June 2022 Vinyl Spin Challenge - Red (N&G's Version)

[Yer Ol' Uncle D]

15 – Starlight I was this many days old when I learned this was about Ethel and Bobby Kennedy. Go figure right? Given she says as much in the lyrics that just proves I don’t listen to lyrics that well, so
Play an album where you don’t really listen to the lyrics

I always considered Liz Fraser's voice more of a musical instrument than an instrument of language...



Cocteau Twins - Heaven Or Las Vegas

 

[jamieanderson1968]

15 – Starlight
Play an album with a political connection or inspiration

The Clash - Give em Enough Rope (the difficult 2nd album)

 

[Wicked Dreamer]

Day 15: “Starlight”

Bob Marley & The Wailers - Survival



A majority of Marley’s work is outwardly political, and even then, this album probably stands out as some of his most political work overall.

 

[TenderLovingKiller®]

11 – Holy Ground – Time heals all wounds right? This one is about looking through the bad in the past to recognize the good that was and getting a bit of healing from it, so…



Play an album that someone else introduced you to.

Izaak Opatz - Miriachi Static

I’m introduced to more new music here at N&G’s than probably anywhere. The recent introduction to Izaak Opatz came thanks to N&G Mainstay @Twentytwo thanks to his recommendation I have spent plenty of time with Opatz back catalog while awaiting his new album to arrive on wax.

 

[TenderLovingKiller®]

12 – Sad Beautiful Tragic A bit of a tough track about isolation, longing, and waiting for something that will never work out.

Play a sad, beautiful, tragic album

Songs: Ohia - Magnolia Electric Co.

This checks all three boxes and is one of my all time favorite albums as a result.

 

[TenderLovingKiller®]

13 – The Lucky One – Sharing a title with an Allison Krauss song and is one of the rare Swift songs that appears to be about someone that isn’t in her personal circle in some way. For one of my money one of her most interesting tracks for the variance if nothing else. Also, 13 is a big Swiftie "number watch" - she often releases songs, merch, album announcements, etc. on the 13th of the month.

Play an album that you had substantial anticipation prior to its release.

The War On Drugs - A Deeper Understanding

The War On Drugs were initially a band that didn’t much interest me but they finally caught my ear about a year or so prior to the release of A Deeper Understanding, I was so in enamored with their previous 3 albums by the time they announced this album I was willing to buy the box set version without hearing a note. It was a good choice. This is probably my 2nd favorite of their albums (not that any haven’t been great).

 

[TenderLovingKiller®]

14 – Everything Has Changed The second of two duets on this album, this one with Ed Sheeran, is about that feeling of finding someone new who really rattles up your world.

Play an “new to you” discovery from 2022.

Sadurn - Radiator

Another fantastic band I was introduced to by way of N&G pal, @Russ I This unassuming record will likely end up on my AOTY list come December.

 

[TenderLovingKiller®]

15 – Starlight I was this many days old when I learned this was about Ethel and Bobby Kennedy. Go figure right? Given she says as much in the lyrics that just proves I don’t listen to lyrics that well, so

Play an album with a political connection or inspiration

The National - Sleep well Beast

It’s more political than you remembers, seriously. There’s the song “Turtleneck” dealing with his disgust with the election of Trump.

And also this…

 

[Hemotep]

14 – Everything Has Changed The second of two duets on this album, this one with Ed Sheeran, is about that feeling of finding someone new who really rattles up your world.

Play an “new to you” discovery from 2022.

This was a random pick up a couple months ago that I've probably spun more than any other album so far this year.

 

[TenderLovingKiller®]

14 – Everything Has Changed The second of two duets on this album, this one with Ed Sheeran, is about that feeling of finding someone new who really rattles up your world.

Play an “new to you” discovery from 2022.

This was a random pick up a couple months ago that I've probably spun more than any other album so far this year.

View attachment 142615

This is new to me and I'm diggin' it!

 

[Fleetwood-Matt]

Day 11 - Holy Ground



PUP - Morbid Stuff

Back when this dropped my brother in law texted me to recommend it. He and I don’t usually share much similarities in our music tastes so I was skeptical that I’d like this one. Holy shit was this a great recommendation though lol! Easily an all time favorite album now and me and him can connect over our love for this band!

 

[Fleetwood-Matt]

Day 12 - Sad, Beautiful, Tragic



Father John Misty - Chloe and the next Twentieth Century

Oh it makes me so sad how this album just bores me

 

[avecigrec]

15 – Starlight I was this many days old when I learned this was about Ethel and Bobby Kennedy. Go figure right? Given she says as much in the lyrics that just proves I don’t listen to lyrics that well, so
Play an album where you don’t really listen to the lyrics

Sonne Ra – Eh Olo


To be fair, I don't understand the lyrics, which makes it much easier to not listen to them.

 

[Yer Ol' Uncle D]

16- Begin Again – The title pretty-indicative of what you’re getting. This is also one of the small handful of songs that still linked itself to the country world before she went full on pop.
Play an album by James Taylor or someone influenced by him/in his musical circle.

Not a lot of JT/related floating around here and I'll never have a better chance to play this record so here you go. This is actually someone who influenced James.

Alex Taylor was the oldest brother in the musical clan that produced fellow musicians James, Kate and Livingston. It's been pretty well documented their growing up Taylor was often less than ideal. Alex, the oldest, often took the brunt and felt compelled to protect his younger siblings, Livingston in particular. His musical pursuit was steeped in the blues. He was good at it. And although he had high profile msicians who adored his music and played on his records, he was never really successful.

Booze became a friend, and ultimately, booze won.

Thanks for everything, Alex. Hope you found peace...



Alex Taylor - Voodoo In Me

 

[LeeVing]

08 – We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together – “And you would hide away and find your peace of mind / with some indie record that’s much cooler than mine” – it’s really low hanging fruit.

Play a really cool Indie record.


This was originally released last year in April - but I really wasn't paying attention to releases at this time, with work and Covid being a big thing at the time and it wasn't sent to me. I was then sent the releases after this, but still didn't really look into it. The past month I sent off an email to Chloe at Graveface and she sent this to me this past week.

I also re-upped my subscription to both the Graveface and Terror Vision record clubs (and will re-up the Terror Vision Cassette Club when it's time) - I really like and appreciate what Ryan Graveface is doing down there in Savannah.

Beachy Head – Beachy Head
Graveface Records – grave168, 2021

45 RPM
Club variant on Clear w/ Blue Color-in-Color And Orange, Red, And Black Splatter vinyl
Limited/Numbered to 200, #144

Pressed at GZ

Beachy Head is made up of

Christian Savill - Slowdive
Matt Duckworth - The Flaming Lips
Ryan Graveface - The Casket Girls / The Marshmallow Ghosts / label owner
Steve Clarke - The Soft Cavalry

 

[waruv]

16- Begin Again – The title pretty-indicative of what you’re getting. This is also one of the small handful of songs that still linked itself to the country world before she went full on pop.

Play an album by James Taylor or someone influenced by him/in his musical circle.

One of the things I genuinely enjoy about N&G is the lack of negative feedback on specific musicians. To @Yer Ol' Uncle D ’s point, there isn’t much JT discussion here. It does make sense,p, he’s a musician who has been active for half a century and didn’t really get terribly adventurous musically, but I don’t think there was a musician I listened to more in my HS years than James Taylor. Not because I was a trend forecaster or cool (no and no) I just liked him, the tone, the calm, and our family didn’t exactly have a ton of cash to be exploring music. This particular CD got worn the hell out. I transferred the rip between iPods and Zunes and laptops. It was also one of the first records I really tried to find when I began crate diving too. Seeing him in a couple weeks too.

I feel like there’s a lot to take from James’ music and life path, his relationships and struggles and recovery, and a bit on what music can mean to people without necessarily meaning that to the performer.

I do feel like I need to go dig into his 90s and 00s offerings though, but for now I’ll still smile at James Taylor dropping a MFer at the end of…

James Taylor - Greatest Hits

 

[Turbo]

16- Begin Again – The title pretty-indicative of what you’re getting. This is also one of the small handful of songs that still linked itself to the country world before she went full on pop.
Play an album where the artist is shifting their identity (Musically or Otherwise)

BECK SEA CHANGE (2002 Geffen; 2016 reissue)

 

[TenderLovingKiller®]

16- Begin Again – The title pretty-indicative of what you’re getting. This is also one of the small handful of songs that still linked itself to the country world before she went full on pop.

Play an album by James Taylor or someone influenced by him/in his musical circle.

Neil Young - Harvest

I don’t have any James Taylor albums but I have this album that features James Taylor…

 

[imtheocean]

16- Begin Again – The title pretty-indicative of what you’re getting. This is also one of the small handful of songs that still linked itself to the country world before she went full on pop.
Play an album where the artist is shifting their identity (Musically or Otherwise)

While there is some interesting detail on how ZZ Top honed in on optimal tempos for this album, my favorite part of this article on the making of Eliminator is this quote:

"...and Gibbons and Hill tout sheepskin-coated guitars fitted with motors that enabled them to be spun through 360 degrees. “First time I tried it, of course, I knocked the shit out of myself upside the head,” Dusty Hill remembers."

Sex, cars and videotape: ZZ Top look back on Eliminator

ZZ Top ~ Eliminator

 

[avecigrec]

14 – Everything Has Changed The second of two duets on this album, this one with Ed Sheeran, is about that feeling of finding someone new who really rattles up your world.

Play an “new to you” discovery from 2022.

This was a random pick up a couple months ago that I've probably spun more than any other album so far this year.

View attachment 142615

This is lovely!