Archive for March, 2013

Steely Dan Sunday, "Little Kawai" (1994)

Steely Dan Sunday, “Little Kawai” (1994)

<<< BACKWARD (“Hat Too Flat”) ||| ONWARD (“Fall of ’92”) >>> *** STEELY DAN SUNDAY INDEX *** Like most rock stars of the 1970s, Walter Becker had lived the whole sex, drugs and rock ‘n’ roll lifestyle during that decade. You May Also Like: Walter Becker, “Medical Science [Demo]” (1994):Read More

Vinyl

Albert King – Born Under a Bad Sign (1967; 2013 reissue)

Playing an upside down Gibson Flying V, Albert King set about turning everything you thought you knew about the blues, about rock, and certainly about the left-handed guitarist himself on its head with this stunning Stax release. You May Also Like: Greg Lake compares this era to the one thatRead More

Vinyl

Mikrokolektyw – Absent Minded (2013)

The Chicago-based duo from Poland Mikrokolektyw (a Polish play on the word “micro collective”) only makes music out of thin air, and like a skilled magician pulling a rabbit out of thin air, makes it look so effortless and fluid. You May Also Like: Anteloper [Jaimie Branch and Jason Nazary]Read More

Forgotten series: Willie and the Walkers - 30th Anniversary Collection (1996)

Forgotten series: Willie and the Walkers – 30th Anniversary Collection (1996)

During the latter half of the 1960s, Willie and the Walkers experienced phenomenal success throughout their home turf of Western Canada. To give you an idea how special the band was, they nabbed a deal with Capitol Records You May Also Like: Fotomaker – The Fotomaker Collection (1995): Forgotten SeriesRead More

Vinyl

Mike Keneally’s Wing Beat Elastic to feature remixes, demos and outtakes from Andy Partridge collaboration

Fellow Mike Keneally freaks rejoice: there’s a surprise release on the horizon! April 9, 2013, brings the release of Wing Beat Elastic, a disc of demos, “remixes” and outtakes You May Also Like: Mike Keneally, “Draconian Blump” from ‘Nonkertompf’ (1999): One Track Mind How Mike Keneally’s Comeback on ‘The UniverseRead More

Vinyl

California Transit Authority – Sacred Ground (2013)

It’s not just that Chicago doesn’t sound like old Chicago anymore. In fact, nobody does. Or, more correctly, nobody did. What’s left of the original band, having now issued just one original album since 1991, has been supplanted. You May Also Like: Chicago, “Questions 67 & 68” from Chicago TransitRead More

Vinyl

The Pencils – Anthology (2012)

Here’s a band so obscure and long forgotten that even the most voracious vinyl collector probably isn’t even aware of their existence. Formed in 1980, the Pencils featured singer and guitarist Tony Skeggs, singer and bassist Den Pugsley, keyboardist Rick Birmingham and drummer Andy Wells. You May Also Like: TheRead More

Vinyl

Ben Sidran – Don’t Cry For No Hipster (2013)

Don’t cry, indeed. For Ben Sidran — producer of Van Morrison and Rickie Lee Jones, co-writer of “Space Cowboy” with Steve Miller, sessions man with the Rolling Stones, NPR radio voice — being a hipster seems like such an effortless thing. You May Also Like: Jeff Berlin, Ben Sidran, JeffRead More

Vinyl

Kenny Roby – Memories and Birds (2013)

I’m a sucker for the storyteller. Sure, the swinging hooks and catchy riffs are great, but for all the various attributes that make an artist or band stand out, the bard card is generally what lures me into month-long catalog benders. You May Also Like: ‘Memories of a White Magician’Read More

'A fun time with Peter's music': Fans invited to create a memorial soundtrack for ex-Yes guitarist Peter Banks

‘A fun time with Peter’s music’: Fans invited to create a memorial soundtrack for ex-Yes guitarist Peter Banks

A memorial gathering for Peter Banks has been set for 4 p.m. April 7, 2013 at the 12 Bar Club in London, offering those who loved and knew him best a chance to give the seminal Yes guitarist a proper send off. You May Also Like: Robbie Dupree, Chicago, Yes’Read More