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Daylight Again (Album of the Day)
Crosby, Stills & Nash's fourth album of completely original material, DAYLIGHT AGAIN began life as a collaboration between Stephen Stills and Graham Nash while David Crosby was sidelined. The pair recruited such talented vocalists as Art Garfunkel and Timothy B. Schmit to fill out the harmonies (as well as a raft of session aces to lend instrumental support), but in the end returned to their old friend to recreate the CSN magic. All three rise to the occasion not only as singers but as songwriters; Crosby's outstanding “Delta,” Stills' “Southern Cross” (which spawned the trio's first music video) and Nash's “Wasted On The Way” (a frank look at the group's past squabbles) rank with their most memorable material. A Top 10 hit, DAYLIGHT AGAIN was released 35 years ago this month, and its inspiring music still shines brightly.
PSYCHOCANDY (Expanded) (Album of the Day)
For their 1985 debut, The Jesus And Mary Chain combined pop melodies worthy of Brian Wilson, echo-laden production worthy of Phil Spector and guitar feedback noisier than The Velvet Underground; alternative rock has yet to recover. Scottish siblings Jim and William Reid (along with bassist Douglas Hart and drummer Bobby Gillespie) grace PSYCHOCANDY with 14 hazy, intoxicating originals that range from amphetamine rush (“Never Understand”) to spectral beauty (“Just Like Honey”). Outlets including Rolling Stone, Pitchfork and Q Magazine have hailed the collection as one of the best of the 1980s, and the Expanded Edition of the seminal set adds a baker's dozen single, demo and alternate versions. It's the perfect way to celebrate the birthday of Gillespie, who went on from PSYCHOCANDY to found Primal Scream.
Gorilla (Album of the Day)
Stax Classics (Album of the Day)
One of the true giants of 1960s soul music, Otis Redding worked his way up as a performer and driver with several Southern R&B bands before getting his big break in 1962 singing at a Stax recording session. The iconic imprint celebrates its 60th anniversary this year, and Rhino marks the occasion with curated collections from several legendary artists including Redding, whose body of work helped transform Stax from a small Memphis-based record label into a musical institution. STAX CLASSICS: OTIS REDDING distills his incredible discography down to a dozen bona fide soul classics like “Try A Little Tenderness,” “I’ve Been Loving You Too Long (To Stop Now)” and “Respect,” which was later immortalized by Aretha Franklin. Naturally, the collection also includes “(Sittin’ On) The Dock Of The Bay,” a posthumous release that topped both the R&B and pop charts.
Stax Classics (Album of the Day)
Founded in 1957, the Memphis-based Stax Records earned its nickname, Soulsville U.S.A., with a long string of timeless hits and legendary artists. Booker T. & The M.G.’s was the house band and the bedrock of Stax; along with providing the musical backdrop for virtually everyone else on the label, the four-piece scored a series of hits with their unique soulful instrumentals. STAX CLASSICS: BOOKER T. & THE M.G.’S spotlights irresistible grooves like “Hip Hug-Her” and “Time Is Tight” as well as the group’s unforgettable #1 R&B smash, “Green Onions.” Part of a year-long celebration of the iconic soul imprint, this new 12-track STAX CLASSICS collection offers further proof that the Rock and Roll Hall of Famers were among the hottest bands in history.
Tourism (Album of the Day)
Though TOURISM was recorded while Roxette was out on the road, the Swedish duo's fourth album was not a concert collection. Instead, it was cut in studios, stages, hotel rooms and other strange places while Per Gessle and Marie Fredriksson were traveling the globe in support of their previous long-player, JOYRIDE. The pair wanted to "take advantage of the excitement and the energy within the band on a tour like this," and their dynamic performances are the one constant across the diverse settings of these 16 tracks, which include live versions of such favorites as “The Look,” new studio songs like “How Do You Do!” and “Fingertips,” and a distinctive live-studio hybrid that revisits “It Must Have Been Love,” which had originally gone to No.1 on this day in 1990. With more than 6 million copies sold around the world, TOURISM underlined Roxette's popularity as well as its sense of adventure.
Something For Everybody (Album of the Day)
On this day in 2010, Devo made a remarkable comeback with SOMETHING FOR EVERYBODY, the first studio album from the New Wave pioneers in two decades. Released on Warner Bros., which had originally launched the group to fame, the collection's dozen originals were as sharp and memorable as ever; bassist Gerald Casale (who co-wrote the bulk of the album along with keyboardist Mark Mothersbaugh) went so far as to call it "the best record that we'd ever done.” Songs including “Fresh,” “What We Do” and "Don't Shoot (I'm A Man)" pair the quintet's famously prescient satire with energetic performances goosed on by a production team including Santigold and Greg Kurstin of Bird & the Bee. The final Devo album to feature co-founder Bob Casale, SOMETHING FOR EVERYBODY is a strong return to form that both longtime fans and newcomers to the band are sure to enjoy.
In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida (Album of the Day)
Jagged Little Pill (Collector's Edition) (Album of the Day)
Alanis Morissette embarked on one of the most spectacular career reinventions in music history when she turned from the fluffy dance-pop of her first two (Canadian-only) albums to the ragingly cathartic JAGGED LITTLE PILL. Working with producer Glen Ballard in Los Angeles, Morissette's soul-baring songs burst with raw emotion, but there was also consummate craftsmanship in these recordings – the melodies and forceful arrangements of “You Oughta Know,” “Hand In My Pocket,” “Ironic” and “Head Over Feet” practically jumped out of the radio. By the time the smoke cleared, the Maverick release had gone multi-platinum (Billboard would certified it as the best-selling pop album of the decade) and picked up an Album Of The Year Grammy. A critical and commercial smash when original released - on this day in 1995 - JAGGED LITTLE PILL has lost none of its power.
Inner Space (Album of the Day)
Jazz pianist Chick Corea had paid his dues as a sideman for the likes of Miles Davis before checking into Atlantic Records' New York studios to cut his solo debut, TONES FOR JOAN'S BONES. Labelmate Herbie Mann handled production chores on that fine 1967 collection, which was re-released in 1973 as part of the double album INNER SPACE. The four TONES originals are there joined by two previously unreleased tracks from the same sessions, which teamed Corea with trumpeter Woody Shaw, flutist/saxophonist Joe Farrell, bassist Steve Swallow and drummer Joe Chambers; rounding out the 2-LP set are a pair of recordings (“Trio for Flute, Bassoon and Piano” and the superb “Windows”) that Chick made with flutist Hubert Laws around the same time. Corea was born on this day in 1941, and we'll celebrate the birthday with a trip to INNER SPACE.