In the Beginning

A familiar sight to many of you who own, what I’ll argue to be, one of the top 10 recorded pop albums of all time. Van Morrison’s 1968 Astral Weeks is a timeless, immortal collection of eight tracks broken into two parts: In the Beginning (side A) and Afterwards (Side B). Though Astral Weeks is technically Mr. Morrison’s second studio record, it is, without question, his first, and best album.

Release Date Taboo

It never really dawned on me how damn similar these two album covers were. On the left, Arthur Lyman’s, Taboo, and on the right, The Legend of Pele. Now, what’s interesting, is that the internet can’t get its release dates straight. Some reputable sources are saying Taboo is Lyman’s debut album, released in 1958, while Pele was a 1959 release (with a few additional albums separating the year gap). Other sources are saying Pele was also released in 1958, and that Leis of Jazz (originally thought to have been released in 1959) is actually Lyman’s debut album, being released in 1957. Unfortunately, there is no clear source for this valuable information… give me some time.

Exotica No More

The last in the Exotica series, Vol. III, released in 1959 on Liberty Records, closes out a decade of fantastic space age pop excitement. Sure, Mr. Denny would go on to release other “Exotica” flavored releases with Exotica Today (1966), Exotica Classica (1967), and Exotica ’90 (1990), but Vol. III closed the book on this must-have, three LP series.

4

Minneapolis’ Dillinger Four recorded and released their debut masterpiece back in 1998. Titled Midwestern Songs of the Americas, this 13-track attack received a limited rerelease on, notice the quotes, “Doublewhiskeycokenoice” colored vinyl. Limited to only 300 copies, this subtle touch makes an already feverish listen all the more enjoyable, if you’re into that sort of thing. Great mood music for any mood, so long as that mood is on the spectrum of anger.

Da Ya Think I’m Sexy?

Though a band using the Revolting Cocks handle released albums after a 13 year “Revolting Cocks” hiatus, 1993 and the album, Linger Ficken’ Good… and Other Barnyard Oddities marked the last era that the core group would record together under that name. Reasons why may stem from the Al Jourgensen documentary Fix (I’ll leave you to discover that one), but nevertheless, a strong and fruitful run (1986 – 1993) had inevitably come to a screeching halt. The last single from LFG…aOBO was released in 1994, but was comprised of alt versions of previously released tracks. This, the first single from the album, features the Cocks’ take on the Rod Stewart hit, Da Ya Think I’m Sexy?, and is clearly the better of the two versions.

Album Ass: Enoch Light and His Orchestra’s Far Away Places Volume 2

Nothing too exciting here except for the backside of Enoch Light and His Orchestra’s Far Away Places Volume 2. The layout is a bit wonky, what, with 90 degree angles being thrown out the window, but Command Records did a pretty decent job of offering a ton of info while not seeming any bit overwhelming. That Stereo 35mm logo, though…