Deep River and other Spirituals - the Robert Shaw Chorale

Mostly acapella from the 50's.  Religious songs, but nothing i've heard before.  According to wikipedia

During its existence the Robert Shaw Chorale became arguably the best-known and most widely-respected professional choral organization in the United States

Swing Low, Sweet Chariot. I've know that song.

The Best of Spike Jones

This is a comedy-musical album.  Lot's of odd sound effects, like gulping noises, gurgling and things that I could never due.  This is mostly 60's and 70's humor, so it doesn't quite make me laugh hard, but it is sorta giggly.

The Burns Sisters - Endangered Species

Late 80's all girl rock and roll band.  The kind of music that makes me thankful for Nirvana.  Lame ballads like 'The King Is going to Fall' is the epitome of how I remember music sounding in the late 80's.  Everything is so over-produced and just really simple in terms of the verses and the chorus.

Etta James - Deep in the Night

Etta can even make the Eagles sound good.  This might be all covers, I'm not sure.

James Taylor and the original Flying Machine

It's rock n roll.

Willie Nelson - The Sound In Your Mind

I was pretty impressed with this album.  It's country, but does a nice job at incorporating many different types of music.

Hank Locklin - The Mayor of McLellan, Florida

Published in 1972.

John Lennon - Rock and Roll

This is just a bunch of really bad covers by John Lennon.  He sings well though.

Neil Young - Old Ways

This is Neil Young's dabble into country music.  It has some big names on it such as Waylon Jennings and Gail Davies.  I don't listen to a lot of country, but I don't necessarily reject music just because it is country.  That said, I'm not a big fan of this album.  Country can have tempo and can be exciting.  This album is consistently slow moving.

I kind of like the last song on side 1 called Misfits.  Had to stop the album after the song 'My Boy'.

Knuckles O'Toole - plays Honky Tonk Piano

Released in 1955, this is considered Jazz.  It's kind of like 50's movie music.

Deaf School - English Boys

Released in 1978, this album is that kind of new wave/punk that kind of reminds me of Blondie/ Devo.

There is a song called Golden Showers.  The lyrics are pretty vague and all I know is he get's relief from these 'Golden Showers'.

Oh god, there is saxaphone on this album.

If only this song was on this album: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OJWPqyWcux8

38 Special - Flashback

I thought about not listening to this since I've heard way too much 38 Special in my life, but alas I did a listen.  Turns out this is a greatest hits type album.

The first song is from 1987 and the recording really embodies how bad music could be recorded in the 80's.  The drums are overproduced and sound like electric drums.  There's a horrible digital synthesizer underlying all tracks.  The guitar sound is not good.

The second song is from 1980 and is the classic 'Hold On Loosely' and definitely sounds better than the first song.  The excerpts from their first 3 songs make them more of a guitar rock band.  Lots of love songs.  I wonder if these guys were just trying to get laid all the time.  I hope it worked.

Luis Gasca - For Those Who Chant

I have never heard of Luis Gasca until I played this album.  Recorded in 2 days in 1971 with Carlos Santana being a notable musician given guitar credit.  Luis Gasca is a pretty awesome trumpet player.  Trumpet is probably my most favorite brass instrument, so this album really catches my attention.  It is very jazzy, uses congas and many musicians on percussion.  The jazzy part makes this album really chaotic, but there is something that holds it all together.  I'm trying to figure out what that is.

I believe the answer is Stanley Clarke, the bass player.  His bass holding down the song is quite prevalent on the song 'Spanish Gypsy'.  He has a repetitive, but driving bass line which allows the other musicians on this album to freestyle, jam and just go for it.

Lighthouse Live!

This was released in 1972.  Lighthouse is from Canada.  The guitar tones were really cool and I like the fact that there were a bunch of horns.  However, too many ballads and too much flute will deter me from actually listening to this again.

Begin Dad's Records

My father passed away in April 2016.  Among the many things he loved as music.  He left behind approximately 5,000 record albums.  For the next few months I will be listening to many of them and posting a small blurb about them.