Category Archives: Pop
NICOLETTE LARSON-ALL DRESSED UP AND NO PLACE TO GO.
Nicolette Larson-All Dressed Up and No Place To Go. Label: BGO Records. Nowadays, far too many people are scared to follow their dream and instead, settle for second best and the drudgery of working 9-5. Sadly, it’s only much later, when it’s too late, that they realise what they gave up and what might have …
STYX-CAUGHT IN THE ACT LIVE.
Styx-Caught In The Act Live. Label: BGO Records. By April 1984, the members of Styx should’ve been preparing for the release of the twelfth album of the band’s career Caught In The Act Live, which was recently reissued as a two CD set by BGO Records. However, by then, Styx had split-up citing musical differences which had divided the …
CHARLIE RICH-TOO MANY TEARDROPS: THE COMPLETE GROOVE AND RCA RECORDINGS.
Charlie Rich-Too Many Teardrops: The Complete Groove and RCA Recordings. Label: Ace Records. By 1963, thirty-one year old singer, songwriter and pianist Charlie Rich found himself looking back at his career as he was about to sign for Groove, a subsidiary of RCA. Charlie Rich’s career began five years earlier when the former college football …
RUMBITA BUENA: RUMBA FUNK AND FLAMENCO POP FROM THE 1970s BELTER AND DISCOPHON ARCHIVES.
Rumbita Buena: Rumba Funk and Flamenco Pop From The 1970s Belter and Discophon Archives. Label: Pharaway Sounds. As the sixties gave way to the seventies, many within the Spanish music industry realised that the next few years were hugely important for the future of Spanish music. What these songwriters, producer and musicians realised that music …
BEATCHILD AND THE SLAKADELIQS-HEAVY ROCKIN’ STEADY.
Beatchild and The Slakadeliqs-Heavy Rockin’ Steady. Label: BBE. While many of Byram Joseph’s classmates at junior school Sarnia, a small city in Southwestern Ontario, in Canada were interested in sport, the future Slakah The Beatchild was much more interested in music. He already had a small record collection which his parents had given him, and …
THE BEST VINYL RELEASES OF 2017 PART 1
The Best Vinyl Releases Of 2017-Part 1.. Bettye Swann-The Money Masters. Label: Kent Soul. Bettye Swann had the talent and potential to become one of the greatest soul singers of her generation. A remainder why can be found on The Money Masters which covers Bettye Swann’s time at Money Records, and includes singles, B-Sides and …
THE BEST VINYL RELEASES OF 2017 PART 2.
The Best New Vinyl Releases Of 2017 Part 2. Eric Clapton-Slowhand-Vinyl. Label: Polydor. When November 1977, Eric Clapton released his much-anticipated fifth album Slowhand, the reviews were mostly positive. Critics were won over by an album where Slowhand’s playing was much more subtle and understated on an album where he sometimes laid bare his soul. …
THE BEST VINYL RELEASES OF 2017 PART 3.
The Best Vinyl Releases of 2017 Part 3. Motörhead -What’s Worth Words. Label: Big Beat Records. When Motörhead released What’s Worth Words on the ‘5th’ of March 1983, critics called the album one of the greatest live albums ever release. That was no exaggeration. What’s Worth Words featured a barnstorming, speed fuelled performance from Motörhead …
THE BEST VINYL RELEASES OF 2017 PART 4.
The Best Vinyl Releases Of 2017 Part 4. The Monkees-Summer Of Love. Label: Rhino. Even today, The Monkees divides the opinion of many critics and record buyers. Partly that is because of the perception that The Monkees were a manufactured band that was the brainchild of television executives. Despite that, The Monkees went on to …
BEAT GIRLS ESPANOL! 1960S SHE-POP FROM SPAIN.
Beat Girls Español! 1960s She-Pop From Spain. Label: Ace International. In the early sixties, a new style of beat-oriented pop became popular not just in Britain and Europe, but as far afield as Japan. This new genre the French christened yé-yé, which was popular right through to the late-sixties, and transformed the career of many singers …
JON SAVAGE’S 1965: THE YEAR THE SIXTIES IGNITED.
Jon Savage’s 1965: The Year The Sixties Ignited. Label: Ace Records. When The Chipmunks released The Chipmunks Sing With Children on January the ‘1st’ 1965, it didn’t look as this was the start of a landmark year for popular music which would totally transform the popular culture forevermore. However, by the time The Beatles’ released …
DOLORES VARGAS-“LA TERREMOTO” ANANA FUNK HIP 1970-75.
Dolores Vargas-“La Terremoto” Anana Funk Hip 1970-75. Label: Pharaway Sounds. Ask anyone who saw Dolores Vargas at the peak of the powers in the early seventies and they almost go misty eyed as they describe a flamboyant performer who combined a unique and inimitable mixture of flamenco funk, gypsy funk and rumba pop with a …
HIROSHIMA-EAST AND PROVIDENCE
Hiroshima-East and Providence. Label: BGO Records. By 1989, Hiroshima was preparing to release their much-anticipated sixth album East, which was the followup to 1987s Go, which was the most successful album of the band’s ten year recording career. For Hiroshima, East and Providence which was recently reissued by BGO Records as a two CD set, …
BEST NEW ALBUMS OF 2017-PART 1.
Best New Albums Of 2017-Part 1. At this time of year, the lists of the best albums of the previous year are published. This year, I’ve delved deep into the all the releases from 2017 and picked my 100 Best New Albums Of 2017. 1982-Chromola. Label: Hubro Music. Norwegian power trio 1982 celebrated their tenth anniversary with the release …
BEST NEW ALBUMS OF 2017-PART 7.
Best New Albums Of 2017 Part 7. Linda Perhacs-I’m A Harmony. Label: Omnivore Recordings. Three years after releasing her long-awaited and much-anticipated sophomore album The Soul of All Natural Things in 2014, the Queen of psychedelic folk Linda Perhacs returns with I’m A Harmony. It’s a flawless genre-melting album that veers between ambient and atmospheric …
BEST NEW ALBUMS OF 2017-PART 10.
Best New Albums Of 2017-Part 10. The Souljazz Orchestra-Under Burning Skies. Label: Strut Records. Fifteen years after The Souljazz Orchestra was founded in Ottawa, Canada, in 2002, they returned with their seventh album Under Burning Skies. It’s without doubt, the finest album of their career, which has been said before. However, with every album they …
THE BEST REISSUES OF 2017-PART 2.
The Best Reissues Of 2017-Part 2. Cromwell-At The Gallop. Label: Got Kinda Lost Records. By 1975, Ireland had a vibrant music scene, and one of its rising stars Cromwell, was about to release its debut album, At The Gallop. It was an album guaranteed to get any party started, and feared an irresistible fusion of …
THE BEST REISSUES OF 2017-PART 3.
The Best Reissues Of 2017-Part 3. Erasmo Carlos-Sonhos E Memórias 1941-1972 Label: Light In The Attic Records. When Sonhos E Memórias 1941-1972 was released in 1972, this was the last instalment in a trio of albums that featured Erasmo Carlos at his creative zenith. His bubblegum beginnings seemed a long time ago, and he was …