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Long Player (Album of the Day)
British blues-rock quintet Faces truly hit their stride with LONG PLAYER, released 50 years ago this month. The band's second Warner Bros. album is so loose and high-spirited that you may overlook the quality of the songs here - “Bad 'n' Ruin” and “Sweet Lady Mary” are terrific originals, and the cover of “Maybe I'm Amazed” gives McCartney a run for his money. The playing is offhandedly wonderful as well, and Rod Stewart, then on the cusp of stardom, is in fine voice throughout. A couple of tracks here were recorded live at the Fillmore East with the Rolling Stones' Mobile Recording Unit, and Faces are also linked to the hitmakers through guitarist (and future Stone) Ron Wood and STICKY FINGERS saxophonist Bobby Keys, who appears on “Had Me a Real Good Time.” It's easy to imagine listeners quoting that title in response to LONG PLAYER, one of the most underrated gems of the classic rock era.
I Feel For You (Album of the Day)
A hitmaker with Rufus in the 1970s, Chaka Khan branched into her own career gradually - her first four solo albums were all recorded while she was still nominally with Rufus. It was her fifth album, I FEEL FOR YOU, that really sealed the deal as the title track hit #3 in America and topped the U.K. singles chart. That song, a Prince cover featuring Stevie Wonder on harmonica and rapping from Grandmaster Melle Mel, showed Khan to be a powerhouse vocalist with a keen ear for material and willingness to swing for the fences in terms of arrangements. And that description holds throughout the album; tracks like "Through The Fire" and "This Is My Night" are as appealing as the set's biggest hit. With the platinum-certified I FEEL FOR YOU, Chaka Khan stepped confidently to the forefront of '80s electro-funk, and the collection remains among her very best.
Everything is Wrong (Album of the Day)
Moby had already released a pair of independent albums when EVERYTHING IS WRONG established him as one of the fastest rising stars in music. He described the 1995 Elektra collection as “a record that almost served as a lifeboat for the songs I cared the most about … because I was in love with all of these genres and I felt like this may be my only chance to make a record.” That eclecticism can be heard across these 13 tracks, from upbeat dance numbers (“Feeling So Real”) to aggressive industrial-tinged rock (“All That I Need Is to Be Loved”) to ambient work (“First Cool Hive”) and haunting balladry (“When It's Cold I'd Like To Die,” one of two songs featuring Hugo Largo vocalist Mimi Goese). An ardent animal rights activist, Moby titled this album to reflect his frustration with the state of the world, but EVERYTHING IS WRONG will sound right to any techno fan.
Live at the Fillmore West (Deluxe Edition) (Album of the Day)
While the honking saxophone of King Curtis can be heard on numerous classics by other artists, he also released many albums as a headliner including LIVE AT THE FILLMORE WEST. Cut with his group The Kingpins during a 3-night stint at the famed San Francisco venue (where they also served as Aretha Franklin's backing band), the collection offers rollicking takes on recent rock (“Whole Lotta Love”), R&B (“Signed, Sealed, Delivered I'm Yours”) and pop (“Ode to Billie Joe”) hits along with such signature originals as “Memphis Soul Stew.” Released in August 1971 a week before Curtis was murdered, the Atlantic collection reached the Top 10 on both Billboard's Soul and Jazz charts. The Deluxe Edition of LIVE AT THE FILLMORE WEST includes 5 bonus tracks from the Fillmore shows including a version of “My Sweet Lord” with Billy Preston on organ.
Carly Simon (Album of the Day)
Carly Simon had cut a couple of albums with her sister Lucy before Elektra's Jac Holzman signed her to his label for this eponymous solo set, which was released 50 years ago today. Jimi Hendrix producer Eddie Kramer may seem an odd choice to helm a singer-songwriter collection, but the combination works, with folk-rock and string arrangements framing Carly's voice beautifully. The material is also remarkably assured, offering nuanced looks at the ebb and flow of relationships highlighted by “That's the Way I've Always Heard It Should Be,” which became Simon's first Top 10 hit and helped earn the performer a Best New Artist Grammy. Intimate and insightful, it's easy to see why CARLY SIMON holds a special place in the hearts of fans.
Done By The Forces of Nature (Deluxe) (Album of the Day)
Part of the New York Native Tongues hip-hop collective later made famous by De La Soul and A Tribe Called Quest, Jungle Brothers framed positive rhymes with beats and samples that drew from jazz, African and house music. On DONE BY THE FORCES OF NATURE, their second album and first for major label Warner Bros., the trio delivers 16 dazzling and danceable tracks including “Feelin Alright” “Beyond This World,” “What U Waitin' '4'?” and “Doin' Our Own Dang” (which features guest spots from Queen Latifah, Q-Tip and other hip-hop heroes). The 1989 collection was named by The Source as one of the 100 best rap albums, and a new digital-only Deluxe Edition of DONE BY THE FORCES OF NATURE shows it remains one of the true classics from the music's golden age.
Glitterbug (Deluxe) (Album of the Day)
Native to England rather than Australia, indie rock trio The Wombats met as students at the Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts in 2003. The third proper album from frontman Matthew Murphy, bassist Tord Øverland Knudsen and drummer Dan Haggis, GLITTERBUG draws inspiration from '80s synth-pop and '90s Brit-pop on energetic originals including “Emoticons,” “Your Body Is a Weapon” and “Greek Tragedy” (the latter recently remixed to great success on TikTok). While the hooks are catchy and plentiful, Murphy's lyrics are just as noteworthy, offering sharp-eyed millennial character studies that are both poignant and funny. GLITTERBUG was a Top 10 hit in the U.K. and the band's first album to make the Billboard 200 in the U.S., and the Deluxe Edition of the 2015 collection adds bonus tracks “Sex and Question Marks” and “Flowerball” to the party.
Fundamental (Album of the Day)
The Pet Shop Boys were mad as hell, and not going to take it anymore. Dedicating the record to executed Iranian gay teenagers, Mahmoud Asgari and Ayaz Marhoni, FUNDAMENTAL is one of the duo’s most politically charged albums. Produced by the band alongside the legendary Trevor Horn, the album burst on the UK charts to debut at #5 in the UK. The sardonic first single from the LP, I’M WITH STUPID, peaked at #8, making it the 21st(!) top 10 single for Chris Lowe and Neil Tennant. Considering October 4th is Lowe’s birthday, there’s no better time than the present to cue up this underrated PSB offering that delves into the dark side of the dance floor.
Best of the Chantels (Album of the Day)
Noted music scribe Cub Koda called The Chantels “rock & roll's first great female group,” and the recordings on THE BEST OF THE CHANTELS certainly back that up. Formed by students at St. Anthony of Padua School in the late 1950s, the Bronx quintet were raised on classical music and hymns, adding unusual sophistication to their performances. Assembled by doo wop experts Bob Hyde and “Little Walter” Devenne, the 18-track Rhino collection includes all the key End singles (“Maybe,” “He's Gone,” “Look In My Eyes”) by the Vocal Group Hall of Famers as well as choice rarities. We'll give THE BEST OF THE CHANTELS another spin now to wish original lead singer Arlene Smith a happy 80th birthday.
Hard Candy (Album of the Day)
Madonna pulled out all the stops for her 11th – and final – Warner Bros. studio album, HARD CANDY. Enlisting a team of A-list producers including Timbaland, Justin Timberlake and Pharrell Williams (all of whom also contribute vocals, along with Kanye West), the performer created a tough-but-sweet confection that was “like 'Holiday' with an R&B groove,” in Timbaland's words. The urban-oriented dance-pop of the 2008 set shines as brightly on LP-only tracks like “Candy Shop” and “Devil Wouldn't Recognize You” as it does on singles “Give It 2 Me,” “Miles Away,” and Top 10 hit “4 Minutes.” Needless to say, HARD CANDY was a smash, reaching No.1 on the U.S. album chart and racking up more than 4 million sales worldwide.