Content tagged ''
Wildflowers & All The Rest (Album of the Day)
Tom Petty's second solo album, WILDFLOWERS, marked a couple of firsts for the singer-songwriter – it was his inaugural release for Warner Bros., and his first of three collaborations with producer Rick Rubin. While most of the Heartbreakers can be heard here (along with Ringo Starr and Beach Boy Carl Wilson), it has a relaxed sound distinct from Tom's previous work with the band (“Rick and I both wanted more freedom than to be strapped into five guys,” he noted at the time). The standard for material remained as high as ever, though, and such songs as “You Wreck Me,” “It's Good to be King” and hit single “You Don't Know How It Feels” rank with Petty's best. Now available, WILDFLOWERS & ALL THE REST (DELUXE EDITION) expands upon the 3× platinum original with four more discs including additional songs, home recordings and alternate and live versions.
Every Turn of the World (Album of the Day)
Christopher Cross conquered the pop world with his self-titled 1979 debut, and third studio album EVERY TURN OF THE WORLD shows the singer-songwriter broadening his musical approach. The iconic cover flamingo has been replaced by a racing car, and while the Warner Bros. collection still features such trademark adult contemporary ballads as “Love Found A Home” and “Open Your Heart,” Cross definitely revs up the engine here. Lead single “Charm the Snake” and “Swing Street” are just a couple of the uptempo songs, and in addition to his sterling vocal work, Cross emerges as a terrific guitar player on these ten originals. Produced by Michael Omartian (who also contributes keyboards), EVERY TURN OF THE WORLD was released 35 years ago this month and is definitely ripe for rediscovery.
Live at the Bowl '68 (Album of the Day)
From Billie Holiday to The Beatles, The Hollywood Bowl has been the venue of choice in Southern California for music's greatest artists. So for local heroes The Doors, who'd been playing small clubs just 18 months before, their July 5th, 1968 gig on that storied stage was surely a thrill, and LIVE AT THE BOWL '68 shows the quartet rising to the occasion. The restored recording presents the concert in its entirety for the first time and includes bracing versions of songs from the band's debut (“Light My Fire,” “The End”), STRANGE DAYS (“Moonlight Drive”) and the yet-to-be-released WAITING FOR THE SUN (“Hello, I Love You,” "The Unknown Soldier”). Today is Doors drummer John Densmore's birthday, and LIVE AT THE BOWL '68 catches his band at the peak of its powers.
Eric Clapton's Crossroads Guitar Festival 2019 (Album of the Day)
Legendary blues-rock guitarist Eric Clapton once again summoned an all-star team of six-string heroes for his fifth Crossroads Guitar Festival in 2019. Held at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas, the two-day event raised funds for the Crossroads Centre in Antigua, the chemical dependency treatment and education facility that Clapton founded in 1998. Now available in several configurations, ERIC CLAPTON’S CROSSROADS GUITAR FESTIVAL 2019 relives the best moments from the concert with outstanding individual performances and on-stage collaborations from such artists as Clapton, Jeff Beck, Robert Cray, Sheryl Crow, Peter Frampton, Vince Gill, Buddy Guy, Los Lobos, John Mayer, Keb’ Mo’, Bonnie Raitt, Robert Randolph, Tedeschi Trucks Band, Jimmie Vaughan and more.
Black Sabbath (Album of the Day)
Ozzy Osbourne, Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler and Bill Ward made their debut as Black Sabbath in 1970 with the band's self-titled album – and rock has never been the same since. From the doom-laden opening bell chimes, the music was darker and heavier than anything that had come before, drawing thematic inspiration from occult and fantasy literature and a unique sound driven by Iommi's thundering down-tuned riffs. Recorded in a single day, the Warner Bros. collection was initially snubbed by critics, but the Birmingham quartet had the last laugh as the album took off commercially, eventually going platinum - and gaining recognition as a landmark of heavy metal. Fifty years ago BLACK SABBATH introduced the banshee wail of Ozzy Osbourne, and we'll give the set another spin to wish the singer a happy birthday.
The Fall (Album of the Day)
While on tour supporting PLASTIC BEACH, Gorillaz frontman Damon Albarn recorded the group's follow-up, THE FALL, on his iPad. “I literally made it on the road. I didn't write it before, I didn't prepare it,” noted the singer-songwriter. “I just did it day by day as a kind of diary of my experience in America.” If titles such as “Phoner to Arizona,” “The Snake in Dallas” and “Amarillo” trace the band's cross-country trek, the music strikes an experimental, impressionistic tone untethered to any one place. Though virtual member 2D takes the lead on most of these 15 tracks, the Parlophone collection features noteworthy guest turns from R&B great Bobby Womack and The Clash's Mick Jones and Paul Simonon. Released 10 years ago this month, THE FALL reaffirms that Gorillaz are among the most creative groups in alternative rock.
The Immaculate Collection (Album of the Day)
Madonna's status as one of the most successful female artists in history becomes immediately understandable with one listen to THE IMMACULATE COLLECTION. Her first greatest hits set, this 17-track compilation is a near-definitive look at the superstar's first flash of fame. The Material Girl dominated the radio with these songs, including such No.1 smashes as “Like A Virgin,” “Crazy For You,” “Papa Don't Preach” and “Justify My Love,” which topped the U.S. chart on this day in 1991. Smart, sexy and undeniably catchy, this endlessly listenable mix of ballads and dance-pop hits sold more than 30 million copies worldwide to become one of the best-selling solo artist compilations ever. THE IMMACULATE COLLECTION is an essential part of any collection of popular music.
No Secrets (Album of the Day)
Veteran producer Richard Perry brought Carly Simon to London's Trident Studios to record her third studio LP, and the third time proved a charm for the performer – NO SECRETS was Carly's commercial breakthrough. The Elektra release topped the Billboard album chart and went gold (and later platinum), largely on the strength of “You're So Vain,” which topped the singles chart on this day in 1973 and later earned two Grammy nominations. But there are several other outstanding originals here, including “The Right Thing To Do” and “We Have No Secrets,” as well as some famous guests like Mick Jagger, Lowell George, Nicky Hopkins and James Taylor, who was proposing marriage to Simon right around this time. One of Carly's best albums, NO SECRETS is truly one of the gems of the singer-songwriter era.
Tighten Up (Album of the Day)
Texas soul singer Archie Bell was in uniform in Vietnam when a song he'd cut with his backing band before deployment shot up the U.S. singles chart - “Tighten Up” spent two weeks at No.1. Its offhanded guitar lick and gleeful vocals are damn near irresistible, as is the rest of Archie Bell & The Drells' debut album. Along with solid covers of “Knock On Wood” and “In The Midnight Hour,” TIGHTEN UP's ten tracks also include the wonderful “I Don't Wanna Be A Playboy” and such Bell originals as “A Soldier's Prayer, 1967.” The Atlantic collection is one any fan of '60s R&B would enjoy - it's a soul party from start to finish!
Hunky Dory (Album of the Day)
David Bowie himself recognized HUNKY DORY as a turning point in his career: “I guess it provided me, for the first time in my life, with an actual audience – I mean, people actually coming up to me and saying, 'Good album, good songs.'” Brilliant is more like it - “Changes,” “Oh! You Pretty Things” and “Life On Mars?” remain among Bowie's most enduring recordings. Though Mick Ronson's guitar work is less prominent than the keyboard playing here (by Yes' Rick Wakeman), the 1971 collection is nonetheless a milestone of glam rock – flamboyant and anthemic, even if it's not as loud as follow-up ZIGGY STARDUST. David Bowie was born on this day in 1947, and we'll salute the legendary performer with one of his greatest albums, HUNKY DORY.