NITTY GRITTY DIRT BAND
WILL THE CIRCLE BE UNBROKEN: VOLUME TWO
1989 – MCA
Produced By RANDY SCRUGGS & NITTY GRITTY DIRT BAND
1. Life’s Railway To Heaven
2. Grandpa Was A Carpenter
3. When I Get My Rewards
4. Don’t You Hear Jerusalem Moan
5. Little Mountain Church House
6. And So It Goes
7. When It’s Gone
8. Mary Danced With Soldiers
9. Riding Alone
10. I’m Sittin’ On Top Of The World
11. Lovin’ On The Side
12. Lost River
13. Bayou Jubilee
14. Blues Berry Hill
15. Turn Of The Century
16. One Step Over The Line
17. You Ain’t Goin’ Nowhere
18. The Valley Road
19. Will The Circle Be Unbroken
20. Amazing Grace
In 1972, the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band cemented their place in music history with their seventh album, the stunning two record set Will The Circle Be Unbroken. The album brought together the old guard of country music and the younger rock and roll side that loved their music. The album played a huge part in creating country rock and alternate country, an influence that still resonates today. Seventeen years later, in 1989, the Dirt Band figured, why not do it again? And so, their nineteenth album is Volume Two. Once again, they were able to bring together many of country’s greatest voices and players. The difference here is that the music is more modern than on the original. And unfortunately, the timing was not so great. Popular music at the time was a mix of metal, new wave, the dying throes of classic rock, and the rise of alternative rock. So, this went mostly ignored.
Which is too bad, because this is one amazing twenty track disc. It brings together contemporary country artists like Johnny Cash, Rosanne Cash and Emmylou Harris. Older legends like Earl Scruggs, Vassar Clements and Roy Acuff are here, as are more rock and folk artists like John Prine, Levon Helm and John Hiatt. All brought together by the Dirt Band, who treat this music with great reverence and play it expertly. There was a volume three, released in 2002, but it’s not quite at the level of this one, which became a number one country hit. But it did not reach the rock audiences that the first one did. Nevertheless, this nearly lost gem of an album stands as a loving tribute to country music, and as a reminder of how very important the music and the artists who create it really are. This is an absolute classic.
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DEAD KENNEDYS
LIVE AT THE DEAF CLUB
2004 – MANIFESTO
Produced By EAST BAY RAY
1. Introduction By DJ Johnnie Walker
2. Kill The Poor (Disco Version)
3. Back In Rhodesia
4. The Man With The Dogs
5. Gaslight
6. California Uber Alles
7. Ill In The Head
8. Straight A’s
9. Short Songs
10. Holiday In Cambodia
11. Police Truck
12. Forward To Death
13. Have I The Right?
14. Back In The U.S.S.R.
15. Viva Las Vegas
You will never convince me that Green Day is really punk. Or any of the other what seems like thousands of bands that came out after the first wave of punk that cater to high school jocks who think they have it bad. Give me the punk bands from the seventies. Every time. That includes Dead Kennedys, one of the truly great real punk bands. They formed in 1978, and before breaking up in 1986, they made some of the most frightening and stunning punk ever made. Which is what punk is SUPPOSED to be. Live At The Deaf Club was released in 2004, but it’s important because it was recorded in 1979, at the height of the Kennedys peak. The band includes Jello Biafra, 6025, and Ted…original members who have been long gone from the Kennedys lineup.
Recorded live in San Francisco, this is a great live document that remained unreleased for years. One of America’s best punk outfits, this album is a true gem. The Kennedys are on fire here. They are fast, snarling, and a shining example of what punk was always supposed to be. This is also important because it was 6025’s last show, and “Have I The Right”, “Gaslight” and the Beatles cover “Back In The USSR” were never available in any form before. Biafra was found guilty of withholding royalties from his bandmates, and is thus no longer a part of the band. And even though they have been reformed since 2001, there have been no new studio albums from the band. But this is one gem of a lost and found live recording. Well worth a listen or twenty!
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ORANGE JUICE
YOU CAN’T HIDE YOUR LOVE FOREVER
1982 – POLYDOR
Produced By ADAM KIDRON
1. Falling And Laughing
2. Untitled Melody
3. Wan Light
4. Tender Object
5. Dying Day
6. L.O.V.E. Love
7. Intuition Told Me (Part 1)
8. Upwards And Onwards
9. Satellite City
10. Three Cheers For Our Side
11. Consolation Prize
12. Felicity
13. In A Nutshell
Orange Juice came out of Scotland in 1979. The band is a one hit wonder in the UK, with their lone top 40 hit being “Rip It Up” from their second album of the same name in 1982. They never charted in any way in America. You Can’t Hide Your Love Forever is their debut album, also from 1982. The band plays an interesting brand of post punk and jangle pop, and have been noted in recent years for their blending of genres. This album is also notable for its early use of synthesizers, which was also the reasons for its lack of commercial success. Because of the changing direction of the band’s sound, the lineup that toured the album was different than the one that recorded it. The main member through their career was Edwyn Collins, who would go on to a much more successful solo career.
There were a pair of failed singles here. “L.O.V.E. Love” is an Al Green cover, and guitarist James Kirk’s “Felicity”. Neither one did well at all. The album begins with a re-recording of their very first single, “Falling And Laughing”. But what Orange Juice had going against them was that they were, even at this early stage, always in the process of breaking up. The band that recorded the Rip It Up album later in 1982 wasn’t the same, and by their third and final album, The Orange Juice, it was Collins and a bunch of new people. The band split for good in 1985, going quietly into the night. Their short legacy was revived years later when bands like Franz Ferdinand and The Drums named the band as an influence. In all, this album is good, but it’s also a band searching for a direction that they ultimately would never find.
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GRANT LEE BUFFALO
COPPEROPOLIS
1996 – SLASH
Produced By PAUL KIMBLE
1. Homespun
2. The Bridge
3. Arousing Thunder
4. Even The Oxen
5. Crackdown
6. Armchair
7. Bethlehem Steel
8. All That I Have
9. Two And Two
10. Better For Us
11. Hyperion And Sunset
12. Comes To Blows
13. The Only Way Down
Grant Lee Buffalo may have been a band of the nineties, but their roots were in the decade before. Known previously as Shiva Burlesque, they had very little success before the decade rolled over, bassist Paul Kimble joined, and the took on their new name. Grant Lee Buffalo was led by Grant-Lee Phillips, and they made four albums in the nineties before splitting up. Copperopolis was their third album. And like much of what the band did in their career, it was met with general disinterest. The record has a dark sound, somewhat comparable to Neil Young & Crazy Horse. The songs are good, but there’s nothing that will jump out at you. What Grant Lee Buffalo ultimately was turned out to be good but unremarkable music in a sea of 90’s alternative rock hitmakers.
Still, Copperopolis is worth hearing. “Homespun” is the best song here, and while there are no hits to be found, there’s enough good music on the record to make you happy. It’s extremely well played and well written…It’s just not very memorable. Which was, ultimately, what led to the end of the band. Phillips, who is Native American on both sides, has gone on to have a much more successful and lengthy solo career. After they ended with the nineties, Grant Lee Buffalo did reform for live shows in the early 2010’s, but nothing since 2014. Their four albums from the nineties (Fuzzy, Might Joe Moon and Jubilee are the others) are all worth checking out, but they were a band that always fell just short of the big time. You can find their best on the 2001 compilation Storm Hymnal.
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BREAD
ANTHOLOGY OF BREAD
1977 – ELEKTRA
Produced By DAVID GATES
1. Make It With You
2. Dismal Day
3. London Bridge
4. Anyway You Want Me
5. Look What You’ve Done
6. It Don’t Matter To Me
7. The Last Time
8. Let Your Love Go
9. Truckin’
10. If
11. Baby I’m-A Want You
12. Everything I Own
13. Down On My Knees
14. Aubrey
15. Diary
16. Sweet Surrender
17. The Guitar Man
18. Fancy Dancer
19. She’s The Only One
20. Lost Without Your Love
The seventies, and AM radio, would not have been the same without Bread. This soft rock band, led by David Gates, practically owned the Billboard charts between 1970 and 1977, even with taking a couple of years off in the middle. They finally burned out in 1977, and Elektra released the twenty song compilation, The Sound Of Bread, Their 20 Finest Songs in 1977. It was reissued in 1985 everywhere except for Europe, with the title Anthology Of Bread, with a new album cover and the exact same tracklist. My copy is that reissue. All of those big AM hits are here, as well as a few that were not hits that could have been left off. But, truth be told, these songs still sound pretty great, and they sound even better not being blasted through a small AM transistor radio speaker.
All of the ones you could want from Bread are here. The sounds of puppy love and seventies post hippie glory are yours for the taking. “Baby I’m-A Want You”, “If”, “Diary”, “Aubrey” and “The Guitar Man”, all in one place. There are a few upbeat songs: “Let Your Love Go” almost rocks, as do a few others like “Truckin’”, keeping this from being a complete snoozefest. But the ballad is what Bread did the best, so get your box of tissues ready. Lovin’ that “Sweet Surrender” because, baby, I wanna “Make It With You”. Cause I would give “Everything I Own”. If you were young in the seventies, this is a trip down memory lane, for sure. An album of hits that could have only come from that specific time, by a band that defined soft rock. What’s not to love?
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Aphex Twin is Richard D. James. Since 1992, he’s released six studio albums under the Aphex Twin name. Richard D. James Album is the fourth of those. Recorded completely on his Mac computer, the album is another in a long line of reasons why his work is so highly regarded. Yes, it’s all electronic, it’s experimental, and it’s unconventional. But it’s also a very surprisingly listenable and melodic album. James has always had a gift for making electronica something it’s usually not…entertaining. Which is a big reason why this turned out to be one of the better albums of 1996. He’s not just throwing a repetitive beat out there for five minutes and saying “dance to it”. It’s obvious that these are well thought out and well executed musical plans by James. And it’s terrific.
What makes this album work, more than anything else, is its adventurous spirit. James doesn’t seem to be afraid to try anything, and he also seems unable to fail at whatever he tries. The result is a record that is loaded with sensory pleasures. Tracks like “Girl / Boy Song” features an impossible to pin down beat played at breakneck speed, intertwined with a soft and slow string arrangement that is as fascinating as it is enjoyable…and at the same time, uncomfortable. James has little to no regard for musical rules here, and thank God for that. Richard D. James Album is one of the more engaging electronic albums you will ever find, and most importantly, it showcases the possibilities for what the future of this kind of music can be. An exceptional underrated masterpiece.
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WILLIE NELSON
STARDUST
1978 – COLUMBIA
Produced By BOOKER T. JONES
1. Stardust
2. Georgia On My Mind
3. Blue Skies
4. All Of Me
5. Unchained Melody
6. September Song
7. On The Sunny Side Of The Street
8. Moonlight In Vermont
9. Don’t Get Around Much Anymore
10. Someone To Watch Over Me
11. Scarlet Ribbons
12. I Can See Clearly Now
In the 1960’s, Ray Charles turned the music world upside down when he recorded an album of great country and western classics, making the songs and the genre his own. In 1978, Willie Nelson did the same thing by recording Stardust, an album of his own personal takes on some of the greatest standards in music history. He did this in the middle of his biggest years as an outlaw country singer, long hair and bandana and all. What Stardust did was to show the entire world what an incredible talent Willie is. This record isn’t like Rod Stewart suddenly becoming Michael Buble. These classic songs are treated well by Willie. He interprets them honestly, and in his own style. But he also does it with complete respect to the songs, the writers, and the genre. Absolute genius.
There’s just enough twang to remind you who this is. And not a speck more. Willie sings these songs with a gentleness that is stunning and beautiful. You can tell that he recorded Stardust because he loved the music. Having Booker T. Jones produce it did not hurt, either. The arrangements are as respectful as Willie’s vocals. Every one of these songs is perfectly done, and as a whole, it’s simply a beautiful record from the most unlikely source. His versions of “Stardust”, “Georgia On My Mind”, and “September Song” are stunning. Sure, Willie’s outlaw moments are great and memorable…but it’s albums like Stardust that will always remind us of what a genuine and amazing talent he really is, and has been since what seems like the dawn of time.
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GEN KEN MONTGOMERY
PONDFLOORSAMPLE
2002 – XI RECORDS
No Production Credit
1. Static / Hiss
2. Father Demo Swears
3. Radiator I
4. Keystone Model CC 16
5. Egnekn’s Fridge
6. Bath Drain
7. Bird Eating
8. Crayoning Around
9. Laminator Model 2291
10. Egg Slicer And…
11. Fusebox – Contemplating Columbus
12. Goafishbreath
13. Shortwave Band
14. Storage Devices
15. Rewinding Shadowland
1. Pondfloorsample And More (Live)
2. Droneskiploopclick (Live)
3. The Aquarium Fishtank Symphony (Live)
4. Knackerbrot Action (Live)
Let’s see…what genres have we not covered so far? Well, there’s this one. Welcome to the world of Sound Art. It’s basically noise, but it has definite purpose in mind other than just recording sounds. And meet Gen Ken Montgomery. You may not be aware of this, but Montgomery has been releasing albums since 1981. He was the co owner of an art organization called Generator Sound Art that was big into handmade, mostly cassette, sound works. On Pondfloorsample (his 16th album), Montgomery’s instruments of choice are appliances. Like a coffee maker. Machines. Devices. Most of the tracks here are short…but three of them run over nineteen minutes. The live “Droneskiploopclick” runs a scant 52 minutes. You’ve got to be in a mood for this.
The important thing here is expectation. Don’t expect songs as you know them…there aren’t any. No singing, no real actual musical instruments. Only things that make noise. Montgomery is a student of John Cage and Conrad Schnitzler. Both of whom are pillars of the avant garde. This is music on a different level…it doesn’t seem much like music at all, but it is. No one will blame you if this is not for you. It’s not for most people. Think of it as abstract art, but in auditory form rather than visual. Pondfloorsample sounds cold and emotionless on the surface, and to some extent, it is. But remember, too, that Montgomery sees enough in what he does to put it out there in the world, which means it’s not meaningless or thoughtless at all. Something to think about.
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CHUCK BERRY
BERRY IS ON TOP
1959 – CHESS
Produced By LEONARD & PHIL CHESS
1. Almost Grown
2. Carol
3. Maybellene
4. Sweet Little Rock And Roller
5. Anthony Boy
6. Johnny B. Goode
7. Little Queenie
8. Jo Jo Gunne
9. Roll Over Beethoven
10. Around And Around
11. Hey Pedro
12. Blues For Hawaiians
In 1959, Chuck Berry was, indeed, on top. Berry Is On Top is his third studio album...technically. If it were a true studio album, it would be, to this day, one of the biggest records ever made. But it’s not. And there are a few reasons why. First, in 1959, albums weren’t really a thing yet, at least in rock and roll. The early days of rock was a singles game. Which brings us to reason number two why this is not bigger than it is. Berry Is On Top is called a studio album, and it’s officially considered to be. But it’s not. Of its twelve tracks, all but one (“Blues For Hawaiians”) had been previously released as singles, either as A or B sides. Which really makes this album a greatest hits package. Unofficially, of course, but that’s really what it is. A hits compilation.
Which brings us to number three. The other problem is that not all of these songs turned out to be hits for Berry. Which means that as a compilation, this falls way short of collecting his best at the time, hurt by the inclusion of lesser tracks like “Anthony Boy”, “Jo Jo Gunne”, “Hey Pedro” and “Blues For Hawaiians”. In later years, much better collections were assembled, most notable 1982’s The Great Twenty-Eight, which leaves Berry Is On Top as mostly irrelevant. In 1959, you could guess that most kids already had the important songs from here on 45’s. And some had also been released on previous albums. Berry Is On Top is impressive at first glance, but it’s never been as important as one would think. Go for a more complete compilation over this.
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WHITESNAKE
1987 – GEFFEN
Produced By MIKE STONE & KEITH OLSEN
1. Crying In The Rain ‘87
2. Bad Boys
3. Still Of The Night
4. Here I Go Again ‘87
5. Give Me All Your Love
6. Is This Love
7. Children Of The Night
8. Straight To The Heart
9. Don’t Turn Away
Whitesnake is the domain of David Coverdale, who has been the only consistent member of the band. Coverdale got his break in 1973, replacing Ian Gillan in Deep Purple. He went solo when that band dissolved in 1976. He released a pair of solo albums, and formed Whitesnake as a touring band for that project. They released their first album in 1978, and had slowly been gaining momentum. This self titled album is actually the seventh Whitesnake album. In an effort to gain a foothold in America, Coverdale adopted the look and sound of the LA glam metal scene, for which, surprisingly, Whitesnake was a perfect fit. And it was a massive hit. No one realized that Coverdale was nearly 40 years old in an arena ruled by 20 year olds.
Whitesnake was the follow up album to Slide It In (1984), which had started the momentum in Hollywood. This self titled record boasted a trio of megahits: “Still Of The Night” was a powerful rocker. “Is This Love” was the must have power balled done to syrupy perfection. The biggest hit was “Here I Go Again", which was actually a remake from the album Saints And Sinners from five years before. Whitesnake looked the part, and Coverdale’s supermodel girlfriend Tawny Kitaen made the videos smolder. The sound here is big and bad, as Whitesnake stood above, for a couple of moments anyway, the rest of the thin sounding Hollywood crowd. Coverdale ended this run of Whitesnake after one more album, 1989’s Slip Of The Tongue. This wasn’t greatness, but by God, the old guy actually pulled it off.
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