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Begin to Hope (Album of the Day)
Born in the Soviet Union and raised in the Bronx, Regina Spektor turns an unusually broad array of influences into a cohesive whole on BEGIN TO HOPE. The 2006 Sire album (her second for the label and first of all-new material) includes listener-friendly singles “Fidelity,” “Better” and “On The Radio” and the polished production of David Kahne but the performer's individuality is proudly on display as well. Spektor's voice is a sweet, quirky instrument, her lyrics go beyond confessional intimacy to encompass orca whales and biblical verse, and her arrangements reflect the classical piano she grew up playing, as well as anti-folk, vintage soul and contemporary electro-pop. Greeted with critical acclaim upon release, the gold-certified BEGIN TO HOPE topped the Billboard Heatseekers chart and offers new hope for singer-songwriter fans.
Solo (Album of the Day)
A genre-defining figure in the folk-pop scene of the 1960s and 1970s, Gordon Lightfoot is Canada’s greatest singer-songwriter, and the just-released SOLO is his first album of new music since 2004. “I thought my fans would be interested in hearing what songs sound like when first written,” the performer noted of the 10-track set, which was spurred on when two CDs recently resurfaced of unreleased material penned shortly before he suffered a near-fatal abdominal aortic aneurysm in 2002. After discovering the songs, Lightfoot went into Grant Avenue Studio in downtown Hamilton, ON alone with his guitar to create this beautifully minimal work. Heralded by lead single “Oh So Sweet,” SOLO showcases the Songwriters Hall of Fame inductee at his most pure.
Unplugged (Deluxe Edition) (Album of the Day)
Eric Clapton had a quarter-century of rock superstardom under his belt when he entered an English studio to tape an installment of MTV's UNPLUGGED series. The resulting Reprise album became a phenomenal success, topping the Billboard chart and later earning six Grammys. The haunting single “Tears In Heaven,” written in memory of Clapton's young son, accounted for three of those awards, and a stripped-down reworking of “Layla” was another winner, but the singer-guitarist is in peak form throughout the set. The 14 songs on the original album – and the six unreleased outtakes on the Deluxe Edition – reveal how ideally suited Clapton is for the role of acoustic blues troubadour. The three-time Rock and Roll Hall of Famer turns 75 today, and we'll wish him a happy birthday with UNPLUGGED.
Duke (Album of the Day)
Genesis had become one of the most acclaimed progressive rock groups in England by the time of original frontman Peter Gabriel's departure, and their instrumental prowess and taste for experimentation remained undiminished when drummer Phil Collins picked up the microphone. But with DUKE, the group began a reinvention of their sound that would make Genesis even bigger stars. This key transitional collection has one foot in prog (the two-song closing suite, “Duke's Travels” and “Duke's End”) and one in pop (the hit singles “Misunderstanding” and “Turn It On Again”), with nary a misstep on its dozen tracks. Released 40 years ago this month, DUKE is a major milestone in the Genesis catalog, and the platinum-selling album still stands among the band's best.
New Traditionalists (Deluxe Remastered Edition) (Album of the Day)
If current events haven't made you a believer in Devo's theory of de-evolution, give a listen to NEW TRADITIONALISTS. Whether the plastic pompadours the spudboys model on the cover of the 1981 collection are inspired by Kennedy or Reagan, it's clear that the band holds out little hope for modern society on these 10 originals. Skewering everything from the political process (“Enough Said”) to their newfound fame (“Through Being Cool”) to glib optimism (“Beautiful World,” a minor hit), these songs are among Devo's darkest and most direct, even when peppered with synth-pop hooks. The Deluxe Remastered Edition of NEW TRADITIONALISTS adds six bonus cuts, including rare outtakes and a 1979 demo of album track “The Super Thing.”
Down the Road (Album of the Day)
Though Stephen Stills’ talents as a singer, guitarist and songwriter are plain to hear on his solo records, he thrives in a collaborative environment, so it’s little surprise that after CSNY dissolved, he formed another band – Manassas. The second and final album under that name, 1973’s DOWN THE ROAD was cut at Miami’s Criteria Sound Studios and Caribou Ranch in Colorado, and features tasty Stills-penned roots rockers like “Isn't It About Time” and the title track, along with “Lies” by Chris Hillman (who’d landed in Manassas between stints with The Byrds). “Manassas was such a terrific band. It really had some structure and reminded me of the Buffalo Springfield at its best,” Stills once recalled, so we’ll give the group’s DOWN THE ROAD another spin to wish the two-time Rock and Roll Hall of Famer a happy 75th birthday.
Clouds Taste Metallic (Album of the Day)
“She Don't Use Jelly” may have put The Flaming Lips on the alternative music map, but CLOUDS TASTE METALLIC took Oklahoma's most fearless freaks into uncharted territory. The 1995 Warner Bros. collection serves as a bridge between the group's indie rock roots and the more ambitious studio experimentation of THE SOFT BULLETIN. As titles like “Psychiatric Explorations of the Fetus with Needles” or “This Here Giraffe” suggest, the lyrics are rather surreal, but frontman Wayne Coyne makes them sound personal and even joyful. The instrumental palette is over the top as well, though in the service of strong melodies, and featuring plenty of fine guitar work by Ronald Jones, who would leave the band the following year. The critical reputation of CLOUDS TASTE METALLIC has risen steadily since its release; we'll give one of The Flaming Lips' very best another spin to wish Coyne a happy birthday.
Cause I Sez So (Album of the Day)
American standard-bearers for glam rock and important precursors to punk rock, The New York Dolls reunited (at the personal request of longtime fan Morrissey) nearly three decades after their early-1970s heyday. Original Dolls David Johansen and Syl Sylvain still have all the sass and swagger of their prime on CAUSE I SEZ SO. Todd Rundgren had helmed the band's debut and returns in the same capacity for this 2009 Atco album, helping the quintet push its sonic envelope a bit beyond the Stonesy racket of yore. A reggae-tinged reworking of their '70s classic “Trash” may be the most striking example of this, but the beautiful pop melody of “Lonely So Long” and the propulsive R&B of “Nobody Got No Bizness” show the Dolls can wear any style and make it look great. We'll give CAUSE I SEZ SO another spin in memory of the band's drummer Jerry Nolan, who passed away on this day in 1992.
This Girl's In Love With You (Album of the Day)
Aretha Franklin had an uncanny ability to take virtually any song and make it her own, and her 1970 collection THIS GIRL'S IN LOVE WITH YOU displays that talent to fine effect. Along with her original “Call Me,” Franklin transforms material made famous by The Beatles (“Eleanor Rigby”), The Band (“The Weight,” featuring Duane Allman on slide guitar) and Dusty Springfield (“Son of a Preacher Man,” a song Aretha had originally turned down) with her distinctive delivery. Her dazzling vocal gymnastics may take center stage here, but the collection also shows off the Queen of Soul's skills as a pianist. Produced by Atlantic Records stalwarts Jerry Wexler, Tom Dowd and Arif Mardin, THIS GIRL'S IN LOVE WITH YOU turns 50 years old today, and we're still in love with Aretha Franklin.
Flood (Album of the Day)
One of the most inventive acts to hit the college radio airwaves of the 1980s, They Might Be Giants sprang from the fevered imaginations of John Flansburgh and John Linnell. The duo had already built a cult following with their quirky pop songs (and a telephone service that played them for listeners) when 1990's FLOOD brought them mainstream attention. TMBG's major label debut, the album went gold on the strength of singles/MTV videos “Birdhouse In Your Soul” and “Istanbul (Not Constantinople),” though you're sure to get a kick out of “Particle Man,” “Letterbox,” “Minimum Wage” and others, too. This week FLOOD celebrates its 30th anniversary, and all these years later, They Might Be Giants' breakthrough still stands tall.