Thursday, November 29, 2018
Bad Kitty Music #1: A New Series
My friend John is a record dealer. He is a good guy with great records, but also a terrific writer. As he preps for record shows, he highlights certain records on his Instagram account as Bad Kitty Music and unlike many Instgrammers, he is not a show-off. His blurbs are often more entertaining than the records he is selling. I suggested he collect 100 of these blurbs and put a book together, sort of an off the wall Top 100. He thanked me, but seemed hardly interested. Well, I decided I would at least share one of his highlights every Thursday. I think they work perfectly here. I hope he doesn't mind. My thinking is, they are out there anyway, what's the harm in showcasing what he offers in one more forum? Here we go with Bad Kitty Music #1. Next week, there will be no intro.
BOBBY “BLUE” BLAND - TWO STEPS FROM THE BLUES 1961.
A lot of great blues albums are about the guitar playing. Fewer are
about the harmonica blowing. Fewer still are about the singing and all
out song craft. But this LP stands tall at the top of that lastest and
shortest list, for me, at least. Many of my all time favorite recordings
(Magic Sam, The Sonics, etc.) feature shitty microphones being flat out
overpowered by howling vocals. This LP is all about that. But it is
also about stellar songwriting and arrangements. Ever since I pulled it
out of a dollar bin many tears ago, I have been repeatedly floored by
its awesomeness. It should be more famous than it is, and you just don’t
see enough copies around for how great it is. Is this copy mint? Not
even close. But that keeps the price down. This beater copy of this
stone cold soul-blues classic is more than ready to come home with you
from the Cromwell Record Riot on Sunday. Be not ashamed.
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11 comments:
Great idea for this new series.
Although I've never been a huge blues/soul aficionado, Two Steps has always been one of my go-to albums in the genre. Song craft indeed.
Randy
Randy,
This record escaped me for years, and then Elvis Costello included it as part his 500 in Esquire magazine, and I've loved it ever since. I didn't realize how many songs I had already knew from other artist's covers.
"...many tears ago..." - going to be using that one.
Works for me! - Stinky
This is an awesome record! Bobby Blue Bland has many great albums. Nobody does that snort-growl vocal thing that he does. He was a supporting act for B.B. King in the 1950's; along with being Mr. King's driver and valet. I was very fortunate and thrilled to see hime several times in concert. Mr. Bland was the real deal. Thanks for the share Sal, and looking forward to reading more on the following Thursdays.
Great idea!
Second the great idea. Nice to have a little note drop in your life that tells you to go listen to "whatever the album is"
I liked the read! Love the album! Thanks!
Awesome concept. Great first choice. Looking forward to Thursdays.
Great the more stuff here the better Sal we're bored out here.
I just landed on your latest post, Sal, but thought I'd start back at the first entry in this interesting series. "Two Steps From the Blues" is a terrific album; it seems that 'Cry, Cry, Cry' is slowly gaining the edge on 'I Pity the Fool' as my favourite track.
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