Chris Von Sneidern - Sight & Sound (1993) CD

Chris Von Sneidern (CVS) dropped his debut album on us back in the early 1990s. I bought this CD in the used bin at the recently opened Amoeba Records in Berkeley while I was a grad student at Cal. I bought it because I had started reading about him and about how great this CD was in the various power-pop magazines I read at the time. Given that CVS was from the SF Bay Area I even hoped that someday I would actually get to see him play live.

This is record is about as perfect a debut as one can find. If someone had said that this was CVS' greatest hits I would have believed him because every song seems like it could have stood on its own on the radio as a hit. It does have a 60s or early 70s pop vibe to it but this is not a retro record. No, this is just a collection of songs by someone that has a gift and a stunning sense of melody.

Just a note in terms of sequence of songs. Listening to this CD again after many years, I am floored by the sequence of three songs on this CD: On the Run, Walking Endlessly, and The Ballad. There may not be a better sequence of three songs in modern pop music.

I ended up seeing CVS play in Berkeley not too long after I bought this record. CVS played at Larry Blake's Blues Club in Berkeley. It was a great show and he pulled off the songs and harmonies just like I was hoping it would. I ended up meeting CVS a few times and he was always nice and friendly.

Here is a link to a great song:

The Ballad

Various Artists - Studio One Showcase (The Sound of Studio One in the 1970s) (2016) Vinyl

When it comes to reggae music, Studio One is the equivalent of Sun and Motown records - maybe combined. Yes, there were other labels and other producers that were very influential in reggae music (e.g., Duke Reid), however, it is hard to argue against Clement "Coxson" Dodd of Studio One as being the king. If you have never heard of Studio One, that is ok. Just know that the majority of the early reggae superstars got their start and recorded at Studio One.

Soul Jazz records have been releasing great compilations of Studio One music for a few years now. The latest compilation - Showcase (The Sound of Studio One in the 1970s) - is as good as the other compilations. As the title states, this collection focuses on the sounds that were coming out of Studio One during the 1970s and, while Studio One's golden time was during the 1960s, this collections makes it clear that the output of Studio One could match anything coming out of Channel One or even Lee Perry's Black Ark Studio in the 1970s. If you only buy one reggae record this year, this is not a bad one to get.

Here is a great track from the collection:

Dillinger - Chucky Skank

Dexys Midnight Runners - Searchin' For The Young Soul Rebels (1980) Vinyl

A game changer. I discovered this album in 1981 while working at the record store. I was a freshman in college and I had never quite a heard a band sounds like this before. I was mostly into reggae music by this time and I listened to rock and punk but this record was different. The passion, the horns, the background shouting vocals... this record was just pure soul... and it is not fake ..Kevin Rowland's voice ..his falsetto is heartfelt. I am not sure why this record hit me so emotionally. Maybe I felt it was a record that captured feelings that I was having or needed to express. In any event, this is one of those records that helped me..in some way that I can't articulate...but it certainly did. Maybe I just identified with the loneliness... the rebel..the person that does not fit into the categories that you are supposed to fall in when you are a freshman in college.... who knows.

To complete the story - I was working Ken one weekday night. Ken was older and had fairly sophisticated tastes. He rocked but he also played other music as well. Put differently, Ken was not associated with any genre of music as an identity. So, after I had played something on the turntable, it was Ken's turn. I think he was busy so he didn't really spend too much time thinking about it and he grabbed this record from our in-store play list. As soon as I heard the first track with the horns, I knew it was different and that I like it. As each song played and the passion increased, I knew I had to have it. I think I bought the record for myself that night. Of all my non-reggae albums that I own, this record is probably the one that I have played the most over my life.

Here is a link to the emotion I was talking about:

Keep It

The Chamber Strings - Mionth of Sundays (2001) CD

Kevin Junior, the mastermind of The Chamber Strings, recently passed away. This is a beautiful album- his second. If you like orchestral pop with pretty, and at times melancholy, melodies then you should buy this CD (if you can find it). I do remember finding this used a long time ago. I do not know how hard it will be to find this-hope not too hard.

This CD has been sitting in a crate at my Mom's house since it was stored there when I left the U.S. to go work in Argentina for a few years. I am listening to it for the first time in 6 -7 years.

While listening to this CD what I think about it is that some of these melodies or moods would fit comfortably on a Prentice Brothers or Scud Mountain Boys albums.  Maybe that will help place this music in some context for you.

Here are links to a taste of the album:

For the Happy Endings

It's No Wonder

Weezer - s/t (2016) vinyl

I lost faith in this band at one point but their last album was very good. This current album is also an excellent outing.  Weezer still manages to write perfect, melodic, power riffs that make you want to sing along while you rock out! This guys are so popular that I do not need to post any links to their records or songs.  Just know, Weezer is still relevant and excellent. Enjoy!

Wynn Stewart - Come On (Gonna Shake This Shack Tonight Series) CD

Sweet country music from the early to mid 60s..and from the late 50s for some reason just grabs me. There is something very pure about it. I have started researching a bit more about this form of country music, especially the type that is associated with the Bakersfield sound (e.g., Buck Owens, Tommy Collins, Merle Haggard). Wynn Stewart is one of my first forays into this music and I am really pleased with this collection. I am definitely going get more.

Finally, this is from Bear Family out of Germany so the quality is top-notch.

Here is a taste of that sound that is so pure

Three Cheers for the Loser

Playboy

Big Star - complete columbia: live at university of missouri 4/25/93 (vinyl)

Big Star. One of the greatest bands ever that were ignored when they first came out and then treated as royalty (deserved) years later after they were long gone.  I am sure I am going to write up about Big Star in the future on this blog so I will save something for those times. However, this is a historic recording since two members of the original band were paired up with two members of a band called The Posies (also faves of mine), who had recorded two Big Star songs on their own for a single.

When this took place I think everyone believed that this was going to be a one-off event. However, this band were eventually convinced to tour and I was lucky enough to catch them once at the Fillmore in San Francisco and then at the House of Blues in Los Angeles in the 94/95 time frame.

For fans of melodic guitar pop this is a must have. Note, a lot of this has been originally released but I believe that this is the first time that the entire performance has been available on vinyl. Released as part of Record Store Day 2016.

The Long Ryders - Native Songs (1984) Vinyl

Picked this up used, along with a bunch of other Long Ryder albums. I remember when this came out back in the early 80s. With its country and Byrds influences it certainly was different than much of the music coming out at the time. Listening to it now I can appreciate the songs better than when I was younger. In fact, I like this more now than when I first listened to it back in the early 80s. Interesting note, the main songwriter and lead vocalist, Sid Griffin, use to work at a one-stop record distribution company (I think) in Los Angeles and I remember meeting him a few times when he visited the store I worked at. Well, I am pretty sure it was him.

Listening to it now it really is not a big leap from the Long Ryder to Uncle Tupelo and The Old 97s.

The Byrd influence on this band is unquestionable on Ivory Tower  Note - according to the album Gene Clark (of the Byrd) sings on this song!

Elton John - Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy (1975) CD

This album contains my favorite song - Someone Saved My Life Tonight. A beautiful, passionate song that really moves me. Worth the price of the album by itself. Loved when I heard it on the radio as a kid and still kills me when I listen to it in my 50s.