Today’s Cool Album of the Day (#162 in the Series) is the Tubes, Remote Control Remote Control, 1979 was the album where The Tubes decided to tone down the outrageous and wackiness at least a little.  Well, not as outrageous, but a heck of a satire on the overgrowth of television. So there might not have been anything as memorable as “White Punks on Dope” from their debut, but overall, this is a great Tubes album. Besides toning down the crazy, they also wanted to tighten up the sound some. Well how would you do that in the late Seventies, or late eighties or ever for that matter. You make a phone call and ask Todd Rundgren to produce...

Today’s Cool Album of the Day (#158 in the Series) Is Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young, Déjà Vu. I was just sharing the story on Facebook about remembering buying Déjà Vu back in 1970.  I purchased it at the famous Chicagoland record chain called Hegewisch Records.  I was spending the summer at a cousin’s in Calumet City. We road our bikes to Hegewisch  and quickly we were in the store.  I plopped down my $3.49 and we we’re off.  All their LPs were $3.49 back then.  I still remember the sticker on the shrink wrap!   On the way back I wiped out on the bike and the album went flying.  Fear not, it was OK.  I still remember the...

Today’s Cool Album Of The Day (#155 in the Series) is Robin Trower, Bridge of Sighs. Bridge of Sighs was Robin Trower’s gigantic breakthrough album. He was in Procol Harem until 1972.  This was Robin’s second solo album and it was released in 1974. It contained many of the songs that people to this day consider the highlights to his catalog. The title cut, “Bridge of Sighs” and “Day of the Eagle” top that list. However, do not overlook “Too Rolling Stoned.”  That was a rock radio standard as well. Robin Trower toured recorded and toured as a three piece back in this era.  His bassist/vocalist was James Dewar.  Reg Isidore was on drums. Bridge of Sighs reached #7 on the...

Today’s Cool Album of the Day (#153 in the Series) is Nick Lowe, Labour of Lust. When you’re in a crappy mood there is nothing better than popping on a good ol’ Nick Lowe disc! We already did Rockpile about four months ago.  Rockpile was, of course, the joint effort of Nick Lowe and Dave Edmunds.  This was Nick on his own.  Well supposedly it was.  However, even though it’s a Nick Lowe album, the band lineup is the same as the Rockpile album. Nick on bass, Dave Edmunds on guitar, Billy Bremmer on guitar and Terry Williams on drums.  Elvis Costello added harp to American Squirm. There are 11 tracks totaling 33 minutes of music here.  Or as...

Today’s Cool Album of the Day (#152 in the Series) is Joni Mitchell, Court and Spark. Court and Spark was the album that took Joni Mitchell from a pretty darn good selling artist to a star. It was a monster album. It reached #2 on the Billboard Album charts but had long time staying power on rock radio. It fit in perfectly with the singer/songwriter period which was very hot in 1974. Sure this was three or four years after she had written Woodstock, but it’s Court and Spark more often than not when people think Joni Mitchell. This album contains songs such as “Help Me,” “Free Man in Paris,” “Car on a Hill,” “Raised on Robbery” and the...

Today’s Cool Album of the Day ( #150 in the Series)  is Steely Dan, Katy Lied. Last year Steely Dan did a tour where they played one of three albums in their entirety.   They would ‘hunker down’ in town for four nights.  The first three nights they would play either The Royal Scam, Aja or Goucho.  The fourth night would be requests. Unfortunately, they didn’t play my favorite Dan album, Katy Lied. Don’t get me wrong, I love those other three releases.  But give me Katy Lied. I could list nearly every track as a favorite.  How can you choose from Black Friday, Bad Sneakers, Doctor Wu, Chain Lightning. Everyone’s Gone to the Movies or Any World (That I’m...

Today’s Cool Album of the Day (#147 in the Series) is the Sex Pistols, Never Mind the Bollocks, Here’s the Sex Pistols. This album was a huge deal when it came out in 1977. Punk Rock is Here. CBGBs!!! Malcolm McLaren!!! Johnny Rotten!! Sid Vicious!! ….and on and on and on. What I remember about this album at the time was that I liked the songs.  I think many of them were pretty darn catchy and poppy myself, thank you.  Sure they were played with a much harder edge. But there was quite a bit of commercial pop in those tracks.  Don’t fool yourself.  For a movement that was so ‘anti-establishment’ there sure was a sound and a plan...

  Today’s Cool Album of the Day (#141 in the Series) is Rush, 2112. Every once in a while you have to just go with a good old fashioned rock and roll album. Rush 2112 fills the bill. I loved Rush back in this era.  I was a Fly By Night fan, A Caress of Steel fan and then a 2112 fan.  The follow up live release All the Worlds a Stage is a fantastic live album that captured that era perfectly.  It was a real treat seeing Rush back in 2000 seat venues during that time. It seems like they were always playing around the Chicagoland area back during this time period. I’d see them quite often, maybe I...

Today’s Cool Album of the Day (#139 in The Series) is John Prine, Bruised Orange. John Prine’s debut album, called simply John Prine is considered his masterpiece, and rightly so. It’s quite the feat when you think that he wrote Sam Stone, Illegal Smile, Donald and Lydia, Angel From Montgomery, Paradise, Six O’Clock News, You’re Flag Decal Won’t Get You Into Heaven Anymore and of course, Hello in There ALL before he was 25. Looking at that track list you can see why that album is held in such high regard.  I am, however, going to feature Bruised Orange. I’m not sure why this album was always so high on my list of Prine classics.  Part of it might...

    Today’s Cool Album Of the Day (#136 in the Series) is Emerson, Lake and Palmer, Tarkus. This was one of my very favorite bands back in high school.  Years later I’d get a chance to get to know Carl Palmer just a little bit at least. If you would have told me that in 1976 I would have freaked. I knew it was time to add Emerson, Lake and Palmer to our fun little project here. Many different album to chose from however.  Trilogy, Pictures at an Exhibition, Works and of course, Brain Salad Surgery. However, Tarkus it is. We’ll definetly do that monster live album too someday. I like the Works quite a bit as well....