Sonny Bono - Inner Views (1967)

“Inner Views” is the only album by American singer Sonny Bono as a solo artist, released in November 1967 by Atco Records.
Following the success of Sonny and Cher, Bono released his first and only solo album, “Inner Views”, in 1967. Inner Views consists of five tracks and has a limited running time of 33 minutes.
Unlike his then-wife Cher, Bono's attempt as a solo artist was unsuccessful (at the time of the release of “Inner Views”, Cher had released three successful albums. Although Bono had some mild success with his 1965 single "Laugh At Me", “Inner Views” did not chart on Billboard.
Sonny Bono is among rock & roll's most depreciated and ironic figures. He was a multi-talented artist, producer, songwriter, and performer as well as unapologetically conservative in both his personal and political bents. The sole solo long-player of Bono's two-decade musical career, 1967's “Inner Views” has a title that fittingly describes its contents, which reflect the artist's sensibilities. Perhaps unintentionally, the album reinforces why Bono let his then professional partner and wife, Cher, take the vocals. The five-track collection was issued during the fall following 1967's "Summer of Love," and the pseudo-psychedelia of the 12-plus minute opening drone, "I Just Sit There," reveals that Bono was caught up in the mass-media hype that generally surrounded and subsequently misrepresented the youth-driven counterculture.
His observations are spot-on, although undeniably contrived. Examples abound, such as the simplistic "Inside, outside, upside down/Everything is turning 'round/Backwards, forwards, which is right?/Black is day and white is night" and "Ring around the rosey/Your daddy's getting nosey/Mother's cooking sturgeon/Your sister's still a virgin."
While no specific credits are given, conspicuously present are Hal Blaine (drums) and additional Los Angeles-based session heavies. In fact, it is probable that many of the musicians served alongside Bono earlier in the decade as part of the infamous Wrecking Crew, whose clientele included Phil Spector, Brian Wilson, Lou Adler, et al. But even they can't overcome the antiquated and jarringly misplaced sitar work or the seemingly uncomfortable references to the Beatles' "A Day in the Life" as Bono warbles "I read the news today, oh boy" with all the finesse of a teenage high-school nark. Bono then outdoes himself with the unintentional desecration of another '60s icon, as he mocks Bob Dylan's trademark atonal harmonica blows during a self-absorbed and excessive solo.
The Young Fresh Fellows' send-up on the 1991 tribute disc Bonograph: Sonny Gets His Share is worth getting for the sheer kitsch factor alone.
More convincing are Inner Views' two ballads. "I Told My Girl to Go Away" is an ambiguous protest number with a simple and childlike melody contrasting the heady lyrics "I overheard her mom and dad/I heard them say that they'd be glad/When she'd start dating her own kind." Interestingly, monaural pressings of the album edited that verse out of the song, but the words remained printed on the back of the LP jacket.
While the similarities to Janis Ian's groundbreaking "Society's Child" are undeniable, Bono's straight-arrow political correctness makes no direct allusions as to the nature of the parental disapproval, be it racial, religious, or social. The dramatic instrumental score embodies a larger-than-life "Wall of Sound" arrangement, proving Bono and company had learned a thing or two during their tenure with Spector. "I Would Marry You Today" is a straightforward love song, which may be why the endearing and easily accessible tune was chosen as a B-side to not one but two different 45s  "Circus," properly crediting it to Sonny, as well as "You're a Friend of Mine," under the nom de plume Sonny & Cher.
The ragtime rhythm that drives the tale of jealousy on "My Best Friend's Girl Is Out of Sight" has all the cachet of the New Vaudeville Band and comes off just as hopelessly antediluvian. Given the subject matter of "Pammie's on a Bummer," the presumption is that it is supposed to be the aural equivalent of a bad trip, also explaining why it is likewise more appealing than the rest of Inner Views.
The selection commences with an extended introduction that recalls the Doors' "The End" (no lie!) and the Strawberry Alarm Clock's "World's On Fire." Once again, Bono's naïveté of the underground shows, with the moral of the story being that marijuana and LSD lead to prostitution. Luckily, the free love generation didn't charge for their encounters and, even better, Pammie seems to have been the exception as the vast majority of those who experimented with consciousness-expanding chemicals weren't led down the same path of personal destruction.

Track listing

1. "I Just Sit There"  (S. Bono)  - 12:41
2. "I Told My Girl to Go Away"  (S. Bono)  - 4:18
3. "I Would Marry You Today"  (S. Bono)  - 4:24
4. "My Best Friend's Girl Is Out of Sight"  (S. Bono)  - 4:11
5. "Pammie's on a Bummer"  (S. Bono)  - 7:45

Credits
Sonny Bono - Producer, Main performer
Bob Fisher - Mastering
Donald Peake - Arranger
Stan Ross - Engineer
Barry Prager - Cover Design
Gordon Anderson - Executive Producer

Notes
Genre:  Pop rock, Psychedelic/Pop, Folk
Length: 33:19
Label:  Atco  Records

© 1967

Crowfoot - Find The Sun (1971)

Crowfoot was an American rock band, initially featuring Russell DaShiell on guitar and vocals, Doug Killmer on bass and vocals and Rick Jaeger on drums.
The group originally formed in 1964 under the name 'The Beau Gentry' as a Melbourne, Florida-based high-school cover band. Eventually DaShiell began to write music and the band began to perform their own material.
At that time the band also featured Lance Massey on guitar and vocals. They were discovered by manager Ken Adamany who arranged a successful 1966 tour through the US mid-west. On the strength of this tour, the band decided to relocate to the area and build upon the fan base they had established. In December 1968, DaShiell, Killmer and Jaegar decided to relocate again, this time to the San Francisco Bay area in the hopes that exposure in the burgeoning Bay area music scene would lead them to a recording contract. Lance Massey chose to leave the band at this time and settle in Wisconsin. The remaining band members renamed themselves Crowfoot.
In California, DaShiell, Killmer and Jaeger found session work to help make ends meet. Of particular note, was DaShiell's and Killmer's guitar work on Norman Greenbaum's, gold-selling hit, "Spirit in the Sky", and DaShiell's and Jaeger's work on former Canned Heat guitarist, Harvey Mandel's, album, Games Guitars Play.
In 1970 Crowfoot signed with ABC-Paramount but by this time Killmer was pursuing other projects and although Jaeger did play drums on the self-titled album, Crowfoot had essentially become a solo act, with DaShiell writing, arranging, and playing both guitar and bass guitar. Guitarist Sam McCue, formerly of Milwaukee band The Legends, had joined by 1970. In 1971, a second album was released, “Find the Sun”. It featured DaShiell backed by Don Francisco on drums and vocals, McCue on guitar and vocals and Bill Sutton on bass. The album brought comparisons with Bread and Poco.

Track listing

01. "Travel In Time"  - 2:50 
02. "Hollywood"  - 2:20 
03. "Sailing Girl"  - 3:02 
04. "Run For Cover"  - 3:30 
05. "Find The Sun"  - 3:14 
06. "Got To Fly"  - 3:17 
07. "Summer's Gone"  - 3:40 
08. "Sometimes Loving You"  - 4:17 
09. "We're Doin It Wrong"  - 2:22 
10. "Feel The Flow"  - 3:20 

Credits
Russell DaShiell - guitar, vocals
Don Francisco - drums, vocals
Sam McCue - guitar, vocals
Bill Sutton - bass guitar

Notes
Genre: Rock
Length: 33:21
Label: ABC Records

© 1971

Manfred Mann Chapter Three - Manfred Mann Chapter Three, Volume Two (1970)

Manfred Mann Chapter Three was a British experimental jazz rock band founded by South African keyboard player Manfred Mann and long-time partner Mike Hugg. The line-up for its debut at Newcastle's Mayfair Ballroom on 24 October 1969 was; Mike Hugg (vocals/electric piano), Mann (organ), Bernie Living (alto sax), Steve York (bass) and Craig Collinge (drums), augmented by a five-piece brass section of Clive Stevens (tenor sax), Carl Griffiths (tenor sax), Dave Coxhill (baritone sax), Gerald Drewett (trombone) and Sonny Corbett (trumpet).
They released a second album in 1970, with the cumbersome title of “Manfred Mann Chapter Three Volume Two”. It followed the same formula as their debut - dark, brooding, grooves with lots of tasty keyboards and big, blaring horn sections. The second album was perhaps a bit more daring and experimental, potentially not quite as consistent, but with some superb highlights. The most impressive track was the fifteen-minute-plus "Happy Being Me", which began as a hard-driving number with a catchy wordless refrain before drawing out into a series of long, free-form solos from all instruments.
The band's approach centred on the "time, no changes" approach of Miles Davis and John Coltrane applied to slow, funky grooves with voodoo lyrics inspired by Dr John alternating with blaring big-band horn riffs and improvised free-jazz solos reminiscent of Ornette Coleman and Albert Ayler. Although intelligible at a time when artists like Davis himself were crossing over into the rock/funk field and American "jazz-rock" ensembles such as Blood, Sweat and Tears and The Mothers of Invention espoused brass sections and atonality, the formula was limited and the band expensive to maintain, so it was short-lived and disbanded after two albums. A third album was recorded in 1971, but shelved before its release. It consisted both of love songs which Mike Hugg would rerecord for his first solo albums and more experimental music featuring brass arrangements or Manfred Mann on the Moog synthesizer.
The band had two very interesting albums under their belt, but their sound was never going to result in any sort of radio play or hit songs. More importantly, such a large ensemble was massively expensive to maintain, and Mann and Hugg were financing it from their own pockets. Unable to break out of the club circuit, they called it quits and the experiment ended. Mike Hugg began a solo career, and Manfred Mann formed a new group, Manfred Mann's Earth Band, with which he was able to have a great deal of commercial success over the years.

Track listing

01. "Lady Ace"  (Mike Hugg)  -  7:58
02. "I Ain't Laughing"  (M. Hugg)  - 2:36
03. "Poor Sad Sue"  (M. Hugg)  - 5:54
04. "Jump Before You Think "  (M. Hugg)  - 4:52
05. "It's Good To Be Alive"  (Manfred Mann)  - 3:31
06. "Happy Being Me"  (M. Hugg)  - 15:54
07. "Virginia"  (Mann)  - 4:52

Bonus Tracks (1999 re-issue)
08. "I Ain't Laughing" (single mono version)  (M. Hugg)  - 2:32
09. "Happy Being Me" (single mono version)  (M. Hugg)  - 4:01
10. "Virginia" (alternate version)  (Mann)  - 3:32

Credits
Mike Hugg – vocals, piano, electric piano
Manfred Mann – organ
Steve York – electric bass, acoustic bass
Bernie Living – alto saxophone
Brian John Hugg – acoustic guitar, backing vocals
Craig Collinge – drums
Dave Brooks – tenor saxophone
Clive Stevens – soprano saxophone, tenor saxophone
Senny Corbet – trumpet
David Coxhill – baritone saxophone
Andy McCulloch - drums
Producer - Manfred Mann, Mike Hugg, Dave Hatfield

Notes
Recorded at Maximum Sound Studios, Old Kent Road, London, 1970
Genre:  Jazz rock, Progressive rock
Length: 43:37
Label: Vertigo/Bronze Records

© 1970

Dinosaur Jr - Green Mind (1991)

"Green Mind" is the fourth studio album by alternative rock band Dinosaur Jr, released in 1991.
After temporarily suspending the band, J Mascis first snuck out "The Wagon" as a Sub Pop single, then a little while later released the group's first major-label album, "Green Mind". More of a solo project than a group effort Lou Barlow was out and then some, Murph only drums on three tracks, a few guests pop up here and there  it's still a great album, recorded and performed with gusto. Such a judgment may seem strange given Mascis' legendary image as the überslacker, but clearly the man knows how to balance how to convey himself with getting the job done.
"The Wagon" itself kicks off the album, an even quicker and nuttier sequel to the peerless "Freak Scene"  Don Fleming of Gumball fame adds some of the music and background vocals, but otherwise it's Mascis and Murph cranking it and having a blast. When Mascis goes into one of his patented over-the-top solos, it all feels just right  this is loud rock music for putting a smile on your face, not beating up people in a pit. The remainder of the album floats and rumbles along in its uniquely Dinosaur Jr. type of way, as apt to find poppy hooks, singalongs, and soft strumming as it is to blow out the Marshalls. Sublime moments include the contrast of sweet acoustic guitar and loud drums on "Blowing It," the fun thrash of "How'd You Pin That One on Me," and the Mellotron-as-flute-tinged stomp "Thumb."
If nothing on the album is completely as freaked-out and over the top as "Don't" from "Bug", it's still a fine translation of Mascis' art for the commercial big boys. The song titles alone sometime say it all  "Puke + Cry," "I Live for That Look," "Muck." Mascis throughout sounds like his usual self, cracked drawl ever as it was and shall be. "Turnip Farm" is also featured in the film Reality Bites.
The cover photograph, Priscilla, 1969, is by Joseph Szabo and taken from his book of photographs Almost Grown.

Track listing
01.  "The Wagon"  (J Mascis)  - 4:53
02.  "Puke + Cry"  (J Mascis)  - 4:27
03.  "Blowing It"  (J Mascis)  - 2:43
04.  "I Live for That Look"  (J Mascis)  - 1:56
05.  "Flying Cloud"  (J Mascis)  - 2:35
06.  "How'd You Pin That One on Me"  (J Mascis)  - 4:23
07.  "Water"  (J Mascis)  - 5:38
08.  "Muck"  (J Mascis)  - 4:15
09.  "Thumb"  (J Mascis)  - 5:38
10.  "Green Mind"  (J Mascis)  - 4:56

Bonus Tracks 2006 Re-release
11.  "Hot Burrito #2"  (Chris Ethridge, Gram Parsons)  - 3:22
12.  "Turnip Farm"  (J Mascis)  - 5:51
13.  "Forget It"  (J Mascis)  - 4:07

Credits
J Mascis - Vocals, Guitar
Murph - Drums
Joe Harvard - Guitar, Tape
Jay Spiegel - Drums, Tambourine, Tom-Tom
Don Fleming - Bass, Guitar, Vocals (Background)
Matt Dillon - Backing Vocals (on Hot Burrito #2)
Producer - J Mascis

Notes
Genre:  Alternative Rock, Indie Rock
Length:  41:14
Label:  Blanco y Negro/Sire Records

© 1991

Fu Manchu - California Crossing (2001)

"California Crossing" is the seventh Fu Manchu album release, released under Mammoth Records.
Anytime a band tinkers with its core sound, inevitably fans will be won and lost. California Crossing has a strong up side; Fu Manchu's distinctive fuzzy guitar sound has been refined into polished nuggets served fresh from the land of palm trees and endless summers. Its still hard rock, but this is a smoother machine that eases off the gas to feature breezing So-Cal hooks on "Thinkin' Out Loud," "Wiz Kid," "Mongoose," "Squash That Fly," and "Hang On.
" Wisely conjuring '70s pop sensibilities more closely resembling Cheap Trick than oft-compared Sabbath might realistically break Fu Manchu into radio markets and attract larger audiences without mosh-pits. However, there is a down side that may lose the interest of diehards still hell-bent on 1996's sludgy classic In Search Of or expecting King of the Road II. Scott Hill's reluctant vocals are usually nestled in amplified feedback and heavy drumming, but on this outing they are lifted to the surface exposing moments of range limitations with occasionally vague lyrics. Also, Brant Bjork's drums sound muted in the overall mix; only on "Ampn" and the juicy ending instrumental
"The Wastoid" does he really gallop. Amicably leaving the Chu after this recording to pursue solo endeavors, Bjork was replaced by Scott Reeder (of Orange County's Smile) who's technical drumming suits CC's sound better. Lastly, Mammoth's delays and promotional copy proliferation several months prior to the official release hardly fueled precious momentum. Despite waves of bad timing for this album, these songs nevertheless strengthen Fu Manchu's status as a premier live band while showing future promise as musicians.

Track listing

01. "Separate Kingdom"  - 3:41
02. "Hang On"  - 3:39
03. "Mongoose"  - 4:10
04. "Thinkin' Out Loud"  - 3:27
05. "California Crossing"  - 3:36
06. "Wiz Kid"  - 3:51
07. "Squash That Fly"  - 2:56
08. "Ampn'"  - 3:35
09. "Bultaco"  - 3:11
10. "Downtown in Dogtown"  - 3:18
11. "The Wasteoid"  - 3:52

Credits
Scott Hill - vocals, guitar
Brant Bjork - drums
Bob Balch - lead guitar
Brad Davis - bass guitar
Producer:  Matt Hyde

Notes
Recorded at:  Sound City Studios in Van Nuys, California
Genre:  Stoner rock
Length:  39:27
Label:  Mammoth Records

© 2001

The Silencers - A Blues For Buddah (1988)

"A Blues For Buddha" was the second release for the quartet the Silencers. A Scottish folk-pop band that injects some traditional instrumentation into their work, the Silencers, like fellow Scottish bands the Proclaimers, Del Amitri, and Deacon Blue, are consistently melodic and occasionally breathtaking. There is also the deep title track "Blues For Buddah", it´s a bit heavy-handed (the similarly themed "Walk With the Night" works better), but even the weaker songs are still fairly enjoyable.
Also the optimistic, horn-driven "The Real McCoy" (the "be do, do be do do, be do do" is infectious) and the surging, pop-savvy "Razorblades of Love" are examples of the latter and showing  different styles in the Silencers repertoire. All these ingedients added make this a must for all Silencers and Celt Rock fans. It didn't matter as "A Blues for Buddha" met with a less-than-enthusiastic public response, although they did manage a minor radio hit with "Scottish Rain.
" With this release the real talents of Jimmy O'Neil shine through.From the early days of the band, this album is a joy to listen to.

Track listing

01.  "Answer Me"  (The Silencers)  - 4:57   
02.  "Scottish Rain"  (The Silencers)  - 7:11   
03.  "Real Mc Coy"  (The Silencers)  - 6:04   
04.  "A Blues for Buddha"  (The Silencers)  - 3:08   
05.  "Walk With the Night"  (The Silencers)  - 5:30   
06.  "Razor Blades of Love"  (The Silencers)  - 4:51   
07.  "Skin Games"  (The Silencers)  - 5:48   
08.  "Wayfaring Stranger"  (The Silencers)  - 3:09   
09.  "Sacred Child"  (The Silencers)  - 7:35   
10.  "My Love Is Like A Wave/Razor Blade Reprise2  (The Silencers)  - 6:09   
11.  "Sand and Stars"  (The Silencers)  - 1:32

Credits
Jimme O'Neill - vocals, guitar, harmonica
Cha Burns - vocals, guitar
Joseph Donnelly - bass
Martin Hanlin - drums
David Crichton - fiddle (on "Answer Me" and "Sacred Child")
John Nevans - bagpipes
The McCluskey Brothers - background vocals (on "Scottish Rain"), Phantom Horns
Producer - Flood, The Silencers

Notes
Recorded at Ca. Va. Studios, Glasgow, Scotland
Genre:  Pop, Rock
Length:  53:55
Label:  RCA Records

© 1988

Jude Cole - Start The Car (1992)

“Start The Car” is the third solo album from the singer/songwriter Jude Cole. Released in 1992, five years after his self-titled debut solo album.
After the pleasant pop of "A View From Third Street," Jude Cole shifted gears to a more heartland rock sound. Nowhere is that more evident than the disc's title song lead-off, a combination of Springsteen/Mellencamp that rocks harder than anything from his previous two albums.
The solid rock snap-to of the title track was just the kind of kick I needed to get a day on the road started. To this day, I can pull out the polished heartbreak of "Tell The Truth" ("let's start it over, or call it over...") the sad sack story of "First Your Money" and the been-there, done-that world weariness of "A Place in the Line". It holds a cherished spot into  many libraries next to other albums of the period by John Mellencamp, Del Amitri and Tom Petty. The production of James Newton Howard is also a standout, and again brings touches of Elton John to this disc. Highly recommended for those who thought "Third Street" wasn't rootsy enough.
It features the polished heartbreak of "Tell the Truth", the sad sack story of "First Your Money" and the been-there, done-that weary world of "A Place in the Line".

Track listing

01. "Start the Car"  (Jude Cole)  - 5:07
02. "Worlds Apart"  (Jude Cole, Ron Aniello)  - 3:54
03. "Open Road"  (Jude Cole)  - 5:19
04. "Just Another Night"  (Jude Cole, James Newton Howard)  - 3:47
05. "Tell the Truth"  (Jude Cole)  - 5:27
06. "Intro"  (Jude Cole)  - 0:43
07. "Right There Now"  (Jude Cole)  - 5:05
08. "First Your Money (Then Your Clothes)"  (Jude Cole, George Green)  - 4:12
09. "It Comes Around"  (Jude Cole)  - 4:38
10. "Blame It on Fate"  (Jude Cole)  - 4:50
11. "A Place in the Line"  (Jude Cole)  - 4:31

Credits
Guitar - Jude Cole, Tim Pierce, Michael Thompson, Ron Aniello
Drums - John Robinson, Jim Keltner, Jeff Porcaro, Pat Mastelotto
Programming - Robbie Buchanan
Percussion - Lenny Castro
Keyboards - James Newton Howard, Steve Porcaro, Marc Greene, Robbie Buchanan
Piano - David Paich, James Newton Howard, Bill Payne
Organ - Mike Finnegan, Marc Greene
Bass - Lee Sklar, Neil Stubenhaus, Jude Cole
Violin - Richard Green
Mandolin - Jude Cole, Ron Aniello
Hammered Dulcimer - Jude Cole
Horns - Jerry Hey, Larry Williams, Gary Grant, Daniel Higgins
Background vocals - Jude Cole, Sass Jordan, Tommy Shaw, Jack Blades, Sam Llanas, John Elefante, Chuck Sabatino, Robert Parlee, Philip Ingram
Recording engineer - Marc Greene, Chris Lord-Alge, Bob Schaper, Erich Gobel
Mixing - Chris Lord-Alge
Executive producer - Michael Ostin
Producer - Jude Cole, James Newton Howard

Notes
Recorded at Cherokee Studios, Westlake Audio, Ocean Way Studios, Capitol Studios, Track Record, Groove Masters, Image Recordings
Los Angeles, California
Genre: Rock
Length: 47:33
Label: Reprise Records

© 1992

Shawn Colvin - A Few Small Repairs (1996)

“A Few Small Repairs” is Shawn Colvin's fourth album. It was released on October 1, 1996.
“A Few Small Repairs”, the proper follow-up to “Fat City”, was recorded on the heels of Shawn Colvin's divorce. At the time of the album's release, she had relocated to Austin, Texas.
And while the album is certainly a response, she avoids the obvious clichés in dealing with the aftermath, revealing instead the complex thought processes and complete range of human emotion, from anger, sadness, confusion, yearning, and disillusionment to resolve and recovery. Colvin has always been a songwriter of note, but with “A Few Small Repairs”, she reaches new heights, painting hauntingly vivid images that address not only relationships but also life in general with great insight. The subject matter predictably gives a generally dark mood to the album, but musically, the results are both diverse and irresistibly catchy. “A Few Small Repairs” marks a reunion with former collaborator/producer John Leventhal, and the two have found a perfect blend between words, music, and tasteful, organic arrangements for Colvin's finest effort to date.
The biggest single off the album was "Sunny Came Home", which was released in 1997. The cover of this album is a painting by Colvin's friend Julie Speed of a three-eyed woman with a lit match which inspired the song.

Track listing

01. "Sunny Came Home"  (Shawn Colvin, John Leventhal)  - 4:24
02. "Get Out of This House"  (Shawn Colvin, John Leventhal)  - 4:15
03. "The Facts About Jimmy"  (Shawn Colvin, John Leventhal)  - 5:22
04. "You and the Mona Lisa"  (Shawn Colvin, John Leventhal)  - 4:05
05. "Trouble"  (Colvin, Leventhal, Tom Littlefield)  - 4:18
06. "I Want It Back"  (Shawn Colvin, John Leventhal)  - 4:55
07. "If I Were Brave"  (Colvin)  - 3:11
08. "Wichita Skyline"  (Shawn Colvin, John Leventhal)  - 3:39
09. "84,000 Different Delusions"  (Shawn Colvin, John Leventhal)  - 4:01
10. "Suicide Alley"  (Shawn Colvin, John Leventhal)  - 5:29
11. "What I Get Paid For"  (Colvin, Neil Finn)  - 3:23
12. "New Thing Now"  (Colvin)  - 3:34
13. "Nothin' on Me"  (Shawn Colvin, John Leventhal)  -  3:56

Credits
Shawn Colvin – guitar, vocals
John Leventhal – electric guitars, acoustic guitars
Michael Rhodes – bass
Shawn Pelton – drums
Producer - John Leventhal

Notes
Genre: Rock, Contemporary Folk
Length: 51:09
Label: Columbia Records

© 1996

Eddie And The Hot Rods - Teenage Depression (1977)

"Teenage Depression" is the first studio album released by Pub Rock band Eddie and the Hot Rods. The album contains three cover songs, The Who's "The Kids Are Alright", Joe Tex's "Show Me" and Sam Cooke's "Shake". In 2000, a reissue was released with 12 additional tracks that contains another cover, this time of the track "96 Tears" live, originally by ? & the Mysterians. "Teenage Depression" is often cited as being one of the albums that is the missing link between pub rock and punk rock because of the album's fast and hard-hitting R&B sound showing the attitude of a punk band.
Young, loud, snotty and incredibly fast, the riffs and rhythms are fuel-injected R&B, but the lyrics are teenaged disaffection with a forest on its shoulders. The six-minute finale, "On the Run," is even stronger, a dead-end kid-style anthem about the ultimate outsider  "the boy should be pitied, but they're getting me committed."
The FX that drench the song's closing minutes, meanwhile, capture all the rage and confusion of the lyric, and give a hint of the sheer brutal power that was the Hot Rods when they really let loose  a treat normally reserved for the live show. Isolated tastes of that particular beast do surface elsewhere on the album  both "The Kids Are Alright" and "Been So Long" were recorded live at the Marquee on a baking-hot night in July 1976; the dozen bonus tracks appended to the CD reissue include four more from that memorable night, in the form of the legendary Live at the Marquee EP. Mach 10 versions of Van Morrison's "Gloria," Bob Seger's "Get Out of Denver," ? Mark's "96 Tears," and the Rolling Stones' "Satisfaction" further amplify the linkage between '60s garage and '70s punk, but, far more importantly, they give at least a hint of why witnesses still describe that particular show among the greatest gigs they ever attended. The CD is completed by the band's first two singles, including a crunchy cover of "Wooly Bully," produced by Roxy Music's Andy Mackay.
They, however, are simply the icing on the cake. In late 1976, with punk still a flood of records waiting to happen, "Teenage Depression" was one of the only things that made it worthwhile to get up in the morning.

Track listing

Disc 1
01.  "Get Across To You"  - 2:48
02.  "Why Can't It Be?"    2:33
03.  "Show Me"  - 2:03
04.  "All I Need Is Money"  - 2:21
05.  "Double Chekin' Woman"  - 2:29
06.  "The Kids Are Alright"  - 2:40
07.  "Teenage Depression"  - 2:59
08.  "Horseplay (Wearier On The Schmaltz)"  - 2:22
09.  "Been So Long"  - 3:22
10.  "Shake"  - 1:30
11.  "On The Run"  - 6:26

Disc 2  (Bonus Tracks On 2000 Reissue)
01.  "Writing on the Wall"  - 2:42
02.  "Crusin (In the Lincoln)"  - 3:33
03.  "Wooly Bully"  - 2:37
04.  "Horseplay" (Single Version)  - 2:24
05.  "96 Tears" (Live)  - 2:58
06.  "Get Out of Denver" (Live)  - 3:51
07.  "Medley: Gloria/Satisfaction" (Live)  - 5:24
08.  "On the Run" (Live)  - 9:02
09.  "Hard Drivin Man" (Live)  - 2:11
10.  "Horseplay" (Live)  - 2:30
11.  "Double Checkin Woman" (Live)  - 2:37
12.  "All I Need Is Money" (Live)  - 2:56

Credits
Barrie Masters - Vocals
Paul Gray - Bass, Backing Vocals
Steve Nicol - Drums, Backing Vocals
Dave Higgs - Guitar, Backing Vocals, Piano on "Horseplay (Wearier On The Schmaltz)"
Producer:  Ed Hollis, Vic Maile

Notes
Genre:  Pub Rock, Punk Rock
Length:  1:13:41
Label:  Island Records

© 1977

Vinegar Joe - Six Star General (1973)

Vinegar Joe evolved out of Dada, a 12-piece Stax-influenced, jazz-rock fusion band. Dada released one, eponymous, album in 1970, with a line up including vocalist Elkie Brooks and guitarist Pete Gage. Singer Robert Palmer, formerly with The Alan Bown Set, and bassist Steve York both joined Dada after the album had been recorded, and the four were signed by Ahmet Ertegun of Atlantic Records for USA and Chris Blackwell of Island Records for the UK and rest of the world to form Vinegar Joe in 1971, adding keyboard player Dave Thompson.
The band was without a drummer. Conrad and Rob Tait drummed on the first album. Their debut LP Vinegar Joe was released in April 1972 on Island Records in the UK and Atco Records in the US. "Six Star General" features 10 tracks, that should please any rock music lover. Boogie, soul, blues, R n B, and even a splash of country rock. Although Vinegar Joe never achieved significant record sales, they received considerable press coverage and toured extensively, playing numerous sell-out concerts, especially on the British university circuit.
Subsequently, Elkie Brooks and Robert Palmer went on to enjoy success as solo musicians. Pete Gage became a record producer and arranger, working with Brooks, his wife, until their divorce, and a range of successful musicians like Joan Armatrading and specialising in upcoming rockabilly and punk bands such as Restless, King Kurt and others.

Track listing

01.  "Proud to Be (A Honky Woman)"  (Vinegar Joe)  - 4:34   
02.  "Food for Thought"  (Vinegar Joe)  - 3:51   
03.  "Dream My Own Dreams"  (Vinegar Joe)  - 3:20   
04.  "Lady of the Rain"  (Vinegar Joe)  - 3:55   
05.  "Stay True to Yourself"  (Vinegar Joe)  - 4:02   
06.  "Black Smoke Rising from the Calumet"  (Vinegar Joe)  - 6:13   
07.  "Giving Yourself Away"  (Vinegar Joe)  - 4:16   
08.  "Talkin' 'Bout My Baby"  (Vinegar Joe)  - 3:46   
09.  "Let Me Down Easy"  (Vinegar Joe)  - 3:26   
10.  "Fine Thing"  (Vinegar Joe)  - 3:38   

Credits
Robert Palmer - vocals
Pete Gage - vocals, guitar, bottleneck guitar, piano, keyboards
Mike Deacon - vocals, piano, electric piano, organ, keyboards, Moog synthesizer
Elkie Brooks - vocals, piano, keyboards
Steve York - harmonica
Pete Gavin - drums, congas, percussion
John Woods - drums, percussion
Producer -   Pete Gage

Notes
Recorded at CBS Studios, London, England
Label:  Island Records
Genre:  Blues Rock, Boogie
Length:  41:01

© 1973

Warren Zevon - The Wind (2003)

“The Wind” is the twelfth and final studio album by American singer/songwriter Warren Zevon, released in 2003. Zevon began recording the album shortly after he was diagnosed with inoperable pleural mesothelioma (a cancer of the lining of the lung), and it was released just two weeks before his death on September 7, 2003. The album was awarded the Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Folk Album. "Disorder in the House", performed by Zevon and Bruce Springsteen, won Best Rock Vocal Performance (Group or Duo). Songs from the album were nominated for an additional three Grammys.
In late August of 2002, Warren Zevon was diagnosed with mesothelioma, a virulent and inoperable form of lung cancer; with his life expectancy expected to be no more than a few months, Zevon focused his dwindling energies on completing a final album, and The Wind, released a year after Zevon learned of his condition, was the result.
With a back story like that, it's all but impossible to ignore the subtext of Zevon's mortality while listening to “The Wind”, though, thankfully, he's opted not to make an album about illness or death (ironically, he already did that with 2000's Life'll Kill Ya) or create a musical last will and testament. While The Wind occasionally and obliquely touches on Zevon's illness  most notably the mournful "Keep Me in Your Heart" and the dirty blues raunch of "Rub Me Raw"  in many ways it sounds like a fairly typical Warren Zevon album, though of course this time out the caustic wit cuts a bit deeper, the screeds against a world gone mad sound more woeful, and the love songs suggest higher emotional stakes than before.
"The Wind" also lays in a higher compliment of celebrity guest stars than usual, and while obviously a lot of these folks are old friends wanting to help a pal in need, in some cases the ringers help to carry the weight for Zevon, who, while in good voice, can't summon up the power he did in his salad days. And remarkably, the trick works on several cuts; Bruce Springsteen's rollicking guest vocal on "Disorder in the House" offers just the kick the tune needed, Tom Petty's laid-back smirk brings a sleazy undertow to "The Rest of the Night," and Dwight Yoakam's harmonies on "Dirty Life and Times" are the perfect touch for the tune. In terms of material, The Wind isn't a great Zevon album, but it's a pretty good one; "El Amour de Mi Vida" is a simple but affecting look at lost love, "Prison Grove" is a superior character piece about life behind bars, and "Numb as a Statue," "Disorder in the House," and "Dirty Life and Times" prove the prospect of imminent death hasn't alleviated Zevon's cynicism in the least. (It's hard to say if he's being sincere or darkly witty with his cover of "Knockin' on Heaven's Door," though he manages to make it work both ways.) And the assembled musicians  among them Ry Cooder, David Lindley, Joe Walsh, Don Henley, and Jim Keltner serve up their best licks without taking the show away from Zevon, who, despite his obvious weakness, firmly commands the spotlight.
“The Wind” feels less like a grand final statement of Warren Zevon's career than one last walk around the field, with the star nodding to his pals, offering a last look at what he does best, and quietly but firmly leaving listeners convinced that he exits the game with no shame and no regrets. Which, all in all, is a pretty good way to remember the guy.

Track listing

01. "Dirty Life and Times"  (Zevon)  - 3:15
02. "Disorder in the House"  (Jorge Calderón, Zevon)  - 4:36
03. "Knockin' on Heaven's Door"  (Bob Dylan)  - 4:05
04. "Numb as a Statue"  (Calderón, Zevon)  - 4:08
05. "She's Too Good for Me"  (Zevon)  - 3:12
06. "Prison Grove"  (Calderón, Zevon)  - 4:51
07. "El Amor de Mi Vida"  (Calderón, Zevon)  - 3:34
08. "The Rest of the Night"  (Calderón, Zevon)  - 4:41
09. "Please Stay"  (Zevon)  - 3:34
10. "Rub Me Raw"  (Calderón, Zevon)  - 5:44
11. "Keep Me in Your Heart"  (Calderón, Zevon)  - 3:28

Credits
Warren Zevon - vocals, acoustic guitar, electric guitar, piano, keyboards
Jorge Calderón - acoustic guitar, electric guitar, tres, maracas, background vocals
Tommy Shaw - acoustic 12-string guitar, background vocals
Brad Davis - electric guitar, background vocals
Bruce Springsteen - electric guitar, background vocals
Mike Campbell - electric guitar
Randy Mitchell - slide guitar, background vocals
Joe Walsh - slide guitar
Ry Cooder - slide guitar
David Lindley - lap steel guitar, background vocals
Gil Bernal - saxophone
James Raymond - piano
Reggie Hamilton - upright bass
Luis Conte - drums, congas, bongos, maracas, percussion
Steve Gorman - drums
Don Henley - drums
Jim Keltner - drums
Dwight Yoakam, Emmylou Harris, Jackson Browne, John Waite, Jordan Zevon, T-Bone Burnett, Timothy B. Schmit, Tom Petty, Billy Bob Thornton (background vocals)
Bridgette Barr – executive production
Hugh Brown – art direction
Steve Churchyard – engineering
Greg Hayes – engineering
Stephen Marcussen – mastering
James Mitchell – engineering
Matthew Rolston – cover photo
Noah Scot Snyder – engineering, mixing, production
Joe West – engineering
Jordan Zevon – executive production
Producer - Jorge Calderón, Noah Scot Snyder, Warren Zevon

Notes
Recorded at Anatomy Of A Headache; Cherokee studios; Fancyboy Studios; Groovemasters; Henson Studios; Masterlink Studios; Sunset sound; The cave
Genre: Rock, folk rock
Length: 45:08
Label: Artemis/Rykodisc

© 2003

Yoko Ono - Season Of Glass (1981)

“Season of Glass” is a 1981 album by Yoko Ono, her first solo recording after the murder of her husband John Lennon. The album was released less than six months after Lennon's death and deals with it directly in songs such as "Goodbye Sadness" and "I Don't Know Why". “Season of Glass” charted at number 49, making it Ono's highest-charting solo album to date.
In a controversial move-hailed by some as brave and defiant but denounced by others as tasteless and exploitative-SEASONS' cover photo depicts the view of Central Park from the apartment Ono and Lennon shared. Lennon's bloodied, shattered glasses sit on the windowsill, in the foreground. It's a staggering image and one that accurately reflects the music . Though most of SEASONS was recorded before Lennon's murder, it's impossible to hear the songs without that event in mind. Tragedy adds layers of poignancy to such songs as "Goodbye Sadness" and "Nobody Sees Me Like You Do" and intensifies the anger of "She Gets Down On Her Knees" and "No No No." This reissue contains four bonus tracks, one of which ("Walking On Thin Ice") was the song Lennon and Ono were working on the night Lennon was killed.
A young Sean Lennon features on the track "Even When You're Far Away", recounting a story his father used to tell him.
After John Lennon's murder, Yoko took her anguish into the recording studio and emerged with this raw collection of songs. From the gunshots before the cut "No, No, No" to John's bloody glasses on the cover, this is harrowing stuff indeed. But it's surprisingly good, if only for the fact that the whole world was feeling similarly at the time. One of the most essential Yoko Ono releases, it's powerful and chilling. The CD reissue adds two bonus cuts: the single "Walking on Thin Ice" and a previously unreleased version of "I Don't Know Why," an a cappella home cassette recording made the day after Lennon's assassination.

Track listing

01. "Goodbye Sadness"  (Yoko Ono)  - 3:48
02. "Mindweaver"  (Yoko Ono)  - 4:24
03. "Even When You're Far Away"  (Yoko Ono)  - 4:12
04. "Nobody Sees Me Like You Do"  (Yoko Ono)  - 3:13
05. "Turn of the Wheel"  (Yoko Ono)  - 2:41
06. "Dogtown"  (Yoko Ono)  - 3:32
07. "Silver Horse"  (Yoko Ono)  - 3:03
08. "I Don't Know Why"  (Yoko Ono)  - 4:18
09. "Extension 33"  (Yoko Ono)  - 2:45
10. "No, No, No"  (Yoko Ono)  - 2:43
11. "Will You Touch Me"  (Yoko Ono)  - 2:37
12. "She Gets Down on Her Knees"  (Yoko Ono)  - 4:13
13. "Toyboat"  (Yoko Ono)  - 3:31
14. "Mother of the Universe"  (Yoko Ono)  - 4:26

Bonus tracks
15. "Walking on Thin Ice" - 6:00
16. "I Don't Know Why (Demo)" (Lisa Angelle, Yoko Ono) - 2:48

Credits
Vocals, Backing Vocals – Yoko Ono
Vocals ["a Little Story"] – Sean Ono Lennon
Guitars – John Lennon, Hugh McCracken, Earl Slick, Anthony Davilio
Keyboards – John Lennon, George Small, Anthony Davilio
Bass – Tony Levin, John Siegler
Drums – Andrew Newmark
Percussion – Arthur Jenkins, David Friedman
Vibraphone – David Friedman
Soprano/Alto saxophone – George "Young" Opalisky
Tenor saxophone – Michael Brecker
Baritone saxophone – Ronnie Cuber
Jew's Harp – Hugh McCracken
Tuba – Howard Johnson
Engineer – Ed Sprigg
Producer: Yoko Ono, Phil Spector

Notes
Recorded at The Hit Factory, New York City, 1981
Genre: Art Rock
Length: 59:55
Label: Geffen Records

© 1981

Ace Frehley - Ace Frehley (1978)

“Ace Frehley” is a 1978 solo album from Ace Frehley, the lead guitarist of American hard rock band Kiss. It was one of four solo albums released by the members of Kiss on September 18, 1978.
Of the four Kiss solo albums released simultaneously in 1978, the best of the bunch is guitarist Ace Frehley's. Similar in approach to Paul Stanley's album, Frehley did not stray far from the expected heavy Kiss sound (like Gene Simmons and Peter Criss did with their releases), but Ace was equipped with better compositions than Stanley. With future Late Night with David Letterman drummer Anton Fig helping out (as well as Letterman bassist Will Lee on three tracks), Frehley proved once and for all that he was not simply a backup musician to Kiss head honchos Simmons and Stanley.
All of the tracks are strong, such as the venomous opener, "Rip It Out," as well as a few tracks that confirm how Frehley was indulging in alcohol and drugs a bit too much by the late '70s ("Snow Blind," "Ozone," and "Wiped Out"). You'll also find many underrated compositions ("Speedin' Back to My Baby," "What's on Your Mind?," "I'm in Need of Love"), a gorgeous instrumental ("Fractured Mirror"), and the Top 20 hit single "New York Groove." Unfortunately, when Ace left Kiss in 1982 (eventually forming Frehley's Comet), he never came close to topping this solid and inspired 1978 solo outing

Track listing

01. "Rip It Out"  (Frehley, Larry Kelly, Sue Kelly)  - 3:39
02. "Speedin' Back to My Baby"  (Frehley, Jeanette Frehley)  - 3:35
03. "Snow Blind"  (Ace Frehley)  - 3:54
04. "Ozone"  (Ace Frehley)  - 4:41
05. "What's on Your Mind?"  (Ace Frehley)  - 3:26
06. "New York Groove"  (Russ Ballard)  - 3:01
07. "I'm in Need of Love"  (Ace Frehley)  - 4:36
08. "Wiped-Out"  (Frehley, Anton Fig)  - 4:08
09. "Fractured Mirror"  (Ace Frehley)  - 5:25

Credits
Lead Vocals, Backing Vocals, Guitar [Lead], Guitar [Rhythm], Acoustic Guitar, Synthesizer [Guitar], Bass – Ace Frehley
Backing Vocals – David Lasley, Susan Collins
Bass – Will Lee
Drums, Percussion – Anton Fig

Notes
Recorded at Plaza Sound Studios, New York, N.Y., the Mansion, Sharon, Connecticut
Genre: Hard rock, heavy metal
Length: 36:38
Label: Casablanca Records
Producer: Eddie Kramer, Ace Frehley

© 1978

Gene Simmons - Gene Simmons (1978)

“Gene Simmons” is a 1978 solo album by Gene Simmons, the bassist and co-vocalist of the American hard rock band Kiss. It was one of four solo albums released by the members of Kiss on September 18, 1978.
Most Kiss fans associate Gene Simmons with the band's hardest-rocking compositions; after all, he's responsible for such heavies as "Watchin' You," "Calling Dr. Love," "Larger Than Life," and "Goin' Blind." So many Kiss fans must have been surprised when they heard Gene's diverse 1978 solo album, with songs that contained choirs and string arrangements, plus elements of Beatles pop, '70s funk/disco, and feel-good rock & roll. Granted, there are a few heavy rockers (such as the single "Radioactive," "Burning Up With Fever," and "See You in Your Dreams"), but Simmons was always a closet Beatles fan, as evidenced by "See You Tonite," "Always Near You," "Man of 1,000 Faces," and "Mr. Make Believe." The only real misstep is a preposterously embarrassing cover of the Disney classic "When You Wish Upon a Star" (complete with Disney-esque sound effects/music). But Simmons made sure that the top artists of the day lent a hand (Aerosmith's Joe Perry, Cheap Trick's Rick Nielsen, Donna Summer, Cher, Bob Seger, Jeff "Skunk" Baxter, Helen Reddy, and Janis Ian), which makes Gene's solo album an unpredictable yet ultimately enjoyable release.

Track listing

01. "Radioactive"  (Gene Simmons)  - 3:50
02. "Burning Up with Fever"  (Gene Simmons)  - 4:19
03. "See You Tonite"  (Gene Simmons)  - 2:30
04. "Tunnel of Love"   (Gene Simmons)  - 3:49
05. "True Confessions"  (Gene Simmons)  - 3:30
06. "Living in Sin"  (Simmons, Sean Delaney, Howard Marks)  - 3:50
07. "Always Near You/Nowhere to Hide"  (Gene Simmons)  - 4:12
08. "Man of 1,000 Faces"  (Gene Simmons)  - 3:16
09. "Mr. Make Believe"  (Gene Simmons)  - 4:00
10. "See You in Your Dreams"  (Gene Simmons)  - 2:48
11. "When You Wish upon a Star"  (Ned Washington, Leigh Harline)  - 2:44

Credits
Gene Simmons - vocals, electric and acoustic guitars, co-producer
Neil Jason - bass guitar
Elliot Randall - guitar
Allan Schwartzberg - drums
Sean Delaney - percussion, backing vocals, co-producer
Ron Frangipane - symphonic arrangements and conductor of Members of the New York and Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestras
Gordon Grody, Diva Gray, Kate Sagal, Franny Eisenberg, Carolyn Ray - backing vocals
Eric Troyer - piano and vocals
Steve Lacey - guitar
John Shane Howell - classical guitar,
Richard Gerstein - piano
Joe Perry - guitar
Bob Seger - backing vocals
Rick Nielsen - guitar
Helen Reddy - background vocals
Jeff "Skunk" Baxter - guitar on
Donna Summer - background vocals
Janis Ian - backing vocals
Cher - spoken word phone call on "Living in Sin"
Mitch Weissman & Joe Pecorino (Beatlemania) - backing vocals
Michael Des Barres - background vocals
Ritchie Ranno - guitar
The Citrus College Singers - chorus

Notes
Recorded at The Manor, Oxfordshire, England, Cherokee Studios, Los Angeles, California, Blue Rock Studio, New York City, February–July 1978
Genre: Rock
Length: 38:58
Label: Casablanca Records
Producer: Gene Simmons, Sean Delaney

© 1978

Paul Stanley - Paul Stanley (1978)

“Paul Stanley” is a 1978 solo album from Paul Stanley, the rhythm guitarist and lead vocalist of American hard rock band Kiss. It was one of four solo albums released by the members of Kiss on September 18, 1978. It is the only album of the four Kiss solo albums to feature all original songs, as Simmons, Criss and Frehley each recorded one cover song on their albums.
Paul Stanley's 1978 solo album was the most Kiss-like of the four, sounding more like an official band release rather than a solo outing. But this isn't necessarily a bad thing Stanley had become a seasoned hard rock songwriter by this point, churning out some of Kiss' best material ("Love Gun," "Detroit Rock City," "I Want You," etc.), and wisely stuck to his winning formula on Paul Stanley. With the help of studio musicians, as well as guitarist Bob Kulick (who was almost an original member of Kiss, and brother of future Kiss replacement guitarist Bruce) and Rod Stewart/Vanilla Fudge drummer Carmine Appice, Stanley's album is on par with Ace Frehley's as far as consistency is concerned. A couple of epic compositions (by Kiss standards) are highlights  "Tonight You Belong to Me" and "Take Me Away (Together as One)"  as are the more straightforward tracks "Ain't Quite Right," "Wouldn't You Like to Know Me?," "It's Alright," and "Goodbye." While his other Kiss bandmates took more chances with their solo records (with varying results), Stanley's album is more or less what a new Kiss album released in 1978 would have sounded like.

Track listing

01. "Tonight You Belong to Me"  (Paul Stanley)  - 4:41
02. "Move On"  (Paul Stanley, Mikel Japp)  - 3:12
03. "Ain't Quite Right"  (Paul Stanley, Mikel Japp)  - 3:34
04. "Wouldn't You Like to Know Me"  (Paul Stanley)  - 3:16
05. "Take Me Away (Together as One)"  (Paul Stanley, Mikel Japp)  - 5:26
06. "It's Alright"  (Paul Stanley)  - 3:38
07. "Hold Me, Touch Me (Think of Me When We're Apart)"  (Paul Stanley)  - 3:40
08. "Love in Chains"  (Paul Stanley)  - 3:34
09. "Goodbye"  (Paul Stanley)  - 4:09

Credits
Paul Stanley - lead and backing vocals, rhythm guitar, lead guitar, acoustic guitar, EBow, all guitars
Bob Kulick - lead guitar, acoustic guitar
Steve Buslowe - bass guitar
Richie Fontana - drums
Eric Nelson - bass guitar
Craig Krampf - drums
Carmine Appice - drums
Peppy Castro - backing vocals
Diana Grasselli - backing vocals
Doug Katsaros - piano, Omni string ensemble and backing vocals
Steve Lacey - electric guitar
Miriam Naomi Valle - backing vocals
Maria Vidal - backing vocals
Jeff Glixman - engineer, producer
Paul Grupp - engineer
Barbara Isaak - assistant engineer
George Marino - remastering
Paul Stanley - producer, mixer
Mike Stone - mixer

Notes
Recorded at Electric Lady Studios, New York City, The Record Plant Studios and The Village Recorder, Los Angeles, California
Genre: Hard rock
Length: 35:14
Label: Casablanca Records
Producer: Paul Stanley, Jeff Glixman

© 1978

Peter Criss - (1978) Peter Criss

“Peter Criss” is a 1978 solo album by Peter Criss, the drummer of American hard rock band Kiss. It was one of four solo albums released by the members of Kiss on September 18, 1978. The album was produced by Vini Poncia, who went on to produce the Kiss albums Dynasty (1979) and Unmasked (1980). Criss covered "Tossin' and Turnin'", which was a #1 hit for Bobby Lewis in the U.S. during the summer of 1961. The song was subsequently covered by Kiss on their 1979 tour. Much of the material on the album was originally written in 1971 for Criss's pre-Kiss band Lips.
At the peak of their popularity in 1978, Kiss decided to maximize their sales potential and exploit their loyal audience by having each member release a solo record on the same day. Instead of sending sales through the roof, it had the unexpected effect of stopping their momentum cold. It wasn't because the market was flooded with Kiss product  although it certainly was, since they released nine albums, including two double-live records and a compilation, in the course of four years  it was because the albums were, for the most part, terrible. Peter Criss' effort was one of the most undistinguished of the bunch, lacking hooks on either the pop-metal rockers or the power ballads, as well as personality throughout. Even Kiss fans will have a hard time making their way through this record, or any of the other solo albums.
Reviews for Peter Criss were mostly negative. The album was the lowest charting of all the Kiss solo albums of 1978, reaching #43 on the US Billboard album chart. Of the four solo albums, Peter Criss was the only album to have two singles released from it: "Don't You Let Me Down" and "You Matter to Me".

Track listing

01. "I'm Gonna Love You"  (Peter Criss, Stan Penridge)  - 3:18
02. "You Matter to Me"  (Vini Poncia, Michael Morgan, John Vastano)  - 3:15
03. "Tossin' and Turnin'"  (Ritchie Adams, Malou Rene)  - 3:58
04. "Don't You Let Me Down"  (Criss, Penridge)  - 3:38
05. "That's the Kind of Sugar Papa Likes"  (Criss, Penridge)  - 2:59
06. "Easy Thing"  (Criss, Penridge)  - 3:53
07. "Rock Me, Baby"  (Sean Delaney)  - 2:50
08. "Kiss the Girl Goodbye"  (Criss, Penridge)  - 2:46
09. "Hooked on Rock 'n' Roll"  (Criss, Penridge, Poncia)  - 3:37
10. "I Can't Stop the Rain"  (Delaney)  - 4:25

Credits
Peter Criss - lead vocals, drums, percussion, backing vocals
Allan Schwartzberg - drums
Bill Bodine - bass guitar
Neil Jason - bass guitar
Art Munson - guitar
Stan Penridge - guitar, backing vocals
Elliot Randall - guitar
John Tropea - guitar
Brendan Harkin - guitar
Steve Lukather - guitar
Bill Cuomo - keyboards
Richard Gerstein - keyboards
Davey Faragher, Tommy Faragher, Danny Faragher, Jimmy Faragher, Maxine Dixon, Maxine Willard, Julia Tillman, Vini Poncia, Annie Sutton, Gordon Grody - backing vocals
Horns arranged by Tom Saviano
Michael Carnahan - saxophone , baritone sax

Notes
Recorded at Electric Lady Studios, New York City, Burbank Studios, Burbank, CA, Sunset Sound Studios, Hollywood, CA
Genre: Rock
Length: 34:57
Label: Casablanca Records
Producer: Vini Poncia

© 1978

Dr. Buzzard's Original Savannah Band - James Monroe H.S. Presents Dr. Buzzard's Original Savannah Band Goes To Washington (1979)

“Dr. Buzzard's Original Savannah Band Goes to Washington” is the third album by disco group Dr. Buzzard's Original Savannah Band. It was the last album recorded by the original line-up. This album was a commercial failure.
Cory Daye is dreamy throughout, Stony Browder Jnr's all-too-smooth voice and signature piano chords are in top form, and "Italiano" features one of the best vibe solos ever recorded by Andy (Coati Mundi)Hernandeza.
“Dr. Buzzard's Original Savannah Band Goes to Washington” recaptures the New York disco nostalgia of the band's landmark 1976 debut while excluding most of the experimentation which bogged down their admirable follow-up, “Dr. Buzzard's Original Savannah Band Meets King Penett”. Although RCA reshuffled the songs from the first two albums and reissued them under the deceptive title “The Very Best of Dr. Buzzard's Original Savannah Band”, no overview of the group is truly complete without acknowledging what would be their final album before Cory Daye went solo and August Darnell and "Sugar Coated" Andy Hernandez formed Kid Creole and the Coconuts. In many ways, “Dr. Buzzard's Original Savannah Band Goes to Washington” serves as a bridge between the band and their subsequent careers. The pan-cultural beats and worldly wisdom of Kid Creole can be heard in songs like "Once There Was a Colored Girl..." and "Italiano," while the retro dance energy of "Call Me" was revisited by Daye on her solo debut, “Cory and Me”.
As always, Daye's friendly vocals and exuberant personality take center stage before a supporting chorus of bandmates, and Darnell's clever travelogues are buoyed by a genre-blending mix of tropical melodies, danceable tempos, and dramatically orchestrated pop hooks.
There is no surefire classic like their breakthrough hit "Cherchez La Femme," but ...Goes to Washington provides enough pleasant surprises to delight Dr. Buzzard and Kid Creole fans who may have overlooked this unique curio from the disco era.

Track listing

01.  "Didn't I Love You Girl?"  (August Darnell, Stony Browder, Jr.)  - 5:18  
02.  "Call Me"  (August Darnell, Stony Browder, Jr.)  - 3:44  
03.  "New York At Dawn"  (August Darnell, Stony Browder, Jr.)  - 4:26   
04.  "R.S.V.P."  (August Darnell, Stony Browder, Jr.)  - 3:11  
05.  "The Seven Year Itch"  (August Darnell, Stony Browder, Jr.)  - 4:41   
06.  "Once There Was A Colored Girl..."  (August Darnell, Stony Browder, Jr.)  - 4:26  
07.  "Italiano"  (August Darnell, Stony Browder, Jr.)  - 6:05

Credits
Vocals – Cory Daye
Vocals, Bass – August Darnell
Vocals, Guitar, Piano – Stony Browder Jr.
Choir – Sea Gate Vocal Choral
Drums, Percussion – Mickey Sevilla
Guitar – Freddie Harris
Orchestrated By – Bill Holman, Jimmy Haskell, Ruby Raskin
Percussion [Mambo Eddie] – Butch Bond
Accordion [Accordian] – Jimmy Haskell
Vibraphone [Vibes], Marimba – "Sugar Coated" Andy Hernandez
Effects [Special, Arp, Syn] – Bix Rogers
Engineer [Audio] – Jon Smith (3), Terry Rosiello
Engineer [Chief Audio] – John Arrias
Arranged By [Backing Vocals] – Cory Daye, Franz Krauns
Arranged By [Horns, Strings] – Jimmy Haskell, Stony Browder Jr.
Art Direction – John Wagman
Coordinator [Production] – Larry Osterman, Sheila Jaffe
Music By, Arranged By – Stony Browder Jr.
Executive Producer – Charles Koppelman
Producer – David Wolfert, Gary Klein, Stony Browder, Jr.

Notes
Genre: Soul,Bigband, Disco
Length: 31:23
Label: Elektra Records

© 1979

Carole King - Really Rosie (1975)

“Really Rosie” is a musical with a book and lyrics by Maurice Sendak and music by Carole King. The musical is based on Sendak's books Chicken Soup with Rice, Pierre, One was Johnny, Alligators All Around (which compose 1962's The Nutshell Library), and The Sign on Rosie's Door (1960). Sendak based the story on a demonstrative little girl who used to sing and dance on the stoop of her building, whom he observed while he was a little boy growing up in Brooklyn.
The musical has become a mainstay of children's theater groups. It follows a typical summer day in the life of the Nutshell Kids, a group of several neighborhood friends, including Pierre, Alligator, Johnny, and Chef Jeff from the Nutshell Library books, and Rosie and Kathy from The Sign on Rosie's Door. Rosie, the self-proclaimed sassiest kid on her block of Brooklyn's Avenue P, entertains everyone by directing and starring in an Oscar-winning movie based on the exciting, dramatic, funny (and slightly exaggerated) story of her life.
During its off-Broadway run, the lead role of Rosie was first played by a-then 12-year-old Tisha Campbell-Martin. Midway through the run, Tisha left the cast and was replaced by cast member and "Rosie" understudy, 10-year old Angela Coin. Angela also sang the role of "Rosie" on the cast recording.
A half-hour animated television special aired on CBS TV in February 1975. It was directed by Maurice Sendak, with Carole King voicing the title character. An album based on the songs by King and lyrics by Sendak is available on Ode/Epic/SME Records. In the animated special, only the first seven songs and Really Rosie (Reprise) were showcased.

Track listing

01. "Really Rosie"  (Maurice Sendak, Carole King)  - 1:51
02. "One Was Johnny"  (Maurice Sendak, Carole King)  - 2:08
03. "Alligators All Around"  (Maurice Sendak, Carole King)  - 1:54
04. "Pierre"  (Maurice Sendak, Carole King)  - 5:38
05. "Screaming and Yelling"  (Maurice Sendak, Carole King)  - 1:16
06. "The Ballad of Chicken Soup"  (Maurice Sendak, Carole King)  - 2:15
07. "Chicken Soup with Rice"  (Maurice Sendak, Carole King)  - 4:20
08. "Avenue P"  (Maurice Sendak, Carole King)  - 3:03
09. "My Simple Humble Neighborhood"  (Maurice Sendak, Carole King)  - 3:07
10. "The Awful Truth"  (Maurice Sendak, Carole King)  - 3:11
11. "Such Sufferin'"  (Maurice Sendak, Carole King)  - 2:55
12. "Really Rosie" (Reprise)  (Maurice Sendak, Carole King)  - 1:40

Credits
Music By, Piano, Guitar, Synthesizer – Carole King
Backing Vocals – Louise Goffin, Sherry Goffin
Bass – Charles Larkey
Drums – Andy Newmark
Engineer – Hank Cicalo, Milt Calice
Remastered By – Bob Irwin
Mastered By – Vic Anesini
Producer – Lou Adler, Sheldon Riss

Notes
Genre: Soft Rock
Length: 33:24
Label: Ode / Epic Records

© 1975

Paula Cole Band - Amen (1999)

“Amen” is Paula Cole's third studio album. It is officially credited to "The Paula Cole Band." The album was stylistically a major departure from Cole's previous album, “This Fire”, and was met with mixed reviews.
Thanks to Paula Cole's appearance on the first Lilith Fair and "Where Have All the Cowboys Gone?," “This Fire” didn't really take off until nearly a year after its 1996 release; plus, its closer "I Don't Want to Wait" became nearly omnipresent in 1998. So, the gap between “This Fire” and its sequel, “Amen”, didn't feel all that long, but a cursory listen to “Amen” reveals that Cole matured considerably during those three years. "Amen" is the work of a professional record-maker, someone who not only knows how to craft a song, but knows how to craft sound. It's certainly in the same vein as “This Fire”, yet tighter and subtler, and fits right into adult alternative pop radio circa 1999.
She may tread uncomfortably close to the smooth, sweetly cloying pop of Sarah McLachlan, but Cole somehow became convinced that she was a soul singer. So, the pretty music is underpinned with light hip-hop rhythms or R&B chord progressions, while she pours out passion through her voice and lyrics. She may get carried away with self-righteous naïveté and clichéd liberal dogma, but such impassioned beliefs give Amen greater weight, grit, and character than the average adult alternative pop album. Also, she saves most of her lyrical excess through strong, assured singing that's soulful but not overdone (the exception is when she dips into rap on "Rhythm of Life," which is positively embarrassing, especially when she's supported by scratching).
Despite the occasional sophomoric lyric, Cole never sounds as strident as she occasionally did on “This Fire”, and the entire album is clearly the work of an artist who is more assured than ever before. Musically, that results in a stronger album than its predecessor, even if it lacks singles as grabbing or memorable as "Cowboys" or "Wait."

Track listing

01. "I Believe in Love"   (Paula Cole)  - 5:48
02. "Amen"   (Paula Cole)  - 5:58
03. "La Tonya"   (Paula Cole)  - 6:13
04. "Pearl"   (Paula Cole)   6:05
05. "Be Somebody  (featured vocalist Tionne Watkins)"  (Paula Cole)  - 5:15
06. "Rhythm of Life"   (Paula Cole)  - 7:50
07. "Free"   (Paula Cole)  - 3:54
08. "Suwannee Jo"   (Paula Cole)  - 5:24
09. "God Is Watching"   (Paula Cole)  - 4:47

Japanese bonus track
10. "Feelin' Da Love"  (featuring Missy Elliott)  (Paula Cole)  - 5:21

Credits
Paula Cole - vocals, electric guitar, clarinet, piano, Wurlitzer & Fender Rhodes pianos, Clavinet, Moog synthesizer, keyboards, Juno & Rhodes basses
Kevin Barry - acoustic, electric, baritone, hi-strung acoustic, electric baritone, Fillanoma, Leslie electric & electric sitar guitars, E-bow, mandolin
Greg Leisz - pedal steel guitar
Susan Jolles - harp
Tony Levin - electric & upright electric basses, Chapman stick
Jay Bellerose - drums, udu drum, wah drums, cocktail drum, crasher, sansamp crasher, shaker, tambourine
Alfredo Hidrovo - bongos, shaker
DJ Premier - scratches
Tionne "T-Boz" Watkins - background vocals
Design – Frank Olinsky
Engineer [Assistant] – Ryan Smith
Engineer [Mix Assistant] – Brian Garten
Engineer, Mixed By – Roger Moutenot
Mastered By – Bob Ludwig
Photography By – Merri Cyr
Producer - Paula Cole, DJ Premier (scratches)

Notes
Recorded At – Globe Studios
Mixed At – Right Track Recording
Mastered At – Gateway Mastering
Genre: Rock, experimental, R&B, soul
Length: 58:02
Label: Imago / Warner Bros. Records

© 1999

Charlie - Good Morning America (1981)

Continuing their corporate wanderings, 1981's "Good Morning" found the band signed domestically by RCA Victor.  This time the album was co-produced by Terry Thomas and guitarist John Verity.  A former member of The Kinks and Phoenix. Verity was supposedly brought in to 'toughen up' the band's sound and ended up joining the line-up on guitar.  He also handled lead vocals on 'Roll the Dice' and 'Heading for Home'.  Fellow Kinks/Phoenix alumnus Bob Henrit came along on drums. 
Partnering with a big label should have opened the door for mega success ('course the deal with Arista should have done that), but as is often the case, it didn't happen.  In fact, this was the first Charlie effort that I'd describe as a major disappointment.  While the band's sound remained instantly recognizable, this time around Thomas and company seemed to have opted for a more AOR attack with an occasional shot of new wave angst (the group-penned 'I'm Angry with You'). 
While it may have been a right marketing move and was clearly intended to break the band in the States, the unfortunate result was that material like 'I Can't Get Over You' (with a strange reggae undercurrent), 'Heading for Home' and 'Saturday Night' was competent, but largely forgettable. 
If I had to pick a favorite track - well none of them were great, but at least the title track (featuring Thomas' dry humor), and All My Life' had some nice harmony work. 
To be honest, Thomas and company seem to have simply run out of creative steam.  Perhaps not a major shock given the amount of material they'd churned out over the past five years, or recent problems on the business end.  

Track listing

01.  "Good Morning America"  (Terry Thomas)  - 5:23 
02.  "I Can't Get Over You"  (Terry Thomas)  - 3:40 
03.  "Roll The Dice"  (Chris Couchois, Mike Couchois)  - 3:58 
04.  "Heading For Home " (Terry Thomas)  - 4:11 
05.  "Saturday Night"  - 3:16 
06.  "All My Life"  - 3:43 
07.  "Fool For Your Love"  - 4:11 
08.  "My Perfect Lover"  - 3:34 
09.  "I'm Angry With You"  (Steve Gadd, Robert Henrit, Terry Thomas, John Verity)  - 3:04 
10.  "Just One More Chance"  (Terry Thomas)  - 3:46 
11.  "The Girl Won't Dance With Me"  (Terry Thomas)  - 3:43 

Credits
Bass, Vocals – John Anderson
Drums – Bob Henrit, Steve Gadd 
Guitar, Vocals – John Verity, Terry Thomas
Producer – Terry Thomas
Producer, Engineer – John Verity

Notes
Recorded at Livingstone Studios, London
Genre: Pop, Rock
Length: 43:00
Label: RCA Victor Records

© 1981

Tom Tom Club - Tom Tom Club (Deluxe Edition) (1981)

DELUXE EDITION : 2CD set. Digitally remastered in 2009! Debut 1981 album from the funky side-project of Chris Frantz and Tina Weymouth from Talking Heads, reissued with 18 BONUS tracks. Includes all 8 tracks off their 1983 follow-up "Close To The Bone".
"Who needs to think when your feet just go?" So sings Tina Weymouth on Tom Tom Club's debut album. And rightly so this was the sunny break in the islands that the rhythm section of Talking Heads wanted, and they got it, away from the art-school intellectualism that had resulted in the classic but understandably very unsunny "Remain in Light".
This album, a collection of funky, sprightly little tunes recorded in Barbados with Weymouth's sisters, hubbie and drummer Chris Frantz, and several of the members of the Remain in Light tour group: Adrian Belew, guitar, and Steven Stanley, percussion. Ironically, hoping to toss off a fun album under the radar, the group came out with an album, the best tracks of which, "Genius of Love" and "Wordy Rappinghood," became enormously influential throughout the '80s and '90s, eventually getting ripped off wholeheartedly for Mariah Carey's "Daydream."
The album also marks a point in music history when the New York alternative scene and the burgeoning hip-hop scene were influencing each other, when both parties were on to something new. It's a snapshot of a time, and still holds together fairly well.

Track listing

Disc 1
01.  Wordy Rappinghood  - 6:28              
02.  Genius Of Love  - 5:39               
03.  Tom Tom Theme  - 1:20               
04.  L´Elephant  - 4:49               
05.  As Above So Below  - 5:22              
06.  Lorelei (Album Version)  - 5:05             
07.  On On On On... (Album Version)  - 3:33              
08.  Booming And Zooming  - 4:34              
09.  Under The Boardwalk  - 5:46               
10.  On On On On... (Remix Version)  - 3:43              
11.  Lorelei (Remix Version)  - 6:15              
12.  Spooks  - 6:31              
13.  Elephant  - 5:11              
14.  (You Don't Stop) Wordy Rappinghood  - 4:08              

Disc 2
01.  Pleasure Of Love  (Album Version)  - 6:26              
02.  On The Line Again  - 4:54               
03.  This Is A Foxy World  - 3:35              
04.  Bamboo Town  - 3:54              
05.  The Man With The 4-Way Hips  (Album Version)  - 5:45             
06.  Measure Up  - 5:03              
07.  Never Took A Penny  - 3:32              
08.  Atsababy! (Life Is Great)  - 4:02              
09.  The Man With The 4-Way Hips  (Extended Version)  - 7:17              
10.  Pleasure Of Love  (Instrumental Version)  - 5:29              
11.  The Man With The 4-Way Hips  (Dub Version)  - 7:12              
12.  Yella  - 6:59              

Credits
Tina Weymouth - Bass, Vocals, Co-Producer
Chris Frantz - Drums, Co-Producer
Adrian Belew - Guitar
Monte Browne - Guitar
Tyrone Downie - Keyboards
Uziah "Sticky" Thompson - Percussion
Lani Weymouth - Vocals
Laura Weymouth - Vocals
Loric Weymouth - Vocals
Producer:  Chris Frantz, Tina Weymouth, Steven Stanley

Notes
Genre:  New Wave, Post-Disco
Length:  2:12:57
Label:  Sire/Warner Bros. Records

© 1981