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Official Live: 101 Proof (Album of the Day)
"We felt like after 7 years of playing live, that we wanted to put out a record with all our best tunes,” noted Pantera drummer Vinnie Paul of the band's first concert collection, OFFICIAL LIVE: 101 PROOF. The 1997 album, produced by Paul and guitarist Dimebag Darrell, showed the decade's leading heavy metal band was as powerful on stage as in the studio with driving versions of 14 of the quartet's most memorable songs, including “Walk,” “Cemetery Gates” and “Hostile.” As an added bonus, the set closes with a pair of fiery new studio recordings: “Where You Come From” and “I Can't Hide” If you ever saw a Pantera show, it's not something you're ever likely to forget, and if not, don't miss OFFICIAL LIVE: 101 PROOF.
Who Knows Where The Time Goes (Album of the Day)
Matters Of The Heart (Album of the Day)
Tracy Chapman's breakthrough 1988 debut announced the arrival of a major talent in no uncertain terms, and four years later MATTERS OF THE HEART showed her continued growth as a singer-songwriter. As you might guess from its title, the 1992 Elektra set shifts some of the performer's focus from societal problems to personal concerns, but Chapman's nuanced lyrics and passionate delivery remain as compelling as ever. Stylistically, the collection touches upon blues, jazz and world musics while remaining listener-friendly; several seasoned hitmakers (including members of the Heartbreakers, the E Street Band and Bobby Womack) lend their instrumental skills to these ten originals. MATTERS OF THE HEART celebrates its 25th anniversary today, and this direct and powerful album still cuts straight to the heart.
Ain't No 'Bout-A-Doubt It (Album of the Day)
After helping create the rhythms for innumerable Sly & The Family Stone classics, bassist Larry Graham ventured out on his own in the early 1970s as the leader of Graham Central Station. The Bay Area collective released a string of albums for Warner Bros. that decade, among the most enjoyable of which was AIN'T NO 'BOUT-A-DOUBT IT. The 1975 set, cut at Wally Heider's San Francisco studio, features such infectiously funky originals as opener “The Jam,” “It's Alright,” “Water” and No.1 R&B single “Your Love.” The sextet lays down formidable grooves throughout, with some appealing melodies and oddball production touches (like backwards tape loops) thrown in for good measure - there's little doubt that AIN'T NO 'BOUT-A-DOUBT IT will hit the spot for '70s R&B fans.
The Biggest Twang of Them All (Album of the Day)
King of the Blues Guitar (Mono) (Album of the Day)
Born on this day in 1923, Albert King was a major influence on both blues and rock guitar players. A Mississippi native, he launched his career in Arkansas and performed all over the Midwest, but the guitarist's best recordings were made for the Memphis-based Stax label and feature backing from house band Booker T. & The M.G.'s. THE KING OF THE BLUES GUITAR compilation rounds up the axeman's best '60s sides for Stax, including the classic BORN UNDER A BAD SIGN album (“Laundromat Blues,” “Crosscut Saw”) and six single sides (like the wonderful talking blues “Cold Feet”). If you don't know the Rock and Roll Hall of Famer's work, this is the place to start – all hail the King!
INFINITE TUESDAY: AN AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL RIFF (Album of the Day)
Michael Nesmith's half-century-and-counting career has seen him rise from Texas troubadour to stardom with “The Monkees” to acclaimed solo releases and pioneering work in music video and virtual reality. As an audio companion to his new autobiography of the same name, Rhino has just released INFINITE TUESDAY: AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL RIFFS. This 14-track set showcases Nez's best, beginning in 1965 with "The New Recruit" (cut under the pseudonym Michael Blessing) and such Monkees favorites as “Papa Gene's Blues.” The collection focuses on the numerous solo albums that Nesmith recorded during the 1970s, including his country-rock collaborations with The First National Band (Top 40 hit “Joanne”) and concept album THE PRISON, before finishing with more recent songs that show Michael Nesmith remains a strong creative force.
The Head On The Door (Deluxe) (Album of the Day)
Malo (Album of the Day)
Originally a Bay Area R&B group called The Malibus, Malo was among the first wave of Latin-influenced rock bands in the early 1970s. Headed by vocalist Arcelio Garcia and guitarist Jorge Santana (Carlos' brother), the band signed to Warner Bros. and promptly produced a classic self-titled debut album. MALO's half-dozen originals each stretch past six minutes without ever dragging, thanks to arrangements that move effortlessly from Chicago-esque horn hooks to driving electric guitar riffs to salsa rhythms. Highlights include “Nena,” “Café” and Top 20 single, “Suavecito,” which decades later would be sampled in Sugar Ray's chart-topping “Every Morning.” The only album by the original line-up (a version of the group remains active today), MALO is the band's high-water mark, and essential listening for any fan of Latin music.
Parade (Music from the Motion Picture Under the Cherry Moon) (Album of the Day)
Prince's second movie may not have made quite the splash that his first did, but its music is another matter. Though PARADE served as the soundtrack to Under The Cherry Moon, the collection stands quite effectively on its own, blending some of the psychedelia of his preceding studio album with taut funk tracks. Highlights among the latter include “Girls and Boys,” “New Position” and “Kiss,” which reached No.1 on the U.S. singles chart on this day in 1986. The set covers a lot of ground stylistically, and owes much of its success to the fine playing of The Revolution; this would be their final album backing the Purple One. Named album of the year by British music weekly NME, the Platinum-selling PARADE remains among the most rewarding of Prince's catalog.