Recommended Albums: The Full List

13 May 2013 Leave a comment

by Ed Cyphers in Recommended Albums: List Tags:

  • Sam Roberts Band: Collider (#1)
  • John Hiatt: Bring the Family (#2)
  • Youth Group: Casino Twilight Dogs (#3)
  • The Shore (#4)
  • The Gourds: Noble Creatures (#5)
  • B.C. Camplight: Hide, Run Away (#6)
  • Dawes: North Hills (#7)
  • The Moog Cookbook: Ye Olde Space Bande: Plays The Classic Rock Hits (#8)
  • Guster: Easy Wonderful (#9)
  • Winterpills: The Light Divides (#10)
  • Library Voices: Summer of Lust (#11)
  • Pet Shop Boys: Yes (#12)
  • Flying Colors (#13)
  • Lucinda Williams (#14)
  • Robyn: Body Talk (#15)
  • Donovan: HMS Donovan (#16)
  • Dan Fogelberg: Nether Lands (#17)
  • BT: These Humble Machines (#18)
  • Jefferson Starship: Red Octopus (#19)
  • The School: Loveless Unbeliever (#20)
  • Richard Thompson: Rumur and Sigh (#21)
  • Dent May: Do Things (#22)
  • Yukon Blonde: Yukon Blonde (#23)
  • Blackfield: Blackfield II (#24)
  • David Byrne: Grown Backwards (#25)
  • Edson: Every Day, Every Second (#26)
  • Camel: Moonmadness (#27)
  • Was (Not Was): What Up, Dog? (#28)
  • The Pooh Sticks: Million Seller (#29)
  • Tir Na Nog: Strong in the Sun (#30)
  • Roman Candle: The Wee Hours Revue (#31)
  • Brave Combo: It’s Christmas, Man! (#32)
  • The Fab Four: Christmas With the Fab Four, Have Yourself a FAB-ulous Little Christmas (#33)
  • Tribes: Baby (#34)
  • Ketèlbey: In a Monastery Garden (#35)
  • Various Artists: Listen to What the Man Said, Coming Up (#36)
  • Graham Parker: The Mona Lisa’s Sister (#37)
  • Strawbs: Bursting at the Seams (#38)
  • 3: Revisions (#39)
  • Hans Rotenberry & Brad Jones: Mountain Jack (#40)
  • Smash Mouth: Fush Yu Mang (#41)
  • Riverside: Shrine of New Generation Slaves (#42)
  • Stornoway: Tales From Terra Firma (#43)
  • My Dead Air: My Dead Air, Burn a Quiet Place Down (#44)
  • Warren Zevon: Sentimental Hygiene (#45)
  • The Limeliters: Through Children’s Eyes (#46)
  • Steeleye Span: All Around My Hat (#47)
  • Steve Thorne: Into the Ether (#48)
  • A.C. Newman: Shut Down the Streets (#49)
  • Semisonic: Great Divide (#50)
  • Modern Skirts: Catalogue of Generous Men (#51)
  • Moon Safari: Blomljud (#52)
  • Fairport Convention: Jewel in the Crown (#53)
  • William Shatner: Has Been (#54)
  • Mayer Hawthorne: Where Does This Door Go (#55)
  • k.d. lang: Ingénue (#56)
  • Kings of Convenience: Riot on an Empty Street (#57)
  • The New Christy Minstrels: Merry Christmas! (#58)
  • David J. Caron: Thru Never Ending Black (#59)
  • Shelly Poole: Hard Time For The Dreamer (#60)
  • Southern Culture on the Skids: Countrypolitan Favorites (#61)
  • Dave Kerzner: New World (#62)
  • The Jayhawks: Rainy Day Music (#63)
  • Arlo Guthrie: Last of the Brooklyn Cowboys (#64)
  • Alice Cooper: Welcome to My Nightmare (#65)
  • The Apache Relay: The Apache Relay (#66)
  • Von Hertzen Brothers: New Day Rising (#67)
  • Texas Tornados: Texas Tornados, Zone of Our Own (#68)
  • The Decemberists: Picaresque (#69)
  • Phosphorescent: Here’s to Taking it Easy (#70)
  • Lonely Robot: Please Come Home (#71)
  • Oh Land: Wishbone (#72)
  • Walter Martin: Arts & Leisure (#73)
  • Ron Sexsmith: Retriever (#74)
  • Steven Wilson: To the Bone (#75)
  • Nanci Griffith: One Fair Summer Evening (#76)
  • The Essex Green: The Long Goodbye (#77)
  • The Cowsills: The Billy Cowsill Benefit Concert (#78)
  • Yacht Rock Revue: Hot Dads in Tight Jeans (#79)
  • The Tripwires: Makes You Look Around (#80)
  • Weezer: OK Human (#81)
  • Full Moon: Full Moon (#82)
  • The Silver Seas: Alaska (#83)
  • The Moody Blues: Caught Live +5 (#84)
  • Lindisfarne: Nicely Out of Tune (#85)
  • The Left Banke: Strangers On a Train (#86)
  • Brave Combo: A Night On Earth (#87)
  • Zebra: 3.V (#88)
  • Hunter Muskett: Every Time You Move (#89)
  • Corinne Bailey Rae: Corinne Bailey Rae (#90)
  • Genesis: Foxtrot (#91)
  • Beabadoobee: This is How Tomorrow Moves (#92)
  • Wanderlust: All a View (#93)
  • Mariachi El Bronx: S/T (#94)
  • Jeremy Messersmith: The Reluctant Graveyard (#95)
  • Ozomatli: Street Signs (#96)
  • The Lover Speaks (#97)
  • Amazing Blondel: Evensong (#98)
  • Tonic: Sugar (#99)
  • Jethro Tull: Songs from the Wood (#100)
  • Julieta Venegas: Limon y Sal (#101)
  • Donovan: Live in Japan–Spring Tour 1973 (#102)
  • The Tripwires: Get Young (#103)
  • Del Close & John Brent: How to Speak Hip (#104)
  • Pat Donohue: Back Roads (#105)
  • The Favors: The Dream (#106)
  • Nick Lowe: Nick Lowe and his Cowboy Outfit (#107)
  • Andy Burrows: Company (#108)
  • Natalis Lafourcade: Un Canto por México, Vol. 1 (#109)
  • Connie Converse: How Sad, How Lovely (#110)
  • Lily Allen: West End Girl (#111)
  • Al “Jazzbo” Collins: Tells Fairy Tells for Hip Kids (#112)
  • Kenia Os: K de Karma (#113)
  • The Dear Hunter: Act IV: Rebirth in Reprise (#114)
  • Duncan Browne: Give Me Take You (#115)
  • Matt Duncan: Soft Times (#116)
  • Robbie Fulks: Revenge! (#117)
  • Greeicy: La Carta (#118)
  • MC Hawking: A Brief History of Rhyme: MC Hawking’s Greatest Hits (#119)
  • Fountains of Wayne: Traffic and Weather (#120)
  • The Proclaimers: Sunshine On Leith (#121)

Alphabetical List:

  • Lily Allen: West End Girl (#111)
  • Amazing Blondel: Evensong (#98)
  • The Apache Relay: The Apache Relay (#66)
  • Corinne Bailey Rae: Corinne Bailey Rae (#90)
  • B.C. Camplight: Hide, Run Away (#6)
  • Beabadoobee: This is How Tomorrow Moves (#92)
  • Blackfield: Blackfield II (#24)
  • Brave Combo: It’s Christmas, Man! (#32)
    • A Night On Earth (#87)
  • Duncan Browne: Give Me Take You (#115)
  • BT: These Humble Machines (#18)
  • Andy Burrows: Company (#108)
  • David Byrne: Grown Backwards (#25)
  • Camel: Moonmadness (#27)
  • David J. Caron: Thru Never Ending Black (#59)
  • Del Close & John Brent: How to Speak Hip (#104)
  • Al “Jazzbo” Collins: Tells Fairy Tells for Hip Kids (#112)
  • Connie Converse: How Sad, How Lovely (#110)
  • Alice Cooper: Welcome to My Nightmare (#65)
  • The Cowsills: The Billy Cowsill Benefit Concert (#78)
  • Dawes: North Hills (#7)
  • The Dear Hunter: Act IV: Rebirth in Reprise (#114)
  • The Decemberists: Picaresque (#69)
  • Pat Donohue: Back Roads (#105)
  • Donovan: HMS Donovan (#16)
    • Live in Japan–Spring Tour 1973 (#102)
  • Matt Duncan: Soft Times (#116)
  • Edson: Every Day, Every Second (#26)
  • The Essex Green: The Long Goodbye (#77)
  • The Fab Four: Christmas With the Fab Four, Have Yourself a FAB-ulous Little Christmas (#33)
  • Fairport Convention: Jewel in the Crown (#53)
  • The Favors: The Dream (#106)
  • Flying Colors (#13)
  • Dan Fogelberg: Nether Lands (#17)
  • Fountains of Wayne: Traffic and Weather (#120)
  • Robbie Fulks: Revenge! (#117)
  • Full Moon: Full Moon (#82)
  • Genesis: Foxtrot (#91)
  • The Gourds: Noble Creatures (#5)
  • Greeicy: La Carta (#118)
  • Nanci Griffith: One Fair Summer Evening (#76)
  • Guster: Easy Wonderful (#9)
  • Arlo Guthrie: Last of the Brooklyn Cowboys (#64)
  • Mayer Hawthorne: Where Does This Door Go (#55)
  • John Hiatt: Bring the Family (#2)
  • Hunter Muskett: Every Time You Move (#89)
  • The Jayhawks: Rainy Day Music (#63)
  • Jefferson Starship: Red Octopus (#19)
  • Jethro Tull: Songs from the Wood (#100)
  • Dave Kerzner: New World (#62)
  • Ketèlbey: In a Monastery Garden (#35)
  • Kings of Convenience: Riot on an Empty Street (#57)
  • Natalis Lafourcade: Un Canto por México, Vol. 1 (#109)
  • k.d. lang: Ingénue (#56)
  • The Left Banke: Strangers On a Train (#86)
  • Library Voices: Summer of Lust (#11)
  • The Limeliters: Through Children’s Eyes (#46)
  • Lindisfarne: Nicely Out of Tune (#85)
  • Lonely Robot: Please Come Home (#71)
  • The Lover Speaks (#97)
  • Nick Lowe: Nick Lowe and his Cowboy Outfit (#107)
  • Mariachi El Bronx: S/T (#94)
  • Walter Martin: Arts & Leisure (#73)
  • Dent May: Do Things (#22)
  • MC Hawking: A Brief History of Rhyme: MC Hawking’s Greatest Hits (#119)
  • Jeremy Messersmith: The Reluctant Graveyard (#95)
  • Modern Skirts: Catalogue of Generous Men (#51)
  • The Moody Blues: Caught Live +5 (#84)
  • The Moog Cookbook: Ye Olde Space Bande: Plays The Classic Rock Hits (#8)
  • Moon Safari: Blomljud (#52)
  • My Dead Air: My Dead Air, Burn a Quiet Place Down (#44)
  • The New Christy Minstrels: Merry Christmas! (#58)
  • A.C. Newman: Shut Down the Streets (#49)
  • Oh Land: Wishbone (#72)
  • Kenia Os: K de Karma (#113)
  • Ozomatli: Street Signs (#96)
  • Graham Parker: The Mona Lisa’s Sister (#37)
  • Pet Shop Boys: Yes (#12)
  • Phosphorescent: Here’s to Taking it Easy (#70)
  • The Pooh Sticks: Million Seller (#29)
  • Shelly Poole: Hard Time For The Dreamer (#60)
  • The Proclaimers: Sunshine On Leith (#121)
  • Riverside: Shrine of New Generation Slaves (#42)
  • Sam Roberts Band: Collider (#1)
  • Robyn: Body Talk (#15)
  • Roman Candle: The Wee Hours Revue (#31)
  • Hans Rotenberry & Brad Jones: Mountain Jack (#40)
  • The School: Loveless Unbeliever (#20)
  • Semisonic: Great Divide (#50)
  • Ron Sexsmith: Retriever (#74)
  • William Shatner: Has Been (#54)
  • The Shore (#4)
  • The Silver Seas: Alaska (#83)
  • Smash Mouth: Fush Yu Mang (#41)
  • Southern Culture on the Skids: Countrypolitan Favorites (#61)
  • Steeleye Span: All Around My Hat (#47)
  • Stornoway: Tales From Terra Firma (#43)
  • Strawbs: Bursting at the Seams (#38)
  • Texas Tornados: Texas Tornados, Zone of Our Own (#68)
  • Richard Thompson: Rumur and Sigh (#21)
  • Steve Thorne: Into the Ether (#48)
  • Tir Na Nog: Strong in the Sun (#30)
  • 3: Revisions (#39)
  • Tonic: Sugar (#99)
  • Tribes: Baby (#34)
  • The Tripwires: Makes You Look Around (#80)
    • Get Young (#103)
  • Various Artists: Listen to What the Man Said, Coming Up (#36)
  • Julieta Venegas: Limon y Sal (#101)
  • Von Hertzen Brothers: New Day Rising (#67)
  • Wanderlust: All a View (#93)
  • Was (Not Was): What Up, Dog? (#28)
  • Weezer: OK Human (#81)
  • Lucinda Williams (#14)
  • Steven Wilson: To the Bone (#75)
  • Winterpills: The Light Divides (#10)
  • Yacht Rock Revue: Hot Dads in Tight Jeans (#79)
  • Youth Group: Casino Twilight Dogs (#3)
  • Yukon Blonde: Yukon Blonde (#23)
  • Zebra: 3.V (#88)
  • Warren Zevon: Sentimental Hygiene (#45)

Songs You May Have Missed #414

11 May 2013 Leave a comment

by Ed Cyphers in Songs You May Have Missed Tags: ,

boz

Boz Scaggs: “Sierra” (1994)

In 1994 Boz Scaggs delivered his first album for Virgin Records after nearly two decades with Columbia. The Some Change album sounded like a return to the warm, natural sound of his 70’s work and was arguably his best in years. The haunting “Sierra” is a highlight.

Songs You May Have Missed #413

11 May 2013 1 Comment

by Ed Cyphers in Songs You May Have Missed Tags: ,

adolf

Adolf Fredrik Girls Choir: “Vem Kan Segla (Who Can Sail?)” (2006)

Founded in 1971 by Bo Johansson, the Adolf Fredrik Girls Choir of Stockholm, Sweden is now ranked among the foremost in the world. It represents the Adolf Fredrik Music Classes, Sweden’s oldest specialized school, which dates from 1939 and was founded to allow children ages 11-16 an opportunity to develop their singing talents free of charge.

The results, as you can hear, are angelic.

“Who Can Sail?” is a solemn, dirge-like folk song from Swedish-speaking Finland.

Vem kan segla förutan vind,
vem kan ro utan åror,
vem kan skiljas från vännen sin
utan att fälla tårar?

Jag kan segla förutan vind,
jag kan ro utan åror,
men ej skiljas från vännen min
utan att fälla tårar.

Translation:

Who can sail without wind,
who can row without oars,
who can part from their
friend without shedding tears?

I can sail without wind,
I can row without oars,
but I cannot be separated from my
friend without shedding tears.

See also: https://edcyphers.com/2025/04/15/songs-you-may-have-missed-775/

adolf 3

Songs You May Have Missed #412

11 May 2013 Leave a comment

by Ed Cyphers in Songs You May Have Missed Tags: ,

pac air

Pacific Air: “Roses” (2012)

Info on this Los Angeles band is pretty scarce other than the following facts: They were formerly known as KO KO. Their 2012 EP is titled Long Live Koko and their full-length debut album is due June 11 of this year.

That and the fact that “Roses” is a catchy tune is all I can tell you. Their story has yet to be written.

Recommended Albums #48

10 May 2013 Leave a comment

by Ed Cyphers in Recommended Albums Tags: ,

ether

Steve Thorne: Into the Ether (2009)

Ironically in the era of music’s greatest-ever availability, more quality stuff goes unheard than ever before. The proliferation of releases today, combined with the rock genre’s less dominant status in the marketplace, have resulted in some very good rock albums going almost unnoticed.

thorne

British songwriter Steve Thorne’s Into the Ether is just a few years old and already out of print. I’m convinced it’s a better album than 90% of what sat on record store shelves for years in any of the past few decades–but so it goes for a musician whose style almost seeks out those cracks to fall between. He’s too British to be mass-marketed to Americans, too prog for straight rock fans, not prog enough for hardcore prog fans, too rock to be marketed as a singer-songwriter, too much of a singer-songwriter to be marketed as a rocker. And he’s way too low-profile to get much notice.

But he’s too good to be ignored.

The multi-instrumentalist Thorne enlisted a who’s who of high-caliber prog talent to record his third solo record: Pete Trawavas (of Marillion, Kino and Transatlantic) Nick D’virgilio (Spock’s Beard) Gavin Harrison (Porcupine Tree, King Crimson) Tony Levin (King Crimson, Peter Gabriel) John Mitchell (Arena, It Bites, Frost, Kino)…and on and on. They insure that there’s no fill, break or solo that’s merely dashed off. Each song is well-served with cracking performances by this all-star progressive rock lineup.

But is it a progressive rock album? I’d say it merely straddles the prog’s border with singer-songwriter rock. Although rather dark and dour in tone, it doesn’t set out to be particularly challenging, and other than the 7/8 time signature of “Black Dahlia” and a 5/4 moment here or there, it mostly lacks the rhythmic complexities that typically mark that genre.

The upside of that is, while prog album reviewers often commend an album that they refer to as “a thoroughly uncomfortable listen” or some such, Thorne’s clear objective is to make appealing music, even if his message is often a less than cheerful one. It’s hard to imagine any fan of melodic 70’s rock not appreciating a song like “Victims”, even if it is a rumination on the void we create by our self-imposed isolation from each other.

But if “Victims” isn’t hopeless enough, “Curtain” ought to do it. So convincing is its album ending “all is futility” statement and so heartfelt is Thorne’s lyric about the desire to bring down the thick red drapes (I was born by such fluke and I’m ready to die…) I honestly wondered if he’d make another album following Ether (he did). Still, it is beautifully rendered, as is the rest of Into the Ether.

See also: https://edcyphers.com/2013/02/25/songs-you-may-have-missed-342/

Listen to: “Feathers”

Listen to: “Paper Tiger”

Listen to: “Black Dahlia”

Don’t miss: “Victims”

Listen to: “The End”

Listen to: “Curtain”

Songs You May Have Missed #411

10 May 2013 Leave a comment

by Ed Cyphers in Songs You May Have Missed Tags: ,

winterpills

Winterpills: “Rogue Highway” (2012)

On Winterpills’ fifth album the Northampton, Massachusetts band have crafted another winsome batch of indie chamber pop and Shins-style rock. They’ve been at this for a bit now, and still undeservedly under the radar.

The harmony-tinged jangle-pop of “Rogue Highway” might bring Fleetwood Mac to mind just as the album’s gentler acoustic ballads evoke some of Christine McVie or Stevie Nicks’ softer moments. They share with the Mac and the Shins a knack for the less obvious, more insinuative harmony line.

See also: https://edcyphers.com/2012/03/05/recommended-albums-10/

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