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thedollarcrate · 4 years

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Every Shade of Love by Jesse Johnson

I became a Prince disciple late in his life. Yes, I knew who Prince was, listened to an occasional song every now and then (who didn’t in 1999), and had seen some of his more iconic per4mances – but I didn’t know Prince.

It wasn’t until several years ago that I began my path towards salvation and devotion. My fiancée takes credit 4 my late Prince revelation. And perhaps, rightly so. After all, she gave me my first Prince record – Purple Rain, of course – 4 a birthday gift. And my new A.P. (After Prince) life began.

My journey accepting him into my life didn’t follow a direct course; rather, I meandered through his extensive catalogue at my own pace and order, allowing what I discovered in record stores to guide my teachings. Soon, I amassed his 70s and 80s discography through Graffiti Bridge, along with his last couple of releases. And winding my way 4wards and backwards through time with each new album – the funky grooves, NSFW lyrics and brilliant, otherworldly musicianship – was a thrilling experience.

During this same time, I also began to learn about Prince’s extensive influence on other artists and his musical disciples, including the Time. Which brings me to Jesse Johnson. I also didn’t know Jesse Johnson or realize that he was a Prince disciple – per4ming as a lead guitarist in the Time – despite Every Shade of Love’s cover not so subtly hinting at the similarities I might uncover. So I picked it up.

And if Prince’s palm prints were all over the Time, his fingerprints are sprinkled throughout Every Shade of Love.

Like the Time, Jesse Johnson exudes a cool, confident and sexy swagger on Every Shade of Love. And like Prince, Jesse Johnson wields his prowess of the guitar with stunning precision and meticulous beauty. And at the end of the day, that’s really what Every Shade of Love is all about – a showcase 4 Jesse Johnson’s guitar chops.

While each track lays down funky grooves, hard beats and smooth vocals, it’s the guitar solos that steal the show and what u’ll remember. That’s because un4tunately it isn’t until the slow jam “I’m Just Wanting You” and the fun, effortlessly breezy closer “Stop-Look-Listen” that the album final breaks free from its paint-by-numbers 80s funk song streak and finds its own voice.

Even though these songs might be too little, too late, at its best Every Shade of Love shows flashes of brilliance that edges close but never quite achieves the Purple One’s level of showmanship and style – and that’s still pretty darn good.

Which brings me back to Prince. Even after all this time, I still don’t know Prince. I may know some about his music, those he influenced and collaborated with, and tidbits about his life, but I never did – and I never will – know him.

But that doesn’t make me sad. And it’s probably why I don’t get too down on April 21.

Of course, it saddens me he passed so suddenly and relatively young with so much left to give – and I can’t imagine the pain his passing caused to so many who knew him well or to those he truly impacted.

But there’s still another Prince I do know, and that’s the one from my journey these past several years. And I’m grateful 4 that music and legacy in my life – and the chance to still spend a little bit of time with him whenever I want with just the drop of a needle.

And that brings me joy as we get through this thing called life.

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thedollarcrate · 4 years

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On Music and Pandemics

It’s impossible to capture all the ways the coronavirus has altered or upended our individual experiences and the world around us. Saying “times are tough” seems like a massive understatement. We’ve heard “unprecedented” so many times we’re growing numb to its gravity. And looking back on “the way we used to do things” and knowing they may never be the same can feel painful, hopeful and numbing all at once.

But sometimes music can express our thoughts better – or in different ways –than we can.

So I thought I’d share a handful of songs from a few of my favorite artists that reflect my attitudes, feelings and behaviors at the moment.

I’d love to hear what songs and artists capture your experience or what music you’ve turned to during this time in the comments.

And like George Harrison sang, “All things must pass.”

This will, too, and until then – stay safe, y’all.

“I Am Waiting” by The Rolling Stones

I am waiting, I am waiting

Sometimes it feels like the only thing we can do is wait. And waiting is always the hardest part.

“Time” by Pink Floyd

Ticking away the moments that make up a dull day Fritter and waste the hours in an offhand way

Even with what seems like all the time in the world, I still just sit around and do nothing for the most part.

“Elegie” by Patti Smith

I just don't know what to do tonight My head is aching as I drink and breathe Memory falls like cream in my bones, moving on my own

Who hasn’t hit the bottle a little too much the past few weeks?

“Stay” by David Bowie

This week dragged past me so slowly The days fell on their knees

Hours feel like days. Days feel like years. And weeks feel like an eternity. Slowly is putting it mildly.

“Don’t Hurt Yourself” by Beyoncé

When you hurt me, you hurt yourself Try not to hurt yourself

More of a friendly reminder that we’re all in this together and what we do now impacts everyone - so stay inside, keep your distance and don’t be stupid, please.

“No Fun” by The Stooges

No fun to hang around Feelin' that same old way No fun to hang around Freaked out for another day

Simply put, this whole thing is no fun.

“Lonely Weekend” by Kacey Musgraves

Guess I'm hangin' by myself, but I don't mind It's a lonely weekend, yeah

I never minded – in fact often preferred – a lonely weekend before. But now I may never want one again.

“Wouldn’t It Be Nice” by The Beach Boys

Wouldn't it be nice if we could wake up In the morning when the day is new? And after having spent the day together Hold each other close the whole night through?

Oh, wouldn’t so many things be nice right about now.

“It’s Gonna Be A Beautiful Night” by Prince

It's gonna be a beautiful night You got your world together Everything's lookin' alright Tonight there's no tomorrow This is gonna be the one

Tonight we're gonna lose our sorrow

Tonight we're gonna have some fun

When this whole thing is over, we’re all gonna have one giant party. And this track will be played at full blast. That night will be beautiful, indeed.

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thedollarcrate · 4 years

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Flag by Yello

Every Memorial Day – except maybe this next one – a few hundred thousand race fans from across the globe come together to witness “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing.”

And for many Hoosiers, the Indianapolis 500 is a rite of passage. They never forget their first race – the awe-inducing sight of race cars zipping around corners and straightaways at 200+ mph, Jim Nabors’ majestic voice singing “Back Home Again in Indiana” or the deafening roar of 33 tiny rockets on wheels starting at once after hearing the simple command: “(Ladies and) gentlemen, start your engines.”

These Hoosiers aren’t defined as much by their age or job but by who won their first Indy 500 or how many they’ve been to. And it’s not just a single day for them – their entire month of May is consumed by celebrations, traditions and race festivities.

For other Hoosiers, the race is memorable for a whole host of other reasons – the endless lines of traffic snaking to the speedway, trekking miles from a parking spot to a crowded bleacher while lugging heavy coolers, Florence Henderson’s grating “God Bless America” (Yes, that Florence Henderson. And yes, it was that bad. RIP.) or the loud, mindless boredom that transpires between laps 1 through 199.

But what’s the race like for most? Somewhere in between – a fun, exciting event to partake in every once in a while but nothing life changing. These Hoosiers and race fans are happy to go and experience it in person, but equally as happy to catch the taped-delay broadcast later that night – or the highlights the next day.

And that pretty much sums up Yello’s Flag. It’s a mostly fun, sometimes mindless 80s techno album that one can enjoy every so often without feeling the urge to revisit all the time. Or maybe never again.

And like in Indy during May, “The Race” is Yello’s most memorable moment. Its pulsating synth mambo flair brings passion to an album that’s unfortunately lacking the same energy on any of its other tracks, with the exception being the lead track “Tied Up.” The rest of album finds itself bouncing between strange, dark goth electronica and a guitar, chant heavy closer.

So Yello’s Flag is much like a yellow flag. It lacks the full-throttled thrill of green flag racing, but it’s not quite as bad as a red flag that brings everything to a halt.

In other words, this Flag signals for you to proceed with caution.

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thedollarcrate · 4 years

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50 Best Albums (That I Own on Vinyl) of the Decade

It’s hard to comprehend how much transpires over the course of a decade or wrap your head around how long (or short) of time that really is.

But what better way to try than to make a list!

Now, I know “Best of” lists like this one are inherently subjective – and probably say more about their maker’s preferences than actually reflecting the best music released in a particular time period. And, I’ll be the first to admit that the list below is incredibly limited, and that I need to widen my exposure to more artists and genres.

But hey, this is all in fun.

So feel free to debate, pick apart or share your own favorite albums from the past decade. But before you dive in, just a few quick points for context:

-I only ranked albums I actually own on vinyl released between 2010 and 2019, which limited my choices to about 170 records.

-I only ranked new music released this past decade, so no reissues or older material released for the first time (sorry Prince’s Piano & A Microphone and Originals).

-I first started buying vinyl around ’09-’10 and started off purchasing mostly new releases before my habits shifted and I started looking for older records. This shows in the list below – nearly a quarter of the albums below were released in 2010 and almost 70% from the first half of the decade.

And we’re off…

50. Centipede Hz, Animal Collective (2012)

Let’s be honest, it was impossible for Animal Collective to top a universally acclaimed and era-defining album – and it was unfair to expect them to. But maybe the continuous onslaught of bizarre and eclectic music found on Centipede Hz was just what we needed after all.

49. Singles, Future Islands (2014)

So much more than Sam Herring’s pelvis busting dance moves and “Seasons (Waiting On You),” every track on Singlesbursts with life and heart pumping energy. To quote Letterman: I’ll take all of that you got.

48. Paul’s Tomb: A Triumph, Frog Eyes (2010)

I don’t think I’ll ever understand Carey Mercer’s lyrics, but I’m certain I’ll never tire of getting lost in his hidden words and knotty melodies.

47. Leaving Atlanta, Gentleman Jesse (2012)

Thirty seven minutes of Pure Power Pop Perfection (note the capital “Ps”).

46. Burst Apart, The Antlers (2011)

If there’s another album with a song titled “Putting the Dog to Sleep” that is as haunting and beautiful as this one, I don’t want to know about it.

45. Carrion Crawler/The Dream, Thee Oh Sees (2011)

With John Dwyer churning out record after record in the ‘10s, it should come as no surprise that at least one landed on this list (and they’re all great). Garage rock. Surf rock. Post-punk rock. Psych rock. Noise rock. Rock rock. I don’t care what you call it, Thee Oh Sees put the pedal to the metal on Carrion Crawler/The Dream, taking you for a wild ride that never lets up.

44. 1989, Taylor Swift (2014)

Irresistibly catchy, everyone needs to satisfy their pop sweet tooth every now and then. 1989 is so sugary, it might just give you a cavity or two.

43. City Music, Kevin Morby (2017)

The city. The countryside. A beach. Aboard a train. At the pearly gates. It doesn’t matter where you listen to City Music because Kevin Morby’s jams will immediately transport you to your own laid back, happy place.

42. Remind Me Tomorrow, Sharon Van Etten (2019)

You’ll regret it if you keep waiting to listen this powerhouse – and powerful – synth-soaked record.

41. You Want It Darker, Leonard Cohen (2016)

It doesn’t get much darker, bleaker or sparse than this, but I wouldn’t want it any other way from the masterful Leonard Cohen.

40. American Dream, LCD Soundsystem (2017)

Retirement never sounded so good.

39. Capacity, Big Thief (2017)

Quietly captivating, mesmerizing and elegant, Big Thief knock you out without you even realizing it.

38. St. Vincent, St. Vincent (2014)

Annie Clark’s shapeshifting album won’t only shred your face off, it somehow makes you feel smarter, too.

37. Before Today, Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti (2010)

So, so weird and so, so good.

36. Expo 86, Wolf Parade (2010)

Like #50, Wolf Parade might always live in the shadow and expectations of a towering classic, yet somehow Spencer Krug and Dan Boeckner still continually craft eccentric and bombastic rock albums. Expo 86 is no exception, and it is an underrated classic in its own right.

35. Golden Hour, Kacey Musgraves (2018)

Like a sunset or sunrise, Golden Hour radiates beauty and warmth with each of its glowing tracks.

34. Yuck, Yuck (2011)

Despite their name and its hideous album cover, there’s nothing gross about Yuck’s infectious indie rock.

33. Play It Strange, The Fresh & Onlys (2010)

I once saw The Fresh & Onlys play at a tiny club in D.C. It might’ve been the loudest show I’ve ever been to – my ears rang for days. This record is just as rollicking, hazy and good as that show was loud.

32. Natalie Prass, Natalie Prass (2015)

There’s a reason “Welcome to 1979” is stamped in tiny letters on this vinyl’s inner ring – it’s silky smooth, filled with impeccable soft ballads and finely tuned jams – and just a tinge of funk.

31. I Am Easy To Find, The National (2019)

Few bands matched the consistent output of quality albums in the ‘10s as The National. They had one heck of a run, and I Am Easy To Find was a fascinating way to end it – a 21st rock album that felt more complex and expansive than anything they’d done before.

30. Melodrama, Lorde (2018)

Everything a pop record should be and then some – bold, breathtaking and exuberant.

29. Just Enough Hip To Be Woman, Broncho (2014)

If you can’t tell from its playful title, this pop rock album wants nothing more than to have fun – and it succeeds on every level.

28. Avi Buffalo, Avi Buffalo (2010)

Sometimes all you want is a light, sunny and meandering album to wash over you and get lost in, and this one will do the trick every time.

27. Hippies, Harlem (2010)

Imagine a band practicing inside a garage inside a garage inside another garage and you’ve got Harlem. This is garage rock to the max – and at its rambunctious best.

26. Puberty 2, Mitski (2016)

It’s hard to describe Puberty 2. Sure, it might sound like simple dreamy indie rock, but it ebbs and flows in unexpected ways that leaves you guessing where it’s heading next.

25. mbv, My Bloody Valentine (2013)

Picking up right where they left off – even if it was more than a decade later – My Bloody Valentine reminded everyone why they are the masters of reverb soaked shoegaze.

24. A Moon Shaped Pool, Radiohead (2016)

Even after all these years and albums, Radiohead still found a way to reinvent themselves and push the boundaries of rock music – and our expectations of them. With gorgeous arrangements and slow-burning, tension filled tracks, AMSP proves that even Radiohead can still take risks – and proves rock bands can make quiet, intimate songs sound epic. Oh yeah, and it has “True Love Waits.”

23. Art Angels, Grimes (2015)

Grimes gave us the future of pop music before most could even envision it. This laid the groundwork for all the challenging and intricate – and danceable – pop music that would follow. And it still sounds ahead of its time.

22. Meet Me At The Muster Station, PS I Love You (2010)

The first sounds out of Paul Saulnier’s mouth on Meet Me At The Munster Station aren’t words at all but two short, ecstatic yelps. And this same boundless energy and passion bleeds through on every fuzzy, raucous second of every track. Did I mention there’s a song called “Butterflies & Boners”?

21. More Than Any Other Day, Ought (2014)

You really ought to listen to Ought if you aren’t already. Tim Darcy and co. sound a bit uneasy, paranoid and self-aware, but they make the most minute challenges sound so exhilarating and life-altering – even the struggle deciding between two percent and whole milk at the grocery store.

20. Lemonade, Beyoncé (2017)

All hail Queen Bey.

19. Twin-Hand Movement, Lower Dens (2010)

This album sounds like 2 am on a dark, rainy Saturday night – in the best way imaginable.

18. Tomboy, Panda Bear (2011)

You can always count on Panda Bear to make hypnotic, loopy electronic music sound so breezy and effortless.

17. Modern Vampires Of The City, Vampire Weekend (2013)

I don’t know why, but I want to dislike Vampire Weekend so much. But that’s impossible when their music is so damn good and every note sounds so neat and perfect.

16. Past Life Martyred Saints, EMA (2011)

Just do yourself and listen to this album please.

15. The Archandroid, Janelle Monáe (2010)

Blending too many genres to count, this is what I imagine music sounds like in space.

14. Carrie & Lowell, Sufjan Stevens (2015)

I’ll let you know how I feel about this one after I stop crying.

13. The Suburbs, Arcade Fire (2010)

It’s everything you either love or hate about Arcade Fire. Grand, sincere and sweeping rock that swings for the fences with every guitar chord, drumbeat and horn blast. I love it.

12. Silence Yourself, Savages (2013)

Savages grab you by the throat and never let go – this is one intense album.

11. Helplessness Blues, Fleet Foxes (2011)

This might be the epitome of ‘10s indie rock – and for good reason. Introspective, sensitive and searching for some greater meaning, Robin Pecknold holds nothing back and lays it all out on Helplessness Blues.

10. Kaputt, Destroyer (2011)

Dan Bejar is an enigma and seemingly reluctant rock star. I saw him perform an acoustic set where he spent a majority of the time playing with his back towards the audience (although in fairness, it was at a free outdoor show on a college campus with people mostly chatting obnoxiously over him), and yet it’s as if his creativity requires him to constantly release new albums and show them off. Kaputt is as equally strange and mysterious – and just as creative – as its maker.

9. Black Star, David Bowie (2016)

Take away the heartbreaking circumstances surrounding this album’s release and it would still be in the top tier of David Bowie’s extensive catalogue. Experimenting until the very end, Bowie morphed into something entirely new one last time. Part jazz, part rock and part I’m not sure what you would call it, the results were once again out of this world. He couldn’t give it all away, but we’re sure thankful for what he could.

8. Bon Iver, Bon Iver (2011)

Shedding the cabin in the woods vibe, Justin Vernon took a giant leap forward with Bon Iver and made ‘80s soft rock popular.

7. Celebration Rock, Japandroids (2012)

Perhaps the most aptly named album on this list, no other album exudes the joy of making music and rocking out with your buddy than this one. It’s hard to believe all that noise and energy comes from just two people.

6. Burn Your Fire For No Witness, Angel Olsen (2014)

Angel Olsen’s hypnotic and seductive vocals, lyrics and guitar suck you in immediately, mesmerizing you from the first gentle strums to the peaks and valleys of “Lights Out” and “Stars” all the way to the closer’s pulsing drumbeats and majestic piano.

5. Black Messiah, D'Angelo And The Vanguard (2015)

Oozing with cool, sexy and confident R&B funk, D’Angelo returned after 14 years with an instant soul masterpiece.

4. The Monitor, Titus Andronicus (2010)

It says a lot when a band can a.) make an hour plus punk rock record b.) loosely base it on the Civil War c.) quote Abraham Lincoln d.) close it out with a 14 minute track inspired by a famous naval battle and e.) still make you want to listen to it over and over and over again.

3. Lost In The Dream, The War On Drugs (2014)

The rare album that can feel vast and ambitious and yet deeply private and personal all at once. You really will get lost in these soaring songs.

2. Halcyon Digest, Deerhunter (2010)

At times perfectly melodic and structured and at others feeling on the brink of falling apart, Halcyon Digest is a paradox – sounding peaceful, bright and idyllic while also peering over the edge into something darker. This is a remarkable record from a remarkable band. If not for the abrupt end to the darkly beautiful closer “He Would Have Laughed,” Halcyon Digest sounds like it could go on forever.

1. Let England Shake, PJ Harvey (2011)

A stunning, thought-provoking, and moving – not to mention endlessly listenable – transcendent piece of art about life and the Great War. PJ Harvey doesn’t hold back on the brutality and absurdity of armed conflict, and the album’s devastating closing track – “The Colour of the Earth” – will linger in your mind long after the record stops spinning. As powerful today as it was eight years ago, this album will remain timely and important for years – and decades – to come.

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thedollarcrate · 4 years

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The Story’s Been Told by Third World

It’s been cold in Chicago lately. No really – trust me, it has been. I’m not just complaining.

Winter arrived early across much of the country, and like a visiting relative, it doesn’t seem to be leaving anytime soon (or at least not soon enough).

But if you can’t escape the snow and bone-chilling temperatures, do the next best thing and wrap yourself up in Third World’s warm embrace on The Story’s Been Told.

With just seven sunny songs, The Story’s Been Told’s reggae infused pop will momentarily transport you to your own happy little island in the sun.

Yet it’s not just the glowing keyboards, laid back beats, and silky smooth vocals that will infiltrate your body and send tiny little rays of sunshine pulsing through your veins – it’s their joyous, welcoming spirit, too.

Like on opener “Talk to Me,” a song that gently reminds us that we all just need to open up every once in a while and seek each other out, and that “Everybody needs a friend/Down to the very end/They may pretend that it’s not true/I share the same feelings just like you.”

Or on the ambling, breezy “Having a Party,” which playfully requires that at a party: “Everyone’s just got to be there.”

So when times get cold and dark, and you need a little sunshine to brighten your day, just turn to Third World. Because unlike this weather – and your relatives – they’re welcome to stick around as long as they want, anytime of the year.

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thedollarcrate · 4 years

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City Life by The Blackbyrds

Rock Creek Park unassumingly winds its way up the modest hills of Washington, D.C.’s Northwest quadrant. To its south lies the National Mall, along with the monuments, museums, and institutions that honor our nation’s past and cultural heritage. To its north sits well-to-do suburbs like Chevy Chase and Bethesda. And on either side stand classic D.C. rowhomes housing politicos and lifelong government bureaucrats.

Inside, the park’s terrain doesn’t change drastically, and its forests aren’t densely populated with towering greenery, but it’s a pleasant enough escape amidst D.C.’s otherwise monotonous landscape.

In other words, there ain’t nothing sexy about Rock Creek Park.

Yet to hear The Blackbyrds moan, whisper, and lay down funky beats – all while repeatedly singing the seductive lyrics “Doin’ it in the park/doin’ it after dark/oh yeah (in Rock Creek Park)/oh yeah (in Rock Creek Park)” – for nearly five minutes, you’d think it was an X-rated urban oasis (they must’ve mistaken it for the White House).

Thankfully even though The Blackbyrds might not be particularly good at accurately portraying a national park in song form on opener “Rock Creek Park,” they prove themselves to be expert purveyors of smooth jazz and danceable R&B grooves on City Life.

That’s because the best way to describe The Blackbyrds’ and their sound might be in their own words from “Happy Music”: “Happy music/good time music/is our music/funky music.”

The Blackbyrds are at their best on City Life when they stick to that creed. And it’s when they follow the “Rock Creek Park” formula of simple lyrics, hypnotic rhythms, and instrumental outbursts that they shine their brightest.

Like on “City Life,” “Hash and Eggs,” and the aforementioned “Happy Music” – three tracks that make you “footloose and fancy free…takes your trouble off your mind.” It’s only on slower cuts like “All I Ask” and “Love So Fine” – and the strangely sitcom-ish “Flying High” – that The Blackbyrds lose their edge and clear the dance floor.

But that’s ultimately OK, because even though you’ll never hear a Washingtonian say it: You can always get down to “Rock Creek Park” for one heck of a funky time.

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thedollarcrate · 5 years

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A note of thanks

Three years ago today, I started this journey to discover the forgotten music tossed aside to the lowly dollar crates. I was never sure where it would take me - or what music I might uncover - but I’ve always tried to remember how it began: the belief that all music has value.

And that value and what it means is up to each of us individually to decide - not some tiny price tag on an album’s cover.

While the output of my posts may have ebbed and flowed over the past few years, I’ve always tried to keep my commitment to that ideal steady.

And your commitment to taking this journey with me has never wavered, either - for that, I say thank you.

Thank you for digging in the crates with me these past three years.

And here’s to three more.

#thank you #music #thedollarcrate

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thedollarcrate · 5 years

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Please Love Me by Waterloo & Robinson

What’s not to love?

#please love me #Waterloo & Robinson #vinyl #vinyljunkie #vinylcollection #vinylcommunity #vinylcollector #vinylporn #record #records #recordcollection #recordcommunity #recordcollector #music #nowspinning #music blog #music review #thedollarcrate

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thedollarcrate · 5 years

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Bobbie Gentry & Glen Campbell

After digging out an early 70s self-titled album from a French pop duo, I did a complete 180 and stumbled across a late 60s self-titled album from an American country-folk duo.

OK, so the differences may not seem that stark between Stone & Eric Charden’s and Bobbie Gentry & Glen Campbell’s records. (And I assure you it’s by pure coincidence that I picked up another duet-driven album that blends two distinct voices into one - certainly not as if I’ve been planning a wedding and subconsciously thinking about two lives becoming one…aaaawwwweeeee).

But, after a deeper dive it’s easy to see that there’s actually very little that connects these two records. Heck, even at the surface level these albums couldn’t be more different.

Where Stone and Eric exude a casual coolness with their shabby-sexy aloofness, gentle (maybe slightly awkward?) embrace, and pastel orange attire on their cover, Bobbie and Glen come across stiff, cold, and manipulated in their blue-hued staged studio photo wearing polished clothing and forced smiles. It’s even fairly apparent that the picture is doctored together to make it to look like Bobbie and Glen stand feet apart.

Unfortunately, this distance between the two translates to their music, too. Just like they might never have been in the same room when their pictures were taken, it’s tough to tell from listening to these 11 tracks if they even crossed paths while recording them.

That’s because Bobbie and Glen exhibit none of the passion and chemistry on display between Stone and Eric. Which is a shame, because Bobbie and Glen’s clear talent and rich, lush and soothing voices go to waste with these listless, dull songs on romance and companionship.

And if Stone and Eric demonstrated the best of bubbly and boozy French suave, then Bobbie and Glen perfectly reflect whole milk, clean Christian lovin’. Like on album opener “Less of Me,” when Bobbie and Glen sound as if they’re at bible study asking for some higher power to “Let me be a little meeker/With the brother that is weaker/Think a little more of others/And a little less of me.”

Then there’s “Heart to Heart Talk,” when – you guessed it – nothing but a heart to heart talk and an arm in arm walk can help a troubled relationship (I mean, I can’t think of anything else that could help - can you?). And on the sultry “Mornin’ Glory,” Bobbie and Glen dial it up a notch talking about shedding “your precious mornin’ light on me” after waking up and imploring the other to “come on darling/time to get up/I have your breakfast table set up” (it’s the anti-“Breakfast Can Wait” love song).

Not even a closing cover of another famous duo’s “Parlsey, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme” – or a swelling timpani, flutes and trombones, and tubular chimes – can salvage Bobbie and Glen’s drowsy affair.

I wish someone would’ve had a heart to heart with Bobbie and Glen when they made this album. Or at the very least introduced them to Stone and Eric.

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thedollarcrate · 5 years

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Stone & Eric Charden

While I listened to Stone and Eric Charden earlier this week, my fiancée sat in the other room watching Game of Thrones – and I don’t understand either.

I like to think my inability to comprehend Game of Thrones has less to do with my capacity to untangle intricate storylines, complex family histories, and an expansive cast of characters and more to do with the fact that I’ve only caught a handful of episodes over the series’ run. (But this could be wrong.)

Or it could be that I don’t find a fantasy show about warring, corrupt factions maneuvering for a seat of power while displaying a complete unwillingness to set aside petty differences to resolve far grander challenges entirely appealing. (Isn’t this our reality every day?)

Or it might simply be that I’m too stubborn to watch the series from the beginning because that might mean I’d have to concede to my fiancée that she’s right and it really is one of best shows of all time. (This is the correct answer, but no matter what, I’ll never admit it’s better than The Sopranos.)

But I can tell you exactly, 100%-without-a-doubt why I don’t understand Stone and Eric Charden: I don’t speak French.

And after listening to the twelve songs on Stone and Eric Charden’s self-titled album, I can also confidently say that – while I didn’t understand a single lyric – it’s beauty, playfulness, and elegance will sweep you off your feet and transport you to the city lights of Paris and France’s countryside villas all within 40 minutes.

It doesn’t hurt that Stone and Eric Charden’s voices drip with passion, seducing you from the very first track right through the album’s closer. Whether it’s the carnivalesque buoyancy that open each side, the smoky coolness found on “J.S. Bach Populaire,” or the sly grooves on “A Musique De Comionneur,” Stone and Eric Charden effortlessly evoke the fuzz and haziness of a 1970s Polaroid snapshot. And even though there might not be dragons, the music’s warmth will lift you up, making you feel like you’re floating in the clouds.

So maybe the lesson here is that even the things you doesn’t understand can still be great. (Just don’t tell my fiancée I said that).

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thedollarcrate · 5 years

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Stoned Soul Picnic by the 5th Dimension

Familiar names pop up all over the back cover of the 5th Dimension’s psychedelic soul album Stoned Soul Picnic, including a couple I wouldn’t have recognized just two years ago - Laura Nyro and Valerie Simpson.

Back in 2017, I stumbled across Laura Nyro’s Eli and the Thirteenth Confessional. It’s an album I called “thrilling, sprawling, and dynamic” as Laura blended elements of gospel, soul, and rock to create a “stunning journey and near masterpiece.” Upon purchase, it was heralded by the record store clerk as one of her favorite albums ever – a bold claim but one that ultimately held up after I gave the record a spin for myself. I even ranked the album as my number one dollar crate find of 2017.

What was my second favorite album that year?

That would’ve been Exposed by Valerie Simpson. Similar in style to Laura Nyro, Valerie Simpson’s silky smooth and rich voice radiates throughout the Motown infused Exposed. It’s an album “filled to the brim with soul, passion, and love” and one that led me to examine my own unintended proclivity to overlook soul and R&B music in the record bins.

So is an album that borrows so much – including its title - from these two towering artists destined to be a Dollar Crate classic, too?

Probably not. That’s because throughout their album – like on their covers of “Sweet Blindness” and “Stoned Soul Picnic” – the 5th Dimension play it safe rather than build upon the strong foundations laid by Nyro and Simpson. They aren’t so much as reimagining classic songs as much as they are simply recreating and imitating them.

Which isn’t necessarily a bad thing – great songs played well by someone else can still be good even if they don’t offer anything new or add their own twist to the originals. Though that doesn’t usually make for memorable music, either.

And unfortunately that’s what we get with the 5th Dimension. Stoned Soul Picnic is as fun and light as it is ultimately forgettable. It’s an album that’s perfectly fine and pleasant, quite suitable to listen to during a snowy April day in Chicago.

But just like a springtime snow day will make you wish for actual spring weather, the 5th Dimension will make you long for the original artist that made these tracks so inventive and masterful the first time around.

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thedollarcrate · 5 years

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Rocket Cottage by Steeleye Span

CHICAGO, Illinois (AP) -- All systems weren’t go as Steeleye Span came out of the gate flat and failed to launch any excitement during their forty minute performance on Rocket Cottage.

While instrumentally sound and clearly in control of their vocal harmonies, Steeleye Span’s erratic pacing and inconsistent stylistic choices ultimately doomed the band in the end. Melding traditional English folk with modern rock, not even a playful violin solo midway through the first half could turn around Rocket Cottage’s ill-fated trajectory.

“I felt like we were in our element the whole time, but I don’t know, maybe the world isn’t as ready for violins, mandolins, and electric guitars as we thought,” said a perplexed Tim Hart afterwards.

Questionable decision-making continued to plague Steeleye Span in a weak second half. The hymn-like anti-war ballad “Fighting For Strangers” felt better suited for a Victorian church than a folk rock album, and the lumbering instrumental tune “Sligo Maid” that followed could have served as the theme to a 70s TV crime show set in the rolling green hills of Cheshire.

But it was during the floundering final minutes when Rocket Cottage truly lost all control. Closer “The Drunkard” sounded exactly like that – aimless, incoherent, and forgettable.

The outing, however, didn’t deter vocalist Maddy Prior. “We’ll take a look at the tape, see what worked and what didn’t, and go from there. I’m confident we can shake this one off and bounce back with a better effort next go-around.”

Rocket Cottage, however, was one liftoff Steeleye Span probably wished they had scrapped.

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thedollarcrate · 5 years

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Eddie, Old Bob, Dick and Gary by Tenpole Tudor

Tenpole Tudor aren’t just any old Tom, Dick or Harry.

They’re not just as infectious and jubilant as Adam and the Ants with danceable beats and epic sing-alongs like album opener “Swords of a Thousand Men.”

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They’re not just another Ramones knock-off with breakneck tracks featuring shouting choruses coupled with freewheeling guitar solos like “Go Wilder” and “Header Now.”

They’re not just like Elvis Costello, churning out hook filled new wave melodies, pristine guitar licks and warm vocals like on “3 Bells in a Row” and “I Wish.”

They’re not just mimicking the Clash’s punk-ska classic “Rudie Can’t Fail” on the sax-infused reggae jam “There Are Boys.”

And they’re not just as confidently rambunctious and carefree as the Replacements on side 1 closer “Wunderbar,” a delightfully cheery ode to drowning your sorrows at the bar.

That’s because they’re Eddie, Bob, Dick and Gary.

Their music is light, fun and packed with energy, leaving you like those four shirtless, ironically serious looking dudes on the album’s back cover – sweaty and anxiously awaiting what’s next.

And even though Tenpole Tudor may not be rock legends or cult heroes, they’re not just any old band, either.

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thedollarcrate · 5 years

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“Baby Scratch My Back” and “I’m Gonna Miss You (Like The Devil)” by Slim Harpo

On the second leg of my holiday travels, I journeyed to historic New Orleans – and my first trip to the Big Easy did not disappoint. It’s a vibrant, colorful community pulsating with life, culture, and, of course, music.

So much music, in fact, that it’s nearly impossible not to hear a horn blast or saxophone squeal as you walk down the narrow city streets that checker the French Quarter – where the music will literally spill into the roads as a band marches right along next to you or sets up shop on a busy corner.

Unlike my stop in Minneapolis, I knew almost exactly what I was getting myself into when I picked up Slim Harpo’s 7” featuring “Baby Scratch My Back” and “I’m Gonna Miss You (Like The Devil)” at the eclectic Euclid Records in the Bywater neighborhood. That’s because it was amongst the other used 45s in a section clearly labeled “New Orleans Stuff.”

And there’s probably no better way to put it than that. These two singles are all “New Orleans Stuff.” It’s rhythm and blues at its finest - notes hanging in the air, lingering just a bit too long like a setting sun on a sticky, hot Louisiana summer day, beats wandering as aimlessly as a drunk after last call, and a harmonica howling like the shouts from a back alley bar.

Then there’s Slim’s voice – as smooth and steady as the winding Mississippi on a calm, moonlight night. And even when you can’t see it or don’t know where it’s going, its presence always looms large.

But if the music isn’t enough to get your toes tapping, surely the lyrics will put a smile on your face. Both tracks are subtle (or maybe not so subtle), sly takes on love and lovers. On “Baby Scratch My Back,” Slim’s “itchy,” but I don’t he’s hankering for that kind of back scratch, saying “Awe, you’re workin’ with it now/You got me feelin’ so good/Little bit to the center now, baby/Hmmmm.”

And on the B-side, while Slim admits he’s going to miss the lover that left him, he’s “gonna miss you like the Devil” – so perhaps he won’t be missing her too much after all.

And while I may miss my holiday travels – not like the Devil – and might not be heading back to New Orleans any time soon, with a drop of the needle on this Slim Harpo 45 I can bring New Orleans to me any time I want.

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thedollarcrate · 5 years

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Grandmother’s Song by Heather Bishop

Over the holidays, I traveled far north to rural Minnesota and to the deep south’s Louisiana. Aside from the mighty Mississippi, there’s not much that connects the two – their geographic distance might only be surpassed by their cultural differences.

One thing these states do have in common are storied musical histories – and record shops.

So of course, I had to make pit stops at the local stores during my holiday travels. And that’s where I discovered Grandmother’s Song by Heather Bishop.

But if I told you that Grandmother’s Song is filled with gentle, bluesy ballads and laid back piano chords, swinging drum beats, and playful clarinets, and then asked you to guess which city I picked up the record in – either New Orleans or Minneapolis – I’d be willing to wager you’d pick New Orleans. I know I would. After all, it only makes sense that I would pick up a record that fits this description in the Big Easy.

But you would be wrong – it was hidden in the stacks at the famed (and Prince frequented) Electric Fetus.

In fact, Heather Bishop’s album is far from the rock and roll of the Replacements and Hüsker Dü or the pop funk of the Purple One and the Time. There might be a little Dlyanesque folk in there, but Grandmother’s Song is much closer to the jazzy sounds associated with N’Awlins than Minnesota’s musical exports.

This shouldn’t have come as a surprise, though. I was so caught off guard – and equally intrigued – by the unattractive elderly woman on the front cover and what music could be behind it that I completely missed the iconic jazz names listed next to several tracks on the back – names like Nina Simone, Billie Holiday and Ma Rainey.

While Heather Bishop doesn’t rise to their legendary status on Grandmother’s Song, she covers songs like “Sugar in my Bowl,” “Prove it on me Blues,” “Lady Sings the Blues,” and “Blues for Mama” with a warm, engulfing voice that does them justice, and echoes their ease as she sings tales of down-on-their-luck characters.

Like that old woman smoking a cigarette, Heather Bishop also conveys a sense of fatalism in each song, a feeling that no matter what these characters do – or don’t – they can’t change who they are or the situations they’ve found themselves in.

But also like the weathered lady, that doesn’t make them any less proud. Even though they might all have the blues, which Billie Holiday says “ain’t nothing but a pain in your heart,” that doesn’t mean they’re not determined to do something about it, even if it wears them out or makes no difference in the end.

But ultimately, the beauty of Grandmother’s Song is the surprise of hearing elegant blues standards behind that rugged cover - reminding us once again that you can’t judge an album by its cover.

And here’s hoping for more equally satisfying discoveries in the year ahead - no matter where they come from or what they look like.

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thedollarcrate · 5 years

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“I Heard You Say” and “I Won’t Be Long” by Vivian Girls

I prefer order and reliability over chaos and change. I favor predictability to spontaneity. And I find symmetry and balance more pleasing than the asymmetric and erratic.

That’s probably why I’ve had the same wallet for 16 years, why I need five days’ notice to go out on a weekend night, and why I decided to end the year the same way I started it.

And that’s also probably why I’m not punk. Or what we think is punk – wild, carefree, and rebellious.

For my long time readers, you might recall that I started the year off with a series of posts featuring punk 45s I picked up in a $5 surprise grab bag at Logan Hardware in Chicago (RIP). I called it “Punk Week.”

There were a few I didn’t cover during that week, so given my un-punklike sensibilities I thought it only seemed rational to have the year come full circle and give one of the 45s I didn’t listen to a spin.

I’m glad I gave Vivian Girls a shot.

Both “I Heard You Say” and “I Won’t Be Long” are filled with hazy vocals and harmonies, shimmering guitars and crisp drum beats. They’re a sunset in a rearview mirror on a west coast drive or a campfire on a starry autumn night – warm, embracing but slightly cool and distant. They’re also subtly defiant, sending a warning to the lovers who leave that you won’t stick around to welcome them back.

And I’m glad I gave “Punk Week” (or now “Punk Year”?) a shot, too.

Even though I found some 45s better than others, each allowed me to experience a genre of music I don’t typically listen to. Along the way, I discovered that as much as I had notions or expectations about what punk should or shouldn’t sound like, they quickly got shattered. I realized punk isn’t just a single sound with a core set of musical characteristics - it can be anything.

In other words, Vivian Girls doesn’t have to sound like Assfort and Louis Tully doesn’t have to play the same music as Social Circkle to be punk. Punk is about people and bands offering their own unique voices, perspectives, and style in a world that too often breads conformity.

So maybe I discovered that to be punk is simply to be your true self. And maybe that means we can all be punk – no matter what that means.

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