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Post by Sheriff John Stone on Aug 6, 2021 23:37:51 GMT
Artist: Johnny Cash - Growing up I remember hearing Cash on the radio (especially "A Boy Named Sue") and seeing him on TV regularly on various country shows, including his own. He never made much of an impression until I was much older. I have all of his greatest hits, but I really became a fan when I heard his American Recordings with Rick Rubin.
Songs: The American Recordings are very hit and miss with me, but the ones I like I REALLY LIKE! Check out "I've Been Everywhere", "Hurt", "I Hung My Head", "One", "Solitary Man", "Rusty Cage", and "The Man Comes Around".
Artist: Nat King Cole - A great song stylist and an incomparable voice. Smooth as silk. He covered every music genre over his career. Nat passed away too young (one of his song titles BTW) at age 45 in 1965.
Songs: Many people only know Nat King Cole from "The Christmas Song" which is common for artists from that era like Johnny Mathis, Andy Williams, Perry Como and the like. But, I have to mention Nat's "Mona Lisa", "When I Fall In Love", "Autumn Leaves", "L-O-V-E", "Nature Boy", "Get Your Kicks On Route 66", and "Unforgettable".
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Post by Sheriff John Stone on Aug 6, 2021 23:49:17 GMT
Chicago. I really really like early Chicago. I used to like some of their 80s and 90s hits, but I find that the older I get, the less I like those. But early Chicago had some real brass (see what I did there?) I like Chicago a lot. I've seen them in concert maybe a half dozen times as the opening act for The Beach Boys. They always put on a good show. I got Chicago IX: The Greatest Hits and Greatest Hits Vol. 2 and like every song. Then I decided to get Chicago's Greatest Hits 1982-1989 and I'm glad I did. I kind of dismissed many of those songs on MTV back in the day. But, the second time around years later, I found that I really enjoy them. They are well-produced and well-sung. I realize it was drastic departure from the band's original sound, but, hey, they're still good songs.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 7, 2021 0:01:54 GMT
Chicago. I really really like early Chicago. I used to like some of their 80s and 90s hits, but I find that the older I get, the less I like those. But early Chicago had some real brass (see what I did there?) I like Chicago a lot. I've seen them in concert maybe a half dozen times as the opening act for The Beach Boys. They always put on a good show. I got Chicago IX: The Greatest Hits and Greatest Hits Vol. 2 and like every song. Then I decided to get Chicago's Greatest Hits 1982-1989 and I'm glad I did. I kind of dismissed many of those songs on MTV back in the day. But, the second time around years later, I found that I really enjoy them. They are well-produced and well-sung. I realize it was drastic departure from the band's original sound, but, hey, they're still good songs. Oh I've got the two late 90s comps, Chicago 1967-1997, Vols. 1 and 2, and they represent all eras of the group up to that point very well. And the sound quality is also very good. But lately, I've been digging a little deeper into the unedited album versions, and some of the lesser known cuts (like the one I linked). The full unchopped version of "Make Me Smile" from Chicago II (1970) is a real gem.
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Post by Kapitan on Aug 7, 2021 3:03:12 GMT
Yet another group with "a smashing debut followed by mediocre so on and so forth". Maybe I need to start a thread on just that. You should!
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Post by Kapitan on Aug 7, 2021 13:56:43 GMT
My second D is someone I just love everything about. He needs no introduction on this board.
Darian Sahanaja.
As Pete Townsend said of Brian Wilson in one of those docs, it's unhealthy how much I love Darian. Or as Brian Wilson said about Phil Spector in another of the docs, I love everything about him: the way he looks, the way he talks ... I just like him! His voice is absolutely fantastic. His keyboard and mallets skills are fantastic additions to the band. He obviously had a gift of working with Brian during those years where he returned to the stage with that incredible band. And I happen to think a lot of his Wondermints songs were really good, too.
I really wish he had more exposure and he and/or the 'mints were able to be more prolific with their own music. I hear in it a commercial potential (including literally, in ads, as well as sales). It seems like it would really hit home with people, so reminiscent of so much popular music of the past but usually not pastiche. And now, of course, any future Wondermints (not that I suspect any) would be lacking the absolutely central Nick Walusko.
For a song, how about his cover of (and improvement over) Brian Wilson's "Do You Have Any Regrets/I Do"
And from Mind if We Make Love to You, his composition "Ride."
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Post by Sheriff John Stone on Aug 7, 2021 14:09:32 GMT
D
Artist: John Densmore - It's about time I recognize him, because he's usually the least recognized of The Doors. I always thought John was an excellent drummer, but my appreciation grew when I started to hear recordings of The Doors in concert. John really held things together which wasn't easy sometimes with Jim Morrison, and the band being only keyboards (and keyboard bass), guitar, and drums.
Songs: "Break On Through", "Light My Fire", "The Celebration Of The Lizard", "The Soft Parade", "The WASP", and "L.A. Woman".
Artist: The Delfonics, one of The Sound Of Philadelphia groups from the late 60s/early 70s, and mainly produced by Thom Bell.
Songs: Their two biggest hits were "La La (Means I Love You)" and "Didn't I (Blow Your Mind This Time)", both of which were featured in Quentin Tarantino's movie, Jackie Brown.
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Post by B.E. on Aug 7, 2021 14:18:08 GMT
Sorry to be in catch-up mode again, but I've been really jammed up during the week.
A: I'm sticking with the band, America, and spotlighting their third album, Hat Trick. It doesn't have the hits of their first two albums but it's arguably a superior listen, and features Beach Boys-worthy background harmonies throughout. In fact, according to wikipedia, Carl, Bruce, and Billy sing on the title track! To get a feel, here's "Submarine Ladies". I really think fans of the '68-73 Beach Boys could dig this music. I love how, vocally, they hold the note at the end.
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Post by B.E. on Aug 7, 2021 14:29:08 GMT
B: I'll jump on the Bruce Springsteen train. I've got the compilation 18 Tracks. Over the years, I've taken to returning to it for two tracks: "Pink Cadillac" and "Part Man, Part Monkey". They've got a similar vibe. They're fun to cruise to. I like to listen to them back-to-back.
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Post by B.E. on Aug 7, 2021 14:55:17 GMT
C: I'm going with the duo, Crosby & Nash. They released four albums together in the '70s: Graham Nash David Crosby (1972), Wind on the Water (1975), Whistling Down the Wire (1976), and Crosby-Nash Live (1977). There was also a best-of compilation in 1978 that included tracks from their solo albums. I like these albums, but I don't love them - which makes them perfect candidates for a playlist! (I'm also not thrilled with the best-of tracklist.) My playlist is studio-only, but I really enjoy their live album. I recommend checking it out if you're a fan.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 7, 2021 15:01:11 GMT
My second D is someone I just love everything about. He needs no introduction on this board.
Darian Sahanaja.
As Pete Townsend said of Brian Wilson in one of those docs, it's unhealthy how much I love Darian. Or as Brian Wilson said about Phil Spector in another of the docs, I love everything about him: the way he looks, the way he talks ... I just like him! His voice is absolutely fantastic. His keyboard and mallets skills are fantastic additions to the band. He obviously had a gift of working with Brian during those years where he returned to the stage with that incredible band. And I happen to think a lot of his Wondermints songs were really good, too.
I really wish he had more exposure and he and/or the 'mints were able to be more prolific with their own music. I hear in it a commercial potential (including literally, in ads, as well as sales). It seems like it would really hit home with people, so reminiscent of so much popular music of the past but usually not pastiche. And now, of course, any future Wondermints (not that I suspect any) would be lacking the absolutely central Nick Walusko.
For a song, how about his cover of (and improvement over) Brian Wilson's "Do You Have Any Regrets/I Do"
And from Mind if We Make Love to You, his composition "Ride."
You nailed it! What a Wonderful choice. Now I wanna go and start a 'mints thread (I should, I should!) Great song choice too. I've got that blue 45 on X. B/w "I Wanna Pick You Up", a somewhat unsettling song in any form. My choice for D would (obviously) be the Doors. Hope I'm not stepping on SJS's feet; Densmore is an excellent pick. My favorite Doors song changes from day to day, but I always come back to songs like "Strange Days", "Take it as it Comes", "Queen of the Highway", "Peace Frog", "Who Scared You", etc. My secondary pick is Dukes of Stratosphear, the 1980s offshoot project of XTC. Oddly, I've never been interested in XTC, and I've really tried to like them, but the two Dukes albums (which have been compiled on to one cd called Chips from the Chocolate Fireball) are amazing all the way through. Here's one of my favorite tunes by them:
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Post by Kapitan on Aug 8, 2021 13:00:05 GMT
My second time around on E is someone with such a huge, somewhat imposing body of work. Within that catalog are some songs and albums I love; plenty of songs and albums I like; a huge number of songs and albums that I'm ambivalent about; and some songs and albums I don't like at all. The stylistic territory covered is vast.
Elvis Costello.
He's rare for me in that I can't just point to a specific album of period. There aren't many long-running artists for whom that's the case for me. Maybe Bob Dylan is the best example of someone similar, in that I really like the first electric stuff, I like some mid-70s stuff a lot, then I love the early 00s. That's how Costello is for me. I love those early hits, but then (after plenty I don't like) I like King of America ... then North, and then something like The Delivery Man ... then moments off The New Basement Tapes record. Most of most of his albums are fine. But parts of them--all along the continuum--are just brilliant.
For a song to share, I'll just have to go with my old standby. I've been pushing this one for about 15 years now, since the day I first heard it. I think "Nothing Clings Like Ivy" is one of the most beautiful songs of the past few decades. Gorgeous.
But I could just as easily have gone with something like "Allison," "Radio Radio" or the stellar "Veronica."
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Post by jk on Aug 8, 2021 13:27:44 GMT
E (somehow missed D)... One of my votes (not sure which one yet) goes to Lorraine Ellison and her astounding 1966 45 "Stay With Me". Ms E should be a household name: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lorraine_Ellison
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Post by Sheriff John Stone on Aug 8, 2021 13:31:30 GMT
My favorite Doors song changes from day to day, but I always come back to songs like "Strange Days", "Take it as it Comes", "Queen of the Highway", "Peace Frog", "Who Scared You", etc. How could they leave "Who Scared You" off of The Soft Parade! The Doors really didn't leave too many songs in the can (yes, "Who Scared You" was a B-side), but this is one of them. I also think The Soft Parade could've used one more song anyway.
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Post by jk on Aug 8, 2021 13:31:56 GMT
And I have #2 (or #1, either will do) already. It's Duane Eddy, particularly for his stunning less-is-more version of "Peter Gunn". I believe that's Steve D on tenor sax. Vinyl only, please! en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duane_Eddy
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Post by Sheriff John Stone on Aug 8, 2021 14:15:42 GMT
Artist: Ella. Back in the day, that's all you had to say. Of course, I'm referring to Ella Fitzgerald, The First Lady Of Song, The Queen Of Jazz, and Lady Ella. She could sing it all - jazz, ballads, pop, the American Songbook, blues, scat, and yes, Christmas music. She also did a number of great duets, including with Louis Armstrong and Frank Sinatra.
Songs: "A-Tisket, A-Tasket", "Summertime", "Someone To Watch Over Me", "It Don't Mean A Thing If It Ain't Got That Swing", and "Cheek To Cheek"
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