The Vinyl Countdown

Bruce Springsteen, Born To Run (1975)
Maybe this is the very best – and the very worst of Bruce Springsteen all in one. I mean, we open with Thunder Road which is his none-more-perfect song; a song So-Springsteen that any of the other “next Bob Dylans” have framed their copies of the lyric sheet with their own ejaculate caught between the paper and the glass. On the other hand, as it were, there’s songs like She’s The One which might be a good argument that The Rocky Horror Picture Show’s “Hot Patootie – Bless My Soul” set-piece was the Best Ever Bruce Springsteen Parody; or at least the encapsulation of Every.Other.Song.By.The.Boss and if I hear one more cunt go on about the fucking sax-solo on Jungleland I’m going to turn my tenor into a soprano simply by shoving it right up their fucking arse. All that said, most days of the week I quite like Bruce Springsteen. And this album too. Read More »

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September 17, 2018 by Simon Sweetman

The Vinyl Countdown # 372

Schnell Fenster, Ok Alright A Huh Oh Yeah [Single] (1990)
I loved Schnell Fenster. I love Schnell Fenster still. But discovering them, finding out all about this band – not just Phil Judd but other ex-Split Enz members too – it was just a whole new world, my mind was blown. I was about 10 or 11 when the first album came out, I must have heard it just shortly after. And then the second record. Here’s a 12” single taking from it – the title track – appearing in extended and album versions and a great b-side, from the original album. A friend chucked this my way just recently, knowing I’m a fan. It’d be worth it for the cover image alone. But of course it’s Phil Judd. So it’s worth it for the music too. I don’t think he looks too fondly on the Schnell material, or the era anyway; it wasn’t the greatest time for him personally. But the music on the two albums by this band is some of my all-time favourite music by anyone ever. Read More »

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September 15, 2018 by Simon Sweetman

The Vinyl Countdown # 373

Bob Dylan, Hard Rain (1976)
Back when we were first getting into Bob Dylan – I say ‘we’, I mean me and a good mate – we would buy up the tapes and CDs and it was pre-internet so we didn’t always know what we were getting; live album, compilation, etc…I mean you could tell – eventually, via the sound or the liner notes or tracklisting or some other Dylan fan telling you off for “buying the wrong thing”. I never much cared for Hard Rain at the time – meaning at the time when I bought it. It was a bit of a hot mess, I figured. Well, just recently I’ve found my way to it big time. Buying the record and spending time with it. The version of Idiot Wind is just killer, I knew that well as it features on other comps and it’s one of the towering renditions I believe; astonishing vocal delivery and a white-hot band performance. Actually that’s true of almost all of this album. Now at least. Well, it would have been the case back then too. But I couldn’t hear it when I first heard this. Read More »

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September 13, 2018 by Simon Sweetman

The Vinyl Countdown # 374

Joe Jackson, Look Sharp! (1979)
I love Joe Jackson – a genius. I’m sure of that. And yet, until just recently I only ever owned this compilation and this collection of live concert highlights; they’re both great records, Stepping Out: The Very Best of Joe Jackson is one of the best-ever single-disc compilations – I reckon. But I need more. It’s time to get into the albums, proper. I know many of them. Not all are great. But there were some amazing ones, the early ones in particular. And one or two strong “Comeback” ones too. But certainly Look Sharp is a gem. The debut album. Is She Really Going Out With Him? And there are many other great songs besides. All killer, no filler, as the tired old saying goes. Well, I have this because a mate messaged me from Auckland recently – he was there. And so was this album. And it was on sale. Pretty cheap. Would I like it? Would I what! A Panhead over the bar later that night and it was mine. A mighty fine transaction indeed. Runs on the board. Time to hunt out a few more of the early ones to collect… Read More »

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September 9, 2018 by Simon Sweetman

The Vinyl Countdown # 375

Sinead O’Connor, The Lion and the Cobra (1987)
I am not sure of the timeline exactly – I probably heard the second album first, given that was where the big, big hit was, but I do remember staying up late one night and seeing a show that featured songs from this album and the one that followed by Sinead O’Connor. Who was she? And my god – why and how was she so great? This was freaky and freakish and baffling and beautiful. And maybe she was all of those things and much more. I was young. And had never heard anything quite like the songs that I’d end up finding out were on this – her debut album. She was 20 when she made this record. And pregnant. And it’s a masterpiece. It’s an album that anyone that’s ever made music ever could only hope to make. She’s a genius. She’s had some tough times and been mocked and ridiculed and unfairly maligned. She called out the catholic church way before memes – she has made some bad choices too (or at least I’m going to guess that she has). But the music here and on many of her albums is sublime. I’ve been a fan for life. Since hearing this early material. She’s mesmerising when at her best. The voice. The writing. The power in the performance. The conviction. And the toll that it’s taken on her – well the payoff doesn’t seem enough. But I’m sure glad to finally have a copy of this album in my collection. I went without it for years. My CD long time. Good to find – and have – the record. She’s rare. And this is brilliant. Read More »

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September 7, 2018 by Simon Sweetman

The Vinyl Countdown # 376

Bob Dylan, Under The Red Sky (1990)
I always had a soft spot for this – because it was one of the first original Bob Dylan albums I heard – and owned. My brother’s friend, a huge Dylan fan, had bought the CD and been given a tape free as part of the deal and he gave me the cassette, knowing I was newly enthused by all things Bob. So I took it and accepted it. Accepting, too, that Bob was bereft of lyric ideas – made obvious on the opening song. But there were some impressive celebrity musician cameos, most notably for me Stevie Ray Vaughan. This album arriving in my hands very soon after the news of SRV’s death and I was such a fan. I still am of course. Same goes with Dylan. So, I know that this album is often laughed at, and mostly ignored. But I think there’s some great playing on it and some of the songs – to me – really work. Especially if you ignore the lyrics (not normally what you do with Dylan, I know). It’s been nearly a favourite even; perhaps because I know I’m almost out there on my own in terms of any interest in it. Just look atBob in the cover shot – crouched down, looking for lyrics…no joy…not much luck. Well, I’ve been banging on about Bob a lot lately, culminating in seeing him deliver a ripper of a gig and the day after, and with half an hour or so to kill, I went to the record store in Auckland and saw this. $10 off it said. There would never be a better time to add this to the collection. So I did. And I’ve played it three times in just over a week. More than I maybe even thought I ever would. After a bit of time off I reckon it’s actually better than ever. Also – as with so many of Dylan’s albums you can hear the outtakes and demos and leftovers bundled in one place on the YouTube and that makes for a good listen instead/as well… Read More »

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September 3, 2018 by Simon Sweetman

The Vinyl Countdown # 377

Doc Watson, Doc Watson (1964)
I’ve been really enjoying this lately – the debut, self-titled album by Doc Watson; one of those guys that is kinda bigger than music – just there always, deep inside the grooves, be it country, folk, blues, gospel. In the post-Oh Brother country music book he got a new wave of approval and applause and then bowed out – done. But he is there inside so much good work, a spirit, a presence. And this is where it all started. Banjo, acoustic guitar, voice – mostly just Doc on his own – John Herald adds a second guitar here. And there. But this was Doc’s show – the songbook and the approach. It’s all on display here. Mesmerising in fact. Read More »

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September 1, 2018 by Simon Sweetman

The Vinyl Countdown # 378

Keith Jarrett, The Survivors’ Suite (1977)
Some days I feel like if all that was left in the world, music-wise, was albums by Keith Jarrett then that would be just fine. Hit and miss, a little bit, sure, but the hit-stuff is just so fucking ON. So good. Here’s an example. Killer quartet – his regular collaborators for a while Charlie Haden and Paul Motian and sax-guy Dewey Redman – what a line-up. And this is heart-and-soul stuff; two sides of music – two huge flowing sides. I also love how you get hooked on album and then it turns up in the store, on vinyl; had it always been there? And you just weren’t looking for it before? Probably. It’s like when you learn a word and then hear it everywhere. We don’t know what we don’t know. Well I know this. This album is glorious. And now I have it. Read More »

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August 23, 2018 by Simon Sweetman

The Vinyl Countdown # 379

George Benson, Beyond The Blue Horizon (1971)
I love George Benson but I’m still catching up with his early records – so I didn’t know this one, I knew about it, knew some of the material, killer rhythm section and a stonking version of So What to kick things off – in fact it’s two long tracks, then three shorter, softer ones. His lines are always so great – he’s like bebop and funk all mellifluously rolled into one. My folks always played the late-70s and early-80s albums – which I love. But from there I went back to find his more pure jazz. And then there’s all these early-70s records, which I really only know from compilations, from choice cuts. I’m going to change that. Read More »

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August 20, 2018 by Simon Sweetman

The Vinyl Countdown # 380

Sonny Rollins, The Sound of Sonny (1957)
One of the earlier Sonny Rollins albums – his first for the Riverside label. Well he’d made several albums by this point, and all rather quickly, over a couple of years, but 1957 is a crucial, pivotal year. And I think of this as one of the earliest because it was one of the earliest I heard; might have been the first time I heard Sonny on an album as a leader even…this and one or two others sit high in my mind. And they’re such fabulous records. This and Tenor Madness too. They’re the ones I remember best. The players on here! Sonny Clark on piano, Percy Heath and Paul Chambers alternating on bass and the great Roy Haynes on drums. Oh man. You could listen to this record for the single contributions of any one of the players involved. But Sonny Rollins lives and breathes his playing – there’s something spiritual and beautiful and relaxed and wonderful about his tone and his approach. He’s possibly my all-time favourite and this is certainly one of my favourite albums by him. Read More »

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August 16, 2018 by Simon Sweetman

The Vinyl Countdown # 381

Tom Lehrer, An Evening Wasted With Tom Lehrer (1959)
I bought a lot of Tom Lehrer CDs but all because of this one – this was the one I heard first, and it tells the story of his talent – if you hate this, no point looking, or listening further. He was a Harvard lecturer, a maths wiz, he would go to create the music for The Electric Company. But as a musical satirist he had a great run across the late 1950s and into the 1960s. And though it might seem a bit dated – how could it not? – the best of the work still stands up. Dry delivery, virtuoso skills. It’s not for everyone. It’s not for all the time either – but I’m glad to finally have this LP to add to the collection. Part of a small selection of the Comedy Records I Can Still Listen To.

Sample Track: Poisoning Pigeons In The Park

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

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August 12, 2018 by Simon Sweetman

The Vinyl Countdown # 382

Bob Dylan, Another Side of Bob Dylan (1964)
I’ve recently decided I am going to try to own everything by Bob Dylan on vinyl – I have a few already, so I’m not starting from zero. But I will be re-buying some of the 80s albums I guess – I had them, gave them away, might need to get them back, though no rush there – first up it’s getting around to getting the ones I never owned on vinyl. This, his fourth album, has long been a favourite – the best of the ‘early’ ones for me, the best set of songs in that pure acoustic phase (just his voice, guitar and harmonica). The protest music makes way for pop songs too – the start of something really big (another something really big) lies just around the corner from this album. Which is why it remains a tantalising listen…

Sample Track: To Ramona Read More »