Gravy train (Lou Donaldson) (LP 678)

Lou Donaldson  Gravy Train (CD, Blue Note, 1961) **** 

Genre: Jazz

Places I remember: Kings Recording (Abu Dhabi)

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: Gravy Train

Gear costume: South Of The Border 

Active compensatory factors: I managed to pick this up at my favourite CD store in Abu Dhabi. 

Kings Recording had a great selection generally, but in particular they had a lot of CDs on the Blue Note label.

I got this one on a hunch based on the label - Blue Note has great quality control, and the fact that Lou plays alto saxophone with a simple piano/bass/drums combo.

It was a good hunch as Lou and the boys play jazz with a soulful touch. The two featured tracks being fine examples.

Where do they all belong? The only Lou Donaldson album I own. It slots into the jazz category nicely.

No one knows my name (Gillian Welch) (LP 677)

Gillian Welch  Soul Journey (CD, Acony Records, 2003) *** 

Genre: Country/ Americana/ Folk

Places I remember: JB HiFi (sale bins)

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: Look At Miss Ohio

Gear costume: Make Me A Pallet On You Floor

Active compensatory factors: I took a punt on this, having a vague feeling that I'd read favourable reviews of her work with David Rawlings previously.

The songs and the laid back acoustic instruments appeal, but I'm not about to chase down the back catalogue.

The live versions above give a great idea about the couple's strengths.

Where do they all belong? It's in my country genre because I needed to put it somewhere and the use of dobro and fiddle suggests country, but really it could as easily gone in the folk section as well. 

Beneath a Phrygian sky (Loreena McKennitt) (LP 674 - 676)

Loreena McKennitt   The Visit (CD, Quinlan Road, 1991) *** 

Loreena McKennitt   An Ancient Muse (CD, Quinlan Road, 2006) *** 

Loreena McKennitt  the wind that shakes the barley (CD, Quinlan Road, 2010) ***

Genre: Fork music/ World music 

Places I remember: Virgin Megastores in Abu Dhabi and Dubai

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: The Lady Of Shalott, as i roved out

Gear costume: The English Ladye and The Knight (have the tissue box close by)

Active compensatory factors: I do have these albums inside the bosom of the Folk Music section but they could also fit into the World section (housed inside Maple Grove's music lounge with the CDs that Jacky enjoys). 

The tie break is the wind that shakes the barley (yes, lower case - as are all the song titles). This one is a welcome departure in that all the music and lyrics (for the most part) are traditional. Her voice on the wind... is more earthy and varied which is another nice feature! Call it a three star plus.

The Enya comparisons are valid, especially on the first two listed above - Loreena (a Canadian) has that same velvety smooth vocal delivery, but the instrumentation leans it more to the folk genre (plus the takes on things like Shalott, Greensleeves, Walter Scott's English Ladye and The Knight) and the wind...songs.

Generally, these albums made more sense to me when we lived in the Middle East; the world music tag made more sense to me living in an alien culture. Sitting in Lockdown in Nu Zild? Makes less sense. 

Where do they all belong? And that's it for Loreena, and for the folk genre (CDs that is). 

Take shelter (Anathema) (LP 672 - 673)

Anathema  distant satellites (CD, Kscope, 2014) **** 

Anathema  the optimist (CD, Kscope, 2017) **** 

Genre: Prog rock

Places I remember: JB HiFi (Palmerston North)

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: The Lost Song Part 3

Gear costume: Endless Ways 

Active compensatory factors: These are the final two Anathema albums to report on. Two albums in six years isn't too unusual these days.

Covid-19 can be blamed for the band's hiatus since the optimist (yes, lower case). 

A real shame - because every subsequent release was getting better and better.

The distant satellites (yes, lower case) album is a cohesive, beautifully played, wonderfully sung suite of songs, that builds momentum throughout. There are lyrical passages (thanks to Daniel Cavanagh's lovely keyboards, and metal guitar drive-bys mixed up for a spirit of innovation and then there is Lee Douglas on vocals (with Vincent Cavanagh). She's just great!

Their latest album to date is the optimist, a kind of sequel to a previous album A Fine Day To Exit. Both are concept albums. Now I am a sucker for a good concept album, so these are right up my alley. Except the story line isn't too clear to my befuddled brain.

Nevertheless, worth exploring, and Lee's vocals are a standout on Endless Ways and Ghosts.

Where do they all belong? And that's it for Anathema. Next up in the prog section is Ian Anderson's solo stuff.

Lost in the moment (Edie Brickell) (LP 670 - 671)

Edie Brickell & New Bohemians  Shooting Rubberbands At The Stars (CD, Geffen Records, 1988) *** 

Edie Brickell  Picture Perfect Morning (CD, Geffen Records, 1994) *** 

Genre: Folk rock 

Places I remember: From The Hope collection

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: Lost In The Moment

Gear costume: Good Times, What I Am

Active compensatory factors: Edie Brickell sits in the margins a little, even with her Paul Simon and Geffen association and these were solid commercial albums (PPM went double platinum in the US for goodness sake).

Nevertheless - that was a while ago now and she's slipped below the radar since then (yes, she's still touring and putting out records - latest in 2021).

I'm happy to own these CDs and give them airtime for the purpose of this blogpost but apart from 3 or 4 tracks, the songs don't leave a lasting impression on me.

Where do they all belong? I wouldn't have bought these CDs myself - pleasant and all that but hardly essential. Apart from Lost In The Moment that is. That is a beautiful song!

Lights out San Francisco (Craig Chaquico) (LP 669)

Craig Chaquico  Once In A Blue Universe (CD, Higher Octave Music, 1997) *** 

Genre: San Francisco music

Places I remember: Real Groovy Records

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: Dreamcatcher

Gear costume: Oceans Apart

Active compensatory factors: Craig Chaquico is best known for his lead guitar prowess with Jefferson Starship and Starship, but since 1993 he's been a solo artist employing a very different style.

This one is probably classified more as jazz than rock (and it's not jazz rock) given the acoustic instrumentals and co-players like John Klemmer on sax.

It's okay for what it is but, honestly, without the Starship connection I wouldn't have bothered. That sounds harsh but I would guess that there are plenty of musicians playing this kind of music on Spotify.

Having said that, Dreamcatcher hits a gnarly bass driven groove and builds nicely through to the sax solo.

 
Where do they all belong? If I came across other CDs by Craig in the CD sale bin I'd certainly pick them up but I won't be chasing them down necessarily.

Lubbock or leave it (Dixie Chicks) (LP 665 - 668)

Dixie Chicks  Wide Open Spaces (CD, Monument, 1998) *** 

Dixie Chicks  Fly (CD, Monument, 1999) ****

Dixie Chicks  Home (CD, Columbia, 2002) *****

Dixie Chicks  Taking The Long way (CD, Columbia, 2006) ***

Genre: Country rock 

Places I remember: The Warehouse (various)

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: There's Your Trouble

Gear costume: Wide Open Spaces, Goodbye Earl

Active compensatory factors: I love The Chicks (a.k.a. Dixie Chicks). Their sound is honest and usually brings an instant smile to my face, as well as sets my feet to a-tappin'.

The pleasurable moments just keep coming. especially on Fly and Home, but I have confidence with any of their albums really.

I could have replaced those gear fab songs without any problem - Hole In The Head, If I Fall You're Going Down With Me, Long Time Gone, White Trash Wedding and others are just as catchy.

Of the four, Home stands out for it's expert flavours: the playing sounds slightly more assured and inspired, as does the lead vocal delivery by Natalie Maines.

In comparison Taking The Long Way feels a little too comfortable and slick - the Dixie Chicks' rough edges have been filed off a little too much.

Where do they all belong? I don't have their latest as The Chicks (not to be confused with the NZ pop duo version), and I must remedy that situation right quick! 

Living in the song (Blackberry Smoke) (LP 661 - 664)

Blackberry Smoke  The Whippoorwill (CD, Earache Records, 2013) ****

Blackberry Smoke  Leave A Scar Live - North Carolina (CD, Earache Records, 2014) ****

Blackberry Smoke  Holding All The Roses (CD, Earache Records, 2015) ****

Blackberry Smoke  Find A Light (CD, Earache Records, 2018) ****

Genre: Southern Rock

Places I remember: HMV (Oxford St., East Croyden)

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: One Horse Town

Gear costume: Holding All The Roses, Pretty Little Lie, I'll Keep Ramblin'

Active compensatory factors: I've decided to hoover up all the remaining* albums on CD by these southern boys (from Atlanta) as they pretty much cover the same ground - good ole southern rock'n'countryroll.

That's possibly the only quibble I've got. Charlie Starr is the band's songwriter/vocalist and if anything, the band needs a different look at times.

That's only a minor quibble though - Charlie is the real deal; he writes brilliant songs and his singing is great.

The highlights are liberally sprinkled through the studio albums (the band's third, fourth, and sixth) and Leave A Scar Live - North Carolina is a live double album and DVD package that sums up the band's early years well.

Where do they all belong? *I've already written about their 2016 album Like An Arrow - another 4 starr effort - the bar is consistently set high, and their latest studio album (number 7) is coming to Goo Goo when I get to the vinyl collection again.

Eyes on the horizon (Brendan Benson) (LP 660)

Brendan Benson  My Old, Familiar Friend (CD, The Echo Label, 2009) ***

Genre: Rock/ Hard Rock 

Places I remember: Donated to my collection by the Hope family.

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: Don't Wanna Talk

Gear costume: Poised And Ready

Active compensatory factors: This is Brendan Benson's fourth solo album, recorded in between Raconteurs albums.

Not surprising then that the songs I like (and chose to highlight above) are close to The Raconteurs in sound and spirit.

Benson plays a lot of different instruments on this - he's very versatile. He does it well too - I can't tell where he's playing things like drums and where his friends are.

Where do they all belong? I have the Hope family for this as they donated all of their CD collections to me. This one belongs next The Raconteurs in the collection - or it would if I wasn't alphabetical in my approach!

Next up in this genre: Black Star Riders.

Close your eyes (Beachwood Sparks) (LP 659)

Beachwood Sparks  Once We Were Trees (CD, Sub Pop, 2001) ***

Genre: Californian sunshine pop 

Places I remember: An old music shop in Taupo - bought while on holiday. Sadly, the shop is no more.

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: By Your Side

Gear costume: The Hustler

Active compensatory factors: I have this in the Californian sunshine pop genre (next up the Beach Boys) and I think that's about right. If you look them up on wikipedia they are labelled as alt-country but there are more Mamas and Papas links here than there are links to Ryan Adams so I'll stick with my choice.

There is a Van Dyke Parksian pop brightness about the jaunty music and harmony vocals in the Beachwood Sparks that appeals to me. 

If you have a listen to Orange Crate Art next to this you'll see what I mean.

Where do they all belong? As stated, next up in this genre - The Beach Boys!

Give me another chance (Big Star) (LP 657 - 658)

Big Star  #1 Record (CD, Stax Records, 1972) ****

Big Star  Radio City (CD, Stax Records, 1973) ****

Genre: Power Pop 

Places I remember: Kings Recording (Abu Dhabi)

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: September Gurls  (Radio City)

Gear costume: Watch The Sunrise, Thirteen (#1 Record); Back Of A Car (Radio City)

Active compensatory factors: This is a double album package of Big Star's first two albums.

Still sounding fresh as a daisy, these albums have grown in stature over the years after the band's start in the early seventies was hampered by a small label's issues getting the records out.

But word of mouth is a great thing and these albums are now regarded as stellar power pop albums. 

Alex Chilton (guitar and vocals) is the mainstay of these two albums but Chris Bell, also on guitar and vocals (on the first album), is a great partner in crime.

The combo of guitars and harmonies gets me every time. Have another listen to Watch The Sunrise! Gorgeous song!

Where do they all belong? I haven't bothered with the third album (Third/Sister Lovers). One day, maybe. Meanwhile, I'll stick with these two for my Big Star fix.

Pump it up (Elvis Costello) (LP 656)

Elvis Costello and The Attractions  This Year's Model (CD, Hip O Records, 1978) **** 

Genre: Punk/ Post Punk 

Places I remember: JB Hi Fi (Palmerston North)

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: (I Don't Want To Go To) Chelsea

Gear costume: Pump It Up

Active compensatory factors: I am not a huge Elvis fan - there's only this, and the Armed Forces and Spike records in my collection. Spike for the McCartney link, Armed Forces was given to me by a shop girl at Marbecks Records, and so This Year's Model is the only Elvis album I've bought for it's own sake.

Elvis' second album, and first with The Attractions, is an adrenaline rush of post punk enthusiasm: No Action; Radio Radio (this re-released CD edition includes it); Pump It Up; and Lipstick Vogue are all hard and fast post punk, rock'n'roll blasts. No difficult second album syndrome at play here.

Nick Lowe was the perfect producer for this 1978 collection of songs. He provides the pop sheen that I love.

Where do they all belong? As stated - Armed Forces and Spike to come when we roll around to the vinyl side of my collection again.

Lump sum (Bon Iver) (LP 654 - 655)

Bon Iver  For Emma, Forever Ago (CD, 4AD/Jagjaguwar, 2008) ***** 

Bon Iver  Bon Iver (CD, 4AD/Jagjaguwar, 2011) *** 

Genre: Alt-pop

Places I remember: Music shop in Centre City, New Plymouth - goneburger now; Virgin Megastore - Dubai for Bon Iver.

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: Flume

Gear costume: Skinny Love 

Active compensatory factors: For Emma, Forever Ago was a real revelation back in 2008. 

I loved the romantic Walden style back story (heading to a remote cabin and recording an album) and when the music matched the idyllic circumstances, it all felt and sounded magical.

The album appeals to a wide range of people too - my youngest daughter's generation loved it as much as mine did. Even Jacky likes it!

Follow-up difficult second album was as successful commercially as For Emma, but it's taken me a while to warm to it. There are echoes of the For Emma style but it's, quite rightly, it's own album.

Where do they all belong? Justin Vernon has got a little too wacky for me on subsequent releases so I'll stick with these two.

This aint rock'n'roll, this is genocide (David Bowie) (LP 650 - 653)

David Bowie  The Man Who Sold The World (CD, Warner Music, 1970) *** 

David Bowie  Pinups (CD, Warner Music, 1973) *** 

David Bowie  Aladdin Sane (CD, Parlophone Records, 1973) ****

David Bowie  Diamond Dogs (CD, EMI, 1974) *****

Genre: Pop rock

Places I remember: Fives (Leigh on sea); The Warehouse; JB HiFi

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: Rebel Rebel (DD); The Jean Genie (AS)

Gear costume: Where Have All The Good Times Gone (Pinups)

Active compensatory factors: It seems appropriate to group these albums together as there is definitely a glam sheen over the period.

That's largely because of Mick Ronson's influence as well as the prettiest star. His guitar is all over these albums and it's a glorious sound. Rest in peace Mick!

The glam party starts with the Man Who Sold The World, although it has a foot in the heavy rock vibe of 1970. 

The title song was a hit for Lulu at the time (she does a great version) and, later, Nirvana did a memorable cover during their unplugged set.

Aladdin Sane and Pinups share the same year and have a similar approach - classic pop; Drive In Saturday is a stand out.

And Diamond Dogs is the culmination of all those sounds from the previous 4 years. Bowie was very prolific during this period (which, of course, also includes Hunky Dory and Ziggy).

Diamond Dogs as an album has a real cohesiveness, thanks to the 1984 storyline. Compared to Aladdin Sane, there is also a different heaviosity at work through the album in songs like We Are The Dead/ Big Brother/ Chant/ Candidate.

Where do they all belong? Another four albums from 1977 to 1980 next (he didn't let up!)