Tag: Now Spinning
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Now Spinning: Grateful Dead – Olympia Theatre, Paris, France (5/3/72)
It’s been a long, cold, lonely winter, as George Harrison might say, with months of chilly gray skies finally giving way to warm spring temperatures about a month later than usual, which means the Grateful Dead are starting to pop into my listening rotation with an inevitable regularity (much like The Band do in the…
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Now Spinning: Robey, Falk & Bod – Kentucky Gambler
Sometimes I think we forget that Crosby, Stills & Nash were, for a moment at least, the closest thing to America’s answer to The Beatles – partially evidenced by the proliferation of imitators in the years immediately following their formation. While Woodstock served as only the second official public performance from Crosby, Stills and Nash,…
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Now Spinning: Sonny Rollins – Freedom Suite Plus
A quiet Monday feels like the right atmosphere for some classic jazz, and it doesn’t get more classic than Sonny Rollins. As one of the titans atop the pantheon of American jazz, Sonny Rollins career featured many high points – from 1956’s genre-defining, hard-bop classic Saxophone Colossus, to multiple, surprisingly effective comeback reinventions in the…
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Now Spinning: The Best Of Rod Stewart
A Rod Stewart compilation in the dollar bin might not catch your eye, but that would be quite the mistake here – as this, and the following Vol. II, are low-key two of the better damn rock and roll compilations out there. If you’ve made your way to this site, you’re probably well aware that…
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Now Spinning: Five Man Electrical Band
Between the band’s completely insane Five Man Electrical Band name and the British Invasion-inspired styling on the LP cover, it sure is clear that this one comes straight out of the 1960s. As someone with a soft spot for the era and open ears, especially for those lesser known bands that may not have made…
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Now Spinning: Shawn Phillips – Second Contribution
‘I don’t wanna hear old sad bastard music, Barry, I just want something I can ignore!‘ A charming description, courtesy of the Rob Gordon character from High Fidelity (scene included in the film version only), used to describe an apparently forgettable if pleasant Belle & Sebastian album. A scene so memorable, that Belle & Sebastian,…
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Now Spinning: The Allman Brothers Band – Cream Of The Crop 2003
Often times my favorite Record Store Day releases are the ones that I’m able to pick up after the ‘holiday’ at a discount. That was the case with this year’s Allman Brothers Band release, which turned up at my local used record store just days after Record Store Day, and still looks to be available…
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Now Spinning: Bill Black’s Combo – Plays Tunes by Chuck Berry
What an absolute blast this one is to listen to, which somehow serves as a pinnacle, last gasp and tribute to early rock ‘n’ roll all at once. Bill Black, of course, is legendary for teaming with Scotty Moore to back Elvis on his first sessions at Sun Studios. Black would remain with Elvis until…
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Now Spinning: Herbie Mann – Memphis Underground
Funky Friday music with this classic from Herbie Mann and a frighteningly loaded cast of supporting musicians. Few, if any, musicians can compete with the constant musical open-mindedness and curiosity of jazz flutist Herbie Mann. He would quite literally explore a different genre or set of influences with every single album – Impressions of the…
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Now Spinning: Plant And See
Plant And See was a very short-lived but extremely unique late sixties group that mixed the standard psychedelic rock sound of the day with a wider palette of influences than your typical garage rockers, leading to a southern gumbo of sound featuring an earthier, swampy funk edge. The band had only very minor success, and…
Box Full of Records 