James Taylor ‘That’s Why I’m Here’
Today’s Cool Album of the Day (#1042 in the Series) is James Taylor, That’s Why I’m Here. “Come on everyone, come on… let’s go! James is recording a new album. We all have to help him out! Was that the clarion call throughout Los Angeles in 1985 when James Taylor decided to record for the first time in years,who knows? ButI’m guessing it was close. It seems like every hot musician from within 100 miles played on this album. So before I get into the rest of album, let me make a list of who answered that call. Here’s who makes an appearance on That’s Why I’m Here. Don Henley, Leland Sklar, Peter Asher, Randy + Michael Brecker...
Diana Krall ‘Live in Paris’
Today’s Cool Album of the Day (#889 in the Series) is Diana Krall, Live in Paris Diana Krall was another one of those artists that I knew more ‘of’ than actually knew. I couldn’t tell you anything that she had done. I’d see her listed as being on different shows etc. I had a little interest. Some of it also generated from being familiar with her superstar husband, Elvis Costello. I wonder if she’s ever worn his red shoes? So one day I’m surfing thru the television channels when I see her sitting at her piano singing this marvelous song. “OK’ I said, this sounds pretty good’ Maybe I’ll watch a song or two.” Well, about 80 minutes...
Joni Mitchell ‘The Hissing of Summer Lawns’
Song Of The Day by Eric Berman – “Harry’s House/Centerpiece” by Joni Mitchell Joni Mitchell was coming off of Court And Spark, her most commercially successful studio recording to date, sporting several hit singles including “Free Man In Paris,” “Raised On Robbery” and “Help Me.” So by 1975 interest was very high as critics and fans alike awaited her next record which was believed to be the one that would take her to the next level of super stardom. Would she rock out like she did with the L.A. Express on the tour that resulted in the live double album Miles Of Aisles? Would it be a return to the voice-and-guitar folk roots of Ladies Of The Canyon? Would...
Joni Mitchell ‘Turbulent Indigo’
Song Of The Day by Eric Berman – “The Magdalene Laundries” by Joni Mitchell – Turbulent Indigo was Joni Mitchell’s last great album. That’s not to say that all that followed wasn’t any good, it’s just that Indigo was her last consistently good album from beginning to end. Coming in on the heels of a trio of experimental records on the Geffen label — Dog Eat Dog, Chalk Marks In a Rainstorm and Night Ride Home – that featured electronic textures and somewhat dated layered production, Turbulent Indigo returned Mitchell to Reprise records with a more stripped down straight-ahead sound that peeled back the atmospheric electronics of the previous records in favor of more organic instrumentation akin to...
Documentary: “LA, From The Byrds to the Eagles” …… “The Corporatization of Rock and the Death of a Dream”
I had a chance to see this on DVD awhile back. I can’t even remember how I got a copy of it; I don’t believe it was ever released here in the States. I’m not sure if it was ever televised here either. Maybe BBC American ran it, I don’t know, they produced it. The official title is Hotel California, L.A. From The Byrds to The Eagles. If you’re a fan of the Los Angeles music scene from say…. ’66 thru about ’75, then this is a must watch for you. It looks at the careers of The Byrds, Flying Burrito Brothers, Gram Parsons, Linda Ronstadt, The Buffalo Springfield, CSNY, Poco, Jackson Browne, Joni Mitchell, David Geffen and...
Joni Mitchell “Shadows and Light”
Today’s Cool Album of the Day (#510 in the Series, and #52 in the Live, Saturday Night Series) is Joni Mitchell, Shadows and Light. I’m not going to sit here and type away about how much I think this is a perfect and fantastic album. If you’re a jazz affectionado, then maybe it is to you. I like jazz, I appreciate jazz, but I’m not head over heels in love with it. (BTW, when someone does a flip, shouldn’t it be “heels over head? As soon as I stand up I’m going to be head over heels. When I walk to the fridge? Yup, head over heels again!) … anyway, I like jazz but not enough to site through two to...
Daryl Hall “Three Hearts in the Happy Ending Machine”
Today’s Cool Album of the Day (#459 in the Series) is Daryl Hall, Three Hearts in the Happy Ending Machine. This is the second Daryl Hall solo release that we’re featuring; we also took a look-see at Sacred Songs. That album had a heavy dose of Robert Fripp and definitely had a unique sound to it. Three Hearts in the Happy Ending Machine is a much more traditional sounding album that you’d expect from Daryl Hall. This one is plentiful with blue eyed sound and ballads. The album kicks off with the most well-known song off the bunch. That would be “Dreamtime.” In fact, “Dreamtime” is the biggest hit of Daryl Hall’s solo career. It reached #5 on the...
Linda Ronstadt “Heart Like a Wheel”
Today’s Cool Album of the Day (#393 in the Series) is Linda Ronstadt, Heart Like A Wheel Laurel Canyon is a stretch of Los Angeles wonderland that runs through the Hollywood Hills from the Sunset Strip to the San Fernando Valley. That curving, stretching, boulevard of hipness and “California Noir” is where Carole King escaped to create her “Tapestry” masterpiece. It was in Laurel Canyon, while living on Lookout Mountain with Joni Mitchell, that Graham Nash wrote “Our House”. Leading the “Soft Parade” of Laurel Canyon artists, musicians, singers, and songwriters that included Jackson Browne, J.D. Souther, Warren Zevon, The Mamas and the Papas, the various incarnations of The Flying Burrito Brothers including Gram Parsons, most of The Eagles,...
Joni Mitchell "Court and Spark"
Today’s Cool Album of the Day (#152 in the Series) is Joni Mitchell, Court and Spark. Court and Spark was the album that took Joni Mitchell from a pretty darn good selling artist to a star. It was a monster album. It reached #2 on the Billboard Album charts but had long time staying power on rock radio. It fit in perfectly with the singer/songwriter period which was very hot in 1974. Sure this was three or four years after she had written Woodstock, but it’s Court and Spark more often than not when people think Joni Mitchell. This album contains songs such as “Help Me,” “Free Man in Paris,” “Car on a Hill,” “Raised on Robbery” and the...
Mandy Moore "Coverage"
Today’s Cool Album of the Day (#117 in the Series) is Mandy Moore, Coverage. I told you I’d pull out some weird things on this blog. Well I bet this one really blows your mind! Back to Ms. Moore. I bet your saying ‘What the ^%$( is he smoking!’ But take a look at this album. It’s an album full of cover tunes. (How many of those have we seen the past few years?) But what makes this one interesting is the song list that she chooses. Her performance of these songs was quite good. Some not so much but others were pretty solid. But let’s look at the songs. I was shocked when I saw this list. She...
