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CURTIS (Album of the Day)
Curtis Mayfield played a key role in the development of soul in the 1960s as a founder of The Impressions, infusing their music with spirituality and conscience. The singer-songwriter left the trio for a solo career in 1970, and his self-produced debut (released on his own Curtom Records label) boasts the same social awareness as his previous group while traversing tougher musical territory. Cut in Chicago, CURTIS serves up simmering funk and psychedelia on eight originals, including epic side openers "(Don't Worry) If There's a Hell Below, We're All Going to Go" and "Move On Up." Seen through the eyes of one of R&B's greatest poets, CURTIS offered a look at “what's going on” in Black America during the Nixon years – though its compassion for all people makes the album timeless.
ANTHEM OF THE SUN (Album of the Day)
The Grateful Dead's second album, 1968's ANTHEM OF THE SUN, was an unprecedented hybrid of studio and live recordings. It also marked a departure for the band, as they began to channel their creativity into longer jams on songs like “Alligator” and “Caution (Do Not Stop On Tracks)” – two concert staples of the Dead’s early days. As band archivist David Lemieux notes, “This is one of the most thrilling albums the Grateful Dead ever produced, mixing portions of live recordings from the first six months of Mickey [Hart]'s tenure with the band, along with studio experimentations that would hint at where the Dead would go when they started recording to 16-track tape the following year.” ANTHEM OF THE SUN captures the Rock and Roll Hall of Famers at the summit of psychedelic music.
IN THE CHRISTMAS SPIRIT (Album of the Day)
Booker T. & the M.G.'s defined Southern soul as the Stax Records house band (playing on classics by such artists as Otis Redding, Sam & Dave and Wilson Pickett, among others) and as hitmakers in their own right. IN THE CHRISTMAS SPIRIT, the instrumental quartet's fourth studio set, is an enjoyable romp through a dozen seasonal standards including Billboard-charting single “Jingle Bells,” “Winter Wonderland” and R&B favorite “Merry Christmas Baby.” Keyboardist Booker T. Jones, guitarist Steve Cropper, bassist Donald "Duck" Dunn and drummer Al Jackson, Jr. are in peak form throughout the 1966 Stax/Atlantic collection – holiday music never got funkier than on IN THE CHRISTMAS SPIRIT.
CHRISTMAS WITH YOLANDA ADAMS (Album of the Day)
Texas-born singer Yolanda Adams has been called the First Lady of Modern Gospel, and the performances on CHRISTMAS WITH YOLANDA ADAMS make it clear she deserves that title. The follow-up to her Grammy-winning breakthrough MOUNTAIN HIGH … VALLEY LOW, the 2000 Elektra collection features a couple of secular chestnuts (including “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas”), but most of the ten selections are carols and traditional songs such as “The First Noel”.and “It Came Upon a Midnight Clear.” Superb accompanying musicians add R&B and jazz-tinged settings to Adams' rich and passionate vocals on this Billboard Gospel Album chart-topper, and CHRISTMAS WITH YOLANDA ADAMS will make your spirit soar.
GHV2 (Album of the Day)
“I had to be able to listen to them five times in a row and think this is really good, this is a well written song, it's really well produced,” said Madonna of the tracks she picked for her second greatest hits collection. Across nearly a decade of evolution as a singer, songwriter and a person – from 1992's EROTICA to 2000's MUSIC - GHV2 remains consistently superb. Among the many highlights on the Maverick set are such Top 10 hits as “Deeper and Deeper,” “Frozen” and “Take a Bow”; even with an increased focus on albums in the second decade of her career, Madonna was still turning out irresistible singles. A worthy successor to THE IMMACULATE COLLECTION, the Platinum-certified GHV2 features some of the best pop music of the 1990s.
A HOLLY DOLLY CHRISTMAS (Album of the Day)
Dolly Parton's first album of seasonal songs in nearly 30 years, A HOLLY DOLLY CHRISTMAS brims with holiday cheer. While the queen of country pop sings heartfelt versions of such chestnuts as “I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus” and the title tune, the bulk of this 2020 collection is devoted to originals' songs like “Christmas on the Square” and “Circle of Love” are strong enough to become classics themselves. Dolly is joined by guest stars including Michael Bublé, Miley Cyrus (as well as her dad, Billy Ray) and Willie Nelson, and the Grammy-nominated set topped both Billboard's Country and Holiday album charts. Have A HOLLY DOLLY CHRISTMAS this year!
THE LAST WALTZ (Album of the Day)
On Thanksgiving Day 1976, The Band took the stage for the final time at the Winterland Theatre in San Francisco. For what was billed as The Last Waltz, Rick Danko, Levon Helm, Garth Hudson, Richard Manuel and Robbie Robertson were joined by performers including Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell, Van Morrison, Muddy Waters and Neil Young. The event was documented by director Martin Scorsese, and the accompanying soundtrack shows why The Band was among the most acclaimed groups in rock. Along with stirring live versions of “Up On Cripple Creek,” “The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down,” “The Shape I'm In” and signature songs from some of the guest stars, the triple-album closes with an elegiac suite recorded specifically for the occasion. Rick Danko was born 80 years ago today and we'll take one more trip around the dancefloor to remember the bassist with THE LAST WALTZ.
STEPHEN STILLS (Album of the Day)
Though his name has often been bracketed by that of David Crosby and Graham Nash, Stephen Stills' eponymous 1970 album shows him more than ready for the solo spotlight. Two of its songs - “Love the One You're With” and “Sit Yourself Down” - were Top 40 hits, but all 10 originals here underline Stills' mastery of folk, blues, hard rock and gospel. The performer is joined by several famous friends on the Atlantic collection, including his CSN bandmates, Ringo Starr, Booker T. Jones, Eric Clapton and Jimi Hendrix (to whom the album is dedicated). Allmusic said of the Gold-certified STEPHEN STILLS “three decades on, it's still a jaw-dropping experience,” and we'll give it another spin now to wish the man a happy birthday.
KING & QUEEN (Album of the Day)
Otis Redding and Carla Thomas each had numerous hits under their belts when Stax producer Jim Stewart, inspired by Marvin Gaye's duets for Motown, teamed them for an album. Along with the very timely track “New Year’s Resolution,” the 1967 KING & QUEEN features versions of some of the greatest soul songs of the era including “It Takes Two,” “Bring It On Home To Me,” “Knock On Wood” and “Tramp,” the latter two becoming Top 40 hits. Otis and Carla's voices blend beautifully, and the chemistry between the two is strong; these are some of the loosest, most enjoyable recordings either made. Booker T & The MGs and Isaac Hayes supply instrumental support, making KING & QUEEN a true portrait of Memphis soul royalty.
A BRAND NEW ME: Aretha Franklin (with The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra) (Album of the Day)
Aretha Franklin signed to Atlantic Records in 1967 to begin one of the greatest runs in music history, and Rhino marked the 50th anniversary of that legendary partnership with A BRAND NEW ME: ARETHA FRANKLIN WITH THE ROYAL PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA. The album pairs the vocals from some of the Queen of Soul's most iconic Atlantic songs with new arrangements performed by The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra; the result is another timeless record that retains the soul, groove and gospel power of Franklin's revered talent. Among the standout tracks are re-imagined versions of classics like the Billboard #1 R&B hits "Respect," "Think," "Don't Play That Song (You Lied)" and "Angel." Welcome in a brand new year with A BRAND NEW ME.