John Lennon and Yoko Ono “Double Fantasy”
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...
Sting ‘Bring on the Night’
Today’s Cool Album of the Day (#788 in the Series)Saturday Night Series) is Sting, Bring on the Night.This entry is slightly different. Bring on the Night is a live soundtrack to the movie of the same name. Have you seen the movie? No, then get to Netflx as soon as you can. Near the beginning of the film Sting explains why this concert movie is different. He says, paraphrasing, that this film is different because most concert films are often about a band’s career ending or about them breaking up. This is about a band coming together. So here we see the rehearsals and some performances of Sting putting together his band for his tour for Dream of...
The Silencers ‘A Letter From St. Paul’
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...
Simple Minds “Sparkle in the Rain”
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...
Romeo Void “Benefactor”
Today’s Cool Album of the Day (#775 in the Series) is Romeo Void, Benefactor. Romeo Void’s Benefactor album is another perfect example of some of the cool post punk/new wave sounds of the early 80s. There was a refreshing blend that mixed a little bit of punk, a little bit of ska, a little bit of the new romantics and maybe even a touch of reggae at times. It allowed many people to hit the dance floor again that might not have since growing tired quickly of the disco era. Benefactor was released in 1982 and stood up well alongside albums released by bands such as The Psychedelic Furs, Ministry, OMD, Our Daughter’s Wedding, A Flock of Seagulls,...
The (English) Beat “I Just Can’t Stop It”
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...
Bonnie Raitt "Nick of Time"
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...
Lloyd Cole and the Commotions “Rattlesnakes”
Today’s Cool Album of the Day (#752 in the Series) is Lloyd Cole & The Commotions, Rattlesnakes Glasgow, Scotland in the early 80’s was full to brimming with raw musical talent and inspiration, with new bands springing up all over the place. The independent label Postcard Records was a small but major player, they had two fantastic bands, Orange Juice and Aztec Camera, who recorded seminal singles before moving on to bigger labels where both released superb debut albums. Other acts like Altered Images, The Bluebells and Friends Again swiftly followed and I can’t fail to mention The Blue Nile whose single “Tinseltown In The Rain” may well be the best ever by a Scots band. All of...
Paul Simon “Hearts and Bones”
Today’s Cool Album of the Day (#750) is Paul Simon, Hearts and Bones. Hearts and Bones could be considered the “Lost Paul Simon Album.” It wasn’t Simon and Garfunkel. It wasn’t Still Crazy, It wasn’t Graceland. It was between all those classics and never received it’s proper due. Well not until now. I myself hadn’t even played this for quite sometime. Recently I was on facebook and saw a video by Al Di Meola. In the thread beneath it, there was a comment that mentioned how Di Meola had “the most pick control” of anyone he could think of. Then I thought, “Al Di Meola and pick control, hmmm” .. I could only think of one solo. ...
Iggy Pop “Blah Blah Blah”
Today’s Cool Album of the Day (#746 in the Series) is Iggy Pop, Blah Blah Blah I dusted this one off recently and fell back in love with it. Tons of sharp pop hooks and well written pieces, it was “Jim Osterberg’s” most successful commercial record when it came out in 1986 that apparently ended up causing some negative emotion that we can only imagine came from the fact it sounds a lot like a David Bowie record. The first song “Real Wild Child” was his first top 10 hit in the UK (don’t know why it wasn’t “Lust for Life”- I always loved that some cruise ship company used the music bed of “Lust” for their commercial. Do you...
