2013 marks the 25th anniversary of the great album Starfish from the Australian band The Church. The album was released on February 16th, 1988.  It featured the bands first US hit, “Under The Milky Way.” The album peaked at #41 here on the Billboard Top 200 Album chart and “Under The Milky Way” peaked at #26 on the Hot 100 Singles chart.     ——————————————————————————— Track listing “Destination” (Kilbey/Willson-Piper/Koppes/Ploog) “Under the Milky Way” (Kilbey/Jansson) “Blood Money” (Kilbey/Willson-Piper/Koppes/Ploog) “Lost” (Kilbey/Willson-Piper/Koppes/Ploog) “North, South, East And West” (Kilbey/Willson-Piper/Koppes/Ploog) “Spark” (Willson-Piper) “Antenna” (Kilbey/Willson-Piper/Koppes/Ploog) “Reptile” (Kilbey/Willson-Piper/Koppes/Ploog) “A New Season” (Koppes) “Hotel Womb” (Kilbey) Here’s the personnel listing for the original recording Personnel Steve Kilbey: bass guitar, lead vocals Peter Koppes: guitars, lead vocal on...

  Today’s Cool Album of the Day (#820 in the Series) is George Winston, December.  There’s really not a ton more that you can say about this album that hasn’t been said previously?  It’s an all-time Hall of Fame Christmas season album, how’s that. I read a few reviews on this album while looking for information on it. They all basically said the same thing, how this album set the tone for a whole new genre, and how for years and years others would try and recreate what George Winston created in 1983.  It’s just a man and his piano and that’s it. One of the most difficult things in all of music has been to record a new...

Today’s Cool Album of the Day (#804 in the Series)  is Lyle Lovett, Pontiac I was a music distributor in 1987 and was sitting at my desk when a Senior Vice President named Dennis Sinclair walked in and tossed “Pontiac” on my desk. He said, “Check this out, This is all you. I think you’ll really like it.” Senior VPs always got their hands on the goodies first. As I jumped in my Pontiac and headed on Route 83 southbound I popped the disc into the player. The first song I heard was “If I had a Boat” second up was “Give Me Back My Heart” then “I Loved You Yesterday” and on an on. OK, Lyle, you got me!...

  Today’s Cool Album of the Day (#795 in the Series) is Rank and File, Sundown. I’m not sure how many of you know this band, or much less this album. Rank and File had a pretty unique sound. “Cowpunk” was the term used to describe their music. I’ve also heard “Country-Punk.” Whatever you want to call them, make sure you have “fun” somewhere in the mix. Alejandro Escovedo was in the band. He’s gone on to a fine solo career and is probably more popular than ever. The best songs here? Check out “Amanda Ruth,” “I Went Walking,” “Coyote” and what I think is their best tune, ‘The Conductor Wore Black.” This had been quite hard to find for...

    Today’s Cool Album of the Day (#791 in the Series) is John Lennon and Yoko Ono, Double Fantasy I remember the day when Double Fantasy was released. It was full of hope and promise for the future.  That hope would soon turn into the deepest of sadness as John would be killed just three short three weeks later. This was the first piece of music that John had given us in well over a half a decade. We did have a compilation (Shaved Fish) and an album of old covers (Rock and Roll) so we were starved to hear what John had to say. Double Fantasy didn’t knock out the critics’ right out of the box, but...

  Today’s Cool Album of the Day (#789 in the Series) is the 10,000 Maniacs, The Wishing Chair. I actually remember when I first purchased this album. I was looking for something different. Local radio played a few tunes off this and I loved the sound.  I distinctly remember making the trip to trusty ole’ Hegewisch Records to see if they had it. It was good news/bad news when I got to the store. It was a little more popular than I expected. The vinyl was sold out so I had to buy it on cassette. Okay, I didn’t have to but I did. Say what you want about those old cassettes, but there was actually something good about...

Today’s Cool Album of The Day (#783 in the Series) is The Silencers, A Letter From St. Paul I’m curious as to how many of you are familiar with The Silencers. A show of hands please..one, two , three, four… oh, I see a few more in the back, not bad!  Plus I know a few of our friends from Scotland know of them!  That’s where they call home. This one is a little more obscure here in the States. This album was released in 1987. “Painted Moon” actually did get some play.  To me though, the title cut, “A Letter From St. Paul” was the song not to miss. You can hear most of this one below. If...

Today’s Cool Album of the Day (#776 in the Series) is Simple Minds, Sparkle in the Rain The band simple minds were one of those acts that really had to stick it out to find success.  They first got together toward the end of the 70s. Their first album, Life in a Day did quite well in the UK peaking at #30. It didn’t get a whiff of play here in the states outside of a couple very progressive stations and some college radio. It would take three years and five more releases before an album even charted here. That would be New Gold Dreams which featured the hit “Promised You a Miracle.” Still, the album only reached #69...

Today’s Cool Album of the Day (#754 in the Series) is The (English) Beat, I Just Can’t Stop It. OK, why, for the first time have we used parenthesis in one of our headlines? Well, because The (English) Beat has two names.  I don’t think I’m breaking news here. It has been well documented that this band’s real name is The Beat.  American musician Paul Collins already had a successful band here called The Beat. So that’s why we know them Stateside as The English Beat.  Oh, and If you were wondering, Paul Collins band is known as The Paul Collins Beat overseas.  That is, if they’re still known at all. The names, however were not the only difference...

  Today’s Cool Album of the Day (#753 in the Series) is Bonnie Raitt, Nick of Time. In 1988, Bonnie Raitt was one of many performers that would continuously pound out good release after good release but never really popped!  We’ve seen a ton of these acts. “Wow is she good. I’m surprised that she’s not better known.”  There was the odd “Me and the Boys” or “Angel From Montgomery,” but the lady from California still wasn’t a household name.  Heck she might not have been as well-known as her stage star father John Raitt. Don’t get me wrong. She did have a nice following, she just wasn’t a star. Then she met Don Was.  Don was a producer...