Tuesday, August 10, 2004
Had another fine-ass cassette haul yesterday. Picked up a cheapo (under $5) walkman, too. That's the way to do it with tapes these days - and if you think I'm getting rid of all of my ol' skool cassettes, think again. I've still got my original '86 tape of The Queen Is Dead, bitches!
Prince and the Revolution, Parade: Music from the Motion Picture Under the Cherry Moon: For me, still his second-best album, after SOTT. Complete, awe-inspiring ideas executed like no one else does, or has. "Kiss" is merely the tip of this iceberg.
Culture Club, Kissing to Be Clever: I am so mad that I never knew that the cassette version of this has bonus tracks: a Dub Version of "Do You Really Want to Hurt Me" and the instrumental of "Time." At least I've got it now.
Ray Parker Jr., Greatest Hits: For whatever reason, Christgau's review of this has stuck with me since I first came across it in his '80s Record Guide; his use in particular of "inspired journeyman" intrigued me before I even truly understood it. I'll add, however, that this longplayer rides on its side 1, leading off with its strongest track in "The Other Woman."
SWV, Greatest Hits: Frontloaded even moreso than Ray's hits, this is in many ways surprisingly solid, making a case for S-Dub as the #3 girlgroup of the '90s (after TLC and En Vogue, of course). Side 1 is downright packed, from "Right Here/Human Nature" (in a mix working in actual lyrical chunks from Jacko) through "Weak" and the Wu-Tang mix of "Anything." The second side doesn't acquit itself as tidily, with album tracks bulking out the collection, but almost makes up for it with the addition of the "'96 Anthem" take on "You're the One." Come back, ladies, all is forgiven!
The Time, Pandemonium: Whyohwhy did this superb comeback get slept on so back in '90? By furlongs their finest album, and their finest collection of songs to boot - just the back-to-back of "Sometimes I Get Lonely" and "Data Bank," buried int he middle of side 2, will tell you that. If I ever get around to doing a "top xx albums of all-time" list, this is a lock for a top 100, if not top 50. And it proves what some thought impossible: Morris Day is actually a good singer!
The Isley Brothers, It's Your Thing: Not their boxset, but one in a myriad of cheapo comps Sony's done on them over the years. This one, however, has amongst its 8 songs "The Pride," "Footsteps in the Dark," "Voyage to Atlantis," "Groove with You," and "Fight the Power." And that most certainly makes its purchase fine (though "That Lady" woulda been appreciated, natch).
Parliament, The Best of/20th Century Masters: The Millenium Collection: 11 slabs of the finest funk of the '70s, and all the neophyte needs - or, for simplicity's sake, my 1990 car stereo.
Prince and the Revolution, Parade: Music from the Motion Picture Under the Cherry Moon: For me, still his second-best album, after SOTT. Complete, awe-inspiring ideas executed like no one else does, or has. "Kiss" is merely the tip of this iceberg.
Culture Club, Kissing to Be Clever: I am so mad that I never knew that the cassette version of this has bonus tracks: a Dub Version of "Do You Really Want to Hurt Me" and the instrumental of "Time." At least I've got it now.
Ray Parker Jr., Greatest Hits: For whatever reason, Christgau's review of this has stuck with me since I first came across it in his '80s Record Guide; his use in particular of "inspired journeyman" intrigued me before I even truly understood it. I'll add, however, that this longplayer rides on its side 1, leading off with its strongest track in "The Other Woman."
SWV, Greatest Hits: Frontloaded even moreso than Ray's hits, this is in many ways surprisingly solid, making a case for S-Dub as the #3 girlgroup of the '90s (after TLC and En Vogue, of course). Side 1 is downright packed, from "Right Here/Human Nature" (in a mix working in actual lyrical chunks from Jacko) through "Weak" and the Wu-Tang mix of "Anything." The second side doesn't acquit itself as tidily, with album tracks bulking out the collection, but almost makes up for it with the addition of the "'96 Anthem" take on "You're the One." Come back, ladies, all is forgiven!
The Time, Pandemonium: Whyohwhy did this superb comeback get slept on so back in '90? By furlongs their finest album, and their finest collection of songs to boot - just the back-to-back of "Sometimes I Get Lonely" and "Data Bank," buried int he middle of side 2, will tell you that. If I ever get around to doing a "top xx albums of all-time" list, this is a lock for a top 100, if not top 50. And it proves what some thought impossible: Morris Day is actually a good singer!
The Isley Brothers, It's Your Thing: Not their boxset, but one in a myriad of cheapo comps Sony's done on them over the years. This one, however, has amongst its 8 songs "The Pride," "Footsteps in the Dark," "Voyage to Atlantis," "Groove with You," and "Fight the Power." And that most certainly makes its purchase fine (though "That Lady" woulda been appreciated, natch).
Parliament, The Best of/20th Century Masters: The Millenium Collection: 11 slabs of the finest funk of the '70s, and all the neophyte needs - or, for simplicity's sake, my 1990 car stereo.
# posted by Thomas : 6:42 AM
