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...

Today’s Cool Album of the Day (#442 in the Series) is James Brown, Live at the Apollo I often look at “Top” lists when I decide which album to feature.  I sometimes look thru “Top Live Albums” and such just to get ideas. The one album that may show up more than any other album on those top lists is this one, James Brown, Live at the Apollo. This was recorded in late 1962 and released in 1963.  I wonder, not only is this one of the best live albums of all time, but it’s also got to be one of the first live albums as well. What’s more interesting is the fact that this album almost was never...