November 2022 Purchases – Vinyl & CD’s

Welcome to the November 2022 Purchases update. You will notice that my cover picture is a little different this month. Normally, I have all my purchases stacked on top of the turntable, but there was a problem this time around. My cat, Chandler, decided it was nap time and wouldn’t move. Actually, Chandler naps up there a lot when I am working from home so no big surprise. So, I didn’t want to disturb him as he needs his beauty sleep so I took a picture of him instead. Believe it or not, he is still a kitten as he is only 9 months old. Once full grown he will be 20-25 lbs and won’t be able to fit on the turntable so I am letting him enjoy it while he can.

Okay, enough of that. Let us get to the real reason we are here…the music. And what did I get this month. I will say it was a better month than last one as I went a little nuts on the vinyl this time around and very little on the CDs. First up, I have been holding off on buying Def Leppard stuff on vinyl because I want to see what is in the Collection, Volume 4, but I’m tired of waiting and I realize it is generally not any one specific live album that has already been released, so I bought these three things so I finally had them on vinyl.

Now, I did hit one real record store this month, but didn’t score a bunch. The only thing I picked up from Mad Jack’s are a couple of Asia albums that I didn’t have in my collection for some strange reason. And they were clean!

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Friday New Releases – October 29, 2021

Welcome to the last New Release Friday of October. This weekend is Halloween and what are the treats in store for you. There are around 50 releases this week so I would say that is a pretty nice treat for everyone. Two of the ones I have on order and will hopefully arrive soon so I can spin them and one is one I am sure I will hear because of my kids plus I am interested in hearing it anyway. My choices are in Bold. Let me know if the releases this week are a treat or a trick and let us know what else is out this week that I may have missed. Thanks, as always, for stopping by and I hope everyone has a frighteningly great weekend!!

  • 81ZlVjaHANL._AC_UY436_FMwebp_QL65_  Whitesnake – Restless Heart Super Deluxe Edition – (Rhino Records): One thing David Coverdale does well is how to put together a fantastic box set. He has hit it out of the park with ‘Slide it In’, ’87 and with Slip of the Tongue, now it is time for the next in the series, “Restless Heart”. This underrated album and often overlooked album gets the super deluxe treatment and you will get a remastering, unreleased and demos as well as a live show and it will all be amazing as usual! Mine is out for delivery and should be here today!!
  • 91-5WZba9NL._AC_UY436_FMwebp_QL65_  John 5 & the Creatures – Sinner – (John 5 / Big Machine Label Group): John 5 is probably my favorite guitarist out there right now. Whether it is his solo work, his work with Rob Zombie or his noodling around on instagram, he is nothing short of amazing. I am sure we will get more rock, metal and bluegrass with this release like we do and I couldn’t be happier about that. I have a signed copy of this on its way to the house very soon. Can’t wait!!
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Collective Soul – ‘Half & Half’ E.P. – Album Review (#RSD)

For the August 29th, 2020 Record Store Day, Collective Soul issued a 12″ EP called Half & Half. It is played at 45 RPMs and consists of 2 new songs and 2 cover songs…thus half and half. The vinyl isn’t an exclusive RSD issue, it is a First Release meaning the band will release this at a later time. I am hoping the fact that his is a clear transparent vinyl will be the exclusive RSD part otherwise the only good about it is that I got to hear it before anyone who gets the regular release.

A few interesting notes on the back cover, the band mentions that their new album ‘Vibrating’ will be coming out soon which probably means this two new songs will be on it, but I hope not the covers then this stays a little special. Also, I find it funny they are all wearing some form of sunglasses and I still get a kick out of Ed Roland now going by E Roland because a) it is must have been hard with such a long name as Ed that E is just easier for his mind and b) he is starting to think he is Prince and we will soon be getting a symbol as a name and he is just prepping us.

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Tuesday’s Memes – R.E.M.

With the release of R.E.M.’s 25th Anniversary Edition of ‘Monster’, let’s do a collection of Memes to celebrate the band.  Now, there were Michael Stipe memes than R.E.M., but you can’t have one without the other, right!  So, sit back and enjoy the world of R.E.M.

Losing My Religion (too many of these to count):

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Friday New Releases – November 1st

Here we are the 1st day of November and do we have a lot to be “Thankful” for this week with the new releases?  Depends on your taste.  There are some juicy ones this week for me, but nothing I am going to run and buy…however, streaming will do nicely here.  My choices are highlighted in Blue.  Let me know what you are digging this week and if I missed anything.  Thanks for stopping by and have a wonderful weekend.

  • 518jRU2pYmL  Miranda Lambert – Wildcard – (Vanner Records/Sony):  I don’t like Country music that much, but I like Miranda.  She’s fiesty, she’s firey and she’s kinda hot!!  She is someone my whole family likes and we enjoy listening to her in the car as a whole.  And I am just glad my kids don’t have me on video sining “Little Red Wagon” from her earlier work…it is quite embarrassing as I add my own flair to that song that the kids find quite funny.  But that ain’t this album.  I haven’t heard anything yet, but have heard good things so I will check it out.

  • download-4.jpg  Hootie & the Blowfish – Imperfect Circle – (Capitol Records):  After 14 years, Hootie & the Blowfish are BACK!!  Darius Rucker is taking a break from his very successful Country career to reignite the Hootie light.  And kids from the 90’s rejoice!!  Their blend of Pop Rock was a huge hit in the 90’s.  Can it translate into something cool in the 21st Century?  We will have to see.

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Friday New Releases – October 19th

Welcome to a HUGE Friday!!!  There releases are massive and numerous. What more could you ask for.  This is the first time in a very long time where I have 3 releases that are on order for the same day.  I am going to love the mail man this week.  The albums I am interested in are highlighted in Blue and the first 3 are the ones on order.  Let me know what you looking forward to hearing and which ones I might have missed.  Enjoy and have a great musical weekend!  I know I will!!!

  • 81PZVtcGBVL._SX522_  Greta Van Fleet – Anthem of the Peaceful Man – (Republic Records):  These young lads are constantly getting compared to Led Zeppelin and you know what?  Who cares.  Zeppelin isn’t putting out any new music so I am going to enjoy this.  At least the young generation is still making Rock & Roll.  This is their first Full Length studio album and I get wait to unwrap the vinyl.

  • 51EQXYr3IZL._AC_US436_QL65_  Whitesnake – Unzipped – (Rhino Records):  5 CDs and 1 DVD of Whitesnake Unplugged.  20 years worth of music including Starkers in Tokyo and Starkers in Warsaw, Paris, Germany and so much music.  I can’t wait for this one either.  It is going to be non-stop music.

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My Sunday Song – “Losing My Religion” by R.E.M.

My Sunday Song #51 is my favorite R.E.M. song called “Losing My Religion”.  The song is off the 1991 album ‘Out of Time’ and it reached as high as #4 on the Billboard Hot 100.  It was probably the most popluar R.E.M. song at the time and maybe ever.  It was nominated for 4 Grammy Awards and won for 2 of them.  One of which was for music video and you can see it at the end of the commentary.

Why do I like the song?  I really love the guitar sound and that mandolin that Peter Buck plays.  It captures to essence of the song and helps bring to life the imagery of the lyrics.  Michael’s voice is so unique and for this song it was a little creepy which is perfect as the song was about obsession over another.

“Losing My Religion” is an old phrase meaning that you have lost it.  You are losing your wits or temper.  As this is an obsession song, the singer has lost their mind over this person and is fantasizing about them constantly.  Lyrically it is very disturbing.

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1983 – The Greatest Year in Music?

Last year, I explored the year 1987 as the greatest year in music.  It was a great year and had some huge top selling albums.  Now , I am going to argue for 1983 as the greatest year in music.  The greatest year in music is very subjective and each person will have a different year.  Probably your high school years and/or the year you really started digging music.  1983 was the year that I started becoming massively obsessed with music.

The year had some of the biggest selling albums and a ton of music that influenced me, but what makes the year even better were the debut albums that came out in 1983. Some of the biggest names in music.  Here are the albums and/or events that make 1983 the greatest year in music:

Michael Jackson:

michael_jackson_-_thrillerWe will start off with one of the biggest reasons 1983 might be the greatest year in music.  That reason is Michael Jackson.  His album, ‘Thriller’, actually came out on November 30, 1982.  However, the impact of that album was truly felt in 1983.  Believe it or not, ‘Thriller’, did not reach #1 until almost 3 months after its release.  On February, 26, 1983, ‘Thriller’ was the #1 album in the country.  It was the first of 37 weeks at #1.  The album is the top selling album of all time at over 65 million copies.  A number that is unheard of and might never be topped.

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