Today’s Cool Album the Day (#273 in the Series) is The dB’s, Like This. Here’s a band that deserved a better fate. They released some of the best pop music of the 80s. They’re still playing music as well. The dB’s are led by its two front men, Chris Stamey and Peter Holsapple. This was one of their more popular releases. It featured two songs that did receive some decent recognition.  They were ‘Love is for Lovers’ and ‘Spy in the House of Love’ I wasn’t able to find as many videos that I was hoping to find.  But have no fear, you can listen to the album in its entirety via the ‘Cool Album of the Day’ MySpace...

Today’s Cool Album of the Day (#270 in the Series) is Los Lobos, How Will The Wolf Survive? I’ve mentioned a few times before that my tastes have really been leaning towards the ‘Americana’ genre for quite some time now.  What can be better than ‘Americana’ with a little ‘Tex-Mex’ added to spice it up a little! Los Lobos have been around steadily for well over thirty five years now. It’s a real testament to the band to see that their latest album, 2010’Tin Can Trust has the same line-up that recorded this 1984 release.  Not to mention some before that as well. (That’s a live link to Tin Can Trust so check it out.) Los Lobo’s music is...

Today’s Cool Album of the Day (#266 in the Series) is Midge Ure, The Gift. One of the worst things about this album is that it’s really very close sounding to an Ultravox album. One of the best things about this album is that it’s very close sounding to an Ultravox album! Especially if you’re an Ultravox fan like I am. I’m guessing if you didn’t know by now, Midge Ure is also the singer for the great British band, Ultravox. This was a side project, he didn’t leave the band. In fact, an new Ultravox album is in the works. The song that got the most play was ‘If I Was.’ Also getting some good recognition was ‘That...

Today’s Cool Album of the Day (*#264 in the Series) is Hothouse Flowers, People The Hothouse Flowers are an Irish rock band that was formed in 1985. People was their debut album and was released in 1985 It ‘houses’ two of their more well-known tunes, ‘I’m Sorry ‘ and ‘Don’t Go.’  It peaked at #88 on the Billboard Top 200 Album chart. As of now, that’s the band’s highest ranking album in the States. They’re still around so hopefully we’ll be hearing more from them. If you’re not a fan you should be!  Here’s a link to their home page. Give it a visit. They do a great job in keeping their fans up to date on news, tour...

Today’s Cool Album of the Day (#263 in the Series) is the self-titled debut from Marshall Crenshaw. Here is some great singer-songwriter pop for your listening pleasure. Marshall Crenshaw was one of the best artists of this genre to emerge from the early 80s. This album featured his first top 40 hit, ‘Some Day, Some Way.’  Other tracks of some note included, ‘Mary Anne’ and ‘Cynical Girl.’ ‘Some Day, Some Way’ was the only song to actually chart, it reached #36 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. The album itself reached #70 on the Top 200 chart. His next album, Field Day was a nice follow up. That is where you’d find another Crenshaw classic, ‘Whenever You’re On My...

Today’s Cool Album of the Day (#259 in the Series) is Skeeter Davis and NRBQ, She Sings, They Play. I’m really disappointed that I couldn’t find more videos for this album. This one is really special to me. NRBQ is one of my favorite all time bands. I love when bands do something totally out of their element. That’s what we have here. Skeeter Davis was a country/pop star from the early to mid-sixties. She was best known for the huge hit she had in 1963 called ‘The End of the World.” NRBQ has often been called the world’s best bar band or world’s best garage band etc. They were much more than that. Some of their fans include...

Today’s Cool Album of the Day (#247 in the Series) is Don Henley, Building the Perfect Beast. I’ve always had a weird ‘relationship’ with Henley and The Eagles. I go thru periods when I really like him/them and then there are times when I can’t stand him/them.  It’s a long story, I won’t bore you with it. But one thing that never did waiver was the way I felt about Henley’s second solo album, Building the Perfect Beast. It was one of the best albums of 1984. I saw him on this tour as well. Alpine Valley Music Theater along with the Hooters as the support act.  It was a great show. ‘The Boys of Summer’ was the biggest...

Today’s Cool Album of the Day (#245 in the Series) is The Radiators, Law of the Fish. Have you seen the Radiators…One of the best bands to come out of New Orleans?  Well you got about 8 months left to do so.  Their final tour is underway.  Catch ’em while you can. They have been together for 33 years. The same five musicians that started the band way back when are still together.  Ya gotta love The Radiators! Track listing “This Wagons’ Gonna Roll” (Ed Volker) – 4:20 “Like Dreamers Do” (Volker) – 4:04 “Doctor, Doctor” (Volker, Dave Malone, Camile Baudoin, Reggie Scanlan, Frank Bua Jr., Glenn Sears) – 4:05 “Oh Beautiful Loser” (Volker) – 4:12 “Suck the Head”...

Today’s Cool Album of the Day (#244 in the Series) is Talk Talk, The Party’s Over. Talk Talk was another one one of those ‘New Romantic’ genre bands that emerged in the early 80s. As mentioned earlier, I was a big fan of that sound. I listened to a large amount of music from artists like Talk Talk, Icehouse, Ultravox, Echo and the Bunnymen etc. In 1982 Genesis did the only reunion show that they’ve ever done since Peter Gabriel left seven years earlier. Talk Talk, while still in their infancy, was the opening band.  They were NOT received well at all. But oddly enough, about four years down later many Genesis fans would become fans as Talk Talk’s...

Today’s Cool Album of the Day (#239 in the Series) is World Party, Private Revolution. Private Revolution is the second World Party album that we’ve featured.  We previously featured the magnificent Goodbye Jumbo album way back.  This album is nearly as strong. World Party is, of course, former Waterboys’ keyboard/guitar player Karl Wallinger’s band. What’s the most well-known track here? Of the original tunes I’d say ‘Ship of Fools.’ They also do a ‘true to the original’ version on Bob Dylan’s ‘All I Really Want to Do.’ We can’t forget a few other strong tracks that need mentioning. The title track, ‘Private Revolution,’ along with ‘All Come True’ and ‘Making Love to the World’ also notes special mention. Private...