Tag Archives: vinyl

RS #415: Van Halen, Van Halen

#415

Van Halen, Van Halen

Release Date: 1978 Previously Owned: Yes (on vinyl) First Time Listen: No
Van Halen, Van Halen
So many joints have been rolled on this cover...
Impressions: Van Halen doesn't exactly fit into my musical wheelhouse, but I secretly find them pretty awesome from time to time. Don't tell anyone. Let's put on their debut record here… Opens with the thump thump thump of Michael Anthony's Jack Daniels bass guitar and kicks into gear with the spare, somewhat menacing yet fun-loving "Runnin' With The Devil." Their pattened brand of metal-flavored pop/rock (or is it pop/rock-flavored metal?) … Continue Reading ››

RS #426: Cheap Trick, Live At Budokan

#426

Cheap Trick, Live At Budokan

Release Date: 1979
Previously Owned: Yes
First Time Listen: Yes, but I don't really remember too much.
Cheap Trick, Live At Budokan
Again, the record company puts the pretty ones on the cover, but neglects the, uh, talented ones...
Impressions: Okay. I've already tried to articulate my weird indifference for the hard rock/power pop of Cheap Trick, but maybe a live album of theirs will change things up. Let's fire this one up!... Energy is great from the beginning. "Hello There" is a classic intro, … Continue Reading ››

RS #428: The Police, Outlandos D’Amour

#428

The Police, Outlandos D'Amour

Release Date: 1978
Previously Owned: Yes
The Police, Outlandos D'Amour
Rare photo of the Police not punching each other
Impressions: The first concert I ever saw (not counting The Four Freshman in a shopping mall) was Amnesty International's Conspiracy Of Hope in 1986. It was one of the last shows The Police played before they broke up (for the first time) and I thought they were amazing. That made me a fairly decent Police fan for the rest of my life, even if they would do something stupid in the future … Continue Reading ››

RS #447: Stan Getz and Joao Gilberto, Getz/Gilberto

#447

Stan Getz and Joao Gilberto, Getz/Gilberto

Release Date: 1964 Previously Owned: Yes (on vinyl)
Getz/Gilberto
I wish I could go on a vacation as perfect as this album.
Impressions: I'm sure many would disagree, but I'm glad to see some jazz represented on this list. Trouble is, it seems like there are a lot more than the five or so jazz albums that are on the list worthy of being added. So, should they have just kept jazz off entirely, or settled for the token entries? A tough call. Either way, Getz/Gilberto would have been tough … Continue Reading ››

RS #448: The Police, Synchronicity

#448

The Police, Synchronicity

Release Date: 1983 Previously Owned: Yes (on tape, CD, vinyl)
The Police, Synchronicity
I guess "Synchronicity" involves all three band members wanting to punch each other out equally.
Impressions: Synchronicity is one of the first truly great albums I got my hands on as a youth. After floundering around with Huey Lewis and the News, the "Arthur" Soundtrack and Hooked on Classics, a friend of mine gave me a tape of this album (along with Michael Jackson's Thriller on the B Side) and I wore it out. I even started fast forwarding through Thriller, … Continue Reading ››

RS #462: R.E.M. – Document

R.E.M.- Document
R.E.M's album covers always looked like a the work of a really amazing graphic design student who actually got a paying gig.
#462

R.E.M., Document

Release Date: 1987 Previously Owned: Yes. On vinyl.
Impressions: I started liked R.E.M back in junior high when my cool music friend Matt, who hipped me to Hüsker Dü and The Clash, also got me into R.E.M.'s Life's Rich Pageant. Michael Stipe's mumbly, cryptic singing took me a while to get warmed up to, but I started to enjoy their and catchy Big … Continue Reading ››

RS #463: Echo and the Bunnymen, Heaven Up Here

Echo and The Bunnymen
Which one is Echo?
#463

Echo and the Bunnymen, Heaven Up Here

Release Date: 1981 Previously Owned: Yes. On vinyl.
Impressions: Looking back at some of these entries, I'm gonna have to try to be more succinct if I want a shot at finishing all 500. Haven't listened to this one in a while. Let's throw it on... The opening bunch of songs "Show Of Strength," "With a Hip," and "Over The Wall" meld together and set up a dark, uneasy tone not unlike a John Carpenter film for Goths for the rest of the … Continue Reading ››

RS #473: The Smiths -The Smiths

#473

The Smiths, The Smiths

Release Date: 1984
Previously Owned: Yes
Even the model in the album cover is super depressed.
Impressions: Let's get this out of the way immediately: Morrissey isn't everyone's taste. I'm not even sure he's my taste, but I do love The Smiths. There's something about the sweet-and-sour balance of Johnny Marr's casual guitar brillance and Morrissey's literate moaning that works for me. Their consistent catalog and somehow side stepping of the dreaded '80s sound (probably by avoiding keyboards and dated references) further seals the deal. Their songs come out as timeless, … Continue Reading ››