A Podcast of Album Discussions
In 1977, founder of the Kalakuta Republic and progenitor of Afrobeat, Fela Kuti, released his 15th record.
Though only four tracks and twenty five and a half minutes in length, the album is an absolute butt shaker.
Lets talk Fela Kuti, Zombie!
Punk Rock has landed.
Let’s talk Ramones, Ramones!
The story of a Frenchman, six synthesizers, one drum machine, and his kitchen recordings.
Let’s talk Jean-Michel Jarre, Oxygene!
You ever find yourself disillusioned with the western tonal confines of classical music and the strictures of rock n roll?
No? Well Simon Jeffes sure did.
Let’s talk Penguin Café Orchestra, Music From the Penguin Café!
Known extraterrestrial brothers and arbiters of all things hip, Parliament, made the definitive statement on all matters funky with their fourth studio outing.
Recorded over six months in 1975 and clocking in at 38:06, this seven song record is the party album to end all party albums.
Lets talk Parliament, Mothership Connection!
In the winter of 76, known composers of the Crazy/Cryin’/Amazing tryptic and band that shouldn’t have been allowed within 500 yards of a seventeen year old Alicia Silverstone while filming those videos, Aerosmith, went into the studio to record their 4th album.
Fueled by anything they could snort, boof, or shoot, the mix of road tested chops and straight up hedonism mystically lead to what many consider to be the crown jewel of their storied career.
Lets talk Aerosmith, Rocks!
Known singer-songwriter and non-Beatles influenced recording artist, Joan Armatrading, comes out swinging on her third studio outing.
Bringing in a veritable rogue’s gallery of the UK folk scene as back up musicians and with Glyn Johns helming the sliders, this self-titled album is a true standout.
Let’s talk Joan Armatrading, Joan Armatrading!
Known godfather of Samba Rock, Jorge Ben, pulled a Brazilian uncle Robert in 1976.
Brushing off the shackles of nylon strings and bringing in a myriad of musical influences, Jorge made a stone cold classic butt shaker on his 14th studio outing.
Let’s talk Jorge Ben, África Brasil!
Known Canadian power trio and purveyors of background music for games of Dungeons and Dragons around the world, Rush, found themselves at an impasse professionally in 1975.
Following the disappointing reception and sales of their album, Caress of Steel, and a decline in show attendance, their label decided to give them one last shot before parting ways.
Lets talk Rush, 2112!
In the late summer of 1975, known terrible mimes and band women don’t want between them and an exit, KISS, began work on their most ambitious project to date.
Following the modest success of their “live” record, ALIVE! , the band sought help from production wizard, Bob Ezrin, to take their music and career to the next level and the results speak for themselves.
Let’s talk KISS, Destroyer!
Known Eurovision 1974 winners and tax dodging fashion icons, Agnetha, Björn, Benny, and Anni-Frid, have, as their 1975 album title implies, arrived.
Lets talk ABBA, Arrival!
Possibly the worst thing to ever happen to Joe Walsh and enemy to Urban Achiever’s everywhere, The Eagles, released their 26x platinum (stateside) definitive statement in December of 1976.
It is considered by many to be one of the best albums of all time.
Let’s talk The Eagles, Hotel California!
The story of a man, his basement recordings, and the record label he tricked into putting them out.
Let’s talk Boston, Boston!
Joni Mitchell continues to expand her career into jazz / folk with a young Jaco Pastorius in a wonderful and “mature” album.
Lets talk Joni Mitchell Hejia
Only a man as gifted as David Bowie can eat nothing but peppers and cocaine completely forgetting he created a classic album.
Let’s talk David Bowie Station to Station
John Cale of The Velvet Underground produces a teen band that sounds like their music was beamed to them from the future.
Lets talk The Modern Lovers, The Modern Lovers!
The John Cougar Mellencamp of Gainsville. The Bob Seger of the Swamp.
Maybe that only good thing to ever come out of Florida, Tom Petty, was one of America’s greatest song writers ever;
full-stop.
Thirteen studio albums with The Heartbreakers.
Three as a solo artist. A couple with The Traveling Wilburys.
More platinum and gold status recordings than you can shake a stick at!
EIGHT Saturday Night Live appearances, and a GD SUPERBOWL HALFTIME SHOW.
His influence on rock music CANNOT be over stated.
So why is it that this limey nightmare of a tome only giving us one (and not even his best) album?
Let’s talk Tom Petty, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers!
The book delivers an outstanding work of art by Curtis Mayfield that is completely of time and yet, sadly, ours as well.
Let’s talk Curtis Mayfield, There’s No Place Like America Today.
Sporting six members and yet, somehow, still two elements shy of summoning a Captain Planet, Earth Wind and Fire, wrote a great soundtrack to an awful film… of which they also starred.
In the immortal words of record producer Coleman Buckmaster:
“They’re just gonna keep cranking out that same kind of garbage. Right now the idea is to have me produce fast-buck bubblegum shit. Then when they think the drug supplies are loosening up, then they tell me to produce some music for kids to freak out by.”
Let’s talk Earth Wind and Fire, That’s the Way of the World!
“It was the time of the preacher,
in the year of 01
Now the preachin’ is over
and the lesson’s begun”
Lets talk Willie Nelson, Red Headed Stranger!
Known bicycle enthusiasts and Star Wars haters, Queen, made their definitive statement in the Fall of 1975.
Recorded for the princely sum of 40,000 pounds sterling over the course of four months, A Night At The Opera is purported to be the most expensive album (up to that point) ever put to tape.
It just so happens to be (arguably) their best work, too.
Let’s talk Queen, A Night at the Opera!
Five songs, forty four minutes and eleven seconds of rock n roll perfection.
Let’s talk Pink Floyd, Wish You Were Here!
Cultural icon, friend to Robert Mapplrthorpe and progenitor of the French Tuck, Patti Smith, went and made the first ever punk rock record with her debut album.
During a two month residency at CBGB w/ Television, Smith and her band got solid traction in the New York scene, eventually catching the ear of an industry exec who signed them to Arista Records.
Once signed, the band headed into the studio, got John Cale on board to produce, and in a month’s time, made music history in the early Fall of 1975.
It’s a seminal work, a must listen, and one of the most important albums ever pressed to wax…
…some of us are here for it.
Let’s talk Patti Smith, Horses!
Uncle Robert is back and he is feeling all the things.
Coming off an early 1974 tour with The Band, Dylan began an affair with a Columbia Records employee, took some art classes and, more or less, began the ending of his union with then wife, Sara Dylan.
Hashed out on his Minnesota farm with mistress in tow and recorded in the fall of 1974, the subsequent seventeen songs may well be the most intimately autobiographical accounting of a marriage falling apart ever put to tape.
Let’s talk Bob Dylan, Blood on the Tracks!