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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.
Air Conditioning (Album of the Day)
Upon the November 1970 release of Curved Air's debut, AIR CONDITIONING, Melody Maker enthused “”At last, something utterly and without doubt a revelation … There's not one boring moment.” It's hard to argue with the U.K. music magazine on that; the 10 originals here blend progressive (“It Happened Today”), classical (“Vivaldi”) and experimental (the band drew their name from Terry Riley's work) influences in consistently inventive ways. Among the first picture discs in rock, the collection features a formidable frontwoman in Sonja Kristina and terrific instrumental performances from guitarist/keyboardist Francis Monkman and violinist Darryl Way. With eccentric arrangements but catchy songs, AIR CONDITIONING may be Curved Air's most accessible album, and it reached the Top 10 in the band's native England.
Stax Classics (Album of the Day)
There's good reason that Carla Thomas is often called the Queen of Memphis Soul; she's the daughter of R&B royalty (hitmaker Rufus Thomas) and was instrumental in establishing one of the city's most iconic record labels, Stax. The soul imprint turns 60 years old this year, and as Rhino celebrates the anniversary with a series of STAX CLASSICS releases, it's only fitting that one is devoted to Carla. The new 12-track collection highlights Thomas' soul-pop gems like “B-A-B-Y” and “I Like What Your Doing (To Me)” along with stellar collaborations “Cause I Love You,” recorded with her father, and “Tramp,” her scorching 1966 duet with Otis Redding. With insightful new liner notes, the wallet-friendly STAX CLASSICS: CARLA THOMAS is an engaging look at the legendary label's first star.
Skid Row (Album of the Day)
Nothing's Shocking (Album of the Day)
Funky Divas (Album of the Day)
En Vogue's debut left little doubt that these four talented ladies were headed for stardom, and with follow-up album FUNKY DIVAS, they achieved it. Terry Ellis, Cindy Herron, Maxine Jones and Dawn Robinson take turns on lead vocals on these 13 songs and each delivers the goods, though the contributions of songwriters-producers Thomas McElroy and Denzil Foster are equally important. With diverse arrangements and truly memorable material, the EastWest collection spun off a seemingly endless series of hit singles, including “My Lovin' (You're Never Gonna Get It),” “Free Your Mind” and “Giving Him Something He Can Feel,” which reached the Top Ten on this day in 1992. A consummate blend of pop and R&B with a touch of hip-hop for good measure, the triple-Platinum FUNKY DIVAS remains among the decade's most listenable albums.
Friday's Child (Album of the Day)
A talented songwriter (he penned hits for Duane Eddy and Nancy Sinatra), producer, label head and solo artist, Lee Hazlewood carved out an idiosyncratic career path that eventually turned him into an underground cult hero. The "cowboy psychedelia" he would help pioneer is still years away on FRIDAY'S CHILD; instead, Hazlewood's third album finds him in Nashville-crossover territory. The 1965 Reprise set puts his rich, reverb-coated vocals to excellent use on a dozen expertly crafted songs including "Four Kinds Of Lonely," "That Old Freight Train" and "Houston," which would become a hit for Dean Martin (prompting this album's re-release under the title HOUSTON). The heartfelt performances on this obscure gem make FRIDAY'S CHILD well worth revisiting for fans of mid-1960s country-pop.
Eagles (Album of the Day)
The Complete Yusef Lateef (Album of the Day)
Don't be fooled by the title: THE COMPLETE YUSEF LATEEF isn't a multi-disc career retrospective, but rather a studio set by the esteemed jazz man. Lateef's first album for Atlantic Records following a string of releases for Savoy and Impulse offered a "complete" overview of the performer's musical outlook through seven songs covering an impressive amount of stylistic ground. The jazz here is flavored with Eastern sounds ("Rosalie"), blues ("In the Evening") and New Orleans R&B ("Kongsberg"), and also includes "Stay With Me," a lovely ballad drawn from a film score (to The Cardinal). THE COMPLETE YUSEF LATEEF was cut with producer Joel Dorn fifty years ago but its inviting approach still sounds fresh, and the collection remains among the saxophonist's best.
Origin Of Symmetry (Album of the Day)
Because their record label didn't get Matthew Bellamy's falsetto vocals, the U.S. release of Muse's second album, ORIGIN OF SYMMETRY, was delayed for several years. But delivering the unexpected has helped the acclaimed U.K. trio sell millions of records around the world, and this collection fires off metallic riffs, avant-garde moves, space rock and much more with irresistible aplomb. For a set that wears its pretense on its sleeve (its title is drawn from theoretical physics), the songs are well grounded with hooks and powerful performances; standouts include "Bliss," "Plug in Baby" and an unlikely but successful cover of the Bricusse-Newley standard "Feeling Good." Named one of the 100 best British albums of all time by Q magazine, ORIGIN OF SYMMETRY reveals new strengths with every play.