Songs Of The Week, 2021: 10/30-11/5

 

Wild Child- Lou Reed
Bluebirds Over The Mountain- The Beach Boys
Preta Pretinha- Novos Baianos
Everlasting Love- Felix Cavaliere
A Deeper Shade Of Soul- Ray Barretto
A Pillow Of Winds- Pink Floyd
Take A Look- Gary Walker & The Rain

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Wild Child- Lou Reed
I was working the Brooklyn Record Riot on October 27th, 2013 when a collective groan overtook the usual din of shoppers digging for vinyl. Word just came through everyone's phones that Lou Reed had died. The weasel dealer to my left calmly came out from behind his table, flipped through my "R' box, found the copy of "The Blue Mask" I had priced at $12 and forwent his usual haggling to a sawbuck and paid me straight up. He calmly walked back behind his table and slapped a new price tag on the same record--$25--and placed it at the front of his display. I can never listen to Lou and not think of that weasel dealer.

Bluebirds Over The Mountain- The Beach Boys
The more I listen to "20/20" the higher it climbs on my all-time Beach Boys list.

Preta Pretinha- Novos Baianos
I spent the earlier part of 2018 catching up on all of the wonderful Tropicalia I had missed. The album by Novos Baianos became a favorite. This is from that!

Everlasting Love- Felix Cavaliere
I have owned and sold the solo debut from Rascal Felix a number of times. Musically, it never seemed to take, but I wanted it in the collection because Todd Rundgren produced it. Well, almost 50 years later, it finally stuck. The record really takes off by track four, which is what I've shared here.

A Deeper Shade Of Soul- Ray Barretto
I've been really getting into some late 60's/early 70's Fania recordings. Talk about a hot, NYC summer vibe--these records had some brilliant playing and arrangements, and the percussive sounds really evoke a specific place and time. I have shared some of my favorites in the past like "The Harvey Averne Dozen" and "Joe Bataan Singin' Some Soul." But right now, I am very hot on Ray Barretto's "Acid" which smokes from top to bottom and includes this track, which you may recall had a resurgence in the 90's, courtesy of Urban Dance Squad. Craft Recordings just released a 5 CD set along with a 2LP highlights set called "It's A Good, Good Feeling: The Latin Soul Of Fania Records." It's a big time winner featuring all the right singles, if any of this interests you.

A Pillow Of Winds- Pink Floyd
Never considered "Meddle" a Sunday morning record, but at the suggestion of a friend, it was the first thing I listened to last Sunday and it worked.

Take A Look- Gary Walker & the Rain
"Album No. 1" from Gary Walker & The Rain was a one and done from 1968 featuring Gary Leeds, aka Gary Walker of The Walker Brothers and a very young, pre-Badfinger Joey Molland. Only one official release on the Philips label in Japan. If you've got about $2500, you can get a used copy on Discogs. This is a lovely "unofficial" repress that sounds terrific and I saved $2460. Great record, by the way, sounding like a cross between early Badfinger, The Zombies and post-"Butterfly" Hollies.