Deluxe) (Album of the Day)
Devo tapped Ken Scott to produce DUTY NOW FOR THE FUTURE; while the ZIGGY STARDUST helmer may be better known for guitar-driven music, this 1979 Warner Bros. collection went a long way toward establishing the synthesizer as New Wave's favorite instrument. The UPC-festooned cover of their second album hints that the spudboys would gladly bite the hand that feeds them to skewer corporate fascism, and the music confirms it. “The Day My Baby Gave Me a Surprize” and a terrific reinvention of the Johnny Rivers classic “Secret Agent Man” were the singles, but the quintet hits bullseye after satirical bullseye here. The Deluxe Edition of DUTY NOW FOR THE FUTURE adds 5 bonus tracks to the original 13, and we'll cue it up now to wish the band's Mark Mothersbaugh a happy 70th birthday.
Born to Sing (30th Anniversary Edition) (Album of the Day)
Founded in Oakland, CA by producers Denzil Foster and Thomas McElroy with original members Terry Ellis, Cindy Herron, Dawn Robinson and Maxine Jones, En Vogue has gone on to sell more than 20 million albums, becoming one of the most successful female vocal groups of all time. It all started with 1990 debut BORN TO SING, a platinum-certified crossover sensation featuring three songs that topped the Billboard Hot R&B chart: “Hold On,” “Lies” and “You Don’t Have To Worry.” Now available digitally, BORN TO SING: 30th ANNIVERSARY EXPANDED EDITION pairs a remastered version of the original set with nine non-album tracks, including an extended version of “Hold On,” the radio edit for “Don’t Go” and the Lo Cal Mix of “You Don’t Have to Worry.”
The Right Place (Album of the Day)
Because he's the co-founder of U.K. progressive rockers Spooky Tooth and a close friend of George Harrison, many assume Gary Wright is English, but the performer was actually born in New Jersey. THE RIGHT PLACE was the singer-songwriter's final album for Warner Bros., and the 1981 collection is sure to please “Dream Weaver” fans. Like that iconic earlier hit, the album pairs Wright's subtly philosophical lyrics with synthesizer-dominant arrangements that follow a strong groove (future Chicago drummer Tris Imboden keeps the beat here). “Really Wanna Know You” was a Top 20 hit, and follow-up “Heartbeat” bubbled under the singles chart, but there are many other radio-friendly songs here, like “Close To You” and “The Right Place (both originals, despite the familiar titles). If you have a taste for soft rock that's both reflective and melodic, you've come to THE RIGHT PLACE.
Stone Temple Pilots (Album of the Day)
San Diego quartet Stone Temple Pilots were among the most successful alternative rock groups of the 1990s, emerging in the post-grunge era to sell more than 30 million albums worldwide. After several years apart (and side projects Velvet Revolver and Army of Anyone), the band reunited for a tour in 2008 and their eponymous sixth studio set followed. Produced by STP's Dean and Robert DeLeo with an assist from Don Was, STONE TEMPLE PILOTS debuted at #2 on the Billboard chart and includes such powerful songs as “Take a Load Off,” “Cinnamon” and the Grammy-nominated “Between the Lines” among its dozen originals. The collection's Shepard Fairey cover art reflects both the '60s rock influences of the music and the harmonious working relationships within the band, which can be heard in the renewed strength of Scott Weiland's vocals. Released 10 years ago, STONE TEMPLE PILOTS would be the final album with the group's original frontman, and it's a strong summation of the first chapter in the STP story.
Louder than Bombs (Album of the Day)
The Smiths took pride in crafting great singles as well as great albums, a fact brought home with LOUDER THAN BOMBS. The U.S. equivalent to the U.K.-issued THE WORLD WON'T WAIT gathers two dozen non-LP tracks, several only available in America on this compilation. The Sire set includes such classics as “Panic,” “Ask” and “Shoplifters Of The World Unite” as well as outstanding B-sides like “Unloveable,” “Asleep” and “Stretch Out And Wait.” Named one of the “500 Greatest Albums of All Time” by Rolling Stone, the RIAA gold-certified LOUDER THAN BOMBS is an ideal introduction to the work of the Manchester quartet, and we'll give it another spin now to wish frontman Morrissey a happy birthday.
Initiation (Album of the Day)
One of rock's greatest multitaskers, Todd Rundgren released his sixth solo album, INITIATION, hot on the heels of his debut with Utopia. The 1975 Bearsville set continues the synthesizer-driven prog of his then-new band, with Todd leading the charge on keyboards and innumerable other instruments (he's joined in places by Utopia's Roger Powell; Rick Derringer, David Sanborn and Edgar Winter also make appearances). The collection is split between a side of shorter songs highlighted by such gems as “Real Man,” “Eastern Intrigue” and the title track, and the virtuoso instrumental suite “A Treatise on Cosmic Fire” that fills Side Two. The musical craftsmanship, boundary-pushing use of technology and probing spirituality that has brought Rundgren legions of followers can be heard throughout INITIATION's 68-minute running time, and as it celebrates its 45th anniversary, the album is sure to initiate new fans as well.
24 Karat Gold: Songs from the Vault (Deluxe Edition) (Album of the Day)
The title of Stevie Nicks' 24 KARAT GOLD: SONGS FROM THE VAULT suggests a set of previously unreleased recordings, but the 2014 Reprise collection is much more intriguing than that. Nick revisits her back pages as a writer here, with new recordings of unheard songs from before, during and after her rise to superstardom. With Eurythmics' Dave Stewart behind the boards, these 14 tracks feature fairly simple arrangements (though such stellar accompanists as Waddy Wachtel and a couple of the Heartbreakers play them), allowing the material – and Stevie's beautiful voice - to shine through. “Blue Water,” “Lady” and “The Dealer” are just a few treasures that would have felt right at home on her classic Fleetwood Mac and solo albums of the 1970s and '80s. The Deluxe Edition of 24 KARAT GOLD: SONGS FROM THE VAULT includes bonus tracks “Twisted” and “Watch Chain,” and we'll give the set a spin now to wish Stevie Nicks a happy birthday.
Nevermind The Bollocks, Here’s The Sex Pistols (Album of the Day)
Not everyone in England celebrated Queen Elizabeth's Silver Jubilee; on this day in 1977, the Sex Pistols released a scathing attack on the monarch, “God Save The Queen.” Though widely banned, the single sold briskly and became one of three Top 10 U.K. hits (along with “Pretty Vacant” and “Holidays in the Sun”) on the quartet's sole studio collection, NEVER MIND THE BOLLOCKS, HERE'S THE SEX PISTOLS. Also including the explosive anthem “Anarchy In The U.K.," the album has a snotty power that likely inspired ten people for every one it offended. The classic set debuted at No.1 on the British chart and in the years since NEVER MIND THE BOLLOCKS, HERE'S THE SEX PISTOLS has been called one of the 100 greatest albums ever made by the likes of NME, Rolling Stone and Time.