Long associated with Chris Blackwell’s Island Records, John Martyn’s most enduring album, Solid Air, is now considered a classic representation of British folk-jazz fusion by a troubadour raised in Scotland who did not consider himself a folk artist. A troubled and mercurial character, Martyn worked with some of the best musicians and behind the scenes talent in the business—including Levon Helm and Stevie Winwood– but never seemed to achieve his due. By the time of this album, Martyn had parted ways with Joe Boyd, the preeminent producer of the English folk movement at the... Read More

  There’s a lot of controversy, if not fallacy about this, an album (somewhat ironically) entitled “Truth”: often credited as the first heavy metal album; the record that Jimmy Page allegedly used as a template for Led Zeppelin 1, released a short time later; a “who is the better guitarist/innovator” meme that continues to polarize today, almost five decades later. It seems that you cannot approach Jeff Beck’s Truth without veering into Led Zeppelin 1 territory.   For the record, I don’t regard either album as “heavy metal.” It’s blues, cranked up, distorted,... Read More

  Any catalog of the Warner-related labels during their golden years would necessarily include the early Fleetwood Mac albums on Reprise- self-titled and Rumours, which sold in staggering quantities. Those albums, released on Reprise in 1975 and 1977, brought a level of international recognition to the band that endures today. But of far greater interest to me is the early Fleetwood Mac, a different band, with a darker, bluesy sound that featured the brilliant Peter Green. Those records did not make much of a dent in the U.S. market, even though one of the songs- “Black Magic... Read More

  “There ain’t no difference between a flying saucer and a time machine…. People get so hung up on specifics they miss out on seeing the whole thing.” Miller, from Repo Man   Where to start? This is a decidedly “lo-fi” album of a soundtrack to a quirky “cult” film that featured aliens, punk rockers and the great Harry Dean Stanton as a deadpan “repo man.” Want more? Otto, played by Emilio Estevez, learns that his stoned-out parents have donated all their money to a televangelist, and hits the streets, only to be enlisted by “Bud” (Stanton), to “repo” a car.... Read More

Warren Zevon wasn’t exactly a household name before Excitable Boy was released, but his recognition factor went through the roof thanks to this, his third album. Yes, it had the hit, “Werewolves of London”, but it also included a host of other noteworthy tracks including “Lawyers, Guns and Money, and “Roland the Headless Thompson Gunner.” His first album, on Asylum, was produced by Jackson Browne, who was on his way to becoming a multi-platinum selling singer-songwriter. Excitable Boy was also produced by Jackson Browne (and Waddy Wachtel) and is darkly humorous in what I think... Read More

  I’ve been meaning to write about this album for a while. It’s a seminal album, but doesn’t fit neatly into one genre; the artist deserves far greater public recognition, both as a writer and performer; the record, which led to one huge radio hit at the time (as covered by The Brothers Johnson), is not on most people’s radar today, though it is a classic. Part of this may be due to the fact that Otis chose to effectively withdraw from the music business for decades (though he did limited session work). Otis came from R&B “royalty”- his father, Johnny Otis, credited with... Read More

  I’m not breaking any new ground here by saying that this album stands the test of time- it was a hugely successful record when it was released and still sounds fresh more than 40 years later. It was, for most people, their first introduction to the band, which went through personnel and stylistic changes over the years (and is, as of this writing, out on tour); but Toulouse Street captures the band at their best: thick, textured guitar riffs, two drummers, a mix of great songs, including two radio hits, “Listen to the Music” and “Jesus is Just Alright with Me.” It is also a... Read More

Rickie Lee Jone’s self-titled album was an auspicious debut in many respects: “Chuck E.’s in Love” generated almost constant airplay here in the States and elsewhere. (I spent the summer of 1980 in London and remember it as a radio constant there too). But it contained far more: moody, jazzy pop with a “hipster” (read: beatnik, not millennial) streak; studied reflections on emptiness (“Last Chance Texaco”), beat-driven jive (“Danny’s All-Star Joint”); stylized retro-pop from the 1940s (“Easy Money”) and street-smart cool (“Coolsville” and “Weasel and The... Read More

Roy Harper’s Stormcock is another one of those significant, but sorely underrated, albums that deserves renewed attention. Roy Harper was never a commercial success on this side of the Atlantic, and even in the UK, was considered an acquired taste. But he was hugely influential to bands like Led Zeppelin (whose “Hats Off to Roy Harper” is really a take on Bukka White’s old “Shake ‘Em on Down”) and is known to Pink Floyd fans as the lead vocalist of the song, “Have a Cigar” on the great Wish You Were Here. He also influenced Ian Anderson, whose baroque-like folk... Read More