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Fundamental (Album of the Day)
The Pet Shop Boys were mad as hell, and not going to take it anymore. Dedicating the record to executed Iranian gay teenagers, Mahmoud Asgari and Ayaz Marhoni, FUNDAMENTAL is one of the duo’s most politically charged albums. Produced by the band alongside the legendary Trevor Horn, the album burst on the UK charts to debut at #5 in the UK. The sardonic first single from the LP, I’M WITH STUPID, peaked at #8, making it the 21st(!) top 10 single for Chris Lowe and Neil Tennant. Considering October 4th is Lowe’s birthday, there’s no better time than the present to cue up this underrated PSB offering that delves into the dark side of the dance floor.
Best of the Chantels (Album of the Day)
Noted music scribe Cub Koda called The Chantels “rock & roll's first great female group,” and the recordings on THE BEST OF THE CHANTELS certainly back that up. Formed by students at St. Anthony of Padua School in the late 1950s, the Bronx quintet were raised on classical music and hymns, adding unusual sophistication to their performances. Assembled by doo wop experts Bob Hyde and “Little Walter” Devenne, the 18-track Rhino collection includes all the key End singles (“Maybe,” “He's Gone,” “Look In My Eyes”) by the Vocal Group Hall of Famers as well as choice rarities. We'll give THE BEST OF THE CHANTELS another spin now to wish original lead singer Arlene Smith a happy 80th birthday.
Hard Candy (Album of the Day)
Madonna pulled out all the stops for her 11th – and final – Warner Bros. studio album, HARD CANDY. Enlisting a team of A-list producers including Timbaland, Justin Timberlake and Pharrell Williams (all of whom also contribute vocals, along with Kanye West), the performer created a tough-but-sweet confection that was “like 'Holiday' with an R&B groove,” in Timbaland's words. The urban-oriented dance-pop of the 2008 set shines as brightly on LP-only tracks like “Candy Shop” and “Devil Wouldn't Recognize You” as it does on singles “Give It 2 Me,” “Miles Away,” and Top 10 hit “4 Minutes.” Needless to say, HARD CANDY was a smash, reaching No.1 on the U.S. album chart and racking up more than 4 million sales worldwide.
So-Called Chaos (Album of the Day)
Whether or not her relationship (with actor Ryan Reynolds) influenced Alanis Morissette while recording SO CALLED CHAOS, the album definitely displays a sunnier vibe than its predecessors. There's still bite in tracks like “This Grudge,” but overall the singer-songwriter's greater calm and maturity make the 2004 Maverick collection one of her most accessible. Such originals as “Everything,” “Out is Through” and “Eight Easy Steps” have a tuneful vitality suitable for radio without losing the distinctive edges and lyrical insight that made Morissette a force to reckon with. If JAGGED LITTLE PILL is all you know of this artist, the Top Ten SO CALLED CHAOS should be next on your playlist.
Together - The Very Best Of (Album of the Day)
Aretha Franklin was among the greatest icons of American music. Prolific hitmaker Otis Redding would likely have achieved similar standing were it not for the 1967 plane crash that ended his life. While the two R&B legends never duetted, you can hear THE VERY BEST OF ARETHA FRANKLIN & OTIS REDDING TOGETHER on this 50-track set. Though Franklin's 1980s hits are represented here, the lion's share of her tracks are Atlantic classics including “Respect,” “Think” and “Chain Of Fools,” and Redding's selection (“Try A Little Tenderness,” “I've Been Loving You Too Long,” “(Sittin' On ) The Dock Of The Bay”) also captures him in his prime. With THE VERY BEST OF ARETHA FRANKLIN & OTIS REDDING TOGETHER, the King and Queen of Soul will reign forever.
Phases and Stages (Album of the Day)
Willie Nelson's career in country music started conventionally enough as a songwriter in Nashville. But when most of his Music Row cohorts turned a deaf ear to the rock revolution of the late 1960s, Willie adopted one of its innovations, the concept album. His 1974 collection PHASES AND STAGES is a triumph of the form, tracing the dissolution of a marriage with a side of songs from each spouse's point of view; the 11 fine tracks include “Bloody Mary Morning,” which has since become a standard. Cut at Alabama's Muscle Shoals studios with Atlantic Records' Jerry Wexler behind the boards, PHASES AND STAGES helped Willie Nelson launch a new phase as a leader of Outlaw Country.
In the Dark (Album of the Day)
The Grateful Dead had been making music for more than 20 years before their 12th studio set, IN THE DARK, finally put them in the Top 10. The material on the 1987 collection is outstanding, with many of the originals having been workshopped by the group in concert for years; among the highlights are “Hell in a Bucket,” “Throwing Stones” and “Touch of Grey,” the band's sole Top 40 single. The album's title reflects its recording at Marin Veterans Memorial Auditorium, where the house lights were turned down as though an audience was present. “Everybody played their parts in real time, together,” recalled drummer Bill Kreutzmann. “When we took breaks, we'd go into the wings by the stage door and sit there and talk about what we'd just done … the analysis served the songs and the camaraderie served the band.” IN THE DARK captured lightning in a bottle and became a double-platinum hit.
Tormato (Album of the Day)
TORMATO was the final album of the 1970s from Rock and Roll Hall of Famers Yes. Recorded in London following an exhaustive tour behind comeback set GOING FOR THE ONE, the sessions strained the group - vocalist Jon Anderson and keyboardist Rick Wakeman would depart soon afterward - but resulted in some wonderful music. Housed in a distinctive Hipgnosis-designed cover, the platinum-selling collection features immaculate performances (with several new instruments broadening the quintet's sound) and such strong songs as “Release, Release,” “Onward” and popular single “Don't Kill the Whale.” Coupling epic lyrical fantasies to forceful arrangements, the 1978 set was called “one of Yes' strongest and most important albums” by the Los Angeles Times upon release, and TORMATO is a must for progressive rock fans.
+ (Album of the Day)
Ed Sheeran's high school classsmates voted him “most likely to be famous” and within a few years he proved them right – the British singer-songwriter has become one of the world's best-selling artists. Following several self-released E.P.s and indefatigable gigging, his debut album PLUS (or +) was released in 2011, and the talent that turned the likes of Jamie Foxx and Elton John into Sheeran boosters is on full display. Shifting skillfully from melodic balladry to hip-hop beats, these dozen originals are sure to strike a chord with listeners, and “The A Team,” “You Need Me, I Don't Need You” and “Lego House” were all Top 10 U.K. singles. The album helped the performer earn a pair of Brit Awards and was a hit stateside as well, reaching the Billboard Top 10. We'll give the platinum-certified PLUS another spin now to wish Ed Sheeran a happy birthday.
The Very Best of Curtis Mayfield (Album of the Day)
Among the pioneers of soul music with The Impressions in the 1960s, Curtis Mayfield's solo career was equally distinguished as a hitmaker, producer and label owner (of Curtom Records). THE VERY BEST OF CURTIS MAYFIELD is an inspiring display of the singer-songwriter's sweet falsetto, socially conscious lyrics and funky arrangements. The 1997 collection includes such classics as “(Don't Worry) If There's a Hell Below, We're All Going to Go,” “The Makings of You” and “Freddie's Dead,” a Top 10 single from the Super Fly soundtrack. These 16 tracks are an ideal introduction to the work of the two-time Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Grammy Hall of Fame inductee, and for Black History Month, THE VERY BEST OF CURTIS MAYFIELD has just been re-released on sky-blue vinyl.