The Weekend Spin: #2 - Joshua Trees and Holligans

May 19th, 2017

So the weekend of May 12th ended up being a complete bust even for listening to records. That Saturday had a lot going on, and the Sunday was Mother's Day which meant the day was anything but mine to listen to records. It was all a bit of a let down considering I got to take a trip to Reckless Records in Chicago’s Loop on that Friday, which was a personal victory for me as record collector since I’ve been trying to get there since November of last year. Reckless Records although a kind of chain record store, was anything but what I expected, having the look and feel of the mom & pop type record store I’ve become accustom too.

This Weeks Bin Find:

U2 - Joshua Tree

I’ve been looking to get a few U2 albums for a while. Among my top picks was Joshua Tree which is probably one of U2’s most,  if not THE most iconic albums, and one that cemented them into late 80’s and early 90’s pop culture. My copy is an original from 1987, but a 20th anniversary edition was released with bonus tracks on CD and DVD in 2007, and a 30th anniversary edition is expected to be released this year on 180g vinyl.

This Weekends Spins:

Starship - We Built This City/Private Room 45’ A/B sides

The beautiful part about a 45’ over a 33’ is that at least one side is a popular song thats gotten good airplay and been heard before. So a 45’ is almost just the one song, and no doubt many in my reading audience know if it's good or not. For this one the A-side (traditionally where the hit song is located) is the 80’s anthem We Built This City. For me this song is forever connected with being played on a jukebox while eating pizza on Saturday nights following mass, so it has a lot of nostalgia connected to it, even is the song maybe a bit mediocre. Personally, I think it's another one of those songs that is iconically 80’s and would never have worked or sounded as good in any other era.

I can say the same for the B-side Private Room. This, despite being an instrumental song, has a complete 80’s vibe and it's easy to imagine hearing it in the expositional scenes of a John Hughes movie.

Bruno Mars - Doo Wops & Hooligans

Well unless you've been living in a cave for the past 8 years you've probably heard songs from this album. Grenade, Just the Way You Are, and The Lazy Song are just a few of the great hits Mars had on this album. To be brutally honest it's heard not to associate the songs of this album with Mars more than any of his other songs. Of course there’s a reason for that since 6 of the 10 tracks on the album would achieve various levels of success as singles. The aforementioned Just the Way You Are, Grenade, and The Lazy Song would be the top three in that particular order with Talking to the Moon, Marry You,  and Count on Me filling out the remaining 3 and all having airtime and familiarity. Scoring 6 hits on 10 songs is pretty impressive especially when you consider the whole album is only a little over 35 minutes long.

I've been hunting this album for a long time, ever since the Amy Winehouse article I published a few year back about her effect, and inspiration on modern music. Mars sounds although perhaps not directly inspired by Winehouse, can contribute some of its success to Winehouse reintroducing traditional R&B sounds, and even some Doo-Wop elements into modern music. Of course there is some sentimentality in looking to get this album too since, Just the Way You Are, has long been a song I have associated with my wife who (and perhaps this is a husband's love speaking) the song almost describes to a tee.

Overall, the album features a nice collection of modernized Doo-Wop, and light pop that we really don’t get a lot of from Mars later work. With that said we get a lot of range from Mars in this album too, everything from purely pop beats, to poignant love songs. For me after Just the Way You Are, which has obvious wifely connections for me, my next favorite song has to be Talking to the Moon, a song about a young man looking to the moon to connect him with a lover he has yet to meet and somewhat reminiscent of Rodgers & Harts Blue Moon. If you are, or aren't a fan of Mars more recent work I would still suggest you check out this particular album since it has a nice mix of musical offerings.

We’ll see how next weekend works out, Memorial Day weekend, but I hope some listening time is part of that.

The Weekend Spin: #1 - We Built This City on Little Lion Men

May 7, 2015

It's been an odd but all too quick weekend, again. Any plans to listen to a record Friday night went out the window due to an impromptu Cinco de Mayo celebration, involving a pitcher of Margaritas. How I didn't wake up hungover Saturday morning, I have no clue. But, leaving behind the mixed sounds of Mexico Friday night, I proceeded into a dull Saturday morning of slightly chilly temperatures outside, and hours of cooking shows inside well I competed household tasks. This translated into a Saturday evening that seemed to arrive prematurely, and long lingering debates over dinner, and how to spend the evening. To say the least it was darn near 10 before the evening settled into the double feature of The Phantom of the Opera and the 1984 version of Dune.

The first chance to honestly sit and listen to a record was unceremoniously late Sunday afternoon. Time I carved out of what felt like a was a loophole in family time.

This Weekends Listening Session:

Sigh No More -Mumford & Sons 2009

This is Mumford & Sons, freshman entry and what would start the bands whirlwind success. Having received Babel a few years back, followed by Milder Mind I always wanted to take a step back to their first album since as a long time fan I had encountered various entries from it and wanted to hear the complete album.

I have to say after waiting nearly 4 years since receiving Babel, I definitely wasn’t disappointed in the bands first album. It's easy to see how Sign No More flowed seamlessly into Babel, and then Babel into Milder Mind since the band has a sound it stays true to without getting too experimental as many bands are inclined to do. According to some sources the albums genre is Country, but I can tell you it lies more between modern minstrel folk and alternative.

Although I can honestly say I liked every track on the album, my favorite is Little Lion Man, even if it's the one with a lot of airplay. The song has that right amount of Mumford & Sons sound, while also being a little edgy. The album as a whole though is only 12 tracks, and last around 48 minutes in its entirety meaning it's also somewhat short, but sweet.

Suggested Beverage:

Although only drinking a Coke Zero at the time of listening, the album could go well with a craft beer, like a Scotch Ale, or an Amber Bach since the album has a trendy yet unrefined feel like those beers. I could easily see myself listening to Sigh No More, well meeting friends at a River North bar some Friday evening and enjoying a Fat Tire as well..

This Weeks Adds:

Apparently giving myself permission to buy an album is too much for me. My initial buy was a Starship 45’ with We Built This City on the A-side. I had a flirtation with the song the weekend before after a flood of memories came over me regarding a family tradition in the 80’s of 4 o’clock mass followed by a trip for pizza at our favorite place. The original version of the restaurant had a loud jukebox, plenty of cigarette smoke, and some great pizza. Somehow between 1985 and 1992 We Built This City played at least once when we were in there. Looking to eventually get a jukebox of my own I decided long ago that this 45’ had to be on there.

Making a decision on a whole album though wasn't so easy. My choices came between John Mayer, Blake Shelton, Train, Bruno Mars, Norah Jones, Arcade Fire, Florence and the Machine, and Of Monsters and Men. As you can see mostly albums from more modern artists. Narrowing it down came between Mars Doo Wops & Hooligans, Sheltons If I'm Honest, and Mayers Continuum, with Trains A Girl, A Bottle, and A Boat pushing in from the outside since I just got tickets to thier concert in June. Eventually, I settled on Bruno Mars Doo Wops & Hooligans, since I’ve had the album on my wish list for a while and figured it had priority.

For The Next Time:

Next weekend may be a bit busy so time to chill in front of the record player may not happen. If it does though hopefully my new Starship, and Bruno Mars records are part of it. Until then have great week, or great next couple weeks

Where the Record Meets the Road

When I got my new record player for Christmas last year and saw that it could play 78's I knew that it would open up a whole new world for me. In many ways 78's are almost indicative of the big band era. At that time 45's were something that belonged in a jukebox and 33's although in existence by the 1940's were as common as DVDs were in 1995. So on the home scene 78's were pretty much the format of choice, and that dated back to the time when 78's replaced the first wax cylinders of recorded music.

Initially for me 78's weren't that easy to find. For the most part they where and somewhat still are pretty rare birds to find in thrift stores and resell shops. As for my local brick-and-mortar record store he has 78's but they are located in bins on the floor that are almost impossible to navigate due to the fact that there are so many 78's stuffed into them.

For me the pain resulting from the inability to find 78's was only worsened by the memory of having given away all my grandmothers 78's after she had died. Many of these 78's were from the big band era and had some pretty great songs on them. But as the saying goes "if hindsight or 20/20". 

So as usual I found myself heading to eBay to find records that I really wanted. But the question became what song and/or what artist did I want to have in my collection first?

Being both a vinyl record enthusiasts and a Route 66 enthusiasts, as you know from reading my blogs, the answer came to me pretty quickly. The song I had to have on 78' was Route 66 by The Nat King Cole Trio.

The song or this particular version of it is the one that inspired me the most to someday travel the route. This version by The Nat King Cole Trio, was made following the war and filled with the optimism the US had in the late 1940's. It was a song about traveling and discovering the United States as a whole. This version was made in an era when Route 66 was in its heyday and when the United States seemed to look towards the west specifically California and the Los Angeles area as the places to be and where hope could be found for the future. The Nat King Cole Trio delivers the song with such an incredibly upbeat feel good tempo that there's no way you can't possibly enjoy this particular version. There is also no way that you can deny the urge to travel Route 66 after you hear this version of the song.

You see this version was actually the first big time the song Route 66 was performed. The song itself was only a few months old by the time it was handed over to The Nat King Cole Trio. It's writer Bobby Troup although known for sometimes performing his own works decided that he would give this song to The Nat King Cole Trio, who had achieved a great deal of success with their unique sound towards the end of World War II and immediately following the war. If you want to know more history about Bobby Troup and how the song was originally written please see my article (http://route66forfamily.blogspot.com/2013/09/route-66-song-and-introducing-your-kids.html?m=1). To say the least Troup's choice to allow someone else to record it led to the song becoming a huge success. 

Although the Nat King Cole Trio would popularize the song and bring it to the top of the charts they would not be the last artist to do so. The Rolling Stones, and even more recently John Mayer would be just a few of the many artists to remake the song and keep it fresh with American and even international audiences.

As for the actual record itself that I received it took me some time to get used to the way a 78 sounds. The song does sound quite good but I do believe that the needle arm and needle itself on my record player may perhaps be too light for the 78. Both the 45's and 33's have sounded phenomenal on this little record player but the 78 for some reason sounds a bit off and/or even a bit distant. Having studied 78's and having seen them being played in many a black-and-white movie I do believe that there might be something to the fact that this needle is just a little too light for 78's. 

Overall though I am extremely happy to have Route 66 by The Nat King Cole Trio as the first 78 enter my collection. Now if I could only find a second one that I could put under glass and hang on my wall.

If you're reading this on my Route 66 blog be sure to check out my vinyl record blog at http://amateurvinylrecordcollector.blogspot.com/?m=1

And if you're reading this on my vinyl record blog be sure to check out my Route 66 blog at http://route66forfamily.blogspot.com/?m=1

Thank you again for reading!

Where are all the 45's?

Where are all the 45's? I mean I can find LP's like crazy, but whats up with the 45's?

I mean I get it 45's are the singles and all the really good songs are on them. Being from the pre-electronic music CD, era I know about singles, I have a couple of CD singles in my personal collection, and my sister has single tapes in hers. There weren't as many of either of these in our day, but 45's are a different story. 45's where huge in the day, and whole albums in some cases where only released based upon single 45 sales. 45's where used in juke boxes, given out by DJs in contests, sold by bands at concerts, and so on. Yet there are barely any to be found. 

At my weekend record store visit I found some 45's in a bin next to the larger LP record bins. Yet none of them where good. Like a single from Ray "Ghost Busters" Parker Jr, you didn't know he made any other songs? Well he did and I found the 45's. Trust me the bin was full of those. 

So any hopes of finding Elvis, or Richie Valens, or any others doesn't seem to be a reality outside of E-bay.

Pre-Recorded Memories

July 31st, 2013

I had the urge to build my record collection and had been giving it a lot of thought since I found the record player on Sunday. I can find new albums and remakes on Amazon, but those are $15 or $20 a piece, I'm ok with that for something new like Norah Jones Broken Little Hearts, or Babel by Munford & Sons, but I think I can get older albums a lot cheaper. I checked E-bay next, still prices a little high. That and between shipping and often vague comments on record conditions E-bay may not be a direction to go either. 

I wanted to check the record store in town and maybe hit some of the thrift stores too, but their hours and my work hours don't align. So I wasn't going to be looking that night. But I had this nagging feeling like there was something I was forgetting. Then it hit me, I had a set of 45's. 

In my bedroom closet inside a box of various old items, was what remained of my Grandmothers extensive record collection. It was a small box set of Glen Miller 45's, that I saved as a memory of my grandparents old house, their record collection, and as a lifelong fan of Glen Miller. 

The box is either made out of cardboard or possibly a wood bulsa like, whatever it is they don't use packaging like that anymore. Inside are five records and I took the first one out with Stardust, and Pennsylvania 6-5000 on it, and figured out the settings for 45's on the record player. I put the spacer on, then the record, keep in mind that I still don't have the RCA cable adaptors yet, so I can only hear it by putting my ear close. Stardust sounded great, and so did Pennsylvania 6-5000.

Now my resolve was even stronger to get the RCA adaptors, and more records. But I guess that would all have to wait till the weekend.