The Vinyl Countdown

Joan Armatrading, Whatever’s For Us (1972)
I saw Joan Armatrading three times – three different shows – before she retired from the live arena, and while I was (and am) a fan, I didn’t really plan to see her three times. It was all assignments. That last time though – really was lovely, I remember the way she signed off, the final song and the audience’s response to it: Just Perfect. Anyway, so around that time I remember a co-worker arrived at work with a copy of this – the one Armatrading album I had never heard; her debut. Co-written with the lyrics of Pam Nestor – it’s the sound of an artist just finding the beginnings of her feet and it’s now the one I return to the most, since it’s still the newest to me. I’m always blown away when someone turns up and offers a record, in this case it was simple: My mum doesn’t own a record player it would be nice to give it to someone that is going to play it. That’s still – and always – a very kind gesture. Read More »

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March 31, 2020 by Simon Sweetman

The Vinyl Countdown # 141

Bruce Springsteen, The River (1980)
Of all the Bruce Springsteen albums this is the one I’ve tried the hardest to fall in love with – but I just keep hearing a double-stuffed, overly long set of pub-rock jam that don’t have the necessary pay-off. Sure, there are some good songs. Absolutely. Including a couple of really great, incongruous, pop songs. (Hungry Heart might be the best upbeat song about having an affair ever). In the end – for me – it’s that classic thing of this being a better single disc than a double album; it’s not even a particularly long double-album either. Lots of songs, but short songs. If it was reduced down to 12-15 it would be pretty good. But as it stands it’s longwinded. I’m not in much of a Springsteen frame of mind of late though. So that’s not helping at all. Read More »

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March 30, 2020 by Simon Sweetman

The Vinyl Countdown # 142

Kermit Schafer, Pardon My Blooper! (1954)
It’s credited to Kermit Schafer – an American TV and radio writer and producer. But that doesn’t concern me at all. This silly, dated, embarrassing, unfunny collection of bloopers is on vinyl. It comes from the 1950s. Many of the moments wouldn’t even raise a dry smile, let alone any real mirth – let alone concern or anything seemingly risqué. But it has the subtitle telling you that it is a “An Album of RADIO and TV’s Most Hilarious BONERS”. And it’s a 10-inch! I was powerless. I am a fucking child. I bought it. And gave it a home. Read More »

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March 28, 2020 by Simon Sweetman

The Vinyl Countdown # 143

Schnell Fenster, The Sound of Trees (1988)
Do you own more than one copy of any album in your collection? I got rid of most of my double-ups recently. Didn’t feel the need to keep more than one copy of any album in my collection – apart from the first Schnell Fenster record. I now have three copies. And I’ll possibly collect more. I once owned two cassette tapes of it – and I’ve had the CD also. But now just the three albums. I keep trying to talk about the importance of this album in my life – its impact. But it has certainly been a great thrill getting to speak to both Phil Judd and Michael den Elzen about that. I also wrote one of the earlier Vinyl Countdown posts about this album’s place in my life and it was one of the early reasons for another sporadic series here at Off The Tracks. At this point I’m not sure why I’m even so connected to collecting this album – but I’m sure I’ll own at least another copy of it on vinyl. And probably soon! Read More »

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March 25, 2020 by Simon Sweetman

The Vinyl Countdown # 144

Commodores, Greatest Hits (1978)
Very recently I bought a cheap copy of the self-titled Commodores album; the band’s fifth record. It’s good – I love the Commodores and it’s got some of their biggest hits on it. Well, actually, the copy I received has HEAPS of their hits…buried inside it was a second LP – I thought it was a mistake. Turns out it was. A copy of the Greatest Hits record was stashed in there too. Presumably they’d lost the cover to that and figured why not stuff it in there for safekeeping. I used to have a copy of this Greatest Hits album – and maybe I still do? So now I’m looking for my original copy because this version – despite missing the cover – plays through mint. All the other great hints from this great band. There was a time when I would have just thrown the spare record away because I hate mismatches. But this is like a bonus-score. I like this kind of mismatch. An actual 2-for-1. Score! Read More »

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March 23, 2020 by Simon Sweetman

The Vinyl Countdown # 145

Terry Snyder and the All Stars, Persuasive Percussion (1960)

I am a bit of a sucker for these sorts of things – credited to Terry Snyder and the All Stars this is great, apparently, for stereo-testing. Those albums that are for audiophiles and hi-fi snobs – lol. All good fun. I can’t resist when I see them. Glad I got this one though – it’s basically the middle-ground between The Wrecking Crew and The Incredible Bongo Band but it predates – and therefore predicts – both of them in some sense. Such fun. Read More »

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March 20, 2020 by Simon Sweetman

The Vinyl Countdown # 146

The Beatles, The Essential Beatles (1972)
I didn’t grow up with this odd-af compilation – but I know a lot of people that did. I did grow up with The Beatles though – I sometimes wonder why anyone wouldn’t. And the compilation I grew up with (as well as the albums in general) was Beatles Ballads. But that one seemed to make sense – the clue was in the title. The title here suggests big things and then just wobbles all over the place from early 60s to break-up and with no real plan; a single volume, one LP. Some of their biggest songs but a lot of what you could more accurately call inessential Beatles if anything. I saw this recently in a chuck-out bin and had to get it. I love odd comps – especially when it’s a band you know and love so well. Hearing the songs rub against new sets of shoulders. There’s something in that. Read More »

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March 19, 2020 by Simon Sweetman

The Vinyl Countdown # 147

Bob Dylan, Empire Burlesque (1985)
I go through phases with Bob Dylan – I haven’t been listening to his music (the full albums at least) very much lately, but I imagine it’ll start again – because I’m looking at the lesser known or lesser applauded records. And I know this is the second time I’ve owned this one on vinyl. I always sorta defended it but then didn’t listen to it really at all – so I flicked it. Felt the urge to own it again just recently and started listening to it and realised that – side two in particular – it’s pretty fucking good. Sure, 80s production, well dur, but it’s pretty fucking good. I’m not about to put it in my Top 10. That’d be crazy. But it’s a Top 20 Dylan album for me for sure. There’s far worse than this. I was saying much the same about Saved just other day…I know… Read More »

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March 17, 2020 by Simon Sweetman

The Vinyl Countdown # 148

Bob Dylan, Saved (1980)
Way back, when I was collecting the set, I had this on CD. I didn’t play it much – but I did not hate it. I never went fully into bat for it – but couldn’t say it was the worst Bob Dylan album. Finally I’ve picked it up on vinyl and started listening to it again and I’m not about to call it the best or even necessarily a Top 10 Dylan album (Top 20 though, sure, absolutely…why not…) and I reckon it has more merit than a lot of what was to come. It’s not as good as the album directly before it – but it’s possibly better than the one that followed. People make a lot – or made a lot – of his “Born Again” thing, of his religious phase. Religion, spirituality, philosophy is all there all throughout his songs and career and life. And the best of it is fantastic – even if you’re a total non-believer. At least the Bootleg Series of ongoing brilliant off-cuts and live shows gave people a reason to check this out all over again. I’m sure glad I did. Read More »

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March 16, 2020 by Simon Sweetman

The Vinyl Countdown # 149

Joe Jackson, I’m The Man (1979)
Joe Jackson – he’s the man alright. Or certainly was. This – his second album – was released about two months after that amazing debut. And if you think that’s impressive enough and also all he had – remember just a couple of years later he released the very best album of his career (at least that’s what I think). And there are more gems in there in and around that. Masterful musician. Great player and singer and songwriter. I found this just recently in one of the best possible ways: Not only was it in the chuck-out bin, it was buried, so there I was going through a really good chuck-out bin…impressed with some really good titles, but I had them all. And then this. Paydirt! Read More »

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March 15, 2020 by Simon Sweetman

The Vinyl Countdown # 150

Billie Holiday, Fine and Mellow 1939 and 1944 (1979)
I’m interested in these random compilations that turn up – if it’s an artist I love I’m curious about the compilations as well as the studio albums. And any readers of this blog will know I’m a big time Billie Holiday fan and on a kick at the moment where I’m collecting up the records. I found this just recently – side one collects recordings made in 1939 and side two is stuff from 1944. This copy has a couple of bad scratches in it – but it’s playable-enough. And a wee curio to me. (And the price was right). So I’m in. And it’s another one for the Billie Holiday collection. Which is growing… Read More »

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March 14, 2020 by Simon Sweetman

The Vinyl Countdown # 151

Mark Williams, Greatest Hits (1977)
I missed the Mark Williams buzz – the first time around at least. I was there for the “comeback” – Show No Mercy and then fronting Dragon (he does a good job, it’s a tired old act now though, they’re a Tribute Act to Themselves, nothing more). I did catch up with the news that Williams was a big star. And there were radio staples I got to know – most obviously Yesterday Was Just The Beginning of My Life. But he left New Zealand for the greener pastures of Australia – as many did back then. It was an impossible existence being any sort of star here, back then, in the mid-1970s. You were mocked for thinking you were something. You were adored on a creepy, mouth-breather-y, stalker level. There was no in-between – you were either too big for you boots, or someone wanted to lick your boots. Awful. And so he was gone. And this greatest hits comp covers the early wonder years. The recent Heed The Call album – a compilation of some of NZ’s shining moments in disco and soul from the 1970s – makes a bit of a call/cry for Williams. It was a nice reminder. Discogs tells me this goes for around $70 – someone told me recently they’d been looking for it for ages. Another guy I know had a copy for sale for $30 or $35. I picked this up for $2. Which makes me smug-af right now. No mercy shown. Read More »