Category: Pop Music

Rick Springfield – “Don’t Talk to Strangers” (The 45 Single)

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When I am out on my record store digging adventures, I always go through the 45’s to see if there is anything I like and occasionally I find something.  I am a closet Rick Springfield fan.  Yes, I am out of the closet now and will admit openly, I like Rick Springfield!!! There, I said it.  I feel so much better that it is out in the open now.  Thank you for that!

I found this single in the $1 bin and was happy to grab it.  The single of is for the song “Don’t Talk To Strangers” from his 1982 album ‘Success Hasn’t Spoiled Me Yet’.  The single was released in March 1982 and went all the way to #2 on the Billboard.  It was Rick’s second biggest hit after that little song you might know called Jessie’s Girl.

The song is about Rick’s girlfriend at the time (future wife). When Rick was traveling and touring for his career, he had a lot of insecurities that his girlfriend was out with other guys.  This was his way of expressing those feelings.  The irony is that Rick was screwing around as he was touring and such.  Such a hypocrite.

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What to Expect for Music in 2020?

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2020 is upon us and it is always fun anticipating what new albums are and will come out in the year.  There are quite a few we already know about, but some haven’t been officially announced or even a date set yet.  From what I have gathered around the internet, here are the bands that should have new albums out in 2020, but no dates announced yet. The ones I would give a try (and my kids) will be highlighted in Blue.  The ones with Dates Announced are at the bottom of this post.  The list is building up nicely!!

  • Ace Frehley – Origins, Vol. 2
  • Alicia Keys – A.L.I.C.I.A.
  • Angels & Airwaves
  • Bon Jovi
  • Bush – The Mind Plays Tricks On You
  • Busta Rhymes
  • Cardi B – Tiger Woods
  • A Day to Remember – You’re Welcome
  • Deep Purple
  • Deftones
  • Dixie Chicks – Gaslighter
  • Dokken
  • The Doobie Brothers
  • Dua Lipa – Future Nostalgia
  • Evanescence
  • FM
  • Greta Van Fleet
  • Harem Scarem
  • Iron Maiden (rumor)
  • J. Cole – The Fall Off
  • Jeff Scott Soto
  • Kid Cudi – Entergalactic
  • Lana Del Rey – White Hot Forever
  • Megadeth
  • Miley Cyrus
  • Niall Horan
  • One Desire
  • OneRepublic
  • Ozzy Osbourne
  • Pearl Jam
  • Red Hot Chili Peppers
  • Royal Blood
  • Sam Smith
  • Sanctuary
  • Scorpions
  • Skid Row
  • Static-X – Project Regeneration
  • Steven Wilson
  • Stryper
  • The Airborne Toxic Event
  • The Cure
  • The Killers
  • The Offspring
  • Winger

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December Purchases (& Gifts) – Vinyl (2019)

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First off, December is a little light compared to the last two months of purchases  December was a more normal month of purchases mainly because it is the month for Christmas and my Birthday.  For that reason, I have to leave things for people to buy for me as gifts.

The month started out actually on Black Friday and yes, I know that is November. The problem is I couldn’t get these purchases into last months post due to timing issues and Thanksgiving and all.  I am sure you won’t mind.

Record Store Black Friday was on November 29th and I got up bright and early to pick up are few things and I got exactly what I was going for and nothing more…I stuck to the plan for once.

First up is the RSD Exclusive Release of Pearl Jam’s MTV Unplugged and you saw that one already at THIS POST!!!!

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Top Albums of 2019

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The year is almost over so it is time to look back at what was awesome in music during the year.  I have already looked back at the Top Rock Albums of 2019 (click to read).   This list will cover all other genres that I listened to over the year including Pop, Country, Christian and whatever other genre you want classify these albums.  Rock is my favorite genre and that is why it gets it’s own list, but that doesn’t take away from any of these choices as I think they are great on their own.

I feel I didn’t get to as many as I would have liked as the year seem to get away from me.  I did spend a lot of time on a few series such as finishing The Billy Idol Series, The Kiss Bootleg Series, the Kiss Box Set 6 Part Series and starting the David Coverdale Series.  These consumed a lot of my time.  What I am trying to say is I missed a lot.

Note:  These albums were my favorites and not necessarily the most played on the radio (which I hate the radio) or even the biggest sellers.  There aren’t the trendy indie bands on everyone else’s top albums list (okay, there might be one or two).  These are just what I came across during the year and connected with me in some way and some thanks to my kids.  So, we might as well get started…

#10 – The Highwomen – ‘The Highwomen’

61lneK+2aVL._SL1200_  A Country Super-Group consisting of Brandi Carlile, Natalie Hemby, Maren Morris and Amanda Shires.  I have not been digging Country lately, but the women on country rock.  I found this to be enjoyable and was really digging the songs “The Highwomen”, a rework of the the Jimmy Webb classic “The Highwayman” as well as “Redesigning Women” and “Crowded Table”.  Check them out.

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The Original vs. The Cover – “Hard to Handle”

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For this month’s version of The Original vs. The Cover, we are tackling the Otis Redding song “Hard to Handle”.  Otis wrote and recorded the song along with Al Bell and Allen Jones back in 1967.  Otis died in December 1967 before the song was ever released.  It finally was released in June 1968, but not as the main single.  It was the B-Side to the single “Amen”. The song did chart though as it reached #51 on the Pop Charts and got to #38 on the Billboard R&B charts.  It was a modest hit. The song first appeared on an album in 1968 which was a compilation called ‘The Immortal Otis Redding’.

The song’s theme is pretty obvious.  It is about a man that is so cocky and braggadocios about his sexual prowess that he is coming on to women who already have themselves a man.  I mean he gets cockier and cockier as the song goes on. It is a really cool piece for Otis to write and sing as his earlier work did not come across that way.

OTIS REDDING

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Otis Redding’s original version of the song was a departure for him.  He seemed to be experimenting with a new sound.  He brought a whole James Brown funk feel to the song from the opening piano riffs, the big horn section and that driving bass line. It is quite a departure from “(Sittin’ On) The Dock of The Bay”.  The song is short at just over 2 minutes, but it packs enough greatness in to that time that you don’t realize it is so short. Continue reading “The Original vs. The Cover – “Hard to Handle”” →

Friday New Releases – December 13th

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Welcome to Friday the 13th and the last good day of releases for at least 3 to 4 weeks.  Yes, Friday New Releases will be absent from this site until a couple weeks into the new year in January when there is finally enough to talk about.  However, this week isn’t totally worthless. There a couple releases I am interested in, but not much else.  My choices will be highlighted in Blue, let me know if you find anything you like of if I missed anything.  Thanks and until next time, have a great weekend!

  • 61v6lSOpccL._AC_UL320_SR320,320_  Harry Styles – Fine Line – (Erksine Records/Columbia/Sony):  Harry is back with his second studio album and I have to say, I am actually looking forward to this.  I was pleasantly surprised at how great his debut was and it was so much better than anything One Direction put out.  My oldest daughter is even more so excited as she keeps the vinyl of his debut up in her room rather than down in my wall of vinyl.  I am hoping for another release of a variety of styles and hope he pushes himself even more on this one.

  • A1wqT8hVs7L._SX522_  Stone Sour – Hello, You Bastards: Live in Reno – (Cooking Vinyl Ltd):  I like live albums lately, so I might give this one a try.  Corey Taylor and the boys are releasing their first live album and I am sure it will rock your face off.  I mean, it ain’t no Slipknot, which is actually why I like them more, but Corey only knows how to bring it hard and heavy.  Ok, no video so far so here is a classic.

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My Sunday Song – “How Do You Love?” by Collective Soul

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For My Sunday Song #172, we are going to discuss the song “How Do You Love?” off Collective Soul’s 2004 album ‘Youth’.  The song was the third single off the album and hit #16 on the Adult Top 40.  The album itself was actually the first album the band did on their own label EL Music Group and was an overall well-rounded pop/rock album with a good balance of both.  This song would fall in the pop realm and was written entirely by Ed Roland as most Collective Soul songs were.

We are slowing it down this week with a ballad.  Yes, they all can’t be rockers.  This one connected to me as I was a very shy guy growing up and I wasn’t great with the ladies (I know…shocker right!).  The song is from the point of view of the person that was in love with someone who didn’t notice, care or love them back at all.  He/She is asking them that if they never knew that people were out there loving them, How did they actually love?  What could they do to make you notice them.  It is a common theme and I think connects with most people as I believe we have all been there at one time or another.  Thankfully, I found that woman that noticed me and now we have 2 beautiful daughters to help us show how to love!!

Musically, as I said, it is a ballad so the tempo is a little slowed down.  You get a mixture of keyboards, guitar, bass, drums and even a string section for added impact.  The chorus picks up the beat a little giving it a little of the power element.  You get a nice little guitar solo from Joel Kosche which all good ballads need.  Ed sings with a lot of emotion with a deliberate pacing to add to the emotion.  I found the song to be quite beautiful and one of my favorites on the album and from the band.

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Friday New Releases – December 6th

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Welcome to the first Friday of December.  Christmas is just around the corner and here are a few ideas to either get yourself for Christmas or get someone else.  There is only one I am interested (highlighted in Blue), so I can concentrate on my year end list some more.  I hope there is something for you.

  • 91a-DFg1nCL._AC_UL115_.jpg  The Who – WHO – (Polydor / Universal): After a mere 13 years, the Who is back with a new album.  I have to say, I am intrigued to hear what they have to offer even if it is only Pete Townsend and Roger Daltrey which it has been for years, I know.  We will see…or hear…

These are probably the big releases in the pop world…

  • 91STG6vyDcL._SX522_  Camila Cabello – Romance – (Simco / Epic / Sony)

  • 71OErDzXqxL._SX522_  Liam Payne – LP1 – (Capitol Records):  Debut from the former One Direction Star

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Matt Nathanson – The Albums Ranked Worst to First

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As you know if you follow this site at all, I am a Matt Nathanson fan.  I think he is a fantastic songwriter/singer and an all around marvelous person. I have seen him live only three times and each time he keeps getting better.  His live shows are something you have to see as his banter with the crowd is A.M.A.Z.I.N.G.!!  He is witty, funny and damn, the man can sing.  Matt is also a lyrical painter. He pays so much attention to the lyrical phrasing that it paints such a vivid picture or touches you in ways that only music can do.

Matt Nathanson, the studio musician, is broken down in two categories for me.  The 90’s Matt is is an indie rocker that is still trying to find his voice both lyrically and vocally.  But the shades of what is to come is in dimly shining in there.  Then there is the Matt of 2000’s that has seen his songwriting and singing grow by leaps and bound.  He has a confidence that shows in his music and definitely shows when he is on stage.   There are those that find his early stuff more raw and pure and it is that, but as you will see with the list, I find his 2000’s self to be the better half.

So, you now have my overall reasoning behind my picks and with that, we need to dive in and rank Matt Nathanson’s albums from The Worst to the one I think is First!  And sorry I don’t have all his albums in the Header photo as the site I use only offers 8 frames otherwise I would have had all 10 included.

THE WORST – PLEASE (1993):

Now here is the good news, there really isn’t a bad choice among all the albums, this is all about preference.  I have this as the Worst mainly because it is an album with a rough production and Matt’s vocals aren’t quite what they become.  And yes I do know that these are mostly demos thus the explaining the quality.  The cool thing about it is that the songs were all written while he was in high school or during his freshman year at Pitzer College in California.  There are hints of the Matt I grew to love, but it is the one album I go to the least.

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Friday New Releases – November 29th

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Welcome to the final Friday of New Releases for November (and only 2 left for the year as the releases become very limited in late December).  This week, well…there isn’t much. And there is nothing I am interested in getting or hearing which is great since I need to get working on my Year End Lists!!  I feel I need to listen to the Joe Pesci one or he’ll put a hit out on me, but I can’t bring myself to do it.  I guess I am living dangerously.  Let me know if anything interests you or if I missed anything.  Have a great weekend.

  • 81C9oFZncIL._SX522_  Pink Floyd – The Later Years: 1987-2019 – (Sony Music) – Digital version Only (everything else December 13th)
  • 61vqx6qu2UL._SX522_  Joe Pesci – Pesci…Still Singing – (BMG Rights Mgmt)
  • 61D-mDIXjIL._SL1200_  Marillion – With Friends from the Orchestra – (EarMusic) – Digital version only (everything else December 13th)
  • B1-mQW098yS._SX522_  Prong – Age of Defiance E.P. – (Steamhammer)
  • 91XuP-t0J1L._SX522_.jpg  Blue October – Live from Manchester – (Up/Down-Brando Records) – why is the guy out front look like Negan?
  • 81wPt8guYgL._SX522_.jpg  The Flaming Lips – The Soft Bulletin: Live at Red Rocks (feat. The Colorado Symphony & Andre de Ridder) – (Warner Records)