The Dead Milkmen 'Bucky Fellini' 1987 LP. Their third. Great album. TDM have a very cynical, smart-ass humor and jangly lighthearted brand of punk. Fun band. Favorites on this release: Going to Graceland, Take Me to the Specialist, Instant Club Hit, Nitro Burning Funny Cars, and Surfin' Cow. Many goodies on this release.
Erroll Garner 'Everest Records Archive of Folk & Jazz Music'
Garage sale find. One of the first things I noticed about this collection was that they spelled Garner's first name wrong! Unbelievable. Anyway, Erroll Garner is my favorite jazz pianist, because my grandfather introduced me to him and also because I love his expression and how smooth his playing is. There's a Garner track for almost every mood. Erroll (spelled with two L's!!!) was from Pittsburgh, PA, near where I grew up. My grandfather saw him a few times back in the day, up in Pittsburgh, and so Garner came to be a family favorite as my grandpa passed down knowledge. Interesting tidbit: like a lot of jazz musicians, Garner wasn't formally trained and couldn't read music. These things obviously don't factor at all because it didn't stop him from becoming one of the greatest jazz pianists in history. His bouncy 'This Can't Be Love' is a blast, the swinging 'Sunny Side..' is a great springtime jam, and the dizzy climbing and plummeting of 'Moonglow' is an enjoyable ride. I enjoy every track on here. The quality of these recordings isn't optimal, but the somewhat muddy sound creates a certain ambiance I can't argue with.
Duran Duran 'Arena' Live LP. Recorded at various locations worldwide in '84 according to the cover. Absolutely great album for D.D. fans. Contains many of the major singles: Hungry like the Wolf, Wild Boys, Planet Earth, and Union of the Snake. It's really great to hear how some synth parts are played live on guitar instead, how some vocal parts are lengthened or shortened, and how some of the very polished studio guitar licks are reproduced a bit more naturally on stage. This live LP sounds so crisp and polished and the crowd noise is so very subdued (barely perceptible if at all through the majority of the album) that I heard that it was disputed whether or not these were actually live performance recordings, which is certainly a testament to the band's ability to perform in a live setting and the quality of this release. I too have my suspicions about one or two tracks, which just seem too spot-on, mirroring studio versions I have heard. Anyway, wonderful album, which contains an excellent live version of my personal favorite D.D. track: The Chauffeur. Sing blue silver!
