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Little Feat (Album of the Day)
Little Feat's eponymous debut takes a somewhat different approach from the Los Angeles band's more heralded releases, but it's a superb album nonetheless. The original four-piece line-up included two ex-Mothers of Invention – frontman Lowell George and soon-to-depart bassist Roy Estrada – and there's a touch of Zappa's offbeat humor in tracks like “Hamburger Midnight.” The country, blues and rock influences so dear to the group stand more distinctly on their own, and Warner Bros. producer Russ Titelman brings out the raw passion in each performance. But the high-quality songwriting that Feat fans would come to expect is already here, most notably in trucker anthem “Willin'.” LITTLE FEAT first arrived in record stores 50 years ago this month, and time still loves these heroes.
Screamadelica (Album of the Day)
U.K. indie band Primal Scream began life enamored with classic rock and Rickenbacker guitars before taking a radical left turn into acid house music for 1991's SCREAMADELICA. The landmark album celebrates the drug-fueled dance grooves of underground raves while still keeping a foot in the 1960s - house DJ Andrew Weatherall and Rolling Stones producer Jimmy Miller both helped shape this collection. Signature songs “Come Together” and “Loaded” are anthems to hedonism; when Peter Fonda (via dialog sampled from biker flick The Wild Angels) says he wants to have a good time, it's clear Bobby Gillespie and his bandmates are on the same wavelength. SCREAMADELICA won the inaugural Mercury Prize for best British album, and decades later it remains a mind-blowing sonic celebration.
Amazing Grace: The Complete Recordings (Live) (Album of the Day)
Aretha Franklin owed much of her vocal power to a religious upbringing; her father was the prominent Detroit minister and activist Rev. C.L. Franklin, and a young Aretha frequently sang in his church. So it was a natural fit when the performer set up at Los Angeles' New Temple Missionary Baptist Church on this day in 1972 to cut an album. True to its title, the 2-LP AMAZING GRACE features transcendent performances of such sacred standards as "Precious Memories," "What A Friend We Have In Jesus" and "How I Got Over," accompanied by the Rev. James Cleveland and the Southern California Community Choir. Greeted with rave reviews, the collection would go on to sell more than two million copies in the U.S. alone and still holds the record as the best-selling live gospel album of all time. AMAZING GRACE also earned the singer a Grammy award, Franklin's first for Best Soul Gospel Performance.
Patches (Album of the Day)
Few artists carried the torch for '60s soul into the following decade more effectively than Clarence Carter. The Alabama-born singer had his biggest hit in 1970 with “Patches,” a tale of perseverance through poverty that earned a Best R&B Song Grammy and still resonates a half-century later. Carter's fourth album drew its name from the track, and though that Top 10 single may be the most recognizable thing on the Atlantic collection, it's far from the only highlight. Minor hit “It's All in Your Mind,” a gospel-tinged version of The Beatles' “Let It Be” and original “C.C. Blues” speak to the performer's versatility, and Carter's guitar work is as appealing as his vocals (several other fine musicians can be heard in support here, including axeman Travis Wammack). PATCHES features outstanding examples of several R&B styles, and we'll give the album a spin now to wish Carter a happy birthday.
Yeah! (Album of the Day)
Ann Arbor power trio Brownsville Station found enduring fame with the #3 hit “Smokin' In the Boy's Room,” which was certified Gold on this day in 1974. That ode to high school delinquency closes the band's Big Tree collection YEAH! in suitably raucous fashion, and several other tracks are just as party-worthy. Along with another original (“All Night Long”), the boys smoke on covers of such songs as Robert Parker's “Barefootin',” Jimmy Cliff's “Let Your Yeah Be Yeah” and the Velvet Underground anthem "Sweet Jane" (the wonderfully eclectic track selection reflects guitarist Cub Koda's deep knowledge of music; he later became a renowned music writer). Arguably Brownsville Station's best album, this no-frills set of garage-y rock and heavy boogie has a low-rent charm that will surely inspire you to turn the volume up to 11.
Mr. Hood (Album of the Day)
Brothers Daniel “Zev Love X” and Dingilizwe “DJ Subroc” Dumile joined Alonzo “Onyx the Birthstone Kid” Hodge at the end of the 1980s as K.M.D. (originally short for Kausing Much Damage). MR. HOOD was the New York hip-hop trio's debut, and the 1991 Elektra album gives equal play to the group's political consciousness and its sense of humor. With samples drawn from instructional and children's records (including a bit of Bert from Sesame Street), the title character pops up throughout these 18 tracks, making absurd observations that K.M.D. deftly skewers. Singles “Peachfuzz,” “Who Me?” and “Nitty Gritty” (featuring a guest appearance by Brand Nubian) helped earn the collection a place on Pitchfork's 100 Favorite Albums of the 1990s list. One more reason to check out MR. HOOD - Zev Love X later became the late, great MF Doom.
Healing (Album of the Day)
Todd Rundgren's ninth studio set, HEALING was released 40 years ago today, launching the multi-talented performer into the MTV decade (the album's “Compassion” was one of the first videos played on the channel). Like several previous efforts, the Bearsville collection is basically a one-man show, featuring the prodigiously gifted singer-songwriter-producer-instrumentalist on all nine tracks. And like earlier albums, it features both beautiful balladry and power-pop (the sparkling companion single “Time Heals,” included as a bonus track, offers more of the latter). Tasty as the ear candy is here, HEALING is unusually meditative – particularly in the side-long “Healing” suite - this is some of the most spiritual and inspiring music of Todd Rundgren's career.
Otis Redding Sings Soul Ballads (Album of the Day)
The title of THE GREAT OTIS REDDING SINGS SOUL BALLADS tells you pretty much all you need to know about this superb 1965 collection. The Georgia-born performer's second studio album was cut at Stax and benefits considerably from the presence of house band Booker T. & the M.G.'s and the Memphis Horns. The dozen tracks are split between covers and originals; while Otis holds his own on songs made famous by Chuck Willis, The Impressions and Sam Cooke, his version of opener “That's How Strong My Love Is” can be considered definitive. The self-penned material is also outstanding, and includes R&B Top 10 hit “Mr. Pitiful” (inspired by the nickname a radio DJ had bestowed on Redding). We kick off Black History Month with THE GREAT OTIS REDDING SINGS SOUL BALLADS.
Long Player (Album of the Day)
British blues-rock quintet Faces truly hit their stride with LONG PLAYER, released 50 years ago this month. The band's second Warner Bros. album is so loose and high-spirited that you may overlook the quality of the songs here - “Bad 'n' Ruin” and “Sweet Lady Mary” are terrific originals, and the cover of “Maybe I'm Amazed” gives McCartney a run for his money. The playing is offhandedly wonderful as well, and Rod Stewart, then on the cusp of stardom, is in fine voice throughout. A couple of tracks here were recorded live at the Fillmore East with the Rolling Stones' Mobile Recording Unit, and Faces are also linked to the hitmakers through guitarist (and future Stone) Ron Wood and STICKY FINGERS saxophonist Bobby Keys, who appears on “Had Me a Real Good Time.” It's easy to imagine listeners quoting that title in response to LONG PLAYER, one of the most underrated gems of the classic rock era.
I Feel For You (Album of the Day)
A hitmaker with Rufus in the 1970s, Chaka Khan branched into her own career gradually - her first four solo albums were all recorded while she was still nominally with Rufus. It was her fifth album, I FEEL FOR YOU, that really sealed the deal as the title track hit #3 in America and topped the U.K. singles chart. That song, a Prince cover featuring Stevie Wonder on harmonica and rapping from Grandmaster Melle Mel, showed Khan to be a powerhouse vocalist with a keen ear for material and willingness to swing for the fences in terms of arrangements. And that description holds throughout the album; tracks like "Through The Fire" and "This Is My Night" are as appealing as the set's biggest hit. With the platinum-certified I FEEL FOR YOU, Chaka Khan stepped confidently to the forefront of '80s electro-funk, and the collection remains among her very best.