Content tagged ''
Love Has Many Faces (Album of the Day)
Beloved singer-songwriter-painter-poet Joni Mitchell first conceived LOVE HAS MANY FACES: A QUARTET, A BALLET, WAITING TO BE DANCED as the music to a ballet about love. Unable to distill everything she’d written about love - and the lack of it - down to a single disc, Mitchell continued to sequence her songs, and after two years had created a four-act ballet based on the 53 songs that make up this inspiring collection. She likened the process to making a film: “I had forty years of footage to review. Then, suddenly, scenes began to hook up. Then series began to form … themes began to develop.” Featuring Mitchell's visual art as well as her emotionally charged music, the critically-acclaimed LOVE HAS MANY FACES is now available on vinyl for the first time as a limited-edition, eight-LP boxed set.
American Prayer (Album of the Day)
Forty years ago – more than seven years after his death – Jim Morrison was back on record racks with AN AMERICAN PRAYER. The Elektra/Asylum collection was built around poetry recordings the performer had made in 1969 and 1970, with instrumental backing provided by former bandmates John Densmore, Robby Krieger and Ray Manzarek, making this in effect the final Doors album. The pieces may not have the kind of song structure that girded the foursome's hits (though there is a killer live version of “Roadhouse Blues” included here), but Morrison's gift for striking lyrical imagery is in full effect, and the musical accompaniment is eerily sympathetic. The list of platinum-selling spoken word albums is a pretty short one, and AN AMERICAN PRAYER earned a place on it by channeling the spirit of one of rock's all-time greatest groups.
This Was: 50th Anniversary Edition (Album of the Day)
Jethro Tull played its first show under that name in February 1968; months later, Ian Anderson, Mick Abrahams, Glenn Cornick and Clive Bunker released the band's debut, THIS WAS. The only Tull album to feature guitarist Abrahams (who soon left to form Blodwyn Pig), the set shows the group moving away from its early blues-based sound, and includes such enduring concert favorites as “My Sunday Feeling” and “Beggar's Farm.” The collection debuted at #10 on the U.K. album chart, and was the first step in a 50-year (and counting) journey that made Jethro Tull one of the world's most successful progressive rock bands. Now in stores, the 3-CD/1-DVD THIS WAS: 50TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION includes a new Steven Wilson stereo remix, the original mono version, BBC recordings and other rarities including b-sides, outtakes and radio advertisements.
G.I. (Album of the Day)
The Germs emerged from the Hollywood club scene with a string of shows legendary for their chaos, with food, broken glass and performers threatening to fly off the stage at any moment. Naturally they got banned at a lot of places; the quartet used the pseudonym GI (for “Germs Incognito”) to skirt the ban - and as the title of their debut album. The 1979 Slash Records collection was produced by former Runaway Joan Jett, who brings enough discipline to the proceedings that distinctive songs and performances emerge that would've been obscured by concert sound systems. These 16 tracks, including “Richie Dagger's Crime" and the classic “Lexicon Devil,” show frontman Darby Crash to be a visionary lyricist, and future Nirvana/Foo Fighter Pat Smear to be a forceful guitarist. Decades after its original release, L.A. hardcore punk landmark GI retains its contagious excitement.
Delicate Sound of Thunder (Album of the Day)
Pink Floyd's first proper live album, DELICATE SOUND OF THUNDER was recorded at Long Island's Nassau Coliseum while the band was touring behind A MOMENTARY LAPSE OF REASON. In the wake of Roger Waters' departure, David Gilmour, Nick Mason and Richard Wright pulled out all the stops on these shows, and the double-disc set serves Pink Floyd's music admirably. The group's then-current album figures prominently of course (“Sorrow” and “On the Turning Away” arguably surpass their studio versions), but the band also delivers vibrant performances of such classics as “Money,” “Comfortably Numb” and “Wish You Were Here.” DELICATE SOUND OF THUNDER was released 30 years ago today, and will thrill any fan of the Rock and Roll Hall of Famers.
SONG OF THE DAY - “It’s Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas” (Album of the Day)
Along with composing Broadway hit The Music Man, songwriter Meredith Willson's résumé includes the yuletide classic “It’s Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas.” The 1951 song has been covered by artists including Perry Como, Alvin and the Chipmunks and America, but few as memorably as Canadian hitmaker Michael Bublé. It's the leading track to the singer's 2011 Reprise album CHRISTMAS, a chart-topping, Juno Award-winning collection that's among the most successful seasonal albums of the millennium. With producer David Foster's sure hand behind the boards and Bublé's ever-supple vocals carrying the melody, “It’s Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas” is the perfect kick-off to December, and it's our Song of the Day.
The Chic Organization 1977-1979 (Album of the Day)
Chic helped define the pop and disco genres with unstoppable hits like "Le Freak," "Good Times," "I Want Your Love" and "My Feet Keep Dancing." After Chic's initial success, founders Nile Rodgers and Bernard Edwards began making music for other artists as The Chic Organization; among their biggest successes was Sister Sledge's WE ARE FAMILY. The new THE CHIC ORGANIZATION 1977-1979 boxed set includes Chic's first three albums (CHIC, C'EST CHIC and RISQUÉ) along with WE ARE FAMILY - all newly remastered from the original Atlantic tapes under Rodgers' supervision. The 5-CD collection also features a disc of 12" mixes and 7" edits of such Chic classics as “Dance, Dance, Dance (Yowsah, Yowsah, Yowsah),” “My Forbidden Lover” and “Everybody Dance.”
Minute By Minute (Album of the Day)
The Doobie Brothers were already established hitmakers when they brought in Michael McDonald from Steely Dan to fill in for ailing singer Tom Johnston. As a writer and a vocalist, McDonald drew the Doobies closer to sophisticated R&B, and the broader range of styles paid huge dividends for the band. With horns and keyboards more prominent in the mix, 1978's MINUTE BY MINUTE established the group as masters of blue-eyed soul and easy-going funk, and the album soared to the top of the chart (it would eventually be certified triple-platinum). Among the many highlights are rocker “Don't Stop To Watch The Wheels” (sung by Johnston), bluegrass-flavored instro “Steamer Lane Breakdown” and No.1 hit (and triple Grammy winner) “What A Fool Believes.” Released 40 years ago this week, MINUTE BY MINUTE is among the most enjoyable 36 minutes you'll ever cue up.
Clutching At Straws: Deluxe Edition (Album of the Day)
Following the multi-platinum success of Marillion's concept album MISPLACED CHILDHOOD, the British quintet returned in 1987 with its fourth studio collection, CLUTCHING AT STRAWS. The set peaked at #2 on the U.K. charts, where it scored Top 40 hits with "Incommunicado," "Sugar Mice" and "Warm Wet Circles." Considered by many to be one of the neo-prog rocker's finest, the album would also turn out to be Marillion's final studio release with original singer Fish. Now available, a 4-CD+Blu-ray CLUTCHING AT STRAWS: DELUXE EDITION includes a newly remixed version of the album, a Marillion concert recorded at Scotland's Edinburgh Playhouse in December 1987, a disc of demo recordings, a band interview and promo films.
SONG OF THE DAY - “Unwrap You At Christmas” (Album of the Day)
From their original run in the 1960s, The Monkees amassed a dozen Top 40 hits, including a trio of tunes that soared to #1, with 16 million albums and 7.5 million singles sold – which makes it all the more surprising that the group never cut a holiday album before CHRISTMAS PARTY. The new Rhino collection opens with “Unwrap You At Christmas,” penned by Andy Partridge of XTC (one of several songs newly written for the band by a group of talented songwriters). Produced by Adam Schlesinger of Fountains of Wayne, the festive track features Micky Dolenz on lead vocals. With December 25th fast approaching, “Unwrap You At Christmas” is our Song of the Day.