Today’s Cool album of the Day (# 928 in the Series) is the self-titled debut from Lyle Lovett Lyle Lovett burst into national prominence with his Pontiac album in 1987. That was the release that gave us some of his best known tunes such as “If I Had a Boat” and “She’s No Lady.”  Some people never looked to see that he had another spectacular record the year prior. I’m referring to his debut, which was simply called Lyle Lovett. I’ve always been a fan of debut albums.  To me it seems that the one thing that many of them have it common is that they are rarely overproduced.  Why, because most of these new acts don’t have the budget...

Today’s Cool Album of the Day (#927 in the Series) is Dusty Springfield, Dusty in Memphis The stable of Blue-Eyed Soul fillies from across the pond has been Kentucky Derby quality over the last 10 years. Duffy, with her 2008 release Rockferry has more of a sensitive delivery than her more bombastic contemporaries that should serve her well with the AOR crowd as her career progresses. Joss Stone burst on to the scene in 2003 with The Soul Sessions, an unabashed tribute to the soul singers of the past sounding more like Carla Thomas or Aretha Franklin than a sixteen year old girl recording her eponymous album.  But even though her later releases seem to lack direction and continuity...

This summer, Steely Dan fans in North America will be able to buy a thrill. Walter Becker and Donald Fagen will set off on the 47-city Jamalot Ever After tour July 2 in Portland, Ore., and tour through September. The duo, inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2001 on the strength of such hits as Reelin’ in the Years, Hey Nineteen and Deacon Blues, will be backed by an eight-piece band: drummer Keith Carlock, bassist Freddie Washington, keyboardist Jim Beard, guitarist Jon Herington, trumpeter/keyboardist Michael Leonhart, trombonist Jim Pugh, saxophonist Walt Weiskopf and baritone saxophonist Roger Rosenberg. Three backing vocalists — La Tanya Hall, Carolyn Leonhart-Escoffery and Cindy Mizelle — also will be part of the ensemble. July 2 – Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall, Portland, Ore. 3 – Les Schwab Amphitheatre, Bend, Ore. 5-6...

Today’s Cool Album of the Day (#926 in The Series) is Brian Setzer, The Knife Feels Like Justice. Earlier we featured the forgotten Steve Winwood album. Now we feature a long forgotten, Brian Setzer album. This album just never got it’s due. It was NOT Stray Cats. And it’s not the Brian Setzer Orchestra. It was released between the two and has it’s own unique sound. I guess if I had to tell you what it sounds like I guess I would go with “Americana” or maybe somewher in the “Root’s” categories. Like we’ve discussed before, we hate to pigeon hole, but I’m trying to describe it to those that never heard it.  Which, unfortunately for Brian, was most of America....

Today’s Cool Album of the Day (#925 in the Series) is Pixies, Doolittle. Pixies first came to most people’s attention via 1988′s superb “Surfer Rosa,” a raw blast of punky mayhem with a real sense of fun and pop at its core. Produced (or as he likes to say, recorded) by Steve Albini, it garnered the band a whole host of new fans and critical acclaim, setting the band up for greater heights in the process. The question was, could they keep the quality quota as high on the next one and deliver on the promise they’d shown? Easily! The following year’s “Doolittle” was overseen by Gil Norton, who gave their sound a more polished sheen but managed to...

    Today’s Cool Album of the Day (#924 in the Series) is The Allman Brothers Band, Idlewild South. Idlewild South was the second and last of the two  ”true” Allman Brothers Band albums. They’ve had many, many great albums, but the first two are always considered the only “true” Allman Brothers, meaning, Duane and Gregg were both included. I’ve also read more than one review that has called this the best studio album that band ever produced.   As mentioned, this was the last full studio album that included the great Duane Allman. He would lose his life in a motorcycle accident while recording the follow up, Eat a Peach.  Of course it didn’t end there either. Original...

  Today’s Cool Album of the Day (#923 in the Series) is Milli Vanilli, Girl You Know It’s True After much controversy, several lawsuits, fraud allegations, and that now famous bitch slap/cat fight with opening act Shields and Yarnell at what turned out to be their final performance, Rob Pilatus and Fabrice “Fab” Morvan decided to break up their legendary musical mime troupe Key Mime Pie in the summer of 1985. The troupe, fresh off their critic’s favorite, publicly ignored album, Time out of Mime that featured their highest charting single to date, “Parsley, Sage, Rosemary, and Mime”, was growing weary of the constant touring, press junkets, and gregarious groupies that were part of the day-to-day life of the...

  Today’s Cool Album of the Day (#922 in the sSeries) is Nanci Griffith, Other Voices, Other Rooms Nanci Griffith, much like John Prine, is one of those artists that flies just under our musical radar much of the time. Even though she sounds very much like her, she does not have the name recognition of Emmylou Harris. She can stand quill for quill on the songwriting medal stand with Joni Mitchell yet you probably can’t name a song she has written, and she even has a bit of that sultry,girl next door vibe going on that we saw with Linda Ronstadt back in the day. Appearing on the scene in 1978 with her debut album There’s a Light...

  Today’s Cool Album of the Day (#921 in the Series) is The Outlaws, Lady In Waiting. Back to my country-rock roots once more.  I was a big fan of the early Outlaws.  I loved the first three albums and then the live release.  Then I fell away.  I remember seeing them on this tour at the Chicago Stadium.  It was Bad Company, The Outlaws and Rockpile. I can’t remember who played first between the Outlaws and Rockpile. I do remember watching an undercover cop bust a guy for selling him something in a little packet in the bathroom.  The things you remember when you’re a teen! This album didn’t have any of their huge hits on it.  But I...

  Today’s Cool Album of the Day (#920 in the Series) is  Johnny Cash,  Out Among the Stars In the last years of his life, and currently with the multiple releases of the Rick Rubin produced American Recordings series of recordings, we have been treated to new music from Johnny Cash. The songs presented on these records were mostly scaled down un-plugged style versions of old classics along with deep in the vault songs from artists Cash admired. Every song in the series was a powerful reminder of the greatness of the past, and a sobering look into eyes and on to the soul of one of the greatest artists ever to walk the line. And now, courtesy of the...