“The Chocolate Invasion”. (2004).
Artist: Prince.
Why You Should Get It: IF you can get it! This was released at the time through Prince’s website but you could probably download it somewhere in an illegal fashion. – And you should because it contains some of the sexiest music you’ll hear since you last turned the lights down low and spun your copy of Barry White’s Greatest Hits!
“The Chess Story: 1947-1975”. (1999).
Artist: Various.
Why You Should Get It: You’ll probably HAVE to illegally download this because if you can find it, it will set you back HUNDREDS of dollars and that’s only IF you can find it.
What we’re talking about here my friends, is 13 discs packed full of the best known and most obscure blues music and artists from 1947 all the way through to 1975! It’s a helluva lot to make your way through but if you love the blues as much as I do then you will love every minute and when you get done, there are 2 more discs chock full of interviews from some of the key players associated with the Chess Recording Label.
“Love And Theft”. (2001)
Artist: Bob Dylan.
Why You Should Get It: It’s Bob Dylan. You should already have this!
Interestingly enough this record was released on September 11th, 2001. I don’t play this a lot at home and I really don’t know why. It’s a GREAT record and Dylan has an amazing band behind him. It’s especially interesting to listen to the song “Mississippi” what with the 3 different versions which were released on the “Tell Tale Signs” records.
For my ears, the best version of “Mississippi” is on the first disc from “Tell Tale Signs” but “Love And Theft” has loads going for it. I have pals who tell me that Bob going through the Rock & Roll bluesy motions just doesn’t do it for them but (And as I often tell my pals) MY GOD MAN! Just take a listen to ‘Po’ Boy’! You can actually see those cherries falling off the plate!
“Rarities”. (2003).
Artist: Ron Sexsmith.
Why You Should Get It: Ron Sexsmith’s voice and songwriting skills are worth whatever he wants to charge. We should think ourselves lucky really.
There are a few gems on here but most notably; his take on The Boomtown Rats’ ‘I Don’t Like Mondays’ and his original recording of his own ‘Gold In Them Hills’ before Chris Martin from Coldplay had the AUDACITY to overdub his own vocals over it without even asking Ron’s permission.
“Kisses On The Bottom”. (2012).
Artist: Paul McCartney.
Why You Should Get It: You probably don’t really need this. I love Paul McCartney and I always listen to whatever he comes out with even if it’s only once. I think this is an album for McCartney and an ‘only once’ album for me.
It’s McCartney doing old dance hall hits and poppy jazz standards which we’ve all heard a million times and a million times better by other folk. “Kisses On the Bottom” is nice enough (Funny title too) but it’s the kind of thing you’ll end up hearing for free if you sit in a bookshop or a coffee shop for long enough.
“City To City” .(2001).
Artist: Gerry Rafferty.
Why You Should Get It: I don’t know whether you should get this or not. This is one of those albums that I bought at the time because I liked the front cover only to find that the music didn’t do much for me. I suppose you either love Gerry Rafferty’s music or just think it’s…okay.
His biggest hit ‘Baker Street’ is on this album and it’s still great but a lot of the other songs mostly just sound like any other 70’s guitar records to me. Of course, that’s not a bad thing and the difference is that Rafferty’s recordings are so much more polished than most of the music from other arrtists from the same time.
I liked his “Can I Have My Money Back” album better because it sounded more honest and if I’m honest here, I don’t like ‘Hits’.
“Alice’s Restaurant”. (1967).
Artist: Arlo Guthrie.
Why You Should Get It: The title track.
As ever, I’m always interested in hearing anything that I haven’t already so if there’s something which you think I should listen to, drop me a line.
The Unravelling Of Al Cook... 