Category Archives: Random Record Recap

Random Record Recap

New Record Of The Week: August 4 Review

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I picked up three new vinyl albums this weekend. Usually I go for used albums (because they’re cheaper), but I just couldn’t pass these up. I was thumbing through the gospel section in Reckless Records on Saturday afternoon with a belly full of breakfast burrito from Flying Saucer. It was more a way to stand in one place and digest than to scour the stacks of records for a golden find. So, I wasn’t really looking for anything, but when I saw these three albums (and I saw about 3 or 4 more that I also wanted) I just had to get them. Here goes:

The Devil Is Busy In KnoxvilleThe Devil Is Busy In Knoxville

Here’s a collection of old tunes that Mississippi Records threw together. The cover drew me in at first (yeah, I’m one of those type of people), but mainly because I have several other albums that Mississippi has put out, so I knew what I was getting into. This one has some good cuts on it, but, for the most part, it’s a bunch of songs that I have recordings of already. There are a few new ones that are really great that I haven’t heard, but it was kind of disappointing to know most of the songs. I guess that’s on me for not looking at the list of songs on the back of the cover. I just COULD NOT BE BOTHERED to turn it over. But who would, when the front cover is so great, right? Anyway, it’s a solid album, even if I’ve heard most of it before. I have lots of plans for this one and the other two I bought. Mainly to steal the songs, rewrite parts of them, and then call them my own. It’s what I do.

He Will Fix It, Raw African-American Gospel on 45rpm, 1959-1974He Will Fix It, Raw African-American Gospel on 45rpm, 1959-1974

Now, if that first album I bought was a little frustrating to listen to because it wasn’t so surprising, this one made up for it. I mean, wow. Again, the cover pretty much made me buy this. It’s a plain white record sleeve with a single photo on the front and nothing on the back. That’s right up my alley, I’d say. There’s nothing on the back of the cover. There’s only a plain white label on the record. At first I though, “Um, okay….How am I supposed to know which is side A and which is side B and what are the song titles?” Luckily a laser-printed 8.5″x11″ piece of paper is included with all that info and a little about the record. They SPARED NO EXPENSE. So, I love the packaging. The music is even better. It’s just raw, real, authentic gospel music as sung in any random church you could find. I can’t even really explain it other than to say it made me think, “Oh, yeah, I see…yeah, this is how to do it…okay, yeah, um…oh…so that’s how it’s done (etc, etc, etc).” It’s a good album to own. There are (supposedly) only 500 printed. I have one. Do you?

Time Will Make A ChangeTime Will Make A Change

Here’s another Mississippi Records (they’re up in Portland, Oregon) compilation. It came with a bonus 7-inch 45rpm, which was nice. Mississippi Records has my number. I’ll end up buying everything they put out. My wife will say, “Um, we don’t have any more space for those gospel records. I love them too, but the kids need to be able to sit somewhere to eat.” It’ll grow into something bordering on obsession. I’ll start to write only gospel music. (Haven’t I already?) I’ll join a church. I’ll get all righteous. (Aren’t I already?) Then I’ll drop it all and find something different that’s somewhat closely related. Anyway, that has little to do with this record. It’s really similar to “He Will Fix It,” in that it’s a collection of recordings I hadn’t really heard before. It’s a bunch of nobodies singing songs. They sing because they love to. Because they must. Because there’s joy in it. I want to someday have that feeling. Keep it all the time. I hope to get there. Maybe in time I’ll make it.

Random Record Recap

Random Record Night: July 28 Recap

These records, from Random Record Night, made me feel this way:

Wanda Jackson, Sings Country SongsWanda Jackson, Sings Country Songs

Another Wanda Jackson album. This one of really nice and sweet and sorrowful country tunes. It’ll make you break your heart and it’ll give you strength to stand. It’s melodramatic and it’s so great. I was cooking a vegetarian korma when I was listening, which means, when my gal asked me, “Do you like this record?” I respond in some way like this: “Oh, geez, I have no idea…yes? Yes. Well, I’m not really listening. I hear it. I hear all the sounds, and I know what it’s about, but I don’t know any of the words.” That kind of sums up how I listen to any song of music. Or any sound. Or any person talking. I don’t really know how to pay attention, I guess. Anyway, check out Wanda’s hair. And check out those geese she’s sitting near. I wonder, if at any point during the photo shoot, those geese just chased Wanda all over the place. I wonder what she sounds like running from geese. Does she have a playful smile? What does she do with her hands? I wonder if her hair stays in place.

Johnny Cash, Ride This TrainJohnny Cash, Ride This Train

This is a really great album. I love it. Everyone should listen to it because it’s really a great and true Johnny Cash album. The End.

Biff Rose, Children of LightBiff Rose, Children of Light

I started this record off and I thought to myself, “Hey, Self, you like this Biff Rose record, don’t you?” And then all the songs started to sound exactly the same. And even though it wasn’t supposed to be a big joke of an album, (you know who Biff Rose is, right?) it kind of has that feel of someone making a big joke, but attempting to make it also be serious while sounding funny and serious at the same time. So, this one turned into a big drag for me. I just let it slip right through my mind.

James Baldwin, Black Man in America, Credo 1James Baldwin, Black Man in America, Credo 1

And then there’s this. It’s a radio interview that Studs Terkel did with James Baldwin. I’ve listened to it several times before. There’s so many secrets in it. So many. It just spins and spins and spins. Goes around and around in your head until you think to yourself, “Hey, now what? What are these two fellas talking about? Hmm, I…well, okay…I think I understand it.” Then you go to bed and don’t sleep AT ALL. It confuses me and that’s why I keep listening to it. It’s why I read the same books over and over. It’s why I get stuck on listening to one song from beginning to end, beginning to end, again and again and again. It never gets old to me cause there’s always something I just don’t know. Something I couldn’t pay attention to the first time. Something I know I’m missing. Something I’ll never understand.

Random Record Recap

Random Record Night: July 20 Recap

I made it through six randomly-selected records on Saturday night. This was mainly due to me cooking a huge pot of chili (yes, chili in the midst of a Chicago heatwave) and baking three loaves of French bread. Anyway, here’s a quick recap of how those records made me feel:

Roy AcuffRoy Acuff

Well, when I posted this, I mistakenly typed “Roy Scuff,” but that’s okay. I’m sure Roy would understand. He probably had huge, fat fingers and would have a hard time typing any sort of legible message on a touch-screen smartphone. This album was a great start to the night. One of those that’s really easy to listen to, feels super light and cheery, but then just absolutely slays you down the middle when you start to pay attention. Plus, just look at that guitar on that bed of hay. Makes my skin prickle. Because I’m highly allergic to hay. My eyes are greasing over just looking at that picture. The music was lovely, though.

Willie Nelson’s Greatest Hits (& Some That Will Be)Willie Nelson’s Greatest Hits (& Some That Will Be)

Basically all of these are hits. Many of them, though, are played differently, as live versions, than the recordings that were made into hits. This will cause you to say to yourself, “Hey, that isn’t how this song goes! Damnit! Play it right, Willie!” If you go to a Willie Nelson concert now, you’ll also say this. There are a LOT of medlies and strange off-tempo versions of tunes. It’s so good. I wouldn’t know that those are different versions, though. This record, right here, is one that I took from my parents house and I only remember one song ever being played from it. That song: On the Road Again. As little kids, my brother and I composed a dance to it. The only other song I remember being played in our house growing up (other than Christmas music) was Entrance of the Gladiators by Julius Fucik. We also had a dance for that. Oh, and the Super Bowl Shuffle. Of course I remember that one being played. A lot. So, anyway, I have a limited musical history, so to speak. But I wouldn’t trade it for anything else.

Chuck Berry’s Greatest HitsChuck Berry’s Greatest Hits

I sure was pulling greatest hits albums left and right, huh? No matter. This album rips. Chuck knew what to do and how to do it and when to do it. He probably only felt really challenged when he saw something like this. I don’t have much to say about this one. It made me dance in the doorway while my chili simmered and my bread dough rose up.

Little Richard, His Greatest HitsLittle Richard, His Greatest Hits

Yep, another hits album. Another fella, like Chuck Berry, who, to the blind eye, just did not give a fuck or bat a lash. Go for it Little Richard. This record is basically all the hits that you know. It’s none of his gospel tunes. Look those up, cause it’s great and troubling stuff. If there’s one person I’d go back and see play live, I think it’d be Little Richard. And, yes, that’s probably not true, but right now it’s how I see it. I still have these tunes up in my head two days later.

Bob Dylan, Empire BurlesqueBob Dylan, Empire Burlesque

I think this is the first Boy Dylan album I’ve pulled out on a Random Record Night. Which is not surprising. I have several of his albums. I love listening to his songs. The way that he says all those words. The sound of it. But all of them are mixed in everywhere, just like all the other records I own. So it’s luck of the draw. And I drew Empire Burlesque. Now, I’ll say that my favorite album (maybe of any album) is probably Bob Dylan, Self Portrait. I’m honest when I say that. Empire Burlesque was not very interesting to me at all. I’m honest when I say that. I think probably I’ve never listened to it before, or never made it to the end before. But I was bored by it. I didn’t like it. I ignored it. Until the last song. Dark Eyes is just great. I wanted to listen to the whole album again, right away. But, that is not how Random Record Night works. I’ll get back to Empire Burlesque after all my records are listened to. No repeats.

Wanda Jackson, Cream of the CropWanda Jackson, Cream of the Crop

Wanda, how’d you get your hair like that? Remember, friends, this is not 2013 when this picture was taken. No airbrushing involved, okay? I think at this point in the evening I was eating a bowl of chili and a hunk of homemade bread and it was 12:30am and I was falling asleep. I slept well on Saturday night, though, and a 6am wake up from the kids was welcomed warmly. I’ll blame this record for that. And I have nothing else to say about it except that I think I bought it at this place in Pittsburgh with some dear, dear friends of mine. Also, I saw her play live, about 6 or 7 years ago, at Fitzgerald’s. I won’t soon forget that.

Also, don’t hesitate to check out my tumblr blog. It’s where I post new song ideas. I started doing that again the past few days. Leave a comment to let me know what you think and then pass the song on to your friends.

Random Record Recap

Random Record Night: July 14 Recap

Again…another quick look back at the vinyl I randomly pulled from my crates and listened to:

“Christ Was Born On Christmas Morn”"Christ Was Born On Christmas Morn"

Well, here’s a record that’s right up my alley. Old, ancient blues and gospel as sung by blind blues and gospel singers. Several of my deep and dearest favorite tunes on here like “Woke Up This Morning” by Blind Roosevelt Graves (and his Brother), “Wouldn’t Mind Dying, If Dying Was All,” and “Lay Some Flowers on My Grave.” All songs I’ve sung and performed live at some point. Be warned, though, that this is no Christmas album, but to listening to it on Christmas would surely make Santa glad. Arizona Dranes…I wish she was my secret. You know about her, right? Anyway, this record is in the top five in my collection.

Charlie ChristianCharlie Christian

And then some jazz guitar. Charlie Christian could be your god if you were a guitarist. Or should be. I don’t understand much of it, mainly because my guitar playing is like an axe looking for a place to chop a log, but I get the feeling of it. This album settled me down. It was Sunday night. I had to be up early the next day. It was still hot outside. The sky was clear. I heard the train line honking. The cover of this album is red. And there’s no title to it, his name is all you need to know. (Ps. I also thought it weird that after pulling out a gospel and blues record that references Christianity in the title, I pulled out a Charlie Christian record. Is someone telling me to get back?)

Frank Sinatra, September of my yearsFrank Sinatra, September of my years

I almost didn’t make it through both sides of this, but only because I was tired and it was getting close to midnight. There’re some killer songs on this, though. They’ll go straight for the big vein in your neck. That’s all I have to say about it. Other than, I think it was one of my dad’s old records that I packed up and never said thank you for. So, if it was, thanks Dad. If it wasn’t, well, thanks for all those other ones that I took.

Random Record Recap

Random Record Night: June 23 Recap

Here’s a quick recap of the two records I randomly pulled from my vinyl stacks last night….

Calliope CapersCalliope Capers

This one was surprisingly calming. Basically an album of circus and carnival music, it just kinda hung around in the background while I washed dishes and helped make a soup. You’d think it wouldn’t be the best album for a much-needed relaxing Sunday night, but you’d be wrong. Good for a muggy, stormy, dark Summer night. Probably also good for a bright morning in the deep winter. Either that, or you’d hate it and it’d make your ears ring. I enjoyed it, though.

The Newport Folk Festival, 1960, Volume 1Newport Folk Fest 1960

I incorrectly labeled the Instagram photo of this one as “1969.” Would’ve been a completely different album if it was, in fact, 1969. Being 1960, though, it was before the full-blown folk boom of the 60’s. There’s a couple good cuts from the New Lost City Ramblers, and, of course, Pete Seeger is on here. If late-50’s American folk music is your thing, you’d love this. It’s not my thing, though. Plus, this record is scratched to hell. Lots of skips and bumps and burps. Might be why I enjoyed it more than I thought I would.

Mostly, I found myself staring at the cover art and forgetting the songs playing. Is that a young Bob Dylan on the grass on the left side there? So eager, so interested! Who in this picture is still alive? Did this really happen 53 years ago? And on this very weekend! What is Rhode Island like, I’ve never been there? Who’s that man standing in glasses? Is he interested? Is he leading? Is he fresh off a trans-Atlantic voyage? Has Ramblin’ Jack returned to the States yet? What song are those kids noodling around on? I buyed me a little dog? Handsome Molly? East Virginia Blues? So many questions in that picture.