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Back in the U.S.A. (Album of the Day)
Some of the most exciting music made in America at the end of the 1960s came from Detroit, thanks to bands like The Stooges, The Alice Cooper Group … and The MC5. The “Motor City Five” had already kicked out the jams on a live album before heading into the studio with producer Jon Landau to see if they could capture their high-energy attack in a more controlled setting. The resulting album, BACK IN THE USA, answered that question with a resounding “yes.” Along with nods to rock's raucous past (like the Chuck Berry-penned title track) and the MC5's revolutionary roots (“The American Ruse”), the set provided a template for the punk rock to come with such driving songs as “Tonight” and “Shakin' Street.” MC5's Fred "Sonic" Smith was born on this day in 1948, and we'll fire up BACK IN THE USA to salute the guitarist.
Invisible Touch (Album of the Day)
Though they had a successful run in the 1970s as progressive rockers, Genesis is perhaps best remembered as a pop hitmaking machine of the 1980s. With Phil Collins' appealing vocals leading the way and solid instrumental work from guitarist Mike Rutherford and keyboardist Tony Banks, there were few musical mountains they couldn't climb that decade, and Genesis reached a summit with INVISIBLE TOUCH. The title track provided the British band with its first American No.1 single, and “Throwing It All Away,” “Land Of Confusion” and “Tonight, Tonight, Tonight” all made the Top Ten stateside as well – all the more impressive for having emerged from jam sessions (“On day one, we had no songs, no ideas, and a blank bit of paper,” recalled Rutherford). Released 35 years ago today, the multi-platinum INVISIBLE TOUCH remains the group's all-time best seller.
Coltrane Plays the Blues (Album of the Day)
That the blues is more a feeling than a specific style is borne out by John Coltrane's PLAYS THE BLUES. Distilled from the same October 1960 recording sessions that yielded MY FAVORITE THINGS, the Atlantic collection was issued after the saxophonist's departure for Impulse Records when the remarkable quality of its six tracks demanded release. 'Trane soars on tenor and soprano sax here, accompanied by pianist McCoy Tyner, bassist Steve Davis and drummer Elvin Jones (who penned the opening “Blues to Elvin”; all others are Coltrane originals). While less famous than some of the performer's other Atlantic LPs, the reviews of COLTRANE PLAYS THE BLUES are near-unanimous in their praise, and one listen makes it easy to hear why.
Love You to Death (Album of the Day)
Identical twins Tegan and Sara Quin consolidated the success of their 2013 breakthrough HEARTTHROB with follow-up LOVE YOU TO DEATH, the Canadian duo's eighth studio collection. With returning producer Greg Kurstin adding plenty of instrumental coloration, Tegan and Sara deliver 10 outstanding originals including “Stop Desire” “Hang on to the Night” and lead single “Boyfriend.” While hook-filled and carefully crafted, the synth-pop here is too emotionally resonant to call slick - particularly with the sisters' inviting vocals front and center. Released 5 years ago today, LOVE YOU TO DEATH was hailed by such outlet as Allmusic, Entertainment Weekly and Paste as one of the best albums of 2016, and you'll love it as well.
Brandy (Album of the Day)
Brandy Norwood practically grew up in the spotlight; by age 14, the multi-talented performer had a TV sitcom under her belt and by age 15, a self-titled album on Atlantic Records. BRANDY was a big success, powered by hit singles “I Wanna Be Down,” "Baby,” “Best Friend” and “Brokenhearted,” all co-written by Keith Crouch. “He didn’t give me teenybopper records,” noted Brandy of the producer. “It was age-appropriate, youthful ... but it was still real music.” The singer's buoyant, confident take on old school R&B, pop and hip-hop proved irresistible, and the 1994 collection eventually went 4x platinum and brought the teen a pair of Grammy nominations including Best New Artist. We'll celebrate Black Music Month by giving BRANDY another listen.
Suck It and See (Album of the Day)
With the fastest selling debut in U.K. history, Arctic Monkeys became an indie rock sensation in 2006, and SUCK IT AND SEE proves that success was no fluke. The Sheffield quartet's fourth studio set was recorded with frequent producer James Ford in Los Angeles, and if there's a bit more sunshine here than in previous work, these dozen originals retain the band's urgent, hook-filled focus. Frontman Alex Turner's flair for well-turned phrases can be heard on such songs as “Don't Sit Down 'Cause I've Moved Your Chair,” “Brick by Brick” and the title track, all made even more memorable by Jamie Cook's punchy guitar riffs. Released 10 years ago, SUCK IT AND SEE continued Arctic Monkeys' remarkable winning streak, becoming their fourth album in a row to debut at the top of the British chart.
The Soul Album (Album of the Day)
Though Otis Redding was all but crowned the music's king by the 1966 release of THE SOUL ALBUM, the Atco collection pays tribute to a range of R&B royalty. Redding was a gifted songwriter as well as a powerhouse singer and he co-wrote 3 of the 11 songs here, including minor hit “Just One More Day.” If you didn't know better you'd swear the rest were his as well, so lived-in are his impassioned versions of favorites from The Temptations (“It's Growing”), Sam Cooke (“Chain Gang”), Slim Harpo (“Scratch My Back”) and others. With backing musicians including Booker T. & the M.G.'s and Isaac Hayes, the instrumental work is as outstanding as the vocals. Sandwiched between landmarks OTIS BLUE and DICTIONARY OF SOUL, this set is sometimes overlooked but make no mistake - THE SOUL ALBUM is a stone cold classic.
A Day Without Rain (Album of the Day)
Enya's first album of the new millennium was A DAY WITHOUT RAIN, whose instrumental title track was inspired by the heavy precipitation in Ireland, where the collection was recorded. As on previous releases, the singer-songwriter collaborated with the husband-and-wife team of Nicky and Roma Ryan, who handled production and lyricist duties, respectively. Featuring pared-down arrangements highlighting Enya's vocals, the 2000 set includes such enchanting tracks as “Wild Child,” “Fallen Embers” and “One by One.” By far the most famous song on the Best New Age Album Grammy winner is “Only Time,” whose extensive use in media coverage of the September 11 attacks pushed the single into the Top 10 (more recently, it's found a resurgence on TikTok, where it's been mashed up with Ying Yang Twins' “Salt Shaker” in more than 100,000 creates). The 7× Platinum A DAY WITHOUT RAIN stands as the most successful album in Enya's career.
Epiphany - The Best of Chaka Khan Vol. 1 (Album of the Day)
As its name suggests, THE BEST OF CHAKA KHAN, VOL. 1 is just a taste of the R&B hitmaker's output – but it's a mighty sweet one. A stompin' live version of “Tell Me Something Good” and “Ain't Nobody” recall her glory days with funk greats Rufus, while the remaining tracks include such solo highlights as “I'm Every Woman” (featuring Stevie Wonder), “And the Melody Still Lingers On (A Night in Tunisia)” (featuring Dizzy Gillespie) and Prince-penned Top 10 single “I Feel For You.” The performer's sole hits collection was originally issued in 1996 and while reissues have included cuts from an unreleased 1990s album, the new version of THE BEST OF CHAKA KHAN, VOL. 1 – issued on burgundy vinyl in honor of Black Music Month – is all killer, no filler.
Fandango! (Album of the Day)
With ever-reliable producer Bill Ham at the helm, ZZ Top's fourth album, FANDANGO!, builds on the success of TRES HOMBRES with a powerful pairing of live and studio material. Side One was recorded at New Orleans venue The Warehouse, and from the breakneck boogie of “Thunderbird” onward, the Texas trio's manic energy is, per the LP notes, “captured as it came down - hot, spontaneous and presented to you honestly, without the assistance of studio gimmicks.” The flip side delivers half a dozen killer originals, including two tracks that helped make ZZ Top a stadium draw: “Heard It on the X” and the immortal “Tush.” Drummer Frank Beard was born on this day in 1949 and we'll wish him a happy birthday with another spin of FANDANGO!