The Vinyl District | thevinyldistrict.com: 11/01/2007

Friday, November 30, 2007

TVD's Weekend Shots | The Beatles Live at the BBC

We weren't much for holiday music around the house growing up, although Mom would have WQXR literally booming through the house every day like clockwork. WQXR is the radio station of the New York Times, emanating from from the heart of the Big Apple and at such volume would shake the paintings on the wall in our living room all the way down the East Coast to the Jersey Shore. It was (and still is) a classical music station with the requisite news breaks on the hour. Its playlist became the soundtrack for the house...Schubert, Mozart, Liszt mixed in there along with, at times, Woody Guthrie and other "classical" folkies. You'd never hear, for example, the Elvis Christmas record, or the Sinatra one, or the Bing Crosby one, or the Fred Astaire one...it was, and still is in her house, all classical -- all the time. So, it took me back recently to realize that I actually did have a December/holiday season favorite -- and it's this Beatles BBC Sessions LP. Here 'tis, the brilliantly funny, still sunny Beatles sending up the proper Brit announcer then blasting out a standard, an original, or a favorite Chuck Berry composition. And each Christmastime like clockwork, this slides out from the stacks and becomes the most frequented LP of the season. I mean, what's Christmas without catching up with some dear, dear friends?

The Beatles - Riding On A Bus (Chatter) (Mp3)
The Beatles - Carol (Mp3)
The Beatles - I Feel Fine (Mp3)
The Beatles - Long Tall Sally (Mp3)
The Beatles - Lucille (Mp3)
The Beatles - Sha La La La La! (Chatter) (Mp3)
The Beatles - Slow Down (Mp3)
The Beatles - Some Other Guy (Mp3)
The Beatles - Ticket To Ride (Mp3)
The Beatles - You Really Got A Hold On Me (Mp3)

TVD's Morning Wax | Gary Clark "Ten Short Songs About Love"

Love us some Gary Clark here at TVD, be it Danny Wilson, King L, Transister and well, solo. The great unsung talent of British rock music is not Nick Drake but genius Scot Gary Clark - the man who wrote the immortal "Mary's Prayer", and could make an Abba song "Knowing Me, Knowing You" - seem not camp and cute, but the most tragic love song ever written.

Five great reasons to hunt down "Ten Short Songs..."
Gary Clark - This Is Why, J. (Mp3)
Gary Clark - A Short Song About Love (Mp3)
Gary Clark - Nancy (Mp3)
Gary Clark - Baby Blue No. 2 (Mp3)
Gary Clark - Any Sunday Morning (Mp3)

Thursday, November 29, 2007

TVD's Morning Wax | The Bathers "Kelvingrove Baby"

I know this section is called "Morning Wax", but in all honesty today should be "Oh, woe is me my girlfriend just broke up with me she was the love of my life I don't think there ever will be another like her I'm a miserable git open another bottle, sir."

Man, I love The Bathers.

The Bathers - Thrive (Mp3)
The Bathers - Girlfriend (Mp3)
The Bathers - Kelvingrove Baby (Mp3)
The Bathers - Dial (Mp3)
The Bathers - Hellespont In A Storm (Mp3)

Wednesday, November 28, 2007

TVD Recommends: Pale Young Gentlemen

Here at TVD HQ we get ton's o' spam. I mean, not a day goes by where the mailbox isn't full of solicitations, requests, promos, Viagra offers (really, is Viagra that plentiful?!) and of course, band promotions. And very few of the latter are worth our time. Except yesterday when we were contacted by Wisconsin's Pale Young Gentlemen. In their own words, "think Jacques Brel meets Randy Newman meets rowdy thespians" yet, there's an English-baroque-barroom aesthetic often championed by Queen and the Kinks that's quite appealing here as well. Give them a spin and see if we're off our glam-rocker.

Pale Young Gentlemen - Fraulein (Mp3)
Pale Young Gentlemen - Saturday Night (Mp3)

TVD's Morning Wax | The Bolshoi "Friends"

I’ll tell you one thing I like about Oscar Wilde. On his deathbed he looked at the walls and he went, “That wallpaper is horrendous. One of us has to go.” Then he died. That’s fucking genius. That’s how you go out. That’s how life should be.
The Bolshoi - Happy Boy (Mp3)
The Bolshoi - Modern Man (Mp3)
The Bolshoi - Sunday Morning (Mp3)
The Bolshoi - Books On The Bonfire (Mp3)
The Bolshoi - Away (12" version) (Mp3)

Tuesday, November 27, 2007

TVD's Morning Wax | The Sound "Jeopardy"

Essay question: "Why do I keep coming back to The Sound?" Best answer wins the whole LP (11 album tracks with 4 additional live tracks) in one download. Contest closes at 5PM EST today. Make 'em good.

The Sound - I Can't Escape Myself.mp3
The Sound - Hour of Need.mp3
The Sound - Missiles.mp3
The Sound - Jeopardy.mp3
The Sound - Desire.mp3

Monday, November 26, 2007

TVD Remembers: Kevin DuBrow

Quiet Riot Singer Kevin DuBrow Found Dead In His Las Vegas Home
Rocker, 52, died of unknown causes.

Quiet Riot - Come On Feel the Noise (Mp3)
Quiet Riot - Bang Your Head (Metal Health) (Mp3)

TVD Gives Thanks to RMS

....aaaannnd we're back from the long Thanksgiving holiday . . . but unfortunately someone isn't among us today.

Back when was TVD was a mere pup (ahem, last July) there was one guy out there who was more than generous with advice, pointers and sincere encouragement -- the Retro Music Snob. In fact, trading notes with him was my first realization that the online experience of blogging (and blathering) was actually a community of very like-minded folks who weren't merely indulging whims but trading in the very tangible appreciation for all forms of music, art, expression. Soon followed Mick, then Davy, and plenty more voices to underscore this, but Gary was the first, the most tireless, and the most inspiring from Day One.

So, hats off to you RMS . . . you'll be missed.

Some faves from RMS:
The Bluebells - I'm Falling (Mp3)
The Jags - Back of My Hand (Mp3)
The Plimsouls - Oldest Story in the World (Mp3)
The Records - Hearts in Her Eyes (Mp3)
Tommy Keene - Places that are Gone (Mp3)