U2 — October

U2 -- October

• Artist: U2
• Title: October
• Year: 1981
• Format: Vinyl 12 in.
• Rating (1-10): 7
• Owner: Mary
• Acquired: 1981 – Unknown origin.
• Keeper: Yes

Led Zepplin had “Presence” and U2 has “October.” By that I mean these are more “challenging” records that any decent band will eventually put out, but for U2 they did it on their second release. It’s an interesting album with only one song that got any real radio attention, “Gloria.” Was there another one? I give ’em their propers for effort, but I don’t find “October” as engaging or exciting as “Boy.”

T.S.O.L. — Hit And Run

T.S.O.L. -- Hit And Run

• Artist: T.S.O.L.
• Title: Hit And Run
• Year: 1987
• Format: Vinyl 12 in.
• Rating (1-10): 4
• Owner: Tracy
• Acquired: 1987 – We all make mistakes, but at least I got an employee discount at Mother’s Records.
• Keeper: No

This album is not as bad as it looks, which is not saying much. On this record T.S.O.L. sound like a smarter version of Motley Crue, which is not saying much. At least Motley Crue are a genuine bunch of moron rock stars who can’t help themselves whereas T.S.O.L. come off as a sell out, starting with the album cover. Which brings me to my last point since I don’t want to waste too many keystrokes on this. I usually only include the back cover if there is something really of interest there. What’s interesting to me is that they didn’t think the front cover portrait was enough. There was even a third one on the liner notes. Yes, I admit it, I had to play Priest again right after this.

The Saints – Eternally Yours

• Artist: The Saints
• Title: Eternally Yours
• Year: 1978
• Format: Vinyl 12 in.
• Rating (1-10): 8
• Owner: Tracy
• Acquired: 1986 ? – I think I got it at Unicorn Records in Portsmouth, VA.
• Keeper: Yes

I got into The Saints a little late. I think I bought this album after I picked up a later record. It’s a promo copy so unfortunately they didn’t get paid for it. But don’t worry Saints, I bought your other stuff too.

It’s hard to explain their sound but punk rock and roll seems fitting. The opening track, “Know Your Product”, has killer horns. For a long time I have believed that maximum rock and roll cannot be achieved without a horn section. No matter how hard you’re rocking, if it ain’t got horns there is room for improvement. This song supports my theory. The whole record is excellent. At first it sounds sort of ordinary, but the involuntary foot tapping and head bobbing “Eternally Yours” provokes tells you it is in fact very special.

R.E.M. — Reckoning

• Artist: R.E.M.
• Title: Reckoning
• Year: 1984
• Format: Vinyl 12 in.
• Rating (1-10): 8
• Owner: Tracy / Mary – Both had copies.
• Acquired: 1984 – Unknown origin.
• Keeper: Yes

Last time I played R.E.M. I made the mistake of playing Judas Priest right before. This time I made sure to play Priest after spinning “Reckoning.” And goodness knows I needed it. I hate to sound like I’m bashing R.E.M. over and over. I almost feel guilty for not liking it more, but I just can’t get into it. This was the last R.E.M. record I ever bought and it was only 1984! I played it three times today and I have to admit that it’s quality music. I’m sure at the time it was refreshing to hear a guitar band that was making essentially “naked” music with intelligent lyrics.

Will I ever play it again? I seriously doubt it, but I will keep it. Mary likes them and we have all their records.

(Tidbit: On the spine of the cover it says “File Under Water.”)

Charlie Parker — History Of Jazz

• Artist: Charlie Parker
• Title: History Of Jazz
• Year: 1973
• Format: Vinyl 12 in.
• Rating (1-10): 7
• Owner: Tracy
• Acquired: 2005 – Inherited from my friend Bob Bobala.
• Keeper: Yes

It’s Charlie Parker. What else can I say? Maybe that this is the isn’t the best recording or pressing, but it’s decent. Perfect music for when it’s time to chill, or when the parents are over for dinner, or when I’m staring at the fish tank, or when I’m not sure what I should be doing, or when…

Ohio Players — Fire

• Artist: Ohio Players
• Title: Fire
• Year: 1974
• Format: Vinyl 12 in.
• Rating (1-10): 8
• Owner: Tracy
• Acquired: 1998 ? – Pretty sure I got this at Record Mart in Alexandria, VA.
• Keeper: Yes

I’m ’bout to choke
From the smoke
Lemme tighten up my stroke
You’re a four alarm bay-baaaay

And when you sing the word “stroke” in the Ohio Players most awesome song “Fire” you have to go for the falsetto like you just sat on a tack. Some of the other songs on this record are sorta spaced out, trippy pop like you would expect on a mid-1970s soul record. Then, they hit you with “What The Hell” on side two. That song is one of the most metallic funk-jazz odysseys ever laid down. It’s like Funkadelic or something.

Signing off from another house hunting trip to Asheville, NC. Total driving time today: over 12 hours. When will it end?

Nervous Eaters — Hot Steel And Acid

• Artist: Nervous Eaters
• Title: Hot Steel And Acid
• Year: 1986
• Format: Vinyl 12 in.
• Rating (1-10): 7
• Owner: Tracy
• Acquired: 1986 – Bought it when I worked at Mother’s Records in Hampton, VA.
• Keeper: Yes

How many times have you said to yourself “I feel like hearing some Nervous Eaters”? Never? Seriously? OK, I admit I kinda forget they exist, but almost every time I see “Hot Steel And Acid” in the collection I give it a spin. The Nervous Eaters are hard, fast rock and roll with dashes of punk and blues. I didn’t know anything about the band when I bought this and I still don’t. I think the cool die-cut album cover and the fact that they were on the label Ace Of Hearts with other good bands like the Lyres prompted me to check it out. (UPDATE: NervousEaters.com no seems to be owned by the band.)

Madness — One Step Beyond…

• Artist: Madness
• Title: One Step Beyond…
• Year: 1979
• Format: Vinyl 12 in.
• Rating (1-10): 10
• Owner: Mary
• Acquired: 1981 ? – Unknown origin.
• Keeper: Yes

Madness in general, and the album “One Step Beyond…” in particular is at the top of everyone’s list of favorite music in our house. Everything on here is a hit in some way. “One Step Beyond”, “Night Boat To Cairo”, “The Prince”, the greatest ska version of “Swan Lake” ever recorded, and my favorite, “Bed & Breakfast Man.” B&B is a complete tease with verse after verse until they finally give up the chorus one glorious time at the very end. Excellent album and we play it all the time. More about Madness.

Laibach — Let It Be

• Artist: Laibach
• Title: Let It Be
• Year: 1988
• Format: Vinyl 12 in.
• Rating (1-10): 9
• Owner: Tracy
• Acquired: 1988 – Bought it for myself at our store RIP Records in Norfollk, VA.
• Keeper: Yes

More Laibach! Ja! Ja! Laibach is my all-time favorite Slovenian band. This collection of songs from the Beatles “Let It Be” makes me deeply regret not having all of their music. There’s still time!

The album is titled “Let It Be” but the title track itself is missing. The other songs, in a new order as per Laibach, are all insanely original interpretations. I could go on and on, but someone has already done a great article on the band at Wikipedia. Read more about them.

Paul Kelly and The Messengers — Under The Sun

• Artist: Paul Kelly and The Messengers
• Title: Under The Sun
• Year: 1988
• Format: Vinyl 12 in.
• Rating (1-10): 6
• Owner: Mary
• Acquired: 1988 – Ordered for her at our store RIP Records in Norfolk, VA.
• Keeper: Maybe

This falls into the decent-music-that-I’ll-probably-never-play-again category. It’s sorta roots rock with steel or pedal steel guitar thrown in occassionally. I could listen to all day and it wouldn’t bother me, but it doesn’t excite me either. Should we keep it?