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Never For Ever (Album of the Day)
"We must tell our hearts that it is 'never for ever,' and be happy that it's like that,” noted Kate Bush of the joyous and sorrowful songs of her third studio album, NEVER FOR EVER. The first release co-produced by the U.K. artist shows Bush broadening her signature sound with some effectively deployed synthesizers and drum machines as well as a richer variety of arrangements. The 11 originals – including U.K. Top 20 singles “Breathing,” “Army Dreamers” and the classic “Babooshka” - give influences from literature and film thoughtful new spins and wonderfully theatrical vocal performances. NEVER FOR EVER became the first album by a female solo artist to top the British chart (entering at No.1) on this day in 1980, and it confirmed Kate Bush's status as one of the decade's most distinctive singer-songwriters.
The Complete Reprise Sessions (Album of the Day)
Singer-songwriter Gram Parsons passed briefly through such groups as The Byrds and The Flying Burrito Brothers, leaving just a handful of albums - but planting the seeds of country rock wherever he went. At the end of his all-too-brief life, Parsons cut a couple of solo collections for Reprise that are shining examples of the form: 1973's GP and 1974's GRIEVOUS ANGEL. Rhino's 2006 boxed set THE COMPLETE REPRISE SESSIONS adds a disc's worth of alternate takes and interviews to these two fine releases. Gram always kept good musical company, and performers heard here in support include singer Emmylou Harris, guitarists James Burton and Barry Tashian (of The Remains), fiddler Byron Berline and Eagles co-founder Bernie Leadon. Gram Parsons died on this day in 1973, and we'll remember the “cosmic American music” pioneer with the 3-CD set THE COMPLETE REPRISE SESSIONS.
The Button-Down Mind Strikes Back (Album of the Day)
The Definitive Pop Collection (Album of the Day)
High Time (Album of the Day)
MC5 was justifiably legendary for their live shows, but the Detroit quintet could also kick out the jams in the studio, as evidenced by the powerful HIGH TIME. With Atlantic Records staff producer Geoffrey Haslam keeping the needle from going too far into the red, the band laid down what might be their most accessible set of songs ever, with “Sister Anne,” “Baby Won't Ya” and “Miss X” being just a few of the highlights. If the politics have been dialed back a bit, the performances – from Rob Tyner's take-no-prisoners vocals to Wayne Kramer and Fred "Sonic" Smith's dueling guitars – are as incendiary as ever. The 1971 collection was the group's last (and for many fans, best) album and if you're new to HIGH TIME, the recent 180-gram vinyl reissue is an ideal way to hear this proto-punk favorite.
Chicago X (Album of the Day)
La Bamba (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) (Album of the Day)
Though he was only 17 when he died (in the same plane crash that took the lives of Buddy Holly and The Big Bopper), Ritchie Valens was an inspiration for Latino rockers, particularly in his native Los Angeles. So it's only fitting that when producers of a Valens biopic needed to recreate eight of his songs, they turned to L.A.'s own Los Lobos. While the film includes some fine period music, the new recordings on the LA BAMBA original motion picture soundtrack are truly something special; Los Lobos' versions of “Come On, Let's Go!” and the title track became two of the band's biggest hits (Marshall Crenshaw and Brian Setzer also offer wonderful covers of Buddy Holly and Eddie Cochran classics, respectively). A feel-good look at the early days of rock 'n' roll, both the movie and its music were successful – the LA BAMBA soundtrack reached No.1 on the Billboard album chart on this day in 1987.
All In The Name Of Love (Album of the Day)
Formed in White Plains, New York in the late 1970s, Atlantic Starr relocated to Southern California and recorded a string of albums for A&M Records before switching to Warner Bros. for ALL IN THE NAME OF LOVE. Anchored by brothers David, Wayne and Jonathan Lewis, the quintet also featured percussionist Joseph Phillips and Barbara Weathers, whose sultry vocals helped turn ballad “Always” into a No.1 pop single. With such additional gems as R&B Top 10 hit “"One Lover At A Time” and “Armed And Dangerous” (the Maurice White-produced title song for the John Candy film), the 1987 collection couldn't miss, and it became the group's best-selling album. Atlantic Starr singer, songwriter and guitarist David Lewis celebrates a birthday today, and we'll serenade him with the Platinum smash ALL IN THE NAME OF LOVE.