Jimmy Spheeris ‘Isle of View’
Today’s Cool Album of the Day (#838 in the Series) is Jimmy Spheeris, Isle of View For today’s album review I wanted to pick someone out that has been overlooked for the most part. Jimmie Spheeris had all of the makings to go down as one of the quintessential singer-songwriters of the 70s. He had a poetic lyrical sense, a unique voice, and an intriguing history. His poetry conjures up vivid imagery and his voice fits perfectly within the scenery he has laid out. Part of the reason for such an uncanny ability to describe such vibrant settings is probably from his childhood. Jimmie was born into a traveling carnival family. This unique upbringing would be referenced in...
Wings “Wild Life”
Today’s Cool Album of the Day (#723 in the Series) is Wings, Wild Life After recording “Ram” with Linda McCartney around 1970, Paul McCartney decided to form a band named Wings. Without much notice, their first release, Wild Life was put together in about a week and released in 1971, containing the most rawness of any other Wings album. The album was not taken seriously, but in many fans’ opinions, it is a very huge landmark in McCartney’s recordings. For some it is one of his best albums. This album sounds like a session; a recording session in the studio that could have been labeled as a jam-out. It is still a very powerful album in the sense...
The Siegel Schwall Band “The Siegel Schwall Band”
Today’s Cool Album of the Day (#719 in the Series) is The Siegel-Schwall Band, The Siegel- Schwall Band It seems like a contradiction in terms to use words like “joyous” and “blues” in the same sentence but this is a brilliant set of tunes that demands it. Sad to say I never got to hear these guys live. These sounds have seen me through ecstatic times and provided solace through some of the most grievous. It’s billed as a studio album but at least the first and last songs are obviously live recordings. In any event, this is such a tight band I gotta believe everything else here was recorded essentially live and whole, without the benefit of...
Dan Hicks and His Hot Licks “Where’s The Money?”
Today’s Cool Album of the Day (#639 in the Series) is Dan Hicks and His Hot Licks, Where’s The Money? What do I look for in a band? Some of the elements that I like to see to make me really like an artist are 1) Great Musicianship. 2) Great Writing 3) Uniqueness, and a little 4) Sense of Humor for good measure. When you throw all those in the pot you usually get something that’s fairly entertaining to listen to. One of my all-time favorite bands that easily qualifies on all four fronts is NRBQ and another one would be these guys Dan Hicks and his Hot Licks. In fact I’m giving this great album another listen...
Don McLean “American Pie”
Today’s Cool Album of the Day (#626 in the Series) is Don McLean, American Pie Magnum Opus, noun….a great work, especially the chief work of a writer or artist: Proust’s magnum opus is Remembrance of Things Past. Origin: 1785–95; < Latin You cannot find a better way to describe Don McLean’s American Pie other than by simply referring to it as his Magnum Opus. Were you around in 1971 when this was a hit? If you were sure you remember exactly how huge this was. The single “American Pie” spent nearly 2 months at the top of the Billboard Top 100 singles chart. That’s incredible considering current at the same period were albums like Carole King’s Tapestry and John...
Harry Nilsson “Nilsson Schmilsson”
Today’s Cool Album of the Day (#546 in the Series) is Harry Nilsson, Nilsson Schmilsson Although he had a wonderfully provocative voice that could go up several ranges, Harry Nilsson always thought of himself as a songwriter first and a singer second having written the song “One” which became hit for Three Dog Night as well as several minor hits for Phil Spector that were recorded by the Ronettes, and “Ten Little Indians” for the later-stage Yardbirds. The irony of course, was that Harry was at his best, and became famous for interpreting songs written by other artists including the brilliantly performed classic “Everybody’s Talking” that was written by Folk-Rock singer Fred Neil. With the release of Nilsson...
Elton John “Madman Across the Water”
Today’s Cool Album of the Day (#534 in the Series and #34 in the Whale Wednesday Series) is Elton John, Madman Across the Water. (UNI, DJM Record) What a run Elton John was on at the outset of his career. On the Billboard Top 200 Chart, his first four albums reached, in order, #6, 4, 5 and 8. This was that fourth release and it actually only hit #8. The next six albums all hit #1. It was a truly, truly magnificent run. Oddly enough it only hit #41 in the UK. It would go on the sell over 2 million copies in the US alone. It’s interesting to note that the album I’m calling a Whale for Whale...
Poco “Live at Columbia Studios, Hollywood 9/30/71”
Today’s Cool Album of the Day (#523 in the Series) is Poco, Live at Columbia Studios Hollywood 9/30/71 Poco, Live at Columbia Studios, Hollywood 9/30/71 while recorded over 40 years ago, did not surface until early in 2011. We’re glad it did. I say that because the first obvious reason, that I wanted to hear this, but also for a second, even more important reason. That being that this was a very important day in the bands history. It was a “coming out party” if you will, for the new line-up that would become the most popular in the bands history. Yeah, I know they did have a couple big hits much later, but this period will always be...
John Prine “John Prine”
Today’s Cool Album of the Day (#508 in the Series) is the debut from John Prine It’s hard to believe it’s now been over 40 years since we first met Donald, Lydia, Sam Stone, the Angel and the Quite Man and all the great characters and interesting people that John told us about on his wonderful debut album. Yet again, the stories are so fresh that when we hear them again it’s almost like hearing them for the first time. Thirteen songs can be found here. I challenge you to find a debut album that has as strong a track listing as this album. It still amazes me that a songwriter could have this many pure and powerful numbers...
Bill Withers “Just As I Am”
Today’s Cool Album of the Day (#505 in the Series) is Bill Withers, Just As I Am By all rights the Bill Withers album Just As I Am should never have been made. It’s not that the talent was not here, it certainly was, it’s just that it is not often that when a record company needs to take promotional pictures for an album that they have to work around the artist’s break times during his 8-5 job at a Boeing plant making airplane toilets. In 1967 Bill Withers, fresh from a discharge from the Navy and bolstered by his fellow sailor’s encouragement and recognition of his talent, moved to the west coast to make some demo records...
