Elton John: 11-17-70 (1971)

From the liner notes:

"The performances on this album were recorded during a live radio concert, broadcast in New York by WABC-FM on November 17th, 1970. The broadcast originated at A&R Recording Studios, New York. The Tapes were mixed at Trident Studios, London."

This live record, 11-17-70, was released in March 1971. Finally, Allmusic gets one review perfect:

"The great thing about this early live record is its obscurity -- not just that this isn't one of his better-known records, but that the set list is a fanboy's dream, heavy on album tracks, covers, and the kinds of song that make Elton John's early work so individual. It's not just that there are no hits here, but it's that these [...] songs emphasize the spare, hard-rocking bluesy singer/songwriter that may not have written his own words, but always sang them with conviction and melodies that made them seem like his own. This may be a minor effort in his catalog, but that's part of its pleasure -- it's certainly a record from the time before Elton the superstar, as he tears through Tumbleweed Connection tracks prior to the record's release, does a phenomenal reworking of "Honky Tonk Women," hauls out B-sides like "Bad Side of the Moon," and gives a fierce, infectious performance. It's not essential for anyone but obsessives, but if you want any indication of what Elton sounded like prior to his big break, this is an excellent, even intoxicating, summary." [source]

I can't say it better than that. If you want to hear live Elton near his peak, this would be the record to get, and you should be able to find a vinyl copy for a few dollars.. Again, I have a Canadian pressing on the Uni label.

Here's an interesting piece of trivia from Wikipedia:

"According to longtime NYC radio personality Dave Herman (who can be heard at the beginning and end of the album), Elton John cut his hand at some point during the performance, and by the end of the show, the piano keys were covered with blood."

Elton John: Madman Across the Water (1971)

Jesus freaks out in the street
Handing tickets out for God
Turning back she just laughs
The boulevard is not that bad

In 1971, Elton released the Friends soundtrack, 17-11-70 (a live record), and Madman Across the Water. In the early 70s, it looked as if no one could stop the Elton/Bernie juggernaut.

I have to ask, who knows who the madman across the water was? Some speculate it was Richard Nixon. If the song were written in the early 2000s, I'd suggest that it was George Bush. If it were written today, it would have to be Donald Trump, the racist, sexist, conceited, idiotic, psychopathic loser. For us Canadians, Trump is the Madman South of the Border. How did we ever allow this moron to get his hands on the nuclear football?

Madman Across the Water is one of Elton's best records and it contains one of my favourite Elton John songs, Levon, though I admit that I have no idea what the song means. The record also contains the now-overplayed Tiny Dancer (thanks, Almost Famous) and the epic title track. Other people claim Razor Face to be the best track, but I cannot agree with that.

I am lucky enough to have the Uni pressing, which sounds amazing, despite a little too much surface noise from the previous owner who had no idea that one should clean records.

Elton John: Tumbleweed Connection (1970)

I can't tell you how many people I have run into that think the title of this record is Tumbleweed Collection rather than Tumbleweed Connection.

The third Elton John record is a bluesy countryish affair that commences with the really great Ballad of a Well-Know Gun. Other great tracks are Country Comfort, Son of Your Father, and Where to Now St. Peter? For me, though, the triumph on this record is Burn Down the Mission, for which we have a good live version with Dee Murray and Nigel Olsson, who were part of the classic Elton John Band.

This was the second record Elton released in 1970. Elton was on a mission early on in his career.

Elton John: Elton John (1970)

It's strange when an artist releases a self-titled record that is not a debut. This has happened many times, and in this case, I think it's why many people believe this to have been the first Elton John record. It's really his second, but it was released in North America five years before his debut, Empty Sky. On the other hand, Elton's real name is Reginald Kenneth Dwight, not Elton Hercules John, so maybe it's not a strange thing to do. Imagine adopting Hercules as a middle name? I might have to do that.

This record is far better than Empty Sky. It contains a few classic tunes that most people will recognize, most notably Your Song and Border Song. Other classic tracks are Take Me to the Pilot, Bad Side of the Moon, and Sixty Years On. The record has good arrangements -- including some orchestral arrangements -- and a good sound, especially if you have the Uni pressing, like I do. In general, this record is far better than his debut.

I suppose everyone already knows that Elton worked with Bernie Taupin, a poet who provided lyrics. This record remains as one of Elton's better records, in my humble opinion.

Here's a live clip of Border Song.

Elton John: Empty Sky (1969)

Listening to certain records brings back vivid memories of being a kid, and this record is one that brings back tons of memories. Music was always a big part of my life, and I remember hanging out with friends and listening to record after record of whatever we could get our hands on. Sometimes, this meant questionable music drawn from our parents' collections (such as Barry Manilow, Jim Croce, The Carpenters, and John Denver - I know, I have offended some people here), or records from older brothers and sisters (like KISS, Simon and Garfunkel, Jimi Hendrix, Rolling Stones, Beatles, Led Zeppelin, and Alice Cooper, among many others). At other times, it meant we shared from our own collections. I remember listening to lots of new music that way, from Graham Parker to Bruce Springsteen and Elvis Costello in later years. In high school and university, the musical choices were a bit more avante garde.

I will defend my appreciation of early Elton John by referencing (indirectly) my age and noting the nostalgia I have when hearing some of his earlier tunes today. His first five albums (plus a couple of others) are really fine, and I think that they have stood the test of time, for the most part. Later, he became almost a parody of himself, especially when he toured with Billy Joel. There is really nothing in the 80s from Elton that lived up to his early output. Oh, and I know that I have made fun of his music here before.

The first 45 RPM 7" singles I ever bought were by Elton John and some of my first LPs were Elton John records. I still remember buying some 45s at a strange shop on the main street of my hometown. In this store -- the name of which has long ago escaped me -- you could buy costume jewellery, paper products, snacks, toys, and near the checkout, there were 45 RPM records hanging on pegs on the wall. When I was very little, I remember seeing a copy of a Who record, and all I could think was that they had stolen part of their name from The Guess Who. I guess CanCon was in full force even back then.

Empty Sky, the first Elton John record, is uneven but I think we can see where he was going. Overall, I would say that the record is underrated, probably because there were no major hits. The album starts out strongly with Empty Sky, the title track. It's a good Elton rocker. Other strong tracks are Western Ford Gateway, Sails, and Skyline Pigeon, a live version of which can be heard on Here and There, the live album from 1976.

This record was released in 1969, but the North American release didn't happen until 1975, by which time, Elton was a star. Those pressings in Canada and the USA all included a different cover, for some bizarre reason. I have a US pressing from 1975.

I wouldn't put this in my top five favourite Elton records, but it has a certain je ne sais quoi, and it's good to throw it on the platter from time to time. I have no Elton John recordings on CD, suggesting that I really left him behind, but once I set up my turntable, his music is something that I wanted to listen to on vinyl.

Billy Joel: Greatest Hits Volume I & Volume II (1985)

Single LP versions also came out in '85 in some markets, but I gather that's it's difficult to find them. The first record covers the period between 1973 and 1980, while the second LP takes it up until 1985. There are several versions of this LP with various changes to the track listing. I have the Canadian pressing, which contains:

A1 Piano Man
A2 Say Goodbye To Hollywood
A3 New York State Of Mind
A4 The Stranger
A5 Just The Way You Are
B1 Movin' Out (Anthony's Song)
B2 Only The Good Die Young
B3 She's Always A Woman
B4 My Life
B5 Big Shot
B6 Honesty
C1 You May Be Right
C2 It's Still Rock And Roll To Me
C3 Pressure
C4 Allentown
C5 Goodnight Saigon
D1 Tell Her About It
D2 Uptown Girl
D3 The Longest Time
D4 You're Only Human (Second Wind)
D5 The Night Is Still Young

This record was a gift. Honestly, I haven't listened to it in years and years and years, not since 1985, I'm guessing. According to Allmusic, refers to this record as "an innocent delight that unwittingly closes Joel's classic period." Well, so much for the classic period, I guess. The statement seems a bit harsh to me, but I guess it's true. After all, I do not think I have ever heard any later Joel songs. That may sound impossible to you, but I can't think of any that I know. Oh, wait, I guess there's We Didn't Start the Fire. But, that's probably it.

I recall that a guy who lived in my residence picked up a copy of this record. It seemed strange to me, because he had otherwise generally good taste in music. He would often turn up the stereo as he played this record with not a hint of irony anywhere.

Billy Joel: An Innocent Man (1983)

I know a guy who has stated emphatically that his favourite album of all time is Billy Joel's An Innocent Man. I know it sounds wrong or like it's a joke, but the man is serious and very earnest. It's one of the most astonishing things I have ever heard. Bizarrely, he likes some music which I quite like. I've never been able to understand this, but I suspect he heard this record at a certain time and you just never know.

In any case, the good news is that the only song I detest (as opposed to dislike) is Uptown Girl. The remaining tracks I dislike, some more intensely than others. Maybe I just don't like doo-wop and Joel's take on soul music.

Billy Joel: The Nylon Curtain (1982)

Let's get one thing out of the way immediately. The Nylon Curtain's jacket design is awful. I hate it. That's the best they could do? Maybe I am missing the point.

Allentown is a really good song that discusses a very real issue. I give that song a thumbs up. Laura sounds like Joel is channeling the Beatles, but with swearing. I'm not sure what's going on in Pressure. It seems to presage Van Halen's Jump, in the employment of primitive synthesizers. I don't think anyone could possibly have any issues with Goodnight Saigon. She's Right on Time is boring. A Room of Our Own is a tune that makes me think that Joel wished he was born 10 years earlier. Surprises holds no surprises. Scandinavian Skies is Beatles plus heroin. Where's the Orchestra?, again, is reminiscent of the Beatles.

The jacket on my copy has been damaged by water. It's sort of appropriate: I think the previous owner wept rivers of disappointment while listening to this record for the first time.

Billy Joel: Songs in the Attic (1981)

Despite being released after Glass Houses, which was Joel's seventh record, this live LP includes only tunes from his first four records (Cold Spring Harbor, Piano Man, Streetlife Serenade, and Turnstiles). The only tune anyone probably knows from his first four albums is Piano Man, and that song does not appear on this record. I guess he was trying to fluff his early catalogue.

I flinch every time I hear him sing "I seen the lights go out on Broadway." That is a grammatical construction common in my home town and region, and, to my ears, it grates like fingernails on a blackboard. I just cannot stand it. My sister, for one, always says "I seen..." My dad always said things like "I done steaks on the BBQ last night." Oh, man. The weirdest thing is that I am certain most people know that it is incorrect, but they do it anyway, much like those who drop the 'g' in walkin', talkin', eatin'. That also makes me cringe, as does the use of anyways, rather than anyway.

Having said that, the first tune, Miami 2017 (hey, we are in 2017 right now), is not a bad song. New York has not been destroyed, but you never know what might happen under a Trump administration. I feel that this record is probably a great one for those who were serious fans of the first four records. Others might not enjoy it so much. I find it to be a bit weak and too much of the same, but I am not really a Joel fan.

Billy Joel: Glass Houses (1980)

In 1980, I had a friend with somewhat dubious taste in music. Apart from the Grease soundtrack, Glass Houses was a seminal record for him. My sister even bought a copy of this record. I was momentarily pleased with It's Still Rock an Roll to Me and You May be Right. They seemed like genuine pop efforts, but tracks like Don't Ask Me Why (and some others) argued against that conclusion. This album is still pop to me.

I sometimes think of Billy Joel as being as similarly un-hip as Phil Collins, and yet they somehow managed to have successful careers, with the former even marrying a supermodel. It's amazing what fame can do.

I can't recall how this item ended up in my collection but I am sure that it, and all other Joel recordings, were lawn sale pickups or given to me free.

Billy Joel: 52nd Street (1978)

The cover image on 52nd Street sends mixed messages. I think the first time I saw it, I thought, this can't be a rock record. What kind of rock star plays a trumpet? I say this as someone who made a fairly serious mistake in my youth: I chose the trombone in music class, and later dearly wished that I had chosen the more compact trumpet, or perhaps the clarinet. Try taking the trombone home on the school bus and you will see what I mean.

And then, there's the denim with suit jacket combination that is undermined by the inclusion of a tie. But there are white sneakers, which I admit were cool in 1978. He's also holding his horn on the back cover and the inner sleeve. Maybe this horny posturing was and attempt to distance himself from the Piano Man?

I don't really mind My Life and Big Shot. I dislike Honesty. IMHO, the songs are strong pop tunes with a flash of jazz. It's not essential listening by any means.

Billy Joel: The Stranger (1977)

B-1 is for the good girls
It's Only the Good Die Young

- Certain Songs, The Hold Steady

Let's clutch and kiss and sing and shake tonight let's try to levitate
You Catholic girls start much too late

- Both Crosses, The Hold Steady

If you had to evacuate the planet and there was only room to take one Billy Joel record on your trip to Alpha Centauri, The Stranger is the one to take along on the journey. Wikipedia tells me that Rolling Stone ranked this record at number 70 in its list of top 500 albums of all time. I could easily name 200 or 300 hundred better records, but I think the ranking speaks to my argument that this is indeed his best record.

This album reminds me of my sister. I remember sitting in her room in her bean bag chair, listening to her records. Sometime she was there; sometimes, she was out on-the-town. She is four years older, so her musical choices weren't always mine. I never liked her Cleo Lane records but I loved Some Girls from the Rolling Stones, and her Led  Zeppelin records. I was nonplussed by Jean Luc Ponty, couldn't care less about ABBA, but this record found a partially sympathetic ear. It's another record that is mostly about nostalgia.

This record was produced by Phil Ramone (no, he wasn't the eighth Ramone).

I quite enjoy a few tracks on this LP, like Movin' Out (Anthony's Song), The Stranger, Scenes From an Italian Restaurant, and Only the Good Die Young, for example. I would pick the title track as the best song on the LP and I would also nominate Just The Way You Are as the worst. I'm also not a fan of She's Always a Woman.

Billy Joel: Piano Man (1973)

"And the Meat Loaf to the Billy Joel.
Certain songs, they get so scratched into our souls"

- Certain Songs, The Hold Steady

I'm not really a Billy Joel fan, but if Chuck Klosterman can admit to being a fan, I guess I can justify having some Billy Joel records in my collection. I have a copy of this record because I paid $1 for it. Sometimes, the price of a record will persuade me to buy a record I normally would not consider owning. In this case, the record is practically mint, and still in shrink wrap.

I don't think that there is a person alive in the western world who has never heard the track Piano Man. It's just one of those songs that really grabbed the attention of people seemingly everywhere. What I didn't know, until very recently, was that this track was a fictionalized account of Joel's experiences working as a lounge singer. I think that gives the tune a little more gravitas, but I am still not convinced that this is a great work of art. It's simply familiar.

Another track that people might know is The Ballad of Billy the Kid, which sounds like a weak Elton John impersonation. Die-hard fans will love this LP while more casual fans will pay some attention to certain songs.

This is the kind of record you would break out at a dinner party of middle aged parents keen to memorialize their youth. I imagine this would be followed by Fleetwood Mac's Rumours and Elton John's Greatest Hits (Volume 1). It might be a great soundtrack to a middle-age dinner party.

Joan Jett and the Blackhearts: Good Music (1986)

This is good, but I sense a little slip in quality. The Beach Boys cover is interesting, but the two really good songs are the title track and Black Leather, though I'm not sure about the attempted rap.

Joan Jett & The Blackhearts: Up Your Alley (1988)

This record was perhaps underrated or underappreciated at the time, with some good reason, given some of the filler tracks, but I simply cannot dislike a Joan Jett record. The most notable track on this record is probably I Hate Myself For Loving You.

Joan Jett And The Blackhearts: Album (1983)

This is Joan's third record. I have to say I loved the that the album jacket a bit too much. She looks fierce and very sexy. And then there's that song, The French Song, in which she sings about a threesome.

Don't you be nervous baby
I didn't come to bring you down
This is so natural baby
Just let my love turn you around
This twisted love affair
Could really take us somewhere
J'aime faire I'amour sur tout a trois
J'aime faire I'amour sur tout a trois
Don't you feel guilty baby
I won't take long to understand
Don't waste time arguing

We'll make the most with what's at hand
I have to laugh out loud
When you say three's a crowd
I know what I am, I am what I am
I know what I am
I know what I am, I am what I am
I know what I am, I know what I am, I am what I am
I know what I am, I am what I am
Don't think that I'm uncouth, I only speak the truth
J'aime faire I'amour sur tout a trois
J'aime faire I'amour sur tout a trois

Oh, man.

Joan Jett & the Blackhearts: I Love Rock 'N Roll (1981)

I remember my cousin telling me, oh so long ago, that he hated female singers. He felt that singing should be entirely in the domain of men. Not too long after that conversation, something happened. Let's call that something puberty. Suddenly, he was totally enamoured with the likes of Girlschool and Lee Aaron. I was there long before him, having secret crushes on Pat Benatar and Joan Jett. He caught up quickly, even though he is a year older than me.

I think that most people assume that the title track, I Love Rock 'N Roll, was written by Jett. Alas, she did not write it. It's originally a tune by The Arrows, but I think Jett does an admirable version. It's too bad more people aren't familiar with the original. By the way, Cyndi Lauper did not write Girls Just Wanna Have Fun. In fact, I don't think Lauper wrote a single song on her debut record.

The only problem I have with this record is that some versions contain Little Drummer Boy, that little turd of a song. You now how I feel about Xmas music. Besides hating insipid music (which includes most Christmas music), Little Drummer Boy simply destroys the record. Imagine an adolescent boy listening to Joan in his room, having all sorts of sexual fantasies. Just when he is imagining picking up Joan and throwing her on the bed, this buzz-kill song comes on. It ruins the mood; it ruins the record. The record ends in a confusing mess, especially if you are listening outside the Christmas season.

The video for the titular track is interesting because it includes a segue from Bad Reputation.

Joan Jett: Bad Reputation (1981)

Sure, I had a crush on Joan Jett. What adolescent boy at the time didn't? There was something super sexy and appealing about her guitar-playing, bad-ass, and rock and roll attitude. Oh, and leather. In Bad Reputation, she sings:

I don't give a damn 'bout my reputation
You're living in the past it's a new generation
A girl can do what she wants to do and that's
What I'm gonna do
An' I don't give a damn ' bout my bad reputation

It should have been an anthem for all women everywhere. It was also the theme to Freaks and Geeks, a show that was cancelled too soon, though I have only seen it on Netflix, well after the fact.

This record was originally released in 1980 with the title Joan Jett. A year later, it was released under the title Bad Reputation. By the way, there is nothing uncensored about the video below. I think that's a ploy to gain clicks.

Jethro Tull: Repeat - The Best Of Jethro Tull - Vol. II (1977)

My copy is a Canadian pressing from 1983. It has a bunch of tracks you may or may not know, depending on your interest or devotion to the band. I was never a big fan, and I am sure I paid nothing for this LP.

I've always viewed the flute as a feminine instrument, despite its obvious phallic proportions. I suppose I really view it as an instrument preferred by women, judging by my old music classes in junior high and high school. Men shied away from that instrument, and I thought that was a wise decision at the time. Apart from Ian Anderson, the only other flutists (or flautists) I can think of are Peter Gabriel, Mel Collins, and Florian Schneider. There must be more.

I'd say that this record has a fairly good minimalist cover design.

Jethro Tull: Minstrel in the Gallery (1975)

You know you are in prog rock territory when one of the pieces (subdivided into smaller movements) is nearly 17 minutes long, and takes up most of one side of the LP. I have the original Canadian pressing.

Jethro Tull: Stand Up (1969)

Though originally released in 1969, I have a Canadian gatefold repressing from 1982. There are some good moments of this record, though the blues influences seem to have been dampened somewhat. I probably haven't listened to this record since the mid-80s.

The Jet Black Berries: Sundown on Venus (1984)

The Jet Black Berries are probably an 80s band that few people have ever heard of. I guess they are no longer just an 80s band, because a new album (on CD only) came out in 2010. I have never heard  the CD. I can't believe that 2010 was seven years ago already. Why is time moving so fast?

On Discogs, the band is referred to as punk, new wave, rock and roll, goth rock, and country rock. That's a lot to live up to. 

The US pressing of Sundown on Venus came in three versions: cassette, LP, and LP with a bonus single-side mini album. I have the latter. It was also released on vinyl in Greece and the Netherlands.

A discogs user (bubbleman) left a very interesting comment about the band:

An absolute underrated forgotten neglected classic by this totally unique sounding band far from the restrictions of any genre. Seriously, this makes my all time top ten. Do yourself a favour and get it. You'll probably find it real cheap on Ebay or in the bargain bin of your favourite Festival Rock record store. These guys were probably the inventors and the sole Kings of Death Goth Country Punk adding a large helping of Spaghetti Western aesthetics to the stew. An absolutely fantastic brilliant vocalist, well crafted lyrics avoiding the usual cheesiness of Horror Punk or Psychobilly thus implying a well-read and intelligent author of the afore-mentioned lyrics and a great organ and an overall excellent band create an uneasy air of impending doom and a certain healthy degree of nihilism and misanthropy. Some real bad karma here and some classic feel good music for creeps. And like with everything truly great a lot more SHOW than TELL. Alright, some of it is probably a little cheesy by today's standards, but it's really really good cheesy and 1000 roads probably really all do lead to Shadowdrive. [source]

That's a pretty good description, I think.

The Jesus and Mary Chain: Damage and Joy (2017)

I did not buy this when it came out, but I did see it in a sale bin, for an excellent price not so long ago, but I have only listened to it once. I am forced to reserve judgement. I am fan, so I am likely to say that its good. 

The Jesus And Mary Chain: Rollercoaster E.P. (1990)

It's truly awesome when one of your favourite bands cover a tune from another favourite and they don't screw it up. It sounds like the Jesus and Mary Chain.

The Jesus and Mary Chain: Blues from a Gun (1989)

I have a German pressing of this 12" single for Blues from a Gun, which originally appeared on Automatic. This 12" contains the aforementioned track, plus three b-sides: Shimmer, Penetration, and Subway.

The Jesus and Mary Chain: Automatic (1989)

Some of the tracks on Automatic are fantastic. Blues from a Gun and Head On are stellar. In fact, I would rank those tunes as being among the best from the band. The Pixies even covered Head On. However, some of the tracks just don't do it for me. This is a mixed bag. They seemed to have abandoned the post-punk landscape for something they hoped would have been more commercial. It didn't really work, and it's the first time I was disappointed with the band.

By the way, I have an original Canadian pressing.

The Jesus and Mary Chain: Sidewalking (1988)

This 12" US Maxi Single contains the 7" mix and extended mix of Sidewalking, plus live versions of Taste of Cindy and April Skies. I think that all of the JMC LPs have been re-pressed, but I am not sure that these more ephemeral releases will ever see the light of day again.

The Jesus And Mary Chain: Barbed Wire Kisses (B-Sides And More) (1988)

This collection was recently re-released as a limited edition double LP, I think on some sort of coloured vinyl. I have an original US pressing, though it has been defaced with that horrible gold promo stamp. Such is life. This LP contains singles, b-sides, and rare tracks. The record even spawned the single, Sidewalking. There's also a good Beach Boys cover on this LP. I would award this LP, like the previous two, five out of five stars.

The Jesus and Mary Chain: Happy When It Rains (1987)

This is the original UK pressing of the 12" single for Happy When It Rains. It contains the long version of the title track, plus Everything's Alright When You're Down, Happy Place, and F.Hole.

The Jesus And Mary Chain: April Skies (1987)

This is cool.

April Skies (Long Version)
Kill Surf City
Who Do You Love

The Jesus and Mary Chain: Darklands (1987)

Hand in hand in a violent life
Making love on the edge of a knife
And the world comes tumbling down

Darklands is no Psychocandy redux. That's OK, since this is a very enjoyable record. I don't think that the band ever reclaimed the glory of the first LP, but there is nothing wrong with this record. I think the Allmusic review is spot on, so you can go and read it on your own time. There is just something about the sound of this band that is truly wonderful, to my ears at least.

The Jesus and Mary Chain: Some Candy Talking E.P. (1986)

The Canadian version of this EP contains:

Some Candy Talking
Taste of Cindy
Hit
Psychocandy

The 7" version had one fewer tracks and different cover.

The Jesus and Mary Chain: Psychocandy (1985)

Sometimes you hear a record and it stops you dead in your tracks. Psychocandy, for me, is one of those records. I went on a mission to find out who this band was. Shazam would have been very handy.

This record started a musical revolution, of sorts, leading to the shoegaze movement. I've heard this record described as part Beach Boys, part Velvet Underground. That's probably a good description

It's hard to choose the best Scottish band, but I would choose The Jesus and Mary Chain. (Another band on my short list would be Simple Minds).

Original pressings of this LP demand a moderate investment. I have seen copies priced at $40 quite frequently. I have an original Canadian pressing from 1985. Later CD releases included Some Candy Talking, which was originally only released on an EP.

The sound might not seem to interesting now, but this was groundbreaking back in the olden days.

Jefferson Airplane: Surrealistic Pillow (1967)

Those originally released in 1967, I have a Canadian "Best Buy" repress from 1980. I'd venture to say that everyone knows at least two tracks from this LP: Somebody to Love and White Rabbit, the latter of which is a truly fantastic tune. This record clocked in at #50 of Rolling Stone's 50 Essential Albums of 1967.

The Jazz Butcher Conspiracy: Distressed Gentlefolk

The band's name might suggest that it is a weak jazz band or a failed jazz band. Alas, it is not. Instead, the band is a UK indie pop band from Oxford. Allmusic describes the band this way: "Formed in the early 80s as a vehicle for the idiosyncratic, melodic talents of UK songwriter Pat Fish." [source]

From Wikipedia:

Their oeuvre is blackly humorous with such topics as Thomas Pynchon's The Crying of Lot 49, an unrequited crush on Shirley MacLaine, and an ode to SF writer Harlan Ellison. The song "Sister Death" is not about the comic book character, but was inspired by the last words of Saint Francis of Assisi, "Welcome, Sister Death". [source]

I really don't know very much about this band, beyond this record and I cannot remember where I got it.

The Japanese Popstars: The Remixes (2011)

The Japanese Popstars are an electronic trio from Northern Ireland. I think they have now been downgraded to a duo. The Remixes release came in two varieties: a regular edition; and, a limited edition heavyweight vinyl edition released on Record Store Day 2011. I have the latter, which I picked up for a dollar or two.

This EP contains remixes of:

Depeche Mode: Peace
Thirty Seconds to Mars: Closer to the Edge
Kylie Minogue: Better than Today

The Depeche Mode remix really excels. I like it very much, and it's the best thing on the record. The Thirty Seconds to Mars track is also quite enjoyable, in its own way. I'm a bit puzzled by the Kylie Minogue tune. I've never been a fan, and I am unfamiliar with the original version. I'd say that it sucks.

Japandroids: No SIngles (2010)

No Singles compiles ten previously-released tracks, five tracks each from from 2007's All Lies EP and 2008's Lullaby Death Jams EP. Clearly, no singles were released from the record.

There is an obvious nod to The Boss on Darkness on the Edge of Gastown, which is a pretty good track, though it seems to have nothing racing out at the trestles. Sexual Aerosol might be the best track on the LP, but who knows?

Japandroids: Near To The Wild Heart Of Life (2017)

I recently picked this up, so I can't say too much about it, except that I like it.

Japandroids: Post-Nothing (2009)

The Japandroids are not from Japan. They are not droids either, as far as I can determine. The band is a duo, much like The White Stripes and what The Black Keys used to be. The description from Wikipedia, is interesting:

"Japandroids' music has been described as "one part classic rock, one part punk",due to their blending of classic rock influences such as Bruce Springsteen and Tom Petty, with punk rock influences such as the Replacements and Hüsker Dü." [source]

The Springsteen influences are obvious on the track Darkness On The Edge Of Gastown from the band's 2008 EP Lullaby Death Jams.

Post-Nothing was the band's first LP, but this release was preceded by two EPs (including the aforementioned EP), which were later collected on the No Singles compilation.

This record rocks. Live Japandroids in Toronto:

Japan: Exorcising Ghosts (1984)

This 1984 compilation, apparently overseen by Sylvian, is rather odd, for it contains only three tracks from the fist two records. Instead, it focuses on the last two records. The record also includes some rarities, like A Foreign Place, Life Without Buildings (which isn't rare if you have the 1981 12" single of The Art of Parties), and a remix of Taking Islands in Africa. The CD and cassette versions have different track listings. This a great intro into the mostly later years. If you want a compilation of the early years, Assemblage is the obvious one to get.

Japan: All Tomorrows Parties (1983)

All Tomorrows Parties originally appeared on Quiet Life in 1979. The discogs entry for this 12" single has a good description of this release:

"The original of 'All Tomorrows Parties' was recorded in June 1979; the mix featured here was made in 1981 by Steve Nye but not released until 1983 (hence it is known as the "1983 Remix" and the copyright dates are 1981). The other two tracks, 'Deviation' & 'Obscure Alternatives' are taken from the 'Live In Japan' EP which was released in July 1980.

There were 4 different 12" Vinyls [sic] released, all crediting the wrong Producer. This entry is release # 3 which uses the standard Hansa Label & lists Giorgio Moroder as producer, however this is incorrect.

All releases are credited incorrectly as it was Simon Napier-Bell and Japan who produced All Tomorrows Parties. [source]

I like this track immensely, but I find it can't really compete with the Velvet Underground.

Japan: ‎Canton / Visions Of China - Live (1983)

Both tunes are taken from Oil on Canvas. You can clearly hear the Eastern influences on these tracks. This single was released in 7" and 12" formats in various parts of Europe. I have the first UK pressing.

Japan: Oil on Canvas (1983)

In June, 1983, the band (or maybe the record company) released Oil on Canvas, a double live LP. The record also contains three instrumental studio tracks: Oil on Canvas, Voices Raised in Welcome, Hands Held in Prayer and Temple of Dawn, plus a new version of Nightporter. Oddly, this was the band's highest charting record. Maybe they gave up too soon.

Japan: Nightporter (1982)

This UK 12" pressing contains the full length version of Nightporter, originally from Gentlemen Take Polaroids. The flip-side is a tune called Methods of Dance. This is the shorter version of the title track:

Japan: Visions of China (1981)

Visions of China is taken from the forthcoming Tin Drum. Swing, on side B, is from Gentlemen Take Polaroids. This is a UK pressing. Visions of China was released on 12" in North America in 1982.

Japan: Tin Drum (1981)

Tin Drum was the last studio record from Japan and it's quite possibly the band's best record. It has a greater emphasis on sounds from the Far East sound including Orientalist influences (I think I read that on Wikipedia). I wonder if the word Orientalist is outmoded now. On the other hand, the cover image leaves no doubt that Oriental was a theme.

The record includes a re-recording of The Art of Parties, on of the singles from a total of four released. I can't say it better than the people at Sputnik Music:

Tin Drum is an intricate collage of arty soundscapes and exotic instrumentation. There are no trashy glam flourishes, no awkward Bryan Ferry posturing. This is an album with its own voice; with every member confident in their role, and not a sound out of place. With communist China as a loose concept, the album is crammed with polyrhythmic percussion (excellently performed by Steve Jansen) and traditional oriental instruments that invoke influences without falling into the trap of becoming a cheap pastiche. Xylophones and Mick Karn's fretless bass give it all an organic, off-kilter feel, yet Richard Barbieri's electronics twist an icy knife into the arrangements to present a clash of human warmth with desolate technology, reinforcing the Red Army concept and the images of rural peasants struggling to survive amidst the new order. 'The Art of Parties' opens the album and launches straight into some rollicking, warped percussive effects, but has enough space left to ensure they don't take over, or suppress David Sylvian's wonderfully unique vocals. He has finally found his confidence here, his words flowing gracefully over the top of all the hollow clanks and synth washes of songs like 'Visions Of China' and 'Cantonese Boy'. But even when he's absent, as on the gorgeous instrumental 'Canton', you don't lose interest; you just get drawn into the strange, fractured sounds even more. [source]

Japan: The Art of Parties (1981)

The Art of Parties appears in re-recorded form later in 1981 on Tin Drum, the group's final studio record. This first version was released on this single. The 12" single (mine is from Canada) contains three other tracks: The Width of a Room, Life Without Buildings, and The Experience of Swimming.

Japan: Gentlemen Take Polaroids (1980)

I knew a guy back-in-the-day, who always claimed that Japan released only one good record, and that record was Gentlemen Take Polaroids. I agree that this is a great record, but I can't agree that this is the only good one from the band.

Gentlemen Take Polaroids is the fourth record from the band, and the first on the band's new label, Virgin. And it's great. It's so good, in fact, that all of the tracks (except one) appear on the compilation Exorcising Ghosts.

This is the record that really brought a change of sound. I really like it. The only single from the record is fabulous, though I am not sure what these gentlemen are photographing.

Japan: Special Edition - Five Song - Extended Play (1980)

This was a Canadian-only five track EP, containing I Second That Emotion, made famous by Smokey Robinson, a remix of European Son, Life in Tokyo (from Quiet Life), Stateline, and a re-recorded version of Adolescent Sex. It's a nice collection.

Japan: Quiet Life

This is a fabulous record. My favourite track from Quiet Life is the titular track. The band does a cover of the Velvet Underground's All Tomorrow's Parties, which is interesting, but I prefer the original. There is a major change in sound, mostly in David's vocals. Allmusic says this:

Quiet Life is the album that transformed Japan from past-tense glam rockers into futuristic synth popsters, though they'd been leaning in that direction for a while. It's also a solid proto-New Romantic synthesizer record, enhanced by Mick Karn's superb fretless bass work and David Sylvian's smooth, sneering vocals spread over pop hits like the title track and "Fall in Love with Me." [source]

I recently learned a couple of things about this record. First, I hadn't realized that this LP was released in Canada before the UK. It came out here in December of '79, but in January '80 across the pond. That is odd. I also didn't know that this record was included in the book 1001 Records You Must Hear Before you Die. I wonder what else is on that list.