Je me'appelle...

After seeing Le Vie en Rose and becoming familiar with this magnificent voice I wish I would've known sooner, here is my tenth!!

Potpourri par Piaf with the Orchestra of Robert Chauvigny

This miraculous Edit Piaf remains, Die merci, as young and vital as ever.  Her vocal dramatic artistry is as fresh as at her first New York appearance in 1947; and perhaps her soul - her depth of interpretation - is grown even greater. (A little intro from the back of the record)

Tracks:
Boulevard Du Crime
Mon Dieu
La Ville Inconnue
Je M'Imagine
La Belle Historie D'Amour
Les Flonsflons Du Bal
T'es L'Homme Qu'il Me Faut
Mon Vieux Lucien
Dans Leur Baiser
Exodus
Marie Trottoir
C'est Peut-Etre Ca

I can't help but on this special day (my Dad's birthday) play Edith Piaf.  When my Dad was sick and bed ridden, I use to play all kinds of music for him and one that he thought was interesting was Edith Piaf.  As he layed in bed and I on the computer surfing the net (or probably doing homework at the time), I played some of her music and even though we both didn't understand what she was singing in French, we both loved the sound of her voice and how each song was so soothing.

I'm not mourning, but I'm happy because I got to share that moment with my Dad.  This album is dedicated to you Poppi.  I love you and miss you more than words can describe.  xoxo

It's just been that kind of day

Per Kevin's request, this will be my ninth showcase. This album was released before I was born.



ZZ Top - Tres Hombres (Spanish for Three Men)
Released in 1973, Label - London

Tracks:
1. Waitin' For the Bus
2. Jesus Just Left Chicago
3. Beer Drinkers & Hell Raisers
4. Master Of Sparks
5. Hot, Blue and Righteous
6. Move Me On Down The Line
7. Precious and Grace
8. La Grange
9. Shiek
10. Have You Heard?

The most popular being La Grange, this album is a classic yet still serves to be one such a great record in our time. Even though it's a mere 34 minutes long, it delivers a good sound of blues and southern rock.  

Everything In Between

It's Saturday, it's Robbie's birthday and he requested that I showcase No Age - Everything In Between, so here it is:

Released 2010, Label - Sub Pop

Tracks:

1. Life Prowler

2. Glitter

3. Fever Dreaming

4. Depletion

5. Common Heat

6. Skinned

7. Katerpillar

8.  Valley Hump Crash

9. Sorts

10. Dusted

11. Positive Amputation

12. Shred and Transcend

13. Chem Trails

We had the pleasure of seeing No Age live in January of 2011 and never have I ever felt so much pain in my ears the next day.  The show was phenomenal and I even moshed when I requested that they play Boy Void (from their 2007 album Weirdo Rippers).  Just a drummer and guitarist (and newly added keyboardist), No Age can put on one hell of a show with their towering wall of amps that is usually displayed behind Randy Randall.

One of my favorite songs on this album is Common Heat and Life Prowler, but all are relatively as good as my favorites.  I would definitely recommend this album.

Because I can't get enough

Last night was one of the best shows I've been to in a while.  Lee Fields and the Expressions are truly amazing. To that, I owe my seventh to you:

Released March 2012, Label - Truth and Soul

I can't describe, but just listen!!

My review of the show on April 26

If you forgot what funk means and looked it up, will probably see a picture of Lee Fields, in his suit posing and knowing that he’s still got it.  Right off his newly released album Faithful Man, Lee Fields and the Expressions captivated the audience with what I would like to call a soulful, funkadelic performance.  If you were not at the Continental Club last night (Thursday, April 26^th), you definitely missed one heck of a show.  As the Expressions took the stage and opened up with an instrumental interlude, a few minutes later, Lee Fields comes strutting his stuff with his blue suit wearing shades.  The onstage presence was vibrant as he belted out songs from his highly publicized album My Worlds.  There is something so stunning about Lee Fields, his vocal range as well as the Expressions, that each song pulled you in and gave you this feeling of love and happiness.  On numerous occasions, Lee Fields walked from the left side of the stage then to the right and told the audience I LOVE YOU, which in turn the audience roared with applause and cheer. 

Midway through the set, the Expressions, minus the guitarist, cleared the stage and Lee Fields put on a solo, stripped down performance of Faithful Man that quieted the crowd as they stood in awe.  Minutes later, they came back on and finished the song with a jolt of energy.  As the end of the set drew near, there was no putting a stop to Lee Fields as he got off stage and came back on to do the encore and performed Sunny.  I believe the raw sound and the heart that Lee puts into each song and lyric live brings you to a place where you feel every muscle in your body move.  To put into words the overall performance of Lee Fields and the Expressions would be like trying to put into words one of the best, mind-blowing performances. 

Soul baby, Funk

I received the best news today.  I am on the guest list to see Lee Fields tonight at the Continental Club in Austin.  So in honor of this joyous event, I decided to make him my sixth.  I really enjoy Lee Fields and I thank my friend Felix for turning me onto him.

My World
Released in 2009, Label - Truth and Soul Records


Tracks:
Do You Love Me (Like You Say You Do)
Love Comes and Goes
Honey Dove
Money I$ King
My World is Empty
Expressions Theme
My World
Ladies
These Moments
The Only One Loving You
Last Ride

I'm super stoked and excited about this.  I will definitely write a review!!!

Girls Rule, Boys Drool

Staying on the girl pattern here for maybe the next few days, I'm debuting Vivian Girls' Share the Joy.  If you don't already know, the name Vivian Girls comes from the author Harvey Darger who based a manuscript called  The Story of the Vivian Girls, in What is Known as the Realms of the Unreal, of the Glandeco-Angelinian War Storm Caused by the Child Slave Rebellion (which is a whole other story).  This three piece from New York graced us with their musical talent in 2007 and are still presently together, although Katy Goodman has a side project.
Here is the lovely no. 5:

Released April 2011 (Third Studio Album), Label - Polyvinyl Records


Tracks:
The Other Girls
I Heard You Say
Dance (If You Wanna)
Lake House
Trying To Pretend
Sixteen Ways
Take It As It Comes
Vanishing of Time
Death
Light In Your Eyes


I've had the pleasure of seeing Vivian Girls live last year at Emo's in Austin and they were great.  I hope, if you do decide to listen to the vinyl records I post, you'd take a listen to this one.

Totally 80's

This is one album that I can totally jam to.  A group of four wild girls tearing it up, being like boys and partying hard like they do too.

Debut Album
Released July 1981, Label - I.R.S.

Tracks:

1. How Much More

2. Tonite

3. Lust To Love

4. This Town

5. We Got The Beat

6. Fading Fast

7. Automatic

8. You Can't Walk In Your Sleep (If You Can't Sleep)

9. Skidmarks On My Heart

10. Can't Stop The World

I like this record because it's performed by females.  In the 80's you had Madonna and some other female artists/groups, but I think this group did a good job at being women in a mans world.  I believe it was on VH-1 that I saw an I love the 80's episode or somehow The Go-Go's came up and they had cameras backstage at one of their shows.  Anyways, they just talked about their behavior at that time.  Good for them though, you know.  Being a woman, I know how hard it is to even be taken seriously without someone wanting something more.  

This one goes out to all the powerful ladies in the world.  Do what you want and when you have all the power, you take what you want!! 

Rhythm

Though I have little time to make a full and worthy submission about my third pick, I must admit that I wish I did because I absolutely love this record.  I know you’re probably thinking, “man, this girl sure loves a lot of records,” but that’s not necessarily true.  There are some records that I just like one song and hate the rest, but this one in particular is a great one through and through.  Therefore, here is my third:

Released in November 1993, Label :Jive/BMG Records

Tracks:

1. Midnight Marauders Tour Guide

2. Steve Biko (Stir It Up)

3. Award Tour

4. 8 Million Stories

5. Sucka Nigga

6. Midnight

7. We Can Get Down

8. Electric Relaxation

9. Clap Yours Hands

10. Oh My God

11. Keep It Rollin’

12. The Chase, Part II

13. Lyrics To Go

14. God Lives Through

Picking

When I first thought about doing this blog, I didn't think it would be so difficult.  I mean how hard could it be to pick one vinyl record a day and write about it, right??  Well this is definitely a challenge, especially since I do a lot of things during the day, but I'm going to make the most of it.  I want to do this to get the word out there.  So this is my second:

Black Sabbath - Black Sabbath, released February 1970, Label: Vertigo

Tracks:
Black Sabbath
The Wizard
Behind the Wall of Sleep
N.I.B.
Evil Woman
Sleeping Village
The Warning
Wicked World

Did you know the length of this album is 38 minutes and 12 seconds long?  Amazing, right?  This is one Kevin's records and when I play this, I hear the sounds of today.  This album was released in 1970 and it sounds so modern, so today.  While I played this record, I was thinking about Ozzy Osbourne today being the Ozzy then.  Time is a tricky son of a bitch ya know and now 42 years later, I am sitting here listening to this album and sharing it with you!  One of my favorite songs besides Black Sabbath is definitely Evil Woman.  These  lyrics were considered dark for their time, but now it is much appreciated.

First

There will always be one first, no matter what happens.  If it's the first vinyl record you buy, your first time driving, etc.  Since deciding to do this blog and thinking very hard on which vinyl record would be my first, I have to say that I'm impressed and happy with my pick.  Therefore, this is my FIRST!!

(c) 2002 Rhymesayers Entertainment LLC
Tracks:
Onemosphere
The Bass and the Movement
Give Me
F*@k You Lucky
Hair
GodLovesUgly
A Song About a Friend
Flesh
Saves the Day
Lovelife
Breathing
Vampires
A Girl Named Hope
GodLovesUgly Reprise
Modern Man's Hustle
One of a Kind
BlameGame
Shrapnel

Everything I am going to say is totally biased because there are no words that can express my love for Atmosphere and this album.  I do have to be honest and say that I discovered Atmosphere in 2008 when I saw them at Fun Fun Fun Fest in Austin, Texas.  It's like one of those moments when you see a person or something that catches you eye.  Well, Atmosphere captured my ears when I first heard them.  Their music was such a shock to me that after the show, I immediately went to my hotel and downloaded When Life Gives You Lemons, Paint That S**t Gold.  The first thing I noticed were the lyrics.  Amazing!!  When I first listened to God Loves Ugly, I knew it would change a lot of things I liked about music.  The way Slug expresses himself is more about real life matters and not money or hoes, which is what I love.  All I can say is listen to this record.  This is one of the best records I've heard in years and I mean it.  A friend of mine that doesn't even care for hip-hop listened to them and he liked it.  But if you are to listen to one of their many albums, I would definitely recommend this one.

My favorite track on this album is a tie between God Loves Ugly, Modern Man's Hustle and Love Your Life.  Those would be my first listens after you play the whole album in order.  Let's face it, as I write this blog I am listening to this record and I don't think I can pick one song on this album that I love more than another because they are all good.  Seriously, listen to this record, listen to his lyrics and get back to me and tell me what you think.  Ha  ha ha ha, my first challenge to my readers (if I even have any).

I hope y'all spent Record Store Day buying your favorite  records or even discovering new stuff.  As for me, I biked from my house to Breakaway Records on North Loop, which is a good 5 miles-ish one way.  They had a party with DJs, free beer, soda and water, pizza and special buys.  I just love how all different kinds of people participate and support their local record store.  It makes me smile that music is that one necessity in peoples lives.  It makes me smile!!!

Here are my buys (not counting the ones I bought off my co-worker and the ones I ordered from insound.

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HAPPY RECORD STORE DAY!!!

Today is Record Store Day and I'm hoping everyone is going out to participate and support their local record shop.  As for me, I will be hanging around North Loop checking out one of my favorite record stores in Austin, Breakaway Records (http://www.facebook.com/BreakawayRecords).  Breakaway is a small, intimate record shop with a lot of style.  They have a variety of vinyl records, as well as artwork and equipment.  I think what I like the most about Breakaway is that one of the guys makes these mix CDs from 45s.  Someone who is passionate at what they enjoy and love and putting the time and effort to do that.  So this afternoon I will be down there and DJ Chicken George (http://www.facebook.com/djchickengeorge) will be Djing.

Tonight I will display my first ever vinyl record.  I decided to start with this one because I really cannot express the love I have for this artist.  Their music, lyrics, I don't know.  It just makes me think about all things non-stressful!

See y'all tonight!!