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Beauty and the Beat (CD)
The Go-Go's
The debut album from the Go-Go's is a bubbly bunch of fun tunes. Producer Richard Gotteher, the mastermind behind '60's girl groups like the Angels, gives the album a sparkly sheen.
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Rio (CD)
Duran Duran
With its iconic cover by Patrick Nagel, Rio is bombastic in the best sense. Sterling production and videos in heavy rotation on MTV made the album a worldwide smash. Sing blue silver!
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The Lexicon of Love (CD)
ABC
Has there ever been a more overwrought '80s album? Catchy tunes and clever word play make this a keeper. I used to play this while deciding which outfit to wear on weekend nights.
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Parrallel Lines (CD)
Blondie
Producer Mike Chapman promised the band that he would make them a masterpiece- and he delivered. After several hapahazard singles were released, "Heart of Glass" finally allowed Blondie to conquer the world.
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I Just Can't Stop It (CD)
The English Beat
This band was one of several racially mixed groups originally on the 2-Tone label. Play this album, and you just can't stop jumping up and down like you're riding a pogo stick.
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Tom Tom Club (CD)
Tom Tom Club
Talking Heads' Chris Frantz and Tina Weymouth mashed up a downtown NYC sound with outer-borough beats. Contains several endlessly sampled originals like " Genius of Love."
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The Omnichord Real Book (LP)
Meshell Ndegeocello
Many of the strands of Ndegeocello's life are heard woven together here, to beautiful effect.
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Glorious Game (LP)
El Michels Affair & Black
Vintage sounds, and Tariq Trotter eats 'em up!
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Easily Slip Into Another World (Book)
Henry Threadgill
From growing up in Chicago, to playing his saxophone with a traveling preacher, early encounters with members of the AACM, being sent to Vietnam, emerging as a composer/performer with his many groundbreaking groups (Air, Henry Threadgill Sextett, Very Very Circus, Make a Move, Zooid, and more): Henry Threadgill is a GREAT storyteller, and he has amazing stories, both funny and scary. (Cross-country tours in an RV include hilarity and white-knuckle moments!)
The amount of music he has written and performed that hasn't been recorded might amaze you. At least we can read about it!
The first paragraph had me hooked; I think I'm about to read it again!
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Nowhere To Go (But Out Of My Mind) (LP)
Billy Gray
I’ve been aware of Billy Gray since I got his long out of print Decca “Dance-O-Rama” 10” LP. Then I
found a very rare album on the “Celebrated Artists” label. This album features a lot of the Celebrated
Artists tracks plus a few obscure 45s. My favorite tune is “I’ll Find a Way (To Free Myself).” Billy was
known for being Hank Thompson’s band leader and for crafting Hank’s distinctive brand of Western
Swing. Recently we also got a documentary on YouTube called “The Life and Times of Billy Gray,” which
is a primer on ‘50s country music. That documentary may have been the catalyst for this album.
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At The Carousel Ballroom (LP)
Johnny Cash
The Carousel Ballroom at Market & South Van Ness, in S.F. became the Fillmore West in 1968 when Bill
Graham moved there from the original Fillmore Auditorium. It turns out that many of these Fillmore
and Avalon shows were recorded off the soundboard by the legendary Owsley Stanley of LSD fame. He
was mainly taping the Grateful Dead, but would also record their opening acts, etc. This show finds
Johnny in great voice doing a lot of my favorite songs, like “I Don’t Like It But I Guess Things Happen
That Way,” “Give My Love To Rose,” “Don’t Take Your Guns To Town,” and many more. We also get
June singing a few. It’s a double album box set and is quite the production with inserts, etc. There’s no
new ground broken here, but always great to hear the “Man In Black.”
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Lil' G.L. Presents: Jukebox Charley (CD)
Charley Crockett
Charley is an interesting new country star. He’s got great instincts and his productions sound like ‘60s
and ‘70s Nashville. A lot of his tunes are lesser known ones from that era. This is good! However,
although he has a pleasing voice, it’s not a great one. He really needs some real good tunes, and I’m not
sure he’s found them. It’s hard to hear the tune “Jukebox Charley” without comparing it to the original
by Johnny Paycheck, who was one of the greatest pure country singers ever. I do like that he uses his
band on his recordings and they’re quite enjoyable. Although I mentioned some reservations, Charley is
a breath of fresh air on the country scene.
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New Country Sounds Of (LP)
Ryan Wong
Ryan is one of our own! He worked at Amoeba S.F. for a few years before moving to Colorado. This
album was produced by Sonny Smith and definitely has his kind of quirky vibe. Full disclosure, I’m
playing steel on it, but buy it anyhow! My favorites are “The Last Yee Haw”, “Lead Paint,” “Yo Yo” and
“Write A Song.”
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Say Less (CD)
Raúl Malo
You love him singing with “The Mavericks,” so why would one of the world’s greatest pop singers do an
instrumental album? The obvious answer is that he wants to keep moving. He is one of the most
eclectic performers around, effortlessly covering C&W to Rock to Latin. Do yourself a favor and go and
see “The Mavericks,” perhaps the best party band around. They combine all those influences in a Latin
stew. My favorite cut from “Say Less” is “Cosa’s Cumbia”…so cool!
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The Age of Pleasure (LP)
Janelle Monae
Ohhh she did it again! Luscious and sensual R&B with a reggae/dancehall twist. Soundtrack of the Summer!
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Angels & Queens (LP)
Gabriels
Dynamic and groovy R&B. The title is fitting! Soul made in heaven!
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Beloved! Paradise! Jazz!? (CD)
McKinley Dixon
A brilliant fusion of Jazz and Hip-Hop! Live instrumentation and powerful lyrics make for a progressive listen.
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Exodus the North Star (CD)
Yaya Bey
Smooth and supple R&B that incorporates sounds of Reggae and Electronic music. Flowy and hypnotic, refreshing like a sip of cool water on a hot day. Yaya Bey is an artist to look out for!
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Evenings at the Village Gate with Eric Dolphy (LP)
John Coltrane
Recently unearthed recordings of live sessions reveal the particular edge that emerged when these two masters worked side-by-side. Catches Coltrane right in the transition from hard-bop to free expression. An important document.
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