Best Ever Albums

Re: Exploring the year, 1950.

Repo — Wed, 21 Nov 2018 22:11:40 GMT

Author: Repo

Posted: 11/22/2018 03:11

Talking Dust Bowl by Woody Guthrie

I think this might be a comp too. If you love early Dylan, this is ESSENTIAL listening. Hell even if you don't. lol. Americana at its best!

ps. if you end of listening to this & digging it, you absolutely need to check out...

The Essential Jimmie Rodgers by Jimmie Rodgers (Pop)

More essential Americana.

Re: Exploring the year, 1950.

Repo — Wed, 21 Nov 2018 21:59:06 GMT

Author: Repo

Posted: 11/22/2018 02:59

rkm wrote:

Tilly wrote:

Billie Holiday Sings (1950) by Billie Holiday

Simply one of the best Vocals album of the entire 50s. I'd put this against Holiday's other more known albums from the 50s any day. Fantastic stuff & essential if you like vocal jazz.

I agree, it’s great, but they’re all sides she recorded circa 1940.
I found an album called The Decca Singles 1949-1951 which might interest you if you want to find out what she was doing in 1950.

Thanks, RKM! I thought that might be the case. but wasn't sure. It really doesn't bother me though that it was recorded a decade earlier. Just great, moving songs. I can see why people say that she was at her peak in the 40s then.

I'm one of those people who really don't mind compilations in my or others charts though. I know others feel differently and that's cool too.

I'll be sure to check The Decca Singles out too!

Re: Exploring the year, 1950.

rkm — Wed, 21 Nov 2018 20:59:04 GMT

Author: rkm

Posted: 11/22/2018 01:59

Tilly wrote:

Re: Exploring the year, 1950.

Repo — Wed, 21 Nov 2018 16:04:03 GMT

Author: Repo

Posted: 11/21/2018 21:04

Billie Holiday Sings (1950) by Billie Holiday

Simply one of the best Vocals album of the entire 50s. I'd put this against Holiday's other more known albums from the 50s any day. Fantastic stuff & essential if you like vocal jazz.

Re: Exploring the year, 1950.

Repo — Wed, 21 Nov 2018 09:25:20 GMT

Author: Repo

Posted: 11/21/2018 14:25

Voice Of The Xtabay by Yma Sumac

This is ridiculous! lol. Only for those who love novelty records and the "so bad it's good" sorta of thing.

Re: Exploring the year, 1950.

Repo — Tue, 20 Nov 2018 22:36:08 GMT

Author: Repo

Posted: 11/21/2018 03:36

Hayden wrote:

And this a blast:

Sones Of Mexico by Trio Aguilillas

And that's an understatement! If u like raw, lo-fi primal music, you need to give this a listen. This slab from 1950 ROCKS and deserves a spin by anyone who loves primal, garage rock even if it's not really "rock".

Punk begins here! Essential listening as far as I'm concerned.

1950 is shaping into a really fine year for me! 😁

Re: Exploring the year, 1950.

Hayden — Tue, 20 Nov 2018 19:44:34 GMT

Author: Hayden

Posted: 11/21/2018 00:44

Tilly wrote:

Wow! This....

Link

... is my favorite thing yet from 1950! Totally kickass psychedelic music.

Yeah, that's some stellar imagery. Fair choice for a #1 of the year.

I posted this somewhere else, but I feel like I should note she passed away a few weeks ago. Unfortunately, she doesn't have a lot of recorded material, but her expertise has always been lauded.

Re: Exploring the year, 1950.

Repo — Tue, 20 Nov 2018 18:39:39 GMT

Author: Repo

Posted: 11/20/2018 23:39

Wow! This....

Link

... is my favorite thing yet from 1950! Totally kickass psychedelic music.

Re: Exploring the year, 1950.

Repo — Tue, 20 Nov 2018 08:49:18 GMT

Author: Repo

Posted: 11/20/2018 13:49

Night In Manhattan by Lee Wiley

Another great early album! Perfect for late night lounging or early morning rising.

Re: Exploring the year, 1950.

RoundTheBend — Mon, 19 Nov 2018 21:48:57 GMT

Author: RoundTheBend

Posted: 11/20/2018 02:48

rkm wrote:

So, I was compiling playlists of popular 78’s from 1950, sourced from discogs, when I discovered a compilation series on Apple Music. If you search “Greatest R&B Hits Of 1950”, and every subsequent year of the 50’s, there’s five to eight volumes for each year. It certainly gives you a feel for what was going on at the time, in a better way than albums. Can certainly hear how Elvis was no great revelation, other than bring the music to a white audience.

My dad was born in 46, so late 50's is when he started getting into music that wasn't Glenn Miller or classical music from his dad.

He was all about the comps from this era. He had this almost box set of "rockin' in 56'" or similar for each year. It was a great collection.

Re: Exploring the year, 1950.

Repo — Sun, 18 Nov 2018 19:25:27 GMT

Author: Repo

Posted: 11/19/2018 00:25

Masterpieces By Ellington by Duke Ellington

From 1951, this is the first proper LP that I would consider 5 star material. Highly Recommended!

Re: Exploring the year, 1950.

rkm — Sun, 18 Nov 2018 15:55:55 GMT

Author: rkm

Posted: 11/18/2018 20:55

This highlights the problem with early albums. This album, “Billie Holiday Sings” was released in 1950, and ranks high, but it’s a compilation of Billie Holiday sides circa 1940.

Alternately, I found a Billie Holiday collection called “The Decca Singles 1949-1951”, And 90% of it is singles from 1950. Much better if you’re interested in the music that was happening in that year.

For the early 50’s I’m gonna continue going this route, compiling playlists of singles that happened that year, until I arrive at a year where albums become more important.

Incidentally, there’s also an Ella Fitzgerald “The Decca Singles 1950-1955”, that you can pick from. She recorded a lot more sides than Billie, but some of them are kitschy novelty items.

Billie Holiday Sings by Billie Holiday

Re: Exploring the year, 1950.

rkm — Sun, 18 Nov 2018 02:15:56 GMT

Author: rkm

Posted: 11/18/2018 07:15

The other music I’ve been checking out via 78’s, is gospel music. In 1950 there were sides from Mahalaia Jackson, Sister Rosetta Tharpe, The Soul Stirrers (before Sam Cooke joined) and others.

On Spotify and Apple Music, there’s a series called “Every Time I Feel The Spirit” that covers from the 30’s through the 50’s. Apple Music has one volume (missing on Spotify) that covers 1950-1952.

Re: Exploring the year, 1950.

rkm — Sun, 18 Nov 2018 02:00:17 GMT

Author: rkm

Posted: 11/18/2018 07:00

So, I was compiling playlists of popular 78’s from 1950, sourced from discogs, when I discovered a compilation series on Apple Music. If you search “Greatest R&B Hits Of 1950”, and every subsequent year of the 50’s, there’s five to eight volumes for each year. It certainly gives you a feel for what was going on at the time, in a better way than albums. Can certainly hear how Elvis was no great revelation, other than bring the music to a white audience.

Re: Exploring the year, 1950.

RoundTheBend — Fri, 16 Nov 2018 22:06:33 GMT

Author: RoundTheBend

Posted: 11/17/2018 03:06

PurpleHazel wrote:

Just reading about the 10" LP in the last two days, I learned that there was a mini-trend of them in the punk/new wave era. The Clash, The Police (Reggatta de Blanc), Cheap Trick (Found All the Parts), and Joe Jackson (Look Sharp) albums were also released on double 10" albums. I guess they were supposed to be collectable.

Since vinyl became hip, I imagine quite a few bands have released 10-inches. Thundercat put out one.

You're going to have to buy a few more 10-inches, so Kid A isn't a sore thumb!

True that.

Re: Exploring the year, 1950.

PurpleHazel — Fri, 16 Nov 2018 02:30:42 GMT

Author: PurpleHazel

Posted: 11/16/2018 07:30

Just reading about the 10" LP in the last two days, I learned that there was a mini-trend of them in the punk/new wave era. The Clash, The Police (Reggatta de Blanc), Cheap Trick (Found All the Parts), and Joe Jackson (Look Sharp) albums were also released on double 10" albums. I guess they were supposed to be collectable.

Since vinyl became hip, I imagine quite a few bands have released 10-inches. Thundercat put out one.

You're going to have to buy a few more 10-inches, so Kid A isn't a sore thumb!

Re: Exploring the year, 1950.

RoundTheBend — Thu, 15 Nov 2018 23:35:01 GMT

Author: RoundTheBend

Posted: 11/16/2018 04:35

Interestingly enough 10" is what Kid A was released on. Part of me thinks it's cool and part of me is frustrated with how it sticks out like a sore thumb.

Re: Exploring the year, 1950.

PurpleHazel — Thu, 15 Nov 2018 02:38:16 GMT

Author: PurpleHazel

Posted: 11/15/2018 07:38

rkm wrote:

I think Steve Vai is cut from the same cloth - highly inventive and skilled, but a little eccentric.

Vai played with Zappa as you probably know, and I think that was a significant influence on his sensibility.

Wikipedia says that in 1952, the LP accounted for less than 17% of record sales, and that includes 10" LPs.

Of the two LP formats, 10" and 12" LPs, 10" LPs were the norm for popular music, including jazz, in the early 50s. They're sometimes less than 20 minutes in length, though a majority seem to be slightly over.

Charlie Parker With Strings was originally released as two 10" LPs in 1950, both with the same title. Billie Holiday Sings and Les Paul's The New Sound were originally 10-inches. Stan Kenton's Innovations in Modern Music seems to be too. (Nat King Cole At the Piano was originally a 1949 78.)

Benny Goodman's The Famous 1938 Carnegie Hall Concert appears to have been originally released in 1950 as as a double 12" album. But Benny Goodman at that time was one of the most popular artists in the U.S., if not the world.

10" LPs were completely phased out in the U.S. by 1956.

Re: Exploring the year, 1950.

rkm — Thu, 15 Nov 2018 02:04:26 GMT

Author: rkm

Posted: 11/15/2018 07:04

rockinsteve wrote:

Muddy Waters didn't release an album this year (I believe his first album release wasn't until 1958 or 59) but he did record and release one of his best songs in 1950, "Rollin" Stone", which the Rolling Stones named themselves after 12 years later. If you've never heard this song, check it out. Actually, pretty much ANY music by Muddy Waters is worth giving a listen.

Yeah, I looked up Chess Records, thinking that exploring singles might be a better way to go for 1950, rather than albums, and came up with that tune. It was eventually included on this album in ‘57 or ‘58 which I know was hugely influential for British blues/rock guitarists.

The Best Of Muddy Waters by Muddy Waters

Also on Chess in 1950 was this

Link

Re: Exploring the year, 1950.

rkm — Thu, 15 Nov 2018 01:53:33 GMT

Author: rkm

Posted: 11/15/2018 06:53

That Les Paul record is wild. I have the utmost respect for Les Paul, for what he contributed to guitar and to music technology in general. In some respects it seems like that record comes from another planet, but at the same time it comes off as a little kitsch, which places it firmly in the 50’s. It’s something you’ve definitely got to hear once, but I don’t think I’ll be going back to it soon. I think Steve Vai is cut from the same cloth - highly inventive and skilled, but a little eccentric.