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STUNT (Album of the Day)
With a distinctive blend of humor and harmonies, Barenaked Ladies rose through the ranks of the Canadian rock scene, making the leap to major label status with a Reprise Records contract in 1992. The band's fourth studio album, STUNT, became their U.S. breakthrough, spurred by the success of “One Week,” which topped the singles chart on this day in 1998. Songwriters Steven Page and Ed Robertson have peppered these originals with plenty of BNL's trademark satire, but the eclectic arrangements and punchy performances on tracks like “It's All Been Done,” “Call And Answer” and “Alcohol” lift the album far above novelty status, making the quadruple-Platinum STUNT one of the group's very best.
CALIFORNICATION (Album of the Day)
The Red Hot Chili Peppers made a strong return to form with 1999's CALIFORNICATION, an album that marked the return of prodigal son John Frusciante, who had left the band after BLOOD SUGAR SEX MAGIK for a solo career. The guitarist sounds rejuvenated here and he isn't isn't the only one - vocalist Anthony Kiedis sings better than ever on these 15 originals, and bassist Flea and drummer Chad Smith drive the band forward with grooves worthy of one of rock's greatest rhythm sections. Introspective songs like “Scar Tissue” and the title track show a newfound maturity to the Chili Peppers' songwriting, though the quartet delivers more raucous material like “Around the World” and “Otherside” just as effectively; producer Rick Rubin keeps these sides of the band in perfect balance throughout the album. This is Smith's birthday, and we'll celebrate it with the multi-Platinum CALIFORNICATION.
CHICAGO X (Album of the Day)
The band's eighth studio album (with live and best-of sets among its predecessors), CHICAGO X boasted Grammy-winning cover art resembling a chocolate bar, and the music within still sounds sweet. The collection made good use of the group's many talents - Terry Kath supplied the opening rocker “Once Or Twice,” Robert Lamm penned the appealing single “Another Rainy Day In New York City,” and James Pankow and Lee Loughnane set aside their horns for rare lead vocal performances. But it was Peter Cetera's song “If You Leave Me Now” that stole the spotlight; later a Grammy winner, the track topped Billboard's Hot 100 on this day in 1976. Though that ballad was atypical of the album as a whole, CHICAGO X marks a key turning point in the band's public perception and musical evolution.
SUPER FLY (Album of the Day)
Few people had their finger on the pulse of Black America like Curtis Mayfield, whose soulful voice as co-founder of The Impressions in the 1960s would illuminate social issues during his solo career in the 1970s. Mayfield's third studio set was actually the soundtrack to the film SUPER FLY, and if the movie glorifies pushers and hustlers, the nine originals here make the toll they exact on the ghetto devastatingly clear. Bleak as the subject matter sometimes gets, the album includes a pair of Top 10 singles (“Freddie's Dead” and the title track) and was the #1 album in America this week in 1972. Vastly influential, the Gold-certified SUPER FLY has been hailed by VH1, Rolling Stone and the Library of Congress as one of the greatest albums ever.
THE SONG REMAINS THE SAME (Album of the Day)
Led Zeppelin was at the peak of its powers in July 1973 when the group's performances at New York's Madison Square Garden were recorded for the concert film THE SONG REMAINS THE SAME. Cut during the band's tour for then-current studio album HOUSES OF THE HOLY, the soundtrack is packed with electrifying live versions of Zep classics including “Rock and Roll,” “Stairway To Heaven,” “No Quarter,” “Moby Dick,” “Dazed And Confused” and “Celebration Day.” Since its original release, the quadruple-Platinum collection has been remastered and re-edited to give it even more oomph. THE SONG REMAINS THE SAME film opened on this day in 1976, and remains a potent reminder that the quartet was one of the greatest live acts of all time.
KICK (Album of the Day)
Their fifth album, LISTEN LIKE THIEVES, had given INXS an international hit in “What You Need,” but that wasn't enough for the Australian sextet. As guitarist Kirk Pengilly put it, “we wanted an album where all the songs were possible singles,” and in KICK, they got what they needed. Released on this day in 1987, the Atlantic album included no less than four U.S. Top 10 singles: “New Sensation,” “Never Tear Us Apart,” “Devil Inside” and “Need You Tonight,” which became the band's first U.S. No.1 hit. With a little help from producer Chris Thomas, INXS' potent mix of new wave, danceable funk and Stones-styled rock reached its peak here, and KICK went on to sell more than 6 million copies in America alone.
NEW YORK (Album of the Day)
Among Lou Reed's greatest solo albums, NEW YORK was intended to be experienced in a single sitting as though it were a book or a movie, and its literate lyrics certainly reward such focus. Beyond the state-of-the-nation reportage that sees Lou lashing out at public figures including Kurt Waldheim, Rudy Giuliani and Jimmy Swaggart, the Sire collection is filled with songs about love, loss and survival that transcend its 1989 release date - “Romeo Had Juliette,” “Dirty Blvd.” and “Busload Of Faith,” to name but a few. Though less dense, the music is just as impressive, with Mike Rathke's guitar a fine counterpoint to Reed's; former Velvet Underground bandmate Moe Tucker and '50s rock icon Dion DiMiucci also make appearances. This is the album that made Lou Reed the poet laureate of NEW YORK, and we'll give it another spin today on the 10th anniversary of his passing.
BOUNCING OFF THE SATELLITES (Album of the Day)
BOUNCING OFF THE SATELLITES would be the final B-52's album with founding guitarist Ricky Wilson, who died of AIDS a few months after the recording sessions. In the aftermath of this loss, there was no tour and little promotion and the 1986 collection was largely overlooked upon release - but hindsight reveals its strengths. Such songs as “Wig,” “Girl from Ipanema Goes to Greenland” and “She Brakes for Rainbows” are an inspired combination of quirky humor and hooks and Keith Strickland (who celebrates his 70th birthday today) emerges from behind the drum kit to shine in a variety of musical roles. The underrated BOUNCING OFF THE SATELLITES is now available on red vinyl with a bonus 7” as part of the Rhino Reds series.
KNEE DEEP IN THE HOOPLA (Album of the Day)
After strings of hits as Jefferson Airplane and Jefferson Starship, this San Francisco group rechristened itself Starship for KNEE DEEP IN THE HOOPLA and found success a third time. The 1985 collection features a pair of No. 1 singles in "We Built This City" and "Sara" as well as other fine tracks including “Tomorrow Doesn't Matter Tonight” and “Love Rusts” (one of a couple of songs here co-written by Elton John's lyricist, Bernie Taupin). Veteran vocalists Grace Slick and Mickey Thomas sing their hearts out on this set, which reached the Billboard Top 10 and Platinum sales status. KNEE DEEP IN THE HOOPLA is now available on red vinyl with a bonus 7” as part of the Rhino Reds series.
DREAMS (Album of the Day)
Six years after her solo debut (and following her initial exit from Jefferson Starship), Grace Slick was back in record stores with DREAMS. The 1980 collection finds the legendary singer in power ballad mode for the most part, with producer Ron Frangipane's orchestrations and varied arrangements adding dramatic dimension to the music. Slick penned the lion's share of these songs, including lead single “Seasons” and album closer “Garden Of Man; her writing strikes a reflective tone that's direct and accessible. DREAMS was the performer's most commercially successful – and for many fans, most artistically accomplished – solo album, and we'll give it another spin now to wish Grace Slick a happy birthday.