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Vanilla Fudge (Album of the Day)
In an era of Strawberry Alarm Clocks and Chocolate Watchbands, Vanilla Fudge stood out as one of the heaviest rock bands, paving the way for such groups as Led Zeppelin and Deep Purple. Deriving their name from an earlier affinity for white soul, Vanilla Fudge made their self-titled 1967 debut on Atco Records, serving up psychedelicized covers of recent songs by the likes of The Beatles ("Eleanor Rigby") and The Supremes ("You Keep Me Hangin' On"), the latter reaching the Top Ten. The stretched-out tempos, thundering rhythms and Hammond organ work may make this set seem a bit like an oldies station on acid, but the musicianship is top-notch throughout (bassist Tim Bogert and drummer Carmine Appice both went on to play with Jeff Beck). The Gold-certified VANILLA FUDGE is a piece of rock history that still sounds sweet.
Wind And Wuthering (Album of the Day)
Forty years ago this month, Genesis' WIND AND WUTHERING blew into record stores. The eighth studio set from the U.K. band would prove the last with guitarist Steve Hackett, who with the core trio of keyboardist Tony Banks, bassist Mike Rutherford and vocalist/drummer Phil Collins brought the group's progressive rock phase to a memorable close. A touch less whimsical than its predecessors, the album features Genesis' first U.S.-charting single ("Your Own Special Way"), loads of moody atmosphere and some of the most brilliant instrumental work of the band's career (as on the dazzling epic "One For The Vine"). Banks himself cites the Gold-certified WIND AND WUTHERING as a personal favorite, noting with pride "It's definitely the most musically complex of all our albums, and it has a mysterious quality to it."
Roots (Album of the Day)
Though it's often overshadowed by his classic soundtrack to the film Superfly, Curtis Mayfield's ROOTS is equally noteworthy. The 1971 studio album, the singer-songwriter's second after leaving pioneering soul group The Impressions, finds Mayfield pairing insightful and compassionate lyrics with music that is both sweet and funky. Produced by Curtis and originally issued on his own Curtom label, the collection reflects the issues of its day without feeling dated; such anthems as "We Got To Have Peace" and "Beautiful Brother Of Mine" still strike a chord. A Top 10 R&B hit, ROOTS is one of the finest soul albums of the '70s, and an ideal way to remember Curtis Mayfield, who passed away on this day in 1999.
Noël (Album of the Day)
Light Of The Stable (Album of the Day)
Too many Christmas albums are mere novelty cash-ins, but Emmylou Harris put her heart into LIGHT OF THE STABLE, and it shows. The set grew from the title track, a 1975 single that featured Dolly Parton, Linda Ronstadt and Neil Young on backing vocals, with the bulk of the material recorded alongside Harris' ROSES IN THE SNOW sessions, and reflecting the pristine intimacy of that release. For all the star power (Willie Nelson also harmonizes here, and Ricky Skaggs' masterful picking is heard on several tracks), this is a holiday collection whose strength lies in subtlety and reverence. “It is a sweet, beautiful record and a good mix of songs,” notes Harris with typical modesty; in fact, LIGHT OF THE STABLE stands proudly among her best work.
Soul Christmas (Album of the Day)
The Ghosts Of Christmas Eve (Album of the Day)
Since 1996, Trans-Siberian Orchestra has cemented itself as one of the world's biggest rock acts, playing approximately 2,000 shows for nearly 13 million fans and selling in excess of 10 million albums and DVDs. TSO's holiday perennial THE GHOSTS OF CHRISTMAS EVE - a favorite among fans from the 2001 multi-platinum DVD and long-running PBS fundraiser of the same name – has now been released as an audio package. The enchanting rock opera follows the journey of a young runaway who breaks into an abandoned vaudeville theater seeking shelter from the cold on December 24. Once inside, the teen is discovered by the theater's caretaker, who uses the ghosts and spirits from the building's past to turn her life around. With such seasonal songs as “Christmas Eve/Sarajevo 12/24," "O' Come All Ye Faithful," "Good King Joy" and the special bonus track "Music Box Blues (Daryl Pediford Tribute New York 2004)," THE GHOSTS OF CHRISTMAS EVE is the ideal way to ring in the holidays.
‘TIS THE SEASONS (Album of the Day)
“The holidays are my favorite time of the year and, ever since the first Four Seasons Christmas album, I've wanted to do another one... and now I've finally got around to it,” says singer Frankie Valli of 'TIS THE SEASONS, the first solo Christmas album of his legendary career. Produced by musical mastermind Bob Gaudio (who formed The Four Seasons with Valli in 1960 and wrote many of the group's biggest hits), the new Rhino collection finds Valli putting his unique spin on more than a dozen yuletide standards. Opening with a high-energy medley of "Joy To The World" and "Do You Hear What I Hear?," the set features stunning arrangements of such classics as “Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!,” “What Are You Doing New Year's Eve" and a version of “Merry Christmas, Baby” that features fellow Rock 'N' Roll Hall Of Famer Jeff Beck on guitar. An ideal match between iconic songs and iconic vocalist, 'TIS THE SEASONS is the perfect soundtrack to your holiday season.
Eliminator (Album of the Day)
A blues-rock trio from Texas was hardly the stuff of MTV stardom, but somehow the beards, babes and custom cars made ZZ Top videos irresistible, and 1983's ELIMINATOR became a huge hit. It didn't hurt that the Warner Bros. collection paired the band's trusty guitar riffs with synthesizer sounds then in vogue – or that Billy Gibbons, Dusty Hill and Frank Beard had come up with one of their best-ever sets of songs. Even without their distinctive visuals, “Legs,” “Sharp Dressed Man” and “Gimme All Your Lovin'” were stone classics, and the other eight originals weren't far behind. Gibbons was born on this day in 1949, and we'll celebrate the guitarist's birthday with the Diamond-certified ELIMINATOR.
This Girl's In Love (A Bacharach & David Songbook) (Album of the Day)
Platinum-selling British singer-songwriter Rumer has a voice tailor-made for pop classics, and she brings her singular talent to bear on a dozen of them on the new THIS GIRL'S IN LOVE (A BACHARACH & DAVID SONGBOOK). Recorded at the renowned Capitol Studios with arranger, composer and orchestrator Rob Shirakbari (longtime musical director for Dionne Warwick as well as Rumer's husband), the collection includes an appearance by Burt Bacharach himself on piano. “In some cases I said, 'Forget all the other versions - what is the song about?,'” notes Rumer, who gives such favorites as “The Look Of Love” and “(They Long to Be) Close to You” a melancholia that gets right to the emotive core of Bacharach's melodies and Hal David's lyrics. THIS GIRL'S IN LOVE also includes straighter interpretations (“Walk On By”) and more obscure gems (“Land of Make Believe”), and every performance adds a new gleam to this timeless music.