The Vinyl Countdown

Electric Light Orchestra, Olé ELO (1976)
I possibly didn’t need this – since I am collecting up all of the ELO albums as I find them and already have that classic best-of – but I saw this in the store and that little lightbulb went off; I had never seen this on the shelf in a store – had only ever read about it. So, sure, whilst I have all the songs already, collecting as it does, material only from the band’s first five releases, I still had to have it; had to be able to hear those same songs in the different order as presented here. And yes, that’s part of the sickness, absolutely. But that’s always been the fun of collecting up almost everything by a band you love – the Read More »

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February 21, 2020 by Simon Sweetman

The Vinyl Countdown # 167

Ken Ara, Piano – Mozart: Rondo D-Dur – Klaviersonaten B-Dur, KV 570 – A-Dur, KV 331 – Fantasie D-Moll (1972)
I’m always curious to look through the chuck-out bins for classical music – but it’s so often utterly fruitless. This one though? This was a good score! Solo piano – I always feel like that’s the way to go if you’re hitting and hoping. But this $1 record – bought a couple of weeks ago from a Sallies store – is near mint. It plays without a scratch, with a single hiccup. It’s Mozart and it’s all the ‘hits’ – lots of perfect melodies, lots of loveliness. I’m very happy to have this. I don’t know anything about Ken Ara – and I’m not particularly interested in finding out anything. Beyond listening to this. A good score. It doesn’t happen often when you’re bargain-hunting for classical music. But when it does it’s a very good feeling indeed.
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February 20, 2020 by Simon Sweetman

The Vinyl Countdown #168

Leon Russell, Carney (1972)
I love Leon Russell. LOVE! And I missed the chance to see him play – couldn’t justify the travel, but wish I had gone. I have a couple of records – Shelter People which I dig big time, in many ways my introduction to his fearsome talent as a singer/songwriter and performer (already knew of him as a great session guy and songwriter of course). And The Wedding Album – but I will be finding more as I can. And was super happy to pick this one up recently. A few years back I found some blogspot page that posted lots of old bootlegs and some classic albums from classic artists and I ripped all of the Leon albums I could find. That’s how I first heard Carney. Magical record. This Masquerade. Perfect. Really only Dr John was close to this. And some days he wasn’t even close. Read More »

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February 19, 2020 by Simon Sweetman

The Vinyl Countdown # 169

Van Morrison, It’s Too Late To Stop Now (1974)
He was never better than right here. Van Morrison. Many great albums – plenty of great shows. And yes, reports too of him being grumpy or rude, of not delivering. Loads of albums that just dud-along and repeat themselves. But the very best of his work is transcendent – I truly believe that. He’s in rude health right now too – but from back in the day you won’t get better than this; it’s also one of the all-time great live albums by anyone working in music. A classic. He whips the band into line, they whip the audience into a frenzy. He’s about a half-dozen albums deep into a career that would go on from here for another 40 years (and counting). But man, this is the stuff right here. Even if – somehow – you have decided to not like Van Morrison at all I think you’d find something to marvel at on this double live record. Read More »

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February 17, 2020 by Simon Sweetman

The Vinyl Countdown # 170

Bob James, Three (1976)
The truth is I was into Bob James before I knew I was into Bob James; before I knew who he was. The TV show Taxi had such an impact on me – its theme tune continues to – and then of course all the hip-hop and dance tracks that have cut samples from James’ discography – a catalogue brimming with hooks and grooves and ideas and performed by great, great musicians. What’s not to love? I’ve been collecting up the albums as I can, particularly the early ones. This – his third, obviously – isn’t quite as great as the two that came before it but it has enough to recommend it. The highlights are very strong. Very strong indeed. And I’m on such a Bob James kick right now… Read More »

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February 16, 2020 by Simon Sweetman

The Vinyl Countdown # 171

Billie Holiday, Songs For Distingué Lovers (1957)
Any semi-regular reader will know of my fascination with Billie Holiday – I’ve been a fan for years and just recently I’ve decided to collect up as many of the albums as I can (having had a few compilations and plenty of CDs and tapes back in the day…) So I’ve had this copy on hold for a while – pleased to see it there in the racks. It’s always a fine selection of songs – sure. But the band here! Man! Harry Edison on the trumpet, Ben Webster’s on teno sax, Barney Kessel’s sweet guitar, Alvin Stoller and Larry Bunker alternating on the drums, Red Mitchell on double bass. And of course the inimitable Ms. Holliday. What’s not to love. Read More »

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February 15, 2020 by Simon Sweetman

The Vinyl Countdown # 172

The Black Crowes, Shake Your Money Maker (1990)
I have been going through a massive Black Crowes kick of late. Always liked them, but last couple of years I went back through all the albums and bought Southern Harmony of course. And have been wanting to get hold of this one too. The debut. A classic. Southern Harmony might be the better batch of songs, with better playing too but there’s something magical about this. Fully formed, a band arrives. Their timing was great too – doing a retro rock thing at the start of the 1990s. I was hooked when they burst on the scene. And I’m hooked all over again now. Read More »

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February 14, 2020 by Simon Sweetman

The Vinyl Countdown # 173

Neneh Cherry, Raw Like Sushi (1989)

One of those albums I’ve always loved but never really owned. We were all over it at school – it was everywhere. Someone – or several people – had tape copies. I guess I had it on CD for a while – but it disappeared in the haze. I have always loved Neneh Cherry, since hearing this. It was a thrill to interview her, to meet her, to see her perform. All great. And because I have forever loved Buffalo Stance I bought the Slaves of New York soundtrack to get a copy of that song on vinyl; then the 12” single. Now, with a 30^th Anniversary edition of the debut album out and available I can finally add this to the collection. A brilliant amalgam of rap, funk, soul, R’n’B and pop music. Read More »

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February 13, 2020 by Simon Sweetman

The Vinyl Countdown # 174

Sir Yehudi Menuhin & Stephane Grappelli, Top Hat (1981)
I often talk about – and think about – the Stephane Grappelli concert I was lucky to see back in the late 1990s. One of the very best gigs of my lifetime. And it all started when my mum introduced me to Stephane Grappelli and Yehudin Mehuhin via a CD of Gerswhin classics. I became a fan of them both – but Grappelli particularly, because I was besotted with Django Reinhardt (so it didn’t take too long to find the Hot Club connection). Anyway, Grappelli and Menuhin made a series of albums together across the 70s and 80s – evergreens, jazz-y renditions of show tunes and old classics. And I’ve always loved them. Many years back I bought Tea For Two on vinyl and that’s a favourite to this day. Top Hat is a recent find – but an old favourite. I had purchased this on cassette tape back in the day, after that initial intro. Lovely and heartwarming to hear it again after all these years. Even the slightly naff stuff. Read More »

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February 11, 2020 by Simon Sweetman

The Vinyl Countdown # 175

Tammy Wynette, The Best of Tammy Wynette (1978)
There are many Tammy Wynette best-ofs – and this is the first that I’ve owned on vinyl; brand new to me ($1 op-shop find). I had a similar compilation on CD but oddly I’ve really never owned anything much by Wynette. I say oddly, because I am a fan. She’s one of the queens of country music and one of the artists that was a gateway for me – back when the doorway had seem blocked (my folks hated country music on account of their folks listening only to the very cheesiest and blandest of the country’n’western and pop-country of the 70s and 80s). I’m glad to have found this. So many great songs – and this covers enough of the bases for starters. This one is – from what I can tell – a NZ/Aus compilation. But plenty of the big, big hits. Read More »

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February 9, 2020 by Simon Sweetman

The Vinyl Countdown # 176

Peter Gabriel, Peter Gabriel [Security] (1982)
Peter Gabriel – huge fan! I wonder sometimes how you couldn’t be a huge fan of his work. It’s almost perfect, and yet still almost always peculiar. That’s what I want. Weird. And Wonderful. Equal measures. I believe he has achieved that feat – and then made great commercial music, and then returned to the ‘art’ fold with soundtracks and installation music and covers and things. Genius. Highlight of my gig-going life seeing him live! I haven’t found a Peter Gabriel album – or even contribution – that I don’t enjoy on at least some level. But how about that decision to make his first four albums all called “Peter Gabriel”. They have subtitles that have been given to them – for identification purposes I guess. There was [Car] and then [Scratch], then [Melt] and finally this one ([Security]). I think I heard this one first actually. I’ve always loved it. The build. The way it starts – those soaring vocals. The strange patterns from drums and drum machines and synthesizers. Beautiful, odd, intriguing but utterly accessible music. Genius. Read More »

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February 8, 2020 by Simon Sweetman

The Vinyl Countdown # 177

Jeanette MacDonald,Jeanette MacDonald Sings San Francisco And Other Silver Screen Favorites (1970)

Jeanette MacDonald was a screen and stage star of the 1930s and 1940s. She starred in some 29 films, mostly musicals. From there to concert tours, to stage-musicals and theatre roles…amazing really…or, as my wife put it: “This is fucking awful!”

Sample Track: San Francisco

The Vinyl Countdown is a document of every LP I listen to, brand new discoveries and old-old favourites; extremely pre-loved, previously abandoned or with the shrink-wrap having just been removed it’s all here at The Vinyl Countdown Read More »