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WOMEN AND CHILDREN FIRST (Album of the Day)
After two albums that put Van Halen at the head of the class for party-hearty hard rock, WOMEN AND CHILDREN FIRST showed the quartet to be capable of much more. Their first collection of all-original songs, the 1980 Warner Bros. set moves confidently from classic anthems (“And the Cradle Will Rock...,” “Everybody Wants Some!!”) to rootsy goofs (“Take Your Whiskey Home”) to power balladry (“In a Simple Rhyme”). Producer Ted Templeman and the boys match the fine material with ambitious arrangements including greater use of overdubs and keyboards and a rare guest vocal (from Nicolette Larson). A triple-Platinum, Top 10 hit, WOMEN AND CHILDREN FIRST has been named one of the greatest metal albums of all time by the likes of Kerrang! and Rolling Stone and we'll crank it up in honor of Eddie Van Halen, who passed away on this day in 2020.
ZAPP (Album of the Day)
Built around Roger Troutman and three of his brothers, Zapp was among the leading lights of the rich '70s/'80s Dayton, Ohio, funk scene. When they caught the ear of Bootsy Collins, the bassist brought them to Detroit's United Sound Studios to cut an album, which became the band's eponymous debut for Warner Bros. While it bears an unmistakable P-Funk influence, the 1980 collection stands out thanks to Roger's distinctive “talk-box” singing and such irresistible tracks as “Be Alright” and much-sampled signature song “More Bounce to the Ounce.” A Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart-topper, the Gold-certified ZAPP is now part of the Rhino Reds series, reissued on red vinyl with a bonus 7” single.
SMASH (Album of the Day)
“As we start work on a new album, and later this year continue our 'Dreamworld' Greatest Hits Tour,” said Pet Shop Boys' Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe of SMASH, “it seems like a good time to take stock and bring together every single we've released.” The 3-CD set is aptly named, with most of its 55 sides having reached the Top 30 in the duo's native U.K., among them such iconic tracks as “West End Girls,” “Always on My Mind,” “So Hard” and “Go West.” Expanding on the pair's DISCOGRAPHY thirty years on, the new collection shows PSB to be among the most gifted pop songwriting teams on the planet. Lowe was born on this day in 1959, and we'll wish him a happy birthday with SMASH: THE SINGLES 1985-2020.
GIVE ME THE NIGHT (Album of the Day)
GIVE ME THE NIGHT confirmed George Benson's status as a crossover star; the 1980 album reached #3 on the Billboard 200 while also topping the magazine's Soul and Jazz charts. Credit part of the collection's success to its producer, Quincy Jones, who brought in top musical support (including Herbie Hancock, Patti Austin and Lee Ritenour) and songwriting ace Rod Temperton (who was born on this day in 1949). While the Top 10 title track would prove Benson's biggest hit, the set is truly gem-packed, with “Moody's Mood,” “Off Broadway” and “Dinorah, Dinorah” each winning Grammy Awards. Rarely has the performer's voice and guitar playing been put to better use than on the Platinum-certified GIVE ME THE NIGHT, which remains one of George Benson's very best.
NIGHTS ARE FOREVER (Album of the Day)
“England” Dan Seals and John “Ford” Coley had performed together in such Texas '60s bands as Southwest F.O.B. before setting up shop as a duo; following a couple albums for A&M, the pair scored their commercial breakthrough with NIGHTS ARE FOREVER. The 1976 Big Tree collection was certified Gold on the strength of Top 10 hits “I'd Really Love to See You Tonight” and “Nights Are Forever Without You,” though the other nine tracks also feature strong melodies and sparkling performances (including guitar work from Dan's big brother Jim, of Seals & Crofts). NIGHTS ARE FOREVER is among the most enjoyable soft rock albums of the 1970s, and we'll give it another spin to wish John Ford Coley a happy 75th birthday.
TUSK (Album of the Day)
After RUMOURS became one of the biggest sellers of the 1970s, Fleetwood Mac earned creative carte blanche for their next album and put it to good use on TUSK. The expansive double-disc collection is the most experimental release in the Mac catalog, incorporating punk and new wave production touches. But the music remains highly accessible - both “Sara” and the title track were Top Ten singles, and the Grammy-nominated album sold more than four million copies worldwide. Released this month in 1979, TUSK showed a band still hungry for artistic challenges even after unparallelled popular success, which is one of the reasons that Fleetwood Mac is true rock royalty.
TRUE STORIES (Album of the Day)
Already a musical trailblazer, David Byrne further flexed his creative muscles by directing and starring in the motion picture TRUE STORIES, which was released on this day in 1986. The quirky film about a bunch of people in Virgil, Texas, featured a wonderful soundtrack whose songs – sung by actors in the movie - would be recut in the studio for Talking Heads' seventh album. Among the highlights of the Sire collection are “Love for Sale,” “Radio Head” (from which the U.K. band would draw its name) and Top 40 hit “Wild Wild Life.” Inventive, varied and fun, the Gold-certified TRUE STORIES shows the Rock and Roll Hall of Famers still knew how to turn heads.
OOH LA LA (Album of the Day)
Faces left behind four studio albums - each a rough-hewn gem - though by the 1973 release of the last of these, OOH LA LA, frontman Rod Stewart was more focused on his solo career. But co-founder Ronnie Lane picked up the slack in spectacular fashion; the title track may be the best thing he ever wrote, and “Glad and Sorry” isn't far behind. Sir Rod (Stewart was knighted on this day in 2016) makes his raspy presence felt on such tracks as “Cindy Incidentally” and with producer Glyn Johns rallying the troops, the rest of the boys play superbly. A chart-topper in the group's native U.K., OOH LA LA is a rousing finale to the Rock and Roll Hall of Famers' career.
INSIGHT OUT (Album of the Day)
For The Association's first album on Warner Bros. the label paired the sextet with producer Bones Howe (The Mamas & the Papas, The Turtles) hoping to steer the band in a more commercial direction. The move paid off spectacularly - 1967's INSIGHT OUT included No. 1 hit “Windy” and No. 2 hit “Never My Love,” both of which would rank among the most played singles on the radio that year. While those two songs were penned by outside writers, nearly half the tracks were band originals; the nostalgic “Wasn't It a Bit Like Now?,” sunshine popper “Sometime” and ambitious anti-war ballad “Requiem for the Masses” are some of this eclectic set's many pleasures. Featuring the group's magnificent harmonies (and instrumental work by several Wrecking Crew aces), the Gold-certified INSIGHT OUT is one of The Association's finest albums, and we'll give it another spin to wish rhythm guitarist Russ Giguere a happy 80th birthday.
AGENT PROVOCATEUR (Album of the Day)
Three years after Foreigner had conquered the charts with 4, the quartet returned with another smash in AGENT PROVOCATEUR. The 1984 collection sold millions of copies worldwide, thanks largely to the strength of hit single “I Want To Know What Love Is,” which topped the chart on both sides of the Atlantic. The song pairs Lou Gramm's powerful vocals with the New Jersey Mass Choir, and while that soaring ballad remains impressive, there are numerous other gems among the album's 10 originals, including “Down On Love,” “Growing Up The Hard Way” and Top 40 single “That Was Yesterday.” With writer-guitarist Mick Jones bringing his customary craftsmanship to the production, the arena rock of AGENT PROVOCATEUR remains supremely listenable, and the album is now available on red vinyl with a bonus 7” as part of the Rhino Reds series