Day 247:You can feel it all over. You can feel it all over people...

Album 860/1031

Stevie Wonder - Songs in the Key of Life (1976)

Original vinyl release

Side one "Love's in Need of Love Today" (Stevie Wonder) – 7:06 "Have a Talk with God" (Calvin Hardaway, Wonder) – 2:42 "Village Ghetto Land" (Gary Byrd, Wonder) – 3:25 "Contusion" (Wonder) – 3:46 "Sir Duke" (Wonder) – 3:52

Side two "I Wish" (Wonder) – 4:12 "Knocks Me Off My Feet" (Wonder) – 3:36 "Pastime Paradise" (Wonder) – 3:27 "Summer Soft" (Wonder) – 4:14 "Ordinary Pain" (Wonder) – 6:16 Side three "Isn't She Lovely" (Wonder) – 6:34 "Joy Inside My Tears" (Wonder) – 6:30 "Black Man" (Byrd/Wonder) – 8:27 Side four "Ngiculela – Es Una Historia – I Am Singing" (Wonder) – 3:48 "If It's Magic" (Wonder) – 3:12 "As" (Wonder) – 7:08 "Another Star" (Wonder) – 8:28 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Songs_in_the_Key_of_Life Golf's verdict: From Stevie's 18th album (he was 25 when he made it!!!), this is  from that phenomenal early to mid-70s run of albums, but - in my opinion - not quite as perfect as 'Talking Book' and 'Innervisions'.   Máire's verdict: Controversial possibly (but when has that ever stopped me):  some wonderful songs but felt long. If he’d knocked about 8 off the album it  would have been a hidden gem. Album 861/1031 Sly & the Family Stone - Stand! (1969) All songs written, produced and arranged by Sly Stone for Stone Flower Productions. Side one "Stand!" – 3:08 "Don't Call Me Nigger, Whitey" – 5:58 "I Want to Take You Higher" – 5:22 "Somebody's Watching You" – 3:20 "Sing a Simple Song" – 3:56 Side two "Everyday People" – 2:21 "Sex Machine" – 13:45 "You Can Make It If You Try" – 3:37 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stand!

Golf's verdict: Great party album by a real genre-busting and status quo-challenging band.

Máire's verdict: Pleasant enough but doesn’t warrant a second listen.

Album 862/1031

Slint - Spiderland (1991)

All songs written by Todd Brashear, Brian McMahan, David Pajo, and Britt Walford, except where noted.

No.	Title	Length
1.	"Breadcrumb Trail"	5:55
2.	"Nosferatu Man"	5:35
3.	"Don, Aman" (McMahan, Pajo, Walford)	6:28
4.	"Washer"	8:50
5.	"For Dinner..."	5:05
6.	"Good Morning, Captain"	7:38

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spiderland


Golf's verdict: HIDDEN GEM! Another surprise package. Not at all what I imagined it to be. I little like Sparklehorse and Mercury Rev, but different enough from both to be its own thing.

Máire's verdict: I really enjoyed this and will be listening again. A potential Hidden Gem.

Day 246: Come over to the window, my little darling, I'd like to try to read your palm...

Album 854/1031

Elastica - Elastica (1995)

All tracks written by Justine Frischmann, except where noted ^[24].

Original version
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Line Up"		3:15
2.	"Annie"		1:15
3.	"Connection"		2:22
4.	"Car Song"		2:24
5.	"Smile"	Frischmann, Donna Matthews	1:40
6.	"Hold Me Now"		2:33
7.	"S.O.F.T."		3:59
8.	"Indian Song"		2:48
9.	"Blue"		2:23
10.	"All-Nighter"		1:31
11.	"Waking Up"	Frischmann, Hugh Cornwell, Jean-Jacques Burnel, David Greenfield, Brian Duffy	3:16
12.	"2:1"		2:31
13.	"Vaseline"		1:20
14.	"Never Here"		4:27
15.	"Stutter"		2:23

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elastica_(album)


Golf's verdict: HIDDEN GEM! Cannot believe that The Stranglers get a writing credit on "Waking Up' but Colin Newman and Bruce Gilbert of Wire don't even get a mention. This is a cracking debut album but 'Line Up' and 'Connection' in particular and the whole album owes a massive debt to Wire's 'Pink Flag', 'Chairs Missing' and '154' albums of the late '70s. So if you like this then go find some Wire on Spotify. You won't be disappointed.

Máire's verdict: Golf has always been the bigger fan. Thought it was a fun blast from the past but not much more than that.

Album 855/1031

Incubus - Make Yourself (1999)

All tracks written by Brandon Boyd, Mike Einziger, Alex Katunich, Chris Kilmore and Jose Pasillas.

No.	Title	Length
1.	"Privilege"	3:54
2.	"Nowhere Fast"	4:30
3.	"Consequence"	3:18
4.	"The Warmth"	4:24
5.	"When It Comes"	4:00
6.	"Stellar"	3:20
7.	"Make Yourself"	3:03
8.	"Drive"	3:52
9.	"Clean"	3:55
10.	"Battlestar Scralatchtica"	3:49
11.	"I Miss You"	2:48
12.	"Pardon Me"	3:43
13.	"Out from Under"	3:28

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Make_Yourself

Golf's verdict: HIDDEN GEM! If they were not playing on a Sunday night the day after we are going to be at Auckland City Limits early next year we would be at their Auckland gig like a shot. Like a cross between Jane's Addiction and the RHCPs in a rather good way. Also, it turns out Radio Hauraki have been playing one of their tunes for months and I had no idea it was them.

Máire's verdict: HIDDEN GEM! I really enjoyed this. Never listened to the band before as I assumed it was heavy / thrash metal based on the name. Will definitely be hunting more out.

Album 856/1031

Leonard Cohen - Songs of... (1967)

All songs written by Leonard Cohen.

Side A

1. "Suzanne" – 3:48
2. "Master Song" – 5:55
3. "Winter Lady" – 2:15
4. "The Stranger Song" – 5:00
5. "Sisters of Mercy" – 3:32

Side B

1. "So Long, Marianne" – 5:38
2. "Hey, That's No Way to Say Goodbye" – 2:55
3. "Stories of the Street" – 4:35
4. "Teachers" – 3:01
5. "One of Us Cannot Be Wrong" – 4:23

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Songs_of_Leonard_Cohen

Golf's verdict: HIDDEN GEM! I bought this as one of my 5 for 20 quid CDs in HMV in the early 90s and listened to a it a few times. In those days Máire's ears must not have been ready to Leonard because it never got played much and then got sold on on Ebay when I got rid of most of my CDs a while later (still not sure that was a great idea, despite the rise of Spotify, etc.) Anyway, it was very pleasant to rediscover it after so many years. Albums like these are like life-long friends: you only need a few moments to know that the bond remains unbroken.


Máire's verdict: HIDDEN GEM! Just wonderful.

Album 857/1031

Willie Colon & Reuben Blades - Siembra (1978)

All tracks written by Rubén Blades, except where noted.

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Plástico"	Rubén Blades	6:37
2.	"Buscando Guayaba"	Rubén Blades	5:43
3.	"Pedro Navaja"	Rubén Blades	7:21
4.	"María Lionza"	Rubén Blades	5:27
5.	"Ojos"	Johnny Ortiz	4:50
6.	"Dime"	Rubén Blades	6:59
7.	"Siembra"	Rubén Blades	5:21

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siembra

Golf's verdict: Well, not to be too hard on this, because I am obviously not its intended audience, but after a couple of interesting tracks this does seem to then relax into essentially one long salsa workout.

Máire's verdict: Not really my genre but pleasant enough.

Album 858/1031

David Crosby - If Only I Could Remember My Name (1971)

Side one[edit]

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Music Is Love"	David Crosby, Graham Nash, Neil Young	3:16
2.	"Cowboy Movie"	David Crosby	8:02
3.	"Tamalpais High (at about 3)"	David Crosby	3:29
4.	"Laughing"	David Crosby	5:20

Side two[edit]

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"What Are Their Names"	Crosby, Garcia, Lesh, Shrieve, Young	4:09
2.	"Traction in the Rain"	David Crosby	3:40
3.	"Song with No Words (Tree with No Leaves)"	David Crosby	5:53
4.	"Orleans"	traditional	1:56
5.	"I'd Swear There Was Somebody Here"	David Crosby	1:19

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/If_I_Could_Only_Remember_My_Name

Golf's verdict: A big favourite of the last Pope, tenuously based on the fact that it came second only to The Beatles' 'Revolver' in a 2010 Top 10 Albums published by the Vatican newspaper. If you like CSN(Y) then you will like it. I liked it.

Máire's verdict: Not a fan, to be honest.

Album 859/1031

Herbie Hancock - Headhunters (1973)

Side one
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Chameleon"	Hancock, Jackson, Mason, Maupin	15:41
2.	"Watermelon Man"	Hancock; arranged by Mason	6:29

Side two
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
3.	"Sly"	Hancock	10:15
4.	"Vein Melter"	Hancock	9:09

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Head_Hunters

Golf's verdict: Well this is very jazzy - and not in Soul II Soul or Brand New Heavies way. I can predict Maire's rather abrupt reaction. Whilst not quite as severe, this is unlikely to ever get another play from me either. 

Máire's verdict: Hated it.

Day 245: One nation under a groove, gettin' down just for the funk of it...

Album 850/1031

Brian Eno & David Byrne - My Life in the Bush of Ghosts (1981)

All music composed by Brian Eno and David Byrne, except "Regiment" by Eno, Byrne, and Michael "Busta Cherry" Jones.

Side A
No.	Title	Length
1.	"America Is Waiting"	3:36
2.	"Mea Culpa"	3:35
3.	"Regiment"	3:56
4.	"Help Me Somebody"	4:18
5.	"The Jezebel Spirit"	4:55

Side B
No.	Title	Length
1.	"Qu'ran"	3:46
2.	"Moonlight in Glory"	4:19
3.	"The Carrier"	3:30
4.	"A Secret Life"	2:20
5.	"Come with Us"	2:38
6.	"Mountain of Needles"	2:35

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/My_Life_in_the_Bush_of_Ghosts_(album)

Golf's verdict: HIDDEN GEM! After working with Talking Heads on 'More Songs About Buildings and Food', Eno and Byrne collaborated on this, resulting in an album which is genuinely innovative and one of the first to make significant use of sampling. 

Máire's verdict: Interesting...... Will need to listen again to see if I really liked it.

Album 851/1031

Lupe Fiasco - Food & Liquor (2006)

Food & Liquor
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Producer(s)	Length
1.	"Intro"	Wasalu Jaco, Ayesha Jaco, Kanye West	Chris & Drop	3:06
2.	"Real" (featuring Sarah Green)	Jaco, Harvey Mason, Kenny Mason, Rudolph Lopez	Soundtrakk	4:02
3.	"Just Might Be O.K." (featuring Gemini)	Jaco, Paul Humphrey, David Ewing Jr.	Prolyfic	4:24
4.	"Kick, Push"	Jaco, Lopez	Soundtrakk	4:13
5.	"I Gotcha"	Jaco, Pharrell Williams	The Neptunes	3:58
6.	"The Instrumental" (featuring Jonah Matranga)	Jaco, Chris Robyn, John Gutenberger, Jonah Matranga, Shaun Lopez, Mike Shinoda	Mike Shinoda	3:26
7.	"He Say, She Say" (featuring Gemini & Sarah Green)	Jaco, Burt Bacharach, Hal Bowen, David Lopez	Soundtrakk	4:12
8.	"Sunshine"	Jaco, Lopez	Soundtrakk	3:55
9.	"Daydreamin'" (featuring Jill Scott)	Jaco, Craig Kallman, Dave Mackay, Raymond Vincent, Sylveer Van Holman	Craig Kallman	3:55
10.	"The Cool"	Jaco, Dexter Wansel, Kanye West	Kanye West	3:46
11.	"Hurt Me Soul"	Jaco, Mary Sawyer, Khari Cain, Tony Camillo	Needlz	4:22
12.	"Pressure" (featuring Jay-Z)	Jaco, Bill Schnee, Mike Melvoin, Ewing Jr., Shawn Carter	Prolyfic	4:47
13.	"American Terrorist" (featuring Matthew Santos)	Jaco, Armando Corea, Ewing Jr.	Prolyfic	4:40
14.	"The Emperor's Soundtrack"	Jaco, Michael Schenker, Lopez	Soundtrakk	2:56
15.	"Kick, Push II"	Jaco, Brandon Howard	Brandon Howard	4:11
16.	"Outro"		Chris & Drop	12:13

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lupe_Fiasco%27s_Food_%26_Liquor

Golf's verdict: Fun hip-hop album from someone I have never heard of before.

Máire's verdict: I rather enjoyed this - found it melodic. However, I’m not convinced his grandmother would approve of all the tracks (I was listening to the explicit version) and I’m pretty sure she’d think it was a touch too long.

Album 852/1031

Funkadelic - One Nation Under a Groove (1978)

Side One
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"One Nation Under a Groove"	George Clinton, Walter Morrison, Garry Shider	7:29
2.	"Groovallegiance"	Clinton, Morrison, Bernard Worrell	7:00
3.	"Who Says a Funk Band Can't Play Rock?!"	Clinton, Morrison, Michael Hampton	6:18

Side Two
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Promentalshitbackwashpsychosis Enema Squad (The Doo Doo Chasers)"	Clinton, Shider, Linda Brown	10:45
2.	"Into You"	Clinton, Morrison, William Collins	5:41
3.	"Cholly (Funk Getting Ready To Roll!)"	Clinton, Morrison, Collins	4:27
Total length:			41:40

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/One_Nation_Under_a_Groove

Golf's verdict: It sure is funky. Especially the title track.

Máire's verdict: Not that bothered.

Album 853/1031

John Lee Hooker - The Healer (1981)

All songs were written by John Lee Hooker, except where noted.

1. "The Healer" (with Carlos Santana) (Hooker, Roy Rogers, Santana, Chester Thompson) – 5:36
2. "I'm in the Mood" (with Bonnie Raitt) (Hooker, Bernard Besman) – 4:30
3. "Baby Lee" (with Robert Cray) (Hooker, James Bracken) – 3:43
4. "Cuttin' Out" (with Canned Heat) – 4:35
5. "Think Twice Before You Go" (with Los Lobos) – 2:58
6. "Sally Mae" (with George Thorogood) (Hooker, Besman) – 3:15
7. "That's Alright" (with Charlie Musselwhite) – 4:23
8. "Rockin' Chair" – 4:09
9. "My Dream" – 4:02
10. "No Substitute" – 4:07

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Healer_(album)

Golf's verdict: The Blues legend had some well deserved late career success with this and it's easy to hear why. Great, accessible blues done by one of its masters.

Máire's verdict: Thoroughly enjoyable blues.

Day 244: The child was spoilt Victorian, The child was spoilt Victorian.

Album 846/1031

The Byrds - Notorious Byrd Brothers (1968)

Side one

1. "Artificial Energy" (Roger McGuinn, Chris Hillman, Michael Clarke) – 2:18
2. "Goin' Back" (Carole King, Gerry Goffin) – 3:26
3. "Natural Harmony" (Chris Hillman) – 2:11
4. "Draft Morning" (David Crosby, Chris Hillman, Roger McGuinn) – 2:42
5. "Wasn't Born to Follow" (Carole King, Gerry Goffin) – 2:04
6. "Get to You" (Gene Clark, Roger McGuinn) – 2:39
   • NOTE: The album erroneously credits "Get to You" to Chris Hillman and Roger McGuinn.

Side two

7. "Change Is Now" (Chris Hillman, Roger McGuinn) – 3:21
8. "Old John Robertson" (Chris Hillman, Roger McGuinn) – 1:49
9. "Tribal Gathering" (David Crosby, Chris Hillman) – 2:03
10. "Dolphin's Smile" (David Crosby, Chris Hillman, Roger McGuinn) – 2:00
11. "Space Odyssey" (Roger McGuinn, Robert J. Hippard) – 3:52

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Notorious_Byrd_Brothers

Golf's verdict: An enjoyable final outing for The Byrds as purveyors of psychedelic rock before they went all 'Sweetheart of the Rodeo' and country on us.

Máire's verdict: I know the Ellie Brooks version of ‘Goin’ Back’ but this was a great rendition. Quite fun.

Album 847/1031

Blue Cheer - Vincebus Eruptum (1968)

1.	"Summertime Blues"	Eddie Cochran, Jerry Capehart	3:47
2.	"Rock Me Baby"	B.B. King, Joe Josea	4:22
3.	"Doctor Please"	Dickie Peterson	7:53
4.	"Out of Focus"	Peterson	3:58
5.	"Parchment Farm"	Mose Allison	5:49
6.	"Second Time Around"	Peterson	6:17

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vincebus_Eruptum

Golf's verdict: Proto-heavy metal and appearing well in advance of Led Zep and Black Sabbath, this makes for an interesting listen. The Eddie Cochran cover is fun, but ultimately this is more a brief diversion than anything more significant or satisfying and the formula discovered/uncovered here was vastly improved by those him came shortly after.

Máire's verdict: Something and nothing.

Album 848/1031

Country Joe & the Fish - Electric Music for the Mind and Body (1967)

All songs by Country Joe McDonald, except where noted

1. "Flying High" – 2:38
2. "Not So Sweet Martha Lorraine" – 4:21
3. "Death Sound Blues" – 4:23 - Labeled as "Death Sound" on the mono version of the album
4. "Happiness Is a Porpoise Mouth" – 2:48 - Labeled as "Porpoise Mouth" on the mono version of the album
5. "Section 43" – 7:23
6. "Superbird" – 2:04
7. "Sad and Lonely Times" – 2:23
8. "Love" (Joe McDonald, Barry Melton, David Cohen, Bruce Barthol, John Francis Gunning, Gary Hirsh) – 2:19
9. "Bass Strings" – 4:58
10. "The Masked Marauder" – 3:10
11. "Grace" – 7:03

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electric_Music_for_the_Mind_and_Body

Golf's verdict: Really quite forgettable. I know this band's name from Woodstock and countless Haight Ashbury era psychedelic posters, but I guess they were in the right time and place to be caught up in that particular zeitgeist as this has not aged well.

Máire's verdict: Didn’t keep my attention and became background reasonably quickly.

Album 849/1031

The Fall - This Nation's Saving Grace (1985)

Side A
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Mansion"	Mark E. Smith	1:21
2.	"Bombast"	Steve Hanley, M. Smith	3:08
3.	"Barmy"	M. Smith	5:21
4.	"What You Need"	Craig Scanlon, M. Smith	4:50
5.	"Spoilt Victorian Child"	Simon Rogers, M. Smith	4:13
6.	"L.A."	Brix Smith, M. Smith	4:10

Side B
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
7.	"Gut of the Quantifier"	Karl Burns, M. Smith	5:16
8.	"My New House"	M. Smith	5:16
9.	"Paint Work"	Rogers, Scanlon, M. Smith	6:38
10.	"I Am Damo Suzuki"	Burns, B. Smith, M. Smith	5:41
11.	"To Nk Roachment: Yarbles"	B. Smith, M. Smith	1:23

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/This_Nation's_Saving_Grace

Golf's verdict: Highly entertaining noise, being (I think) the first album to feature Brix Smith, who along with Steve Hanley and Craig Scanlon created many/most of The Falls greatest soundscapes. Auld Caterwauling Misery-gut M.E.S. adds idiosyncratic vocals as usual. Musical marmite.

Máire's verdict: Quite like some of the melodies; can’t stand the singer. Disliked intensely.