Category Archives: Blues
DAVID AXELROD-SONGS OF INNOCENCE.
David Axelrod-Songs Of Innocence. Label: Now Again Records. By the time David Axelrod began work on his debut album Songs Of Innocence in 1968, the thirty-seven year arranger, composer, drummer and producer old had enjoyed a chequered career. He had started off as a boxer, before changing direction and finding work in film and …
NEW BREED R&B (VINYL)
New Breed R&B (Vinyl). Label: Kent Dance. The phrase New Breed R&B was coined way back in 2001, when Adrian Croasdell was compiling a new compilation for Kent Dance. This was New Breed R&B: Soulful 60’s Blues For Today’s Dancers, which featured a selection of songs from the original Kent and Modern labels. It was …
VAN MORRISON-THE ALTERNATIVE MOONDANCE-RECORD STORE DAY 2018 RELEASE.
Van Morrison-The Alternative Moondance-Record Store Day 2018 Release. Label: Warner Bros Records. Many critics and record buyers believe that it’s sacrilege to change a classic album in any way, and held their hands up in horror when it was announced that Giles Martin was remixing Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band. Steven Wilson must have …
TOM WAITS-HEARTATTACK AND VINE.
Tom Waits-Heartattack and Vine. Label: Anti. In June 1980, thirty year old Tom Waits began work on his sixth studio album, Heartattack and Vine, which was the last album he released on David Geffen’s Asylum Records. The Asylum Records’ years had been frustrating for Tom Waits, who had released his debut album Closing Time in …
SEUN KUTI AND EGYPT 80-BLACK TIMES.
Seun Kuti and Egypt 80-Egypt Times. Label: Strut Records. Nowadays, one of the most overused word in the English language is legend, which is bandied about all too freely, with faux punks, third-rate Britpop bands and Beatles impersonators being labelled legends by fawning music journalists who hang on their every word. These bands aren’t worthy …
TOM WAITS-THE HEART OF SATURDAY NIGHT.
Tom Waits-The Heart Of Saturday Night. Label: Anti. As 1973 drew to a close, Tom Waits had just turned twenty-four and was taking stock of what had been the most important year of his career so far. He had released his debut album Closing Time in March 1973, and then embarked upon a three-month tour …
KIRAN AHLUWALIA-7 BILLION.
Kiran Ahluwalia 7 Billion. Label: Six Degrees Records. Release Date: ‘5th’ May 2018. Nowadays, cultural diversity is a feature of many modern countries, with people from all over the world travelling to Britain, Europe and North America to begin a new life and forge a better future for their family. In many cities and towns, those …
STEVE YOUNG-TO SATISFY YOU.
Steve Young-To Satisfy You. Label: Ace Records. During his life and a musical career that lasted five decades, singer, songwriter and guitarist Steve Young always lived life on his own terms. Sadly, Steve Young like Gram Parsons, who played on his 1969 debut album Rock Salt and Nails, didn’t enjoy the recognition and critical acclaim …
JETHRO TULL-HEAVY HORSES (NEW SHOES EDITION).
Jethro Tull-Heavy Horses-(New Shoes Edition). Label: PLG UK Catalog. As April 1978 dawned, Jethro Tull was still one of the most successful British bands of their generation, and were about to release their eleventh album Heavy Horses, which was the second album in a trilogy of folk rock albums. Jethro Tull hoped that Heavy Horses, …
JIMI HENDRIX-BOTH SIDES OF THE SKY.
Jimi Hendrix-Both Sides Of The Sky. Label: Sony Music. From the moment that Jimi Hendrix saw T-Bone Walker playing his guitar with his teeth he took it as a challenge, and was determined that one day, he would be able to replicate what he had just witnessed the veteran bluesman do. In years to come, …
TOM WAITS -CLOSING TIME.
Tom Waits-Closing Time. Label: Anti. It was in the summer of 1971, when Herb Cohen first saw and heard Tom Waits at the Troubadour in Los Angeles, which was one of the city’s top clubs in the city’s music scene and where many an up-and-coming singers and bands had started out before going on to …
LED ZEPPELIN-HOW THE WEST WAS WON.
Led Zeppelin-How The West Was Won. Label: Atlantic. By the time Led Zeppelin embarked upon their 1972 North American Tour, it was official, they were the biggest and some said the baddest rock ’n’ roll band in the world. Their first four albums were well on their way to selling forty-nine million albums, and Led …
Z.Z. HILL-THAT’S IT! THE COMPLETE KENT RECORDINGS 1964-1968.
Z.Z, Hill-That’s It! The Complete Kent Recordings 1964-1968. Label: Kent Soul. Sadly, the Z.Z. Hill story is a familiar one, with Texan born soul and blues man never really enjoying the commercial success his considerable talent deserved. Z.Z. Hill moved to Los Angeles in 1963, and in 1964 had a minor hit with You Were Wrong, …
BÄTTRE LYSS-TILL DEN STRANG SOM BRAST AN ATT ALDRIG SPANNA EN BAGE.
Bättre Lyss-Till Den Sträng Som Brast Än Att Aldrig Spänna En Båge. Label: Sommor. Release Date: ‘16th’ March 2018. When the Swedish band Bättre Lyss released their debut album Till Den Sträng Som Brast Än Att Aldrig Spänna En Båge as a private pressing on the Musiklaget label in 1975, they had no idea that …
THE SEEDS-A WEB OF SOUND.
The Seeds-A Web Of Sound. Label: Ace Records. When The Seeds were formed in Los Angeles in early 1965 by Sky Saxon, Daryl Hooper, Jan Savage, Jeremy Levine and Rick Andridge nobody had any idea just how influential the nascent garage band would be. Over the next four years, The Seeds released five albums, enjoyed …
CATFISH-GET DOWN AND LIVE CATFISH.
Catfish-Get Down and Live Catfish. Label: BGO Records. The story of Detroit-based blues rockers Catfish is a case of what might have been. This talented five piece band was formed in the late-sixties, and over the next few years opened for Black Sabbath, Bob Seger, Black Sabbath and Ted Nugent, and played at the prestigious …
AKSAK MABOUL-UN PEU L’AME DES BANDITS-VINYL REISSUE.
Aksak Maboul-Un Peu de L’âme Des Bandits-Vinyl Reissue. Label: Crammed Discs. Nearly three years after releasing their seminal avant pop album, Onze Danses Pour Combattre la Migraine in the summer of 1977, Aksak Maboul returned with their much-anticipated 1980 sophomore album Un Peu de L’âme Des Bandits. It was the first album Aksak Maboul released …
THE BEST REISSUES OF 2017-PART 5.
The Best Reissues Of 2017-Part 5. Melissa Manchester-Home To Myself, Bright Eyes, Melissa and Help Is On The Way. Label: BGO Records. Success didn’t come overnight for Melissa Manchester. She released her debut album Home To Myself in 1973, which was well received by critics, but reached just 156 in the US Billboard 200. In …
THE BEST REISSUES OF 2017-PART 7.
The Best Reissues Of 2017-Part 7. Stoneground-Stoneground and Stoneground 3. Label: BGO Records. When Stoneground released their eponymous debut in early 1970, critics were won over by a fusion of blues, folk, pop, psychedelia, rock and soul. Seamlessly, Stoneground switch between and fuse musical genres and influences. To do this they deployed seven separate vocalists …
dereksmusicblog