Crowded House - Recurring Dream: The Very Best Of Crowded House (1996)

I never really got into Crowded House in the late '80s, but I have a former co-worker who mentions them quite often as one of his favorite groups. So when I saw this compilation CD in a used bin, I thought maybe I was missing something and should give them a more comprehensive listen. After giving all these tracks a fair shake, I reckon the album has its moments but I guess I'm still missing something. I prefer spinning Squeeze or Neil Finn's earlier band, Split Enz. Sorry, Brad, I gave it a shot.

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

Tracks: I will admit you really get some bang for your buck with 19 tracks crammed onto one disc.

	Title	Year	Aus	NZ	US Rock	US Pop
1	Weather With You	1992	27	9
2	World Where You Live	1986	43		45	65
3	Fall At Your Feet	1991	31	24		75
4	Locked Out	1994	79		8	120
5	Don't Dream It's Over	1986	8	1	11	2
6	Into Temptation	1988	59	38
7	Pineapple Head	1994		50
8	When You Come	1988	27
9	Private Universe	1994	46
10	Not the Girl You Think You Are	1996	37	41
11	Instinct	1996	90	17
12	I Feel Possessed	1990	93
13	Four Seasons In One Day	1992	47	33	28
14	It's Only Natural	1991	15	31	5
15	Distant Sun	1993	23	5	26	113
16	Something So Strong	1987	18	3	10	7
17	Mean To Me	1986	26
18	Better Be Home Soon	1988	2	2	18	42
19	Everything Is Good For You	1996	10

I dig the radio hits and have always thought the opening guitar from Don't Dream It's Over was one of the best licks on the radio in '86. If I had to pick a favorite, it would be Something So Strong. As you might guess, I was previously unfamiliar with most of the tracks here, but the "new" cuts that caught my ear were World Where You Live, Pineapple Head, and Mean To Me.

Personal Memory Associated with this CD: None.

The Blue Nile - Peace At Last (1996)

My introduction to The Blue Nile is documented in my post for their 1989 album Hats, but not long after enjoying that album, I bought two other Blue Nile CDs, including this one. The music here is somewhat similar to Hats, but it incorporates some acoustic instruments and many tunes openly embrace gospel influences. Nevertheless, Peace At Last retains the introspective mood of previous albums; mood and atmosphere are as important to the music as melody. I hate to use a word from the album title to describe the album, but I certainly find this one to be quite peaceful.

I don't often mention lyrical content, but the religious overtones here cannot be ignored. Words such as prayers, saviour, peace, Jesus, angels, God, holy, mercy, etc. are liberally sprinkled throughout most of the tracks.

Press of the time:

• NME (3/10): "there are desperately few redeeming features to 'Peace At Last' at all."
• Entertainment Weekly (B): "lacks the poignant urgency of its predecessor."
• CashBox: "a real underground find, even though it's on a major label."
• Rolling Stone (★★): "predictably overwrought"
• Musician: feature article in the August 1996 issue

Album chart peaks:

• US Billboard 200: Did not chart
• Billboard Heatseekers: #48

Tracks: I don't often say this about full albums, but this one plays like one long track. Perfectly sequenced. While there's some variance in tempi from song to song, the whole thing is slow to mid-tempo with most cuts below 100 b.p.m.

Personal Memory Associated with this CD: Man-oh-man I wish I had come across this back in '96. This would have been perfect music for me as I entered my thirties.

Previously revisited for the blog:
Hats (1989)

Liz Story with Joel Di Bartolo (1996)

Described on the back cover as "Melodic piano voicings of romantic standards from the 1920's and '30's [sic] including classics by Gershwin, Johnny Mercer and Cole Porter - along with enchanting contemporary ballads."

Classy dinner party music. You can't go wrong with standards - that's why they're standards - and bassist Joel Di Bartolo adds some nice touches to the arrangements (Story and Di Bartolo were married at the time of recording). Still, I'm putting this one in the "good, not great" category and will probably stick with Story's solo improvisation releases, especially Speechless. For more about this self-titled release, here's an article about the album from Billboard magazine: Windham Hill's Liz Story Reaches Beyond New Age (Oct 5, 1996) or you can visit the 1996 Windham Hill website thanks to the Internet Archive Wayback Machine: windham.com.

Album chart peaks:

• US Billboard 200: Did not chart
• Billboard New Age: #22

Tracks with composer and year of publication:

1. The Very Thought Of You - Ray Noble, 1934 ✔
2. Memories of You - Eubie Blake, 1930
3. Someone To Watch Over Me - George Gershwin, 1926 ✔
4. Church of Trees - Liz Story, 1990 ✔
5. Mack The Knife - Kurt Weill, 1928
6. I Thought About You - Jimmy Van Heusen, 1939
7. In The Still Of The Night - Cole Porter, 1937
8. Elm - Richard Beirach, 1979
9. I Can't Get Started - Vernon Duke, 1936
10. Ana - Liz Story, 1986

Personal Memory Associated with this CD: None

Previously revisited for the blog:
The Gift (1994)
Escape of the Circus Ponies (1990)
Speechless (1988)
Part Of Fortune (1986)
Solid Colors (1982)

Various Artists - Welcome To The Ultra-Lounge (1996)

Capitol's Ultra-Lounge series is consistently inconsistent, so I usually stay away from them when I see them in used bins, but I simply couldn't resist the attractive packaging of this sampler. Turns out it is commonly referred to as the "Fuzzy Leopard" sampler and the faux-leopard skin packaging won a Grammy Award for Best Recording Package in 1997.

As for the music, it's mostly from the 1950s and 1960s in such genres as exotica, lounge, cha-cha, space age pop, mambo, and TV themes. The liner notes (and vintage website) describe it thusly:

The neon above the door reads Ultra-Lounge. Enter, and you step back in time. Not too far back. Just a few decades. Back to a time when "revolution" meant watering down your scotch with ice. Back to an era when "evolution" meant taking out the olive and putting in an onion. When Generation X was a secret atomic weapon coveted by secret agents and Cold War spies.

This is a place clothed in leopard and sharkskin. An era bathed in gimlets, hi-balls, straight-up, on the rocks, shaken, not stirred, hi-octane elixirs dressed in garish garni. A time viewed through the seductive haze of slow-burning gazes. Where lipstick-kissed cigarettes ashtray-dance with cigar stubs and cherry stems.

The atmosphere mambos to a soundtrack of cool. Rumbling saxophones, jazzy vibes, over-heated Hammonds, and the sexy chill of a brush across a cymbal. Bold, exotic rhythms strut to the cough and cacophony of the Atomic-Age.

So pour yourself a cocktail, slip off your shoes, shuffle across the shag to your favorite easy chair and enjoy the intoxicating taste of the Ultra-Lounge.

And at 24 tracks over 67 minutes, there's a lot of lounging to do. 2 songs each from the first 12 volumes of the series.

Peak on the US Billboard 200 chart: Did not chart

Tracks, with my favorites indicated (✔):

Title	Artist	Year
Selections from Mondo Exotica
Swamp Fire	Martin Denny	1959
Voodoo Dreams/Voodoo	Les Baxter	1959
Selections from Mambo Fever
Taki Rari	Yma Sumac	1954
Glow Worm Cha-Cha-Cha	Jackie Davis	1959
Selections from Space-Capades
Holiday For Strings ✔	The Voices of Walter Schumann	1951
Lonesome Road	Dean Elliott & His Big Band	1962
Selections from Bachelor Pad Royale
Theme From Route 66	Nelson Riddle & His Orchestra	1962
Melancholy Serenade	King Curtis	1964
Selections from Wild, Cool & Swingin'
Jump, Jive An' Wail ✔	Louis Prima	1956
More ✔	Bobby Darin	1964
Selections from Rhapsodesia
Girl Talk ✔	Howard Roberts	1965
Go Slow	Julie London	1957
Selections from The Crime Scene
The Peter Gunn Theme ✔	Ray Anthony	1958
Search For Vulcan (from "Thunderball")	Leroy Holmes	1966
Selections from Cocktail Capers
The Pink Panther Theme	Hollywood Studio Orchestra	1964
Teach Me Tiger	April Stevens	1960
Selections from Cha-Cha De Amor
Cha-Cha-Cha d'Amour	Dean Martin	1962
So Nice (Samba de Verão) ✔	Billy May	1972
Selections from A Bachelor In Paris
French Rat Race	The Double Six Of Paris	1960
I Love Paris	Jack Costanzo	1960
Selections from Organs In Orbit
Rockhouse ✔	The Ernie Freeman Combo	1963
Mr. Ghost Goes to Town	The John Buzon Trio	1959
Selections from Saxophobia
Bernie's Tune	Curley Hamner/Milt Buckner	1962
Tanya	Plas Johnson	1963

Personal Memory Associated with this CD: Back in the late 1990's, I bought a copy of volume 4 of the series, Bachelor Pad Royale, because I dug the retro design and the fact that it had Route 66 on the track listing. Silly me didn't read that it was the theme to the Route 66 TV show and not a version of the standard (Get Your Kicks On) Route 66. So I was disappointed in it from the get-go and probably didn't give a proper chance. But when my father passed all his vinyl down to me a couple of years later, I was captivated with the album cover of Martin Denny's Exotica album that he must have listened to when he was in college.

However, I didn't care much for that, either. Then I had a friend/co-worker who liked to spin these Ultra-Lounge discs while we had "cocktails" in his apartment. (His idea of a cocktail was limited to mixing Coke and Wild Turkey, but it was free booze so I certainly didn't complain.) It was then I learned how hit-or-miss the Ultra-Lounge compilations were.

Previously revisited for the blog:
Christmas Cocktails (1996)

A Dave Brubeck Christmas (1996)

New to me this year. Just Brubeck, a piano, and (mostly) familiar tunes. A little bit of something for everybody: some stride piano, some cocktail piano, some New Age, some lullaby, some jazz with wild chord substitutions, etc. Brubeck somehow manages to make old tunes new again without sacrificing melody or mood. Relaxing, restorative, recommended.

Liner notes written by Brubeck himself.

Ratings:

• The Penguin Guide to Jazz (5th ed., 2000): ★★★
• The Virgin Encyclopedia of Jazz (1999): ★

Album chart peaks:

• US Billboard 200: Did not chart
• Billboard Jazz: #3

Tracks: 14 of 'em in 56 minutes and don't skip a one.

Personal Memory Associated with this CD: None

Previously revisited for the blog:
Dave Brubeck's Greatest Hits (1966)

Luscious Jackson - Naked Eye (1996)

CD single

Back in 1996-97 - spurred on by Scott, a close friend since junior high - I went through a dance/disco phase in which I purchased a lot of dance CDs, both full albums and CD singles. I liked Naked Eye so much I bought the Fever In Fever Out CD without batting an eye. To my recollection, none of the other tracks measured up to Naked Eye so that CD wasn't on my shelves for very long. Heck, I probably just gave the thing to Scott. Fast forward a couple of decades and I see this single in the clearance bin and figure it's worth $1.

Billboard single chart peaks:

• Hot 100: #36
• Adult Top 40: #33
• Modern Rock Tracks: #18
• Mainstream Top 40: #24

It didn't place on the dance chart, so I guess it's "officially" more of a rock track than a dance track but that's not how I'll remember it. Come to think of it, maybe that's why I didn't care for the album: it was rock when I was expecting dance. Now that I (re)listen to the tune, it's more of an attempt to blend rock and hip-hop. But it's easy to dance to, nonetheless, and I really dig the chorus hook with its backing vocals and simple but effective arrangement/instrumentation.

Tracks:

1. Radio Edit (4:10)
2. Totally Nude Mix (5:12)
3. Suntan Knee-Hi Mix - Instrumental (4:38)

In this case, the order of play is also my order of preference.

Personal Memory Associated with this CD: see above

Marshall Crenshaw - Miracle Of Science (1996)

Note: the CD I listened to was the 2020 reissue on Crenshaw's own Shiny-Tone label with a new running order, some remixing, and 2 newly recorded songs.

According to Crenshaw's website, "Miracle of Science is the seventh studio album by singer/songwriter Marshall Crenshaw and his first studio effort for the indie imprint Razor & Tie. Crenshaw elected for the first time to solely produce the album and play most of the instruments." More on the album's origins in this article: Billboard, June 29, 1996, and more on the 2020 reissue here: The Second Disc.

Apparently when Crenshaw focuses on production and playing on most of the instruments, he is unable to write his usual brand of quality power pop. Not his best effort, the album can best be described as follows: a few quality tunes, a few decent enough covers, a few yawners, and one completely unlistenable track.

Press of the time:

• Robert Christgau (★★★): "picking 'em better than he writes 'em"
• Rolling Stone (★★★): "lacks a vital spark"
• Entertainment Weekly (A-): "truly a miracle"
• Musician: "his most assured and consistently enjoyable outing since 1985's Downtown"
• Stereo Review: Best of the Month

Peak on the US Billboard 200 chart: Did not chart

Tracks:

• Quality tunes: What Do You Dream Of?, Theme From 'Flaregun' (instrumental), and the best song on the album, Starless Summer Sky.
• Covers: Who Stole That Train, A Wondrous Place, Twenty-Five Forty-One, The In-Crowd; the latter two being the better of the four.
• Yawners: Only An Hour Ago, Laughter, There And Back Again
• Completely unlistenable track: Rouh Na Selim Neves which is track 13, Seven Miles An Hour, played backwards for the entire 4:29 play time. The track usually gets skipped; it's a tough slog today. I don't understand the thought process that went into the inclusion of the track on the album.
• Bonus tracks: The aforementioned Seven Miles An Hour (which is one of the better tunes on the album when played forward), What The Hell I Got, and Misty Dreamer; the latter two cuts being more cover tunes.

Personal Memory Associated with this CD: None

Previously revisited for the blog:

Jaggedland (2009)	Life's Too Short (1991)
What's In The Bag (2003)	Field Day (1983)
The Best of Marshall Crenshaw (2000)	Marshall Crenshaw (1982)
The 9 Volt Years (1998)

Various Artists - Christmas Cocktails (1996)

Fantastic compilation of mid-20th-century exotica/space age/mambo/lounge versions of Christmas tunes. Issued in 1996 as part of Capitol Record's Ultra-Lounge series. From the defunct ultralounge.com website, ca. 1996:

Let's face it, the holiday season provides everybody a great excuse to party! Big bowls of little peanuts with the red skins on' em, cut-glass serving dishes shaped like vegetables overflowing with black olives (you know, the ones you put on your fingertips when you were a kid), and rum-spiked punch in giant bowls with those useless little cups hangin' off the side -- the works! It's Holiday Time at the Ultra- Lounge!

And there's no doubt this set would provide great background music at your next wassailfest. This particular disc of holiday tunes was so popular, it spawned two sequels (neither has appeared on my shelves. Yet.).

But what about the cocktails? Here's the two recipes included in the liner notes. Enjoy responsibly.

And now I've got memories of watching my mother at the stove, making a potent eggnog from scratch. We weren't listening to anything as hip as these cuts back then, though.

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

Tracks: Before purchasing this CD, the only track I had previously heard was the Nat King Cole, which is readily available on many compilations (it's fantastic, no matter the number of CDs on which it appears). Don't skip any of these tracks, but I've checked off today's favorites.

Song	Artist	Year
Rudolph, The Red-Nosed Reindeer Mambo	Billy May	1953
Winter Wonderland	Peggy Lee	1965
Christmas Trumpets/We Wish You A Very Merry Christmas*	Ray Anthony	1966	✔
Christmas Is	Lou Rawls	1967	✔
Santa Claus Is Comin' To Town/White Christmas	Jimmy McGriff	1963	✔
I'd Like You For Christmas	Julie London	1957
Holiday On Skis	Al Caiola & Riz Ortolani	1967
(Everybody's Waitin' For) The Man With The Bag	Kay Starr	1950	✔
Jingle Bells/Jingle Bell Rock	Hollyridge Strings	1965
I've Got My Love To Keep Me Warm	Dean Martin	1959
I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus/Jingle Bells Bossa Nova	Eddie Dunstedter	1965
Christmas Kisses	Ray Anthony	1961
I'll Be Home For Christmas/ Baby, It's Cold Outside	Jackie Gleason/ Jack Marshall	1956/ 1959
What Are You Doing New Year's Eve?	Nancy Wilson	1963	✔
Cha-Cha All The Way*	Capitol Studio Orchestra	1958
The Christmas Song (Merry Christmas To You)	Nat King Cole	1961	✔
The Nutcracker Suite	Les Brown & His Band Of Renown	1957	✔
Ring Those Christmas Bells	Fred Waring & The Pennsylvanians	1959
Violets For Your Furs**	The Continental	1952
Toys For Tots**	Peggy Lee/Nat King Cole/Nancy Wilson	1956
Jingle Rock The Bells**	"from the folks at Capitol'	1952

  *previously unreleased tracks
  **unlisted bonus tracks

Personal Memory Associated with this CD: Hey, Commrades of Cool! Remember when there were postage-paid postcards included in the CD packaging to get you on the record label's mailings lists?

Grover Washington, Jr. - Soulful Strut (1996)

I'm a big fan of Washington, but even I will admit this isn't his best release. I want the smooth stuff and this album is heavy into production gimmicks, world music influences, and weak material. All influenced by bassist/writer/producer Gary "Headman" Hasse who was probably brought in to update a sound that didn't need updating. When his label came out with a greatest hits compilation a few years later (Prime Cuts: The Columbia Years 1987-1999), only one track from this album was selected for inclusion, and even then it was a previously unreleased remix version of Soulful Strut.

Album chart peaks:

• US Billboard Top 200: #187
• Billboard Contemporary Jazz: # 3
• Billboard R&B: #45

Tracks: The best track is easily the title cut, a tasty take on one of the best summer songs ever written. Also good are Bordertown, I Can Count The Times, and Mystical Force. The single released was a cover of Can You Stop The Rain, which was a #1 R&B song for Peabo Bryson in 1991. Sadly, this version simply plods along despite the urgency in Washington's performance. Then there's the rest.

Personal Memory Associated with this CD: None

Previously revisited for the blog:
Prime Cuts: The Columbia Years 1987-1999 (1999)
All My Tomorrows (1994)
Time Out of Mind (1989)
Anthology of Grover Washington, Jr. (1985)
The Best Is Yet To Come (1982)
Come Morning (1981)
Winelight (1980)
Skylarkin' (1980)
Mister Magic (1975)

Various Artists - Billboard Hot R&B Hits 1981 (1996)

Truth in advertising from the good folks over at Rhino. Ten R&B tunes from 1981, all were top 3 on the R&B chart, 8 of the 10 hit the top spot.

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

Tracks:

1. Let's Groove - Earth, Wind & Fire
   Typical EW&F greatness - funky bass line, tasty horn licks, a bridge that's smooth as anything, and a chorus so good they start the song with it. Nominated for a Grammy in the Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal category.
2. Just The Two Of Us - Grover Washington, Jr.
   I had the 45 (with picture sleeve, natch) in 1981, later bought Grover's 'best of' LP and replaced that with a CD.  While the 4 minute single version is featured on this disc, I encourage you to experience the full 7½ minute version: Richard Tee's intro, Bill Withers' vocals, the steelpan solo from Robert Greenidge, the subtle change of feel when MacDonald brings in his percussion backing track at around the 5:30 mark for the final choruses.
3. A Woman Needs Love (Just Like You Do) - Ray Parker, Jr. & Raydio
   In this humble blogger's opinion, Ray Parker, Jr. is an underappreciated songwriter, producer, and guitarist. He consistently put out smooth grooves like this single for years. The baritone vocals of his music fit perfectly in my vocal range which means my family had to hear my a capella versions of tunes like this around the house quite often. I've always found it curious that Parker was a first-call session player, yet many of his own recordings don't feature much of his guitar playing.
4. When She Was My Girl - The Four Tops
   The group's 23rd Top 40 hit. 23rd! It's always great to hear Levi Stubbs over those smooth background harmonies. Nominated for a Grammy in the Best R&B Song category, eventually losing to track 2, Just The Two Of Us. 
5. Love On A Two Way Street - Stacy Lattisaw
   In spite of the overblown intro that sounds like it was taken straight from a Broadway overture, I love this cover of a late ‘60s soul song. Lattisaw has a young, innocent voice and it sounds like she just lost her first love. I'm only five months older than Lattisaw so it's very likely I thought I was going through the same kind of heartbreak (I wasn't). It's difficult not to sing along, so I don't fight the urge.
6. Don't Stop The Music - Yarbrough & Peoples
   I don't love it. I can't pinpoint what exactly turns me off, but I'll admit it's got a fantastic bass line. And by the time the Chipmunks show up to contribute backing vocals, I'm ready to stop the music.
7. Burn Rubber (Why You Wanna Hurt Me) - Gap Band
   The group would have more success on the pop charts the following year when they retitled this song as You Dropped A Bomb On Me. Is it plagiarism when you steal from yourself? Or was it simply a case of 'if it ain't broke...'?
8. I'm In Love - Evelyn King
   Great groove from Kashif plus King is in fine voice. I always wondered why she would ever drop the "Champagne" from her credits because that's a HoF nickname if you ask me.
9. What Cha' Gonna Do For Me - Chaka Khan
   Fantastic pop-soul song, complete with a Michael Brecker solo. Sounding like a song from The Dude (maybe the best R&B album of '81?), it's a crime this tune didn't chart higher on the pop charts.
10. I Heard It Through The Grapevine (Part I) - Roger
    If I heard this cover back in '81, I have no memory of it. I normally wouldn't recommend that anyone cover a classic like this, particularly if versions by Marvin Gaye and Gladys Knight are readily available. I sure am digging this take, though. Funky arrangement which sounds like Devo attempting an Ohio reggae feel plus bari sax licks and talkbox. Catchy as hell. I immediately went in search of the most excellent 10+ minute version.

Charts, we got charts:

Song	R&B	Hot 100	Dance	AC
Let's Groove	1	3	3	-
Just The Two Of Us	3	2	-	2
A Woman Needs Love (Just Like You Do)	1	4	-	11
When She Was My Girl	1	11	-	9
Love On A Two Way Street	2	26	-	19
Don't Stop The Music	1	19	26	-
Burn Rubber (Why You Wanna Hurt Me)	1	84	19	-
I'm In Love	1	40	1	-
What Cha' Gonna Do For Me	1	53	22	-
I Heard It Through The Grapevine (Part I)	1	79	25	-

The overall #1 year-end R&B song for 1981, according to Billboard? Diana & Lionel duetting on Endless Love (more on my experience with that particular tune here.) From this CD, tracks placed at 4, 9, 11, 12, 16, 22, 27, & 48.  Let's Groove was released too late in the year for the '81 year-end chart, but would rank at #2 on the 1982 chart.

Personal Memory Associated with this CD: Nothing in particular for most tunes. I've recounted my Just The Two Of Us memory here. And you damn right we played an arrangement of Let's Groove in my high school marching band (mainly a percussion/tuba feature rather than full band, but let's not nitpick). Thanks to the wonders of technology, here's a screen capture of a grainy VHS recording of a performance of that tune from the fall of 1982. Other songs included in the same halftime show were Satin Doll, Theme from Hill Street Blues, On Broadway, and, as always, ending with the school's fight song (a.k.a. Notre Dame Victory March).

Various Artists - One Fine Day: Music From The Motion Picture (1996)

This landed on my doorstep earlier this year as part of a multi-CD "care package" from a long-time reader and friend o' the blog. Never seen the movie so I have no idea what would be on the soundtrack. I'm guessing The Chiffons. Let's slide this thing into the tray and find out.

Peak on the US Billboard Top 200 chart: #57

Tracks:

1. One Fine Day - Natalie Merchant. In which they take fun girl pop and attempt to turn it into a torch song. The arrangement is iffy and Merchant doesn't have the voice for it. Pass.
2. Boy From New York City - The Ad Libs. A swinging tune from the pen of Leiber and Stoller. Released in 1964, it would be the group's biggest hit. I dig it.
3. For the First Time - Kenny Loggins. Nominated in the Best Original Song category for the Academy Awards. Kenny gives it his all, but this song never seems to go anywhere. But that's just me, this song hit #1 on the Adult Contemporary chart: Loggins' one and only AC chart topper.
4. Mama Said - The Shirelles.  A top ten hit from 1961 so it's been around my whole life. And I'm grateful for that. A fun romp.
5. Someone Like You - Shawn Colvin. A tasteful cover of a Van Morrison tune that sounds like it could have been included on any romcom soundtrack in the '90s.
6. Love's Funny That Way - Tina Arena. Australia's answer to Melissa Etheridge? In any case, she's got a great voice. 
7. Have I Told You Lately - Van Morrison. A familiar tune that bears too close a resemblance to track 5 to have been included in the same compilation. To my ears, this elegant 1989 original is vastly superior to Rod Stewart's 1993 overwrought cover.
8. The Glory of Love - Keb' Mo'. Keb' always delivers. I could listen to him all day. And I have.
9. What a Difference a Day Made - Tony Bennett. I'd love to know who arranged this standard for Tony because the strings are sublime.
10. Isn't It Romantic - Ella Fitzgerald. Richard Rodgers could write beautiful melodies and this arrangement is a showcase for Ella's pure tone.Now I want to hear the entire Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Rodgers & Hart Song Book album from 1957.
11. This Guy's in Love With You - Harry Connick, Jr.  The groove is changed a bit, but Harry's smart enough that he doesn't mess with Bacharach's gorgeous harmonies. After a rocky start, the second half of this compilation is turning out to be surprisingly enjoyable.
12. Just Like You - Keb' Mo'. From the highly recommended album of the same name, this song features additional vocals from Jackson Browne and Bonnie Raitt. I'd love to see a concert bill with Keb' and Bonnie on it. 
13. One Fine Day - The Chiffons. There it is in all its glory. 👍
14. Suite from One Fine Day - James Newton Howard. A 9 minute instrumental suite of themes used in the film.

Personal Memory Associated with this CD: None.

Various Artists - MTV Buzz Bin, Vol. 1 (1996)

This CD was in a lot of random discs that recently arrived here at blog headquarters. Admittedly, I was not watching MTV in 1996 (I'm not sure if it was even in our cable package then, tbh), so let's see if I know any of the tunes.

Peak on the US Billboard Top 200 chart: #75

Tracks:

1. Plush by Stone Temple Pilots (#1 rock, #9 modern rock)
   Know it? I love it! Previously appeared on this blog on Thank You.
2. What Would You Say by Dave Matthews Band (#5 rock, #11 modern rock)
   Know it? It introduced me to DMB. Previously appeared on this blog on 104 KRBE New Music Sampler and Under the Table and Dreaming.
3. More Human Than Human by White Zombie (#10 rock, #7 modern rock)
   I recognize the opening guitar riff but never knew the name of the song or who recorded it. Not much going for it other than said riff.
4. Zombie by The Cranberries (#32 rock, #1 modern rock)
   Of course I remember this protest tune and I appreciate when they're doing, it's just not my thing - I'm more of a Linger guy.
5. Hey Jealousy - Gin Blossoms (#4 rock)
   So now I'm thinking I was listening to more radio at the time than I remember. I always liked this one when it played on whatever station I was listening to back then - the aforementioned KRBE or maybe KHMX.
6. Everything Zen by Bush (#5 rock, #2 modern rock)
   No memory of this one and its not doing much for me today.
7. No Rain by Blind Melon (#1 rock, #1 modern rock)
   Great tune and I'm surprising myself by knowing all the lyrics as I happily sing along.
8. Low by Cracker (#5 rock, #3 modern rock)
   Didn't recognize the song from the title or artist, but I immediately recognized it when it started up. Previously appeared on this blog on Do Something.
9. Creep by Radiohead (#20 rock, #2 modern rock)
   While my favorite Radiohead tune is Everything In Its Right Place, this tune might be in my top 5 tunes by the band, even though they copped part of the thing from The Hollies. I recently saw Bebel Gilberto do a show where she covered this tune and the whole experience was sublime.
10. Cantaloop by US3 (#29 modern rock)
    Best song on the disc. Previously appeared on this blog on The Best Blue Note Album in the World...Ever!  (original version, Cantaloupe Island, appears on The Best of Herbie Hancock: The Blue Note Years.) I'd like to call it a day here, but we've got two more tracks to go.
11. Hey Man, Nice Shot by Filter (#19 rock, #10 modern rock)
    Man-oh-man that is some poor sequencing. I don't remember this one but it's definitely not my thing.
12. Mother by Danzig (#17 rock)
    Another pass.

Not a bad compilation at all, but I'll be stopping after 10 tracks from now on.

Personal Memory Associated with this CD: Taking me back to 1993, the year my oldest son was born. I was 27 and still felt too young to have children. I was a young teacher, new father, trying to figure out this adult thing.

Barry Manilow - Summer of '78 (1996)

In August of 1978, my family moved from the Chihuahuan Desert town of Odessa, Texas to the more humid climes of Bay City on the Texas gulf coast, near the mouth of the Colorado River. A culture and climate shock, I think I handled it fairly well. But I remember the summer months before the move as a wonderful time. I had completed the 6th grade and I had adventures with my friends that included soccer, tennis, swimming, backyard fort-building, family vacation to Hot Springs, Arkansas, and chasing girls at the local roller rink on Friday nights. At that time, I was already a big Manilow fan - I believe my very first album purchase was Even Now, but I'm just guessing. I had also wowed the local PTA with the definitive interpretation of Mandy.

Your humble blogger in April 1978

So this 1996 covers album seems like a perfect fit, right? And it might have been if: 1) it hadn't been made in the '90s with all the production values that go along with that decade, and 2) Manilow had stuck to 1978. Or at least the '70s, maybe? Perhaps he was thinking that all these songs could be heard in 1978, which is true.

Peak on the US Billboard Top 200 chart: #82

Tracks:

1. Summer of '78 - a Manilow original. C+
   "...and it seemed that every song they played on the radio was ours." Cheesy, but not a horrible tune with a brief, simple arrangement that segues into...
2. Interlude: Love's Theme - Barry White, 1973. A
   Who knew Barry was such a tease? Only 25 seconds of this classic theme before getting slapped in the face with electronic drums, a key change, and the first verse of...
3. Reminiscing - Little River Band, 1978. C
   Such a beautiful tune - fits Manilow's vocal range, too. The arrangement, however, leave me wanting the LRB original. And not only is there no flugelhorn solo, there's no solo.
4. I Go Crazy - Paul Davis, 1977. B
   It doesn't match the dreamy atmosphere of the Davis original, but, except for the gated drum, it sounds exactly like it would have if Manilow had recorded it for the b-side of Copacabana. The only misstep is the synth solo.
5. When I Need You - Leo Sayer, 1977. C-
   I wasn't sure if Manilow would have the vocal chops to pull off the falsetto, but he doesn't even try so I'll never know. The slow, plodding arrangement isn't doing him any favors, either.
6. The Air That I Breathe - The Hollies, 1974. B+
   I know The Hollies version is a cover, but it's the version I'm familiar with so I'll compare this to that. And I gotta admit that I dig this sparse, slightly slower arrangement. Imagine that - a mellow, understated Manilow arrangement. Nicely done.
7. Bluer Than Blue - Michael Johnson, 1978. B
   I've loved this song since the first time I heard it on the AM radio. This cover is fairly rote, right down to the vocal harmonies. So while Manilow isn't adding anything to this one, he isn't subtracting anything, either.
8. We've Got Tonight - Bob Seger, 1978. D-
   I've never been a fan of this ballad, but ballads are Manilow's sweet spot so I can't blame him for trying. After you get over the shock of not hearing Seger's rasp and the oboe comes in, you settle in and reach for the skip button.
9. I'd Really Love to See You Tonight - England Dan & John Ford Coley, 1976. C
   Another rote cover, but this lazy take doesn't quite match the energy of the original.
10. Sometimes When We Touch - Dan Hill, 1978. B+
    Now we're back to Manilow's wheelhouse. Good choice, good arrangement.
11. Never My Love - The Association, 1967. F
    No.
12. Just Remember I Love You - Firefall, 1977. D
    We're given a piano/strings treatment here and it just doesn't suit the material. It almost comes off as a child's lullaby, which might be what they wanted for an album closer, but he would have been better off briefly reprising track 1.

Grade average for the album: C Stick with the originals.

Personal Memory Associated with this CD: None.

Previously revisited for the blog:
Ultimate Manilow (2002)
Here At The Mayflower (2001)
If I Should Love Again (1981)
Barry (1980)
One Voice (1979)
Even Now (1978)
Tryin' To Get The Feeling (1975)

Spyro Gyra - Heart of the Night (1996)

For those of you playing the home game, this is the 29th appearance of a Spyro Gyra CD on this blog, so you can safely assume I'm a fan. There's less of leader Jay Beckenstein on this one so I guess you could call it more of a band album than their usual fare. The group went through a down cycle in the early half of the nineties and this album was part of their ascent back to their earlier standards. Just one problem: they seem to be doing everything in their power to sound like generic smooth jazz (see track 3 Westwood Moon - a cut that starts off like a Jeff Lorber tune). However, their plan was spoiled by the fact they can't help but sound like themselves. And even though some of the tunes come closer to "instrumental pop" than "smooth jazz" (i.e., Surrender), I think I might put this one in the top half of SG releases all time if I ever bothered to sit down and come up with such a ranking.

The first two cuts of this album would later appear on the 1998 live album, Road Scholars.

Album chart peaks:

• US Billboard 200: Did not chart
• Billboard Contemporary Jazz: #5

Tracks: My picks are the title track, Midnight (with a nice contribution from Randy Brecker), Playtime, Valentino's, and As We Sleep.

Personal Memory Associated with this CD: None. Believe it or not, this one wasn't on my shelves until late last year when I picked it up for $2 our of a clearance bin and for that, I'd like to thank all of you people currently glutting the market with your used CDs as you mistakenly shun and discard physical media products. Salut!

Previously revisited for the blog:

A Foreign Affair (2011)	Point Of View (1989)
Down The Wire (2009)	Rites of Summer (1988)
Good To Go-Go (2007)	Stories Without Words (1987)
Wrapped In A Dream (2006)	Breakout (1986)
Original Cinema (2003)	Alternating Currents (1985)
In Modern Times (2001)	Access All Areas (1984)
Got The Magic (1999)	City Kids (1983)
Road Scholars (1998)	Incognito (1982)
20/20 (1997)	Freetime (1981)
Love & Other Obsessions (1995)	Carnaval (1980)
Dreams Beyond Control (1993)	Catching The Sun (1980)
Three Wishes (1992)	Morning Dance (1979)
Fast Forward (1990)	Spyro Gyra (1978)