Digital Sex ‘Essence’

Today’s Cool Album of the Day (#1050 in the Series) is Digital Sex, Essence Do you know this one? No you say? I somewhat expected that. No, not because the band wasn’t good enough or deserving enough because they indeed were. They were quite good but they were unfortunate to be another one of those talented acts that fell through the cracks. I don’t remember seeing them on MTV and that was the quickest and easiest way...

Jesus Christ Superstar – Original London Cast

Today’s Cool Album of the Day is the Original London Cast recording of Jesus Chris Superstar. It”s now our Cool Album of the Day every Easter Sunday. Don’t give me the knock-offs. Give me the original 1971 release featuring Ian Gillian as Jesus. I remember playing the hell out of this back in the day. To me this has always been the definitive version of Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice’s rock opera. It’s the Original London Concept Recording. Yes, I...

Nomad Planets ‘You’re Never Lost Until You Panic’

Today’s Cool Album of the Day (#1033 in the Series) is Nomad Planets, You’re Never Alone Until You Panic The following was originally posted back about seven years ago. Let’s read it again shall we… This is a piece that I’ve been meaning to write for quite some time. What’s taken so long? That’s an easy one. I love this album so much that I never thought I could do it justice with words. I still don’t think...

The ‘Nirvana Baby’ is Now All Grown Up. Who is He? What Is He Doing Now?

Let’s check out this post that we ran a few years ago. Spencer is now nearly 30 years old. You’ve seen him but you probably never knew his name. The famous three month old pee-pee baring baby on the cover of the Nirvana Nevermind album is now a thirty something year old man. His name is Spencer Elden. He told MTV News a few years back “it’s kind of creepy that that many people have seen me...

Chicago’s Aragon Ballroom. The Most Complete Listing of Shows from the 60s thru the 90s

Ah the Aragon Ballroom. This is a fun listing for the old Rock ‘n’ Rollers that visit the Cool Album of the Day site. Here’s a list of just about ever show that was held at the Aragon Ballroom in the Uptown neighborhood of Chicago. If you went there, have fun looking thru this list. Look for the shows that you saw. Feel ‘bummed’ about the ones you missed. Be angry about the ones that you would have checked...

Phil Lucafo ‘One Block East’

Today’s Cool Album of the Day (#1023 in the Series) is Phil Lucafo, One Block East. One Block East is the first solo album by former Heartsfield co-lead guitarist/co-lead vocalist Phil Lucafo. (Full disclosure: One Block East was released by Cool Album Productions which is also owns this website.) Phil was responsible or partly responsible for many of Heartsfield’s better known songs such as “The Only Time I’m Sober Is When You’re Gone,” “Pass Me By,” “Gypsy Rider,”...

“Cool Album of the Day” is Looking for Contributors

If you follow the Cool Album of the Day website I’m guessing that you are a little bit of a music fan. Excellent! Have you ever wanted to be published? Well if you are, we at Cool Album of the Day are always looking for contributors. You know what we do here. Like I mentioned, we’re always looking for people that would like to do a write up on some of their favorite albums. We’d also love people that would...

The Reconstructed “Great North Wind” NEW MUSIC REVIEW

Today’s Cool Album of the Day (#1005 in the Series) is The Reconstructed Great North Wind. When first approached by the CEO of Cool Album of The Day to write this review I was met with great trepidation. My exact words were “I’d feel foolish writing a record review for an album recorded by a good friend.” After some serious introspection while out mowing my lawn it occurred to me that people need to hear this album! So...

Mudcrutch "Mudcrutch"

Today’s Cool Album of the Day (#981 in the series) is the debut self-titled album by Mudcrutch. I’ll be the first to admit, I’ve never been the biggest Tom Petty fan. Don’t get me wrong, I think he’s OK, I do like him. I’ve seen him and really enjoyed the show. (Althought I liked the opening band the del Fuegos better) I’ve liked some of this work but I think the best thing he ever did was his...

Old & In The Way “Old & In The Way”

Today’s Cool Album of the Day (#978 in the series.) is Old and In The Way. Five great musicians getting together for some great pickin’ and singin.’ I guess you could call it bluegrass but there’s more than a hint of old fashioned mountain music thrown in. For those of you not familiar with this project, Old and In the Way were Peter Rowan (guitar, vocals), David Grisman (mandolin, vocals), John Kahn (bass), Vassar Clements (fiddle) and Jerry Garcia...

Nanci Griffith “One Fair Summer Evening”

Today’s Cool Album of the Day (#977 in the Series ) is Nanci Griffith, One Fair Summer Evening. “Variety; Learning about different types of music; bringing different genres to different people.” These were just some of the objectives that we publically discussed when we started this project just about a year ago. We’re most definitely going to continue in that direction tonight. This is one of those albums that requires you to “be in the proper” mood. However, when...

Genesis “Seconds Out”

Today’s Cool Album Of the Day (#976 in the Series) is Genesis, Seconds Out. How much do I like this album? Well, if I could only take ten albums to a desert island, I might have to take two copies of this and then eight others. This was the album that made me fall in love with Genesis. I don’t know why I didn’t get into them earlier. After this was released I did go back and loved all...

Warren Zevon ‘The Wind’

Today’s Cool Album of the Day (#975 in the Series) is Warren Zevon, The Wind In the final episode of season 2 of the hit Showtime series Californication, down on his self-inflicted luck, writer Hank Moody has just finished a book project and is ready to begin his post-project ritual. “Every time I finish a book, It’s Whiskey, Weed and Warren Zevon, It’s the little things” he says, while ”Keep Me in your Heart” plays delicately in the background....

Blood, Sweat and Tears “3”

Today’s Cool Album of the Day (# 974 in the Series) is Blood, Sweat and Tears, 3. In many ways, this album had more to do with long love affair with music, than any other album ever released. When I was a wee lad, my sister gave me copy of this. It was actually on cassette. It was right when those lovely pre-recorded cassettes first hit the market. I had a player and played it over and over...

Justin Townes Earle “Nothing’s Gonna Change The Way You Feel About Me Now”

Today’s Cool Album of the Day (#973 in the Series) is Justin Townes Earle, Nothing’s Gonna Change The Way You Feel About Me Now (Bloodshot Records) When your father is one of the best singer-songwriters in the business and you are named after another about whom Steve Earle once said “Townes Van Zandt is the best songwriter in the whole world, and I’ll stand on Bob Dylan’s coffee table in my cowboy boots and say that”, the expectations are...

Richard & Linda Thompson ‘I Want To See The Bright Lights Tonight’

Today’s Cool Album of the Day (#972 in the Series) is Richard & Linda Thompson, I Want To See The Bright Lights Tonight. This is an album I’ve went back to recently and it’s captivated me, full to the brim as it is with wonderfully bleak, world-weary and fascinating songs. I actually found my old cassette copy of it and realized that I hadn’t played the full album in years, most of my Richard Thompson stuff is on...

Hal Ketchum “Past The Point Of Rescue”

Today’s Cool Album of the Day (#971 in the Series) is Hal Ketchum, Past the Point of Rescue. I don’t know what it is. I’ve always been a sucker for those songs when an artist takes a known track, their’s or possibly another artists, and recreates it using a slower tempo. I’m thinking of tracks like Joe Jackson’s live version (played as part of the Big World tour) of “Steppin’ Out” or Loey Nelson’s take on “To Sir with...

Jellyfish ‘Bellybutton’

Today’s Cool Album of the Day (#970 in the Series) is Jellyfish, Bellybutton. My guess is that a good number of you don’t know this album or even this band. In one word, “you should!” They were one of the best power-pop bands of the early nineties, Jellyfish. One of those bands that you ask yourself, Why wasn’t this all over radio, why were they not more popular? They definitely had some radio friendly songs, a good look a...

The Pixies ‘Surfer Rosa’

Today’s Cool Album of the Day (#969 in the Series) is The Pixies, Surfer Rosa Playing my Surfer Rosa album last night reminded me that the album is not just The Pixies first album, but my favorite album as well. It also reminded me why I keep my record collection in my room away from my kids- the album’s cover features a topless woman who I remember swooning over when it first came out. In case anyone is...

Ten Years After ‘A Space in Time’

Today’s Cool Album of the Day (#968 in the Series) is Ten Years After, A Space In Time When you are three pints in, and the conversation as it inevitably does, turns to the greatest guitar players of all time, and the usual suspects Jimmy Page, Eric Clapton, Jimi Hendrix, and the rest are shouted out from around the bar, the name Alvin Lee is largely and criminally ignored. As one of the early pioneers of Blues Rock,...

Sebastian Cabot, actor; Bob Dylan, poet ‘A Dramatic Reading with Music’

Today’s Cool Album of the Day (#959 in the Series) is Sebastian Cabot, actor; Bob Dylan, poet. A Dramatic Reading with Music. ..Like one of our favorite comedy troupes once proclaimed…”And Now For Something Completely Different.” You’d be hard pressed to find something as different as this. What I like about this album is the fact that it’s of course a novelty album, a “what the heck, why not album” yet it has a redeeming quality that makes...

Johnny Cash “American Recordings V: A Hundred Highways”

Shadowfax “Watercourse Way”

Today’s Cool Album of the Day (#955 in the Series) is Shadowfax, Watercourse Way When you look at a listing of the best bands Chicagoland has produced it better have Shadowfax included, if it doesn’t find a new list. Are you familiar with Shadowfax? If not, let me go back a ways. The origins of this eventual Grammy-winning band begin in the early 70s in south-suburban Crete, Illinois. That’s where the band lived in a farmhouse popularly known as...

Alice Cooper "Billion Dollar Babies"

Today’s Cool Album of the Day (#953 in the Series) is Alice Cooper, Billion Dollar Babies. About three years ago I listened to this album for the first time in about 12 years. I could not believe how great it still sounded. Of all the early 70s things that I loved, this one still kicked as good, if not better, than almost anything else I’d played in quite sometime from that old era. The quality of the tracks stood...

The Doobie Brothers “What Were Onces Vices Are Now Habits”

Today’s Cool album of the Day (#952 in the Series) is The Doobie Brothers, What Were Once Vices Are Now Habits. Can you believe that this little gem was released 41 years ago this week!! I really enjoy the decade or so tradition of bands playing one of their albums in its entirety. I know it would probably never happen, but if the Doobie Brothers were to do add join that tradition, then they should play “What Were Once...

Billy Joe Shaver ‘Long in the Tooth’

Today’s Cool Album of the Day (#948 in the Series) is Billy Joe Shaver, Long in the Tooth On the Mount Rushmore of 70’s Highwayman Icons, a zip code that includes Willie Nelson,Waylon Jennings, Johnny Cash, and Kris Kristoffersons, Billy Joe Shaver could very well be considered the fifth Beatle, the under the radar cowboy that jump-started the movement with Honky Tonk Heroes in 1973, and in the process put the outlaw in Outlaw Country, reshaped the image...

Complete Footage of “The Last Waltz” Concert Surfaces

Yes, you read that headline correctly. The full nearly four hour performance of the 1976 Thanksgiving night concert by The Band has made it’s way to the public. It includes, previously unreleased tunes by The Band such as “WS Wolcott Medicince Show,” “Georgia on My Mind,” “Arcadian Driftwood,” “Rag Mama Rag,” and also “The Weight” which in the film was represented only by the live in studio version. No overdubs here either. Songs by some of the guest...

The Most Popular Songs Played By Musicians In Each State

MADISON, WI – March 19, 2014 – Dialect, cuisine and fashion tastes can vary by state, and the songs people like to play are no different, according to a recent list of the distinctively best-selling sheet music titles by Musicnotes.com, the world’s top digital sheet music e-retailer and publisher. Musicnotes crafted a list of the “Uniquely Popular Sheet Music by State (Plus D.C.)” to expound on the breadth of its sheet music catalogue, as well as the diversity of...

Springsteen Continues to Cover Australian Acts During Down Under Tour. Inxs ‘Don’t Change,’ AC/DC, Bee Gees and Lorde in the Mix as Well

Bruce Springsteen continues to pull out some cool surprises on his current tour down under. He’s been including some great tunes by the locals into his mix. We’ll post videos when we can. I’ll add them as I get them. So far they’ve included Inxs’ “Don’t Change.” AC/DC “Highway to Hell” (wth Eddie Vedder) and Lorde’s “Royals.” The Easybeats “Friday on My Mind” and even the Bee Gees “Stayin’ Alive.” I’m really hoping for some Split Enz!!! Tom Morello...

Robert Downey Jr is ‘Driven To Tears’ with Sting!

Robert Downey Jr. Joins Mr. Sting on Stage I didn’t see this one coming? Did you? Who knew Robert Downey Jr. had musical talent. He should sit in with Black Sabbath too. I have an idea what song he could sing with Ozzie! Bookmark on Delicious Digg this post Recommend on Facebook share via Reddit Share with Stumblers Tweet about it Subscribe to the comments on this post

AMAZING! – Watch 32 Discordant Metronomes Achieve Synchrony in a Matter of Minutes

from io9.com If you place 32 metronomes on a static object and set them rocking out of phase with one another, they will remain that way indefinitely. Place them on a moveable surface, however, and something very interesting (and very mesmerizing) happens. The metronomes in this video fall into the latter camp. Energy from the motion of one ticking metronome can affect the motion of every metronome around it, while the motion of every other metronome affects the motion...

What Were Kurt Cobain’s Favorite Fifty Albums? Here’s His Handwritten List.

I’m sure you’ve all been wondering what the late Kurt Cobain’s favorite fifty albums were. Here is his own hand written list. Now you know. I’m sure you feel better. Oh, while you here. Have you ever wondered how the baby was on the cover of Nirvana’s debut Nevermind? He’s now all grown up and we have a story on who he is and what he’s doing now. He even recreated that famous album cover. Well, kind of…...

Vince Gill Shares His Thoughts on Today’s Country Music..and He’s Right On!

For quite some time now I’ve been harsh on today’s country music, or more specifically, the state of today’s country radio. Now I’ve been joined by Vince Gill in its critique. It’s sad when Taylor Swift can dominate country radio and Merle Haggard can’t get a sniff. And I’m not talking about Merle’s old great albums I’m referring to his last couple of albums. They’ve been great yet completely ignored. Justin Townes Earle’s “Harlem River Blues” also did...

Music: How we bought it through the years. Plus: ‘What is an ‘album?’

Albums? No, an ‘album’ does NOT mean vinyl. For years our radio friends would refer to the music they played as ‘albums.’ Stick around for something from the new Genesis album, or That was ”Song For My Brother’ from the Shadowfax album, ‘Watercourse Way.’ Then as the 80s were ending, so was the way that radio gave us our music. They were making the transition from playing vinyl to compact disc. It cost them a good penny and they...

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The Ventures “The Ventures Christmas Album”

Posted 23 Dec 2017 in 60s, Albums of 1965, Albums of the 60s, Christmas, Instrumental

Today’s Cool Album of the Day (#999 in the Series) is The Ventures, The Ventures Christmas Album The Ventures were another band that got a strong amount of airplay in my house when I was a youth. No, It didn’t want to make we want to be a surfer or anything like that. That would have been a little hard for a Chicago boy so I’m glad that was never a goal. Italian kids weren’t usually blonde enough either. I was no exception. It did help me add to my love of rock and roll. I remember my sisters playing their version of “Telstar” on more than one occasion. I remember my sisters playing their version of “Telstar”...

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The Prog World Orchestra ‘A Proggy Christmas’

Posted 14 Dec 2017 in Albums of 2012, Albums of the 10s, Christmas, John Driscoll, Steve Hackett

Today’s Cool Album of the Day (#993 in the Series) is The Prog World Orchestra, A Proggy Christmas This is one of those releases you want to share with everyone in the season of sharing. Granted the older folks at the Holiday might not like it, more probable they don’t get it, but this easily the best Christmas release I have heard since Jon Anderson’s 3 Ships and that was more than 25 years ago. There are 10 things that set this apart from every other Holiday record you have heard before, and those are the ten songs that are contained here. Before you suggest this is in the spirit of the Trans Siberian Orchestra, and before I...

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Andy Williams ‘Merry Christmas’

Posted 11 Dec 2017 in Albums of 1965, Albums of the 60s, Bubby Lewis, Christmas, Vocal

Today’s Cool Album of the Day (#991 in the Series) is Andy Williams, Merry Christmas In 1963, smooth jazz crooner, Andy Williams, released his first Christmas album, The Andy Williams Christmas Album too much acclaim and his name has been synonymous with the holiday season ever since. As good as it was it can’t compare with what he followed up with in 1965. Andy’s Merry Christmas album focused exclusively on 20th century compositions, unlike its predecessor, with one side focusing on more traditional pop and secular holiday fare. For a generation of baby boomers and even early generation X-ers, this is the quintessential holiday album because of its mainstream production, in addition to years of Christmas specials on...

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Jethro Tull “The Christmas Album”

Posted 05 Dec 2017 in 00s, Albums of 2003, Albums of the 00s, Christmas

Today’s Cool Album of the Day (#988 in the Series) is Jethro Tull, The Christmas Album I can honestly say that up to a year or so ago, I had never heard of this album. I’m surprised at that since it’s from a band I always liked. Maybe I should say that I don’t think I heard of it, I say that since when I listened to it (again), it did sound familiar. Maybe the date threw me a bit as I don’t really remember looking for Jethro Tull albums on the music racks in 2003 when this was released. Like many Christmas albums by modern acts, it’s a combination of newer original material and their versions of...

Phil Spector ‘Phil Spector’s Christmas Album’

Posted 03 Dec 2017 in Albums of 1963, Albums of the 60s, Christmas

Today’s Cool Album of the Day (#987) is Phil Spector, Phil Spector’s Christmas Album In November of 1963, The Philles label released one of its few long-playing records, “A Christmas Gift For You From Philles Records”. Consisting mostly of secular Christmas standards it is one of famed producer Phil Spector’s masterpieces and was later released as A Christmas Gift For You From Phil Spector and later simply Phil Spector’s Christmas Album when re-released by the Beatles’ Apple label in 1972. No matter what the title or it’s varying cover photos, it is a true classic with Spector’s trademark “Wall of Sound” style and selections featuring vocal performances of his regular artists during that time. Oddly enough, one of...

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Carole King “A Holiday Carole”

Posted 02 Dec 2017 in Albums of 2011, Albums of the 10s, Christmas

Today’s Cool Album of the Day (#986 in the Series) is Carole King, A Holiday Carole As we inch into December, we’re going to give you a Christmas Album. This is one that caught me a little by surprise when it showed up. Let’s get a little more specific and call it a pleasant surprise. Inspired by friends like James Taylor that have released Christmas albums, Carole decided to give it a try as well. She looked no further than her daughter Louise Goffin for production help. According to Carole: “Then I don’t have to worry about it, or think about, Louise can take the reins and just do it.” Make sure you give those reins back to...

Nick Lowe ‘Quality Street: A Seasonal Selection For All The Family’

Posted 01 Dec 2017 in Albums of 2013, Albums of the 10s, Bubby Lewis, Christmas

Today’s Cool Album of the Day (#985 in the Series) is Nick Lowe, Quality Street: A Seasonal Selection For All The Family. I love Christmas albums. I have a pretty good collection of them and I usually find something old every year that I add to it. It is rare that I find something new as I am very picky and traditional about my Christmas music. Let’s face it. We have the traditional carols and then about a dozen or so once original pop Holiday songs penned from the 1930’s through the 60’s that get redone over and over again. It is rare that an artist is brave enough to mess with that and if there is anything...

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Merle Haggard "I Am What I Am"

Posted 06 Mar 2016 in 00s, Albums of the 00s, Country, Swing

Today’s Cool Album of the Day (#959 in the Series) is Merle Haggard, I Am What I Am. I was REAL late coming to the Merle Haggard appreciation society. I’ve loved traditional country for many years. But for some reason Merle slid though the cracks for me. That changed due to his classic song, “Sing Me Back Home.” About five years ago I started noticing all these artist I really respected had covered it. The Grateful Dead, Flying Burrito Brothers, Heartfield, Gram Parsons and Keith Richards together, The Everly Brothers, etc etc. I had to look in on it. Then I started checking out all these old albums and wow. I sure missed quite a bit. Instead of featuring...

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Johnny Cash “American Recordings V: A Hundred Highways”

Posted 05 Feb 2016 in Albums of 2006, Albums of the 00s, Country, Walt Falconer

Today’s Cool Album of the Day is Johnny Cash, American Recordings V: A Hundred Highways The year was 1994, and it was not the best of times for Johnny Cash. His health, starting to fail from a series of illnesses and decades of hard living, was seemingly bringing “The Man in Black” much closer to the end than he was ready to admit. His latest major record label, Mercury Records had dropped him after one last commitment record, The Mystery of life, that was released in 1990 and included updated versions of “Hey Porter”, “Angel and the “Badman”, and “The Greatest Cowboy”, that were good simply because they are very good songs, but showed none of the outlaw grit...

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Dire Straits “Brothers in Arms”

Posted 19 Apr 2015 in 80s, Albums of 1985, Albums of the 80s, Rock + Roll

Today’s Cool Album of the Day (#957 in the Series) is Dire Straits, Brothers in Arms. Brothers in Arms was one of the first albums that was completely digitally recorded. It was released in May of 1985. Right about this time I was itching to get my first CD player. They had just started to get to a price level that ‘cattle’ like myself could afford one. I knew the day was coming soon where I would have a player, so I grabbed a couple CDs that I could bring when I went player searching. I needed two discs that I liked. I needed two discs that had a sound quality so good, that when I heard them blasting...

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