Sunday, June 4, 2023

Songs Of The Week, 2023: 5/27-6/2


 

Not That Well-Defined- Sparks
Perfect- John Cale
45- Elvis Costello
A Place Where We Can Be Free- Ernie K. Doe
I'll Take A Melody (Original Mix)- Frankie Miller
Jesus is Going To Make Up My Dying Bed- Pops Staples
Fisherman- The Congos

zip

 

Not That Well-Defined- Sparks
I have yet to write a proper review for the new Sparks album, and I still might. But for now let me say, these guys have delivered another classic.

Perfect- John Cale
I haven't had a working CD player in years and Cale's "Black Acetate" isn't on vinyl, so I hadn't really thought about it in a very long time. That record, along with the record right before it, "Hobosapiens," rank very high on the list of Cale releases. I streamed "Black Acetate" last week and it sounded better than ever.

45- Elvis Costello
I put up a rare vinyl edition of "When I Was Cruel" that I expected to sell immediately, so I gave it farewell spin. Two things--it's a damn good record, and, it still hasn't sold.

A Place Where We Can Be Free- Ernie K. Doe
A deep cut from K. Doe's self-titled, all Toussaint album.

I'll Take A Melody (Original Mix)- Frankie Miller
And speaking of Allen Toussaint, he once called Frankie Miller the greatest soul singer he ever heard. Hyperbole? Maybe. But so what! Miller had the pipes and on his Toussaint-produced album "High Life" he really shows them off. There were two versions of "High Life," a New Orleans-centric/heavy on Toussaint mix, and the cleaned up commercial release. Both can be found on the Frankie Miller Chrysalis Years boxed set. This is the original mix of "I'll Take A Melody."

Jesus Is Going To Make Up My Dying Bed- Pops Staples
My kind of Sunday morning gospel music. More tremolo!

Fisherman- The Congos
One of my favorite tracks from one of my favorite reggae records of all time. If you dig it, I suggest listening to the entire "Heart Of The Congos" record.



7 comments:

Anonymous said...

I'm with you on the Cale albums you mentioned, especially Black Acetate - they really need to be vinylized.

Forgot how good '45 is.

Great mix, thanks!

Randy

pmac said...

I like that K-Doe cut better than Mother-In-Law.

Michael Giltz said...

I have the Sparks cued up...and the Congos' album Heart of the Congo. The Frankie Miller was trickier -- he shares a name with a country act and their albums are mixed together on Amazon Music, which is a little head-spinning. I assume we're fine listening to the version released by the label? Online it mentioned he and Toussaint were unhappy with the remix done without their knowledge and a preferred mix can be found on his boxed set That's Who.

Guy Incognito said...

45 is one of my favorites, and your selling price for When I was Cruel is attractive to a collector. If I didn't already have one I'd be tempted. It really ought to sell and I understand your frustration

Anonymous said...

Like you, I hadn’t given that Cale album a spin in a long time. Thanks for the nudge to put it on—it sounded great!

Bill

buzzbabyjesus said...

"Hobosapiens" and "Black Acetate" are solid. I listened to Eno/Cale's "wrong Way Up" on my working CD player a couple weeks ago and liked it more than remembered or expected.

Recently I've been playing records again on the yard sale Technics turntable I bought in 1998 for $25, and have seen listed on eBay for between $300-$1,000.

Vinyl sounds really good in the new house.

jonder said...

I hope Pop Staples gave Led Zeppelin credit for that cover song.