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Excitable Boy (Album of the Day)
With EXCITABLE BOY, the rest of the world figured out what the L.A. musical community had known for years – that Warren Zevon was among the most gifted singer-songwriters of his generation. The 1978 Asylum collection, co-produced by Jackson Browne, reached the Top 10 largely on the strength of signature song “Werewolves of London,” but the set is packed with darkly humorous tracks (“Roland the Headless Thompson Gunner,” “Lawyers, Guns and Money”) that are as smart as they are compulsively listenable. Famous friends including Linda Ronstadt, Mick Fleetwood and John McVie can be heard in support on the platinum-certified EXCITABLE BOY, and we'll give the album another spin on what would have been Warren Zevon's 73rd birthday.
New York (Album of the Day)
Among Lou Reed's greatest solo albums, NEW YORK was intended to be experienced in a single sitting as though it were a book or a movie, and its literate lyrics certainly reward such focus. Beyond the state-of-the-nation reportage that sees Lou lashing out at public figures including Kurt Waldheim, Rudy Giuliani and Jimmy Swaggart, the Sire collection is filled with songs about love, loss and survival that transcend its 1989 release date - “Romeo Had Juliette,” “Dirty Blvd.” and “Busload Of Faith,” to name but a few. Though less dense, the music is just as impressive, with Mike Rathke's guitar a fine counterpoint to Reed's (former Velvet Underground bandmate Moe Tucker and '50s rock icon Dion DiMiucci also make appearances). This is the album that made Lou Reed the poet laureate of NEW YORK, and we'll give it another spin now on what would have been the man's 78th birthday.
Come On Down! (Album of the Day)
If the oranges on the cover of Eddie Harris' COME ON DOWN! are a nod to the Miami locale where the album was recorded, the music is sweet and refreshing as well. Produced by Tom Dowd, the 1970 Atlantic collection arrived in stores not long after Eddie's star-making work with Les McCann, and the saxophonist calls on some talented collaborators here as well, including guitarist Cornell Dupree and Booker T. & The M.G.'s bassist Donald “Duck” Dunn. Rock and funk surface frequently in this jazz session, with “Don't You Know Your Future's in Space,” “Live Right Now” and “Why Don't You Quit” - all Harris originals – among the highlights. COME ON DOWN! was released 50 years ago today, and its energetic, free-wheeling musical spirit does the Sunshine State proud.
It's a Shame About Ray (Expanded Collector's Edition) (Album of the Day)
Originally a Boston hardcore band, The Lemonheads soon began adding pop to their punk, and by the time of their 1993 Atlantic album were close enough to the mainstream that a 25th anniversary cover of “Mrs. Robinson” wasn't such a stretch. That popular single was quickly added to pressings of IT'S A SHAME ABOUT RAY, but the collection's original 12 songs were nothing to sneeze at - the title track, “Confetti,” “Rudderless,” “Alison's Starting To Happen” and “My Drug Buddy” offer addictive hooks and clever lyrics courtesy of guitarist/vocalist (and alt-rock pin-up boy) Evan Dando, bassist Juliana Hatfield and drummer David Ryan. The Lemonheads' breakthrough release and likely their best, IT'S A SHAME ABOUT RAY is a 1990s touchstone that retains its appeal decades later, and we'll give it another spin now to wish Evan Dando a happy birthday.
Part One (Album of the Day)
Few groups had names as descriptive of their music as the West Coast Pop Art Experimental Band. If PART ONE's lysergic cover isn't a giveaway, the WCPAEB was at ground zero when psychedelia hit Los Angeles, and the sextet's February 1967 Reprise debut perfectly presages the Summer of Love. Folk-rock, garage and baroque pop sounds rub shoulders on these 11 tracks, which include covers of songs by L.A. scene favorites Van Dyke Parks, P.F. Sloan and the Mothers of Invention along with such strong originals as “Shifting Sands,” “Transparent Day” and “I Won't Hurt You” (recently tapped for the soundtrack to Wes Anderson's Isle of Dogs). Strange and catchy at the same time, the West Coast Pop Art Experimental Band's PART ONE captures the spirit of an era when anything seemed possible.
The Sickness (Album of the Day)
With their fingers on the pulse of millennial tensions, Chicago quartet Disturbed rose to stardom with the release of their debut, THE SICKNESS. While the 2000 Giant/Reprise collection has all the heavy riffs and dark intensity that nu metal fans could ask for, it also features melodies and radio-ready hooks that will appeal to a wider audience – you'd be hard-pressed to name another hard rock band who could cover Tears For Fears so effectively. But it's the originals here that really stand out: “Stupify,” “The Game” and “Down with the Sickness” quickly became anthems for disaffected listeners, with frontman David Draiman's broad vocal range leveling all in its path. THE SICKNESS turns 20 years old this week, and the multi-platinum album remains Disturbed's most successful to date.
Free Jazz (Album of the Day)
“The most important thing was for us to play together, all at the same time, without getting in each other's way, and also to have enough room for each player to ad lib alone - and to follow this idea for the duration of the album,” explained Ornette Coleman of FREE JAZZ. The 1961 Atlantic collection features a “double quartet” of saxophonist Coleman, trumpeter Don Cherry, bassist Scott LaFaro and drummer Billy Higgins playing on one stereo channel, and trumpeter Freddie Hubbard, bass clarinetist Eric Dolphy, bassist Charlie Haden and drummer Ed Blackwell on the other. Much like the work of the painter who provided the cover art, Jackson Pollock, the set's approach was initially polarizing but is now hailed as a major leap forward. Few musicians are more strongly identified with the FREE JAZZ movement than Ornette Coleman, so we'll give the album a spin on what would have been his 90th birthday.
Young, Gifted and Black (Album of the Day)
A Nina Simone song provided the title for YOUNG, GIFTED AND BLACK, and Aretha Franklin certainly embodied those qualities. Supported by an all-star ensemble including Billy Preston, Dr. John and guitarist Cornell Dupree, the Queen of Soul rises to new heights as both a keyboardist and a singer here, earning a Best Female R&B Vocal Performance Grammy in the process. The gold-certified 1972 Atlantic set features four Franklin-penned tracks, two of which made the Pop Top 10 (“Day Dreaming” and “Rock Steady”), and the originals are joined by an eclectic array of covers (from The Beatles, Burt Bacharach and Elton John, among others) that the legendary performer makes uniquely her own. An inspiring release that captures every facet of Aretha Franklin's talent, YOUNG, GIFTED AND BLACK makes an ideal soundtrack to National Women's History Month.
Deja Vu (Album of the Day)
The first album from David Crosby, Stephen Stills and Graham Nash set a remarkable standard both for artistic quality and commercial success, and expectations for a follow-up were high. Released 50 years ago today, DÉJÀ VU did not disappoint. The group upped the ante with the addition of Neil Young to the line-up; with four strong songwriters and a pair of fiery guitarists now in the fold, sparks flew. “Teach Your Children,” “Our House” and “Woodstock” each became Top 40 hits, but tracks like Young’s “Helpless,” Crosby’s “Almost Cut My Hair” and the Stills-Young-penned “Everybody I Love You” are equally distinctive. The product of hundreds of hours in the studio, the multi-platinum DÉJÀ VU boasts marvelously eclectic arrangements and immaculate harmonies, and has been cited by the likes of Rolling Stone and VH1 as one of the greatest albums of all time.
Carly Simon (Album of the Day)
Carly Simon had cut a couple of albums with her sister Lucy before Elektra's Jac Holzman signed her to his label for this eponymous 1971 solo release. Jimi Hendrix producer Eddie Kramer may seem an odd choice to helm a singer-songwriter collection, but the combination works, with folk-rock and string arrangements framing Carly's voice beautifully. The material is also remarkably assured, offering nuanced looks at the ebb and flow of relationships highlighted by “That's the Way I've Always Heard It Should Be,” which became Simon's first Top 10 hit and helped earn the performer a Best New Artist Grammy. Intimate and insightful, it's easy to see why CARLY SIMON holds a special place in the hearts of fans.