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Real People (Album of the Day)
Tuesday, June 30, 2015
By the time of REAL PEOPLE's 1980 release, Chic masterminds Nile Rodgers and Bernard Edwards were among the most in-demand producers in the world as artists like Sister Sledge and Diana Ross sought out their services. But if others were hoping Rodgers and Edwards could make them dancefloor queens, the duo were looking beyond disco for their own group. While there's no shortage of grooves to get you moving and The Chic Strings make a welcome return, REAL PEOPLE fuses old-school soul, new wave, guitar-riff rock and funk to strike a tone that's more melancholy than celebratory. “Rebels Are We,” “Chip Off the Old Block” and the title song are just some of the distinctive tracks here, all of which serve as reminders that Chic included some truly brilliant instrumentalists. REAL PEOPLE turns 35 years old today, but its adventurous and insistent edge still feels contemporary.
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Tim Buckley (Album of the Day)
Monday, June 29, 2015
Tim Buckley was all of 19 when his self-titled debut hit the streets in 1966, but his passionate, insightful songs and distinctive multi-octave vocals have the assurance of a seasoned artist. Cut for Elektra Records, TIM BUCKLEY benefits from the talents of producer Paul Rothchild and engineer Bruce Botnick, (then working wonders for The Doors and Love) as well as string arranger Jack Nitzsche and a backing band that includes Van Dyke Parks on keyboards. Though Buckley's music would go through many stylistic permutations in his all-too-brief career, this initial release is firmly in the folk-rock vein and remains among his most accessible. Tim Buckley died 40 years ago today, and we'll give this superb collection another spin in his memory.
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Dream Weaver (Album of the Day)
Friday, June 26, 2015
Gary Wright had paid his dues with prog rockers Spooky Tooth before striking solo gold in 1975 with his Warner Bros. album THE DREAM WEAVER. Boasting a pair of No.2 hits – “Love Is Alive” and the immortal title track – the collection is a feast of keyboards, with Hammond organ, Fender Rhodes, Moog and ARP synthesizers bursting from every groove. The singer-songwriter's nine originals feature memorable melodies, spacey atmospherics and funky rhythms galore, and Wright gets stellar support from instrumentalists including drummer Jim Keltner, guitarist Ronnie Montrose and fellow keyboardist David Foster (yep, the future uber-producer). THE DREAM WEAVER may be 40 years old today, but its music remains timeless.
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The Best of Carly Simon (Album of the Day)
Thursday, June 25, 2015
Carly Simon was born 70 years ago today. A childhood stutter initially turned her to music (as she recalled, “I did the natural thing, which is to write songs, because I could sing without stammering”), a path that's led to millions of record sales worldwide. Signing with Elektra Records in 1970, she caught the crest of the singer-songwriter movement, scoring such Top 10 singles as “That's The Way I've Always Heard It Should Be,” the chart-topping “You're So Vain” and her duet with then-husband James Taylor, “Mockingbird.” These and such familiar hits as “Anticipation” and “Haven't Got Time For The Pain” grace THE BEST OF CARLY SIMON, an alluring 10-song snapshot of the first five years of her still-ongoing career. Happy birthday, Carly!
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Live + (Album of the Day)
Wednesday, June 24, 2015
The latest release from two-time Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Jeff Beck, LIVE + samples concerts from last year's hugely successful double-bill tour with ZZ TOP. Backed by vocalist Jimmy Hall, bassist Rhonda Smith, drummer Jonathan Joseph and guitarist Nicolas Meier. Beck dives deep into his five-decade-strong catalog to come up with 14 spellbinding live performances, including TRUTH's “Morning Dew,” “Superstition” “Hammerhead” and a terrific cover of “A Day In The Life.” The “+” in the title refers to a pair of aggressive new studio recordings, “Tribal” and “My Tiled White Floor,” which show a stark departure from the sound of the legendary axeman's Grammy®-winning 2010 collection, EMOTION & COMMOTION. Jeff Beck celebrates a birthday today, and LIVE + shows he continues to push the envelope of musical innovation.
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Minstrel In The Gallery - 40th Anniversary La Grande Edition (Album of the Day)
Tuesday, June 23, 2015
When it was originally released, MINSTREL IN THE GALLERY became Jethro Tull's fifth consecutive U.S. Top 10 album, peaking at #7, and reaching #29 in the band's native U.K. The last to feature the longtime lineup of Ian Anderson, Martin Barre, John Evans, Barrie Barlow and Jeffrey Hammond-Hammond, the set boasts elaborate production reminiscent of the 1972 classic THICK AS A BRICK, and its songs rock as hard as anything in Tull's vast and storied catalog. Anderson handles production chores as well as flute and vocals, and the 1975 collection features varied acoustic and electric arrangements including a near-side-long epic in “Baker St. Muse.” For the 40th Anniversary La Grande Edition, MINSTREL IN THE GALLERY has been expanded with a B-side, studio outtakes and BBC sessions as well as a full live disc of the band performing at the Olympia in Paris a few months prior to the album's release.
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Runt: The Ballad of Todd Rungren (Album of the Day)
Monday, June 22, 2015
The title of Todd Rundgren's second solo set may be confusingly close to that of his debut, but RUNT: THE BALLAD OF TODD RUNDGREN was a big step forward for the performer. The cover sets the stage in a couple of respects; piano-led ballads are front-and-center, along with sly wit (though Sparks' Ron Mael helped put Todd's head in the noose). Musically inventive and with a McCartney-esque emphasis on melody, the songwriting is outstanding across these dozen originals, with “Long Flowing Robe,” “Hope I'm Around,” “Boat On The Charles” and “A Long Time, A Long Way To Go” among the highlights. Almost a one-man-show (session players handle bass and drums), RUNT: THE BALLAD OF TODD RUNDGREN is a tour de force and among Rundgren's very best albums. We'll give it another spin today in honor of the man's birthday!
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Music from Graffiti Bridge (Album of the Day)
Friday, June 19, 2015
Following the phenomenal success of Purple Rain would have intimidated most artists, but then Prince is not like most artists. He took on writing and directing chores for the sequel to that film, Graffiti Bridge, as well as reprising his onscreen role as performer The Kid. While the film was not a box office smash, that didn't stop the soundtrack from soaring into the Top 10. Double-album length at 17 songs, MUSIC FROM GRAFFITI BRIDGE features guest appearances from the likes of The Time, Tevin Campbell, George Clinton and Mavis Staples, but as songwriter, producer and instrumentalist, Prince's presence is felt on every track. Beyond the singles “Round And Round,” “New Power Generation” and hit “Thieves In The Temple,” much of this music is based on older material from The Purple One's vaults, and it's a testament to his genius that such diverse pieces have been shaped into a compelling whole. Even if GRAFFITI BRIDGE isn't in their Netflix queue, any rock or R&B fan will find much to love in its soundtrack.
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Brian Wilson [Expanded Edition] (Album of the Day)
Thursday, June 18, 2015
If Brian Wilson had done nothing after masterminding PET SOUNDS in 1966, his place in the musical history books would still be secure; unfortunately, it often looked like that's what would happen. Wilson became rock's most famous recluse, and if his name continued to surface periodically on Beach Boys records, even longtime fans wondered if he was a spent force – which is why his 1988 solo debut came as such a wonderful surprise. Re-released last month, BRIAN WILSON highlights the composer's melodic gifts on 11 songs, including “Rio Grande” (an ambitious attempt to get back on the horse of SMILE) and the achingly beautiful “Love And Mercy.” If you've seen the new biopic of that name, you'll understand what a personal triumph this album represented, and the Expanded Edition of BRIAN WILSON adds 15 bonus tracks to the original, including single sides, demos and alternate versions.
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Shadow Dancing (Album of the Day)
Wednesday, June 17, 2015
On this day in 1978, Andy Gibb's third single became his third U.S. No.1 hit – an unprecedented feat. That single is the title track of the singer-songwriter's second album, SHADOW DANCING, which like its predecessor, benefits from the helping hands of his older brothers, the Bee Gees. Given that pedigree, it's no surprise that the music is first class pop-rock with a disco beat, and both "An Everlasting Love" and "(Our Love) Don't Throw It All Away" were Top 10 hits, pushing the album to platinum sales status. But Andy wasn't merely riding his siblings' coattails; he wrote 6 of the 10 songs himself, and his lead vocal work here is immaculate. While Gibb's career was brief (he would release just one more album before his death at age 30), SHADOW DANCING displays a talent that was incandescent.
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