Best Ever Albums

Re: The Romanelli Music Diary: Greatest Hits (Steely Dan)

Romanelli — Mon, 25 May 2026 16:06:15 GMT

Author: Romanelli

Posted: 05/25/2026 20:06

2414

Greatest Hits (1978) by Steely Dan

STEELY DAN
GREATEST HITS
1978 – ABC
Produced By GARY KATZ

1. Do It Again
2. Reelin’ In The Years
3. My Old School
4. Bodhisattva
5. Show Biz kids
6. East St. Louis Toodle-Oo
7. Rikki Don’t Lose That Number
8. Pretzel Logic
9. Any Major Dude
10. Here At The Western World
11. Black Friday
12. Bad Sneakers
13. Doctor Wu
14. Haitian Divorce
15. Kid Charlemagne
16. The Fez
17. Peg
18. Josie

By now, many who know me have heard my somewhat negative recount of how Steely Dan was responsible for the genre of adult contemporary music. I still hold that to be true, but I have also, over the years, allowed this duo a place in my heart. Between 1972 and 1980, they released seven albums before splitting up. The last of those seven (Gaucho) sold well, but was a lesser album than those that came before it. Greatest Hits covers the first six, and was a well-timed set. It was a double album, which can be a bit of a tedious listen for a band like this, but it does have its rewards. It also contains a few misfires…the inclusion of the instrumental “East St. Louis Toodle-Oo” (from Pretzel Logic) is puzzling, and the one previously unreleased track, “Here At The Western World”, did not become a hit, and is just average.

“Dirty Work” (from Can’t Buy A Thrill) and “Deacon Blue” (from Aja) would have been stronger inclusions, but oh well. On the plus side, the album does run chronologically (THANK YOU!!!!!), and it does include gems like “Show Biz Kids” (from Countdown To Ecstasy) and “Haitian Divorce” (from The Royal Scam). Most of these tracks are legitimate hits, and paint a good picture of why Steely Dan was so big in the seventies. And I am, admittedly, in the minority when it comes to how critical I have been of this band. They have a strong and loyal fanbase, and this album shows how justified that is. But, again, at eighty minutes, this IS a whole lot of Steely Dan to swallow at once. They got back together in 1993, but it was never the same (it never is). Walter Becker died in 2017, and Donald Fagan finally put Steely Dan to bed in 2026.

Link

Re: The Romanelli Music Diary: Greatest Hits (Steely Dan)

Johnnyo — Sun, 24 May 2026 04:11:19 GMT

Author: Johnnyo

Posted: 05/24/2026 08:11

There's A Riot Goin' On (1971) by Sly & The Family Stone

is my favourite Sly & The Family Stone album. I guess that the album starts to document the decline in Sly's mental state but, out of such issues often come great music and this is a phenomenal album

I'm not going to go too much into why I love the album as you have covered it well in your previous post. It's one of those albums that works as a whole rather than as individual tracks. Great stuff

Re: The Romanelli Music Diary: Greatest Hits (Steely Dan)

Romanelli — Sat, 23 May 2026 14:02:09 GMT

Author: Romanelli

Posted: 05/23/2026 18:02

2413

There's A Riot Goin' On (1971) by Sly & The Family Stone

SLY & THE FAMILY STONE
THERE’S A RIOT GOIN’ ON
1971 – EPIC
Produced By SLY STONE

1. Luv N’ Haight
2. Just Like A Baby
3. Poet
4. Family Affair
5. Africa Talks To You ‘The Asphalt Jungle’
6. There’s A Riot Goin’ On
7. Brave & Strong
8. (You Caught Me) Smilin’
9. Time
10. Spaced Cowboy
11. Runnin’ Away
12. Thank You For Talkin’ To Me Africa

13. Runnin’ Away (Mono Mix Single Version)
14. My Gorilla Is My Butler (Instrumental)
15. Do You Know What? (Instrumental)
16. That’s Pretty Clean (Instrumental)

Sly & The Family Stone during the 1960’s was a fun, exciting and commercially successful feel good story with several hits. Sly & The Family Stone in the 1970’s was none of that. After their 1969 album Stand!, they disappeared, with only one single to keep the band in the spotlight they had created. And then, in 1971, a new version of the group emerged. Sly Stone had immersed himself in drugs, and came back a changed and darker man. There’s A Riot Goin’ On would become their biggest album, but it was also the beginning of the end. Stone recorded most of the album by himself, and the sound was a strange blend of funk and disillusionment. It should have been a failure. Instead, it became one of the most influential albums of the decade. Stone made it very clear that the sixties were over and done with, and that there was no going back.

“Family Affair” was a huge hit, but the rest of the album was a stark departure from their sound. Stone utilized a drum machine here, one of the earliest to do so. The songs are dark, pessimistic, and somehow gloriously funky. By themselves, the songs don’t have the same impact as the earlier ones: as a whole, this album is a masterpiece. It was absolutely perfect for the time, and it showed that Stone’s genius was far deeper than anyone had thought. But it was also the beginning of a sad decline. The Family Stone was done just two albums and four years later, and for the most part, so was Stone himself. “Family Affair” was his last big hit, and his solo career became a sad footnote to the band’s sixties successes. But There’s A Riot Goin’ On remains a massive victory, and one of the greatest albums of the early seventies.

Link

Re: The Romanelli Music Diary: Greatest Hits (Steely Dan)

Johnnyo — Mon, 18 May 2026 12:54:23 GMT

Author: Johnnyo

Posted: 05/18/2026 16:54

Romanelli wrote:

2412

Pocket Full Of Kryptonite (1991) by Spin Doctors

SPIN DOCTORS
POCKET FULL OF KRYPTONITE
1991 – EPIC
Produced By FRANK AVERSA, PETER DENENBERG, FRANKIE LAROCKA & SPIN DOCTORS

1. Jimmy Olsen’s Blues
2. What Time Is It?
3. Little Miss Can’t Be Wrong
4. Forty Or Fifty
5. Refrigerator Car
6. More Than She Knows
7. Two Princes
8. Off My Line
9. How Could You Want Him (When You Know You Could Have Me?)
10. Shinbone Alley / Hard To Exist

11. Yo Mamas A Pajama (Live)
12. Sweet Widow (Live)
13. Stepped On A Crack (Live)

Spin Doctors was originally a project of John Popper called Trucking Company. Popper left in the late eighties to form Blues Traveler, and the remaining members changed the name to Spin Doctors. They were signed on the strength of their reputation as a strong live jam band, and released their debut album, Pocket Full Of Kryptonite, in 1991. The record picked up speed in 1992, thanks to a pair of singles that MTV began playing regularly. Those two songs made Spin Doctors stars, if only for a short time. “Little Miss Can’t Be Wrong” is the better of the pair…in fact, it’s their best song. The other was an even bigger hit. “Two Princes” was a smash. Despite its repetitive and monotonous melody, it did have a solid groove. “Two Princes” made this band unfortunately inescapable for a couple of years…by which time, folks began to get burned out on the band.

The rest of Kryptonite is about what the entirety of their career has been like since. The playing is strong, but the songwriting is weak. The best of the rest is “Jimmy Olsen’s Blues”, and “What Time Is It?” and “How Could You Want Him” are just okay. Vocalist Chris Barron (who at the time, looked like he probably smelled really bad) really had no decent melodies to sing, and as “Two Princes” finally (and mercifully) fell off the charts, Spin Doctors began their slow slide into obscurity. Since “Two Princes”, they’ve been nowhere near a hit, and they’ve only managed six studio albums since. Pocket Full Of Kryptonite is their best work, but unless you’re a big fan of “Two Princes”, it’s probably not worthwhile. And if you get the European edition, it’s 20 minutes longer with three live tracks. For me…sorry. Seventy minutes of Spin Doctors is just a bit too much.

Link

Nice write up Rom. Pretty much agree with everything that you have written. Can’t remember the last time i pulled this album out of the racks.

Re: The Romanelli Music Diary: Greatest Hits (Steely Dan)

Johnnyo — Mon, 18 May 2026 12:50:58 GMT

Author: Johnnyo

Posted: 05/18/2026 16:50

Romanelli wrote:

RepoMan wrote:

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Native Sons by The Long Ryders

Have you heard this, Rom? One of my new faves and a huge influence on the Alt Country scene that you love. They were huge fans of Gram Parsons and this album cover is a recreation of a "lost" Buffalo Springfield album.

I have not...it's on my list now. Thanks for the rec!!!! Seems like something I will enjoy a lot.

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Peace At Last by The Blue Nile

THE BLUE NILE
PEACE AT LAST
1996-WARNER BROS.
Produced by The Blue Nile

1. Happiness
2. Tomorrow Morning
3. Sentimental Man
4. Love Came Down
5. Body And Soul
6. Holy Love
7. Family Life
8. War Is Love
9. God Bless You Kid
10. Soon

This band from Scotland released 2 critically acclaimed albums, 1983's A Walk Across The Rooftops, and Hats from 1989. After 6 years between albums, it took them 7 years to make Peace At Last, which was much anticipated and which also fell squarely on its butt. The band had always relied on synthesizers (they are an 80's band), but the addition of a lot of acoustic guitar didn't seem to do much good here. The songs are mostly one dimensional and uninspired, and Paul Buchanan's singing is entirely sleep inducing. "Body And Soul" is the best track, while "Holy Love" is a simply dreadful attempt at some kind of synth funk.

The band waited 8 years to release another album, 2004's High, which was much better. They have done a lot of work with other artists, notably Annie Lennox and Rickie Lee Jones during their extensive off time. Unfortunately, this is the low point of their career.

Native sons is the Ryders best album. Absolutely essential listening. Great live band as well

Re: The Romanelli Music Diary: Greatest Hits (Steely Dan)

Liedzeit — Sat, 16 May 2026 07:05:52 GMT

Author: Liedzeit

Posted: 05/16/2026 11:05

Egypt Station (2018) by Paul McCartney

Re: The Romanelli Music Diary: Greatest Hits (Steely Dan)

Romanelli — Fri, 15 May 2026 11:05:48 GMT

Author: Romanelli

Posted: 05/15/2026 15:05

2412

Pocket Full Of Kryptonite (1991) by Spin Doctors

SPIN DOCTORS
POCKET FULL OF KRYPTONITE
1991 – EPIC
Produced By FRANK AVERSA, PETER DENENBERG, FRANKIE LAROCKA & SPIN DOCTORS

1. Jimmy Olsen’s Blues
2. What Time Is It?
3. Little Miss Can’t Be Wrong
4. Forty Or Fifty
5. Refrigerator Car
6. More Than She Knows
7. Two Princes
8. Off My Line
9. How Could You Want Him (When You Know You Could Have Me?)
10. Shinbone Alley / Hard To Exist

11. Yo Mamas A Pajama (Live)
12. Sweet Widow (Live)
13. Stepped On A Crack (Live)

Spin Doctors was originally a project of John Popper called Trucking Company. Popper left in the late eighties to form Blues Traveler, and the remaining members changed the name to Spin Doctors. They were signed on the strength of their reputation as a strong live jam band, and released their debut album, Pocket Full Of Kryptonite, in 1991. The record picked up speed in 1992, thanks to a pair of singles that MTV began playing regularly. Those two songs made Spin Doctors stars, if only for a short time. “Little Miss Can’t Be Wrong” is the better of the pair…in fact, it’s their best song. The other was an even bigger hit. “Two Princes” was a smash. Despite its repetitive and monotonous melody, it did have a solid groove. “Two Princes” made this band unfortunately inescapable for a couple of years…by which time, folks began to get burned out on the band.

The rest of Kryptonite is about what the entirety of their career has been like since. The playing is strong, but the songwriting is weak. The best of the rest is “Jimmy Olsen’s Blues”, and “What Time Is It?” and “How Could You Want Him” are just okay. Vocalist Chris Barron (who at the time, looked like he probably smelled really bad) really had no decent melodies to sing, and as “Two Princes” finally (and mercifully) fell off the charts, Spin Doctors began their slow slide into obscurity. Since “Two Princes”, they’ve been nowhere near a hit, and they’ve only managed six studio albums since. Pocket Full Of Kryptonite is their best work, but unless you’re a big fan of “Two Princes”, it’s probably not worthwhile. And if you get the European edition, it’s 20 minutes longer with three live tracks. For me…sorry. Seventy minutes of Spin Doctors is just a bit too much.

Link

Re: The Romanelli Music Diary: Greatest Hits (Steely Dan)

Romanelli — Mon, 11 May 2026 09:20:12 GMT

Author: Romanelli

Posted: 05/11/2026 13:20

2411

Stars & Guitars [Live] (2002) by Willie Nelson & Friends

WILLIE NELSON & FRIENDS
STARS & GUITARS
2002 – LOST HIGHWAY
Produced By JEB BRIEN, FRANK CALLARI, TONY FASKE, ALLEN KELMAN, GLORIA MEDEL & JAMES STROUD

1. Whiskey River (with Sheryl Crow)
2. Good Hearted Woman (with Toby Keith)
3. Maria (Shut Up And Kiss Me) (with Rob Thomas & Bill Evans)
4. Mendocino County Line (with Lee Ann Womack)
5. Always On My Mind (with Jon Bon Jovi & Richie Sambora)
6. Night Life (with Ray Price)
7. Dead Flowers (with Ryan Adams, Keith Richards & Hank Williams III)
8. Lonestar (with Norah Jones)
9. Stardust (with Aaron Neville)
10. Don’t Fade Away (with Brian McKnight & Bill Evans)
11. Angel Flying Too Close To The Ground (with Patty Griffin)
12. For What It’s Worth (with Sheryl Crow & Bill Evans)
13. Mamas Don’t Let Your Babies Grow Up To Be Cowboys (with Matchbox Twenty)
14. Blue Eyes Crying In The Rain (with Vince Gill)
15. ‘Til I Gain Control Again (with Emmylou Harris)
16. The Harder They Come (with Ryan Adams)
17. On The Road Again
18. Move It On Over

Oh, joy. Yet another duets album. And on top of that…yet another duets album with Willie Nelson. These things seem to grow on trees. If these albums are your thing, you might like this one. But it’s not a set that has much to be excited about. For the most part, the songs are the same old songs (“Whiskey River”, “Blue Eyes Crying In The Rain”, “Good Hearted Woman”). And of course, Sheryl Crow, who spent a decade or two appearing on every album she could get her hands on, is here for not one but two tracks. There are matchups that make sense (Ray Price, Vince Gill, Emmylou Harris), along with a few that I did not have on my bingo card (Bon Jovi, Matchbox Twenty). Stars & Guitars is what these duet albums always are: a mixed bag of hits and misses. If you’re down for that kind of thing, then here you go. It’s all yours.

Of course, this album was a US top twenty hit. Why? Because it’s Willie, that’s why. It was recorded live at the Ryman in 2002, and includes good enough backing from an excellent band that includes guitarist Richard Bennett and saxophonist Bill Evans. But the focus on duet albums is always who is singing with the star performer, and like most others, this is either good or a bit cringy. There are a few surprising song choices: Buffalo Springfield’s “For What It’s Worth”, The Stones’ “Dead Flowers”, and Jimmy Cliff’s “The Harder They Come”. None of which lifts this collection above the level of mediocrity. It really doesn’t matter how many duet albums artists like Willie, or Tony Bennett, or B.B. King have made…the result is always the same. Mediocre to average albums that enough folks will love to justify more of the same in the future.

Link

Re: The Romanelli Music Diary: Greatest Hits (Steely Dan)

Johnnyo — Tue, 5 May 2026 12:29:49 GMT

Author: Johnnyo

Posted: 05/05/2026 16:29

Romanelli wrote:

2410

The Harrow & The Harvest (2011) by Gillian Welch

GILLIAN WELCH
THE HARROW & THE HARVEST
2011 – ACONY
Produced By DAVID RAWLINGS

1. Scarlet Town
2. Dark Turn Of Mind
3. The Way It Will Be
4. The Way It Goes
5. Tennessee
6. Down Along The Dixie Line
7. Six White Horses
8. Hard Times
9. Silver Dagger
10. The Way The Whole Thing Ends

It’s important to note that the solo career of Gillian Welch has always been a duo with David Rawlings. They play on each other’s albums, and have released a pair under both of their names. Welch has been criticized for singing Americana and mountain music while having grown up in southern California. Don’t let those words fool you…Gillian Welch is the real deal. She’s become one of the greatest voices in Americana, and she routinely puts out exceptional albums that are criminally underrated. Welch and Rawlings use sparse arrangements with golden vocals, and it’s all worth hearing. The Harrow & The Harvest came after an eight year wait, which Welch explained was because they were unhappy with what they were writing. But there’s nothing inferior about this record. It’s loaded with gorgeous gems and perfect songs.

Expect no hit singles here. The music that Welch and Rawlings make is dark, and not written with hopes of big time radio play. But you can’t go wrong with any of this. There’s nothing polished about it. The songs are mostly first and second takes, with all of the dust and dirt still attached. The writing is the duo at their very best, and they are undeniably comfortable with each other. “Tennessee” is the centerpiece, with “Dark Turn Of Mind”, ”The Way The Whole Thing Ends”, and especially “The Way It Goes” as highlights. Welch’s unique vocals are perfect as always for their darker material, and the instrumentation of just guitar, harmonica and banjo is perfect. You really can’t go wrong with anything by Welch and Rawlings, but The Harrow & The Harvest is a great place to start. A perfect album, and a joy on every listen.

Link

Excellent write up Rom. Adore this album, in fact, as you say far more eloquently than me ( or is it I?) you really can’t go wrong with a Gillian Welch album. Great artist

Re: The Romanelli Music Diary: Greatest Hits (Steely Dan)

Romanelli — Tue, 5 May 2026 12:17:23 GMT

Author: Romanelli

Posted: 05/05/2026 16:17

2410

The Harrow & The Harvest (2011) by Gillian Welch

GILLIAN WELCH
THE HARROW & THE HARVEST
2011 – ACONY
Produced By DAVID RAWLINGS

1. Scarlet Town
2. Dark Turn Of Mind
3. The Way It Will Be
4. The Way It Goes
5. Tennessee
6. Down Along The Dixie Line
7. Six White Horses
8. Hard Times
9. Silver Dagger
10. The Way The Whole Thing Ends

It’s important to note that the solo career of Gillian Welch has always been a duo with David Rawlings. They play on each other’s albums, and have released a pair under both of their names. Welch has been criticized for singing Americana and mountain music while having grown up in southern California. Don’t let those words fool you…Gillian Welch is the real deal. She’s become one of the greatest voices in Americana, and she routinely puts out exceptional albums that are criminally underrated. Welch and Rawlings use sparse arrangements with golden vocals, and it’s all worth hearing. The Harrow & The Harvest came after an eight year wait, which Welch explained was because they were unhappy with what they were writing. But there’s nothing inferior about this record. It’s loaded with gorgeous gems and perfect songs.

Expect no hit singles here. The music that Welch and Rawlings make is dark, and not written with hopes of big time radio play. But you can’t go wrong with any of this. There’s nothing polished about it. The songs are mostly first and second takes, with all of the dust and dirt still attached. The writing is the duo at their very best, and they are undeniably comfortable with each other. “Tennessee” is the centerpiece, with “Dark Turn Of Mind”, ”The Way The Whole Thing Ends”, and especially “The Way It Goes” as highlights. Welch’s unique vocals are perfect as always for their darker material, and the instrumentation of just guitar, harmonica and banjo is perfect. You really can’t go wrong with anything by Welch and Rawlings, but The Harrow & The Harvest is a great place to start. A perfect album, and a joy on every listen.

Link

Re: The Romanelli Music Diary: Greatest Hits (Steely Dan)

Romanelli — Sat, 2 May 2026 14:10:54 GMT

Author: Romanelli

Posted: 05/02/2026 18:10

2409

Outside (2011) by Tapes 'n Tapes

TAPES ‘N TAPES
OUTSIDE
2011 – IBID
Produced By TAPES ‘N TAPES

1. Badaboom
2. SWM
3. One In The World
4. Nightfall
5. Desert Plane
6. Outro
7. Freakout
8. The Saddest Of All Keys
9. Hidee Ho
10. People You Know
11. On And On
12. Might Long

Tapes ‘N Tapes came out of Minnesota in 2004 and had a brief period of success as a Pavement and Pixies type of indie rock band. Their debut album, The Loon, boasted a UK hit (“Insistor”) that got them into a movie or two and landed them a Coachella gig. Their second album, 2008’s Walk It Off, showed promise, but was not as strong as the debut. In 2011, they released their final album, Outside. By this time, the shine of “Insistor” was long gone, and after a middling tour, Tapes ‘N Tapes faded into complete obscurity. Outside was not a bad album, but it did show the band for what they truly were: average. It became clear that this was as good as Tapes ‘N Tapes was ever going to be, and they sounded mostly uninspired. They went on tour to support the album, then broke up. Almost nobody noticed.

The best track here is “Freakout”, which was released as a single and fell dead in the water. Songwriter Josh Grier seems to have simply run out of ideas, and that was that. “Badaboom” is okay, but ultimately, this album fails to rise above the level of average…even some clever song titles can’t save this from being almost a flatline. Tapes ‘N Tapes regrouped in 2019, but COVID-19 put an end to that idea…hardly anyone saw it happen anyway. Grier resurfaced in the Minneapolis band Gingko in 2013, but that faded fast as well. The best way to go with Tapes ‘N Tapes is The Loon, if “Insistor” is a must have for you. Otherwise, there’s not much to be overly excited about with these guys. Other bands did this type of music better. Stick with those, and let bands like Tapes ‘N Tapes continue to slowly fade away.

Link

Re: The Romanelli Music Diary: Greatest Hits (Steely Dan)

Romanelli — Tue, 28 Apr 2026 11:51:02 GMT

Author: Romanelli

Posted: 04/28/2026 15:51

2408

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Sidelong (2015) by Sarah Shook & The Disarmers

SARAH SHOOK & THE DISARMERS
SIDELONG
2015 – SELF RELEASED
Produced By IAN SCHREIER

1. Keep The Home Fires Burnin’
2. The Nail
3. Heal Me
4. Sidelong
5. No Name
6. Dwight Yoakam
7. Misery Without Company
8. Solitary Confinement
9. Nothin’ Feels Right But Doin’ Wrong
10. Fuck Up
11. Make It Up To Mama
12. Road That Leads To You

Sarah Shook is whip smart, frighteningly deadpan, pretty damn hilarious and talented, with just the right amount of twang. Their albums are a blast (as are their live shows), and they have proven to be a huge breath of fresh air for country music. The Disarmers are an outlaw country outfit that merrily plows over traditional music and gives a new perspective on how country plays the best. Sidelong is their debut album. It was originally self-released in 2015, then re-issued in 2017 on Bloodshot Records. And yeah…it’s one hell of a great time. Sarah and their band rock throughout, with Shook’s always interesting vocals suggesting endless heartache, and the thought that they might just kick your ass if you looked at them sideways. This is all a recipe for one pretty terrific album of should-be classics.

What’s not to love? This band tears through these songs with obvious glee. From the opening chords of “Keep The Home Fires Burning”, the fun goes all the way to the end. Shook will win you over easily with excellent tracks like “Dwight Yoakam”, “The Nail”, “Fuck Up”, and especially “Nothin’ Feels Right But Doin’ Wrong”. It’s hard to believe that Shook is actually from New York, and that they grew up allowed to listen to only classical and Christian music. Sidelong is the perfect place to start with this band, and there are another three Disarmers discs so far…along with Shook’s side project Mightmare. Not traditional country by any means, but a very bright side of what is alternative country. Sarah Shook & The Disarmers should be heard. Heard, enjoyed, and much better known than what they are.

Link

Re: The Romanelli Music Diary: Greatest Hits (Steely Dan)

Romanelli — Sat, 25 Apr 2026 19:43:16 GMT

Author: Romanelli

Posted: 04/25/2026 23:43

2407

The Searchers (1979) by The Searchers

THE SEARCHERS
1979 – SIRE
Produced By PAT MORAN

1. Hearts In Her Eyes
2. Switchboard Susan
3. Feeling Fine
4. This Kind Of Love Affair
5. Lost In Your Eyes
6. It’s Too Late
7. No Dancing
8. Coming From The Heart
9. Don’t Hang On
10. Love’s Gonna Be Strong

Liverpool was never just about The Beatles. Before John Lennon formed The Quarrymen, John McNally started The Army Generations, who then became The Searchers in 1959. The Searchers had a group of hits in the early to mid sixties, including three number ones and eleven top twenty singles between 1963 and 1966. They were originally as successful as The Beatles and Gerry & The Pacemakers, but a lack of strong songwriting and too many personnel changes led to them being all but forgotten by 1966. After the 1965 album Take Me For What I’m Worth, The Searchers released no albums of new material. Fourteen years later, they were suddenly back. After not having had a record deal for years, they had continued touring…and then, they were given a chance by Sire Records. Thus was born their self titled seventh album in 1979.

This record didn’t make them big stars again, but it did re-ignite their career. It’s surprisingly good. There are just two Searchers originals (“This Kind Of Love Affair” and “Don’t Hang On”), but there are also some notable covers. “Hearts In Her Eyes” was from The Records. Bob Dylan’s “Come From The Heart” is here, as is “Lost In Your Eyes”, written by Tom Petty. It was good enough to lead to a follow up album just two years later (Play For Today). The Searchers wasn’t a hit, but it was highly acclaimed, and stands today as a fine and pretty remarkable comeback for a band that had spent more than a decade outside of the public eye. On the strength of this, The Searchers kept at it until 2019, then they regrouped in 2023 until their final show in 2025. This album played an important part in keeping this early British rock band from falling into complete obscurity.

Link

Re: The Romanelli Music Diary: Greatest Hits (Steely Dan)

Romanelli — Thu, 16 Apr 2026 14:23:26 GMT

Author: Romanelli

Posted: 04/16/2026 18:23

2406

Drive (1997) by Bic Runga

BIC RUNGA
DRIVE
1997 – COLUMBIA
Produced By BIC RUNGA

1. Drive
2. Sway
3. Hey
4. Bursting Through
5. Swim
6. Roll Into One
7. Suddenly Strange
8. Sorry
9. Heal
10. Delight
11. Without You

Bic Runga (pronounced Bec) is a huge star in New Zealand…and not so much in the rest of the world. She was born to an indigenous New Zealander father and a Chinese Malaysian mother, and her two sisters are also active musicians. But it was Bic who had the most success. The key word with her seems to be drive…and not just her career trajectory. She recorded a demo, an extended play, two different songs, and this, her debut album, all with the title Drive. Mostly on the strength of the hit “Sway”, Drive (the album) reached number one in New Zealand, and went seven times platinum. It wasn’t a hit anywhere else, but her career has always been centered in her home country anyway. Her brand of folky pop rock has gotten small notice in places like Australia and Ireland, and really nowhere else. But hey. An A for effort.

As an album, Drive is a pleasant enough debut. Half of the songs here were released as singles, including “Suddenly Strange”, “Bursting Through” and “Roll Into One”. Runga handles most of the backup vocals, lots of guitars, some mellotron, drums, and xylophone, and the songs here are all hers. She also handled the production. It was five more years before her second album, the even bigger selling (and better in terms of songs) Beautiful Collision. In fact, her first three releases hit number one in New Zealand, and all six have been to the top fifteen, including her 2026 album Red Sunset. But she is what she is…a capable performer who has her niche: New Zealand. Drive is better than average, but not great, and she hasn’t really gotten much better since its release. Worth a listen or two, but it won’t stick with you for long.

Link

Re: The Romanelli Music Diary: Greatest Hits (Steely Dan)

Romanelli — Tue, 14 Apr 2026 12:28:57 GMT

Author: Romanelli

Posted: 04/14/2026 16:28

2405

Rising Tide (1994) by Chesapeake

CHESAPEAKE
RISING TIDE
1994 – SUGAR HILL
Produced By CHESAPEAKE

1. Black Jack Davey
2. The Morning Blues
3. Columbus Stockade
4. Darcey Farrow
5. Dreamer Believer
6. High Sierras
7. Always On A Mountain
8. Cypress Grove
9. Genie In The Wine
10. 2:10 Train
11. Summer Wages
12. Shady Grove
13. Moondance

Chesapeake was formed in 1994 by members of the bluegrass band The Seldom Scene. Mike Auldridge (steel guitars & dobro), Moondi Klein (vocals & guitar) and T. Michael Coleman (bass) were joined by Jimmy Gaudreau (mandolin & guitar) from the Tony Rice Unit. They were wanting to be more of a full time band than The Seldom Scene had been. Chesapeake was only together for five years, but they did make a trio of studio albums. This group played a brand of progressive bluegrass that, despite the pedigree of its players, never quite made it over the top. Rising Tide is their debut album, coming out in 1994. The album features thirteen tracks…only one of which was written by a member of the band (“Genie In The Wine”, by Coleman). Five of the other twelve are traditional songs, including the opening three.

The most interesting thing here is the closer, “Moondance”, written by Van Morrison, who the band cited as a major influence. Rice makes a guest appearance on “Summer Wages”. There’s nothing bad here (aside from the album cover), but there’s also nothing that will jump out at you as essential. The next Chesapeake album, 1996’s Full Sail, was more of the same. Their final album, Pier Pressure, showed growth, but the band broke up afterwards, without a reunion since. Klein and Gaudreau now play as a duo. Auldridge has appeared on many albums as a guest performer. Coleman performs occasionally and is also a filmmaker. A fine but somewhat rare compilation of live recordings, Hook, Live And Sinker, was released in 2014. A talented group of bluegrass talents who could have done much better.

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Re: The Romanelli Music Diary: Greatest Hits (Steely Dan)

Romanelli — Sun, 12 Apr 2026 18:04:20 GMT

Author: Romanelli

Posted: 04/12/2026 22:04

2404

Don't You Fake It (2006) by The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus

THE RED JUMPSUIT APPARATUS
DON’T YOU FAKE IT
2006 – VIRGIN
Produced By DAVID BENDETH

1. In Fate’s Hands
2. Waiting
3. False Pretense
4. Face Down
5. Misery Loves Its Company
6. Cat And Mouse
7. Damn Regret
8. Atrophy
9. Seventeen Ain’t So Sweet
10. Justify
11. Your Guardian Angel
12. The Grimm Goodbye

It was twenty years ago when The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus came into our lives. Hailing from the small town of Middleburg, Florida, this band made a decent enough splash on Myspace to earn a record deal with Virgin Records. Don’t You Fake It is their debut album, and it’s as good as this band ever got. This band, led by their only continuous member in singer Ronnie Winter, plays a brand of alternative rock that lies firmly in between pop punk and hardcore. Throw in the element of Christian influence that they bring to their music, and you have a band that has the recipe for being something truly different. But unfortunately, aside from the hit “Face Down”, The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus simply didn’t have the songs. Don’t You Fake It sold a gang of copies, made the band stars, and since that time, it’s been all downhill.

“Face Down” remains their biggest hit, and it’s probably their best song. Don’t You Fake It also is home to “Your Guardian Angel” and “False Pretense”, which are good, but the drop in song quality after that is sharp. The rest of the album is below average, and that’s being kind. They have somehow managed to keep going, through a whirlwind of personnel changes and poor albums. Their biggest successes have been on the Christian rock charts, where they have actually had seven number one hits. But sounding kind of like Jimmy Eat World and their lack of great songwriting have made them a band that doesn’t generate much excitement. They’ve released five more albums since this one, each a bit more invisible than the one before it. This is an album, and a band, that you can safely skip over.

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Re: The Romanelli Music Diary: Greatest Hits (Steely Dan)

Romanelli — Thu, 2 Apr 2026 18:45:14 GMT

Author: Romanelli

Posted: 04/02/2026 22:45

2403

Gangsta's Paradise (1995) by Coolio

COOLIO
GANGSTA’S PARADISE
1995 – TOMMY BOY
Produced By COOLIO. CHRISTOPHER HAMABE, DEVON DAVIS, DOUG RASHEED & BRYAN “THE WINO” DOBBS

1. That’s How It Is
2. Geto Highlites
3. Gangsta’s Paradise
4. Too Hot
5. Cruisin’
6. Exercise Yo’ Game
7. 1, 2, 3, 4 (Sumpin’ New)
8. Smilin’
9. Fucc Coolio
10. Kinda High Kinda Drunk
11. For My Sistas
12. Is This Me?
13. A Thing Goin’ On
14. Bright As The Sun
15. Recoup This
16. The Revolution
17. Get Up, Get Down

The song “Gangsta’s Paradise” remains as one of the greatest hip hop tracks ever made. It’s also pretty much the only real reason anyone ever heard of Coolio. His first album, It Takes A Thief, had a hit with “Fantastic Voyage”, but it was the second release that made him huge. The title track is a monster. It’s built around the Stevie Wonder song “Pastime Paradise”, and it played a big part in the popularization of hip hop. It graced the film Dangerous Minds, and was in heavy rotation on MTV. The song won Coolio a Grammy and a bunch of other awards. The song also opened the door to another pair of hits from the album: “1, 2, 3, 4 (Sumpin’ New)” and “Too Hot” made it look like Coolio was here to stay. But the truth was, hiding behind all of those heavy samples was a long and sometimes tedious set of songs that, unfortunately, was a foreshadow of what was to come.

Gangsta’s Paradise, as an album, isn’t bad, but it’s also a bit typical of the short shelf lived rappers of the nineties. One huge hit, a pair of okay ones, and fourteen songs that rode in on the coattails of the better songs. In all, this album scores as slightly above average…and that’s in large part due to its one great song. And predictably, Coolio’s next album didn’t come close to this, after which he fell into a long career of musical obscurity. It didn’t help matters when he blasted “Weird Al” Yankovic for doing a parody of his biggest hit. He ended his career with five straight albums that went nowhere, recorded for five different labels. Thank God he had an eye for TV, which kept his name in the news and his face out there up until his death in 2022. This is worth having, but it’s mostly for that one really great song.

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Re: The Romanelli Music Diary: Greatest Hits (Steely Dan)

Romanelli — Tue, 31 Mar 2026 14:54:28 GMT

Author: Romanelli

Posted: 03/31/2026 18:54

2402

The Commitments (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) (1991) by The Commitments

THE COMMITMENTS
THE COMMITMENTS (ORIGINAL MOTION PICTURE SOUNDTRACK)
1991 – MCA
Produced By PAUL BUSHNELL, KEVIN KILLEN & ALAN PARKER

1. Mustang Sally
2. Take Me To The River
3. Chain Of Fools
4. The Dark End Of The Street
5. Destination Anywhere
6. I Can’t Stand The Rain
7. Try A Little Tenderness
8. Treat Her Right
9. Do Right Woman, Do Right Man
10. Mr. Pitiful
11. I Never Loved A Man
12. In The Midnight Hour
13. Bye Bye Baby
14. Slip Away

I believe I may have hoarding tendencies. I refuse to get rid of albums. This one, in particular. Welcome to The Commitments. Someone actually made a movie about life in a cover band. This cover band is from Dublin, and they are actually a white tribute band playing songs from 1960’s African American soul. They are a ten piece cover band (the money came from WHERE?) of less than interesting kids (kinda like Fame) that somehow squeezes a decade worth of drama into a small handful of shows. We’re supposed to believe that this unknown group misses singing onstage with Wilson Picket by a whisker, then breaks up over it. Cool. Movies that glamorize things like life at the very bottom of the musical food chain are movies I do not need. But, The Commitments became a big thing. And the soundtrack sold a gazillion copies, giving us the likes of Andrew Strong (the “breakout” star who seems to think he’s Joe Cocker) and The Corrs.

The Commitments set the tone by turning “Mustang Sally” into a song that musicians worldwide dread playing. They gleefully tear through unnecessary versions of songs by everyone from Aretha to Otis to Al Green and a bunch more. Of course, these tracks are well produced and sound nothing like a bottom rung cover band that would have needed years to sound this polished. The singers are competent enough, but in the end, this is nothing more than an album that no real cover band would ever make, used to tell a story that makes zero sense in the real world. In the film, the performance of Pickett’s “In The Midnight Hour” silences a bigger crowd than this band would have been able to get on, what, their fifth gig? I get that some found the film entertaining. That’s cool. But millions in sales for the soundtrack? A simple yikes will do. Even worse...a year later, they released a second volume that thankfully fell as flat as the first one should have. Bleah.

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Re: The Romanelli Music Diary: Greatest Hits (Steely Dan)

Romanelli — Sat, 28 Mar 2026 13:42:43 GMT

Author: Romanelli

Posted: 03/28/2026 17:42

2401

Rocket To Russia (1977) by Ramones

RAMONES
ROCKET TO RUSSIA
1977 – SIRE
Produced By TONY BONGIOVI & T. ERDELYI

1. Cretin Hop
2. Rockaway Beach
3. Here Today, Gione Tomorrow
4. Locket Love
5. I Don’t Care
6. Sheena Is A Punk Rocker
7. We’re A Happy Family
8. Teenage Lobotomy
9. Do You Wanna Dance?
10. I Wanna Be Well
11. I Can’t Give You Anything
12. Ramona
13. Surfin’ Bird
14. Why Is It Always This Way?

Never mind the Sex Pistols. Ramones were playing punk shows in America as early as 1974. While the first wave of British punk albums were just coming out in 1977, Ramones were releasing their third disc. Rocket To Russia is a blast, and had it not been for the surge in popularity of the Pistols and The Clash, this would have probably been THE punk album of the seventies. The British bands were all about being pissed off and looking overtly dangerous. And yeah…there was a place for that in the seventies. What Ramones brought was a dark take on The Beatles, heavier and yet almost as catchy. With the thing the UK acts really missed out on…a sense of humor. The band’s first two albums were cheap affairs, rushed to release with almost no budget. Here, the band had some money and some time, and a desire to make music better than what the Pistols were doing. And it worked.

The fact is, Rocket To Russia was never a big seller. The Ramones never were, period. But this album’s importance is bigger than the word platinum. Fourteen songs, and not one of them is as long as three minutes. They gleefully bash their way through the classics “Rockaway Beach” and “We’re A Happy Family” and “Teenage Lobotomy”, and especially “Sheena Is A Punk Rocker”. At the height of America’s obsession with what is now classic rock, Ramones were presenting a true alternative. It’s not mentioned as often as it should be, but this is truly one of the greatest rock records of the seventies. This is a good as they ever got, as this was the last record with the original lineup. Sad to think that the four guys who made this album have all been gone for more than a decade. It’s punk, man. Live fast, die young. Gabba Gabba Hey.

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Re: The Romanelli Music Diary: Greatest Hits (Steely Dan)

Romanelli — Thu, 26 Mar 2026 14:02:46 GMT

Author: Romanelli

Posted: 03/26/2026 18:02

2400

Rum Sodomy & The Lash (1985) by The Pogues

THE POGUES
RUM SODOMY & THE LASH
1985 – STIFF / MCA
Produced By ELVIS COSTELLO

1. The Sick Bed Of Cuchulainn
2. The Old Main Drag
3. Wild Cats Of Kilkenny
4. I’m A Man You Don’t Meet Every Day
5. A Pair Of Brown Eyes
6. Sally MacLennane
7. A Pistol For Paddy Garcia
8. Dirty Old Town
9. Jesse James
10. Navigator
11. Billy’s Bones
12. The Gentleman Soldier
13. The Band Played Waltzing Matilda

It’s The Pogues. This Irish folk punk band is actually from London, where they enjoyed their biggest successes in the late eighties and early nineties. But before that, they released their best album, Rum Sodomy & The Lash, in 1985. This is where Shane MacGowan became a great songwriter, and this is where the most fun moments of The Pogues live. This is their most memorable lineup, their best set of songs, and their best work. They were good on their debut (Red Roses For Me), but here, they fully come into their own. This is music to drink to, and music to celebrate to…even when the songs are sad. Mostly, if you want to turn someone on to The Pogues, it’s this album you’ll play for them. Produced by Elvis Costello, his idea was to let the band be themselves and not overproduce anything…and it works like a charm.

The album starts strong, but really hits its stride in the middle. Two MacGowan originals, “A Pair Of Brown Eyes” and “Sally MacLennane” are excellent. (“A Pistol For Paddy Garcia” is a strangely placed bonus track on my later version…it was a single B-side.) A fine cover of Ewan MacColl’s 1949 song “Dirty Old Town” is next. “Jesse James” was written in 1887. Finally, the 1971 Eric Bogle war song “And The Band Played Waltzing Matilda” is a perfect closer, running just over eight minutes. The band almost fell apart after this, then they came back to achieve their biggest commercial successes before MacGowan’s drinking became a problem, and the revolving door of band members became too much. The Pogues split up in 1996 after a bad final album. There have been a couple of reunions, but no new music in 30 years. Rum Sodomy & The Lash remains their best work.

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