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A BRAND NEW ME: Aretha Franklin (with The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra) (Album of the Day)
Aretha Franklin signed to Atlantic Records in 1967 to begin one of the greatest runs in music history, and Rhino marked the 50th anniversary of that legendary partnership with A BRAND NEW ME: ARETHA FRANKLIN WITH THE ROYAL PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA. The album pairs the vocals from some of the Queen of Soul's most iconic Atlantic songs with new arrangements performed by The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra; the result is another timeless record that retains the soul, groove and gospel power of Franklin's revered talent. Among the standout tracks are re-imagined versions of classics like the Billboard #1 R&B hits "Respect," "Think," "Don't Play That Song (You Lied)" and "Angel." Welcome in a brand new year with A BRAND NEW ME.
THE DOORS (Album of the Day)
Released on this day in 1967, THE DOORS went on to sell millions of copies and made stars of John Densmore, Robby Krieger, Ray Manzarek and Jim Morrison. The band's eponymous debut on Elektra Records features highlights as great as any album in rock history, along with a variety of moods, textures and tempos. There's desperation and menace in songs like “Soul Kitchen,” “Take It As It Comes” and “The End,” and while that's balanced by the exhilaration of “Break On Through (To the Other Side)” and No. 1 single “Light My Fire,” the thrills, as often as not, come from peering over the edge. The vision of THE DOORS was clear from the day of its release; several decades later, the album's primal power - pulsing with urban electricity, nocturnal visions, blues and Brecht - remains undiminished.
TERRAPIN STATION (Album of the Day)
After releases on their own label, Grateful Dead signed with then-new Arista Records to release TERRAPIN STATION in 1977. Company president Clive Davis wanted something commercial and to that end enlisted Keith Olsen – formerly of The Music Machine and more recently Fleetwood Mac's producer – to work with the band. The orchestral and choral touches he added may have been unusual for the Dead, but top-notch material was not, and the collection includes such future concert staples as “Estimated Prophet,” the side-long title suite and an outstanding take on Rev. Gary Davis' “Samson and Delilah.” Following a two-year hiatus from touring, the set was a success, bringing the Rock and Roll Hall of Famers a Gold record. We'll make a stop at TERRAPIN STATION as part of Rhino's Start Your Ear Off Right campaign this month.
YOSHIMI BATTLES THE PINK ROBOTS (Album of the Day)
The Flaming Lips built upon the success of THE SOFT BULLETIN with their first album of the new millennium, YOSHIMI BATTLES THE PINK ROBOTS. Even if it did later inspire a stage musical, the band deny that the 2002 Warner Bros. collection is concept album, preferring to describe it as “storytelling acid rock.” But that phrase only hints at the emotional resonance and inventive arrangements here; tracks like lead single “Do You Realize??,” “Ego Tripping at the Gates of Hell” and Grammy-winning instrumental “Approaching Pavonis Mons by Balloon (Utopia Planitia)” rank with the Oklahoma alternative rockers' finest. The Gold-certified YOSHIMI BATTLES THE PINK ROBOTS was a hit with critics as well as the public, appearing on best-of-the-decade lists from such outlets as Rolling Stone and Uncut.
LIVE AT MAX’S KANSAS CITY (Album of the Day)
Years before anyone had ever heard of CBGB, Max's was THE place in New York City to mingle with Manhattan scenesters and see cutting-edge rock acts. Near the top of the latter list was The Velvet Underground, whose final show with leader Lou Reed (until a brief '90s reunion) is documented on LIVE AT MAX'S KANSAS CITY. The quartet mixed such older favorites as “I'll Be Your Mirror,” “Femme Fatale” and “I'm Waiting For The Man” with new songs like “Sweet Jane” and “New Age” from their soon-to-be-released LOADED, with plenty of venue atmosphere heard throughout (like an audience conversation where Jim Carroll hits someone up for pills). An essential chapter in the VU story, LIVE AT MAX'S KANSAS CITY is part of Rhino's Start Your Ear Off Right campaign in January.
THE LONG RUN (Album of the Day)
Eagles closed out the decade they had so dominated with THE LONG RUN, the final studio album of the band's original incarnation (they would reunite when “hell froze over” in 1994). Three years after HOTEL CALIFORNIA, Eagles had checked out – but not quite left – the sense of discontent that marked that earlier smash. There's a dark and more urban edge to songs like “King Of Hollywood,” “Those Shoes” and closing track “The Sad Café,” though the 1979 album also includes a trio of Top Ten singles to keep the mood from getting too dour: “Heartache Tonight,” “I Can't Tell You Why” and the title track. The chart-topping THE LONG RUN wound up going 7-times Platinum to bring phase one of the Rock and Roll Hall of Famers' career to a graceful close.
THE PARTY’S OVER (Album of the Day)
For U.K. New Wave faves Talk Talk, the party was just beginning with THE PARTY’S OVER. The London quartet's 1982 debut was helmed by Duran Duran producer Colin Thurston, and while the two groups earned frequent comparisons, Mark Hollis' vocals and his songs' rich emotional terrain were distinctive even at this early stage. “Mirror Man,” “Today” and “Talk Talk” were the singles but superb musicianship and inventive arrangements ensure that quality remains high across this set. Any fan of sophisticated synth-pop will love THE PARTY’S OVER, and we'll give the album a spin to start the birthday party for Talk Talk bassist Paul Webb, born on this day in 1962.
FAIR WARNING (Album of the Day)
Van Halen's 4th studio album for Warner Bros., FAIR WARNING, displays a darker side of the legendary hard rock quartet. While it's produced by old hand Ted Templeman and includes the usual radio-friendly singles (“Unchained,” “So This Is Love?”), the 1981 collection sees Eddie Van Halen's guitar work becoming more complex and involved, and frontman David Lee Roth's lyrics becoming tougher and grittier (as titles like "Mean Street" and "Dirty Movies" suggest). It was a focused attack that said “the party's over,” though even with its serious tone, it still made the Top 10 and sold more than 2 million copies. Allmusic said FAIR WARNING “showcases the coiled power of Van Halen better than any other album,” and we'll crank it up now in honor of Eddie Van Halen's birthday.
TROUBLE IN SHANGRI-LA (Album of the Day)
TROUBLE IN SHANGRI-LA arrived in stores almost seven years after Stevie Nicks' previous solo set, a delay party due to Fleetwood Mac commitments. The band's 1997 reunion provides the subtext for “Fall from Grace” (“Planets of the Universe,” one of three '70s-era songs here, is also Mac-inspired) but the baker's dozen cuts on the 2001 collection cover a lot of emotional ground beyond that. Nicks is joined in the studio by many famous friends, including Sarah McLachlan, Natalie Maines of Dixie Chicks, a couple of the Heartbreakers and Sheryl Crow, who also co-produced several tracks. A Top 10, Gold-certified hit, TROUBLE IN SHANGRI-LA is part of Rhino's Start Your Ear Off Right campaign this January.
WARREN ZEVON (Album of the Day)
By the time Warren Zevon cut his self-titled major label debut in 1976, the performer had a decade in the music business under his belt. The years of experience and associations paid off handsomely on WARREN ZEVON, which boasts a superb set of songs and all-star support from the likes of producer Jackson Browne and members of Fleetwood Mac, The Beach Boys and Eagles. The collection's 11 sardonic originals include “I’ll Sleep When I’m Dead,” “Hasten Down The Wind,” “Poor Poor Pitiful Me” and “Carmelita” (the latter three all covered by Linda Ronstadt), and bristle with biting wit. Warren Zevon was born on this day in 1947, and his eponymous Asylum album shows one of SoCal's darkest singer-songwriters in a very flattering light.