A Podcast of Album Discussions
R.D Burman’s musical contribution to Indian cinema cannot be overstated. He has 331 scores to his name and the soundtrack to Shalimar absolutely rules.
The book delivers a singular gem we’d never have heard other wise.
Let’s talk R.D Burman, The Shalimar Soundtrack!
Nobody asked for a fake double live album by a degenerate poet and a pack of jazz musicians in 1975.
Turns out, it’s exactly what we all needed.
Let’s talk Tom Waits, Nighthawks at The Diner!
On this seventh studio outing, Canadian treasure and best artist to come out of the folk scene, Joni Mitchell, continues the domination of her contemporaries.
Beating Paul Simon to the world music biz by ELEVEN YEARS, AND being the first commercially released album featuring a sample w/ Jungle Line, the record’s influence cannot be overstated.
Let’s talk Joni Mitchell, The Hissing of Summer Lawns!
In 1975, a middle aged singer teamed up with a murderer to make a record that was only released in the U.K.
Lets talk Dion, Born to Be With You!
The once and future duchess of country music, Emmylou Harris, suffers nary a sophomore slump with this second solo outing.
The backing band is great, her takes are solid, and the live tracks are solid gold.
Let’s talk Emmylou Harris, Pieces of the Sky!
“woah ah oh woah,
mmm mm m mmmmmmm,
huh huh ha ha oh o woah,
wah ha ho ho oh oohhhhhh,
mmm mm m mmmmmmm,
woah ah oh woah,
woah ah oh woah,
wah ah ha ah woah ohhhhhh”
– The Boss 1975
Lets talk Bruce Springsteen, Born To Run!
If you like roots reggae you’re gonna dig this record.
Let’s talk Burning Spear, Marcus Garvey!
Known left-handed guitarist with god given ass, David Bowie, continues his musical chameleon ways this time going the blue eyed/ plastic soul direction.
It’s rad, but of the seven Bowie records in the book, is it required listening?
Let’s talk David Bowie, Young Americans!
Known drug enthusiasts sporting at least one Sexual Predator, Aerosmith, wrote an album in 1975.
One thing we can all agree on, it’s no Pump.
Let’s talk Aerosmith, Toys in the Attic!
This album is a towering work of improvisational jazz and a testament to being a goddamn professional.
Lets talk Keith Jarrett, The Köln Concert!
The winds of change are blowing in 1975.
Punk Rock is climbing out of it’s primordial ooze.
Funk is morphing into dance floor bangers.
… and Led Zeppelin decides to release a double album?
Let’s talk Led Zeppelin, Physical Graffiti!
Spelled Neu! but pronounced Neu!, in 1974 Neu! found themselves at a creative impasse.
Michael Rother wanted to explore ambient soundscapes while Klaus Dinger was interested in writing rock anthems.
With the help of their long time producer, Conny Plank, the two pulled the original Speaker Box/Love Below and released this timeless classic before disbanding for ten years.
Let’s talk Neu!, Neu! ’75!
With their vast financial holdings, they could have been basking in the sun in Florida.
Lucky for us, The Dictators’ hobby bestowed upon us this 1975 underselling power trash classic!
Let’s talk The Dictators, Go Girl Crazy!
… and now dear listener, we have arrived in our present.
Recorded in the Spring of 2020, this is the first of our quarantine episodes.
Do bear with us as we learned how to interact remotely…
With that out of the way:
Painter of soundscapes and captain of our hearts, Brian Eno, begins his transition from glam rocker to ambient composer.
Using the oblique strategies cards and assembling a who’s who of instrumentalists, Eno produced a landmark album that’s influence is still being felt 45 years hence.
Let’s talk Brian Eno, Another Green World!
Known trust fund baby and drug enthusiast, Gram Parsons’, final outing may not be his best but its a helluva send off.
Let’s talk Gram Parsons (with Emmylou Harris?), Grievous Angel!
Former ambulatory former drummer of Soft Machine, Robert Wyatt, found grace in his fall from a four story window which left him paralyzed from the waist down. By his own estimation, had it not been for the accident, his hard partying ways would have been the death of him
During the long recovery period that followed, Wyatt thought out all the new arrangements for the tracks that would be used on his first solo record.
Let’s talk Robert Wyatt, Rock Bottom!
Bob Marley and the Wailers’ seventh album contains their best know song but probably not the version you’ve heard.
Upon it’s release, Natty Dread received rave reviews form critics, praising Marley for his writing prowess.
The album is notably thinner sounding that it’s predecessors, due in no small part to the departure of both Bunny Wailer and Peter Tosh from the group.
That said, let’s yell at some cops for not knowing who our dad is and talk Bob Marley and the Wailers, Natty Dread!
Randy Newman’s best album is as astounding and challenging today as when it dropped 47 years ago.
The opening track (Rednecks) pushes buttons harder now than when it was released not because we are a more sensitive generation of listeners, but because change of it’s subject matter has been glacial if any at all.
That said, let’s talk Randy Newman, Good Old Boys!
Steely Dan went into the studio in 1973 as a quintet and by 1974 were two piece.
The subsequent album produced their highest charting single and received unanimous praise from critics.
Let’s talk Steely Dan, Pretzel Logic!
“I guess you guys aren’t ready for that, yet. But your kids are gonna love it.”
– M. Mcfly
Gene Clark went into the studio with some big ideas and a brand new cocaine habit.
8 songs and one hundred thousand dollars later, he left;
scorned by his label, estranged from his family, lambasted by critics, and dejected.
It wouldn’t be until well after his death in 1991 that No Other would receive the posthumous praise is justly deserves.
And on that somber note, let’s talk Gene Clark, No Other!
I dunno, some cutsie rhyming couplets involving opossum and awesome?
Let’s talk George Jones, The Grand Tour!
Model train enthusiast and known godfather to grunge, Neil Young, transcendently continues ditchward with this melancholy masterpiece.
Recorded after Tonight’s The Night but released before, it’s a beautiful continuation of his staggering 70s output.
Let’s talk Neil Young, On The Beach!
How best to describe this band… Self-aware pop? Art-pop? Nerd-rock?
Dunno, but we like it!
Let’s talk 10cc, Sheet Music!
Brain May duels himself using a circuit bent echoplex and that’s just on the first song!
Let’s talk Queen, Sheer Heart Attack!