DJ Sundog @djsundog@linernotes.club

One of the unlikely albums that was in heavy rotation during my last year of college was the used CD I found of Henry Mancini's "Music from Peter Gunn," a truly fantastic artifact of its time. It's got a looser feel than a lot of Mancini's later arrangements, a really compelling blend of jazz and big band.

My enduring memory of this album during that time was a summer night that I was working as a gopher for a local production company, helping tear down after a trade show at the city convention center... it was after midnight by the time we finished, and I was driving through the completely deserted city downtown as 'Dreamsville' played, all the streets empty and storefronts darkened. There could not have been a more perfect soundtrack for the moment. https://open.spotify.com/track/3GKtPUsvH8Q3ecj65M3hfO #nowplaying #tootradio #henrymancini #petergunn

So stoned decision of the day is that I am going to do a write up of every Who album through 1979.

Today we start with "My Generation" (UK)/"The Who Sings My Generation" (US).* https://open.spotify.com/album/6Oc6Ok1Oawu8lRkjmD4mXy The US version had a song that the rest of the world's version did not have: "Instant Party (Circles)." A Bo Diddley cover ("I'm A Man") was on the other release instead. The link takes you to a re-released deluxe version, but this'll focus on the original release.

This 12 track album was released at the end of 1965. The Who were a London band, and many of the London bands in the early 60s were heavily US blues-influenced. You hear that in this album beyond just the covers (they also covered "Please, Please, Please" by James Brown), but also with a heavy distortion (think Link Wray's "Rumble") type of garage sound infused with it. There is also some poppiness to it, but that is usually overshadowed by the title track.

Speaking of the title track... the. bass. solo. I can't think of any other song during that time that had a bass solo in the middle of it. John was amazing.

...and speaking of John, I also want to highlight "The Ox." It's an instrumental that was improvised, and has a mix of sounds. It sounds like a surf song, a garage song, and has fast paced piano playing all in one. It's a trip to listen to.

"Instant Party (Circles)" is also a good John highlight. He had been a trumpet player since childhood and played it on this track. He reprises the trumpet playing through many of their later recordings, but this was the first track he did.

All in all this a good first album. It had the sound of the time but also a taste of the more experimental sounds and depth that was to come later. Not bad for a group of London kids ranging from age 19-21.

* Their first two albums had different names in the US, and they both were not as good as the actual titles.

If there was ever a band that could seamlessly transition to having their music reinterpreted and orchestrated it would definitely be Thievery Corporation.

Last week they snuck this one past and my head is somewhat hung in shame (though I offer the new Purity Ring and Yaeji releases as my distraction)

There aren't enough o's in smooth to describe their catalogue and this is a great tribute

https://youtu.be/Kt54FjnhtN4

"To Be a Man" is the best Queen song that Boston ever wrote https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CylP-jwVA68 #nowplaying #tootradio

This is amazing. Henry Rollins tells stories about songs he then plays for you for 4 hours.

https://www.kcrw.com/music/shows/music-special/henry-rollins-radio-longform-joy-division-ian-mackaye

boz scaggs is another unfairly maligned figure in pop rock, a true talent. like robert palmer, boz was always excellent at picking the best musicians for the moment, and silk degrees (1976) is basically responsible for the creation of Toto, who all played on it together.

"Lowdown" and "Lido Shuffle" are obviously the big hits but I'm a big fan of "It's Over" which is a wonderful faux-town classic

#nowplaying

I boosted this on main but also need to share here. This made my day, best thing to come out of this situation. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0cQA6d3adPs

Also holy shit this is Terence Stamp? I never knew! Next you’ll be telling me marlon Brando was Superman’s dad or something.

robert palmer is extremely underrated, at least when it comes to his earlier r&b stuff. he did a pair of records—this one, Sneakin’ Sally Through the Alley, in ’74, and Pressure Drop in ’75, his first two as a solo artist—with a backing band that was mostly members of Little Feat and the Meters. Both bands were at the peak of their form.

Both of those records are must-listens, even if you only know robert palmer for the 80s videos, if you like New Orleans r&b.

#nowplaying

[that record was very short]

on to the next one! I considered cwing this for nudity but this account is tiny anyway.

pressure drop has some great songs, especially the title track; probably the most tolerable white guy reggae ever recorded (the original was made famous by toots and the maytalls of course). there is something about robert palmer’s yorkshire twink energy that translates perfectly to belted r&b. also he recorded these two albums at 25 and 26 years old

#nowplaying

hey friends, this my account for posting the 70s and 80s records (and sometimes some other stuff) that come by my turntable and spotify.

you might know me from my charity playlists at #TenForTen2020 and for my much-publicized devotion to #yachtrock and other smooth music.

discogs in the profile to track the out-of-print, not-streaming stuff I hunt down; spotify for So. Many. Playlists.

i'm a dad and i like dad music.