Haircut 100 “Pelican West”
Today’s Cool Album of the Day (#403 in the Series) is Haircut 100, Pelican West. I’ve long been a Nick Heyward fan. I absolutely love his North of a Miracle album. Haircut 100 is where he started. They also released some excellent music. Their years lasted basically from about 1980 thru 1984 that was it except a couple reunion projects around 2004 and again recently. They only had two album, this one, Pelican West was released in 1982 and Paint and Paint in 1984. Nick left the band after Pelican West and doesn’t appear on the follow up. It showed too. Their only top 40 US hit was on Pelican West that would be of course, “Love Plus One.”...
Talking Heads “Stop Making Sense”
Today’s Cool Album of the Day (#400 in the Series and #36 in the Live, Saturday Night Series) is Talking Heads, Stop Making Sense Yes, you read it correctly. Today marks the 400th entry to “Cool Album of the Day.” Wow, already. I’d get schmaltzy but I’ll save that for #500. I try to find something a little special for all the milestone numbers. I think I’ve done a pretty decent job finding one for #400. I remember Talking Heads, Stop Making Sense being a huge, huge deal when it was released in 1984. The concert form which this was taken was from December 1983. The main reason that this was hugely talked about was that it accompanied a...
China Crisis “Flaunt the Imperfection”
Today’s Cool Album of the Day (#396 in the Series) is China Crisis, Flaunt the Imperfection Flaunt the Imperfection is the third studio album from one of my favorite acts, China Crisis. I love their What Price Paradise album. Like I’ve mentioned before, it seems like my favorite albums coincide with the tours that I’ve seen, having said that, this is probably a better album. This one has a big name attached to it. That name is Walter Becker. Who? Many of you know that name. He’s one half of the famed duo that fronts Steely Dan, the other half being of course, Donald Fagen. Mr. Becker produced Flaunt the Imperfection. He also ads some synthesizer touches along with...
ZZ Top “Eliminator”
Today’s Cool Album of the Day (#391 in the Series and #14 in the Whale Wednesday Series) is ZZ Top, Eliminator. Is Eliminator my favorite ZZ Top release, oh heck no. My vote would always by placed on one of the earlier, more guitar driven more blues based offerings. I’m featuring Eliminator because it truly was a “Whale.” No, it wasn’t a number one album, far from it. It actually only made it up to #9 on the Billboard Top 200 Album chart. I don’t care where this charted, this was a HUGE album. This album was all over the radio during the summer of 1983. ZZ Top was clearly an established act when this was released in March....
The Replacements “Tim”
Today’s Cool Album of the Day(#385 in the Series) is The Replacements, Tim The barstool I happened to be sitting on was half a dozen steps inside Geno and Carlo’s, an “old school”, cash only bar in the heart of the Italian section of San Francisco known as North Beach, or as the locals prefer to call the area,” Naughty North Beach”. The drink of choice was a Makers Mark Manhattan straight up with two stemmed cherries. The clientele of this particular watering hole is a sublime mosh pit of professional types, Goth chicks, drunken homeless dudes, artists, and musicians. The atmosphere is more Woodstock than Altamont, with a definite “Star Wars bar scene” vibe to the entire proceedings....
Hall and Oates “Live at the Apollo”
Today’s Cool Album of the Day (#380 in the Series, and #33 in the Live, Saturday Night Series) is Hall and Oates, Live at the Apollo. Hall and Oates was a white hot hit machine when they decided to release this live album. They had just had some nice success with their Rock and Soul Pt. 1 greatest hits album and its follow-up, Big Bam Boom. Always known as blue-eyed soul, they decided to take the soul part of that mix and record their first live album at the historic Apollo Theater in Harlem. They brought some friends along to help make it a success, not just any friends either. They being, the Temptation’s Eddie Kendricks and David Ruffin....
Steve Kilbey “Unearthed”
Today’s Cool Album of the Day(#379 in the Series) is Steve Kilbey, Unearthed Steve Kilbey, Steve Kilbey….where have I heard that name you may be asking yourself. Well, he’s British born lead vocalist for the Australia band, The Church, as in “Under the Milky Way Tonight” fame. This was released in 1986. It was the first of eight solo albums that Steve has done to date. This was from a period when a few members of The Church decided to do some solo efforts. Guitarist, Marty Wilson-Piper would release In Reflection as well. One of the reason’s that I’m featuring this album is because one of the great songs on the disc is called “Judgment Day.” I figured I’d...
Go West “Go West”
Today’s Cool Album of the Day (#374 in the Series) is the self-titled debut from Go West I really dug some of the synth-rock new wave bands of the 80s. I always thought that Go West was one of the better ones. I must say, when I started doing some of the research for this write-up, I was a little surprised how well this stood up. Not all of them do. Have any you plopped on a Thompson Twins album lately? You might be surprised that they don’t sound all that hot! Go West was made of two band members, drummer, vocalist and double phallic named Peter Cox, along with guitarist, vocalist Richard Drummie. This was their debut album....
Sade “Diamond Life”
Today’s Cool Album of the Day (#371 in the Series) is Sade, Diamond Life Sade, Diamond Life was released, here in the States, in February, 1985. I distinctly remember two things about that time. Firstly, I remember listening to this album and being taken in on how different it sounded from what was on the radio. Who was going to play this? Would Top 40 touch it? Could it possibly be played on the R+B stations? How about the better rock stations of the time? Well, the answer turned out to be yes. I heard this album on those formats, and then some. It really sprayed to all fields. The other thing that I remember was that at the...
U2 “Under a Blood Red Sky”
Today’s Cool Album of the Day(#366 in the Series and #31 in the Live, Saturday Night Series) is U2, Under a Blood Red Sky U2 long ago entered a stage where they are now quite polarizing. There are quite a few people that want nothing more to do with the Irish band. My guess is that they’re tired of Bono’s politics. U2, Under a Blood Red Sky was a different time. This album smokes as far as I’m concerned. You may have seen the accompanying video for the album that was recorded at Red Rocks in Denver, Colorado. One of the true great concert venues we have. I know it looks cool, I’ve never been there so I can’t...
