The Vinyl Countdown

Phil Collins, In The Air Tonight [Single] (1981)
I used to own the reissued 12” single and I regret selling it off. But that’s the nature of record-collecting, of owning, trading and of fading in and out of interest with certain acts. When I bought it Phil Collins was almost entirely thought of as not cool. There was no new wave of re-appreciation. Now the vote is split. People of a certain age are really quick to point out how dreadful they are sure he is (without really listening, of course – they’re bugged by his big radio singles and by his mugging, his smugness). But there are open-minded and younger music listeners enjoying the use of Collins rhythms in hip-hop or just digging the songs – or at the least acknowledging him as a pioneer of drum-programming. My son got really into Phil Collins which re-sparked my interest. I come and go with any of these things – a fan for years. And then one day I decide it’s over, at least for a bit. I need a break. Anyway, all of this is to say that Collins has been on my stereo a bit in the last few years – and the reissue of his debut album was a chance for me to stretch out a bit and try to consider his importance (and certainly the importance or at least the brilliance of that album). Sometime around that time I found this 7” single and bought it – just to have. I like the album opener from his debut, its ubiquity means I’m never in a rush to hear it but I like it when I do. And I dig the b-side as well. Again, I’m never hanging out to hear it but I like it when it happens. And so now I have this cheap 7” single. A little souvenir. Artefact. Read More »

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November 22, 2020 by Simon Sweetman

The Vinyl Countdown # 13

Little Feat, Time Loves A Hero (1977)
It was only recently that I was bemoaning the fact that I didn’t have all of the classic-era albums by Little Feat. Love that band. You read a word you’ve never read before – or hear someone say it and next thing it’s everywhere and you can’t work out if it’s suddenly in vogue or if it was always there and you just weren’t previously aware of it, right? Well, on the day I mentioned that I had to find the final Feat album I wanted that had thus far evaded me I walk into a record store and there it is. I’m not even – consciously – looking for it. But it’s the first album in the ‘L’ section on that day. Maybe it always was. Maybe it had always been there. Anyway, what an album and now I have the set that I want. Such a band! Read More »

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November 19, 2020 by Simon Sweetman

The Vinyl Countdown # 14

George Russell Sextet, Stratusphunk (1960)
When both Ant Donaldson and Riki Gooch – two of New Zealand’s best drummers and musical minds – tell you about the composer George Russell you listen. And when they mention his great albums with his sextet and larger ensembles you hunt them down. And when you find one of them at fucking Hallensteins – because they’ve started stocking records! – you laugh. Because you can tell as soon as you see it that they’ve chosen this, some buyer has chosen this, or someone at the warehouse that is curating the records for them has chosen this, based entirely on cover-design. They liked the colours and the shapes and figured someone might buy it as a thing to put on the wall or put near a stereo on display! Fuck me. That’s tragic. (No more tragic than me looking through the record selection in Hallensteins, because I had to know, and because I’m fucking diseased!) So, it’s comical, but I feel like someone that rescues an abused kitten or pup, I feel like I’m doing god’s work. I feel like my cape was at the drycleaner’s that day but I still found it in my heart and in my blood and in my core to act like a goddamn hero. Read More »

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November 18, 2020 by Simon Sweetman

The Vinyl Countdown # 15

Van Morrison, Live At The Grand Opera House Belfast (1984)
Yeah, yeah,Van Morrisonis a cunt – most recently he’s come out on the wrong side of, well, science. Releasing anti-lockdown songs and he still won’t shut up about being poorly treated by the music industry. Which is a joke given he’s basically music industry royalty. His 70s run is the stuff of legend and into the early 80s he was still sublime – in fact there was a second hot streak really. He’s been making great albums in the last few years but I suddenly don’t really feel like listening to them anymore. But I’ll always have time for his amazing music from his golden years. And his live albums are very special; this one has to compete with that legendary mid-70s one – and can’t. So it doesn’t. It is it’s own thing. And the highlights here are impressive. Pity he’s such a grumpy jerk eh. Read More »

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November 17, 2020 by Simon Sweetman

The Vinyl Countdown # 16

The Staple Singers, Turning Point (1984)
I love checking out the “out of place” albums by a heritage act – sixties and seventies groups that ‘failed’ in the 1980s…that sort of thing. The Staple Singers were making gospel gems and spirituals through the late 1950s and early 1960s and then political funk and soul in the late 1960s and early 1970s and then in the 1980s they released this. Which is no real failure at all but it’s something of a pivot. A disco-tinged soul-pop record that feels like it makes more sense now than it might have at the time. And is a hit in my mind for their cover of Talking Heads’ Slippery People. That’s the reason I wanted this anyway. That and the fact that a mate was selling it fairly cheap. It’s a pretty solid album too all up. Read More »

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November 16, 2020 by Simon Sweetman

The Vinyl Countdown # 17

Dave Barker Meets The Upsetters, Prisoner of Love (1970)
Bit of an impulse buy, this one. And very happy to have made it. Dave Barker is something of a journeyman reggae/rocksteady/soul singer – but back when this record was made he wasn’t really anyone. This record made him. And I bought it because it was The Upsetters and it was Lee “Scratch” Perry and in the early 1970s Scratch had the (absolute) magic touch. There is more magic from him, sure, including just recently a pair of records far better than anyone could have reasonably expected at this late stage. But those early Upsetters records and the productions Perry was pulling out of the hat. Man. Just amazing. They sound so fresh still – otherworldly, even. I have so many more records I could want from this era of Perry productions and one day, maybe, I’ll get at least some of them. But I was so happy that this one stood out on the day that it did. And I’ve been giving it heaps of turntable time ever since. Something very special was captured here I reckon. Also just great, great songs – many of them credited to Perry, though I’m no sure we can entirely trust that eh…

Sample Track: Build My Whole World Around You

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November 15, 2020 by Simon Sweetman

The Vinyl Countdown # 18

Toots & The Maytals, Knock Out! (1981)
The song Beautiful Womanwas everywhere when I was a kid. I remember it well. I didn’t particularly like it. Nor did I know who it was by. It was just everywhere. It was years – and possibly even a few more years after that – before I found out it was Toots & The Maytals. By the time I found out, fortunately, I already liked Toots for a bunch of other things. The ‘real’ stuff. So sad, recently to hear of Toots Hibbert’s passing. When I bought this album – online – Toots was still alive. When I took delivery of it he was gone. I had been thinking about how great he was, how great the band was, and how I had only ever really owned material by the group on CD. It was time to change that. I like Beautiful Woman a lot more now than I ever did. And yet I didn’t even know that song was going to be on here until I took ownership of it. Fortunately, there’s plenty of better songs than that. But it was a massive hit here in NZ. Not sure if it really meant anything much anywhere else. Read More »

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November 13, 2020 by Simon Sweetman

The Vinyl Countdown # 19

Bob Marley, Survival (1979)
Only just recently added this to my Bob Marley collection. I really love this album – but I’d ignored it for the longest time, figuring it was lesser. It’s not the case at all and (for right now at least) it’s one of my favourites from that magical decade of great music Marley and his Wailers offered. The way in, for me, was the song One Drop, a highlight here and a highlight in Marley’s catalogue – a brilliant and deceptive song that both celebrates a rhythm and a philosophy each called One Drop. Sometimes you just need one song to guide the way. Now I’m listening to this and thinking it’s right up there with the best of Bob’s post-original-Wailers material. And it’s more political than where he was at the year or two earlier; when personal recovery was his focus I guess. Here he’s in scathing political form once again. And just great songs, great, great performances. Read More »

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November 12, 2020 by Simon Sweetman

The Vinyl Countdown # 20

Little Feat, Feats Don’t Fail Me Now (1974)
I arrived pretty late to Little Feat. Which is to say I knew about them from reading about music for most of my life – and I was interested. And I was particularly interested in theLowell Georgestory (probably via all my Frank Zappa listening at some stage in my life) and I am sure I owned the solo album, Thanks, I’ll Eat It Here ahead of owning anything by Little Feat. But when I did take the plunge – maybe 10 years ago now or so – I fell heavy. So into this band’s golden era. Their 70s records are sublime. And feel very good to be listening to right now. So as I edge closer to completing the set I’m pleased to add this one to my collection. I listened to it five times in a row the other day. Just flipping it over and again. Each side felt brand new each time. No better feeling with a record than that. Read More »

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November 10, 2020 by Simon Sweetman

The Vinyl Countdown # 21

Village People, Macho Man[Single] (1978)
I guess I’m neither a Village People fan nor a non-fan. They’re just the band you know – because some of their songs were everywhere for a while and occasionally continue to be in many places. Certainly the case with this song. And the gym one with the letters. We sang some of their songs at school. They are in movies and TV shows and used for memes and skits and still heard on classic hits radio stations. And I was gifted this by an ex-DJ – he no doubt carried it in his case for when he needed it. I have played it once. To make sure it wasn’t so scratched that if I ever did need to play it I would find that it could actually work. Yeah, such passion eh…like I say, not not-a-fan but not really a fan… Read More »

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November 9, 2020 by Simon Sweetman

The Vinyl Countdown # 22

The Clash, Rock The Casbah [Single] (1982)
I do like The Clash. Sure. Just not as much as most people that like/love The Clash. I do still think they’re a bit overrated and maybe it won’t help my cause at all to suggest that this is one of my favourites by them – which doesn’t at all mean that I don’t also really like some of the first and second album songs. I do. I like a lot of what this band did. But I’m really selective in what I listen to with them – a lot of filler shit to my ears, and I’m probably just someone that’s too young; wasn’t there at the right time for this to really seem like it meant something. But Casbah is a radio hit from my youth; I loved it before I ever knew it was from the same band as many of the other songs I actually loved – The Story of The Clash remains my favourite Clash album/compilation. It’s what hooked me into the band. And it’s why I am still a bit of a fan.

Sample Track 1: (Side A): Rock The Casbah

Sample Track 2: (Side B): Long Time Jerk Read More »

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November 6, 2020 by Simon Sweetman

The Vinyl Countdown # 23

Bruce Hornsby and The Range, The Way It Is [Single] (1986)
I’ve always loved this song. I respect Bruce Hornsby as a musician and have listened to a few of the things he’s done outside and around the album of the same name that of course features this as its title track. But ultimately I just love this song. That’s just the way it is. Some things will never change.

Sample Track 1: (Side A): The Way It Is

Sample Track 2: (Side B): The Red Plains Read More »