Posts Tagged Self-Titled
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March 21, 2018 by Simon Sweetman
On: Giving Up Everything
Elton John had it wrong – or rather Bernie Taupin if you prefer. Sad songs are not the ones that say so much – it’s only a special type of sad song; where there’s hope peeking through, where there’s an attempt at stoicism – the head being held high, an aim to move on, an attempt at rebirth or a […]Archive
March 17, 2018 by Simon Sweetman
The 1001 Albums Challenge # 44: John Prine – “John Prine”
John Prine – class act. Songwriter’s songwriter. I feel like everyone knows this. Or should. Some don’t – but then they’ll know some of his songs at least. Like Sam Stone, famously covered by many and perhaps in particular Johnny Cash. But the original is here. This is Prine’s first album and I say all […]Archive
January 17, 2018 by Simon Sweetman
The 1001 Albums Challenge # 26: The Electric Prunes – “I Had Too Much To Dream Last Night”
It seems odd – to me anyway – that I had never previously hear this. I mean the song, sure. I know that. A staple from Nuggets, I often play it at DJ sets – and the Nuggets compilation has been a big deal in my life for a while. And yet I just simply […]Archive
August 20, 2017 by Simon Sweetman
The 1001 Albums Challenge # 6: Joan Baez – “Joan Baez”
Here we go – into the sixties – 1960 in fact. There are quite a few albums from this decade I haven’t heard – but I’m gonna guess that in most cases I’m familiar with the artist; largely due to the plethora of greatest hits compilations. In the late 1980s when the first real 60s […]Archive
January 6, 2017 by Simon Sweetman
Dire Straits by Dire Straits: That Fantastic Debut
The album Dire Straits, the debut by British band Dire Straits is one of my favourite records. It’s a casual masterpiece, alternating between the urgency of Down To The Waterline (one of the great album openers by anyone and any record) and the laidback lurch of Water Of Love. There’s bar-room boogie (Setting Me Up) […]Archive
August 9, 2016 by Simon Sweetman
The Vinyl Countdown # 657
The Haden Triplets, The Haden Triplets (2014) When this was released – I would have been interested anyway, due to Ry Cooder’s participation. But I already knew about The Haden Triplets and the Haden family and was eager to hear this…having followed YouTube clips, and solo albums and other bands that featured members from this […]Archive
March 1, 2016 by Simon Sweetman
The Vinyl Countdown # 745
Boz Scaggs, Boz Scaggs (1969) I like Boz Scaggs. But to qualify/clarify it: I loved his most recent album, a real return to this dazzling, lovely early form and apart from that I really only like one or two things. The MOR stuff when he sold heaps…well there’s one or two okay-songs there but it’s […]Archive
January 5, 2016 by Simon Sweetman
The Vinyl Countdown # 772
The Band, The Band (1969) I love The Band – always have, right from when I first heard them as a youngster and there was something weird, mercurial in that sound. It’s still there too – I check most weeks. Just recently I’ve been on a big kick with this music and I finally – […]Archive
July 24, 2015 by Simon Sweetman
The Vinyl Countdown # 850
Street People, Street People (1976) I still like to go to the record store and just have the big ol’ browse…don’t get to do that quite as often these days, but, then, it’s all relative – I’m probably in there once a week. (That’s not nuts, right?) Anyway, on a recent visit, with a voucher […]Archive
July 21, 2015 by Simon Sweetman
The Vinyl Countdown # 852
Randy Newman, Randy Newman (1968) I think this is the last Randy Newman album that I needed on vinyl – funny, given it’s his first. I love this record – the simplicity of it (instrumentation wise). The sophisticated arrangements. Newman had already had songwriting success but this album didn’t really light a fire and create […]Archive
June 24, 2015 by Simon Sweetman