Jimmy Buffett “A White Sport Coat and a Pink Crustacean”
Today’s Cool Album of the Day (#438 in the Series) is Jimmy Buffett, A White Sport Coat and a Pink Crustacean Well it took us well over 400 albums but we have our first Jimmy Buffett entry. Not only that, but we’re going way back, all the way back to 1973. This was before he broke out. He was just getting out of playing folk clubs. Here in Chicago he was still hanging out with all the folkies like John Prine, Steve Goodman, Fred + Ed Holstein etc. In fact, Steve Goodman was a ‘Coral Reefer’ for this album. He played some really nice lead acoustic on it. Also, this album was the first time that Jimmy used the...
Chip Taylor “Chip Taylor’s Last Chance”
Today’s Cool Album of the Day (#426 in the Series) is Chip Taylor, Chip Taylor’s Last Chance Every single person that I’ve mentioned this album to has invariable replied: “Chip Taylor? Never heard of him ” Of course you have, you just don’t know it yet! That’s because: Chip Taylor wrote a little song that became a big hit in the 60’s – “Wild Thing” as recorded by The Troggs. He then had another top effort with “Angel Of The Morning”, a smash for Merrilee Rush. Plus many more, he’s been a busy fella over the years, “Try (just a little bit harder) by Janis Joplin? Chip again. And I suppose i really should mention that his real name is...
Yes “Yessongs”
Today’s Cool Album of the Day (#421 in the Series and #39 in the Live, Saturday Night Series) is Yes, Yessongs Saturdays are of course the day we look at a live album. A few of those Saturday’s ago, when discussing The Talking Heads, Stop Making Sense, I mentioned that they picked the right time to record their live album. I want to make that same point again, but this time even more so. Yes, picked the absolute point in their career to record Yessongs. In fact, I’ll go one step further in claiming that this marked the ending point to their ‘Glory Days.’ The band would still go on and still create some wonderful music, but this marked...
Paul McCartney and Wings “Band on the Run”
Today’s Cool Album of the Day (#384 in the Series, and #13 in the Whale Wednesday Series) is Paul McCartney and Wings, Band on the Run Whenever I do one of these write-ups I first give the album a listen. Heck, some of them I haven’t heard in quite some time. I try to look for an angle on what to say. You really don’t have to try to think of which angle you want. I just let something come into my head. What comes to you first when you give a listen? What came to my first with this one was “underrated.” I didn’t see that one coming, but when I listened to this one again I was...
Three Dog Night “Around the World With Three Dog Night”
Today’s Cool Album of the Day (#352 in the Series, and #29 in the Live, Saturday Night Series) is Three Dog Night, Around the World With Three Dog Night. Yes, you read the title correctly. Today’s Cool Album is indeed Three Dog Night! I was about 14 when this was released, and I loved it. Around the World With Three Dog Night was a double live album. It was released in 1973. It was actually their second live album, it followed Captured Live at the Forum from 1969. Forum was a short single album. For some odd reason it has been available for many years while Around the World has been a cut-out for decades. In fact, I don’t...
Stevie Wonder “Innervisions”
Today’s Cool Album of the Day (#336 in the Series) Is Stevie Wonder, Innervisions. Innervisions was a #1 album in 1973. It also produced such hits as “Higher Ground”, “Too High,” “Living for the City” and my favorite on the disc, “Don’t You Worry ‘bout a Thing.” “Golden Lady” was also another track worth mentioning. Rolling Stone Magazine voted Innervisions the number 23 best album of all-time. When looking into this album, I was surprised to find out how much was just Stevie himself. He played nearly all the instruments on six of the nine songs. I’ve always been of fan of Stevie Wonder’s but never more than after watching him on the live broadcast of the Rock and...
Rick Wakeman “Six Wives of Henry VIII”
Today’s Cool Album of the Day (#323 in the Series) is Rick Wakeman, Six Wives of Henry VIII Back in the early 70s I was really into art-rock. I don’t remember using the term, prog-rock yet. I guess progressive rock was tossed around a little. Mostly it was art-rock. I just couldn’t get enough of Yes; Emerson, Lake and Palmer, King Crimson, etc. This album was quite ground breaking. I don’t think I realized it when I was listening to it. I was just doing some reading on it this this week. Many experts credit Six Wives of Henry VIII as being one of the first albums to bring keyboards to the forefront in an art-rock setting. If you have feelings...
Elton John “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road”
Today’s Cool Album of the Day (#315 in the Series, and #3 in the Whale Wednesday Series) is Elton John, Goodbye Yellow Brick Road. Today we continue our Whale Wednesday Series. The idea being that we don’t want to neglect the big sellers that also hold onto some “cool” status. We know you know about these albums. However, as mentioned before, once a week, on Wednesdays, we’re still going to give them a feature. I think it’s fun to check back on some of them. I also love clicking on that playlist and just letting it roll. One of the reasons I like clicking on those playlists is of course to hear these albums again. Why? Mainly it’s because...
Carlos Santana Mahavishu John McLaughlin ‘Love Devotion Surrender’
Today’s Cool Album of the Day (#183 in the Series) is the 1973 release from guitar virtuosos Carlos Santana and Mahavishnu John McLaughlin titled Love Devotion Surrender. This was released on the heals of the Santana album Caravanserai. Both albums somewhat mystified die hard Santana fans. Both albums were a major turn from the latin-tinged Jam Rock that was featured on the bands first three releases. Santana’s second and third albums (Abraxas and the one known as III) had been number one sellers. Caravansarai peaked at number eight and this release peaked at 14. So the new sound showed an effect on sales. It would take the band 26 more years to hit the top of the charts. (Supernatural,...
Gram Parsons "GP"
Today’s Cool Album of the Day (#134 in the Series) is Gram Parson’s, GP. I was shocked to see that I hadn’t featured Gram Parson’s as of yet. He’s one of my all-time favorites. I did feature him as part of The Byrds, Sweethearts of the Rodeo era. GP was Gram’s first of two studio albums. Grievous Angel was the second and could have been as easily featured as GP since they are both outstanding pieces of music. GP was home for some of Gram’s most wonderful moments. He was in excellent voice in this era. Give a listen to some of the slower moments of the disc including ‘A Song For You, Streets of Baltimore, She’ or ‘The...
