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Cloons

@fourboxesofbasementlps

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A journey through @misterrarthur’s LP collection from the eyes and ears of a chick folks call Cloons.

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The Cars, Heartbeat City, Elektra Records, 1984.

Well it’s been over 2 years since a post on here, and it is kind of wild to me the record I pulled this morning was a band that many friends associate with their late fathers, on the anniversary of my best pal’s father passing, and it is the first post I am writing since I lost my own dad. All this somber introduction aside, this is what has always drawn me to music: the way it can make me feel connected with people whether they’ve passed or just live on the other side of the world. I know I’ve gotten into this before here on this account, thanks for sticking with this emo stuff again. And I know when my friends Nicole, Connor, Sean and Liz hear The Cars it feels like spending time with their dad. And you know what, what a great frigging band to have that special connection with!

We saw The Cars at Lollapalooza 2011 at like a 4 PM set on a Saturday. It was hot, they friggin rocked, and I remember simply just having so much fun with my friends to every song they played. When I looked up that setlist just now - google let me know that “This concert was notable as the final full live performance by the band featuring lead singer Ric Ocasek.” Lucky us!!

This album is great. Meets what I hope every vinyl in my collection does; one you can put on and listen to top to bottom. “Hello Again” is a fantastic opener. Learned on my research for this post that Andy Warhol co-directed a music video for that song. It contains what I consider to be two mega-hits in “Drive” and “You Might Think” (also, classic video). “Magic” really makes me happy and the title track as a closer is an epic finish. Consider this quadruple platinum album another Mutt Lange 80s masterpiece. by @fourboxesofbasementlps

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7 days ago

Eddie Palmieri, Unfinished Masterpiece, Coco Records, 1975.

Here’s another invitation I’d check yes to, Eddie Palmieri’s Latin Jazz party featuring him on the piano. This was fun to dive into as the cover gave no hints of what to expect when the needle dropped, and I was unfamiliar with Palmieri’s work.

Palmieri was born in the Bronx about 10 years after his parents had moved there from Puerto Rico. His first performance at Carnegie Hall on the piano was at the age of 11! I love that this album feels big band, but Latin, but also has some great jazz based solos (check the sax one out on “Resemblance”). When I close my eyes and listen, I picture a traditional big band set up with a light up disco dance floor in front of it and Palmieri leading a band on the keys.

The allmusic review states the reason behind the title was that Palmieri and the label, Coco Records, had a quarrel over this album as Palmieri “couldn’t or wouldn’t get it done to his own satisfaction,” but they put it out anyway. Very happy they did, it’s great. taken in Motown by @fourboxesofbasementlps

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3 years ago

Manu Dibango, Afrovision, Warner Brothers, 1976.

Opening with “Big Blow,” a hit single with some disco influence, “Afrovision” is a party I would love an invitation to. It’s lively, wordly, jazzy and funky all at once.

Manu Dibango led the creation of this album composing all the songs, playing the marimba, saxophone, synthesizer and adding vocals. Born in Cameroon in 1933, Dibango later moved to France to begin his college education. He is likely most well known for “Soul Makossa,” a track NOT on this album but regarded as the most sampled track in African music. “Ma ma-se, ma ma-sa, ma ma-kossa” sound familiar, any one?

The album is only six tracks long and I think outside of “Big Blow” - “Aloko Party” and “Bayam Sell’am” would be the additional bangers. Do not sleep on the title track though, it feels the most rooted in Dibango’s Cameroonian roots. There’s something so uplifting provided by the sounds of the marimba.

Dibango lived to be 86, passing away in 2020 from Covid. We are blessed his music lives on. taken in Motown by @fourboxesofbasementlps

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3 years ago

Stomu Yamash’ta, Floating Music, Island Records, 1972.

I must be in the midst of the global jazz section of the boxes, as today we venture to Japan and learn about Stomu Yamash’ta. Born in Kyoto, Yamash’ta is a triple threat in a few ways. He is a percussionist, keyboardist and composer. He studied at Kyoto University, Juilliard and Berklee. His compositions have been featured in film (“The Man Who Fell To Earth”), stage (Britain’s Royal Ballet) and television (BBC’s “Hitchiker’s Guide to the Galaxy”). He seems to be the pioneer in meshing traditional Japanese music with Western music.

This album is only 4 tracks, but still clocks in at about 51 minutes total. Yamash’ta recorded it in Britain with many non-Japanese musicians. I enjoyed the journey with this album and loved the xylophones used throughout. Also, A+ cover art! taken in Motown by @fourboxesofbasementlps

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3 years ago

The Winter Consort, Road, A&M Records, 1970.

(the band is also found as The Paul Winter Consort)

I had very high hopes when I saw this cover art and the first track “Icarus” came beaming through the speakers with hopeful pep and a bit of a classical fusion sound. As well, according to the Wiki page on Paul Winter, astronauts of Apollo 15 actually took this album to the moon and named two craters after the tracks “Icarus” and “Ghost Beads”.

If I am being honest, “Ghost Beads” felt like what Monty Python would play as they clapped coconuts to pretend they were on horses. The album really started losing me as it truly didn’t feel like they had a plan for most of these tracks. I mean, there are moments when I legit think the band is trying to mimic a monkey’s howl.

Things get really weird on side two (check out the first two video clips included here). I did find it moving that the second to last track, “Requiem” was dedicated to a friend lost in the Vietnam War, but then I heard the track and, well, a clip included is the third video on this post. Apologies to be so blunt but, this really was not my bag, baby.

However, the fan reviews on allmusic shower it in praises, so it could just be we weren’t a match!

Last thing I will mention is that this album was recorded at some pretty epic venues, including Royce Hall, UCLA; Whiskey a Go Go in Hollywood and at Eastman School of Music in Rochester, NY. taken in Motown by @fourboxesofbasementlps

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3 years ago

Eddie Henderson, Sunburst, Blue Note, 1975.

This album was my first introduction to Eddie Henderson, an outstanding American Jazz trumpet player who was influenced by Louis Armstrong, and his parent’s friend, Miles Davis. He also played with Herbie Hancock for 3 years, and worked with Pharoah Sanders. (those other artists are more household names around here)

Not only did Henderson complete his musical education at the San Francisco Conservatory for Music; he also served 3 years in the US Air Force, got a B.S from UC Berkeley, and then went on to study medicine at Howard University. He actually completed a residency in psychiatry, too. Our first Four Boxes Doctor!

Sunburst, like many of the albums I am finding in this collection from this time period, leans into a psychedelic sound. Henderson’s first jazz album with Blue Note, it also has some funk, some wah-wah, and a lot of talent. Clocking in at under 40 minutes, it is definitely a journey with listening to. taken in Motown by @fourboxesofbasementlps

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3 years ago

Falco, Einzelhaft, A&M Records, 1982.

Einzelhaft means “Solitary” in English, which is an interesting title to me as while I was reading up on Johann Hölzel, aka Falco, he was the only surviving triplet - his mother miscarried the twins he shared the womb with. Wonder if some part of him felt this was the right title for his first album... moving on...

Likely Austria’s most successful pop star (thanks to his megahit “Rock Me Amadeus” in 1986), this is Falco’s debut album. I may have no idea what most of the songs are about - in fact the second track I would consider a bop (“Ganz Wien”) I discovered had lyrics about all of Vienna being on heroin. It is a lot of fun, I hear both pop and early techno folded into the tracks. Outside of the big hit we’ll talk about next, I really enjoyed “Helden von heute” and the title track “Einzelhaft” (talk about sick beats - second video here is the intro).

The largest hit from this album is “ Der Kommissoner.” It was actually the B-Side to “Helden von heute.” His production team decided the B-Side should be the lead single, despite Falco’s concerns it wouldn’t land since the track was in German, and about drugs. It went on to become a number one hit in France, Germany, Italy, Spain and Japan. The version of this track many of us know in the US is actually a cover by a British Rock band, After the Fire. I picture my friend, Mike, in college rocking hard to the breakdown at the end of the song. Ja! Ja! taken in Motown by @fourboxesofbasementlps

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3 years ago

George Benson, Beyond the Blue Horizon, CTI Records, 1971.

We might as well toss on this five track album and talk about the living legend, George Benson. Born in Pittsburg, PA, he started playing music on a ukulele, moved to guitar, and was recording songs by the age of 9 - he released 2 songs on RCA under the name “Little Georgie.” By age 21 he was releasing his own albums, and he was employed by Miles Davis during the 1960s. Many folks my age may recognize his name from him appearing on the Gorillaz’s 2018 album, The Now Now, on the track called “Humility.” Listen for his great guitar riffs on that one when you have time. Other amazing highlights in his career: touring with Minnie Riperton; playing guitar for Stevie Wonder’s “Another Star,” and releasing the first version of “The Greatest Love of All” for the Muhammad Ali biopic. (I think we all know Whitney Houston’s version of that song!)

This album is essentially one epic jazz session that was recorded shortly after Benson joined CTI records. If you only have time to listen to one track, skip right over to “All Clear” - his amazing guitar skills are brightly on display in this track. A really excellent album to drop the needle down on and let it ride. taken in Motown by @fourboxesofbasementlps

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3 years ago

Marshall Crenshaw, Marshall Crenshaw, Warners Brothers Records, Inc., 1982.

Simply put: this album is so much fun, and I LOVE IT. I would say it is punchy pop; AllMusic used the word “crisp” to describe it; which feels spot on. I found myself singing along to the chorus of the biggest hit “Someday, Someway” on the first spin, as it is catchy enough that the lyrics will stick to the brain. A few songs evoke his pop influencers such as the Beatles, Motown, and Buddy Holly. Specifically, I felt “She Can’t Dance,” “Mary Anne,” and “Soldier of Love” (which is an Arthur Alexander cover) on the B side all provide a nice retro feel.

Other things I learned about Crenshaw:
- Born in Detroit, Michigan, grew up in Berkley.
- Helped out the Gin Blossoms hit “Til I Hear it From You”
- He played one of his biggest music influences, Buddy Holly, in the 1987 La Bamba.

The last thing I’ll mention is the varying versions of the cover art. My original cut shows Marshall touching his eye glasses. The 40th anniversary expanded edition shows his head tipped upward, looking away from us (last photo). Spotify uses the latter version for the album on their website. Definitely one for you to toss on and bop along too! taken in Motown by @fourboxesofbasementlps

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3 years ago

Paul Bley, Open to Love, ECM Records 1972.

Well, this album is much more my speed! Yay for redemption, Paul Bley!

Not only do I love the cover art by Barbara Wojirsch, but getting the opportunity to listen to Bley as a soloist uncluttered by the experimentation that I felt overtook most of the first album I listened to was lovely. It’s cool to hear the same talented pianist in two totally different vibes so close together. All Music refers to this album as his most visionary work. Five of the tracks were composed by his ex-wife, Carla Bley. The clip included here is from one of Carla’s - “Ida Lupino.” I really enjoyed the a-side of this album and hope you check it out sometime too! taken in Motown by @fourboxesofbasementlps

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3 years ago

Paul Bley & Scorpio, Advantage Studios, 1972.

This album was a reminder that not all of these LPs will land with me.

However, I think it’s kind and important to tell you all that Paul Bley was a jazz pianist who created many recordings over the course of his 60 year career. He began playing the piano after his parents divorced when he was 7 years old. Bley toured with bands across America when he was a teen, then went on to Juilliard, eventually playing with greats like Charlie Parker.

This album was recorded with drummer Barry Altschul and bassist Dave Holland. I got a hearty chuckle that the allmusic.com review states “the photographer decided to make the normally dignified pianist look like Pinnochio.” If you’re into this - let me know, I’m happy to pass it along! taken in Motown by @fourboxesofbasementlps

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3 years ago

New Order, Power, Corruption & Lies, Factory Records, 1983.

Well my friend @radbrehak posted this album turns 40 today, and I got to talk to @misterrarthur as it is his birthday, so I figured I would get a post up about this one. When I found this album in the boxes, my brain filed it as a "definite keeper," as, fortunately for me, New Order was something I grew up with around the house (specifically, a later collection of theirs, Substance).

Many consider this sophomore album to be where New Order came into their own. Their first album was written during some serious grieving over the loss of their original lead singer, Ian Curtis, from their first band, Joy Division. With the addition of Gillian Gilbert for this album, New Order finds their signature synth pop sound here. And WE LOVE TO SEE IT. 👏

Recognizing that the 30 of you who follow this account probably know all of this history, let's call out what is truly interesting. "Age of Consent" and "Your Silent Face" are the best songs on this album, and are tops of their entire catalog. The great joyful bounce of "The Village" gets me, too. And I do love the closer, “Leave Me Alone.” But what I really find fascinating is that "Blue Monday" (1983) and "Temptation" (1982), both successful singles in-between albums one and two, were left off the album. I do think it stands up without those two tracks but selfishly, I'd love them on this vinyl at my home.

Fun fact: "Blue Monday" is the best-selling independent 12" single of all time in the UK. taken in Motown by @fourboxesofbasementlps

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3 years ago