Tag Archives: vinyl

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Direct from Canada

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Decide_NowReleased in January of ’73, this, featured copy of Artificial Paradise, The Guess Who’s 10th studio album, is, unfortunately, missing the cool, direct-mail-mimicking paper sleeve. I only just found out about this jacket’s existence by researching the album for this very post. Apparently, this tongue-in-cheek approach didn’t help sales for the Canadian pop-rock band, and this album, complete with exterior sleeve, was a frequent find throughout brick and mortars will into the 1980s (remember, it was released in 1973).

As for the music, if you ask me, one can’t go wrong with any The Guess Who, but that’s just, like, my humble opinion, man.

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Ocean Rain

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Ocean_RainIt’s pouring here in The City of Angeles, and this comes as both a welcoming escape from the lingering summer, and a cloud-covered agricultural blessing (we needed the rain).

I’ll admit, that my knowledge of Liverpool’s Echo & the Bunnymen is that of an infant… an infant that has yet learned the art of speech. Although I picked today’s album in an attempt to reflect the current storm, listening to it now, Ocean Rain is a collection of pretty spot-on lullabies for under-umbrella adventures and puddle-jumping lollygagging, and pretty standard pop-fare for 1984.
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Strange

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JoelBill Joel has always been an elusive manifestation to my eclectic-sponge-like ears. That being said, let’s celebrate 1977 and Mr. William Martin Joel’s 5th solo effort, The Stranger.

It’s become overly apparent that Only the Good Die Young, the 2nd track on the 2nd side, garners some east coast Catholic schoolgirl sentimentality. Let’s not overlook the obvious here (the lyrics… I’ll leave that observation, and optional endeavor up to you). I leave this as elusive as I can, as to allow myself the opportunity to touch upon such a subject at yet, an undisclosed time. Do the good die young? If you ask Catholic schoolgirls, the answer is a resounded “YE-AH!”

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Groovy Feelin’

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FeelinOriginally released on 1966’s Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme by the great Paul & Art, Harpers Bizarre, Santa Cruz, CA’s own pop-rock (and Mt. Dew) favorites, staked their claim in the soil of hip-tified-radio-extravaganza with their cover of 59th Street Bridge Song (Feelin’ Groovy) from their debut album, 1967’s Feelin’ Groovy. Feelin’ Groovy? No, seriously… feelin’ pretty damn far-out? Hip your lobes to some Harp Biz, my friend.

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The Moog Strikes Bach

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TMSBBack in 1969, Hans Wurman released The Moog Strikes Bach… for RCA Red Seal Records, which is a bit of a strange title considering that ½ of the electronic interpretations derive from the master works of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. What the hell… it’s Dr. Robert Moog’s toy, and it’s a gift to all ear-kind, or some type shit. IT’S CLASSICAL MUSIC REINTERPRETED IN 1960’S ELECTRO, PEOPLE! Get on board!

Sincerely,

(starting to get sick and my head is as congested as a Verizon Wireless store in Westwood, CA) Mr. PG

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In Search of the Red Headed Stranger

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Screen Shot 2014-12-07 at 11.06.19 PMI’m not sure why the local brick & mortars in and around the Los Angeles area haven’t stocked the 1975 Willie Nelson classic, Red Headed Stranger (you know, the one with Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain on it). There are currently 1080 owners of this album on Discogs, and there are 19 copies on sale starting at $0.99, yet I’ve still never seen one among my multiple hunts throughout the last 12 hunting months. “Just order it on Discogs, then, and stop wasting my time!” I just can’t justify paying more for shipping than the item being shipped, Mr. and / or Mrs. Mud Stick.

The search continues, for the elusive, Red Headed Stranger.

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Skeew Lartsa

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Skeew LartsaFamous covers are not unlike priceless pieces of contemporary art (be that yesterday’s contemporary, or today’s). Very seldom, however, does an album’s backside (album ass?) get its proper notoriety. Subtle yet compelling posterior album art often goes unnoticed, as is the case with the poem featured on the back of Van Morrison’s 1968 classic Astral Weeks. Displayed here is a composition by the man, with no title, and no indication of its inspiration. I dig its almost throwaway inclusion on Astral Weeks, taking up such invaluable real estate, and it has inspired me to look much more closely to the array of hidden treasures just an album flip away.

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Blues Mood

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MoodyI’ve been saving this guy, and because of its nostalgic significance, or the glazed remembrance thereof, I’ll leave the heartfelt discharging for another, more thought-out hour. Today’s intentions are only to mention that my personal connection with the Moody Blues don’t reside within the rhythmic walls of Days of Future Passed and In Search of the Lost Chord, but instead, throughout 1986’s The Other Side of Life.

When in first grade, my father would drive me to school, and in 1986, he had this album on cassette. Day after staggering day, I was exposed to Your Wildest Dreams… so much so that its contagious melody never really left my mental jukebox.

I was lucky to find this album on vinyl while attending University school in Milwaukee some several years ago, but it’ll never replace the reeling spins of the original… my father’s cassette copy of The Other Side of Life.

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Survive Sick

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INCBridging the gap between the end of Refused and well, the return of Refused, lead singer Dennis Lyxzén of both the (International) Noise Conspiracy (featured here) and well (again), Refused, busied himself pushing melodic, left-wing, anti-capitalist rants over a bed of garage-rock, and this, Survival Sickness, (really, ANOTHER comma… yup), was their best installment.

Released in 2000, The (I)NC rivaled then hip-cats, The Hives, in the dingy streets of quality indy rock. Take what little money is in my wallet, and place it squarely on the (International) Noise Conspiracy winning over the half-witted (yet commercially prevalent) Hives. Do it. Now… and listen to the rhythms of truest propaganda.

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Kiss Your Ass Goodbye!

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MeaniesThe Blue Meanies headlined a show in Madison, Wisconsin back in 1996-97. The New Loft maybe? The Something Union? The venue escapes me, but the experience never would.

Telegraph was the opening act… a few bright-eyed months after they’d manifested themselves from their previous moniker, The Skolars. Same band, new name. I’m going to say it was a Friday night. Cold. Wisconsin winter cold. There was a line. And a $5 cover.

It may have been the bullhorn glued between the microphone and lead singer Billy Spunke’s face, but the invitation from a now deceased friend to attend this particular show seems to strike a chord much louder now, than it did then… and at the time, I could hardly hear myself breathe.

The Blue Meanies, the ska-revivalist-post-hardcore bastions of late nineties yesteryear are no more, but the flame that fuels their legend will forever shine, if only within the pages of nostalgia. I miss my friend, and if he were here today, I’d thank him for introducing me to this astonishing band.

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Source Tags & Codes

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ToDTrail of Dead (aka …And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead) scored an instant classic with their first full-length for Interscope Records (and third overall), 2002’s Source Tags & Codes. Their first of three for the label, Source Tags & Codes is widely considered the band’s most accomplished, and critically honored effort, and is number 1 in my “next to spin” pile (followed by The Million Dollar Quartet and Kiss Your Ass Goodbye! by Blue Meanies). Although I’m partial to So Divided, the band’s fifth album, Source Tags shows what an already talented band can do, given respect, and major label luxuries. Give it whirl.

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The Air is Getting Clear and the Time is Getting Near for Us to Roll

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MadPop punk enthusiasts, and Solvang locals, Mad Caddies, overshadow their freshman effort (1997’s Quality Soft Core… many the adolescent soundtrack to my, quote, unquote, Wonder Years) with this, their 1998 follow-up, Duck and Cover.

Elegance and rage harmoniously combine within a cloud of aggravated rhyme. She’s a hell-of-a listen, and a necessity for anyone with a cross to bear.

Many thanks, Mad Caddies.

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Pinch Another One Off

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DookieLately, I’ve been starting to acquire “youthful albums” I’d previously owned on compact disc. The Offspring’s Smash, Blue Meanies’ Kiss Your Ass Goodbye!, and now, Green Day’s Dookie. Limited to 1000 on transparent green vinyl, and offered as a Hot Topic exclusive, I’d been hunting down this green vinyl copy for more than a few years. I haven’t given it a proper spin, yet, having just received it in the mail today, but I’m happy to welcome the ol’ guy into the “wall of fame.” One by one, I’ll eventually own my original CD collection on vinyl. Next up, I’m thinking, may be Cypress Hill’s Black Sunday.

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Sincerely Yours

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GouletMr. Robert Goulet (pronounced gool-ay, and not, goal-ayt), wants you to have a fan-fuggin-tastic day after Thanksgiving… I mean, look at him! All seductive, and turkey-like, sitting on an elevated apparatus atop a floor of Reynolds wrap. We here at the Prudent Groove (along with the fanbase of Robert Goulet, and the Joan Wilder Book Club Members of Cartagena) wish you a happy, healthy weekend.

Sincerely yours…

PG

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Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and BRINE

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PSRT(Thanks to the SO for the title… 😉 ) Happy-ily (for those of you who are Vacant Lot fans) Thanksgiving!! The lady had to work today, so tomorrow we’ll be celebrating the Day of Thanks. Currently listening to Johnny Cash’s Greatest hits Volume 1, and yes, “house wives and little girls” aside, (Bruce McCulloch), I hope ever-body done had them-selves a damn-good day! (23.95 lbs this year, btw…) Label

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A Reason to Believe in the Songs of Tim Hardin

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ReasonIf there ever was a reason to believe, it would be based in the intellectual knowledge and overall creative fortitude of the exalted Tim Hardin. A Record Store Day exclusive back in 2013, and limited to 1000 copies, Reason to Believe – The Songs of Tim Hardin is a collection of elegant covers boasting a sad, yet respectful tribute to the self-proclaimed black sheep boy.

I’ll admit that I was a little underwhelmed on first spin, having been wet from the clouded storm of Tim Hardin songs performed by Tim Hardin, but once expectation fell asleep, these sumptuous covers stand their ground, and act as a reverent accompaniment to the vast Hardin library. It’s a pleasurable listen, and worthy of a proper, clear-headed spin.