Monday 1/25/2021 1am ET: Feature LP: James Gang – Thirds (1971)

Thirds is the third studio album by the American rock band James Gang. The album was released in April 1971, on the label ABC Records. It is the last studio album featuring Joe Walsh. “Walk Away” was released as a single, making the Top 40 on at least one national chart, reaching #51 on the Billboard Hot 100, the best placement of a James Gang single. The album reached Gold status in July 1972.

On the liner notes to the LP version of this 1971 album, Joe Walsh is credited with “guitar, vocals, and train wreck”, the latter for his work on the song “Walk Away” as a wry commentary on the multi-tracked, cascading lead guitars that clash as the song fades out.

The Walsh period of the band came to a close with the release of the next album James Gang Live in Concert.

“Walk Away” – 3:32
“Yadig?” – 2:30
“Things I Could Be” – 4:18
“Dreamin’ In The Country” – 2:57
“It’s All The Same” – 4:10
“Midnight Man” – 3:28
“Again” – 4:04
“White Man/Black Man” – 5:39
“Live My Life Again” – 5:26

Joe Walsh – lead, rhythm, pedal steel and slide guitars, vocals, acoustic and electric pianos, keyboards, sound effects, organ,”train wreck”
Dale Peters – electric and upright basses, vocals, vibraphone
Jim Fox – drums, vocals, percussion, piano, organ
Bob Webb – guitars, backing vocals
Tom Baker – horns
Mary Sterpka – backing vocals on “Midnight Man”
The Sweet Inspirations – backing vocals on “White Man/Black Man”

Monday 1/25/2021 12am ET: Feature LP: Jon Bon Jovi – Blaze of Glory (1990)

Blaze of Glory is Jon Bon Jovi’s debut solo studio album, released August 7, 1990. It includes songs from and inspired by the movie Young Guns II. Emilio Estevez asked for Bon Jovi’s “Wanted Dead or Alive” as the theme song for his upcoming Billy the Kid sequel, but Jon Bon Jovi ended up composing an all-new theme song for the film’s soundtrack instead. The album featured guests such as Elton John, Little Richard, and Jeff Beck. “Blaze of Glory” was awarded a Golden Globe. It also received Academy Award and Grammy nominations.

“Billy Get Your Guns” – 4:49
“Miracle” – 5:20
“Blaze of Glory” – 5:35
“Blood Money” – 2:34
“Santa Fe” – 5:42
“Justice in the Barrel” – 6:48
“Never Say Die” – 4:54
“You Really Got Me Now” – 2:24
“Bang a Drum” – 4:44
“Dyin’ Ain’t Much of a Livin'” – 4:46
“Guano City” – 1:16

Jon Bon Jovi – vocals, backing vocals, guitars (tracks 2-3, 5-10), piano (track 3), harmonica (track 4), producer
Kenny Aronoff – drums, percussion
Jeff Beck – electric guitar (tracks 6, 10), slide guitar, guitar solo (tracks 1-3, 6-7, 9)
Robbin Crosby – guitar (track 7)
Bob Glaub – bass (tracks 5, 10)
Randy Jackson – bass (tracks 1-3, 6-9)
Ron Jacobs – engineer
Elton John – piano (tracks 1, 10), backing vocals (track 10)
Danny Kortchmar – guitar (tracks 1-2, 4-9), producer
Dale Lavi – hand claps
Myrna Matthews, Julia Waters, Maxine Waters – backing vocals (tracks 2, 6, 9, 10)
Camilla Lento – backing vocals
Aldo Nova – guitars, keyboards, piano, tambourine
Phil Parlapiano – accordion (tracks 2, 4)
Lou Diamond Phillips – vocals (track 6)
The Runners – hand claps (track 1)
Little Richard – piano, vocals (track 8)
Brian Scheuble – engineer
Alan Silvestri – arranger
Benmont Tench – Hammond organ (tracks 1-3, 5-7, 9-10), piano (tracks 5, 8)
Waddy Wachtel – guitar (track 9), slide guitar (track 8)

Sunday 1/24/2021 1am ET: Feature LP: Death Cab for Cutie – Kintsugi (2015)

Kintsugi is the eighth studio album by American indie rock band Death Cab for Cutie, released on March 31, 2015, on Atlantic Records. Recorded at Eldorado Recording Studios, in Burbank, California, Kintsugi is produced by Rich Costey, and is the first Death Cab for Cutie album to feature an outside producer. The album was nominated for Best Rock Album at the 58th Grammy Awards.

During the production of the album, lead guitarist and founding member Chris Walla announced that he was leaving the band, though he continued contributing to the recording and creative process as a full member until the album’s completion.

1. “No Room in Frame” 4:05
2. “Black Sun” 4:49
3. “The Ghosts of Beverly Drive” 4:04
4. “Little Wanderer” 4:19
5. “You’ve Haunted Me All My Life” 4:08
6. “Hold No Guns” 3:03
7. “Everything’s a Ceiling” 3:41
8. “Good Help (Is So Hard to Find)” 4:47
9. “El Dorado” 3:38
10. “Ingénue” 4:31
11. “Binary Sea” 4:05

Benjamin Gibbard – guitar, vocals
Nicholas Harmer – bass guitar
Jason McGerr – drums, percussion
Chris Walla – guitar, keyboard, backing vocals

Sunday 1/24/2021 12am ET: Feature LP: Scorpions – Lovedrive (1979)

Lovedrive is the sixth studio album by German band Scorpions, released January 2, 1979. Considered by some critics to be the pinnacle of their career, Lovedrive was a major evolution of the band’s sound, exhibiting their “classic style” that would be later developed over their next few albums. Lovedrive cemented the “Scorpions formula” of hard rock songs combined with melodic ballads.

Lovedrive was the band’s first album to be released by Harvest Records in Europe and Mercury Records in the United States and Canada following the band’s departure from RCA. It proved to be a major commercial breakthrough, reaching No. 55 on the Billboard Top 200, which none of their previous five albums had dented at all. The RIAA certified the record as Gold on 28 May 1986, and the album also proved a breakthrough in the United Kingdom where it was the first Scorpions album to chart and peaked at No. 36.

Lovedrive ranked No. 25 on IGN’s 2007 list of the Top 25 metal albums.

1. “Loving You Sunday Morning” 5:36
2. “Another Piece of Meat” 3:30
3. “Always Somewhere” 4:56
4. “Coast to Coast” (instrumental) 4:42
5. “Can’t Get Enough” 2:36
6. “Is There Anybody There?” 3:58
7. “Lovedrive” 4:49
8. “Holiday”  6:32
9. “‘Cause I Love You” (demo version) 4:31
10. “Holiday” (demo version) 9:34

Klaus Meine – lead vocals
Rudolf Schenker – rhythm guitar, backing vocals
Matthias Jabs – lead guitar, backing vocals on 3, 5, 6 & 9
Francis Buchholz – bass, backing vocals
Herman Rarebell – drums, backing vocals
Michael Schenker – lead guitar, backing vocals on 1, 2, 4, 7, 8 & 10

Thursday 1/21/2021 11pm ET: Feature LP: Pet Shop Boys – Please (1986)

Please is the debut album by English electronic music duo Pet Shop Boys, released on March 24, 1986 by Parlophone Records in the United Kingdom and by EMI America Records in the United States. According to the duo, the album’s title was chosen so that people had to go into a record shop and say “Can I have the Pet Shop Boys album, ‘Please’?”[citation needed]. Please spawned four singles: “West End Girls”, “Opportunities (Let’s Make Lots of Money)”, “Suburbia”, and “Love Comes Quickly”; “West End Girls” reached number one in both the UK and the US.

“Two Divided by Zero” – 3:32
“West End Girls” – 4:41
“Opportunities (Let’s Make Lots of Money)” – 3:43
“Love Comes Quickly” – 4:18
“Suburbia” – 5:07
“Tonight Is Forever” – 4:30
“Violence” – 4:27
“I Want a Lover” – 4:04
“Later Tonight” – 2:44
“Why Don’t We Live Together?” – 4:44
“A Man Could Get Arrested” (Twelve-inch B-side) – 4:11
“Opportunities (Let’s Make Lots of Money)” (Full-length Original Seven-inch) – 4:36
“In the Night” – 4:51
“Opportunities (Let’s Make Lots of Money)” (Original Twelve-inch mix) – 7:00
“Why Don’t We Live Together?” (Original New York mix) – 5:14
“West End Girls” (Dance mix) – 6:39
“A Man Could Get Arrested” (Seven-inch B-side) – 4:51
“Was That What It Was?” – 5:17
“Jack the Lad” – 4:32
“Paninaro” (Italian Remix) – 8:38

Neil Tennant – lead vocals and backing vocals, guitars
Chris Lowe – synthesizers, programming, sequencers, samplers, computer-generated effects, electric piano and backing vocals

 

Thursday 1/21/2021 10pm ET: Feature LP: Sammy Hagar – Standing Hampton (1982)

Standing Hampton is the sixth studio album by American rock vocalist Sammy Hagar, released on January 6, 1982 by Geffen. This is his first album after moving from Capitol Records to Geffen. It was his first album to achieve RIAA certification, eventually going platinum, and five of its singles charted in either the mainstream rock or pop singles charts.

The British version of the album was released with a bonus interview 45rpm called Conversations with Sammy Hagar (Geffen XPS 133).

1. “I’ll Fall in Love Again” 4:15
2. “There’s Only One Way to Rock” 4:15
3. “Baby’s on Fire” 3:34
4. “Can’t Get Loose” 5:39
5. “Heavy Metal” 3:51
6. “Baby, It’s You” 4:46
7. “Surrender” 3:14
8. “Inside Lookin’ In” 4:26
9. “Sweet Hitchhiker” 4:10
10. “Piece of My Heart” 3:58

Sammy Hagar – lead vocals, guitar
Gary Pihl – lead guitar, backing vocals
Bill Church – bass guitar, backing vocals
David Lauser – drums, backing vocals

Thursday 1/21/2021 9pm ET: Feature LP: Dio – Holy Diver (1983)

Holy Diver is the debut studio album by American heavy metal band Dio, released in 1983. Vocalist Ronnie James Dio had just finished his first tenure in Black Sabbath, whose drummer, Vinny Appice, he took with him to put together his own band. The roster was completed by his former bandmate from Rainbow, Jimmy Bain, on bass and by the young guitarist Vivian Campbell, coming from the NWOBHM band Sweet Savage. The album was acclaimed by the music press and is the band’s most successful effort.

1. “Stand Up and Shout” 3:18
2. “Holy Diver” 5:513. “Gypsy” 3:39
4. “Caught in the Middle” 4:14
5. “Don’t Talk to Strangers” 4:53
6. “Straight Through the Heart” 4:31
7. “Invisible” 5:24
8. “Rainbow in the Dark” 4:15
9. “Shame on the Night” 5:19

Ronnie James Dio – lead vocals, synthesizers, production
Vivian Campbell – guitar
Jimmy Bain – bass, keyboards
Vinny Appice – drums

Thursday 1/21/2021 8pm ET: Feature LP: George Thorogood and the Destroyers (1977)

George Thorogood and the Destroyers is the self-titled debut album by American blues rock band George Thorogood and the Destroyers, released in October 1977. Consisting mostly of covers of blues hits, it includes a medley of John Lee Hooker’s “House Rent Boogie” and “One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer”, the latter a song written by Rudy Toombs for Amos Milburn, and later covered by Hooker.

In 2015 Rounder released George Thorogood and the Delaware Destroyers, a new remix of the album featuring the three-piece band as originally recorded and mixed. It omits the bass overdubs by Billy Blough, which were added after the original recording sessions. It also adds the previously unreleased Elmore James track “Goodbye Baby”.

“You Got to Lose” – 3:15
“Madison Blues” – 4:24
“One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer” – 8:20
“Kind Hearted Woman” – 3:48
“Can’t Stop Lovin'” – 3:04
“Ride On Josephine” – 4:17
“Homesick Boy” – 3:02
“John Hardy” – 3:18
“I’ll Change My Style” – 3:57
“Delaware Slide” – 7:45
‘Goodbye Baby’ – 3:27

George Thorogood – vocals, guitar, harmonica
Ron Smith – guitar
Billy Blough – bass guitar
Jeff Simon – drums

Wednesday 1/20/2021 1am ET: Feature LP: Toad The Wet Sprocket – Dulcinea

Dulcinea is an album by Toad the Wet Sprocket released May 24, 1994. It is their fourth studio album with Columbia Records and the follow-up to their popular album fear, which was released in 1991. Two songs from Dulcinea reached Top 40 designation on the Modern Rock and Mainstream Rock charts: “Fall Down” and “Something’s Always Wrong”. Dulcinea was RIAA Certified Gold on September 1, 1994 and Platinum on July 31, 1995.

The album’s name is a reference to the love interest in Miguel de Cervantes’ classic Spanish novel, Don Quixote. At least two songs on the album allude to themes found in the novel. “Crowing” is a song about a person who does not know how to hold on to a lover. “Windmills” is a metaphorical song about how people spend much of their lives chasing absurd or impossible pursuits (the allusion being to a specific scene in Don Quixote where the title character uselessly attacks a windmill). The album’s artwork (illustrated by influential artist Jason Holley) also explores Cervantes’ windmill metaphor, depicting the incongruence between the way things are and how we tend to perceive them.

Dulcinea also delves into some spiritual themes. “Fly from Heaven” is sung from the perspective of James, who is portrayed as Jesus’ literal brother and is upset by Paul’s manipulation of Jesus’ word. “Begin” and “Reincarnation Song” each explore questions about death and the afterlife.

Glen Phillips has said that Dulcinea is probably his favorite Toad album because they started to know what they were doing but weren’t overthinking things yet.

1. “Fly from Heaven” 4:33
2. “Woodburning” 3:59
3. “Something’s Always Wrong” 4:59
4. “Stupid” 2:42
5. “Crowing” 3:20
6. “Listen” 4:09
7. “Windmills” 3:50
8. “Nanci” 3:00
9. “Fall Down” 3:24
10. “Inside” 4:19
11. “Begin” 4:05
12. “Reincarnation Song” 4:44

Dean Dinning – bass, keyboards, backing vocals
Randy Guss – drums, percussion
Todd Nichols – guitars, backing vocals
Glen Phillips – lead vocals, guitars, keyboards

 

Wednesday 1/20/2021 12am ET: Feature LP: Heart – Bad Animals

Bad Animals is the ninth studio album by American rock band Heart. It was released on June 6, 1987, by Capitol Records. The album continues the mainstream hard rock style from the band’s 1985 self-titled release, all while enjoying similar success. It peaked at number two on the US Billboard 200 in August 1987, and was certified triple platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) on June 4, 1992. Internationally, Bad Animals charted within the top five in Canada, Finland, Norway, Sweden, and Switzerland.

The album spawned the US number-one single “Alone”, while “Who Will You Run To” reached number seven, “There’s the Girl” reached number 12, and “I Want You So Bad” reached number 49. Bad Animals received a nomination for Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal at the 30th Annual Grammy Awards in 1988.

The album features a few cover songs: “Alone” was originally recorded by the duo i-Ten on their 1983 album Taking a Cold Look, while “Wait for an Answer” was originally recorded by Dalbello on her 1984 album Whomanfoursays.

1. “Who Will You Run To” 4:06
2. “Alone” 3:38
3. “There’s the Girl” 3:50
4. “I Want You So Bad” 4:21
5. “Wait for an Answer” 4:31
6. “Bad Animals” 4:54
7. “You Ain’t So Tough” 4:05
8. “Strangers of the Heart” 3:41
9. “Easy Target” 3:58
10. “RSVP” 3:39

Ann Wilson – lead vocals, background vocals
Nancy Wilson – guitars, keyboards, lead vocals, background vocals
Howard Leese – guitars, keyboards, background vocals
Mark Andes – bass guitars
Denny Carmassi – drums

Monday 1/18/2021 1am ET: Feature LP: John Mellencamp – Nothin’ Matters and What If It Did (1980)

Nothin’ Matters and What If It Did is John Mellencamp’s fourth studio album, under his pseudonym of John Cougar.   Released September 15, 1980 and produced by soul pioneer Steve Cropper, the album includes the Top 40 hits “Ain’t Even Done with the Night”, which reached No. 17 on the Billboard Hot 100 as the album’s second single, and “This Time”, which peaked at No. 27 as the album’s lead single.

The woman pictured on the album’s cover and seen in the music video for “This Time” is actress Edith Massey, a member of the Dreamlanders troupe who often appeared in the films of John Waters. Massey was chosen because, as Mellencamp told Rolling Stone in late 1980, “I was looking for a typical heavy woman to convey a lower-middle-class way of living.”

A remastered version of Nothin’ Matters and What If It Did was released on Mercury/Island/UMe on March 29, 2005; it includes one bonus track, “Latest Game”, which, according to the liner notes, was taken from the sessions for Mellencamp’s 1982 album American Fool.

The album is certified Platinum by the RIAA.

1. “Hot Night in a Cold Town” 3:47
2. “Ain’t Even Done with the Night” 4:38
3. “Don’t Misunderstand Me” 3:33
4. “This Time” 4:18
5. “Make Me Feel” 4:04
6. “To M.G. (Wherever She May Be)” 4:50
7. “Tonight” 3:17
8. “Cry Baby” 0:25
9. “Wild Angel” 3:13
10. “Peppermint Twist” 0:28
11. “Cheap Shot” 3:00

John Mellencamp – vocals, guitar
Doc Rosser – piano
Mike Wanchic – guitars, backing vocals
Larry Crane – guitars, backing vocals
Rick Shlosser – drums
Ed Greene – drums
Jeff Baxter – pedal steel guitar
Dave Woodford – saxophone
Kenny Aronoff – vibes
Robert “Ferd” Frank – bass guitar, backing vocals
John Barlow Jarvis – piano
Susan Duitch Helmer – backing vocals on “This Time”

Monday 1/18/2021 12am ET: Feature LP: Andrew Gold – What’s Wrong with This Picture? (1976)

What’s Wrong with This Picture? is the second album by the singer-songwriter Andrew Gold. It was released in 1976 on Asylum Records. It includes the hit single “Lonely Boy” which peaked at No. 7 on the Billboard singles chart featuring Linda Ronstadt on backing vocals. The album’s artwork reflects its title, mimicking a style of visual puzzle that consists of various logical inconsistencies or paradoxes for the viewer to try to identify.

1. “Hope You Feel Good” 4:49
2. “Passing Thing” 4:08
3. “Do Wah Diddy Diddy” 2:52
4. “Learning the Game” 4:08
5. “Angel Woman” 1:38
6. “Must Be Crazy” 4:13

1. “Lonely Boy” 4:24
2. “Firefly” 3:23
3. “Stay” 4:45
4. “Go Back Home Again” 3:10
5. “One of Them Is Me” 4:00

Andrew Gold – vocals, acoustic and electric guitar, piano, drums, bass guitar, organ, ARP, tambourine, congas, shaker, recorder, percussion, backing vocals
Kenny Edwards – bass guitar, mandolin, backing vocals
Brock Walsh – backing vocals, electric piano, acoustic guitar, ARP
Dan Dugmore – guitar
Mike Botts – drums, sleigh bells
Peter Asher – backing vocals, tambourine, shaker
Waddy Wachtel – guitar, bass guitar
Leland Sklar – bass guitar
Russ Kunkel – drums
Danny Kortchmar – guitar
Linda Ronstadt – backing vocals
Tessie Coen – congas
Don Menza – saxophone, shakuhachi
Clarence McDonald – electric piano
Val Garay – backing vocals

 

Sunday 1/17/2021 1am ET: Feature LP: Alan Parsons Project – Eve (1979)

Eve is the fourth studio album by British rock band The Alan Parsons Project, released on August 27, 1979 by Arista Records. The album’s focus is on the strengths and characteristics of women, and the problems they face in the world of men. It had originally been intended to focus on “great women in history”, but evolved into a wider concept.

Eve is The Alan Parsons Project’s first album with singer Chris Rainbow. The album’s opening instrumental “Lucifer” was a major hit in Europe, and “Damned If I Do” reached the US Top 40, peaking at No. 27. “Lucifer” also is used as title track for the German political TV show Monitor.

The album’s artwork features two apparently beautiful women wearing veils. On closer examination, it can be seen that each has large sores, moles and other disfigurements hidden beneath the veils.

1. “Lucifer” 5:09
2. “You Lie Down with Dogs” 3:47
3. “I’d Rather Be a Man” 3:53
4. “You Won’t Be There” 3:34
5. “Winding Me Up” 4:04

1. “Damned If I Do” 4:50
2. “Don’t Hold Back” 3:37
3. “Secret Garden” 4:41
4. “If I Could Change Your Mind” 5:49

“Elsie’s Theme from ‘The Sicilian Defence’ (the Project that never was)”
“Lucifer” (demo)
“Secret Garden” (early rough mix)
“Damned If I Do” (rough mix)
“Don’t Hold Back” (vocal rehearsal rough mix)
“Lucifer” (early rough mix)
“If I Could Change Your Mind” (rough mix)

Sunday 1/17/2021 12:30am ET: Feature LP: 38 Special – Wild-Eyed Southern Boys (1981)

Wild-Eyed Southern Boys is the fourth studio album by the southern rock band 38 Special, released January 1981.

Three of the four songs written or co-written by Survivor’s Jim Peterik for the album charted as singles: the title track, “Fantasy Girl” and “Hold On Loosely”.

“Hold On Loosely” – 4:39
“First Time Around” – 3:59
“Wild-Eyed Southern Boys” – 4:18
“Back Alley Sally” – 3:11
“Fantasy Girl” – 4:06
“Hittin’ and Runnin'” – 4:55
“Honky Tonk Dancer” – 4:59
“Throw Out the Line” – 3:45
“Bring It On” – 5:38

Don Barnes – guitar; piano; lead vocals on tracks 1, 3, 5, & 6; background vocals
Steve Brookins – drums
Jeff Carlisi – guitar, steel guitar
Jack Grondin – drums
Larry Junstrom – bass guitar
Donnie Van Zant – lead vocals on tracks 2, 3, 4, 7, 8, 9, background vocals
Carol Bristow – vocals
Lu Moss – vocals

Carol Veto – background vocals
Steve McRay – piano
Terry Emery – percussion

Sunday 1/17/2021 12am ET: Feature LP: Rush – Permanent Waves (1980)

Permanent Waves is the seventh studio album by the Canadian rock band Rush, released on January 14, 1980, through Anthem Records. After touring to support their previous album, Hemispheres (1978), the band regrouped in July 1979 to work on material for a follow-up. This period marked a shift in the group’s sound characterized by more concise arrangements and radio friendly songs, such as “The Spirit of Radio” and “Freewill”, though their progressive rock blueprint is still evident with the over nine-minute closer “Natural Science”. The two former tracks were performed live before Rush entered the studio. Permanent Waves was recorded later in 1979 at Le Studio in Morin-Heights, Quebec with production handled by the group and Terry Brown.

Permanent Waves received a mostly positive reception from critics, and became the band’s most successful album at the time of release, reaching No. 3 in Canada and the UK and No. 4 in the US. The album was certified platinum in the latter by the Recording Industry Association of America for selling one million copies. Rush released “The Spirit of Radio” as a single in March 1980 and toured in support of the album in 1979 and 1980.

1. “The Spirit of Radio” 4:58
2. “Freewill” 5:23
3. “Jacob’s Ladder” 7:50
4. “Entre Nous” 4:37
5. “Different Strings” 3:50
6. “Natural Science” 9:27

Geddy Lee – lead vocals, bass guitar, Oberheim polyphonic synthesizer, Minimoog synthesizer, Taurus pedal synthesizer, Oberheim OB-1 synthesizer
Alex Lifeson – electric and acoustic six- and twelve-string guitars, Taurus pedals
Neil Peart – drums, timpani, timbales, orchestra bells, tubular bells, wind chimes, bell tree, triangle, crotales, cover concept
Additional personnel