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Vinyl Releases of the Week: January 25, 2012
January is almost over, but the new year's vinyl releases are just getting started. This week kicks off with the first major metal release of 2012 in Lacuna Coil's Dark Adrenaline, and also includes a live Motorhead album, a new, super-charged album from Nada Surf, reissues of two game-changing albums from the '90s, and some unearthed treasures from the '60s and '70s.
The Pharcyde - Bizarre Ride II (Delicious Vinyl/Traffic)
Reissue of the Pharcyde’s landmark 1992 debut album, presented here on deluxe red and blue double vinyl. Ranked in the “Top 100 Favorite Records of the ‘90s” by Pitchfork, Bizarre Ride helped establish a new alternative hip-hop scene on the West Coast in the wake of the Gangsta Rap era with its playful wit, jazzy production, and inventive beats. Includes the classic “Ya Mama” and crossover hit “Passing Me By.”
Nada Surf – Stars Are Indifferent to Astronomy (Barsuk)
The band that brought us the alt-rock anthem “Popular” is back with a new album. And with The Stars Are Indifferent to Astronomy, frontman Matthew Caws says they made a conscious decision to “preserve what it felt like in the practice room, when you play with that new-song energy.” The result is one propulsive rush of power pop.
Motorhead – The World Is Ours Vol. 1: Everywhere Further Than Everyplace Else (UDR)
In celebration of their 35 years as road warriors, the British hard rock band has released a live DVD of the finest moments from their The World Is Yours world tour. Accompanying this is a double 180-gram vinyl set of their entire Chile concert, which features classics like “Overkill,” “Ace of Spades,” “Killed By Death,” and “Over the Top.”
Lacuna Coil – Dark Adrenaline (Century Media)
Limited edition vinyl pressing of the Italian goth-metal band’s highly anticipated new album. Recorded with producer Don Gilmore (Avril Lavigne, Linkin Park, Bullet for My Valentine) at NRG Studios in Los Angeles, Dark Adrenaline is hooky and heavy, and it includes an unexpected cover of R.E.M.’s “Losing My Religion.”
Karen Dalton – 1966 (Delmore Recordings)
Recorded one evening in her remote Colorado cabin, this newly unearthed rehearsal tape from 1966 reveals the underground folk legend at her most raw and unfiltered. LP is housed in a tip-on jacket with four-page heavy insert, exclusive color portrait, and download card.
moe. – What Happened to the La Las (Sugar Hill)
The 10th studio album from the veteran indie jam band presents their signature pop- and prog-laced rock in a more tightly produced form but with plenty of the searing guitar riffs and complex rhythms that fans love.
Mighty Sparrow – Sparromania! (K7!)
He’s been called “a true Caribbean great, a cultural and social icon on par with Fela Kuti in Nigeria or Miriam Makeba in South Africa,” and this long overdue retrospective double LP brings us “Wit, Wisdom and Soul from the King of Calypso.” Covering what are considered his most creative years between 1962 and 1974, the album includes a handful of live tracks, a cover of Otis Redding’s “Try a Little Tenderness,” and Mighty Sparrow breezing through everything from calypso to boogaloo to soul. He even trades insults with fellow calypso legend Lord Melody like a hip-hop mic battle.
Al Kent – Best of Disco Demands Vol. 1 & 2 (K7!)
Finally, Al Kent’s Disco Demands series is available on vinyl. In these two double LP volumes, Kent compiles rare ‘70s disco tracks including exclusive re-edits.
The Apples in Stereo – Fun Trick Noisemaker (Yep Roc Records)
180-gram vinyl reissue of the Elephant 6 indie-rock band’s 1995 debut. One of the band’s most critically praised albums, Fun Trick Noisemaker helped catalyze a shift in the alternative lexicon from angst-filled grunge to a Beach Boys-inspired psych-pop sound.
Michael Chapman – Rainmaker (Light in the Attic)
Limited 180gm vinyl LP pressing of the 1969 debut album from the British singer-songwriter. A psychedelic-guitar-folk delight, it features one of Chapman’s best known songs, “It Didn’t Work Out.”
John K. Samson– Provincial (ANTI)
2xLP pressing of the debut solo release from Winnipeg songwriter John K. Samson (The Weakerthans, Propagandhi). A geographically inspired project, Provincial explores four different roads in the Canadian province of Manitoba, where Samson lives, through guitar-driven folk-rock. LP packaging includes full album on CD.
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Vinyl Releases of the Week: January 18, 2012
The internet might be off today, but this week’s batch of vinyl releases is ON.
Janis Joplin – Classic LP Collection (Legacy)
Limited edition 4xLP box set collects four of the legendary psychedelic blues singer’s most celebrated albums: Big Brother and the Holding Company (1967), Cheap Thrills (1968), I Got Dem Ol' Kozmic Blues Again Mama! (1969), and Pearl (1971). Each album has been sourced from the original masters and pressed on 180-gram audiophile vinyl.
Bryan Adams – Waking Up the Neighbors (Audio Fidelity)
20th Anniversary reissue of Bryan Adams’ sixth studio album. Originally released in 1991, the Robert Lange- (Def Leppard, AC/DC) produced album spent seven weeks at the top of the charts thanks to its mega-hit “(Everything I Do) I Do It for You” and popular singles “Can’t Stop This Thing We Started,” “Do I Have to Say the Words," "Thought I'd Died and Gone to Heaven," and "There Will Never Be Another Tonight." The 75-minute double LP is presented here on 180-gram virgin vinyl.
Sade – Diamond Life (Audio Fidelity)
180-gram vinyl reissue of Sade’s brilliant 1984 debut album. This sleek hybrid of pop, soul, and jazz features her first Top 10 hit, "Smooth Operator,” and popular singles "Your Love Is King" and "When Am I Going to Make a Living.”
Ani DiFranco – Which Side Are You On (Righteous Babe)
New double LP from the fearless ‘90s female icon. As indicated by its title track - the famed protest anthem popularized by Pete Seeger nearly 50 years ago and drastically re-imagined here by DiFranco (and featuring the activist folk singer himself on banjo and vocals) - the album speaks to the current political climate, as well as the personal.
Kings of Leon – The Early Vinyl Box Set (Song Legacy)
This deluxe 7xLP box set features re-mastered double 180-gram vinyl pressings of the Southern garage rockers’ first three albums - Youth & Young Manhood (2003), Aha Shake Heartbreak (2004), Because of the Times (2007) – and a fourth LP of unreleased studio and live tracks from the period surrounding these albums picked by the band themselves. Packaged in a numbered lift-off box.
Taj Mahal – Recycling the Blues & Other Related Stuff (Original Recordings Group)
45rpm 180-gram pressing of this 1972 double LP from the acoustic blues revivalist. It’s divided between studio tracks featuring back-up vocals from the Pointer Sisters and live tracks recorded at the Fillmore in San Francisco, and showcases Mahal’s knack for mixing blues with bluegrass, Caribbean, and Hawaiian styles.
Guided by Voices – Let’s Go Eat the Factory, “Chocolate Boy” 7-inch single (Guided by Voices)
GBV’s classic line-up (Robert Pollard, Tobin Sprout, Mitch Mitchell, Greg Demos, and Kevin Fennell) follows up its successful reunion tour with this new album. The lo-fi indie rock aesthetic of their classic albums Bee Thousand (1994) and Alien Lanes (1995) can be felt here in Let's Go Eat the Factory's minute-long pop blasts, which were recorded in living rooms, basements, and garages. Standouts include “Chocolate Boy,” also released as a limited-edition 7-inch; “We Won’t Apologize for the Human Race,” which Sprout describes as “Peter Gabriel singing ‘I Am the Walrus’”; and "Doughnut for a Snowman," which Pollard calls “the goofiest, twinkliest song I’ve ever written.”
Junior Kimbrough – You Better Run: The Essential Junior Kimbrough (Fat Possum)
This career-spanning compilation is a great way to discover the king of Mississippi hill-country blues. It includes everything from his first recording - an impromptu-sounding "Release Me" played with rockabilly cult figure Charlie Feathers – to the most celebrated songs from his critically acclaimed '90s albums including “All Night Long,” “You Better Run,” and “Meet Me in the City.” Praised by everyone from Iggy Pop, with whom he once toured, to the Black Keys, who released an album of Junior Kimbrough covers (Chulahoma), Kimbrough’s modal, hypnotic blues have been incredibly influential.
Hawkwind – Leave No Star Unturned: Cambridge January 1972 (Dirtier Promotions)
Double LP pressing of the science-fiction-laced hard-rock band’s 1972 performance. Recorded in remarkably high quality, the performance features the band’s classic line-up of Dave Brock, Nik Turner, Lemmy, and Robert Calvert, and finds the band hitting its prime.
Peaches – The Teaches of Peaches (XL Recordings)
Peaches' seminal debut album is on vinyl for the first time! Originally released in 2000 by Berlin’s Kitty-Yo label, The Teaches of Peaches features Feist on vocals and explodes with Peaches’ lewd electro-clash doctrine.
Deerhoof and David Bazan – DeerBazan 7-inch (Polyvinyl)
The latest in a series of collaborative 7-inchs pairing the quirky indie-rock band Deerhoof with different guest vocalists is DeerBazan featuring David Bazan (Pedro the Lion, Headpones). On Side A, the Deerhoof instrumental “No One Asked to Dance” from the group's 2011 album Deerhoof vs. Evil becomes “No One Asked Bazan to Dance” with Bazan's vocal contributions. Side B features Bazan’s re-working of the Headphones classic “Gas and Matches.”
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Top 10 Rock Keyboardists
With so many guitar heroes, it’s easy to forget that piano has always been at the heart of rock and roll. From the original ivory pounders of the ‘50s, who took a cue from boogie-woogie and blues piano, to the synth pioneers of the late '60s and '70s and modern innovators of today, these musicians are the epitome of rock keys.
#10) Fats Domino - The Pioneer
Fats Domino came rocking out of New Orleans with his piano in the late ‘40s and left the music world forever changed. He was the most successful of rock and roll’s pioneers after Elvis, and many say that rock piano began with his 1949 hit “The Fat Man.” His pounding piano style was highly influential on rock of the '50s, ‘60s, and ‘70s (the Beatles, for example, frequently sang his praises), and his rhythmic style of accentuating the off-beats was also an influence on ska music. More importantly, however, the man didn't just do piano rolls with both hands, he worked the house by pushing the piano across the stage with his belly. HIS BELLY.
#9) Ray Manzarek - The Combo Organ Maestro
As the keyboardist of the revolutionary ‘60s psychedelic rock band the Doors, Ray Manzarek “combined the Apollonian and the Dionysian - the Dionysian side is the blues, and the Apollonian side is classical music,” as he explained in a 1997 interview. Second only to Jim Morrison’s distinct baritone and cult persona, Manzarek’s kaleidoscopic organ swirls were the defining characteristic of the Doors’ sound, and in many ways the sound of the decade. There is no mistaking that opening riff to “Light My Fire.” In addition to his signature Vox Continental combo organ – and then Gibson G-101 – Manzarek played the role of bassist with his Fender Rhodes Piano Bass.
#8) Richard Wright - The Magic Behind Pink Floyd
There is no doubt that Richard Wright was a monumental musical force in Pink Floyd. His somber, atmospheric keyboard layers were a vital component of the legendary art-rock band’s sound, and his processed Farfisa organ gave the band its initial psychedelic edge. Fusing jazz, neoclassical, and experimental influences, Wright used many different keyboards and synths including the Minimoog, Mellotron, VCS 3, and Wurlitzer to achieve his spacious, eerie effects. In addition to being one of Floyd’s most musically gifted members, he was also a talented songwriter and contributed significantly to Pink Floyd’s classic albums. After Wright’s death, bandmate David Gilmour said of him, “After all, without 'Us and Them' and 'The Great Gig in the Sky,' both of which [Wright] wrote, what would The Dark Side of the Moon have been?”
#7) Billy Joel – The Piano Man
Rivaled only by Elton John, Billy Joel is a piano-pounding hit machine and one of the most popular pianists of the late ‘70s and ‘80s. Joel embraced a wide range of styles over the course of his career, but it is his pop-rock that is the most well known. Influenced by the Beatles, Broadway, and R&B, he combined technical skill and memorable melodies to make for a catalog that is full of great piano rock. Just listen to his 1973 Columbia Records debut, Piano Man, his 1977 commercial breakthrough The Stranger (“Only the Good Die Young”), 1983’s Innocent Man (“Uptown Girl”), and 1993’s River of Dreams, and you’ll find tons of incredible piano riffs.
#6) Tori Amos - The Piano Woman
Sorry to break up the boys' club, but this piano prodigy has more than earned her place on this list. Between her inventive style and fearless playing, Tori Amos has made the piano fierce again. What's that you say? She's not a rocker? Well then you've never heard her slay on the harpsichord ("Professional Widow") or seen her play her piano and keyboard simultaneously live, one on each side of her. As a young piano prodigy, she was kicked out of the prestigious Peabody Conservatory of Music for playing Zeppelin, and in her solo career has been more at home next to hard rockers like Nine Inch Nails and Tool as opposed to female singer-songwriters like Sarah McLaughlin or Fiona Apple. She has even challenged metal bands with her unyielding power.
#5) Rick Wakeman – The Virtuoso
As the keyboardist of one of the most successful prog-rock bands in history, the classically trained Rick Wakeman played some of the most epic keyboard solos on record. He replaced Tony Kaye in Yes in 1971 and greatly influenced the band’s most successful albums (1971's Fragile and 1972's Close to the Edge in particular) with his fierce synth showcases and flamboyant organ solos - especially on Yes' breakout hit “Roundabout." In addition to being a charismatic showman and key element of Yes’ success, Wakeman was a session musician for the likes of David Bowie (you can hear his Mellotron on “Space Oddity’), Elton John, Black Sabbath, Al Stewart, T. Rex, Cat Stevens, and Lou Reed, and has released a well-spring of solo albums including the instrumental The Six Wives of Henry VIII (1973) and chart-topping Journey to the Centre of the Earth (1974).
#4) Jerry Lee Lewis – The Great Ball of Fire
Known for his wild glissandos, which he would play with everything from his foot to his butt, this Louisiana musician really was a great ball of fire and one of rock's first bad boys. He was also a highly skilled pianist who learned to play by ear, absorbing the influence of country, gospel, and R&B music. One of the original piano rockers after Fats Domino and Little Richard, Lewis gave us classic ‘50s piano rockers like “Great Balls of Fire” and “Whole Lotta Shakin’ Goin’ On.” Nicknamed “The Killer,” Lewis also changed the game by bringing attitude into the picture. His reckless fire was captured on record at Sun Records in Memphis, the home of rock and roll. Though his career was marked by controversy in his personal life, Lewis slayed on piano and was more punk rock than most contemporary bands.
#3) Keith Emerson – The Hendrix of the Hammond
One of the most technically accomplished keyboard players of the prog-rock era (and of all time), Keith Emerson was as innovative as he was flamboyant. Known for both his mind-blowing skill and insane live antics, he would use knives to wedge down keys of his organ, play the organ upside down while lying under it (occasionally needing to be rescued by a roadie), and pluck the interior strings of the grand piano like an autoharp. Beginning his career in the late ‘60s with the R&B group the Nice, Emerson became the master of classically influenced rock with the prog-rock supergroup Emerson, Lake & Palmer in the ‘70s. He could get sounds out of his L-100 Hammond like Hendrix could get out of his electric guitar, including wailing howls and bomb-like effects. He was also the first person to tour with a Moog synthesizer (other bands just used it on recordings in the studio) and was no coward when it came to taking new keyboard technologies to the extreme.
#2) Elton John – The Piano-Rock Superstar
Hands down the most successful artist on this list, Elton John's impact on rock and roll is immeasurable. With seven consecutive No. 1 albums and non-stop hits, he dominated the charts during the ‘70s. But more significantly, Elton John reintroduced piano into the guitar-then-synth-dominated genre, all the while proving that you can be a piano player and a rock star. With his over-the-top costumes and powerhouse performances, he also helped usher rock into the arenas. Influenced by the likes of Little Richard and Jerry Lee Lewis, John's playing style is often spontaneous, improvisational, and rhythmic. Billy Joel said it best with this: “Elton knows what his instrument is capable of. The piano is a percussion instrument, like a drum. You don't strum a piano. You don't bow a piano. You bang and strike a piano. You beat the shit out of a piano.”
#1) Little Richard - The First High-Voltage Rocker
One of the most electrifying piano players of all time, Little Richard was the first to bring a showiness to rock and roll. Infusing R&B and boogie-woogie piano with the fire of gospel, Richard’s piano style was fast, loud, and staccato. Where Fats had smooth pipes, Little Richard belted it out in a raspy voice over his crackling chords and rapid-fire triplets. Beginning his career in the mid-‘40s, Little Richard claims he to be the "architect of rock and roll," and his '50s hits like “Good Golly Miss Molly” and “Tutti Frutti” are some of the genre’s core classics. His influence on generations of rock and rollers to come (we're talking Dylan, Jagger, Hendrix, McCartney, Bowie...) is profound. There have been plenty of more virtuosic players since him, but none can top the electricity of this original.
HONORABLE MENTIONS (yes, there are six)
Billy Ritchie – It would be foolish to highlight Keith Emerson and Rick Wakeman without acknowledging British keyboardist Billy Ritchie. With his band the Satellites, he became the first keyboard player to take a leading role in rock and literally stand up at the keyboard, mounting his Hohner Clavinet on stilts. His next band 1-2-3(which later became Clouds) is credited for laying the blueprint for prog-rock, and they did it sans guitarist. Even Bowie himself called the man a genius.
Jon Lord - A classically trained piano player and member of Deep Purple and Whitesnake, Jon Lord (aka "The Hammond Lord") stood out from the other keyboardists of the '70s (namely Emerson and Wakeman) for embracing his blues-rock influences instead of shying away from them. While they were jumping on the synthesizer bandwagon, he was experimenting with pushing the Hammond-Leslie sound through Marshall amps to attain a distorted, growling effect that was just as heavy as Ritchie Blackmore's lead guitar and often more prominent.
Tony Banks – Genesis’ Tony Banks also stood out from his over-the-top peers for his restraint. A composer and arranger as much as a keyboard virtuoso, his playing was always tasteful and in service of the song. Banks also had an ever-growing array of electronic keyboards and pioneered the ARP Pro Soloist synth, the Mellotron, the Yamaha CP-70, and the Hammond T-102.
Freddie Mercury - His keyboard work has been called underrated and virtuosic, and while often overshadowed by his amazing voice and larger-than-life persona, we all know there would be no "Bohemian Rhapsody" without Freddie Mercury's piano. Whether he was playing a concert grand or harpsichord, Mercury's keys added greatly to many of Queen's most popular songs.
Alan Price - As the keyboardist of the Animals, Alan Price made the organ a prominent feature in rock via classic songs like "House of the Rising Sun" and"Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood." Genesis' Tony Banks regards him as "the first person who made me aware of the organ in a rock context."
Steve Winwood - One of the first rock keyboardists, multi-instrumentalist Steve Winwood is best known for rocking the Hammond B3. At a time when electric guitars ruled rock, he powered the Spencer Davis Group with his blazing keys and brought a lyricism to rock piano with his band Traffic and with Eric Clapton in the short-lived supergroup Blind Faith.
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Vinyl Releases of the Week: January 11, 2012
It’s an interesting bunch of releases this week, from rare ‘90s reissues to joyful interpretations of country classics.
Morphine – Cure for Pain (Modern Classics Recordings)
The second release on Light in the Attic imprint Modern Classics Recordings is the sophomore album from Morphine, originally released in 1993. Considered “one of the best and most cutting-edge rock releases of the '90s,” the album was previously only available on vinyl as a (really expensive) Brazilian import. Now, for its first-ever US vinyl issue, it is available on 180-gram vinyl, lovingly re-mastered and packaged in a deluxe “tip-on” gatefold jacket with the original album art and added liner notes.
Red Hot Chili Peppers – Blood Sugar Sex Magik reissue (Warner Bros.)
In case you missed it in December, Warner Bros. has reissued the Red Hot Chili Peppers’ landmark 1991 album as a double 180-gram LP. A seminal alternative rock record, the album showcases the band’s signature blend of funk and punk and features RHCP staples “Under the Bridge,” “Give It Away,” “Suck My Kiss,” and “Breaking the Girl.” Produced by Rick Rubin.
The Little Willies – For the Good Times (Milking Bull)
180-gram vinyl pressing of the brand new release from Norah Jones’ country side project. This time out, the group covers some of their favorite songwriters including Loretta Lynn, Willie Nelson, Johnny Cash, Kris Kristofferson, Lefty Frizzell, and Dolly Parton, recreating the songs with love and adding a bit of jazz-inflected warmth and the occasional dose of humor. Jones’ take on Parton’s “Jolene” is especially arresting.
The Lemonheads – Hotel Sessions (Hall of Records)
This album of unearthed Lemonheads recordings features 14 songs recorded one Sunday night nearly 20 years ago by Evan Dando with just his acoustic guitar and a Walkman in a hotel room in Bondi Beach, Australia. In addition to revealing commentary, Hotel Sessions features songs that were intended for the at-the-time still unreleased Come On Feel the Lemonheads (some of which never did make it on that record) and includes a version of “Into Your Arms” that Dando prefers to the album version.
Jellyfish – Bellybutton, Spilt Milk (Omnivore Recordings)
Vinyl reissues of the sole two studio albums from the influential early-‘90s power-pop band. Drawing from a wide range of influences including Cheap Trick, the Paisley Underground, Queen, and the Beach Boys, these albums are power-pop classics, and this marks the first time either have been commercially available in the U.S. Originally released in 1990 as a promotional CD, the band’s debut album, Bellybutton, features Jellyfish’s most successful single, “Baby’s Coming Back,” and the first 1,500 copies are reissued here on 180-gram translucent blue vinyl. Its 1993 follow-up, Spilt Milk, is a pop gem that features more elaborate arrangements and lush vocal harmonies, and was originally only released on vinyl in the UK. Omnivore is pressing the first 1,500 copies of Spilt Milk on 180-gram translucent green vinyl.
Snow Patrol – Fallen Empires (Island)
Double vinyl LP pressing of the 2012 release and sixth studio album from the Irish alt-rock band, which frontman Gary Lightbody told fans would reflect the next phase of the band. Recorded in various unique locales around Southern California – from a crazy house in Santa Monica with panoramic ocean views to the one-time hippie commune and former home of Neil Young and Woody Guthrie in Topanga Canyon – the album is surprisingly melancholy with more techno-inspired moments. It features backing vocals from the LA Inner City Mass Gospel Choir in Compton as well guest appearances from R.E.M.'s Michael Stipe, singer Lissie, and Queens of the Stone Age guitarist Troy Van Leeuwen.
Alex Chilton – Free Again: The “1970” Sessions (Omnivore Recordings)
A collection of Alex Chilton’s post-Box Tops/pre-Big Star recordings, these sessions (his first solo recordings) mark a man breaking free, no longer a puppet of his former group’s producers. Includes the previously unissued track “All We Ever Got from Them Was Pain.” LP includes digital download and the first 1,500 copies are pressed on clear 180-gram vinyl.
Thee Headcoats – The Kids Are All Square: This Is Hip!, Knights of the Baskervilles (Damaged Goods)
2012 is apparently the year of the Thee Headcoats reissues! Fronted by the "King of Garage Rock," Billy Childish, Thee Headcoats were a prolific band, running from 1989 to 2000 and garnering the praise of everyone from Kurt Cobain to Jack White. To kick things off, we have 1990’s The Kids Are All Square: This Is Hip! featuring classics “All My Feelings Denied,” “Davey Crockett,” and “Cowboys Are Square,” and 1996’s Knights of the Baskervilles.
Mark Lanegan Band – “The Gravedigger’s Song” 7-inch (4AD)
The lead track off of the upcoming album Blues Funeral, the first Mark Lanegan Band release since 2004’s Bubblegum, paired with the non-album B-side “Burning Jacob's Ladder."
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Top-Selling Vinyl Releases of 2011
RollingStone.com recently published an interesting piece about the top 10 best-selling albums of 2011, according to sales data from Nielsen SoundScan. While the Beatles' Abbey Road takes the #1 slot for the third year in a row, the rest of the list predominantly features 2011 releases from indie artists - the new wave of vinyl bands. And there is no doubt that their music sounds stunning in this format.
1.
The Beatles - Abbey Road (41,000)
2. Fleet Foxes - Helplessness Blues (29,700)
3. Bon Iver - Bon Iver (27,200)
4. Mumford & Sons - Sigh No More (26,800)
5. Radiohead - The King of Limbs (20,800)
6. Adele - 21 (16,500)
7. Bon Iver - For Emma, Forever Ago (16,200)
8. Wilco - The Whole Love (14,900)
9. The Black Keys - Brothers (14,200)
10. The Black Keys - El Camino (13,800)
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Top 10 Posthumous Albums
The recent release of the late Amy Winehouse’s Lioness: Hidden Treasures got me thinking about posthumous albums. How, when done out of love and respect, they can be a true artist tribute and a treasure to any fan; and how they can just as easily be a shameless attempt on the part of the record label to cash in on the departed. These albums that follow stand out for being essential entries in the artists’ discographies (as well as in every vinyl collection). In loving memory of the musicians we lost in 2011.
#10) Sublime – Sublime (1996)
This album often gets overlooked on posthumous best-of lists. Sublime’s third, it was to be the Long Beach band's major label debut and was completed just before lead singer/guitarist Bradley Nowell died of an overdose. It indeed proved to be Sublime's mainstream breakthrough, going multi-platinum and dominating alternative rock radio with songs like “Wrong Way,” “Santeria,” and “What I Got.” A classic reggae-punk album.
#9) Tupac – The Don Killuminati: The 7 Day Theory (1996)
There are a few names that immediately come to mind when talking about posthumous albums, and Tupac Shakur's is one of them. His posthumous discography is epic and easily outnumbers the work he produced during his lifetime. Shakur's first posthumous release, The Don Killuminati takes the cake. It was recorded just before his fatal shooting in Las Vegas and released under the name Makaveli two months after his death. Introducing a darker, angrier side and a new sound that has come to define the rapper in the years since his passing, The Don Killuminati is considered one of the greatest hip-hop albums of all time.
#8) Gram Parsons – Grievous Angel (1974)
This former Byrd and Flying Burrito Brother overdosed a week after completing his second solo album, Grievous Angel. (He was 26 - just shy of joining the 27 Club.) Grievous Angel features Emmylou Harris as well as guests Bernie Leadon and Linda Ronstadt. What’s interesting about this release is that it was already “posthumous compilation-like” even prior to Parson’s death. Featuring only two (at the time) new songs, it gathered songs that were rejected from previous albums along with country standards and material Parsons had recorded with the Byrds, the Flying Burrito Brothers, and when he was a Harvard-based folksinger in the mid '60s. The result is an alt-country masterpiece that brilliantly fuses country with psychedelic rock, pop, and R&B – what Parsons called “Cosmic American Music.”
#7) Roy Orbison – Mystery Girl (1989)
This album is amazing for a number of reasons. After the great success of his debut album with the supergroup the Traveling Wilburys (featuring Tom Petty, Bob Dylan, George Harrison, and Jeff Lynne), Mystery Girl is Roy Orbison's first solo album in a decade and a major career comeback. Unfortunately he died from a heart attack before it was released and never got to enjoy its success. Collaborators U2 and Tom Petty did a spectacular job finishing it up, and as Orbison’s voice is still in great form, this album can hold up to any of his early-‘60s output. Just look at opener “You Got It” – it’s an Orbison classic!
#6) Johnny Cash – American V: A Hundred Highways (2006)
Johnny Cash’s American series - a series of Rick Rubin-produced albums that began in 1994 and is responsible for one of the biggest music comebacks in history - is pretty phenomenal as a whole. And this, its fifth installment is no exception. Released three years after Cash’s death, it became his first No. 1 album since 1969’s Johnny Cash at San Quentin. It’s obvious that Rubin handled the final arrangements, made after Cash’s death, with great respect for the Man in Black. He stuck to the aesthetic of the series, featuring minimal accompaniment with Cash’s baritone front and center, singing a mix of covers, originals, and re-recordings. June Carter Cash passed away during the recording sessions for this album and a sense of mortality pervades, made all the more powerful by Cash’s aging voice. Though an American VI would be issued in 2010, this remains the stronger collection.
#5) Jimi Hendrix – Live at the Fillmore East (1999)
An elite member of the 27 Club, Jimi Hendrix has one of the most massive posthumous discographies of all time. And while there are numerous releases that mine every inch of his vaults for buried treasure, this live recording of his performances at the iconic venue with the Band of Gypsies on December 31, 1969 and January 1, 1970 stands out from the rest. It captures Hendrix at his peak, just nine months before his death, and while it’s not the Experience backing him up, the sound is phenomenal. His renditions of “Machine Gun” and “Voodoo Child (Slight Return)” alone are nothing short of revelatory.
#4) Otis Redding – The Dock of the Bay (1968)
Like Janis Joplin, Otis Redding had his biggest hit after death. In fact, “(Sittin’ On) The Dock of the Bay" is the first posthumous No. 1 single in history, recorded just days before Redding’s fatal plane crash outside of Madison, Wisconsin. Released in 1968, Redding’s sixth studio album is a collection of B-sides and singles dating back to July of 1965, including two previously unissued tracks from 1966 and 1967. While not the most cohesive, the album truly showcases the soul singer’s versatility and extraordinary talent.
#3) Joy Division – Closer (1980)
Joy Division had only released one album when its frontman and primary songwriter Ian Curtis committed suicide in May of 1980. Fortunately, the band had another album finished. The fact that Closer was completed in Curtis’ lifetime surely contributes to its stellar quality; it was, in reality, the band’s second album. However, there is no doubt that Curtis’ death amplified its impact. Embodying darkness and despair in its music, lyrics, and cover art, Closer is as haunting as it is flawless. It reflects the band’s own progression into lusher sonic realms, featuring more synthesizers (which the surviving members would wholeheartedly embrace with their next project, New Order). Making many best of-lists, Closer is just as vital to the post-punk movement as it is to the band’s legacy.
#2) Janis Joplin – Pearl (1971)
Janis Joplin died of a heroin overdose during the recording sessions for Pearl, her fourth album, leaving one song without vocals. In her absence, producer Paul Rothchild put the finishing touches on what is now her most well-known album. Not only does Pearl stand out as the shining star in her catalog, it’s the album most people associate with Joplin. It features the a cappella “Mercedes Benz,” her powerful reading of “Cry Baby,” and her only No. 1 hit, a cover of Kris Kristofferson’s “Me and Bobby McGee.” Released four months after Joplin’s death, the album topped the charts and has since gone multi-platinum. Polished but still oozing with her raw passion and heartache, Pearl is a wonderful representation of Joplin and a magnificent album all around.
#1) Nirvana – MTV Unplugged in New York (1994)
MTV Unplugged in New York aired in December of 1993; Kurt Cobain committed suicide in April of 1994. The first Nirvana album released after his death, MTV Unplugged in New York is one of the most beloved and vital entries in the band’s catalog. In addition to featuring songs that don’t appear elsewhere, this live acoustic performance captures a naked intimacy and honesty that is extremely powerful, if not chilling. Here is this grunge band showing a softer, vulnerable side and playing a setlist of songs that no one expected - including Bowie, Lead Belly, Meat Puppets, and Vaselines covers. Between these, the stage banter, and the acoustic version of “About a Girl,” this album is absolutely priceless. Here’s my two cents: if you want to really get to know Nirvana, start here. One of the greatest albums of all time, it showcases this influential band's emotional and musical depth like no other.
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