Bryan Ferry: In Your Mind

Bryan Ferry: In Your Mind.  Another great "solo" effort record by the inimitable British crooner.  Solo is the wrong word here, as Ferry assembles a terrific cast to play with: Paul Thompson, John Wetton, Chris Spedding, and my favorite percussionist - Ray Cooper, among many others.  The back cover reveals much information.  It was recorded at "Air Studios in London, 1976/7."   Love Me Madly Again, the last song on side one, comes in at a whopping 7:25.  Most of Ferry's other solo records (which I highly recommend) are assemblages of covered material, but In Your Mind is all original material.  I am not sure if Roxy Music was on hiatus in 76/77 - but I looked and saw that they may have been since Roxy Music guitarist Phil Manzanera came out with his fantastic and first solo record Diamond Head in 1975.  Boy - would I love that on vinyl.  Many of the same musicians play on both records, not surprisingly.

Deep Purple: The Book of Taliesyn

Deep Purple: The Book of Taliesyn.  I know very little about Deep Purple - either I was too young or they were not in my wheelhouse.  This is a truly great cover album cover.  You can see all of the names of the band members listed by first name on the front cover - in what looks like a balloon.  They are: Ritchie, Rod, Ian, Nikcy, and Jon.  The art work is by John Vernon Lord.  Based on the complex design and artwork - this cover is one of the best I've posted in the history of my blog.  Deep Purple's secord album, from 1968 - they cover some specatular songs: Neil Diamond's Kentucky Woman?  And, We Can Work Out, by the Beatles.  And if that's not enough - they tackle, quite nicely, the epic River Deep, Mountain High.  After reading what Tina Turner went through recording that song for Phil Spector - no one should try to cover it.

George Thorogood and the Destroyers

George Thorogood and the Destroyers comes from a very long list of self-titled (eponomous) debut albums.  Bad Company, Bon Jovi, et al.   It includes a cover song that George has made his own, "One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer."  But also give a listen to You've Got to Lose - a first song, on the first side of an act's first record.  That is a meaningful song and start.  In classic liner notes form - John Forward writes a tight, six-paragraph "review" on the back cover.  The story is about the writer hitting Joe's Place in Cambridge in '75 and seeing GT&D's for the first time.  I am not an expert on guitars - but to me - George plays (and I've seen him live) and in most photos - a Gibson Birdland.  As you've read here before - The Byrdland is a Gibson that got its nickname from being designed for use by a couple of top Nashville sessuion guitarists: Billy Byrd and Hank Garland.  Kind Hearted Woman is an old Robert Johnson song.  These songs are in the great Bo Diddley riff of: shave and a hair cut - two bits.  Try this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s_Cy32V0xsk

Genesis: ...And then there were Three...

Genesis: ...And then there were Three... Now I list Genesis among my all-time favorite bands - but for some reason, this record just does not grab me.  But it should - it's one I play the least but will play a bit more now.  I think that is because of my disdain for the huge power pop hit it spawned: Follow You Follow Me.  The record gets its name for the departure of guitarist Steve Hackett.  Gabriel had left a three years earlier.  From 1978 - side two is pure Genesis.  It starts off with Deep in the Motherlode  - classic post-Peter Genesis signature song.  Then a lush Many to Many which portends a early glimpse of what Phil would later do to soft/lite FM rock.  But give it a listen still - the catchy track 3 - Scenes from a Night's Dream is one of my pal Scott's favorite Genesis songs.  "Poor little Nemo!"  Right?  And then Say It's Alright Joe.  Give this pop Genesis record another chance, especially side two, which ends with Follow You Follow Me.