Archive for October, 2015

Vinyl

John McLaughlin – Black Light (2015)

‘Black Light’ shows the still-vital John McLaughlin with the help of his spirited band the 4th Dimension incrementally pushing his craft forward.

Steve Lukather kept Toto's legacy alive with All's Well That Ends Well

Steve Lukather kept Toto’s legacy alive with All’s Well That Ends Well

When ‘All’s Well That Ends Well’ arrived on Oct. 11, 2010, it looked as if Toto was over. Steve Lukather stepped forward to accept the mantle.

Vinyl

The Zombies – ‘Still Got That Hunger’ (2015)

Perhaps the Zombies’ finest effort to date, the appropriately titled ‘Still Got That Hunger’ combines their initial vision with a fresh outlook.

Miles Davis pushed free-form fusion to the very limit with On the Corner

Miles Davis pushed free-form fusion to the very limit with On the Corner

Released on Oct. 11, 1972, Miles Davis’ ‘On the Corner’ remains fresh and funky. So, why isn’t it more widely accepted as a fusion masterpiece?

Vinyl

Salvador Santana, “Till the Mornin’ Light” from Fantasy Reality (2015): One Track Mind

Salvador Santana’s “Till The Mornin’ Light” is one of the more accessible tracks on an album that boldly moves from funk to reggae to rap.

Scary Songs from Screamin' Jay Hawkins, Alice Cooper, TV on the Radio + others: Gimme Five

Scary Songs from Screamin’ Jay Hawkins, Alice Cooper, TV on the Radio + others: Gimme Five

We often contemplate the spirit world in October. Songs by Screamin’ Jay Hawkins, Alice Cooper, TV on the Radio and others provide the soundtrack.

Fleetwood Mac's Time couldn't recover from loss of Lindsey Buckingham, Stevie Nicks

Fleetwood Mac’s Time couldn’t recover from loss of Lindsey Buckingham, Stevie Nicks

‘Time,’ released on Oct. 10, 1995, became Fleetwood Mac’s first-ever U.S. chart failure. Dave Mason joins us to explain what went wrong.

Vinyl

Suburban Lawns – Suburban Lawns (2015)

A badly needed reissue reminds us of Suburban Lawns’ focus on new wave excitement and subversion, bolstered by a sense of humor and of the odd.

Greg Lake compares this era to the one that sparked King Crimson: 'You needed to be original'

Greg Lake compares this era to the one that sparked King Crimson: ‘You needed to be original’

Released on Oct. 10, 1969, King Crimson’s ‘In the Court of the Crimson King’ was like nothing that had come before – and little since.

The Beatles, "Within You Without You" from Sgt. Pepper's (1967): Deep Beatles

The Beatles, “Within You Without You” from Sgt. Pepper’s (1967): Deep Beatles

George Harrison established his songwriting skills on “Within You Without You,” an often-overlooked Beatles track that boldly explored Indian styles.