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The Swing (Album of the Day)
With their fourth album, THE SWING, INXS took a further step toward international success. Lead single “Original Sin” was cut in New York with producer Nile Rodgers and guest vocalist Daryl Hall, the first time the sextet had recorded outside their native Australia. That song, “I Send a Message” and “Burn for You” were all Top 10 hits down under, and the collection topped the Aussie album chart. If the 1984 set only made it to #52 in the U.S., the band's mix of new wave, rock and dance had finally gelled. “I think it's still one of my favourite albums because it's very diverse and a lot of the tracks are danceable,” said INXS guitarist Kirk Pengilly years later. THE SWING is out now on blue opaque vinyl as part of Rhino’s Rocktober 2022 campaign.
I Never Loved a Man The Way I Love You (Album of the Day)
I NEVER LOVED A MAN THE WAY I LOVE YOU wasn't Aretha Franklin's first album (she'd previously recorded ten of them for Columbia Records), but it was the first she'd cut with a label and producer that truly “got” her, and that made all the difference. Powered by the iconic No.1 single “Respect,” the Jerry Wexler-produced Atlantic release is a master class in soul whose 11 lessons also include “Do Right Woman-Do Right Man,” “Baby, Baby, Baby” and the title track. Aretha's force-of-nature vocals, songwriting skills (she penned four of the 11 songs here) and piano work shine throughout, justifying the set's frequent inclusion in “Greatest Albums of All Time” lists from the likes of Rolling Stone and Q magazine. With I NEVER LOVED A MAN THE WAY I LOVE YOU, the Queen of Soul earned her crown!
Da Real World (Album of the Day)
Following a sensational debut, Missy Elliott got real with DA REAL WORLD. If the tone is sometimes dark (the collection is dedicated to the Columbine shooting victims), Elliott's commanding flow lights up such tracks as “All N My Grill,” “Hot Boyz (Remix)” and female empowerment anthem “She's a Bitch.” Timbaland co-produced the set, and along with his futuristic breakbeats, the 1999 Elektra album features an army of hip-hop guest stars including Beyoncé, Eminem, Lil' Kim and Aaliyah. The Platinum-certified DA REAL WORLD is one of the reasons Missy Elliott received a well-deserved star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame a year ago today.
American Life (Album of the Day)
Twenty years in the entertainment industry and such cataclysmic events as 9/11 and the Iraq War had given Madonna a new perspective on materialism by the time of AMERICAN LIFE. “I do think that we've become completely consumed with being rich and famous, our society has,” she noted. “Take it from me, I have all those things and none of them ever brought me one minute of happiness.” A concept album of sorts, the Maverick collection's social commentary is balanced by a striking fusion of acoustic and electronic music with the help of French producer Mirwais Ahmadzaï. Singles from the set included the title track, “Hollywood” and James Bond theme “Die Another Day” (which broke The Beatles' record for most Top 10 hits on this day in 2003). The Platinum-certified AMERICAN LIFE earned a pair of Grammy nominations and remains one of the more rewarding entries in Madonna's discography.
Summertime Dream (Album of the Day)
Inducted into Canada's Songwriter Hall of Fame, Gordon Lightfoot is among that nation's greatest musical exports and SUMMERTIME DREAM captures him at the peak of his popularity. Filled with outstanding originals, the Reprise collection reached #12 on the U.S. album chart; highlights include “Race Among the Ruins,” “I'm Not Supposed to Care” and “The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald,” a Top 10 hit whose timeless feel belies the fact that the real-life maritime disaster it's based on happened mere months earlier – on this day in 1975. Just as important as the top-notch material are the performances, and Lightfoot is in great voice throughout SUMMERTIME DREAM with a backing band (including gifted electric guitarist Terry Clements and pedal steel ace Pee Wee Charles) that sounds equally inspired.
Hasten Down the Wind (Album of the Day)
Linda Ronstadt's third million-selling album in a row, HASTEN DOWN THE WIND displays the multifaceted approach that made the performer one of the most successful of the 1970s. Ethan Russell's dramatic cover photo shows the singer looking backwards, and with oldies “That'll Be the Day” and “Crazy,” she scored major hits on the Pop and Country charts, respectively. But the 1976 Asylum set also features a forward-looking embrace of up-and-coming writers including Karla Bonoff and Warren Zevon, who penned the title track (Ronstadt herself co-wrote a couple of numbers, among them her first Spanish-sung song). Produced by Peter Asher and featuring a bevy of SoCal music vets in support, HASTEN DOWN THE WIND won a Grammy for Best Pop Vocal Performance.
Do You Wanna Ride? (Album of the Day)
Born in Grand Rapids, Michigan on this day in 1973, Adina Howard signed with EastWest Records in the mid-1990s and had a hit right out of the gate with DO YOU WANNA RIDE? As the cover photo suggests, there's plenty of bumping and grinding going on in these 13 songs, which include “My Up and Down,” “It's All About You” and “Freak Like Me,” a No.2 hit on both the Pop and R&B charts. With a raft of top producers lending their talents to the 1995 collection, it was soon certified Gold. DO YOU WANNA RIDE? is just the ticket for new jack swing fans, and we'll give the set another spin to wish Howard a happy birthday.
The Power Station (Album of the Day)
Given the massive success of Duran Duran, its members earned the liberty to pursue side projects, and guitarist Andy Taylor and bassist John Taylor indulged their love of funk and hard rock in The Power Station. With singer Robert Palmer and drummer Tony Thompson of Chic rounding out the lineup, the supergroup's eponymous debut soared into the Top 10, helping spark a career revival for Palmer. Named after the New York studio it was recorded in, THE POWER STATION was produced by Chic’s Bernard Edwards, and includes such hit singles as “Some Like It Hot,” “Communication” and a swaggering cover of Marc Bolan's “Get It On (Bang a Gong).” As its title suggests, the album's mix of new wave dance and glam rock bursts with an energy that will appeal to listeners well beyond the Duran Duran fanbase.
A Nod Is As Good As A Wink... To A Blind Horse (Album of the Day)
When the third Faces album, A NOD IS AS GOOD AS A WINK … TO A BLIND HORSE was released on this day in 1971, frontman Rod Stewart was basking in the glow of No.1 solo single “Maggie May.” Some of his success must have rubbed off as “Stay With Me” reached the Top Ten in the quintet's native U.K. to become their biggest hit. While it's surely a highlight of the Warner Bros. collection, there's never a dull moment on the set, which features several other outstanding originals penned by the Stewart-Ron Wood team (“Miss Judy's Farm”) and Ronnie Lane (“Debris”), along with a raucous cover of “Memphis, Tennessee.” Just the kind of guys you'd want to share a pint with at the pub, Faces were one of rock's great party bands, and the high spirits of A NOD IS AS GOOD AS A WINK remain infectious.
Pin Ups (Album of the Day)
David Bowie scored his second UK No.1 album when PINUPS topped the chart for five weeks in 1973. Bowie's popularity at the time is one reason that a covers album was so successful, but the music is strong enough to stand on its own. “These are all bands which I used to go and hear play down the Marquee between 1964 and 1967,” noted the performer. “I've got all these records back at home.” Versions of songs – not necessarily the biggest hits - by bands including The Pretty Things, The Yardbirds, The Who and others were love letters to the glories of the British Invasion, with arrangements largely faithful to the originals. ZIGGY STARDUST producer Ken Scott and guitarist Mick Ronson helped bring these tracks into the glam era, making PINUPS essential for Bowie fans.