Don’t Drop the Baby

BabyDropIt’s certainly not often that one’s favorite band, once considered obsolete (mainly due to the final, RIP concert one attended some 10 years back), releases a new track, then limits said song to a 440 7″ pressing only available at a recent Denver, CO show. As a Los Angeleon, I was excited to hear said news, but very worrisome of the avenue with which to obtain it. Thank you Discogs and your reasonably priced sellers. More Rocket, yeah, that’ll do.Etch

NW8

NW8In 1971, some long, 45 years ago, B.B. King kicked off his UK tour with the release of B.B. King in London. Featuring Steve Winwood and Ringo Starr (among several other all-stars), BBKiL (as nobody calls it) sits alone in the busied library as the only B.B. King album in the collection. Heartbreaking, I know, and definitely something to be rectified.

A River of Green

GreenRiverCreedence came on at work yesterday and I was taken back to my grade school years when all I listened to, for what seemed like years, was Bad Moon Rising. I overdid it a bit on that track, and have since bypassed that track all together. Green River, Creedence’s third record, and album vehicle with which Bad Moon Rising came, is a non-stop roots rock trophy of classic Creedence. One of those albums that could easily be a greatest hits, Green River includes Cross-Tie Walker, Lodi, Wrote a Song for Everyone, Commotion, and Tombstone Shadow, among, obviously, Bad Moon Rising and the title track. Creedence is like the Kinks in that, once you start down the rabbit hole, it’s several months until you’re allowed to escape. Not a bad problem to encounter, to be honest.

Life in the Fat Lane

FatLaneLife in the Fat Lane, Fat Music Vol. 4 was my first introduction to The Ataris, and their late 90s summer classic, San Dimas High School Football Rules. They must have fallen into obscurity after that, as that was my only exposure to this crazy pop punk band. A quick Discogs check indicates that The Ataris, in fact, did NOT fall into obscurity as they put out a new, self-released album just last year. LitFL also houses Lagwagon’s May 16, Me First & the Gimme Gimmes’ My Favorite Things, and Tilt’s Old School Pig, all of which were late 90s personal classics. Anyway, enjoy your hump day, kids!

Sun LP 1270

BlueThe 14th studio album by J.R. Cash was released in November of 1962, and was titled All Aboard the Blue Train, for those of you inquiring. Featuring several heavy hitters (Wreck of Old 97, Folsom Prison Blues, Rock Island Line), All Aboard the Blue Train is a collection of previously released Sun Records tracks (save for Blue Train), and was a cash in by Sun after Cash moved to Columbia. It’s a damn good album, as is anything by Cash, and comes highly recommended.

RIP Liquid Kitty

RIP_LKWith Liquid Kitty closing its doors decades before its due time (by far LA’s finest cocktail lounge), they will be hosting one last Punk Rock BBQ extravaganza. One final, drunken sendoff, which is scheduled for Sunday, August 7th. As the flyer reads, there will be six bands, cheap booze, and free hot dogs. RIP, Punk Rock BBQ, and RIP Los Angeles’ most colorful lounge.

The Turning Point

TurningPointMy first John Mayall album, The Turning Point was, for me, indeed just that. Recorded live on July 12th, 1969, The Turning Point featured Eddie Kramer at the recording engineer helm (of Led Zeppelin and Jimi Hendrix fame), with Mr. Mayall acting as producer, album art director, and a stellar offering on keyboards, tambourine, slide guitar, harmonica, and vocals. The multi-hat-wearing Mayall kills the harmonica blues sound for what feels like a room of 10,000 eager fans, and should be deemed necessary listening material for any fan of modern blues rock. The Turning Point may not be the best place to start, given Mayall’s extensive library, but it sure is a damn entertaining ride.

Band

BandThe Budos Band debut is something of dark jazz magic. Neatly cut, proportional cubes of underground R&B nestled tightly against salt roasted soul, lovingly pierced onto a rotating skewer, marinating over a raging, violent flame of furious funk. Yeah, that about sums it up. Arguably my new favorite band, and one receiving HEAVY spins as of late. Start with TBB (their first), and bloody knuckle your way up their discography ladder. You’re welcome.

Best of the West

SpinYourVoteAfter 15+ minutes of careful consideration, I finally voted Record Surplus as the “Best Record Store” for Westside Los Angeles. Shameless self promoting hipped me to the link w/ survey while purchasing Mr. Belafonte’s debut album (for $1, remember), but none-the-less! She’s a good shop. The listening stations are a huge plus. The selection often feels picked over, but it’s always worth the time to stop and peruse. 31 years is certainly worth taking note of, and if you find yourself on LA’s Westside, do yourself a favor and pop in. PLEASE tell them they need more Tim Hardin, Rocket from the Crypt, and The Kinks. Best Record Store on the Westside? You got my vote!

$0.92… Folk That!

BelaI was a little apprehensive upon finding Harry Belafonte’s first album in the $1 bin at my local brick & mortar today. I mean, she’s been widely distributed, enjoyed, and redistributed over the past 62 years (1954 -2016), and as a result, she’s a bit beat-the-shit-up. SEVERAL skips marinate the vocal forthcomings of this majestic record, but I still don’t question the trade of my GW. Not only because it’s Mr. Belafonte’s first, but because it’s that damn good.

Coast to Coast

LoveShamefully, this is the first G. Love album I’ve ever owned on vinyl, and it arrived just two days ago. Having had his first three albums back in high school and early tech school, I found it necessary to track down these once owned compact discs in vinyl form. Coast to Coast Motel shines the light on a much more blues focused GL&SS, which, if you ask me, makes it their best, although not my favorite output. They’re all but dead to me now, but these first three albums are, without question, impactful strokes of genius.

Seductive Sophomore

MaskitBauhaus’ sophomore effort isn’t as head-splitting as their monstrous debut, which would be an impossible feat in and of itself, but 1981’s Mask is certainly deserving of the same analytical repeated listening treatment as 1980’s In the Flat Field. I can only speak for these two albums as, within them, exists the limits of my exploration, but I will say, albeit obviously, that I’ve not heard a Bauhaus track that I didn’t absolutely adore. Dig it.

The Back of the Hand

handbackI hesitated, wrongfully, at obtaining both extremely limited copies of the Mike Watt & the Secondmen / Bernays Propaganda split 7′. Asian Man Records went all out with this 2-track release, offering only 150 pressings on black cherry, and 150 on raspberry vinyl. Spun them both the other night, and am very happy to have obtained both variants. It’s solid, angry, in-your-face Watt, and it’s essential listening material.