Recent Acquisitions: 4-26-09

The 2nd annual Record Store Day came and went. It was like a holiday for the record collector and like most made-up holidays it was an exercise in consumerism. I celebrated by buying the following RSD exclusive releases:

Pavement, Live Europaturnen MCMXCVII (Unknown label - Matador? new, $15). A live recording of a 1997 concert in Koln available only on vinyl. This album demonstrates Pavement could really rock. Is Stephen Malkmus the David Foster Wallace of the rock music world? He just seems smarter and more literate than everyone else on the field.

Bob Dylan, "Dreamin' of You"/b-side "Down Along the Cove (Live at Bonnaroo)" (7" single, Columbia, new, $6.50). Included a bonus lithograph of a young Dylan.

Whiskeytown, "San Antone"/b-side "The Great Divide" (7" single, Geffen, new, $5). Two previously unreleased songs from Ryan Adams' former band.

Camera Obscura, "French Army"/b-side "The World Is Full of Strangers" (7" single, 4AD, new, $5). My favorite Scottish twee band this side of B&S. Their b-sides are unfailingly good.

Flaming Lips & Stardeath and White Dwarfs, "Borderline"/Black Keys "Her Eyes Are a Blue Million Miles" (7" split single, Warner Brothers, new, $5). The Lips doing a psychedelic cover of a Madonna song. Yes!

Other acquisitions from the past 2 weeks:

U2, No Line on the Horizon (Island, 2-LP, new, $27). I bought this for collecting purposes. It's already out of print. But it turned out to be an enjoyable listen.

John Coltrane, Giant Steps (Atlantic/Rhino reissue 2-LP, 45rpm, new, $54). Limited edition 1195 of 2500.

Ween, La Cucaracha (Schnitzel Records, UK pressing, new, $23).

The Sword, Ages of Winter (Kemado Records, new, $8). I was getting low on Black Sabbath riffs, so I filled up with The Sword. The thing most Sabbath-influenced bands completely miss is the lyrical side of Sabbath.

The Sword, Gods of the Earth (Kemado Records, new, $12). See above.

Pink Floyd, The Division Bell (Columbia, US pressing, $14). I had never seen a vinyl copy of this post-Waters album, so of course I had to pick it up. I'm betting it sucks.

10cc, Deceptive Bends (Mercury, $2). It's got the jaunty "The Things We Do for Love" and a cool Hipgnosis-designed cover (see previous post).

Bing Crosby and Rosemary Clooney, Fancy Meeting You Here (RCA, original Canadian stereo pressing, $3). This is a sure sign I'm getting old. I actually enjoy this music. More swinging than you'd expect.

B.B. King, Completely Well (Bluesway, original pressing, $2).

Curtis Mayfield, Live (Curtom, 2-LP, $2).

Al Green, Livin' for You (Hi Records, US pressing, $4). I'm hoping the US version sounds better than the UK pressing I have. Life is hell for an audiophile.

Mile Davis, Sketches of Spain (Columbia, stereo 2-eye label, $2). I thought I only had the mono version, but it turns out I also had an original stereo pressing. Now I've got an extra stereo copy. Life is hell for a record collector.

Chet Baker, Jim Hall, Hubert Laws, Studio Trieste (CTI, $2).

Mahler, Symphony No. 3, Haitink, Concertgebouw Orchestra (Philips, Dutch pressing, 2-LP, $2).

Wagner, Tristan und Isolde, Solti, Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra (London, FFSS pressing, 6-LP, $4). When am I going to have time to listen to this? Probably when I'm dead.

Pet Shop Boys, Actually (EMI Manhattan, US pressing, bonus pack with "Always on My Mind" 12" single, $4). Until I started listening to a lot of soul music recently, I never knew how much early electronica was influenced by soul music.... Okay, it's disco. So what.

Recent Acquisitions: 4-12-09

Morrissey, Years of Refusal (Attack/Lost Highway, new, $11). This might be a good album. I can't tell, because the sound sucks, like most modern recordings. Instead of spending the effort to engineer the album correctly, Morrissey (or the producer), on the back cover, instructs the listener to play the album loudly, perhaps hoping that if your ears are bleeding you wouldn't be able to tell how bad the album sounds. (File under: Music Industry Death Watch)

Pavement, Terror Twilight (Matador, $6). I've discovered this album is not a good one for listening in the car. It's so much better on the home stereo, spinning on a turntable.

PJ Harvey, Rid of Me (Island, UK original pressing, $10). Listening to this album, why do I picture PJ Harvey in a cage fight match with Billy Corgan (Smashing Pumpkins)? Do I hate Corgan that much?

John Cale, Vintage Violence (Columbia, original pressing, $3). The title is a misnomer, unless Cale's referring to pillow fights and Hawksian face slaps, nothing truly violent like a cage fight with PJ Harvey. Cale's first solo album is downright pastoral; it's like Paris 1919 without all the beautiful moments.

David Bowie, Space Oddity (RCA, orange label reissue, $3). Old Bowie albums don't sound dated at all, probably because so many modern bands rip off his old material.

The Kinks, Kink Kontroversy (Reprise, pink-gold-green steamboat label, original mono pressing, $4). Includes the original inner sleeve, which advertises other Reprise artists of that era, including Sinatra, Dean Martin, Trini Lopez, Sammie Davis, Jr., and Don Ho--just what would be of interest to Kinks fans.

The Kinks, One for the Road ( 2-LP, $4). The unimaginative title should've been a tip-off to the uninspired performances on this unnecessary album. The title should've been We're Gonna Rip You Off. That seems more in character with Ray Davies' cynicism.

The Who, The Who Sell-Out (Classic reissue, new, $18). The back cover photo of Keith Moon holding an over-sized tube of acne medicine to a large red splotch on his face is hilarious! Oh yeah, the songs are good, too.

Led Zeppelin, Presence (Swan Song, original pressing, $4). This is the self-parodistic Spinal Tap album before there was Spinal Tap.

Van Morrison, It's Too Late to Stop Now (Warner Brothers, tan label reissue, 2-LP, $4). I wish I could've seen Van live during his prime. When I saw him in concert in the 80s, he didn't move his fat, mystical ass from behind the keyboards.

John Lee Hooker, Plays & Sings the Blues (Chess, 80s reissue, $7). I'm trying to like traditional blues, but there may be too much of a cultural barrier for me to feel it in my soul like other music that I love.

Wilson Pickett, The Exciting Wilson Pickett (Atlantic, plum label, original mono pressing, $4). This mono pressing sounds much better than a stereo pressing of a greatest hits album I have. These songs were recorded to be listened to as mono singles.

Al Green, Al Green (Bell Records, 70s reissue of original Hotline LP, $4). This is his first LP.

Al Green, The Belle Album (Hi Records, original pressing, $4). His last secular LP.

Peter Tosh, Equal Rights (Columbia, $3).

Nat "King" Cole, After Midnight (Capitol, reissue, $2). Listening to this album is one of those moments when one realizes that sometimes our forebears had much better taste than us. This is tremendous stuff.

Bud Powell, The Amazing Bud Powell (Blue Note, solid blue label, $3). One of the tragic stories of jazz. Powell suffered from mental illness after being clubbed over the head by a cop. Yet he was able to continue playing, at least for a little while.

Eric Dolphy, Outward Bound (Prestige, 70s OJC reissue, $8). Dolphy is always great as a sideman, especially for Mingus and Coltrane, but I've always been skeptical about his ability to lead a group. He seems like a musician who does best with outside discipline. Except for Out to Lunch, a great album, I've avoided picking up Dolphy records.

Charlie Mingus, Tijuana Moods (RCA, original mono pressing, $4). This original mono pressing complements the original stereo pressing in my collection. See Listening Session post below.

Marty Paich, I Get a Boot Out of You (Warner Brothers, Rhino reissue, new $22). This is a big band album, arranged by Paich, featuring the best West Coast jazz musicians of the late 50s, including Art Pepper (definitely pirate material). It's got to be good.

Beethoven, Late Quartets, Guarneri Quartet (RCA red seal label, 4-LP, $7).

Beethoven, Symphony No.9, Herbert von Karajan, Philharmonia Orchestra (Columbia, mono German pressing, $2). This was a pure impulse buy considering I have about a zillion recordings of this symphony, including von Karajan's classic account from the early 60s.

Beethoven, "Appasionata" and "Funeral March" Sonatas, Sviatoslav Richter (RCA, mono shaded dog, $2).

This Week's Acquisitions (1-11-09)

Out of control at the KUSF Rock 'n' Swap and SF Amoeba:

Ketty Lester, Ketty Lester (Pete Records, $5). I'm always on the look out for obscure 60's and 70's soul singers, many of whom are undeservedly neglected. Ketty turns out to have had an inconsistent career as a singer and actress, including a supporting role on Little House on the Prairie, according to Wikipedia. There were black people on that show? (File under: Folk-Soul)

Buckingham Nicks, Buckingham Nicks (Polydor, original pressing with gatefold cover, $5). Stevie and Lindsay's album before joining Fleetwood Mac. (File under: Music Gods)

Neil Young, After the Gold Rush (Reprise orange and tan label, original pressing, $3). I've been looking for years for a copy with the orange-and-tan label. I was beginning to think they didn't exist. After the Gold Rush was pressed with the orange-and-tan label for a few months before Reprise changed to an all-tan label. So this is a very early pressing. (File: Young Neil)

The Kinks, Arthur (Reprise orange and tan label, original pressing, $4). Classic Kinks albums from the 60's are hard to find. In contrast, their 70's albums are everywhere. Check underneath your sofa cushions. You'll probably find one there. (File under: Sibling Rivalries)

Blow-Up Soundtrack (MGM, original pressing, $5). Herbie Hancock composed the score for this Antonioni film. Another album I've been looking for for years. (File under: Jazz for Pretentious Italians)

Gato Barbieri, Chapter Two: Hasta Siempre (ABC Impulse, $3). I'm sure there'll be a time I'm in the mood to listen to a former free-jazz saxophonist playing like a banshee backed by a heavy Latin rhythm section. (File under: Screaming Argentinian Saxophonists)

Bob Dylan, Down in the Groove (Columbia 1A/1A stampers, $3). I confess, I won't be satisfied until I have all his albums, including the mediocre ones (File under: Meh Dylan)

Bob Dylan, Shot of Love (Columbia, $2). See above.

Tom Waits, Mule Variations (Anti-, $10). There's a strange phenomenon in collecting that an album becomes more desirable after it goes out of print.

Nina Simone, At Town Hall (Colpix, original pressing, $2). It seems the Nina Simone revival is over, judging by the number of her albums in the used bins. Good! (File under: Androgynous Singers Imitated by Cee-Lo)

The Tremeloes, Here Comes My Baby (Epic yellow label, $2). Not sure why I bought this. Perhaps it'll bring me happiness. (File under: Pure Pop for Not So Now People)

Vince Guaraldi Trio, Jazz Impressions of Black Orpheus (Fantasy stereo, original pressing on blue vinyl, $5). This has got to be one of the best-selling jazz albums of all time based on the number of used copies I've come across. I'd been holding out for a clean, affordable original pressing. (File under: Vince Guaraldi, Pre-Charlie Brown)

Cal Tjader, Plays Harold Arlen (Fantasy stereo, original pressing on blue vinyl, $5). The vibraphone can make me happy. It can also get me annoyed. (File under: Vibes, Good or Vibes, Bad--to be determined)

Mile Davis, The Complete Birth of the Cool (Capitol yellow label, 70's reissue? $2)

Freddie Hubbard, Red Clay (CTI, Van Gelder stamped in the dead wax, $7). This is one of the more difficult Hubbard CTI albums to find and probably one of his best. (File under: Good Jazz Albums with Bad Titles)

LA4, Just Friends (Concord, $2). The direct-to-disc version of this album sells for a lot. This isn't one of them, but the music should be fine with a line-up of Laurindo Almeida, Bud Shank, Ray Brown, and Jeff Hamilton. (File under: Jazz Albums with Sexually Ambiguous Titles that Require Further Explanation)

MFSB, Love Is the Message (Philadelphia International, $2). This album has one of the grooviest tunes ever recorded, "T.S.O.P." used for the theme to Soul Train. (File under: Music for an Ass Shaking)

The Smiths, The Smiths (Sire, $5). This completes my Smiths LP collection on Sire. (File under: Last of the International Whiners)

Francoise Hardy, Mon Amour Adieu (Reprise orange and tan label, $8). I really like the one Francoise Hardy album I have. Her albums are really hard to come by though. Americans probably don't like albums with lyrics in a foreign language, although wordless foreign music is acceptable, like "The Macarena". (File under: Albums You Can't Understand)

The Universal Congress Of, Prosperous and Qualified (SST, $5). See previous Acquisitions post.

Thelonious Monk, The Golden Monk (Riverside blue label, 60's reissue of his classic 50's date with Sonny Rollins, $6)

Frank Sinatra, Sinatra Swings (Reprise custom Sinatra label, $3). The only thing better than happy Frank is sad Frank (File under: Preternaturally Sensitive Thugs)

Ella Fitzgerald, Sings the Irving Berlin Song Book (Verve deep-groove original pressing, 2-LPs, $3). Ella spelled backwards is Alle, which means "everything" in German. What more can I tell you? (File under: Ella uber alles)

Herbie Mann and the Bill Evans Trio, Nirvana (Atlantic mono original pressing, $1). I didn't know this album existed. I still have a hard time believing it even as I see it with my own eyes. (File under: Unholy Jazz Pairings)

Nirvana, In Utero (Geffen, 180g German pressing, new for $20). The German pressings of Nirvana albums are supposed to be the best sounding. (File under: Audiophile Grunge)

Nirvana, Unplugged in New York (Geffen, 180g EU pressing, new for $20). See above.

This Week's Acquisitions

The Universal Congress Of, This Is Mecolodics (SST 204, vg+/vg+ for $3). This isn't something you see every day, a free jazz album put out by a punk rock record label. Curiosity got the better part of me. It's actually really good, except for the free jazz version of "Happy Birthday". Yeah, that "Happy Birthday". The cover is a cool parody of Ornette Coleman's This Is Our Music cover. Will be on the look out for their other albums (File under: Hors categorie)

Horace Silver, The Styling of Silver (Classic Records reissue of Blue Note 1562, new for $25). Can't go wrong with a Horace Silver Blue Note record from the 50s and early 60s. So far, not a dud in the bunch. (File under: Funky hard bop)

Gabor Szabo, The Sorcerer (Impulse! A-9146, red and black label, 2nd pressing, nm-/vg+ for $3). This is Szabo's first album on the Impulse! label as a leader. It fills a big gap in my Szabo Impulse! collection. (File under: Hungarian jazz guitarists)

The Smiths, "William It Was Really Nothing"/b-side: "How Soon Is Now" and "Please, Please, Please Let Me Get What I Want" (12" single on Rough Trade, vg+/vg+ for $8). Smiths songs are supposed to sound the best on 12" singles pressed in the UK. I'm not sure if it's true, but it sounds true. (File under: Drama)

From the dollar bin:

Dave Brubeck, My Favorite Things (Columbia two-eye mono). I'll pick up any clean Brubeck album for a buck, but only if Paul Desmond plays on it.

Van Morrison, Veedon Fleece (Warner Brothers palm tree label). Not sure what this out-of-print classic was doing in the dollar bin. I'll spend a buck to find out if it sounds better than my current copy.

Nancy Wilson, Nancy-Naturally (Capitol rainbow label). Could be good with Billy May doing the arrangements, thought I. Turns out to be a blues album. And the blues should never be sung with a big band. Toss on the re-sell pile.

Ernestine Anderson, Hello Like Before (Concord). Anderson backed by a jazz trio on the Concord label. It's got to be good. And a good bit tougher than Diana Krall and her ilk.