Today’s Cool Album of the Day (#730 in the Series) is Harry Chapin, Sniper and other Love Songs. We’re going back to the singer/songwriter genre today for a 1972 release by master storyteller, Harry Chapin. Harry is one  of the few artists that I’ve always been interested in, but never had a chance to see perform live.  As many of you know, Harry’s been gone for years so that chance has passed. There are other Chapin albums that I could have chosen that would have given me  much more popular material to cover, however  I chose this album for one song, “Sniper.” It is quite possibly the most powerful song I’ve ever heard in all my life.  It clocks...

  Today’s Cool Album of the Day (#700 in the Series) is Genesis, Foxtrot One thing that we do here at Cool Album of the Day is endeavor to bring you something special for our milestone numbered posts. As you’ve just read, this piece represents entry number 700. So today we bring you an album that more than arguably could be considered the best progressive-rock album of all time. It contains a song that could also potentially be considered the best progressive rock song of all time.  You already know the album is Foxtrot, and the song of course that I’m referring to is “Supper’s Ready.” Some  may say that Genesis’ magnum opus should be considered The Lamb lies...

  Today’s Cool Album of the Day (#669 in the Series) is the debut self-titled album by Singer / Songwriter Bill Quateman. In 1972 I heard a song on WXRT called ‘Changing of the Guard.’ ‘XRT has always given a run down on what they had just played. Usually as a set.  I loved the song and waited to hear who it was by.  Well That’s when I first heard the name Bill Quateman. So made my trek to Hegewisch Records and bought his debut.  Mind you I didn’t look at the song list. Well somehow I got the album wrong.  The song I heard was Steely Dan.  But I screwed up what I was looking for and ended...

  Today’s Cool Album of the Day (#666 in the Series) is Aphrodite’s Child, 666 Well you knew we’d have to come up with something special for entry #666 didn’t you? Ok, you my friend are correct. I remember always looking at this album when I’d walk past it at good ol’ Hegewisch Records.  For some odd reason, it always seemed to be in front of the bin, staring at you, challenging you to pick it up and look at it.  The bright scarlet red cover with those giant black outlined 666 letters just jumped out at you. It was kind of spooky actually.  Then when you finally did pick it up you were surprised. It was darn heavy!...

  Today’s Cool Album of the Day (#657 in the Series) is Randy Newman, Sail Away Randy Newman may just well be the best American songwriter ever, and if he’s not he’s definitely in the team picture and waiting to be next in line to have his face sculpted on the side of the Mt. Rushmore of scribes alongside Bob Dylan, Johnny Cash, and Townes Van Zandt. Newman, with his short story idiosyncratic style, creates a sort of Tom Waits via Dr. John and Charles Bukowski parallel universe of misfits, hoolligans, and charlatans with a nod to Mark Twain. Always with tongue firmly planted in cheek, He became best known for his satirical homage to little people with the...

Today’s Cool Album of the Day (#645 in the Series) is Yes,Close To The Edge A  friend once told me a story about this record that I would have a hard time verifying as he has been to hell and back, but the story was that he took a class at UIC (University of Illinois at Chicago) at which the syllabus for the semester covered only the meaning and interpretation  of the epic and classic title track of one of the best, if not the best ever record by this band of immensely talented musicians that were either ahead of their time, before their time, or most likely in a time that few would ever understand. This is likely...

    Today’s Cool Album of the Day (#643 in the Series) is Dan Fogelberg, Home Free Somehow it’s easier to believe its 40 years since the release of Dan Fogelberg’s inaugural album Home Free than to accept it’s also going on five years since the untimely passing of the Illinois’ native. Look “Dan Fogelberg” up in Wikipedia and you’ll read that Home Free met with a “lukewarm” response—but that’s not the way it was that fall in Champaign at a time when a college freshman could walk wide-eyed into the music store heaven known as Record Service and encounter a giant display in support of this album.  Suffice it to say it appeared they were buying and selling...

  Today’s Cool Album of the Day (#618 in the Series) is J. Geils Band, Live Full House I don’t know who managed the J Geils Band back in the early 70s, but I do know this. He knew what he was Doing!  The band was formed in 1967 and within a few years released their first two albums, a self-titled debut and the follow-up called The Morning After. They were to fine albums that did OK in their hometown Boston market. However something was missing. What was missing was their live sound. All it took was a great live album to advance them into a national act. This was 1972 remember, and about three to four years before the...

  Today’s Cool Album of the Day (#617 in the Series) is Chicago, Chicago V The first time I really started getting into Chicago was with this album Chicago V. The first few albums were a little before my time, and the fourth one, that one was a little too “big” for me. A four album live set with long extended cuts for 12 or 13-year-old, I don’t think so. Chicago V was just the right album at just the right time for me. It had a nice catchy, short, radio friendly single. That of course would be “Saturday in the Park.” I clearly remember when this album came out, I also remember a show they did during that...

  Today’s Cool Album of the Day(#555 in the Series and #58 in the Live, Saturday Night Series) is The Band, Rock of Ages. (Capitol) Rock of Ages is the first of four “official” live albums by The Band. Most people regard the expansive box set of The Last Waltz to be The Band’s most impressive live statement, but I think a closer listen to Rock of Ages will give an argument that this is not only The Band’s best live album but perhaps one of the top 10 live albums that has ever been released. I’m usually a purist when it comes to original releases vs. reissues. I felt for years that the original double LP released in...