Great album tracks you wish other people knew about
OK, OK, before I start, it's each to his own, I know.
Some years ago I picked up a Boz Scaggs LP called Moments in a market. Got home to find it in absolutely pristine condition, and containing a song called Downright Women. I've finally managed to get the song on to my I-Tunes, albeit at a much lower volume than the surrounding songs.
But whenever I listen to it I think what an absolute gem it is, in the jazz-tinged pop vein of Michael Franks. Any other suggestions for album tracks that make you sit up and wonder why on earth they weren't played on radio?
Can I nominate a brilliant album that never appeared on anybody's radar screen? Vintage about 1970...
Having had a mate who owned it, I searched for it for about ten years before tracking it down. I wasn't absolutely sure what I was looking for - I guessed it was called 'Yours' by Forever More, but then again it might have been 'Yours Forever' by More, or even 'Forever More' by Yours.
Anyway in one of those Eureka! moments I found it in the rummage bin in Sam Goody's in NYC. Sleeve almost in shreds, disc in perfect nick.
Then there was the job of trying to figure out who were the band. Seemed to be a UK band but aimed at the US market. Very high-quality production and packaging, I think the label was RCA and they obviously had a decent slice of budget.
Anyway, I worked out who they probably were in the grand scheme of things, and about 20 years later along came the Internet and Google which confirmed it. This basically Ironic Pop band - can't think of anyone to compare them to except later Kinks - subsequently metamorphosed into the Average White Band (whom I don't like, incidentally).
As for a track - almost any of them but the stand-out one is called 'Sylvester's Last Voyage'
Ahh, John Hiatt! The man's a genius - incidentally, Johnnie Walker played 'Perfectly Good Guitar' on R2 a coupla years back, which inspired me to seek it out on CD.
Johnnie also has been know to play 'Tennessee Plates' too, that one's a corker.
One of my own personal favourites was always Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes' "Wait in vain", an absolute heart-wrencher about love gone wrong. There was a time I couldn't even play it because it was too close to home.
George Winston's version of the Pachelbel Kanon. Solo piano, and waaaay better than any orchestral version. You have to hear it to understand what I mean - try it on mp3, then you'll want to buy it. It's on his 'December' CD, on Windham Hill Records WD1025. The only album I ever bought on all three media: LP, cassette and CD.
the eyes of roberto duran - tom russell ol´55 - tom waits the milkman of human kindness- billy bragg reconsider me - warren zevon (r.i.p) pohjois-karjala - leevi and the leavings, yep, i can hear: leevi who? s.
All About Eve - lady moonlight, from their first album. Wasn't on the vinyl (yes, its that old!) bonus track on Cassette and of course now CD. haunting....
The Singer Not The Song/Rolling Stones from the album December's Children. Toy Soldier/The Four Seasons from the album The Four Seasons Gold Vault Of Hits. Stay Loose/Gordon Lightfoot from the album East Of Midnight. Only For You/Louise Tucker with Charlie Skrabek from the album Midnight Blue. Understanding/Bob Seger and the Silver Bullet Band from the soundtrack of the movie Teachers. The Band Played Waltzing Matilda/Liam Clancy and Tommy Makem from the album The Makem & Clancy Concert.
