For those readers new to this column, please read the introductory comments in Part 1 HERE.
As I mentioned in previous parts of this series, many times in my articles and reviews, and probably to everyone I've ever talked to about records or audio, I had a bunch of records stolen at some point in the 1990s. It happened during the time discussed in Part 3 (HERE) when I lived on a sailboat.
When I first moved onto the boat, I had left my complete record collection with my friend and reviewing mentor, Judy Davidson, to keep. She insisted I separate the records by genre, as she had little interest in anything but the classical music I had, which was about half the collection. So, I delivered to her over twenty record boxes, clearly labeled by genre, and properly organized in alphabetical order. However, without any explanation as to why, a year or so later she called and said if I didn't get the records out of her house by the next weekend she would give them all away or throw them out. I didn't ask why, and I just went there, picked them all up and moved them into the storage room I had rented near my office.
That storage room housed the things I wanted to keep in case I moved back on land. After our son was born in 1993, it also had a lot of stuff we needed for him but didn't keep on the boat. The nice but large stroller, the travel crib, typical baby stuff. It also held all our camping and fishing gear, and lots of household items we might need later.
One Saturday about 1994 or 95, we went there to get a few things out and found the door, still attached by the lock that secured it, hanging out in the hallway. Turned out the door was actually hung backward, so the hinges were on the outside. Someone was able to pop the pins out of the hinges and swing the door open.
Stealing the baby stuff pissed me off, losing all the camping and fishing gear was costly, and all the stored baby clothes, emotionally bothersome. But finding only fourteen boxes of records in there was crushing. As I sorted through what was left, I realized that all the rock and soundtrack albums from Mc through Za were gone. Also gone was a box of about seventy-five used records of various genres I hadn't even listened to or sorted yet. From an audiophile and collector standpoint, I also lost a separate box of most of my original RCA Shaded Dog, Mercury Living Presence, and classic Decca LPs. I had packed those separately for some reason, probably to make them easier for Judy to sort through if she wanted to listen. All told it was probably about seven hundred records, give or take fifty.
They also stole my Nitty Gritty 2.5FI record cleaner, still boxed up from being refurbished at their factory. I doubt whoever stole it knew what it was. Fortunately, they didn't get deep enough into the storage room to find the Linn or the other audio gear.
I did actually find several of the records at a used record store right nearby, but the owner of the shop was not in a mood to believe me or offer up any information on how he got them. I knew they were mine from notes written on the inner sleeves of several of them.
Since then, whenever I've found good copies in the used record bins, I've bought replacements, but probably for only about a hundred of them. I've acquired CDs of some others, and thanks to Qobuz, I've been able to listen to many of the rest. Otherwise, they remain fond but distant memories. Now, when I look at my records on their shelves, I still feel a sense of loss, which lingers even after more than thirty years.
Genesis, Selling England By The Pound
Label: Charisma – CAS 1074
Format: Vinyl, LP, Album, Reissue, Small Hatter Labels
Country: UK
Released: 1975
Genre: Rock
Style: Prog Rock
I bought my first copy of this in 1974 while in high school, but this English import was purchased at The House of Guitars in 1975, my first year of college. The inner sleeve shows that I treated it with Ball Sound Guard in 1977. I remember in the mid-1980s running it through my Nitty Gritty 2.5FI record cleaner several times to try to clean that off and restore a quiet surface.
Even on my humble college system, I was surprised at how much better the UK import sounded than the US release. It was actually my first time buying a second LP of something already in my collection, seeking better sound. Either way, the album was one of the more significant additions to my collection in terms of changing and developing my musical tastes.
The Classic Records reissue I bought years later would prove to sound even better, and that will show up in a future installment. However, this import, as old as it is, sounds pretty fantastic too.
Tracklist
A1 - Dancing With The Moonlit Knight 8:03
A2 - I Know What I Like (In Your Wardrobe) 4:10
A3 - Firth Of Fifth 9:35
A4 - More Fool Me 3:11
B1 - The Battle Of Epping Forest 11:43
B2 - After The Ordeal 4:15
B3 - The Cinema Show 10:41
B4 - Aisle Of Plenty 1:58
https://open.qobuz.com/album/0603497985739
King Crimson, Starless And Bible Black
Label: Atlantic – SD 7298
Format: Vinyl, LP, Album, Stereo, Presswell
Country: US
Released: 1974
Genre: Rock
Style: Prog Rock
Yes, another King Crimson album, Starless and Bible Black, purchased my freshman year in college (1975) from the cutout bin of Record Theater in Rochester, NY. Unlike their other albums, this one took me quite a while to warm up to, though I now see it as one of their classics. Larks Tongues in Aspic was a tough act to follow no matter what the band did. It was also the first time I saw consecutive KC albums with basically the same lineup, as all members except percussionist Jamie Muir played on both.
Tracklist
A1 - The Great Deceiver 4:02
A2 - Lament 4:00
A3 - We'll Let You Know 3:46
A4 - The Night Watch 4:37
A5 - Trio 5:41
A6 - The Mincer 4:10
B1 - Starless And Bible Black 9:11
B2 - Fracture 11:14
https://open.qobuz.com/album/kc6253d7r75gb
Pink Floyd, Wish You Were Here
Label: Harvest – SHVL 814, 5099902988016
Format: Vinyl, LP, Album, Reissue, Remastered, 180 Gram
Country: USA & Canada
Released: Nov 4, 2011
Genre: Rock
Style: Art Rock, Prog Rock
When I heard Wish You Were Here was being released in late 1975, my freshman year of college, I called all the record shops to see when they would have it in stock. Several of us in our dorm wanted to get our copy the first day. When Record Theater said they would have it out the following day a group of us planned to go right after class to pick it up. On the way to the dining hall for breakfast, a friend ran by us holding a copy and told us that the nearby Wegmans supermarket had a boxful of them, and were selling them $1 cheaper than the normal record store price. Three of us hopped in my car, drove to get our copies, and though we missed breakfast, we were still on time for class.
It has been one of my two favorite Pink Floyd albums, along with Meddle, ever since. This 180 gram reissue from Harvest is actually pretty good, though I doubt as good as that original LP was. That record was lost in the theft.
And I do wish we had Wegmans supermarkets here in California.
Tracklist
A1 - Shine On You Crazy Diamond (Part 1-5) 13:31
A2 - Welcome To The Machine 7:27
B1 - Have A Cigar 5:08
B2 - Wish You Were Here 5:40
B3 - Shine On You Crazy Diamond (Part 6-9) 12:25
https://open.qobuz.com/album/dql7n572nt39a
Camel, Breathless
Label: Arista – AB 4206
Format: Vinyl, LP, Album, Santa Maria Pressing
Country: US
Released: Jan 1979
Genre: Rock
Style: Prog Rock
This was the last Camel album I bought. Though they still made good music, their transition from progressive to more pop oriented music left me cold. Some say this is their best album, others say it was their last good album. I guess I'm in the latter group. Certainly my least listened to album by the band. Admittedly, I stopped buying their albums after this one, so their later material may actually have been good. I'll try them all out on Qobuz someday.
Tracklist
A1 - Breathless 4:16
A2 - Echoes 7:22
A3 - Wing And A Prayer 4:41
A4 - Down On The Farm 4:20
A5 - Starlight Ride 3:20
B1 - Summer Lightning 6:03
B2 - You Make Me Smile 4:13
B3 - The Sleeper 7:02
B4 - Rainbow's End 3:00
https://open.qobuz.com/album/sbyywxl2vlioa
Meredith Monk, Dolmen Music
Label: ECM Records – ECM 1-1197
Format: Vinyl, LP, Album, Gatefold
Country: US
Released: 1981
Genre: Classical
Style: Contemporary
I'm sure many of us have records in our collections that we love dearly, but that none of our friends or family members can understand why. I've owned Meredith Monk's Dolmen Music since it first came out in 1981, and it has fascinated me every time I play it, especially the side-long title track. Yet, only once have I ever played it for anyone else who could bear to sit through more than a few minutes of it. Monk doesn't sing in any conventional sense of the term, but what she manages to do is either breathtakingly beautiful or the stuff of nightmares. I would suggest for a first try, turn out the lights and play the title track all the way through. You can thank me later. Absolutely amazing recording, too.
Anyone here know it? Love it? Hate it?
Tracklist
A1 - Gotham Lullaby 4:14
A2 - Travelling 6:15
A3 - The Tale 2:47
A4 - Biography 9:26
Dolmen Music (23:39)
Ba - Overture And Men's Conclave
Bb - Wa-Ohs
Bc - Rain
Bd - Pine Tree Lullaby
Be - Calls
Bf - Conclusion
https://open.qobuz.com/album/0004228254592
Suburban Lawns, Suburban Lawns
Label: I.R.S. Records – IRS SP70024
Format: Vinyl, LP, Album, Terre Haute Pressing
Country: US
Released: 1981
Genre: Rock
Style: New Wave
I first saw this band on New Wave Theater back in the early 80s when it was part of USA Network's Night Flight show. After that I had to buy the album. Sometimes they were referred to as a punk band, other times as New Wave. I don't care for genre labels like that, but if you want to get a quick taste of their style, just play the track "Janitor" though the whole album is excellent. I've replaced my stolen original with this one, also an early original pressing. I still haven't found a replacement 12-inch single of their "Gidget Goes to Hell" but I will someday.
Tracklist
A1 - Flying Saucer Safari 2:12
A2 - Pioneers 2:05
A3 - Not Allowed 2:16
A4 - Gossip 2:29
A5 - Intellectual Rock 2:05
A6 - Protection 1:54
A7 - Anything 1:38
B1 - Janitor 2:30
B2 - Computer Date 1:06
B3 - Mom And Dad And God 1:56
B4 - Unable 1:31
B5 - When In The World 2:48
B6 - Green Eyes 2:53
B7 - Jam The Controls 1:06
https://open.qobuz.com/album/wifoxhxby25nc
The B-52's, Whammy!
Label: Warner Bros. Records – 1-23819
Format: Vinyl, LP, Album, Jacksonville Pressing
Country: US
Released: Apr 27, 1983
Genre: Electronic, Rock
Style: New Wave, Synth-pop
I bought this when it first came out and have always been of two minds about it. From one side, it is the fun danceable unique music we had grown to expect from the B-52's, but from the other side, the use of drum machines, synths and less quirky or edgy music seemed like a watered down version of their best work. Even the credits show Keith Strickland and Ricky Wilson played all the instruments. I guess I miss Kate Pierson's keyboard style and synth bass. In spite of how that sounds, I thoroughly enjoy this LP, even if not quite as much as their first two.
Tracklist
A1 - Legal Tender 3:40
A2 - Whammy Kiss 5:20
A3 - Song For A Future Generation 4:00
A4 - Butterbean 4:14
B1 - Trism 3:23
B2 - Queen Of Las Vegas 4:40
B3 - Don't Worry 3:50
B4 - Big Bird 4:14
B5 - Work That Skirt 3:48
https://open.qobuz.com/album/rbq2vgq10e9cb
Johann Sebastian Bach, Münchener Bach-Orchester, Karl Richter, 6 Brandenburgische Konzerte
Label: Archiv Produktion – 2708 013
Format: 2 x Vinyl, LP, Reissue, Stereo Box Set
Country: Germany
Released: 1971
Genre: Classical
Style: Baroque, Concerto, Orchestra
Originally released in 1967, this box is a 1971 German reissue. Compared to other albums of the Brandenburgs I have in my collection, the playing here is a little somber at times, but otherwise very nice performances with very good sound.
Tracklist
Brandenburgisches Konzert Nr. 6 B-dur, BWV 1051 (16:56)
A1 - (Allegro) 6:11
A2 - Adagio Ma Non Tanto 4:53
A3 - Allegro 5:43
Brandenburgisches Konzert Nr. 3 G-dur, BWV, 1048 (11:09)
A4 - (Allegro) 5:19
A5 - Adagio 0:51
A6 - Allegro 4:54
Brandenburgisches Konzert Nr. 1 F-dur, BWV 1046 (19:03)
B1 - (Allegro) 3:33
B2 - Adagio 3:43
B3 - Allegro 4:17
B4 - Menuet – Polonaise – Menuet 7:22
Brandenburgisches Konzert Nr. 2 F-dur, BWV 1047 (10:59)
C1 - (Allegro) 4:39
C2 - Andante 3:39
C3 - Allegro Assai 2:32
Brandenburgisches Konzert Nr. 4 G-dur, BWV 1049 (15:58)
C4 - Allegro 7:13
C5 - Andante 3:51
C6 - Presto 4:48
Brandenburgisches Konzert Nr. 5 D-dur, BWV 1050 (20:17)
D1 - Allegro 9:49
D2 - Affettuoso 5:00
D3 - Allegro 5:18
https://open.qobuz.com/album/0002894636572
Rossi / Saladin / Grossi, Camerata De Boston, Joël Cohen, Musique Judeo-Baroque
Label: Harmonia Mundi France – HM 1021
Format: Vinyl, LP, Album, Stereo, Gatefold
Country: France
Released: 1979
Genre: Classical
Style: Baroque
This LP is part of Harmonia Mundi France's collection of lesser known 17th century music. Sung in Hebrew and all written by Jewish composers. Beautiful recording.
Tracklist
Louis Saladin Canticum Hebraicum (13:55)
A1-1 - Prélude
A1-2 - Duo: Ahir Le'eli
A1-3 - Air Et Duo: Nismecha Yachad
A1-4 - Choeur: Shelach Tishbi
A1-5 - Bourrée Et Rigaudon
A2-1 - Choeur: Shelach Tishbi
A2-2 - Prélude Et Air: Yigdal V'yihyeh
A2-3 - Choeur: Ya'aleh V'yatsliach
A2-4 - Gavotte
A2-5 - Choeur: Ya'aleh V'yatsliach
A3 - Carlo Grossi - Cantata Ebraica In Dialogo 5:45
Salomone Rossi Ebreo Les Cantiques De Salomon (21:00)
B1 - Sinfonia Grave
B2 - Barechu Ed Adonai Ham'vorach
B3 - Sonata A 6
B4 - Eftach Na Sefatai
B5 - Sonata In Dialogo
B6 - Baruch Haba B'shem Adonai
B7 - Sinfonia
B8 - Adon Olam
(Not currently available on Qobuz)
Supertramp, Crime Of The Century
Label: A&M Records – 393 647-1
Series: Special Price
Format: Vinyl, LP, Album, Reissue, Stereo
Country: Europe
Released:n/a
Genre: Rock
Style: Art Rock, Pop Rock
I've loved Supertramp's early albums since my college days. They were all stolen, but this used copy of Crime of the Century sounds pretty good, in spite of the "Special Price" logo printed on the cover. The cover says "Made in Germany" but the record label says "Made in England" and I can't identify what year it was issued from the matrix code. Who knows…
But Supertramp was such a great band; brilliant songwriters, superb musicians and a unique sound that was instantly recognizable. Though some people do find both of their lead singers voices rather annoying, both Rick Davies and Roger Hodgson were the perfect fit for getting their lyrics across. And they did take the sound quality of their releases very seriously.
Tracklist
A1 - School 5:35
A2 - Bloody Well Right 4:26
A3 - Hide In Your Shell 6:52
A4 - Asylum 6:30
B1 - Dreamer 3:33
B2 - Rudy 7:18
B3 - If Everyone Was Listening 4:01
B4 - Crime Of The Century 5:30
