Wednesday, September 3, 2025
Dwight Yoakam Dwight Sings Buck 2007
Friday, August 29, 2025
Pete Townsend and Ronnie Lane Rough Mix 1977
Friday, August 22, 2025
Cher 3614 Jackson Highway 1969
Saturday, August 16, 2025
Gyasi Here Comes The Good Part 2025
Thursday, August 7, 2025
The Golden Era of Rock 'n' Roll 1955-1963 2004
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Thursday, July 31, 2025
Lindsey Buckingham Go Insane 1984
Lindsey Buckingham seemed to relish his chances to go solo, and he makes a concerted effort not to sound like Fleetwood Mac. Which makes sense, but it also means that Mac fans would have mixed feelings about Buckingham solo. His first was very good with just a few exceptions, and I guess this one could be assessed pretty much the same way.
The records open with the rocking I Want You, with tinny keyboards, speeded-up vocal section, and smoking hot lead guitar, with a hook for a chorus. Nice way to kick things off. The title track is next and has layered keys, layered vocals, sharp percussion, with another catchy chorus. The warbly high register that is his vocal on Slow Dancing is classic Buckingham. The pulsing beat and and complex arrangement keep a simple tune interesting. I Must Go gets a little more experimental, and that either detracts or you like it. Lots of keyboards, but it runs for a minute or two longer than it has ideas. And then Play In The Rain brings the crazy theme to the fore, with quiet vocal parts interrupted by clamorous percussion segments. Then the Indian instruments come in to raga the song out.
Flip over to side two and Play In The Rain continues, starting with the raga, then shifting back to alternating vocal sections with percussion and big keyboard/guitar segments. It all comes together to rock out the ending. The slinky rock of Loving Cup is familiar territory for Buckingham, and rocks pretty hard. We get a hot guitar solo, and a big stadium-rock sound. It's good, but again seems to milk the motif for a few extra minutes. Bang The Drum opens without drums (of course), and the "bang the drum" chorus is catchy with those eighties synths and layered vocal harmonies. The song ends on the banging drums (thank goodness). The D. W. Suite (honoring Dennis Wilson) is in three parts. The gentle opening section with Scottish folk overtones morphs through some cacophony into a Beach Boys inspired, harmony packed song, and then into a march of the familiar Scottish folk song "The Bonnie Banks o' Loch Lomond" (or something awfully close) that serves as a funeral march for the recently deceased Wilson. It's a bit out there.
Listening to it after a long time away made for fun and intriguing listening. I suppose if you didn't like Tusk you probably won't like his early solo work (this is his second). Side one is better than side two. The record plays for 38 minutes, and even at that, some of it feels like it's stretched out a bit. And so yes, it's very good, with a few exceptions.
Friday, July 18, 2025
Spinning Vinyl
Things started with XTC's English Settlement 1982, side two with No Thugs In Our House, Yacht Dance, and All Of A Sudden (It's Too Late). I've always loved the chorus of No Thugs, "No thugs in our house, are there dear, We made that clear, We made little Graham promise us he'd be a good boy". Sure, as long as an adolescent male tells you they'll be good, it's all set. Both Yacht Dance and All Of A Sudden are also great. "Life's like a jigsaw, you get the straight bits but there's something missing in the middle". English Settlement has always been my favorite XTC, and for an unknown reason I bought the expensive two LP import version when it came out, which was vastly superior to the single disc US version that had five less songs.
Next up, The Clash London Calling 1980, also side two. Side two isn't the hit-packed side one or side four, but it's very good. Spanish Bombs, Clampdown and the call to arms of The Guns of Brixton, "When they kick at your front door, How you gonna come?, With your hands on your head, or on the trigger of your gun". Even the weak side kicks ass.Then it was side two of Elvis Costello's Trust 1981. I typically think of Imperial Bedroom as my Costello highlight, but I may need to reconsider. With songs like New Lace Sleeves, From A Whisper To A Scream, Different Finger, and White Knuckles, the side just slaps you in the face. The Attractions were such a great band.