Monthly Archives: January 2019

Purchase log picks, January 2019

[Toto - Hydra]

Guadalcanal Diary, 2 x 4

I remember seeing Guadalcanal Diary albums filed in a section of Jelly’s Books and Music reserved for “modern rock”, the precursor of “alternative rock” that would distinguish itself from “classic rock”. I wouldn’t explore the band’s albums till nearly 30 years later. Of their four albums released in the ’80s, 2 x 4 is one of the two essentials, the other being Walking in the Shadow of the Big Man.

Perfume Genius, No Shape

I’ve stayed away from Perfume Genius because the 30-second samples I’d hear of various tracks made me conclude I’d be bored at full-length. No Shape garnered a lot of favorable press in 2018, and the thrift store price point convinced me to jump in. I’m glad I did.

Robert Palmer, Secrets

You should own this album for “Doctor, Doctor” alone, but like the rest of Palmer’s early output, this album is reliably funky.

SUPER JUNKY MONKEY, AIETOH

SUPER JUNKY MONKEY albums can get intense for their length, so this four-track EP is the perfect encapsulation of the band. I grabbed this release from the Evil Sharing Networks in the early 2000s and pined for the day I could afford to order it from overseas. Nearly 20 years later, I would get it on Amazon Marketplace for under $5.

Toto, Hydra

Toto IV gets most of the accolades, and while Hydra didn’t capture the mind share of its predecessor, it has some solid tracks, including one of my favorite Toto singlse, “99.”

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Purchase log, 2019-01-29

[MONO - Nowhere Now Here]

I catalog my music purchases on Collectorz and Discogs, but they don’t give me a sense of change over time. So I’m noting them here weekly as well.

New releases

CD
  • MONO, Nowhere Now Here

Catalog

CD
  • Bananarama, The Greatest Hits Collection
  • Chic, Dance, Dance, Dance: The Best of Chic
  • Def Leppard, Hysteria
  • Nitzer Ebb, Showtime
  • Queens of the Stone Age, Queens of the Stone Age
  • Salt ‘N’ Pepa, Very Necessary
  • The 2 Live Crew, As Nasty As They Wanna Be
  • The Afghan Whigs, Gentlemen
  • The White Stripes, Elephant
  • When in Rome, When in Rome
Vinyl
  • Duran Duran, Thanksgiving Live: The Ultra Chrome Latex and Steel Tour
  • Mary J. Blige, Love & Life
  • Toto, Hydra

Reissues

Vinyl
  • Mindy Smith, One Moment More

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Purchase log, 2019-01-22

[The West Wing - Original TV Soundtrack]

I catalog my music purchases on Collectorz and Discogs, but they don’t give me a sense of change over time. So I’m noting them here weekly as well.

New releases

CD
  • Soundtrack, The West Wing

Catalog

CD
  • Beck, Mellow Gold
  • Pink Floyd, The Dark Side of the Moon
  • Talking Heads, Speaking in Tongues
  • Ted Leo and the Pharmacists, Hearts of Oak
  • Ted Leo and the Pharmacists, Shake the Sheets
Vinyl
  • Glass Tiger, The Thin Red Line

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Purchase log, 2019-01-15

I catalog my music purchases on Collectorz and Discogs, but they don’t give me a sense of change over time. So I’m noting them here weekly as well.

Catalog

CD
  • Deee-Lite, Infinity Within
  • George Antheil, Ballet Mecanique (Maurice Peress, New Palais Royale Orchestra)
  • Perfume, Triangle
  • T. Rex, Electric Warrior
  • The Pointer Sisters, Break Out
Vinyl
  • Buffalo Daughter, New Rock
  • Robert Palmer, Secrets

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Purchase log, 2019-01-08

[SUPER JUNKY MONKEY - AIETOH]

I catalog my music purchases on Collectorz and Discogs, but they don’t give me a sense of change over time. So I’m noting them here weekly as well.

Catalog

CD
  • Corey Hart, First Offense
  • Dead Can Dance, Dead Can Dance / Garden of the Arcane Delights
  • Nakamori Akina, NEW AKINA Etranger
  • SUPER JUNKY MONKEY, AITEOH
Vinyl
  • LOVE PSYCHEDELICO, LOVE PSYCHEDELIC ORCHESTRA

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Looking ahead, January-February 2019

[Jeremy Denk - c.1300-c.2000]

The site will take its usual January break starting next week, so this entry is my last chance to point out some upcoming releases.

Jeremy Denk, c.1300-c.2000, Feb. 8

I’ll be seeing Jeremy Denk in concert in a few weeks, but he won’t be performing the sprawling program of this two-disc set spanning seven centuries of music.

Vinyl

Mindy Smith, One Moment More, Jan. 29

Mindy Smith is so far the only country music singer whose voice reminds me of Harriet Wheeler of the Sundays.

Prince, Musicology, Feb. 8
Prince, 3121, Feb. 8

Musicology was heralded as a return to form, but I found it less interesting than 3121. But even 3121 was less interesting than The Gold Experience, which I would consider getting on vinyl. But really, when is the Love Symbol album getting reissued?

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Purchase log, 2019-01-01

[Yaz - Upstairs at Eric's]

I catalog my music purchases on Collectorz and Discogs, but they don’t give me a sense of change over time. So I’m noting them here weekly as well.

Catalog

CD
  • Danish String Quartet, Wood Works
  • DJ Krush, Meiso
  • Guadalcanal Diary, 2×4
  • Laurie Anderson, Mister Heartbreak
  • Laurie Anderson, Strange Angels
  • Lou Reed, New York
  • Perfume Genius, No Shape
  • Sinéad O’Connor, Am I Not Your Girl?
  • Styx, Paradise Theatre
  • Van Halen, 1984
Vinyl
  • Aphex Twin, Richard D. James Album
  • Yaz, Upstaris at Eric’s
  • Yaz, You and Me Both

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