The Shirts [mm:ss] "Teenage Crutch" The Shirts Capitol Records SW-11791 1978 (US pressing) (see below) The Shirts [mm:ss] "Reduced to a Whisper" The Shirts Harvest 5C 062-06 717 1978 (Netherlands pressing) That's right, not one but 2 (two!) tracks from The Shirts' debut album. Normally, I am not one to buy 2 copies of the same album, but when I was in Amsterdam a couple of years ago, I came across the Netherlands pressing with a more stylized cover and couldn't resist. They were one of the...

The Beatles [00:29] "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds" Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band Apple Records SMAS-2563 1967 (1971 Los Angeles gatefold pressing) Enjoy the stereo separation! Billy Preston [03:58] "Get Back" Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band RSO RS-2-4100 1978 So yeah. A soundtrack to a movie that is very much of it's time. Not only tdo we have The Bee Gees and Peter Framption as the titular band, we have Earth Wind & Fire doing "Got to Get You into My Life", George...

Barbra Streisand [00:20] "The Christmas Song" Seasons Greetings from Barbra Streisand... and Friends Columbia Special Products CSS 1075 1969 Babs takes things in a particularly saccharine direction, but I suppose not every version can be the Nat King Cole Trio. Rockpile [04:25] "Heart" Seconds of Pleasure Columbia JC 36886 1980 The iconic album from the band that until this point has backed solo efforts from Nick Lowe and Dave Edmunds knock it out of the park on their only release as...

Sarah Vaughan [00:36] "Hey Naughty Papa" Sassy Mercury Wing MGW 12237 1962 (originally released in 1956) Hey now. Evidently this one was written by Hoagy Carmichael? Here Sarah is backed by Hal Mooney and his Orchestra. Subway [02:51] "Jupiter" Satellites Soul Jazz Records SJR 157-12 2007 Beep boop boop beep. Jerry Byrd [08:27] "Cold Cold Heart" Satin Strings of Steel Monument SLP 8033 1965 Getting very aloha with Hank's classic. Glen Campbell [11:06] "Lonesome Jailhouse Blues" A...

Fleetwood Mac [01:08] "I Don't Want to Know" Rumours Warner Bros. Records BSK 3010 1977 Funny how the classic rock radio format ruined so much music for me through it's incessant repetition of what it deemed classic, and yet I still thoroughly enjoy Rumours. A fun little number originally from the Buckingham Nicks days. Deerhoof [04:22] "Twin Killers" The Runners Four Children of the Hoof #1 2006 Maybe it's my Gemini nature (certainly not my killer nature) that draws me to this...

Duran Duran [00:29] "Save a Prayer" Rio Harvest ST-12211 1982 Do you want New Wave or do you want... a ballad? How about both?! The Roland Kirk Quartet featuring Elvin Jones [06:04] "Mystical Dream" Rip, Rig & Panic Limelight LS 86027 1965 Roland Kirk - tenor sax, Jaki Byard - Piano, Richard Davis - Bass, Elvin Jones - Drums. Remember the name of this album when we get to Albums and all that begin with the letter Y as in Yankee. Herb Alpert [08:40] "1980" Rise A&M Records...

The Pogues [00:31] "Transmetropolitan" Red Roses for Me Enigma ST-73225 1984 Side one, track one from the Pogues debut album written by the one and only Shane MacGowan. Quite the entrance! The Police [04:40] "Bring on the Night" Regatta de Blanc A&M SP-4792 1979 Released in the US as the third single from their 1979 classic yet failed to chart. Skinny Puppy [08:56] "Glass Houses" Remission Nettwerk 12 NTWK 12 1984 Debut label release from everyone's favorite Industrial ensemble...

Usnea [00:37] "Lying in Ruin" Random Cosmic Violence Relapse Records RR7280 2014 Sophomore outing from this Portland-based death/doom metal band, on lovely bone white & blue splatter vinyl. Disc one, side one, track one. Named after everyone's favorite fruticose lichen. Stray Cats [13:32] "Something's Wrong with My Radio" Rant n' Rave with the Stray Cats EMI America SO-17102 1983 Whole lotta pickin goin on. The waning days of that particular rockabilly revival. Ray Charles...

George Jones [00:22] "Time Changes Everything" The Race Is On United Artists UAS 6422 1965 A very George Jones take on this Bob Wills/Tommy Duncan classic. Nadja [03:58] "Now I Am Become Death, Destroyer of Worlds" Radiance of Shadows Conspiracy Records CORE064 2008 My gateway drug for Nadja. I had read a review of this album which mentioned a new concept to me: ambient doom. I ordered the CD and the next thing I knew I was hooked. Fifteen years later I am still enthralled. Big Star...

Kid606 [00:39] "Let It Rock" Pretty Girls Make Raves Tigerbeat6 meow132 2006 Hello Mid-Aughties Bay Area IDM. Michael Nesmith [05:32] "Some of Shelley's Blues" Pretty Much Your Standard Ranch Stash Pacific Arts/Island Records ILPS 9440 1977 One of my scores from Amsterdam. "Some of Shelley's Blues was going to be part of the Nashville session The Monkees had in 1968. Prior to this version it was also covered by Linda Ronstadt with the Stone Poney's, as well as the Nitty Gritty Dirt...

Berlin [00:24] "Masquerade" Pleasure Victim Geffen Records GHS 2036 1983 Some classic nouvelle vague, very LA style. Merle Haggard & Willie Nelson [04:33] "Pancho & Lefty" Pancho & Lefty Epic FE 37958 1982 What the hell is up with the intro?! Anywho, pretty decent pass at the Townes Van Zandt classic. And these gentlemen let Townes appear as a federale in the accompanying video. The Knitters [09:18] "The New World" Poor Little Critter on the Road Slash 25310-1 1985 Well,...

The Photos [mm:ss] "Do You Have Fun" The Photos Epic NJE 36515 1980 Well, do you? Interested parties can spot Wendy Wu in this BBC doc on The New Romantics. Aldo Ciccolini [mm:ss] "Trois Valses Distinguées Du Précieux Dégoûté" Piano Music of Erik Satie, Vol. 1 Angel Records S-36482 1968 Some modern waltzes of Erik Satie as performed by Mssr. Ciccolini. The Decemberists [mm:ss] "The Sporting Life" Picaresque Kill Rock Stars/Jealous Butcher Records JB-053 2005 A great packaging of this...

Peach Kelli Pop [mm:ss] "Panchito Blues II" Peach Kelli Pop Burger Records BRGR293 2013 A quick bit of garagey fun. Peach Kelli Pop [mm:ss] "Princess Castle 1987" Peach Kelli Pop Burger Records BRGR925 2015 Another ripping opener. Pearl Charles [mm:ss] "Night and Day" Pearl Charles Kanine Records KR148 2016 Great lead-off to Pearl's debut album, on some lovely yellow vinyl. Cocteau Twins [mm:ss] "Hazel" Peppermint Pig 4AD BAD 303 1983 Evidently Robin Guthrie felt this release was...

Prince and the Revolution [00:51] "Kiss" Parade Paisley Park 9 25395-1 1986 Everyday someone is born who has never heard Prince's "Kiss" (or seen the video). If that person is you, enjoy! Nadja [04:27] "Dark Circles" Paradox Incubate 15.09.14 Consouling Sounds SOULXXXXIV 2014 Live ambient doom by my favorite duo recorded live at Incubate Festival in Amsterdam circa 2014. Blondie [14:34] "Hanging on the Telephone" Parallel Lines Chrysalis CHR 1192 1978 Check out the original Nerves...

The Oscar Peterson Trio [00:31] "I've Never Been in Love Before" The Trio Verve Records V6-8420 1961 Surprise! It might be the jacket for Oscar Peterson Trio + One (1964) but the record is actually The Trio (1961). Nevertheless, Oscar and the gents take a fine crack at the Guys and Dolls standard. Magic Trick [06:10] "Forest of Kates" Other Man's Blues Empty Cellar Records EMP029 2016 Excellent outing from Tim Cohen and friends, featuring cover art by Kevin Earl Taylor. Henry Mancini...

James White and the Blacks [00:24] "Contort Yourself" Off White 4 Men with Beards 4M 504 2002 (original released in 1979) A little something for all your No Wave Funk needs. DEVO [03:30] "Peek-A-Boo" Oh, No! It's DEVO Warner Bros. Records 9 23741-1 1982 One of the more memorable videos from the early MTV era. And certainly relevant today. Zola Jesus [06:27] "Exhumed" Okovi Sacred Bones Records SBR-184 2017 Killer track from one of my favorite albums of 2017. If you've never seen Zola...

Faces [00:33] "Miss Judy's Farm" A Nod Is as Good as a Wink... to a Blind Horse Warner Bros. Records BS 2574 1971 The lads at peak form, produced by none other than Glyn Johns. Soft Cell [04:09] "Say Hello, Wave Goodbye" Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret Sire SRK 3647 1981 Excellent low-key groove from these Leeds lads. There's fun cover of this by Japanese duo Salon Music and Russell Mael of Sparks. Aidan Baker & Karen Williams [09:37] "Meeting in the Dark" Nonland Gizeh Records GZH74 ...

Nick Lowe [00:28] "My Heart Hurts" Nick the Knife Columbia FC 37932 1982 Nick's first outing after the dissolution of Rockpile. Another catchy tune, co-written with Carlene Carter. Such a great duo. Nicolette Larson [03:07] "Lotta Love" Nicolette Warner Bros. Records BSK 3243 1978 Fresh off assisting Neil Young with American Stars 'n Bars, Nicolette unleashes some peak 70s adult-oriented rock with this side one, track one Young cover for her debut album. Shana Cleveland [06:14] "Face of...

Gladys Knight & the Pips [00:22] "Who Is She (and What Is She to You)" Neither One of Us Soul S 737L 1973 Gladys and the gents turning the tables on the Bill Withers groove from the year before, and deftly covered by Meshell Ndegecello. Redd Kross [04:28] "Peach Kelli Pop" Neurotica Five Foot Two Records FF2-003-LP/Sympathy for the Record Industry STFRI 709 2002 Side 2, Track 1 of Neurotica is this killer riff rocker that hooked me when it was first released in 1987. Neutral Milk...

Little Dragon [00:20] "Klapp Klapp" Nabuma Rubberband Seven Four/Republic B0020210-01 2014 Little Dragon's fourth studio album and a fine one at that. Why, the even performed this track on Letterman. 22 Sparkling Smiles [03:57] "Every Day" Nailed to the Stars Jealous Butcher Records JB-010 1996 Nice little 90s indie comp from the Portland label. KMFDM [06:44] "Naïve (Re-Mix by TKK)" Naïve/The Days of Swing + Roses Wax Trax! Records WAX 9160 1990 From the halcyon days of...

Coro Trentino [00:23] "Not en Val Gardena" Music of the Italian Alps Capitol Records T10120 A quick little Tyrolean excursion. "Bald" Bill Hagan and his Trocarderons [02:04] "Frankie and Johnny" Music to Strip By Somerset P-16800 1966 Not exactly a song I would associate with burlesque. Carlene Carter with Dave Edmunds [04:26] "Baby Ride Easy" Musical Shapes Warner Bros. Records BSK 3465 1980 That's right kids, Carlene backed by Rockpile, covering a little number Johnny and June used to...

Caudal [00:37] "Murk" Murk Midira Records MD 015 2015 An excellent spatial excursion from Aidan Baker on guitar, Gareth Sweeney on bass, and Felipe Salazar on drums. Kermit the Frog & Fozzie Bear [15:08] "Movin' Right Along" The Muppet Movie - Original Soundtrack Recording Atlantic SD 16001 1979 A little travelling music, please. Red Fang [18:06] "Wires" Murder the Mountains Relapse Records RR7144-1 2011 Don't try this at home, kids. Or maybe do... it looks like fun. Herb...

Cat Stevens [00:34] "I Wish, I Wish" Mona Bone Jakon A&M Records SP4260 1970 The less said about the title of this album, the better. Tommy Gumina [04:15] "Love Theme From 'La Strada'" Mood Italiano Decca DL 8630 1958 Some lovely Italiano-Americano accordion playing. Dick Hyman [06:43] "The Topless Dancers of Corfu" Moog - The Electric Eclectics of Dick Hyman ABC Command 938-S 1969 Catchy bleep bloop. Neil Diamond [09:45] "Song Sung Blue" Moods UNI Records 93136 1972 Can't go...

The B-52's [00:31] "Throw that Beat in the Garbage Can" Mesopotamia Warner Bros. Records MINI 3641 1982 The Athens natives 3rd studio effort, this time with David Byrne on production duties. Martha and the Muffins [05:03] "Echo Beach" Metro Music Dindisc DID.1 1980 Every day someone is born who has never heard "Echo Beach". Perhaps one of those people is you. If so, enjoy! Chaka Khan [08:39] "Own the Night" Miami Vice - Music from the Television Series MCA Records MCA-6150 1985 Can you...