Records

'Tis the season for giving...to myself. I've been super busy these days, but i was able to make it out the other afternoon to do a little record shopping for myself. I didn't overdo it, surprisingly, but I did make it away with a pretty good haul.

Buzzcocks
Singles Going Steady
4 Men with Beards (re-issue)
LP

This is another one of those that I'm kind of ashamed to admit that I don't already own on vinyl. Regardless, I've remedied that situation, and have been listening to this one a lot. Gotta love the Buzzcocks. I sometimes wonder how successful they could have been in the U.S. given the proper push. The musicianship isn't quite on par with that of the Clash, but it's not all that far off, and I would put their pop sensibility up against just about everyone else. I definitely think they're the greatest thing to ever come out of Manchester.

Sweet
Desolation Boulevard
RCA Records (U.S. Release)
LP

Of all the studio albums by Sweet, this is definitely the one to own. This is the first record they made after they decided to shed the teeny-bopper image, although this is still about a year or so before they started writing their own stuff. Granted, a lot of their glossy stuff is pretty fun, too ("Little Willie" and "Wig Wam Bam" come to mind), but the real heavy hitters are on this one ("Ballroom Blitz" and "Fox on the Run"). The deep cuts on here are solid, too. I particularly like "A.C.D.C." and "The Six Teens".

Wilco
Summerteeth
Nonesuch Records (re-issue)
LP

This is definitely my favorite Wilco record, although YHF is not far behind. I like this one the best because it reminds me the most of Big Star. It sounds really nice on the 180 gram vinyl, and it includes a CD version, as well. Done and done. I'll probably have to get my hands on the re-issues of A.M. and Being There pretty soon, too.

Records

I spent last weekend celebrating, and then celebrating some more. I made it out to see a fantastic show at The Earl on Saturday night. I was entirely too loaded to analyze or do anything other than just enjoy it. Suffice it to say this: if you get the chance to see Brownout or Lloyd's Rocksteady Revue, buy the ticket and go. No questions asked and you can thank me later.

Brownout is a side project of several members of the marvelous Grupo Fantasma. Brownout is similar, but I would describe it as being more guitar-driven than Grupo. I would also say it more closely resembles Funk music than Grupo, but it's still very diverse and loads of fun. Your also more likely to catch this in a small venue, and it's just a lot of damn fun to watch nine guys with instruments packed onto a little stage.

Lloyd's Rocksteady Revue is led by Cadillac Jones frontman Jonathan Lloyd. It's a 9-piece or 12-piece (12 fuckin' people on stage at once!), depending on whether or not the backup singers are around at the time. The revue consists of a set of covers of classic Ska, Reggae, and Rocksteady stuff. It was nothing short of mindblowing. Just keep an eye out for it and go see it.

I attended a tremendous wedding on Sunday (and of course the bachelor party on Friday, and pre-wedding celebration on Saturday), and fortunately, I had the foresight to take Monday off. This of course led to an impromptu 'day-after-wedding' celebration between myself and a couple of the other folks who took Monday off. Needless to say, I wound up getting drunk and popping into a record store.


New York Dolls
in Too Much Too Soon
Mercury Records
LP









This is an easy album to forget about. The Dolls' eponymous record is one of the most amazing and influential recordings of all time. This one really isn't that far from it. Shadow Morton produced this one, and while doesn't quite do as good of a job with this as Todd Rundgren did with the first one, he throws every dirty studio trick in the book at you. You might think that doesn't sound appetizing, but it definitely works. If I were to draw a parallel, I would say the finished product is similar to what Phil Spector did with the Ramones on End of the Century. Too Much Too Soon is not as good as New York Dolls. But really, what is? If the first one is Babe Ruth, this one is Lou Gehrig; not quite as good, but still a hall-of-famer.


The Robustos
The New Authentic
Beatville Records
LP









The aforementioned show I attended on Saturday, Lloyd's Rocksteady Revue, left me wanting more. As far as what's on wax, this is the closest thing available to me. The bandleader for the Revue, Jonathan Lloyd, was in the Robustos, as were apparently a couple of other people who were on the stage. The Robustos started out as a ska band, but on this, their second album, they incorporated more elements of jazz and soul. The singer, Tonya Abernathy, has a wonderful voice with lots of soul. This band broke up ten years ago; five years before I even moved to Atlanta. I wish I could have seen this the first time around. But alas, the record will have to suffice, and it's a damn good one. Pick it up if you see it in a store somewhere.

New Music Review

The Avett Brothers
I and Love and You
American Recordings
Double LP









I was very excited on September 29th, when I picked up the new Avett Brothers release, I and Love and You. With the building anticipation, it surely looked like the right band hooking up with the right producer (Rick Rubin) at exactly the right time. To say that indie rock is dominated by folk, or Americana or whatever you want to call it, is an overstatement, but the genre certainly has a high profile these days. It wasn't always that way. Sub Pop Records made their name by putting out nearly all of the seminal Grunge records in the late 80's and early 90's. As of now, there are a few exceptions, such as Pissed Jeans and the Gutter Twins, but for the most part the label has sold it's rock and roll soul to put out limp folksy recordings by bands such as Blitzen Trapper, Fruit Bats, and the shittiest band to ever get popular - Band of Horses.

Am I mad at Sub Pop about this? Of course not. Who can blame them? They found a niche and a bunch of dumbass American consumers. It's damned hard running an indie label (although Warner Bros. now owns a substantial stake) and you can't fault them for finding a way to sell records. In the immortal words of H.L. Mencken: "Nobody ever went broke underestimating the taste of the American public."

Whenever something like this happens, when a typically tame musical genre becomes popular, there are certain advantages. I can think of two of them off the top of my head. The first is that it tends to start a revolution. Punk rock was a revolt against prog rock and arena rock. Grunge was a revolt against the hair bands. The other advantage is that it paves the way for the bands of the genre that are actually good at writing songs and playing the music. The Avett Brothers to be one of the few bright stars of this genre today.

The first thing about I and Love and You that stands out to me is the production. Rick Rubin is a tremendous producer, especially when working with artists like this, and this record is no exception. The sound on it is impeccable. When this album needs to sound raw, it sounds raw. When it needs to sound big, it sounds big. When it needs to sound pretty, it sounds pretty. Kudos to Rubin for another job well done.

The second thing about this record that stands out are the songs, and make no mistake, there are some damn good ones. The titular track is a beautiful piano-driven ballad that should absolutely become a hit. The other highlights include the catchy "And it Spread", and another piano-driven number, this time upbeat, "It Goes On and On". There are two fabulous Violent Femmes-ish rockers on here: "Slight Figure of Speech" and "Kick Drum Heart", both of which contain power-pop hooks that would make the fellows from The Nerves stand up and applaud. The band is extraordinarily tight, the melodies sweet, and the harmonies are dead on. The brothers also display a knack for being clever lyricists on this record, most notably on the song "Tin Man".

The third thing about I and Love and You that stands out, unfortunately, is that I don't really think it's going to stand out enough to make a splash. The songs are good, and the sound is good, but after listening to it, I walk away wondering why it wasn't better. It may be that the filler songs are unremarkable, or too similar to the better songs. I definitely don't feel like there are enough rockers, but that's a matter of personal preference, and I say that about almost everything. Don't get me wrong, there will be hit songs on this record, it will bring new fans to the band, and they will play bigger shows to larger crowds. But I don't foresee this being the springboard to (relative) superstardom that I thought it might.

I and Love and You is a very good record, and a step in the right direction. My hope is that they keep at it with Rick Rubin behind the boards, and that the next one is a excellent record. I look forward to seeing how the live arrangements of these songs work. While this album didn't meet my significant hopes for it, The Avett Brothers are definitely a band on the way up.

New Music Review

The Avett Brothers
"Slight Figure of Speech" b/w "More of You
7" Single
American Recordings









This has been a huge week for music releases, and it's going to take me a few days to really absorb everything. I've been on the go quite a bit lately, so I'm fortunate that this week's stuff isn't all vinyl, or it would take me forever to get caught up. We've already covered the new Kris Kristofferson release, and the reason why I was able to get to that one first was because it's on CD, and I can listen to it at work or in the car. If Criminal had stocked the vinyl, there's no way I would have it finished. I downloaded the new download-only Paul Westerberg EP from Amazon, but I haven't fully absorbed it yet (I definitely love it, though). Hopefully I can have that sorted out by tomorrow.

The thing I really can't wait to do this week, however, is to put the new Avett Brothers 2-disc, 180 gram vinyl album I and Love and You on my turntable and give it a spin. I'm hell bent on doing this all in one sitting, and not one side at a time. Unfortunately for me, I haven't had that kind of time this week. Fortunately for me, when I purchased this double long player at Criminal on Tuesday, they also had a limited edition 7" for sale featuring "Slight Figure of Speech" from the record, and a non-album b-side called "More of You". I have been able to listen to this, and all it's doing is making me even antsier to listen to the LP.

I've heard two cuts from the LP on the radio over the last six weeks or so. One of them is the title track, and I can't recall the name of the other off the top of my head. They were both very nice, melodic tunes immaculately produced by Rick Rubin that prominently displayed their folksy musical heritage. That's all well and good, but I was terribly of afraid that the new release would perhaps turn its back on the other half of the Avetts roots, which is knee deep in punk rock. After listening to this 7", I fear this no more.

When they're at their best, the Avetts will make anyone turn his/her head. Their slower and softer numbers are filled with tight musicianship, extraordinarily catchy pop hooks, and structure that requires an impressive degree of musical literacy to compose. Their harder edged songs combine the best elements of No Depression-era Uncle Tupelo, and the first Violent Femmes album. These are all things that separate the Avetts from the AMERICAN'TA acts polluting the airwaves today (read: just about all of the limp-dick folk acts on Sub Pop).

"Slight Figure of Speech" sounds very much like the first songs I ever heard from this band that got my attention. It's upbeat, it's catchy and pleasing to the senses. At the same time, it's played hard and fast and aggressive, albeit in an acoustic guitar/upright bass kind of way. "More of You" is a slower number, and I defy you to listen to it three or four times and not have it stuck in your head for the rest of the day. If the reason why this song didn't make the final cut for I and Love and You is because it wasn't good enough, then let's just say I can't wait to hear the rest of it.

I'm at the point where I just cannot wait to hear this LP. The Avett Brothers seem to be a band on the verge of a major breakthrough, and Rick Rubin was undoubtedly the right producer to put them in such a position. I'd be failing if I didn't mention that we're at a point where we desperately need it. With stale folk-influenced bands from the Pacific Northwest like Fruit Bats, Blitzen Trapper, and especially Band of Horses increasing in popularity, the average consumers of American indie-rock have turned into mindless sheep. Sheep that apparently favor music that has no heart, no soul, no brains, and sure as shit doesn't have any balls.

If this single is any indicator, the Avett Brothers are still making music with balls. And not a moment too soon. This may be a sorely needed heart transplant for the dying musical genre that is Americana. If nothing else, it'll at least increase the amount of testosterone in the room and prove that you don't have to be a flailing little pussy to play folk music.

Records

Last weekend turned out to be rather disappointing. It rained the whole time, and the usually fun (annual) East Atlanta Strut was extraordinarily lame because of it. I couldn't really think of anything else to do except drink. I did manage to stagger into Reactionary Records a couple of times to pick up some vinyl, though. Here is what I wound up procuring:

Peter Stubb

Selected Cuts, Vol. 1

Family Night Records

LP

Peter Stubb has been around for years, but he's a relatively new discovery for me. I saw him play a set at the Fringe Binge at the Star Bar earlier this summer, and it was incredible. I see a very lengthy post exlusively about Mr. Stubb in the future. For now, suffice it to say that he possesses the savant-like genius of Wesley Willis, but with actual songs, and musical ability. He also possesses a self-destructive streak reminiscent of G.G. Allin; but his is authentic, not bullshit theatrics. Again, he is a real songwriter who can sing pretty well and has pretty good guitar chops. Check some of his stuff out at http://www.myspace.com/peterstubb. Better yet, pop into Reactionary Records and pick this LP up for yourself.

The Maytals
Do the Reggae 1966-1970
Trojan Records

LP

This is a fantastic compilation of early Toots and the Maytals that I just couldn't resist picking up. It sounds great from start to finish. In this purchase, I also learned that "54-46 is My Number" is not the same song as "54-46 was my number". I now need to find a 7" or LP that has the latter on it, because I prefer that song. Goddammit.

New York Dolls

New York Dolls

Mercury Records

LP

Not much needs to be said about this one. This is one of the best and most influential albums of all time. I've never owned this on vinyl before, and I'm kind of ashamed to say that. This particular copy of it came sealed with red colored vinyl. Now I can satisfy my Johnny Thunders fetish in style.

D.R.I.

4 of a Kind

Metal Blade Records

LP

This is another one that I've never owned on vinyl before. I got a hold of this cassette in '88 or '89, and I wore out all the lettering on it. This was my introduction to D.R.I., a band that I still dig very much to this day. This will always be my favorite D.R.I. release because of it, in spite of the fact that Dealing with It and Crossover are undeniably better. This one really takes me back.

Madness

Work Rest & Play

Stiff Recordings

7" EP

This one takes me back even further. When I think of the band Madness, I think of two things. First, I think of a trip to England that I made with my family when I was about 9. At the time, "House of Fun" was a really big hit in the U.K. and I heard it shitloads of times during that trip. I remember loving that song to death and thinking how much better it was than what was getting played on the radio on my side of the pond. The other thing I think of when I think of Madness is the two appearances they made on BBC's The Young Ones, which is pretty high up on my list of favorite tv shows of all time. If I understand it correctly, the reason why they made two appearances on the show (which consisted of just 13 episodes over two series) is that the BBC was considering giving them their own sitcom. I suspect it would have been something like the Monkees, but a lot better. You'll notice in that last clip that Suggsy was a lousy lip-syncher. I wonder if that was the deal breaker. At any rate, 5 bucks for a 7" containing "Night Boat to Cairo" was too good to pass up.



That's all for now. I haven't had much to write about in the last week or so. I may or may not go to the Butthole Surfers show at Masquerade on Saturday (I really don't know why I'm not completely enthused about it, actually), and there are a couple of smaller club shows that might be worth checking out. New releases from The Avett Brothers and Kris Kristofferson drop next Tuesday, so that may be the next time you hear from me. See ya.

New Music Review

Vetiver
"Wishing Well" b/w "Pay No Mind"
7" Single
Sub Pop Records









Here's the thing about folky pop music: it's really safe and on its surface kind of hard to screw up. If you're playing in this genre and don't have something to differentiate yourself from the rest of the crowd, you're going to come off like a jerk. Dylan had, and still has for that matter, the lyrical ability of a poet laureate. But he bailed on folk pretty early. His debut album came out in '62, and by the end of '65 he was using blues and roots rock as the canvas for his words. Jay Farrar has a golden voice and can sing whatever he pleases and make it sound authentic. But, I get more excited about Son Volt's harder edged stuff, and when I see him play live I have to admit that I'd probably just prefer it if he did an entire set of Uncle Tupelo rockers. Gordon Lightfoot employed the haunting quality of a 12 string guitar as well as anyone ever has, and his compositions are really complex when stacked up against the rest of the genre. So what about the artists that can't write lyrics like Bob, or sing like Jay, or who have never even heard of the dorian mode?

Vetiver is a San Francisco based group on Sub Pop Records, fronted by singer-songwrite Andy Cabic. This effort was their release for record store day (okay, it's 4 months old, but I haven't heard it before, and you probably haven't either, so I would say it still qualifies as 'new'). The A-side, "Wishing Well", is a very decent song. It's not great, but it's above average. If this is representative of the rest of his work, I'd say Cabic's best asset is the ability to come up with some decent pop hooks. This is a very good thing, unless you want your finished product to sound like Dan Fogelberg. The composition is relatively simple, but by no means is it vanilla. This is also a very good thing, unless you want your finished product to sound like every other asshole out there playing folk music.

"Pay No Mind" is the b-side of this single. To be painfully honest, it's kind of a boring tune. But to find the silver lining of that cloud, even when this band sounds boring they're totally unoffensive. And somehow I think the possession of such a quality is an art form in and of itself. This type of stuff would make a fine soundtrack for cleaning the house or doing your taxes. That's totally fine; not everything is supposed to rock your face off.

Would I buy a full length CD or LP by this band? Probably not. Would I listen to it if someone burned me a copy? Absolutely. Would I go see them play a show in Atlanta if it costs 7 or 8 bucks. Most likely. As I stated early, it's above average. In short, Vetiver is an indie folk-pop band that makes music that sounds pretty good, although it won't blow your mind. Ah, fuck it. Let's just say that it's quite a bit better than Dan Fogelberg and be done with it.

New Music Review

Hank Williams
The Unreleased Recordings
LP
Time Life Records








This past Tuesday, a condensed version of last year's 3 CD anthology of Hank Williams' previously unreleased material was released on one LP, marking the first time that these recordings have been released on vinyl. This record serves as a compilation of the best stuff Hank and the Drifting Cowboys did while recording a weekly show that aired on the radio station WSM in Nashville. The show's sponsor was Mother's Best, a company that made flour, cornmeal and livestock feed. Instead of drawing from his own vast catalog for this show, Hank would cover the songs of other people, or he would take a traditional song and put his always unique twist on it. There are no Hank Williams compositions on this album; every song was written by someone else. But even after one listen, there is one thing that is obvious to anyone with at least one functional ear: When Hank Williams sang a song, it didn't matter whose song it was, it became a Hank Williams song.

I don't know all the details about this period in Hank's life and career, but he's clearly a legend on the decline. This program was aired throughout 1951; whenever Hank was home, he would head to the studio and record a few weeks worth of the show to be aired while he was out on the road. He died on New Years Day of 1953, so he was nearing the end. It would have been around this time that the Grand Ole Opry had given him the boot, and he was relegated to performing in the minor leagues: The Louisiana Hayride. His addiction to morphine and alcohol was worsening, and his marriage was falling apart. Listening to him talk to the show's host, Cousin Louie Buck, you can hear in his speaking voice that he sounded like a beaten down man. He sounds tired and old, even though he was only 27 or 28. But when he sings, it's the same magic as always. This long player includes two songs originally recorded by Roy Acuff: "The Prodigal Son" and "Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain", and a version of Scotty Wiseman's "Have I Told You Lately that I Love You". These are three songs that have been covered by numerous artists throughout the years. What is it that all three of these songs have in common? The absolute best version of all three of these songs that you'll ever hear are on this record.

The two best things on this record are both reworked traditional songs: "When the Saints Go Marching In" and "On Top of Old Smokey". Hank's version of 'Saints' is unlike any version of the song I've ever heard. After spending my whole life hearing it performed by every Dixieland jazz band to ever pick up some brass, it's easy to forget that this was originally a folky gospel song. Hank takes this song on with the passion of a fire-and-brimstone preacher, and it's hard to believe this is the same song made most famous by Louis Armstrong. "On Top of Old Smokey" is absolutely brilliant. I'm 34 years old. I have no recollection of this as a pop song. It was a million seller for a group called The Weavers in 1951. I, like most people, remember this song as one of the most popular targets for childish parody songs. When I first think of this song, I think of the parody "On Top of Spaghetti", which I probably found amusing between the ages of 4 and 6. In fact, forget the previous statement 'When I first think of this song', because I don't think about this song. I haven't thought about this song in nearly 30 years. Not until now anyways. I was able to find a clip of this very recording on Youtube. The sound quality isn't all that spectacular, but check this out anyways:



Amazing. I'm convinced that Hank could have probably done a cover of "Ice Ice Baby" and it would have made me want to cry after he was done with it. Sometimes I wonder how anyone was ever this great of a singer. He's truly one of the few that no matter what he sings, you believe it. The pain and sincerity in his voice is something that just cannot be faked. That's Hank Williams. The man was a god.

I strongly recommend this LP. This is some truly unique stuff from a legend that you've probably never heard. I think this one's going to be in the regular rotation for a while around here. Now I'm gonna run. God told me I needed to buy some Mother's Best cornmeal, and I don't want to go against his wishes.

Thank you Twin\Tone!

As a general rule, Monday is the suckiest day of the week. Everybody knows that. I didn't get as drunk yesterday as I usually do on Sundays, so this wasn't a bad day. It was just kind of blah. But then I got home and saw a USPS media mail package on my doorstep. Today turned out to be the day I received the twelve-inches I ordered directly from Twin\Tone: The Replacements Stink EP and the "I Will Dare" single.

I made a great discovery a little over a week ago. Twin\Tone Records sells all of its backstock vinyl via its website. I really wish that I had investigated this sooner, but there is still a pretty impressive amount of stuff worth owning. Each record, whether it be an LP, EP, or 12" single, costs $15 sealed, with a shipping cost of $5 per order. That's a damn good deal, in my opinion, as most of the stuff they have available is either a) damn near impossible to find, or b) going to cost you a lot more than fifteen bucks at a record show or on Ebay. I've already spent way too much money on records this month, so after making this discovery, I limited myself to the two Replacements titles they had remaining in stock.

Judging by the layout of its site, it appears that Twin\Tone got in on the online game fairly early. There's also a history section, written by Pete Jesperson dated 6/98. If they've been selling stuff online since then, I wish I could have found out about this sooner and potentially scored original pressings of the entire 'Mats catalog, The Suicide Commandos live record and the record that Jonathan Richman put out for the label. Well, no luck there, but there is still plenty of stuff for sale that I would call a downright bargain at $15. For my next helping, I think I will get some Curtiss A (influential MPLS figure that isn't too well known outside of town), something by the Suburbs, and one or two of the Soul Asylum records they have for sale, since they were still great when they were on Twin\Tone, and didn't start sucking until they got on a major label.

On to the haul for today:

The Replacements
Stink (EP)

Stink is a very interesting recording. It came at the tail end of the 'Mats early years, when they were suffering an identity crisis. They were sort of a hardcore band, but not really a hardcore band. Paul was starting to show flashes of brilliance as a songwriter, but he hadn't come into his own yet. By their own admission, they didn't know what they were supposed to be, but they didn't want to play punk anymore, because they weren't the hardest, the loudest, or the fastest. The LP Hootenany would be their next release; and while it's kind of uneven, it's a transitional record that paved the way for Let it Be, Tim and Pleased to Meet Me. Those three records are what I consider to be the Replacements "golden age", but some people swear Sorry Ma and Stink. And I wouldn't call those people wrong, it's really a matter of what you prefer.

All preferences aside, I still love the early 'Mats stuff. I just don't love it as much as the mid-to-late 80's stuff. Stink is a great EP and it's a hell of a lot of fun. There are eight total tracks on this EP, and it comes in at just over fifteen minutes. With song titles such as "Fuck School", "White and Lazy", "Goddamn Job" and "Dope Smokin' Moron", it obviously wasn't meant to be taken too seriously. It's just a great band banging out some solid tunes. Here is a high-quality video of the boys performing the centerpiece of this release, "Kids Don't Follow" live in 1981.



This is not an original pressing, but still a solid value at 15 bucks. It's also worth buying the Rhino CD re-issue of this one, as it includes one of Paul's first great ballads: the amazing "You're Getting Married".


The Replacements
"I Will Dare" (12 inch single)

Everybody has a favorite song. Well, maybe not everybody has a favorite song, but everybody should. I have one, and it's called "I Will Dare" by The Replacements. I think this is the pinnacle of pop/rock music. The lyrics are heartfelt and clever, the hooks are all over the place, and the sound is deep, with Paul playing a 12 string and a mandolin, and a nice little guitar solo by 'Mats enthusiast Peter Buck.

Side two of this twelve-inch single doesn't disappoint either. Included is a cover of T. Rex's "20th Century Boy". Unsurprisingly, Paul totally butchered the lyrics on it, and unsurprisingly, it totally worked. Also included is a live cover of Hank Williams "Hey Good Lookin", with a Bob Stinson solo in the wrong key. Somehow that works just fine, too. Nobody made chaos sound as good as these guys did in their heyday.

If you own a turntable, and don't have this record, you really need to buy it. If you don't have a turntable, go buy one, and then buy this record. I actually already owned it. I paid about 25 bucks for a used copy (notched like it may have been in a cut-out bin) of it on Ebay about a year ago, so fifteen for a sealed copy to do with as I please was the obvious play. Add this one to your collection, and you won't be disappointed.

That's all I got for now. I promise no more Replacements posts for at least a month. Later this week, I'm going to buy some new music or see some live stuff and then I'll let you know what I think of it.

Sunday Shoppin'

So I wound up going to the Earl yesterday afternoon for a record show, and I wound up walking away with a pretty impressive haul. I went in with low expectations; I really just wanted to flip through some crates while I killed a few beers on a Sunday afternoon, but I found tons of stuff that I wanted, and a few things I absolutely needed. Here is what I ended up buying:


The Beat
Self-titled

This is a power-pop masterpiece, for sure, and the record I was happiest about coming away with. Most of the songs on this record (as well as a few songs from the Nerves era) are still the centerpiece of Paul Collins' brilliant live show. "Rock N Roll Girl", "I Don't Fit In" and "Don't Wait up for Me" are way better than anything the Knack ever even thought about writing, so I consider it a crime that this band toiled away in obscurity the way they did.






Tom Waits
Rain Dogs

Didn't have it. Needed to have it. Bought it. And it was only 4 bucks and doesn't skip.









Jeff Beck
Truth

I've acquired pretty much every song on this album through various mp3 downloads over the years, but I've never listened to it in its entirety, in order until now. It's too bad that when the American male starts discovering all the early hard rock/heavy metal that this one doesn't seem to be one of those records included in the mix. It's usually the first four Zeppelin albums, Black Sabbath Paranoid, and some combination of Cream and Hendrix. Truth really belongs in that group. Rod Stewart creates the template for the hard rock singer on this record and Beck's work is otherworldly. Just hearing what Jeff does with a wah pedal on Willie Dixon's "Ain't Superstitious" makes it worth owning. In the grand scheme of things, it's not as important as Cream, but it's not all that far behind. And to me it sounds a lot more like what the MC5 was trying to sound like than anything else I've heard.


Husker Du
Zen Arcade

This one was another no brainer. I've had it on CD and MP3 for quite some time, but I never really was on the hunt for it on LP. I found a copy of it in good shape for a decent price and I decided that it makes little sense to own Double Nickels on the Dime on vinyl and not own Zen Arcade, so I pulled the trigger on it. I'm not going to regret this one.








Pete Townshend
Empty Glass

This a very solid record, and it's certainly the best thing any member of The Who did as a solo project. There's some not-so-stellar filler material on here, but it includes "Rough Boys", "Let My Love Open the Door" and "Jools and Jim", so it's definitey worth owning.







Sly and the Family Stone
Stand!

This was another no-brainer. I couldn't think of one good reason not to pick this one up. This is one of the best funk records ever, and even though I already own it on CD and probably have the cassette somewhere, this one needs to be in my vinyl collection. And now it is.









Prince
Self-titled

This one isn't necessarily a must-own, but there are a few really good tracks on it, and it was only four bucks. I would probably pay four dollars the 7" of "I Wanna Be Your Lover" alone, so why not just buy the LP? Plus it comes with the blurry, homoerotic back cover art of a probably nude Prince riding a winged horse at no extra charge!







Charlie Rich
Behind Closed Doors

I'm really only familiar with the titular track on this one, but I really love that song, so this also needs to be in my collection. I'm looking forward to listening to this from start to finish, but I don't have Hank-like expectations for it. I'm sure it will turn out to be worth at least the two dollars I shelled out for it.










G.G. Allin and the Southern Baptists
Look into my Eyes and Hate Me b/w
Hotel Clermont (7")

I bought this one for the cover art alone. The back cover features a great picture of the signage for the infamous Clermont Hotel, where Mr. Allin was hanging his presumably smelly hat while this was being recorded. I actually expect this is going to sound like shit, as only the very early recordings of his even closely resemble music and this was near the end of the line for ol' G.G. This is just another one of those things I couldn't pass up.






All in all, it was a pretty good haul for a Sunday afternoon. And if I had wound up going to the quarterly Atlanta Record Show, which was also going on yesterday, I'm sure I would have spent at least three times as much money. That was the rationale that I used for getting piss drunk at the bar after I finished my record purchases. This morning was a little rough.

See ya.