P.M. Dawn - Of The Heart, Of the Soul And Of The Cross: The Utopian Experience (1991)

About 10 years ago, I found this disc in the clearance bin for $1. How could I pass that up? Turns out it was a dollar well-spent. Just as hip-hop was turning harder, P.M. Dawn went the other way, making otherworldly soundscapes that were more melodic and less percussive while having gnostically spiritual, troubled lyrics. The duo was definitely more interested in making a genre-redefining artistic statement than selling records which is a good thing since, unfortunately, their music never sold like it probably should have. Prince Be moves so smoothly between singing and speech that you won't even notice the switch. I enjoy it and I'm definitely not a hip-hop guy (or would this music be considered post-hip-hop?).

Press of the time:

• Stereo Review: "light years beyond anything else in the genre"
• CashBox: "Damn, this album is crazy-dope!"
• Billboard: "a startlingly deep and satisfying record"
• Entertainment Weekly (A): "P.M. Dawn point toward a new world for rap, in which full and lush sounds are heard next to the stark and harder style of today."

Album chart peaks:

• US Billboard Top 200: #48
• Billboard R&B: #29

Tracks:  I usually listen to this one top-to-bottom, but my favorite track is Reality Used To Be A Friend Of Mine. Running a close second is the #1 hit Set Adrift On Memory Bliss which smartly samples the great Spandau Ballet song True (you should also seek out the Richie Rich Mix of the song). Also good are To Serenade A Rainbow, Even After I Die, and Beautiful. The dance collaboration with DJ Todd Terry, Shake, is so out of character for this group and for this album; I can't ever decide if I like it or not.

Personal Memory Associated with this CD: I discovered Reality Used To Be A Friend Of Mine when it appeared in the horrid 1992 movie Encino Man, starring Brendan Fraser, Sean Astin, and Pauly Shore. Ever since I first heard the song, the chorus will repeat itself in my head when things aren't going my way.

Previously revisited for the blog:
The Bliss Album...? (1993)

Tom Schuman - Extremities (1990)

Longtime readers of this blog know of my 30+ year love affair with the smooth jazz group Spyro Gyra. This is a very brief (39 minute) debut solo effort from the group's co-leader and keyboardist which was produced by the group's other co-leader, saxophonist Jay Beckenstein.  The result, as you can probably guess, sounds very much like a SG release. That normally wouldn't be a problem except that the band was in a bad slump around the time of this release. So, although the musicians are top notch (especially Jon Faddis), the writing isn't that great and Schuman focuses more fast technical runs than melodic solos. Tracks from this album pop up every now and then on an iTunes shuffle, but I never specifically seek out this CD for listening.

The Gavin Report, October 19, 1990, p. 40

Peak on the US Billboard Top 200 chart:  Did not chart

Tracks:  The best tracks here are Mood Swing, Front Seat Reservation, and a cover of Minnie Riperton's Loving You. Skip track 5, Skywriter.

Personal Memory Associated with this CD:This CD was acquired about 10 years ago when I was trying to find suitable smooth jazz for background music at work. In addition to this solo CD, I picked up solo CDs from other Spyro Gyra veterans Jay Beckenstein, Jeremy Wall, and Dave Samuels.

Various Artists - Radio Daze: Pop Hits of the '80s, Vol. 1 (1995)

Earlier this year, following a post about a disc in Rhino's Have A Nice Day series, I received the following tweet from a dedicated blog reader:

I had never heard of this series, so I clicked on the link. That simple action started an expensive 5 month quest to purchase all 5 discs. These compilations focus on one- and two-hit wonders and lesser-known adult contemporary and crossover songs. Music in this series was on the radio when I was in 8th and 9th grades when my bedside Marantz clock radio was my most faithful friend. I listened to the radio so much that, at the time, I seriously considered a career in radio. My project for the jr. high science fair was about how AM radios/airwaves work (won 6th place). I even recorded Casey Kasem's AT40 every week straight from radio to cassette. I still love radio, but back then I was in a committed relationship with it. A series titled "Radio Daze" is perfectly named; they're discs I could have compiled.

Looking over the track lists on these discs, I saw a few songs that I hadn't heard since they were on the radio (e.g., Rubert Holmes' Him on volume 2) but I didn't recognize most of the song titles. Curiosity piqued, I ordered the discs anyway. The discs are long out of print which makes them collectable which makes them a little pricey. I'm too embarrassed to tell you how much I spent on these 5 discs, but let's just say it was quite a bit more than I normally pay for used CDs. Quite a bit.

When I finally received the discs, I found I was wrong about not recognizing the songs. I didn't recognize the titles or artists, but that didn't mean I had forgotten the music. I remembered almost every track and, even though I hadn't heard some of them in 30+ years, was able to sing along with many of them. I haven't had these discs long and I'm still listening to them with a cheesy teenager grin on my face.

What surprises me most about these minor soft rock hits is how many were country crossover hits. I always picture myself in the late '70s and early '80s as a disco guy, but now I need to reconsider that image. I gladly ate up whatever the KILT AM 610 programming director threw at me. So in addition to loving Donna Summer, I was also very much a soft rock kid:

Don't f**k with the soft rock kid.

---

Disc 1 of 5. I find the allmusic review to be hilariously candid:

Not much to recommend on this weak collection of mostly one-hit wonder throwaways (who have more to do with the '70s than the '80s). Tellingly, the worst songs here -- Rupert Holmes' "Escape (The Pina Colada Song)" and Captain & Tennille's "Do That to Me One More Time" -- were also the biggest hits. Frightful.

While I agree there are some frightful tracks, I would disagree with the "not much to recommend" part. Despite the compilation's title, this CD's tracks are mostly from 1979, but we won't let that slow us down.

Tracks:

• Escape (The Piña Colada Song) - Rupert Holmes, released October 1979, Pop #1, AC #8.
  A huge hit and the last U.S. #1 song of the '70s. I liked it at the time, not so much now. For some reason, it reminds me of playing basketball after lunch in 8th grade. At that age, just singing a song that included lyrics about an alcoholic drink made us feel more grown up.
• You're Only Lonely - J.D. Souther, released August 1979, Pop #7, AC #1, Country #60.
  A great homage to Roy Orbison (complete with falsetto) with help from Jackson Browne and members of The Eagles. The song is so true in style that I originally thought this song was from the '60s. This is one of those songs that runs through my head from time to time for no apparent reason. Souther dated both Stevie Nicks and Linda Ronstadt, so props to him for that.
• Heaven Must Have Sent You - Bonnie Pointer, released May 1979, Pop #11, R&B #52.
  A cover of a Holland-Dozier-Holland soul song that was a 1966 hit for The Elgins. Sounds a lot like The Supremes' Where Did Our Love Go (another Holland-Dozier-Holland song). It's a harmless cover, but the decision to add disco strings and have Pointer attempt some Al Jolson-like scat singing are confusing to me. There's a more popular disco version that's better than the version included here.
• This Night Won't Last Forever - Michael Johnson, released July 1979, Pop #19, AC #5.
  I was a big fan of Johnson's 1978 hit, Bluer Than Blue and I also enjoy this follow-up. The liner notes claims this song has a "midtempo, country-shaded sound." That hits the nail on the head. Although I enjoyed Johnson's soft rock hits on the radio, the thought of purchasing any of his releases never occurred to me.
• Rolene - Moon Martin, released August 1979, Pop #30.
  I don't remember this one. Sort of a rockabilly meets power pop thing with a little Ray Charles' What'd I Say thrown in for good measure. For me, it just doesn't work.
• An American Dream - The Dirt Band, released November 1979, Pop #13, Country #58.
  A radio favorite, I liked this one when it was released, particularly the Linda Ronstadt harmonies. It blends country with tropical, à la Jimmy Buffet, with great success.
• Do That To Me One More Time - Captain & Tennille, released October 1979, Pop #1, AC #4, R&B #58.
  My sister was a huge C&T fan and, because she was older than me, she got to choose what LPs we listened to. As a result, I know the words to every C&T song released between 1975-1980, including this one. I recently gave my sister the DVD compilation of the 20 episodes of C&T's variety show that aired from '76 to '77. The gift was a big hit - I even watched a few episodes with her. I'm not wild about this song, but I do believe that Toni Tennille is a very underrated singer. She had some chops and could really belt it out.
• Romeo's Tune - Steve Forbert, released November 1979, Pop #11.
  I remember singing along with this one when it was on the radio. I don't think it as a catchy melody, but I like the way the alliterative "meet me in the middle of the day" rolls out of my mouth.
• Set Me Free - Utopia, released January 1980, Pop #27.
  Like most Todd Rundgren songs, this is well-written yet under-appreciated. I don't recall hearing this one on my radio; I have no memory of Utopia before I saw the video for the group's 1982 single, Feet Don't Fail Me Now, which prompted me to buy their eponymous album.
• Pretty Girls - Melissa Manchester, released September 1979, Pop #39, AC #26.
  Fortunately, I don't think I've ever heard this lame attempt at disco prior to purchasing this disc. I can do without this one although I'm a fan of Manchester's 1982 dance hit, You Should Hear How She Talks About You.
• Gee Whiz - Bernadette Peters, released March 1980, Pop #31, AC #3.
  I've been hopelessly infatuated with Peters ever since I first laid eyes on her in the late '70s. However, I much prefer the Carla Thomas 1961 original to this cover.
• Please Don't Leave - Lauren Wood, released August 1979, Pop #24, AC #5.
  This is a smooth little West Coast ditty and just as you're thinking "this sounds like it could be a Doobie Brothers song," here comes Michael McDonald with some vocals to seal the deal. Doobies producer Ted Templeman also produced this track with members of Toto in the backing band. A must for any yacht rock playlist you're putting together.

Personal Memory Associated with this CD: see above

Also on the blog:
Volume 2
Volume 3
Volume 4
Volume 5

Various Artists - Radio Daze: Pop Hits of the '80s, Vol. 2 (1995)

Disc 2 of 5. These hits (and I'm using that word loosely in some cases) were on the charts in the first half of 1980 when the soft rock kid was a top dog 8th grader at his middle school. A decent compilation, heavy on the country flavor, it loses steam near the end.

Tracks:

• With You I'm Born Again - Billy Preston & Syreeta, released November 1979, Pop #4, AC #2, R&B #86.
  In 1980, I wouldn't have normally liked a song without some sort of backbeat, but there was something about this song I liked. I wish I could tell you what it was, but I can't put my finger on it. It still holds up today.
• Pilot Of The Airwaves - Charlie Dore, released February 1980, Pop #13, AC #4.
  I've already told you how I love radio, so it shouldn't surprise you to read that this country-tinged ode to a disc jockey was a favorite of mine, particularly the a capella intro/outro.
• Him - Rupert Holmes, released January 1980, Pop #6, AC #4.
  I hadn't heard this one in years. There's nothing special about it, just a solid 3½ minutes of soft rock if you ignore the strange vocal solo. As an 8th grader, my gym classmates and I would mockingly sing this song (with slightly altered lyrics) to our first year teacher/coach, weakly trying to imply that he was gay. I'll chalk that up to 13 year old ignorance, but it's embarrassing now to think I ever acted that way. Belated apologies to that coach as well as Mr. Holmes and anyone else I offended.
• Three Times In Love - Tommy James, released December 1979, Pop #19, AC #1, Country #93.
  This doesn't do much for me, but it doesn't bother me enough to skip it. Sounds like a mid-'70s song to these ears.
• I Still Have Dreams - Richie Furay, released September 1979, Pop #39.
  Don't remember this country rock song. Furay has a fantastic falsetto voice, it's just wasted on bland material here.
• Do Right - Paul Davis, released February 1980, Pop #23, AC #4.
  Had the 45 and wore it out. The music is smooth and the vocal bridge is catchy. What bothers me is the lyrics that can't decide if this wants to be a contemporary Christian song or a love song to a woman. Plus I disagree with the basic theology here: if we have to 'do right' before God will be our guiding light, then we're all in big trouble. But I'm not much of a lyrics guy, so that's not going to keep me from liking this one.
• Biggest Part Of Me - Ambrosia, released March 1980, Pop #3, AC #3, R&B #35.
  Had this 45, too. I liked this song from the get-go. Tight harmonies, Fender Rhodes, lots of hooks - that's the ticket.
• Stomp! - The Brothers Johnson, released February 1980, Pop #7, R&B #1, Dance #1.
  What a great showcase for the bass player. This song seems out of place on this disc. Previously reviewed here. Here's what I wrote then: "I always liked this post-disco single, but it's easy to see why. The song was co-written by Rod Temperton and produced by Quincy Jones - the team that would later make Thriller. As a result, it sounds like something from that album or Off The Wall."
• We Were Meant To Be Lovers - Photoglo, released March 1980, Pop #31.
  Since I remember the words and melody to the chorus, I'm going to guess I remember this one from radio play. I'm sure it must have disturbed my mother to her young son singing this around the house.
• I Pledge My Love - Peaches & Herb, released December 1979, Pop #19, R&B #37.
  I don't remember this 6/8 fifties-flavored ballad at all. It's no Reunited, is it?
• Lost Her In The Sun - John Stewart, released November 1979, Pop #34.
  I don't remember this song, but I recognize that voice from his earlier hit Gold. Produced by Lindsey Buckingham, this sounds like a bad Fleetwood Mac track.
• Wondering Where The Lions Are - Bruce Cockburn, released December 1979, Pop #21.
  This fun nonsense song is a strange mix of folk rock over a bouncy reggae beat. It actually works, though. Reminds me of Joe Scruggs (if you had children in the '90s, you probably catch that reference).

Personal Memory Associated with this CD: During the spring of 1980, I regularly attended forensic meets with the school speech and drama team (my specialty was prose interpretation). I remember some of these songs blasting from the boom boxes on the bus trips to the meets. There also seemed to be a lot of Kenny Rogers played on those trips (The Gambler, She Believes In Me, Coward Of The County, etc.).

Also on the blog:
Volume 1
Volume 3
Volume 4
Volume 5

Various Artists - Radio Daze: Pop Hits of the '80s, Vol. 3 (1995)

Disc 3 of 5. Songs here peaked on the charts during the spring and summer of 1980 as I transitioned from junior high to high school. This CD is the first of this series that I obtained and is the strongest compilation of the five.

Tracks:

• Tired Of Toein' The Line - Rocky Burnette, released April 1980, Pop #8.
  It's not quite rockabilly, but it certainly has a '50s feel and the basic rock-and-roll I-vi-IV-V⁷-I chord progression. I had forgotten about this gem until I came across the book 99 Red Balloons and 100 Other All-Time Great One-Hit Wonders which included this song at #46. It's not a great book, but when I read about this song, I couldn't remember it just from the title. Thank goodness for YouTube - I found the song and immediately remembered listening to it during that summer on the radio. That was the summer of Glass Houses and this song fit right in.
• Steal Away - Robbie Dupree, released March 1980, Pop #6, AC #5, R&B #85.
  Yes, it's a complete rip-off of The Doobie Brothers' What A Fool Believes, but no matter. Still a sweet tune. I had the 45.
• Take A Little Rhythm - Ali Thomson, released May 1980, Pop #15, AC #4.
  Another song I didn't recognize by title alone. Driven by relentless acoustic guitar chugging, it's a catchy little thing. Just enough country influence to remind me of Pure Prairie League or England Dan & John Ford Coley.
• Fire In The Morning - Melissa Manchester, released January 1980, Pop #32.
  I either don't remember this or I've blocked it out of my memory. It's not bad, there's just not much to it. The record company must have agreed as it didn't appear on Manchester's 1983 greatest hits compilation.
• Only A Lonely Heart Sees - Felix Cavaliere, released January 1980, Pop #36, AC #2.
  Yet another song I didn't recognize by title alone. I remembered the intro and chorus, but since it peaked at #36, it probably wasn't on the radio for long. Sounds like Olivia Newton-John's mid-70s œuvre and fits perfectly here. Recently, Cavaliere has recorded a couple of albums with Steve Cropper. I've got the first one, Nudge It Up A Notch.
• Into The Night - Benny Mardones, released May 1980, Pop #11, AC #20.
  I always thought this was Steve Perry! Go figure. The rare ballad about a grown man hitting on a 16 year old girl (the video is particularly disturbing in a child predator kind of way). In 1989, a "Where Are They Now?" radio show played the track, curiously putting the song back onto the national charts, peaking this time at #20. This additional chart run makes this song the record holder for the longest-charting single of the '80s by a solo artist. I like it fine, but also expect Mardones to break into Oh Sherrie at any moment.
• Let Me Love You Tonight - Pure Prairie League, released April 1980, Pop #10, AC #1.
  Now that there is one hook-filled pop/country shuffle. With David Sanborn on alto and Vince Gill on vocals, no less. Right in my soft-rock wheelhouse.
• Midnight Rocks - Al Stewart, released August 1980, Pop #24, AC #13.
  I wouldn't consider myself a Stewart fan, but there's something about his smooth, laid back vocals that made me like all three of his top 40 hits, including this one (although my favorite is Time Passages). The saxophone tone is grating, but not so much that I'd hit the skip button.
• Why Not Me - Fred Knoblock, released June 1980, Pop #18, AC #1, Country #30.
  And here we have the true treasure of this CD. It's a sad-sack, self-pity country ballad sung from the point of view of a man attending the wedding of his former girlfriend, wondering why he's not the groom. But it reminds me of Michael Johnson's Bluer Than Blue and I loved it back in '80. Somehow I forgot about this plum until this CD showed up in my mailbox a few weeks ago. Since then, I've listened to this track an embarrassing number of times. I can't believe how many lyrics I remembered.
• Who'll Be The Fool Tonight - Larsen-Feiten Band, released June 1980, Pop #29.
  A poor man's Toto. Meh.
• Angel Say No - Tommy Tutone, released May 1980, Pop #38.
  So I guess this group wasn't a one-hit wonder. I don't remember this power pop song, but it sounds enough like The Cars and The Knack that I'm surprised it didn't hit bigger.
• You're The Only Woman (You & I) - Ambrosia, released June 1980, Pop #13, AC #5.
  Loved this smooth blue-eyed soul song then, love it still. Complete with Hammond organ solo. I always enjoyed hearing this band on the radio; I'm surprised I've never picked up a greatest hits package.

Personal Memory Associated with this CD:  I played a lot of tennis and water skied in the summer of 1980. I also swam for the local summer team (I'll spare you the pics of me in a Speedo. You're welcome). That was also the summer of "who shot J.R.?" I had fun, but I sure was nervous about moving up to high school. There were guys there with facial hair who smoked, drove Trans Ams, and could legally buy beer. Too much for the soft rock kid.

Also on the blog:
Volume 1
Volume 2
Volume 4
Volume 5

Various Artists - Radio Daze: Pop Hits of the '80s, Vol. 4 (1995)

Disc 4 of 5. These songs charted between July 1980 through February 1981 (my first semester of high school.) Not many good tracks here.

Tracks:

• One In A Million You - Larry Graham, released April 1980, Pop #9, R&B #1.
  Previously reviewed here. Here's what I said then: "I loved this song back in the summer of 1980 and it's great to hear it again. Graham was the bass player for Sly And The Family Stone and has a great voice that has similarities to Barry White. When I was 13 years old and trying desperately to figure out how to woo women, I would imagine myself singing One In A Million You to a girl in attempts to gain favor. I never tried it for reals, but I think it might have worked except for the fact that, at the time, I couldn't sing as low as Larry Graham."
• Jesse - Carly Simon, released July 1980, Pop #11.
  Carly has never been one of my favorites and this song isn't very good. It tries to be a lusty, seductive thing yet it has a children's sing-along chorus at the end? During my freshman year in high school, I was in drama class and was subjected to a classmate named Melissa earnestly lip-synching to this song for a "record pantomime" grade. It was so bad I clearly remember it 32 years later.
• Hot Rod Hearts - Robbie Dupree, released July 1980, Pop #15.
  1980 was a good time to be a yacht rocker. I always group Dupree with with fellow soft rock artist Michael Johnson, but this could just as easily be a Michael McDonald chart. I prefer his earlier hit, Steal Away (on volume 3 of this series), but this is still mighty smooth.
• Theme From The Dukes Of Hazzard (Good Ol' Boys) - Waylon Jennings, released August 1980, Pop #21, Country #1.
  I have a love/hate relationship with this one. It's familiar and I sing along with it, but more than a little too country for my tastes. What I want to remember about that TV show isn't the theme, but its continuing contribution to fashion: Daisy Dukes.
  
  
• How Do I Survive - Amy Holland, released June 1980, Pop #22.
  I don't remember this disco-ish tune from '80. Holland sounds a lot like Sheena Easton. Michael McDonald was behind this release and his hand is all over it - even the sax solo sounds like it was ripped from One Step Closer. Holland and McDonald eventually married.
• Sequel - Harry Chapin, released October 1980, Pop #23.
  Another one I don't remember. At almost seven minutes, this one is hard to take. I've never liked any of Chapin's work and I don't like his voice, so this song isn't doing anything to change my opinion of his musical work. His humanitarian work, on the other hand, demands my respect.
• Lookin' For Love - Johnny Lee, released June 1980, Pop #5, Country #1.
  As you can imagine, Urban Cowboy was huge in Houston and this song was probably played on every station in the Houston market at one time or another. I know all the words, but that doesn't mean I like it. This is so far from what I normally play, my oldest son just asked me what I was listening to.
• Empire Strikes Back (Medley: Darth Vader/Yoda's Theme) - Meco, released June 1980, Pop #18.
  Sci-fi disco? Oh, lawd, why? What might have been a good idea in 1977 had tarnished badly by 1980.
• King Of The Hill - Rick Pinette & Oak, released February 1980, Pop #36.
  I remember this one. It's an unfortunate melodramatic marriage of the styles of Barry Manilow and Styx. Let that sink in for a second.
• I'm Happy That Love Has Found You - Jimmy Hall, released September 1980, Pop #27.
  The disc makes a mild comeback with this soul-tinged southern shuffle. Another Michael McDonald sighting? That sure sounds like him on background vocals. I don't remember this one, but I probably would have liked it back in 1980.; It saves the second half of this disc, for sure.
• Killin' Time - Fred Knoblock & Susan Anton, released November 1980, Pop #28.
  Not my kind of ballad. Even though I have strange fondness for Knoblock's earlier hit (Why Not Me, on volume 3 of this series), I don't like this plodding waltz. For an actress/model, Anton isn't a bad vocalist.
• I Believe In You - Don Williams, released August 1980, Pop #24, Country #1.
  Even when this was popular, I thought it was just boring country pablum. An annoying earworm - I wish I had written it.

Personal Memory Associated with this CD: see above

Also on the blog:
Volume 1
Volume 2
Volume 3
Volume 5

Various Artists - Radio Daze: Pop Hits of the '80s, Vol. 5 (1995)

Disc 5 of 5, covering songs that peaked on the chart between November 1980 and June 1981 (my freshman year in high school). Complete with great liner notes, this is one of the stronger volumes in the series with 8 of 12 good tracks.

Tracks:

• Bette Davis Eyes - Kim Carnes, released March 1981, Pop #1, AC #15, Dance #26, Mainstream Rock #5.
  A huge hit in 1981, winning Grammys for both record and song of the year. Nine weeks at #1 and the Billboard #1 hit of the year. A great blend of synth and guitar arpeggios, I think the real hook is the synth hand claps which were novel at the time. I really like the sexy growl of Carnes' voice.
• Somebody's Knockin' - Terri Gibbs, released September 1980, Pop #13, AC #3, Country #8.
  I wasn't wild about this song when it came out and hadn't heard it in more than 30 years before buying this CD. While its simple bass line is sort of catchy and Gibbs sounds like Anne Murray, this is one of the weaker tracks on the disc.
• Just The Two Of Us - Grover Washington, Jr., released January 1981, Pop #2, AC #2, R&B #3.
  Now that's what I'm talkin' 'bout! I had the 45 in 1981, later bought Grover's 'best of' LP and replaced that with a CD. Bill Withers was the perfect vocalist for this song. While the 4 minute version is featured on this disc, I encourage you to experience the full 7½ minute version.
• Just Between You And Me - April Wine, released January 1981, Pop #21, Mainstream Rock #11.
  One of the early power ballads, this probably would have been a bigger hit had it been released a few years later. The French lyrics are needless, but the group is Canadian so I can forgive that. The song isn't bad, but power ballads haven't been my thing since I stopped going to school dances and trying to get girls to pity me and accept my invitation to a slow dance.
• If You Should Sail - Nielsen/Pearson, released August 1980, Pop #38, AC #35.
  I don't remember this yacht rock tune, but it is West Coast/AOR that is right up my alley. I'd recognize a Jerry Hey/Chuck Findley flugelhorn anywhere. Good enough to have me searching for a copy of the album it came from.
• Precious To Me - Phil Seymour, released December 1980, Pop #22, Mainstream Rock #34.
  Power pop with a definite '50s sound to it. Sounds like it should have been on the Fast Times soundtrack.
• Living Inside Myself - Gino Vannelli, released February 1981, Pop #6, AC #5, R&B #45.
  Another childhood favorite. I had the 45. That electric piano part is fantastic. As if that weren't enough, the simple upward stepwise base line in the chorus grabs me every time. In fact, I usually sing the bass line instead of the actual melody. I never tire of listening to this one.
• How 'Bout Us - Champaign, released January 1981, Pop #12, AC #1, R&B 4.
  While this isn't the greatest slow jam of all time, this soul ballad is certainly in the top 5 along with Love Won't Let Me Wait by Major Harris. Classic.
• Hearts On Fire - Randy Meisner, released December 1980, Pop #19, Mainstream Rock #14.
  I don't remember this tune and it's not grabbing me now.
• Ah! Leah! - Donnie Iris, released November 1980, Pop #29, Mainstream Rock #19.
  A classic hook-filled power pop song that I thought hit higher than #29. It was higher than 29 in my house. If I had known who sung it back in 1980 (where was the Shazam app when I needed it?), I probably would have bought the 45. Catchy guitar riffs and great harmonic vocal overdubbing. I like this one so much it was one my first iTunes downloads. Another great Iris song is Love Is Like A Rock.
• Love You Like I Never Loved Before - John O'Banion, released March 1981, Pop #24.
  More catchy AOR rock. O'Banion has a great rock voice. Sounds more than a little like Toto's Hold The Line. Could that be Steve Lukather on the guitar solo?
• Sweetheart - Franke & The Knockouts, released February 1981, Pop #10, Mainstream Rock #27.
  And we close with still more infectious AOR Toto-esque goodness with a touch of Daryl Hall's blue-eyed soul thrown in for good measure. A great way to end the series.

Personal Memory Associated with this CD: Riding around town on my Sears 10 speed bike. I had a yellow handlebar-mounted AM radio which blasted songs such as these as I rode to the store to purchase comic books and candy. I must have been as annoying as all get out.

Also on the blog:
Volume 1
Volume 2
Volume 3
Volume 4

Nelson Rangell - Yes, Then Yes (1994)

For most of the last decade, I would spend great amounts of time pouring over rack after rack of used CDs. If I was familiar with an smooth jazz artist and didn't already own the CD, I would usually pick it up for background music at work. That's how I picked this up and it's perfectly fine for that purpose. I still like looking through the used CDs, but streaming music has all but ended my purchase of smooth jazz CDs for work.

Rangell's tone on alto sounds so much like David Sanborn, it's safe to say that if you enjoy one, you'll enjoy the other. He's a talented player, its just that he really doesn't have any playing or writing characteristics that set him apart from other smooth jazzers. This disc is a great time capsule that perfectly illustrates the state of smooth jazz in 1994 as the grooves got more R&B-ish and, thankfully, artists began transitioning away from excessive programming/drum machines and got back to using real musicians. The few tracks with programming are painfully obvious here and haven't aged well.

Peak on the US Billboard Top 200 chart: Did not chart

Tracks: My top picks are the title track, The Runaround, and Time Will Tell. There's a sappy cover of Vanessa Williams/Brian McKnight hit Love Is that you'll want to skip. While Rangell has an good flute tone, I've never been much for jazz flute, so I'll usually skip Star Stream and Child's Play.

Personal Memory Associated with this CD: The last time I pulled out this CD, I was planning a trip to Denver in April 2010 for a conference. As is my custom at such events, I spent much more time planning my evenings on the town than planning my schedule at the actual conference. At the time, Rangell had a weekly Sunday night gig at a downtown Denver jazz club. So I added that to my schedule and gave this CD a listen just in case he was still playing any 16 year old material (hey, you never know...). On that evening, I walked over to the club only to find that Rangell was gone on vacation that week <sad trombone sound>. I quickly found out there are very few entertainment options in downtown Denver on a Sunday night.

Previously revisited for the blog:
Playing For Keeps (1989)

OK Go - Oh No (2005)

Yeah, I bought this CD because of the video for Here It Goes Again, what's your point? It's a solid collection of New Wave-ish power pop. I burned out on it quickly and don't listen to it anymore, which is probably a mistake since this is more or less "new" '80s music.

Peak on the US Billboard Top 200 chart: #69

Tracks:  Most of the tracks start to sound the same to me after a while. The first 5 tracks are all good, then, like many '80s albums, it starts to fall apart at the end, particularly It's A Disaster, Let It Rain, The House Wins and the final hidden track:

According to Newbury Comics, the hidden track is 35 minutes of singer Damian Kulash's girlfriend sleeping. It has been rumored the track was included to prevent the band's label from using the extra disc space for Digital Rights Management software. That's fine if that's your cause, but it makes listening to the entire CD for this blog more of a chore than a pleasure.

Personal Memory Associated with this CD:  This CD got quite a workout on my drives to and from grad school classes in 2006, and while I liked the music, I never did any reading about the band or listened to anything else they released. I guess I was too busy with that grad school mess.

Paul McCartney - Wingspan: Hits and History (2001)

Big Paul fan here. Seeing him live in 2005 was one of my life's concert-going highlights (recounted here and here). This is a 40 track double disc set with disc one being the "hits" and the second disc titled "History" which features longtime fan favorites that, for the most part, weren't released as singles. Curiously (or wisely), none of the hit duets with Stevie Wonder or Michael Jackson appear here. An accompanying TV documentary was released at the same time. Very minor complaints: 1) I would have preferred chronological order, 2) the omission of both Arrow Through Me (1979, #29) and Getting Closer (1979, #20), and 3) the inclusion of the 1970 album version of Maybe I'm Amazed. Would have preferred the 1977 live version that reached #10.

Peak on the US Billboard Top 200 chart: #2

Tracks:  If you're reading this, you're most likely familiar with most of these tunes, so let's try something different today - a quick recap of peak US chart positions and my preferred tacks (✔):

Disc 1 (Hits):

• Listen To What The Man Said (1975, #1) ✔
• Band On The Run (1974, #1) ✔
• Another Day (1971, #5) ✔
• Live And Let Die (1973, #2) ✔
• Jet (1974, #7) ✔
• My Love (1973, #1) ✔
• Silly Love Songs (1976, #1) ✔
• Pipes Of Peace (1983, US B-side) ✔
• C Moon (1972, did not chart)
• Hi Hi Hi (1972, #10)
• Let 'Em In (1976, #3) ✔
• Goodnight Tonight (1979, #5) ✔
• Junior's Farm (1974, #3)
• Mull of Kintyre (1977, did not chart)
• Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey (1971, #1) ✔
• With A Little Luck (1978, #1) ✔
• Coming Up (Live at Glasgow, 1980, #1) ✔
• No More Lonely Nights (1984, #6)

Disc 2 (History):

• Let Me Roll It (1974, did not chart) ✔
• The Lovely Linda (1970, not released as a single) ✔
• Daytime Nighttime Suffering (1979, B-side)
• Maybe I'm Amazed (1970, not released as a single) ✔
• Helen Wheels (1974, #10)
• Bluebird (1974, B-side) ✔
• Heart Of The Country (1971, B-side)
• Every Night (1970, not released as a single)
• Take It Away (1982, #10) ✔
• Junk (1970, not released as a single) ✔
• Man We Was Lonely (1970, not released as a single)
• Venus And Mars/Rockshow (1975, #12)
• The Back Seat Of My Car (1971, not released as a single in US) ✔
• Rockestra Theme (1979, not released as a single in US) ✔
• Girlfriend (1978, not released as a single)
• Waterfalls (1980, #106)
• Tomorrow (1971, not released as a single) ✔
• Too Many People (1971, B-side) ✔
• Call Me Back Again (1975, not released as a single) ✔
• Tug Of War (1982, #53) ✔
• Bip Bop/Hey Diddle (1971, previously unreleased)
• No More Lonely Nights (Playout Version) (1984, B-side)

Personal Memory Associated with this CD: With A Little Luck really got to me today and that totally caught me off guard. 1978 was a year of transition for me and hearing the song this time brought back memories of those transitions. Hard to explain - painful, but comforting at the same time.

Previously revisited for the blog:
Chaos And Creation In The Backyard (2005)
Flaming Pie (1997)
Unplugged: The Official Bootleg (1991)
All The Best! (1987)
Tug of War (1982)

Blog post #900

Various Artists - Super Rare Disco, Vol. 2 (1997)

As I've written here many times: God help me, I love disco. Sure, it's formulaic, calculated, and predictable, but for me the fun, danceable mindlessness is part of the allure. However, you can only listen to so many disco movie soundtracks, compilations, and greatest hits packages before you feel the need for something new. Escort certainly helped with that, as did my embarrassingly recent discovery of the We Are Family album. My search for new disco led to this compilation of tracks I didn't recognize by name. It's a wonderfully sequenced disc of 20 tracks from 1972-1980, full of lots of high-hats, wah-wah guitar, and string arrangements. In almost every track you can find something that makes you think, "So THAT'S where that sample came from!" Or, in the case of Let's Start The Dance, you think, "So THAT's where C&C Music Factory shamelessly lifted that!"

Allmusic nitpicks a little bit: "A mistitled CD, while some cuts are rare, others can be found easily," but later admits that "these 20 movers are more than enough to spark any party." If I were to nitpick, it would be about the muddy sound of the disc mastering. There is a trade-off worth noting: more tracks means that most tracks are the 7" singles, not longer album cuts. But I'm glad I picked this up. In most of the tracks, disco's roots in funk and soul music is evident. It's not new, but it's new to me. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm off to do the bump.

Tracks: Before picking up this gem, I wasn't familiar with of any of these songs save the cover of If My Friends Could See Me Now by Linda Clifford. I had previously heard of a few of the groups here (Hues Corporation, The Trammps, The Main Ingredient, and Gil-Scott Heron) and Hamilton Bohannon was famously name-checked in Genius of Love, but everyone else was a new (and welcome) discovery for me. While I recommend listening start to finish, my favorites today are Overnight Sensation by Jerry Knight (formerly of Raydio), Happiness Is Just Around The Bend by The Main Ingredient, This Will Be A Night To Remember by powerhouse Eddie Holman, Down To Love Town by The Originals, and Ten Percent by Double Exposure.

Chart info from the Billboard Disco charts, which began in October, 1974:

Year	Title	Artist	Chart
1978	Let's Start The Dance	Hamilton Bohannon	7
1975	Somebody's Gotta Go (Sho Ain't Me)	Mike & Bill	5
1980	Overnight Sensation	Jerry Knight	18
1978	If My Friends Could See Me Now	Linda Clifford	1
1973	When The Fuel Runs Out	Executive Suite
1975	Think Before You Stop	Notations
1972	Zing Went The Strings Of My Heart	The Trammps
1977	I Caught Your Act	The Hues Corporation	3
1974	Happiness Is Just Around The Bend	The Main Ingredient
1975	Every Beat Of My Heart	Crown Heights Affair	2
1975	There'll Come A Time, There'll Come A Day	Basic Black And Pearl
1973	Smarty Pants	First Choice
1977	This Will Be A Night To Remember	Eddie Holman	20
1976	Down To Love Town	The Originals	1
1979	Mainline	Black Ivory	57
1974	The Bottle	Gil Scott-Heron/Brian Jackson
1976	Ten Percent	Double Exposure	2
1975	Sending Out An S.O.S.	Retta Young
1980	Remote Control	The Reddings	22
1979	Love Insurance	Front Page	5

Personal Memory Associated with this CD: None as this CD was acquired last month. Volume two was easy to find on the retail market; volume one is proving to be a challenge.

Gabriel Fauré & Maurice Duruflé - Requiems (1987)

Robert Shaw conducting the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra & Chorus. Recorded in Symphony Hall, Atlanta, November 25, 1985 and May 24, 1986.

Both the Fauré Requiem, Op. 48 (1888) and the Duruflé Requiem, Op. 9 (1947) are highly regarded and the performances here are quite good. Of the two, I prefer the ethereal, moody, Renaissance chant style of the Duruflé. However, if I'm in the mood for classical music, I usually don't opt for French composers. I'm also biased towards instrumental music over choral works. And when I listen to a Requiem mass, I always pull out the incomparable Mozart work. Sadly, therefore, there's not much need for me to own this CD.

Personal Memory Associated with this CD: I've heard both of these pieces performed live, but I can't remember much about either performance. When I was studying music in college, I heard the university chorus perform the work at the local Methodist church (in order to use their organ). I liked it well enough, but probably wouldn't have attended if I hadn't needed recital credit that semester. About the same time, my music history class had reached the late 19th century. Serendipitously, all that happened when this recording hit the market.

In my mind, I was an emerging musical scholar [insert eyeroll here] and spent much time in the classical sections of record/CD stores in the mid to late '80s. You remember those classical sections? They were enclosed soundproofed rooms in the back of the store where only we elitist, snobby cognoscenti dared to tread. In any case, it seemed that around 1987 I saw the cover of this particular CD in every store I entered. It always called out to me, saying, "If you want to consider yourself a REAL musician, you MUST study these works. Here you have the definitive interpretations. It doesn't get any better than this!" I tried to ignore the mocking as long as I could, but as you can see, it wore me down. Strangely, as soon as I made the purchase the CD stopped talking to me, content to sit quietly on the shelf.

Chuck Mangione - An Evening of Magic: Live at The Hollywood Bowl (1979)

Note: this release was originally purchased as a 2 LP set, later replaced by this CD set.

Recorded in Los Angeles, July 16, 1978.

At the peak of his popularity, Mangione (and A&M Records) wanted to cash in with a live album. You can't blame them - how often can a jazz instrumentalist turn a such a profit? His surprise single, Feels So Good, peaked at #4 on the pop charts just a month before this album was recorded. 4 of the 15 tracks come from the Feels So Good album - the astute Mangione was savvy enough to both open and close the concert with the hit single. Another 5 tracks come from the predecessor to Feels So Good, 1976's Main Squeeze album. The rest of the concert explores his earlier catalog with the exception of the Main Theme to the soundtrack from the movie Children Of Sanchez that made up the dreaded "now we'd like to play something from our new album" part of the concert. The whole thing is Mangione's brand of instrumental white boy funk meets jazz/pop which, at the time, was right in the wheelhouse of this teenaged trumpet player trying to expand his musical horizons. Not as good as the later 1980 live album Tarentella (which, to my knowledge, has yet to be reissued digitally in any format), it has kept me company often throughout the years (see memory below).

I'm glad the CD reissue included the original liner notes because they are unintentionally humorous. The whole recap of the weekend concert is written in the same vainglorious style. My take: "Conditions were against us! Traffic in LA was too much! The July heat was nearing 100 degrees! Code Red! Situation: critical! I don't know how we pulled off this miracle of a concert, but we did! Indeed, it was an evening of magic." Hilarious.

Press of the time:

• Stereo Review: "attractive enough in its own, highly commercial way"
• CashBox: "hard to resist"
• Billboard: "designed for relaxed entertaining"
• DownBeat (★): "there is almost nothing here that Mangione has performed better in the past"

Maybe Chuck got some airplay on WKRP?
for more posters as seen on WKRP in Cincinnati, click here

Album chart peaks:

• US Billboard 200: #27
• Billboard Jazz: #5
• CashBox: #37
• CashBox Jazz: #3
• Rolling Stone: #53

Tracks:  My favorites are Feels So Good and Land Of Make Believe. I'm not much for the Children of Sanchez stuff.

Personal Memory Associated with this CD:  I love this album, if only for nostalgia's sake. I got my album set from one of those Columbia House "12 for a Penny" promos and listened to it only rarely (who has time for a 2 LP set when you've got important high school stuff to do?). However, in college, it became an important part of a routine that hasn't varied much since then. During my freshman year of college, I needed to write a paper for English class that was due on a Monday. Respecting time-honored traditions, I waited until Sunday to get started. For some reason, I selected this album to listen to as I wrote. Everything went well; I made an A in the course. From that point on, Monday due dates meant Sunday morning writing while listening to Mangione's Live At The Hollywood Bowl. When I started grad school back in 1998, I found the recording on CD and began using it as background music while I wrote exciting papers along the lines of "The Effect of Calculator Use on Mathematics Achievement for Urban Elementary School Students." Mozart called this 'musical wallpaper' as he would often compose music to be played in the background at royal social gatherings back in his day. To this day, this album is still my "go to" music when I need to hunker down and get some serious writing done.

Also, I had a good friend in high school named Missy that saw Chuck in concert around 1980 and brought me this pinback from the show:

Previously revisited for the blog:
Everything For Love (2000)
Feels So Good (1977)
Land Of Make Believe (1973)

The Best of Earl Klugh (1991)

12 tracks culled from albums Klugh released between 1976-1984. I listened to the smooth sounds of Klugh's nylon-string acoustic guitars quite a bit in college and his music still shuffles around frequently on my "at work" playlists. It's interesting to hear the earlier tracks because what we consider smooth jazz today was in its infancy back in the late '70s and there weren't many artists attempting this music when there was so much fast money to be made in disco. Klugh's work isn't terribly adventurous, but he plays what he plays and he's developed quite a following doing that. After being introduced to Klugh via Late Night Guitar around 1985 by a close friend, I purchased a few of his albums. I saw this compilation CD sitting in a used bin about 8 years ago; it's been a good addition to the collection.

Peak on the US Billboard Top 200 chart: Did not chart

Tracks:

Top tracks are Tropical Legs, Dr. Macumba, Livin' Inside Your Love, and Wishful Thinking. Speaking of wishful thinking, I wish they had included Take It From The Top.

Personal Memory Associated with this CD:  None

Previously revisited for the blog:
Midnight in San Juan (1991)
Volume One (1991)
Collaboration (1987)
Soda Fountain Shuffle (1985)
Two of a Kind (1982)
Late Night Guitar (1980)

Al Jarreau - Breakin' Away (1981)

I was a huge fan of producer Jay Graydon's West Coast sound before I even knew there was a name for that subgenre. Now I'm an all-in, unapologetic lover of this smooth stuff (why should music that is pleasant immediately be dismissed as shallow or inferior?). Half-time shuffles, lots of Fender Rhodes, tasty horn licks, and the usual West Coast session cats. While this album as a whole isn't quite as good as its follow-up, Jarreau, it runs a very close second. Those two together are a great pairing, for sure. The music is so positive and Jarreau just sounds like he's happy and having a great time. It's contagious. Case in point: on one of my early songwriting attempts around 1983 or '84, after many hours of hard work, I realized all I had done is rip off the title track of this album. It was completely derivative, but at least it was my derivation (I think I titled my song 'Til I Met You). At the very least, it was an indication of how deep this music had embedded itself into my subconscious around that time.

Press of the time:

• Billboard: "Jarreau always seems to be in full control"
• CashBox: "fresh, light, and consistent."
• Rolling Stone (★★★): "An engaging mixture of strutting slow songs and jazzy set pieces"
• Record World: "What Jarreau does with his voice can only be compared to smiling, laughing or dancing."
• Stereo Review: "can be listened to many times without exhausting its many possibilities."
• Record Mirror (★★★★): "another fine and pleasing package"

Album chart peaks:

• US Billboard 200: #9
• Billboard Jazz: #1
• Billboard R&B: #1
• CashBox: #9
• CashBox Jazz: #1
• Rolling Stone: #9

Tracks: I can't pick a favorite; I enjoy the whole thing. On the rare occasions when I skip a track, it's the cover of Brubeck's Blue Rondo A La Turk.

Personal Memory Associated with this CD: For the most part, this album takes me back to early '80s young innocence. However, one day when I was giving a friend a ride in college, I had my dubbed cassette copy of this album in my Pioneer deck. At the opening scatting of track 4, Easy, she turned to me, scrunched up her face, and said something like, "You sure listen to some weird music, Mark." I guess she would have been happier if I had been playing Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go. Ironically, I sang some weird music at her wedding a few years later.

Not too long after that ride, I was giving a ride to another college friend when the final track, a cover of the 1953 pop standard Teach Me Tonight, came on. Dare I call it the definitive version of the song? My passenger just closed his eyes and said, "Preach on, brother! Listen to him. He wants his squeeze to teach him right! And he wants her teach him tonight! Sing it!" Preach on, Al.

Previously revisited for the blog:
Givin' It Up (2006)
L is for Lover (1986)
High Crime (1984)
Jarreau (1983)

INXS - Kick (1987)

Note: the CD I listened to was the original 1987 release, not any of the subsequent re-releases/bonus editions/deluxe editions/anniversary editions.

I was a marginal INXS fan in the early '80s. Singer Michael Hutchence is arguably one of the best frontmen of the '80s. I liked their songs The One Thing and Original Sin and owned a cassette version of the band's 1983 EP, Dekadance, which included a fantastic extended mix of the former. Sadly, that tape is no longer in my collection. I officially became a fan of the band with 1985's Listen Like Thieves album which I had on a dubbed C-90 cassette (Wang Chung's To Live and Die in L.A. was on the flip side.) Then, when I heard the tasty mix of hook-filled dance music and rock music in this album, I was blown away. It was fun to listen to back then and it still sounds good today.

Press of the time:

• Billboard: "uncompromising, purebred rock'n'roll"
• CashBox: "focused, vital effort"
• Robert Christgau (B): "danceable rock and roll that sounds smart"
• LA Times (★★½ ): "aims to put the rock back into dance-rock and the rhythm back into rhythm guitar."

Album chart peaks:

• US Billboard 200: #3
• Billboard Pop CD: #1
• CashBox CD: #1
• Rolling Stone: #1

Tracks: New Sensation rivals What You Need for my favorite INXS song. My other top picks are Need You Tonight/Mediate, Wild Life, and Kick. It's pretty much a great collection of songs from top to bottom. The only song I don't particularly care for is the ballad, Never Tear Us Apart, but that song was a #7 hit in August 1988, so I must be in the minority.

Personal Memory Associated with this CD:  Even though it was released in 1987, this album was a large part of the soundtrack to my summer in 1988 (usually referred to on this blog as "The Lost Summer of Mark"), which means it was in heavy rotation on my car stereo as I drove from summer school in Commerce to my job at a book warehouse in Greenville. I'm also reminded of a party at my rental house that summer (in August, maybe?). It was a pretty good party, but by about two in the morning, I was ready for it to be over. It seems I was the only one. So I walked down the block to the laundromat parking lot, piled into the back of my girlfriend's father's cargo van, and passed out until the next morning. Good times.

Of course, who could forget the 2005 reality TV show Rock Star: INXS with beautiful host Brooke Burke? (luv ya, Brooke! Call me.)

Al Green - More Greatest Hits (1998)

Because there's no such thing as too much Al Green.

Album chart peaks:

• US Billboard 200: Did not chart
• Billboard R&B: #78

Tracks:  Since the definitive version of Green's hits was already released, this follow-up volume contains minor hits, album tracks, soundtrack contributions, and rarities. The real treasure here is the "long version" of Let's Stay Together that clocks in at 4:48. Also included are Green classics like Take Me To The River, For The Good Times, and How Can You Mend A Broken Heart. To be honest, I could do without the 1989 Al B. Sure collaboration, As Long As We're Together.

Personal Memory Associated with this CD: None

Previously revisited for the blog:
Lay It Down (2008)
Everything's OK (2005)
I Can't Stop (2003)
Greatest Gospel Hits (2000)
Greatest Hits (1975)

Ben Folds Five - The Sound of the Life of the Mind (2012)

In 2012, I warmly welcomed back Ben Folds Five after a long absence. The group was easily one of the best bands of the 1990s and, even with Folds' solo work keeping me company, it had been too long. Folds plays a much more percussive piano when he's with these guys and I missed Robert Sledge's distorted bass. This is the trio's first studio album since 1999's The Unauthorized Biography of Reinhold Messner, but I didn't care for that album or Naked Baby Photos, so I'm going to think of this as their first studio album since 1997's Whatever And Ever Amen. Great stuff here; I like the way Folds' songwriting has matured. He seemingly grew up listening to the same music as me, has a great ear for melody, and likes to throw in some unexpected chord progressions from time to time. Add some lyrics so clever I actually pay attention to them and, baby, you got a stew goin'. A solid return to form; if they ever decide to travel to my corner of the world, I need to catch their act live ASAP.

Currently, this is my second favorite BFF album to Whatever And Ever Amen. In addition to some great songs, I enjoy the artwork by Eric Joyner.

Peak on the US Billboard Top 200 chart:  #10

Tracks:  It's not often that an album leads off with the weakest track, but that's the case here. As a result, I usually skip Erase Me and start with the second track. But one bad track of ten isn't a bad batting average at all. My favorite track is Draw A Crowd, no contest. Other highlights are Michael Praytor Five Years Later, and the final trio of tracks: Hold That Thought, Away When You Were Here, and Thank You For Breaking My Heart. The last song's most obvious influences aren't Billy Joel or Todd Rundgren, but all the European composers from the Romantic Era whose sonatas and etudes Folds must have played thousands of times in piano lessons as a youth.

Personal Memory Associated with this CD:  Once purchased, this CD (on repeat) kept me company on a five hour drive to San Antonio in October 2012. I'll confess to listening to Draw A Crowd more than the other tracks.

Previously revisited for the blog:
Lonely Avenue (2010)
Naked Baby Photos (1998)
Ben Folds Five (1995)

Eye To Eye - Eye To Eye/Shakespeare Stole My Baby (1982/1983)

The sum is much less than the whole of its parts. Part Steely Dan, part Basia, part Toto, and all mediocre. In college, I read every issue of Rolling Stone magazine from cover to cover as soon as it hit my mailbox. In one issue, I read that this group's music was produced by Gary Katz, the producer of Steely Dan. I had never heard of the group, but I thought I'd give them a shot and eventually found a cut-out cassette of Shakespeare Stole My Baby. Some of my favorite studio players were there (Larry Carlton, Jimmy Haslip, Jerry Hey, Steve Lukather, even guest appearances from Steely Dan's Donald Fagen) but the songwriting was just too weak to grab me no matter how good the playing and production was. Still, I listened to it every now and then because I thought it was one of those albums you have to listen to a few times before you get it.

In 2006, I picked up this 2002 compilation CD because I found myself singing the chorus of the title track (strange how the mind works). I found a cheap copy and listened to it to see how much I remembered. Not much, it turns out. It tries to be jazz/pop but the grooves are more static than smooth. Listening to it makes me more anxious than relaxed. I had never heard the group's self-titled album, but it was included on this two-fer. I gave it a shot, but meh. I prefer the Shakespeare album over the debut, but that's most likely because I was already familiar with the later album.

Other than the playing credits, there are no liner notes, which is unforgivable for a reissue.

Album chart Peaks

• US Billboard 200: Eye To Eye: #99; Shakespeare Stole My Baby did not chart
• CashBox: Eye to Eye: #121; Shakespeare Stole My Baby did not chart

Musician, May 1982

Tracks:  On the first album, the song Nice Girls is an ok pop song (it hit #37 on the charts), but just ok, as is Physical Attraction. The rest are harmless, but I've got the urge to skip More Hopeless Knowledge and Progress Ahead.

On Shakespeare Stole My Baby, the best tracks are Falling For A Funny One and T.W.A. Sari. I almost hate to admit that I like the silly nonsense of Jabberwocky. I'll skip Something Good and Mermaid Man.

Personal Memory Associated with this CD:  The Shakespeare cassette accompanied me and some college fraternity brothers and sorority sisters on an adventurous trip to NW Arkansas for a district fraternity/sorority convention (Spring 1987, I believe). As you can probably guess, memories of that drunken weekend are sketchy at best, but this cassette was there for all of it. I remember a car breaking down and 6 people riding in a two-door Ford Escort with my future wife sitting on my lap to make enough room for everybody. Not surprisingly, car sickness was also involved at some point. That was the same trip in which I was introduced to the music of Blowfly. Note: there are no Blowfly CDs in my collection.

Down to the Bone - Future Boogie (2009)

While Down to the Bone are still considered to be an acid jazz outfit, the musical mind of of the group's chief composer, producer, and arranger Stuart Wade has gotten a lot funkier as he's gotten older. To me, that's a good thing. Lots of horns, handclaps, and funky basslines to be had. Lots of solid soloing, particularly Neil Angilley's turns on the Rhodes piano, Hammond organ, and other various keyboards. They do what they do quite well; the only downside is that this group of tunes, like most DTTB releases, can't fight their sonic similarities and start to run together after a while. However, I always enjoy it when a DTTB track turns up on a shuffle, particularly at work: a mid-day chair dance is always welcome at that place.

Peak on the US Billboard Top 200 chart: Did not chart

Tracks: The title track wouldn't be out of place as a deep cut on the Saturday Night Fever soundtrack. I also like the syncopated beat of Spiderlegs and the closing groove of We've Always Got The Music. The two collaborations with Hil St Soul are good and I don't normally enjoy vocal tracks on a mostly instrumental jazz album. My least favorite track is Get On It.

Personal Memory Associated with this CD: none

Previously revisited for the blog:
Supercharged (2007)
Cellar Funk (2004)
Crazy Vibes and Things (2002)
The Urban Grooves (1999)