March 2012 archives
Archive
March 30, 2012 by Simon Sweetman
The Vinyl Countdown # 1553
Talking Heads, More Songs About Buildings And Food (1978) The same day that my aunty gave me a copy of an Eagles tape she also gave me this album (cassette tape). I was mostly listening to CDs then but still had a tape-player in the car. I’d been a Talking Heads fan for some time [...]Archive
March 30, 2012 by Simon Sweetman
The Vinyl Countdown # 1554
R.E.M., Life’s Rich Pageant (1986) Not the first R.E.M. album I heard (that was Green) and not the first I owned (that was Out Of Time) but it was – for what it’s worth – the first I owned on vinyl. And it came about because one of the mechanics at my dad’s work was [...]Archive
March 29, 2012 by Simon Sweetman
The Vinyl Countdown # 1555
Mike Nock, Solo (1979) Kiwi-born, Australian-based pianist Mike Nock is a legend. A living legend. And I feel very lucky that I get to see him play every year or so. I’ve seen him play solo and with an orchestra, with a trio and quartet, small combos or big bands – I watched him once [...]Archive
March 29, 2012 by Simon Sweetman
The Vinyl Countdown # 1556
The The, Infected (1986) Yes yes we know The The is good good. But what I really love about this album – this wee second-hand discovery – is that it comes from Gisborne. Specifically from a place called Guy And Dunsmore Sound Scene. I did not purchase this album from that place but I have [...]Archive
March 28, 2012 by Simon Sweetman
The Vinyl Countdown # 1557
Peter Gabriel, Peter Gabriel [Melt] (1980) I was a greatest hits-kinda fan first. And that was how I got on to Peter Gabriel. Actually So was the thing that really introduced me to him – given my age. Then it was back to Genesis. And then to the soundtracks and then the first four self-titled [...]Archive
March 28, 2012 by Simon Sweetman
The Vinyl Countdown # 1558
B.B. King, Live In Cook County Jail (1971) Well I’ve already told the story about this album – and its connection for me. And of how I came to get this LP – a recent addition to my collection. And so click here to read that – again or for the first time – because [...]Archive
March 27, 2012 by Simon Sweetman
The Vinyl Countdown # 1559
Kate Bush, The Kick Inside (1978) Released when she was 19, songs dating back to when she was 15, 16 (even 13, apparently) – I should think just about anyone at any age should be happy enough to come close to writing some of this material. The idiosyncratic, wild-eyed, wide-screen approach didn’t diminish (and still hasn’t [...]Archive
March 26, 2012 by Simon Sweetman
The Vinyl Countdown # 1560
Talking Heads, Naked (1988) People forget about this album – or try to forget about this album. I can’t go calling it the best Talking Heads album. But I don’t agree with the idea that only the first four albums were worth it. I like all of the band’s material – as I outlined here [...]Archive
March 26, 2012 by Simon Sweetman
The Vinyl Countdown # 1561
Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, Whatever Happened To My Rock’n’Roll [Single/EP] (2001) It’s a double single, four songs, four sides. So as well as the title song there’s Red Eyes And Tears, Fail Safe and Down Here. Good times. I like some of the Black Rebel Motorcycle Club/B.R.M.C. stuff – but I went and saw them [...]Archive
March 25, 2012 by Simon Sweetman
The Vinyl Countdown # 1562
Always hard to pick a favourite with Tom Waits – I’m a bit all or nothing with him actually. I go through phases – I think he’s great. Then I think he’s an actor only. Does a good acting job – but an actor nonetheless. That in itself doesn’t put me off his music – [...]Archive
March 24, 2012 by Simon Sweetman