Posted in Deluxe/Redux Reviews

Tears For Fears pregame, cont’d: Don’t sleep on the Seeds box

As we bide our time this week until The Tipping Point on Friday, today’s quick question is: Did you miss out on the Seeds Of Love box? When the 4CD+BluRay box came out in 2020, the limited inventory disappeared with…

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Posted in Albums That Surprised Me Reviews

Albums That Surprised Me: Everybody Loves A Happy Ending / Tears For Fears

Fifteen years after Tears For Fears’ last collaboration — 1989’s classic The Seeds Of Love — I did not expect a solid, full-on post-Beatles baroque pop collection from Curt and Roland. By all means, call it a comeback. The title…

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Posted in New Releases Reviews

Spoon’s Lucifer On The Sofa sits comfortably

Each Spoon album has its worthwhile tracks, but my top two remain Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga and 2017’s Hot Thoughts. Probably not a typical duo, and admittedly on the more produced side. In that context, Lucifer On The Sofa…

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Posted in Deluxe/Redux New Releases Reviews

8 notes on Aiofe O’Donovan / Age Of Apathy

This was the album that made me think, “Well, I guess I need to start a 2022 Favorites list.”Stream / Buy / Skip: I went Buy. Eight notes on why … “B61.” A song with a first date across town…

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Posted in Bruce Springsteen New Releases Reviews

8-note review: John Mellencamp’s Strictly A One-Eyed Jack

I barely resisted the temptation to go with a one-sentence review: Nothing matters and what if it did? John Mellencamp has said that Strictly A One-Eyed Jack reflects a number of songs about (or more accurately, from) one particular character….

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Posted in Albums That Surprised Me Covers Reviews

Albums That Surprised Me: It’s Like This / Rickie Lee Jones

Rickie Lee Jones tried a variety of approaches between 1995-2001 — originals, acoustic versions, live album at Red Rocks. But in the middle, she accomplished the unusual: a quality all-covers disc, coherent in sound and reflecting the artist’s diverse tastes in…

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Posted in Reviews The 888/88/8

“Oh Girl” by The Chi-Lites

The 888/88/8 Project: Song #002. Do you have a better chance at musical success if your name is Eugene Record? Things worked out pretty well for the one Mr. Record we know about. The Chi-Lites had scores of successful singles,…

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Posted in New Releases Reviews

8 things about Elvis Costello’s The Boy Named If

A clearly inspiring lyric concept for the songwriter + strong vocals and muscular work from The Impostors. When I Was Cruel might’ve had a higher high, but The Boy Named If strikes me as the most consistently enjoyable Elvis Costello…

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Posted in Reviews The 888/88/8

Fox Confessor Brings The Flood / Neko Case

The 888/88/8: Album #01. Do you have examples of where you’re a fan of the artist, like and love some of their work, don’t necessarily own every last thing – but there’s that one album connects with you in a…

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Posted in Albums That Surprised Me Reviews

Albums That Surprised Me: Sing In My Meadow / Cowboy Junkies

Cowboy Junkies surprised me (and others) a little like this once before, when their Live! EP (1992) closed with an arrangement of “Sweet Jane” much different than the hushed recording that helped to make them famous. (That EP also features Margo…

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