My seventh FANuary boost for a person or account on Mastodon that makes my Mastodon experience a little better goes to –

Great_Albums (@Great_Albums; Peter Thomas Webb) who posts, obviously, reviews of the best in music with a focus on LPs. The reviews cover releases from the 1950s to the 2020s.

But there's more: a whole lot of music-related toots!

For example (on Brisbane's progressive metal band, Caligula's Horse):
https://mstdn.social/@Great_Albums/113654881684710158

Incoming small crop of vinyl from RetroPop in Sherbrooke, Quebec: Genesis - Foxtrot (Supper's Ready!)/ Laurie Anderson - Big Science (O Superman!)/ Ten Years After - A Space in Time (their best)/ Tangerine Dream - Stratosfear (the group with which I'm currently on an obsessive deep dive).

Happy sun and summer, everyone.

Here is my feature article on Steely Dan's album Pretzel Logic, published today in PopMatters.

https://www.popmatters.com/steely-dan-pretzel-logic-atr50

New hashtag: #23From2023 -- My picks for favourite albums of 2023.

The latest crop of LPs in the Great Albums lair: Charlie Parker at Birdland, Dave Brubeck, George Benson, Sun Ra, and the Beatles.

Thanks again to the good folks at Fuzzy Muzik, Levis, Quebec. https://fuzzymuzik.com/

#GreatAlbums, #Vinyl, #LPs

Revisiting Poster Children today because @communalsauce reminded me of them the other day. (Never forget bands you used to listen to!) Back in 1995, their album 'Junior Citizen' blew my friends and my minds-- we were obsessed with it. I had a band or two back then I played bass in. We'd cover 'Drug I Need' (track 5) and I'd sing it-- what a song. The whole ALBUM is a VIBE and still gives me chills (those first few tracks!!) It's kinda Pixies, kinda something else. If you like wild, weird rock music (like I do), this is for you.

https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL1f_2XWzPLIbW3OQCw5tQkQWTngqWgaZa

This next batch of #GreatAlbums1990s returns to the United Kingdom for artists whose work coincided with the Britpop explosion, yet somehow defined and distinguished themselves against the trends set by Oasis, Blur, etc. From Ocean Colour Scene to Belle and Sebastian, these artists all found their own clear path through a gauntlet of retro and laddish cliches.

#1990s, #Britpop, #Rock, #Albums, #Reviews, #AlternativeRock, #GreatAlbums

Hey, music/ podcast enthusiasts, give some love, likes and shares to my friend Mark. Today he launches his #podcast CUT OUTS. Each episode features an overlooked indie alt-rock record rescued from the discount bin of history. Very cool stuff. He's championing remaindered acts who never got the attention they deserved! https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/cutouts #indiemusic #vinyl #vinylporn #dyimusic #musicpod #talkaboutrecords #greatalbums #greatrecords #recordtalk #newwave #punk #genx #cutouts #cutoutspodcast

#CurrentSpins @Great_Albums

New Releases on rotation:
#CrownLands – Fearless (rock)
#CityAndColour – The Love Still Held Me Near (pop)
#HighValley – Way Back (Deluxe) (country)
#TheHoldSteady – The Price of Progress (rock)
#NewPornographers – Continue as a Guest (rock)

Classic Albums Revisited:
#PrimalScream – Screamadelica (1991)
#PrimalScream – Vanishing Point (1997)

#GreatAlbums, #Rock, #PopMusic, #Albums, #NewReleases

#CurrentSpins @Great_Albums

New Releases on rotation:
#BassDrumOfDeath – Say I Won’t (rock)
#LukeCombs – Gettin’ Old (country)
#LanaDelRey – Did you know that there’s a tunnel… (rock)
#DepecheMode – Memento Mori (pop)
#PhilipGlass – The Best of… (classical)

Classic Albums Revisited:
#PinkFloyd – The Dark Side of the Moon (1973, remastered 2023)
#Rush – Clockwork Angels (2012)

In Memoriam:
#LanceReddick – actor and musician (1962 – 2023)

#GreatAlbums, #Rock, #PopMusic, #Albums, #NewReleases

#CurrentSpins @Great_Albums

New Releases on rotation:
#AllTimeLow – Tell Me I’m Alive (rock)
#ThierryLarose – Sprint! (francophone)
#M83 – Fantasy (rock)
#TaylorSwift – The More Lover Chapter (pop EP)
#U2 – Songs of Surrender (rock)

Classic Albums reappreciated:
#Rush – Signals (1982)
#Rush – Presto (1989)

In Memoriam:
#DavidLindley, American guitarist (1944 – 2023)
#JimGordon, American drummer (1945 – 2023)

#GreatAlbums, #Rock, #PopMusic, #Albums, #NewReleases

#CurrentSpins @Great_Albums

New Releases on rotation:

#DierksBentley – Gravel & Gold (country)
#Gorillaz – Cracker Island (rock)
#IngridStPierre – Reines (francophone)
#TheStruts – Unplugged at EastWest (rock EP)
#Orbital – Optical Delusions (electronic)

Classic Albums reappreciated:

#CurtisMayfield – Curtis (1970)
#War – The World is a Ghetto (1972) – reviewed

#GreatAlbums, #Rock, #PopMusic, #Albums, #NewReleases

#NewReleases - #Paramore - #ThisIsWhy (2023-02-17). Veterans at this point, Paramore show no signs of losing their bright energy and wistful stomp. “This Is Why” leads the new LP off with a bang, and 10 tracks later you’re still cracking eggs harder than normal against the Formica (assuming it’s breakfast time – my time for new releases, but I digress). I’ve been spinning this so often, I’m about to start charging Hayley Williams rent. #GreatAlbums, #MusicReviews, #Rock, #Alternative, #IndieRock

#NewReleases - #RonSexsmith - #TheVivianLine (2023-02-17). Ron isn’t the type to reinvent anything (least of all himself), but the quality of his songs never fades – as this engaging batch of country-themed tunes proves. I hear echoes of The Kinks in their Muswell Hillbilly phase (“A Barn Conversion” is a dead ringer). But Sexsmith has been around long enough to be nobody’s simulacrum, and he keeps all his flower boxes lined up nicely.
#GreatAlbums, #MusicReviews, #PopMusic, #SingerSongwriter

#NewReleases - #Cinephonic - #Visions (2023-02-17). The second release from this Ottawa Souljazz offshoot finds Pierre Chrétien and friends delving back into classic cinema chillout, with some good guitar work and an overall feel that’s like pomo jazz combined with Ninjatune dark vibes – plus touches of Doorsy psych from the Vox Conti on “Le Combat.” Find it on Bandcamp and go for vinyl: Cinephonic (bandcamp.com).
#GreatAlbums, #MusicReviews, #Jazz, #Cinematic

#NewReleases - #BradMehldau - #YourMotherShouldKnow (2023-02-17). There have been Beatles jazz tributes before, but most descend into the schmalz already suggested by some of Macca’s lighter tunes. Mehldau’s is different, breaking out the melodic possibilities in thornier tunes like “I Am the Walrus” and “She Said, She Said.” The live solo ambience makes this feel like the Koln Concert updated, and there’s a surprise “Life on Mars” encore at the end.
#GreatAlbums, #MusicReviews, #Jazz, #Beatles

#CurrentSpins @Great_Albums

New Releases on rotation:

#BradMehldau – Your Mother Should Know / Beatles (jazz)
#CarolinePolachek – Desire, I Want to Turn into You (pop_
#Cinephonic – Visions (jazz/ chill)
#AoifeODonovan – The Apathy Sessions (Americana)
#Orbital – Optical Delusions (electronic)
#RonSexsmith – The Vivian Line (pop)

Classic Albums reappreciated:
#IsaacHayes – Black Moses (1971)
#BelleAndSebastian – Tigermilk (1996)

#GreatAlbums, #Rock, #PopMusic, #Albums, #NewReleases

#NewReleases - #AndyShauf - #Norm (2023-02-10). Emitt Rhodes for the Pitchfork crowd, or Ron Sexsmith on too much Valium – both meant as compliments. Shauf makes languid ballads with bit of Abbey Road guitar squawk to offset the vanilla blues. It’s the right thing to spin on Sunday, when he/ she/ they are gone and you’re wondering what comes next. I only wish that, like Emitt and Ron, Shauf would add less “norm,” a little more grit.
#GreatAlbums, #Music, #MusicReviews, #Alternative, #Indie

#CurrentSpins @Great_Albums

New Releases on rotation:

#AndyShauf – Norm (indie)
#BradMehldau – Your Mother Should Know / Beatles (jazz)
#GoldenDregs – OnGraceAndDignity (4AD, rock)
#JillBarber - Homemaker (Americana)
#Kelela - Raven (soul)
#Paramore – ThisIsWhy (rock)
#YoLaTengo – ThisStupidWorld (rock)

Classic Albums reappreciated:

#PinkFloyd – More (1970)
#PinkFloyd – Obscured by Clouds (1972)

#GreatAlbums, #Rock, #PopMusic, #Albums, #NewReleases