When Jonathan and I first met he gifted me 4 albums on vinyl. Among them was the Bob Dylan soundtrack to Pat Garrett and Billy The Kid. I never knew Bob Dylan composed a soundtrack, but this album quickly topped my lists of both favorite soundtracks AND favorite Bob Dylan albums.
Because it's full of folky lullabies like Billy 1 and Knockin' On Heaven's Door and gorgeous guitar instrumentals like Bunkhouse Theme, me and J used to fall asleep together listening to this soundtrack. Eventually I walked down the aisle at our wedding to the first song on the album, which you can listen to below.
If you have any affinity for folk music, the wild west, Bob Dylan or really just a soul in general.... you are gonna wanna pick up this album. And then listen to it. Over and over.
It's been a while since I've done one of these. I karaoke-ed The Pretenders at my birthday party the other night, and thought they would be a great band to recommend on vinyl. You can typically find this album at any used book/record store.
Chrissie Hynde is one of my favorite female vocalists: alto with a femme fatale quality. (Think Joan Jette mixed with Annie Lennox with a tinge of a jazzy cadence...but really she's in a category all her own). This album is good for the guys and the girls, but when I listen to it...it makes me feel like a sassy lady. (On second thought I think it might make Jonathan feel like a sassy lady too). For some reason when I'm getting ready to go out and I put this album on it makes I'm warped into some cute 80's movie montage where I want to make funny faces in a steamy mirror or put on a ridiculous outfit and do a little dance.
Also, Catherine Zeta Jones was wearing a Pretenders shirt in High Fidelity in the "John Cusack's character is falling head over heels in love" monologue/montage. Ya' know, cause The Pretenders were the band the cool girls liked in the 80's.
I don't know about the rest of you, but Spring is upon us in LA. Lots of beautiful warm sun shiny weather. If that is not the case for you, I'm so sorry. Perhaps a listen to The English Beat will brighten your day! (It will). A little bit ska, a little bit mod, a dash of punk and maybe a pinch of new wave...if you like The Clash or The Specials, you will most likely bop your head to these brits. (We saw them at The Granada in Dallas not to long ago with Fishbone, and they still got it!)
To Willie is the first Vinyl Veekend recommendation that has been released more recently. To Willie is an album comprised of 11 Willie Nelson songs handpicked by Matt Houck (the singer-songwriter behind Phosphorescent). These aren't just any Willie songs, but hidden gems you probably haven't heard before (This excludes Texans. I know we've heard every Willie song under the sun :)).
In the 70's Willie recorded an album called "From Lefty to Willie". It was 10 Lefty Frizell songs Willie loved sung and recorded Willie style. (Willie Willie Willie is the word of the day). So here is Phosphorescent's To Willie album.
The idea is just so sweet. The music so good, DUH. Yes, you could just buy this on itunes, but in my snobby fucking opinion if you're listening to Willie Nelson in any capacity it should be on vinyl. All the little cracks and scratches that come with listening to a record really add to the ambiance of this album in particular.
Man. It makes my heart ache for Texas. I love you Willie.
(Our friendbro Zach showed me and Jonathan this album. So...thanks Z).
The Shangri-Las aren't just any saccharine girl group form the 60's. Spooky is a word that comes to my mind when I listen to their tunes. (Also, there are identical twins in this group, so ya know...that's kinda creepy. We all have The Shining to thank for that). It's not that the Shangri-Las aren't poppy, they are...and they're fun and sing-songy. The voice of Mary Weiss just has a tinge of desperation that other female voices of the 60's lacked. The teenage angst in their tunes clearly influenced pop punk music of the 70's. Blah blah blah.
Another bad-ass thing I just learned about them: they were known for being "tough girls". They sang about hot boys with dirty fingernails and cool shades. So rad. Also, Mary Weiss got busted by the FBI when carrying a firearm across state lines. (Thanks Wikipedia)!!! She was all,
"If some butthole sneaks into my hotel room again, I will not hesitate to shoot a mofo."
Go getcha some Shagri-Las. They aren't just a novelty 60's girl group.
Sure, you can pick on Huey Lewis and the News. You can call it Dad music. It's most definitely the whitest music you know, and some may call it cheesy (NOT ME). I'm pretty sure it's becoming trendy to like what some would call "cheesy" music like this (see: Hall and Oats). However, I find nothing ironic about this album. Sports is just good tunes that make people happy. Put your needle on New Drug or Heart and Soul...
To get to the point I swear to the heavens if you talk shit about Huey I will pee my pants and then mail you my pee pants. This is an obvious addition to any record collection. It is most likely free: just go to your mom and/or dad's old record collection and look under "sweet jams that make you feel like a super star"
You will find it there...then steal it from them.
I don't know what it is, but playing French music on my record player makes me feel classy! (I do know what it is...it's the French-ness). So here's my second suggestion for Vinyl Veekend (BTW you're supposed to say the title of this post as if you're of Transylvanian descent). Jacques Brel
Jonathan and I found him by accident. His voice was making French women weak in the knees in the 60's (tenor, punchy, and scratchy sometimes I love the sound of it). I think this album was no more that a dollar or so, and you should be able to find Jacques at your local thrift store or recycled book store. That's part of what makes him so great! (and also the French-ness). We have about 5 of his albums, and they're all good. Now, after this post I love him even more. As I was scouring for a video of his to show you I realized how passionate and what an amazing performer he was. And also, sweaty. Okay! Go buy his records!
I will say organizing an album collection is one of the most entertaining activities to do on a chilly night. Usually when we go record shopping we'll buy one cheap record we've never heard of based solely on the hilarity of the album art...those are the most fun to listen to when deciding what to keep and what to sell.
Anyhoo, I got inspired to do a weekly post on an album(s) to buy if you collect. If you don't collect vinyl and you are a music junkie, I am taking this moment to strongly urge you to start. It's so rewarding, you can find so many cool nostalgic jams and if you invest in a vinyl from a more recent artist, they will almost always have a digital download.
This week: Miriam Makeba
Any of her albums will cheer you up. Also they will make you shake your money maker. Love her.
