The Outlaws “Hurry Sundown”
Today’s Cool Album of the Day (#1032 in the Series) is The Outlaws, Hurry Sundown. The Outlaws first hit the music scene (at least as far as recordings go) in 1975. They actually had been together on and off since as early as 1967. Their debut album was simply titled The Outlaws. It contained a song that would be closely associated with the band for the rest of their career. That song would of course be “Green Grass and High Tides.” While it did help their popularity, I also thing it mistakenly categorized them as a southern rock band from then on. I use the word “mistakenly” because I really don’t believe that The Outlaws were a southern-rock...
Daryl Hall ‘Sacred Songs’
Today’s Cool Album of the Day (#1026 in the Series) is Daryl Hall, Sacred Songs. This is one of the main reasons that I’ve decided to create this site. That is to point out ditties like this. I have a feeling that many people did not know this gem existed. It’s the first solo release by Daryl Hall of “Hall and Oates” fame. I don’t know if DH is the best rock vocalist of all time, but he’s in the team picture. This was recorded in 1977 but not released until 1980. The wonderful RCA records held the album because is was ‘not commercial enough.’ I guess ‘very good’ just isn’t a good enough reason for a label to...
Mink DeVille “Cabretta”
Today’s Cool Album of the Day (#1022 in the Series) Mink Deville, Cabretta Willy DeVille is a rock star. Just look at him. If you saw Bryan Adams or Elvis Costello walking down the street they could be mistaken for a mechanic, college professor, or accountant, certainly not for rock stars. But Willy Deville, looking like a slightly less road worn version of Keith Richards with a few less battle scars, could only be mistaken for the front man for the seminal post-punk band Mink DeVille and a rock star of highest order of which he is both. Willy Deville was a product of the 60’s, from the West Village New York City. Very much influenced by the...
Cheap Trick ‘In Color’
Today’s Cool Album of the Day (#980 in the Series) is Cheap Trick, In Color The mid to late 70s were really a fun time to be a music fan for me. Seeing bands in clubs around Chicago, and then seeing some of them release albums and becoming even more successful, some of those success stories would even reach world-wide. Cheap Trick was one of those bands. They would make the 90 minute or so trip from their Rockford, Illinois home to Chicago every so often. Once or twice they’d even play tiny “Luigi’s” in Chicago Heights. We were underage but we’d get in. The first Cheap Trick album was released in early ’77. To me it’s never been...
Genesis “Seconds Out”
Today’s Cool Album Of the Day (#976 in the Series) is Genesis, Seconds Out. How much do I like this album? Well, if I could only take ten albums to a desert island, I might have to take two copies of this and then eight others. This was the album that made me fall in love with Genesis. I don’t know why I didn’t get into them earlier. After this was released I did go back and loved all the Gabriel era works. For some reason I missed it when it was happening. I remember seeing all those ads about them playing the Auditorium for three nights. I can kick myself now for not going. I guess I did...
Les Dudek ‘Say No More’
Today’s Cool Album of the Day (#941 in the Series) is Les Dudek, Say No More Are you a guitar fan? Do you like great blues guitar? Do you like funky jazz guitar? I’m hoping you know who Les Dudek is. If not, you need to know about him, and quickly. Born in Rhode Island, and raised in Florida, Les made the rounds before ending up in California. Before he launched his solo career, he spent time playing with the likes of Boz Scaggs and Steve Miller. I recently learned an interesting story about the start of his solo career. In the early 70s he was living in the San Francisco area, well-known manager/producer “Herbie” Herbert was putting...
Karla Bonoff “Karla Bonoff’
Today’s Cool Album of the Day (#938 in the Series) is the eponymous debut from Karla Bonoff Karla Bonoff is almost the female version of J.D. Souther. Like J.D., she was a denizen of Laurel Canyon and hung with the likes of Linda Ronstadt, James Taylor, Warren Zevon, Jackson Browne, and the rest of the cosmic cowboys. The two also shared the unique gift of song-craft that perfectly suited the times and the country-rock vibe that was permeating the L.A. scene in the early to mid-seventies. Also like Souther, Karla made a name for herself with her songs that were recorded by other artists most notably “Home” that was recorded by Bonnie Raitt, as well as “Someone To...
Steve Winwood ‘Steve Winwood’
Today’s Cool Album of the day (#918 in The Series) is the debut self-titled solo release from Steve Winwood. When discussing Steve Winwood’s solo albums the first one that’s usually mentioned Is Back in the High Life. That indeed was a huge album for “Stevie” and deserves all the praise it received. The 1986 release peaked at #7 on the Billboard Top 200 Albums chart and won Grammys for Record of the Year, Best Male Pop Vocal Performance along with an engineering award. “Higher Love” was a #1 single. Arc of a Diver also gets kudos tossed its way. And yes, it’s another good one. As far as hits there was the title cut along with “When You See...
The Jam “This is the Modern World”
Today’s Cool Album of the Day (#899 in the Series) is The Jam, This is the Modern World The punk rock explosion of 1975-1980 made for some strange bed fellows. The Stranglers and Eddie and the Hot Rods were holdovers from the pub rock era. Many claim that the Sex Pistols and Clash were puppets controlled by ego maniacal managers. The Buzzcocks and Undertones were pop tune perfectionists. For the want of an easy title, the media called them all punk. The Jam were thrown under this umbrella. The Jam were formed in 1975 in Woking, Surrey, England by 17 year old singer, writer, guitarist Paul Weller, bassist Bruce Foxton, and drummer Ric Buckler. The trio came together with...
Supertramp ‘Even in the Quietest Moments’
Song Of the Day by Eric Berman – “Even In The Quietest Moments” by Supertramp At the time of the release of Supertramp’s sixth album Breakfast In America, the band was on the precipice of a major commercial breakthrough that would see them top the U.S. charts for the first time. Yet, all of the elements were already in place and can be found on their previous platter Even In The Quietest Moments. Before Breakfast, Supertramp was predominantly known for their progressive rock leanings, however what set them apart from all of the other prog groups was their attention to melody and tunefulness. Their music was less about technical prowess, dynamic key signatures and fussy arrangements and more about...
