January 17, 2021
January 15, 2021
The Honeydrippers - Volume One (1984) - €10,00
To Plant's horror, "Sea of Love" became his biggest-selling single. According to Plant, the original single was "Rockin' at Midnight," with "Sea of Love" as the "B" side. The single was eventually "flipped" because radio stations were playing "Sea of Love" far more than "Rockin' at Midnight". Plant feared his career would be ruined by this, and that people would think of him now as a "crooner", instead of the rock and roll singer he'd always been. As a result, when he would be asked about The Honeydrippers in years to come, Plant would refer to The Honeydrippers as having been "put to sleep." "Rockin at Midnight" is a remake of the 1949 recording by Roy Brown, the song's author, who wrote it as an answer record to his 1947 composition and recording, "Good Rockin' Tonight".
Side A
A1. I Get a Thrill (2:37)
A2. Sea of Love (3:01)
A3. I Got a Woman (2:55)
Side B
B1. Young Boy Blues (3:28)
B2. Rockin’ at Midnight (5:55)
Vinyl: VG
Cover: VG
January 14, 2021
Kim Carnes - Barking At Airplanes (1985) - €7,99
The album received some positive reviews, including from People magazine, which wrote that “Carnes has had plenty of moments before but she’s never recorded an album as pleasing as this.” Yet on the U.S. Billboard 200, it peaked at #48 and sold less than 200,000 copies. The track "Begging for Favors (Learning How Things Work)" features Lindsey Buckingham of Fleetwood Mac playing guitar and singing backing vocals.
The album spawned two hit singles, "Crazy in the Night (Barking at Airplanes)" and "Abadabadango".
Emmylou Harris - Blue Kentucky Girl (1979) - €10,00
The album won the 1980 Grammy for Best Female Country Vocal Performance. "Beneath Still Waters" became Harris' fourth No. 1 hit; covers of the Drifters' 1960 hit "Save the Last Dance for Me" and the album's title track (originally recorded by Loretta Lynn) were top ten hits on the US country charts.
In response to criticism that her records weren't "country" enough, Harris recorded Blue Kentucky Girl, one of her most traditional outings. Relying on a more acoustic sound, the album largely forsakes contemporary pop songs in favor of standard country fare, including the Louvin Brothers' "Everytime You Leave" and Leon Payne's "They'll Never Take His Love from Me." The cover of Dallas Frazier's "Beneath Still Waters" earned Harris her fourth number one single.
January 13, 2021
China Crisis - Working With Fire And Steel - Possible Pop Songs Volume Two (1983) - €10,00
China Crisis main men Gary Daly and Eddie Lundon were great songwriters searching for that one song that would make a difference. "Working with Fire and Steel" was that song.
Although they had hits before, and they would have hits after, no other song defined China Crisis' essence more. With its percolating beat, Daly's hiccupping vocals, and a smashing chorus, it was the perfect modern pop song. With that said, there was also so much more to China Crisis than that one song.
This, their sophomore album, features songs cut from the same cloth as "...Fire and Steel," including "Animals in Jungles" and "Hanna Hanna," but also reveals a band with deeper meaning and ambitious ideas. Lundon's sweet backing vocals (and lead vocals on the pretty "Wishful Thinking" and "When the Piper Calls") balance out the quirkiness of Daly's voice, creating a perfect combination. Although they were pigeonholed as a 'synth pop' band, China Crisis was much more.
All that mattered to them was the song, and this album is chock full of intelligent, well-written pop songs. Producer Mike Howlett added much to the sonic blend, allowing the melodies to shine while toughening up the band's sound (the addition of a full-time drummer and bassist helped to thicken the sound as well).
Even the softer moments, like "Here Comes a Raincloud," and "The Soul Awakening" are full of life and excitement. Apart from their own matured sound on this release, there are traces of rock, pop, and jazz floating between the lines.
Side A
A1. Working with Fire and Steel (3:41)
A2. When the Piper Calls (4:04)
A3. Hanna Hanna (3:29)
A4. Animals in Jungles (3:40)
A5. Here Come a Raincloud (4:16)
Side B
B1. Wishful Thinking (4:42)
B2. Tragedy and Mystery (4:03)
B3. Papua (3:36)
B4. The Gates of Door to Door (4:16)
B5. The Soul Awakening (4:36)
Vinyl: VG
Hoes: VG
January 11, 2021
Drukwerk - Drukwerk (1981) - €10,00
Drukwerk is in 1978 opgericht door Harry Slinger, Ton Coster, Joop May en Hans Witteveen. De samenstelling van de groep is in de loop der jaren regelmatig veranderd, maar Harry Slinger, Ton Coster en Joop May blijven constante factoren.
De eerste liedjes zijn protestsongs tegen de sluiting van een jeugdhonk in Amsterdam-Noord en atoomenergie in Kalkar en liedjes als ondersteuning van vluchtelingen en krakers. In 1981 neemt Drukwerk de eerste LP Drukwerk op nadat de bandleden door producer Coen van Vrijberghe de Coningh zijn gevraagd, als reactie op het succes, nummers te zoeken voor een demosessie bij EMI.
Ik verveel me zo ( bewerking van Dylan's It's a Hard Rain , is een ander hoogtepuntje
January 10, 2021
Queen - Soundtrack "Flash Gordon" (1980) - €10,00
A1. Flash's Theme (3:22)
A2. In The Space Capsule (The Love Theme) (2:21)
A3. Ming's Theme (In The Court Of Ming The Merciless) (2:53)
A4. The Ring (Hypnotic Seduction Of Dale) (1:15)
A5. Football Fight (1:29)
A6. In The Death Cell (Love Theme Reprise) (2:26)
A7. Execution Of Flash (0:43)
A8. The Kiss (Aura Resurrects Flash) (2:11)
Side B
B1. Arboria (Planet Of The Tree Men) (1:41)
B2. Escape From The Swamp (1:37)
B3. Flash To The Rescue (2:47)
B4. Vultan's Theme (Attack Of The Hawk Men) (1:15)
B5. Battle Theme (2:20)
B6. The Wedding March (0:56)
B7. Marriage Of Dale And Ming (And Flash Approaching) (2:04)
B8. Crash Dive On Mingo City (0:46)
B9. Flash's Theme Reprise (Victory Celebrations) (1:39)
B10. The Hero (3:31)
January 09, 2021
Styx - Cornerstone (1979) - €10,00
The album was the first where the band shied away from the art-rock/prog-rock influences that dominated their first eight studio albums and was the band's first move towards a more pop/rock direction (band member Dennis DeYoung stated in a 2009 interview that the change in direction came from reading bad reviews that the group received in the rock press while on their first tour of England).
Dennis DeYoung had two ballads on the album.
DeYoung also wrote the Top 30 hit, the poppish "Why Me", which was the third single release from the album. Dennis predominantly used a Fender Rhodes electric piano on over half of the tracks. Also, the group used real horns and strings on the album on several tracks.
DeYoung and Shaw co-wrote two tracks. The opening "Lights" was music by DeYoung and Shaw with lyrics by Shaw (who also sang on the track).
Shaw's famous song on the album was the folkish "Boat on the River", which became the band's biggest European hit. He also penned the pop-rocker "Never Say Never" and the epic proggish closer "Love in the Midnight." JY contributed the rocker "Eddie", which was about Edward Kennedy, pleading with him not to make a run for the U.S. presidency.
Cornerstone became Styx's first US Top 5 album peaking at #2 on the Billboard album charts.
Side A
A1. Lights (4:37)
A2. Why Me (3:35)
A3. Babe (4:26)
A4. Never Say Never (3:07)
A5. Boat On The River (3:10)
Side B
B1. Borrowed Time (4:58)
B2. First Time (4:23)
B3. Eddie (4:15)
B4. Love In The Midnight (5:22)
Vinyl: VG
Cover: VG
January 08, 2021
Nina Hagen Band - Nina Hagen Band (1978) - €10,00
Upon its release, Nina Hagen Band received positive reviews from music critics, who praised Hagen's theatrical vocals, different from singing on her East German records.
Four singles were released from the album: "TV-Glotzer", "Auf'm Bahnhof Zoo", "Naturträne" and "Unbeschreiblich weiblich".
Side A
A1. TV-Glotzer (White Punks On Dope) (5:15)
A2. Rangehn (3:27)
A3. Unbeschreiblich Weiblich (3:30)
A4. Auf’m Bahnhof Zoo (5:25)
A5. Naturträne (4:05)
Side B
B1. Superboy (4:01)
B2. Heiss (4:11)
B3. Fisch Im Wasser (0:51)
B4. Auf’m Friedhof (6:15)
B5. Der Spinner (3:15)
B6. Pank (1:45)
Vinyl: VG
Cover: VG
January 05, 2021
The Babys - Broken Heart (1978) - €10,00
On Broken Heart, the Babys make good on the sense of potential that was only hinted at on their debut release. The band found a sympathetic producer this time out in Ron Nevison, who applied the same basic production strategy he used on Lights Out for UFO: He gives the band a sharp, precise recording that fully brings out their power while balancing out the heavier elements of their sound with sophisticated orchestrations that broaden their sound into a cinematic realm.
Highlights include "Give Me Your Love," a steamy mid-tempo rocker that shows off Michael Corby's skill at the keyboards, and the title track, which balances its hard-hitting attack with catchy pop hooks to create an effective, guitar-driven slab of power pop. Broken Heart also gave the Babys their first taste of singles chart success with one its few outside contributions: "Isn't It Time" is an effective power ballad that alternates lush, orchestrated verses with a fiery chorus driven by female backup vocals and a punchy horn arrangement.
The end result is an album that is a quantum leap forward from The Babys in every way. Broken Heart is undoubtedly one of the crown jewels in the Babys' catalog and a worthwhile listen for any fan of big-production AOR rock.
Side A
A1. Wrong Or Right (3:26)
A2. Give Me Your Love (3:37)
A3. Isn’t It Time (4:03)
A4. And If You Could See Me Fly (2:50)
A5. The Golden Mile (5:01)
Side B
B1. Broken Heart (3:02)
B2. I’m Falling (3:55)
B3. Rescue Me (3:50)
B4. Silver Dreams (3:00)
B5. A Piece Of The Action (4:35)
Vinyl: VG
January 04, 2021
Heart - Dreamboat Annie (1976) - €10,00
January 02, 2021
The Hollies - Write On (1975) - €10,00
At the time of its release in early 1976, Epic Records passed on Write On, but subsequently included a handful of its songs, including "Star," "Love Is the Thing," "I Won't Move Over," and the title track on 1977's Clarke, Hicks, Sylvester, Calvert & Elliott.
Side A
A1. Star (3:39)
A2. Write On (4:48)
A3. Sweet Country Calling (3:05)
A4. Love Is The Thing (3:34)
A5. I Won’t Move Over (3:32)
Side B
B1. Narida (3:58)
B2. Stranger (3:28)
B3. Crocodile Woman (3:33)
B4. My Island (4:20)
B5. There’s Always Goodbye (4:15)
Vinyl: VG
Cover: VG
January 01, 2021
The Sugarhill Gang - 8th Wonder (1981) - €10,00
The Sugarhill Gang are an American hip hop group, known mostly for its 1979 hit "Rapper's Delight," the first rap single to become a Top 40 hit.
The members, all from Englewood, New Jersey consisted of Michael "Wonder Mike" Wright, Henry "Big Bank Hank" Jackson, and Guy "Master Gee" O'Brien.
“8th Wonder” is their second album.
Side A
A1. Funk Box (8:05)
A2. On the Money (5:25)
A3. 8th Wonder (3:56)
Side B
B1. Apache (6:09)
B2. Showdown (feat. Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five) (5:41)
B3. Giggalo (3:51)
B4. Hot Hot Summer Day (6:12)
The Alan Parsons Project - Stereotomy (1985) - €10,00
Not as commercially successful as its predecessor Vulture Culture, the album is structured differently from earlier Project albums, containing three lengthy tracks - ""Stereotomy" at over seven minutes, "Light of the World" at over six minutes, and the instrumental "Where's the Walrus?" running over seven and a half minutes (making it the longest instrumental the Project ever made) and two minute-long songs at the end. It is a full digital production and both the LP and CD releases was encoded using the two-channel Ambisonic UHJ format.
The original vinyl packaging of the album was different from all the reissues: it featured somewhat more elaborate artwork of the paper sleeve supplied with a special color-filter oversleeve. When inserted, the oversleeve filtered some of the colors of the sleeve artwork, allowing four different variations (2 per side) of it. That was supposed to symbolize visual stereotomy. In the reissues, only one variant remained.
The word "stereotomy" is taken from "The Murders in the Rue Morgue" by Edgar Allan Poe. It refers to the cutting of existing solid shapes into different forms; it is used as a metaphor for the way that famous people (singers, actors. etc.) are often 'shaped' by the demands of fame.
Stereotomy earned a Grammy nomination in 1987 for Best Rock Instrumental Performance – Orchestra, Group, or Soloist for the track "Where's the Walrus?"
Side A
A1. Stereotomy (7:15)
A2. Beaujolais (4:27)
A3. Urbania (Instrumental) (4:34)
A4. Limelight (4:39)
Side B
B1. In The Real World (4:17)
B2. Where's The Walrus? (Instrumental) (7:34)
B3. Light Of The World (6:22)
B4. Chinese Whispers (Instrumental) (1:02)
B5. Stereotomy Two (1:18)
December 31, 2020
Queen - Live Magic (1986) - €10,00
As Queen's second live album, Live Magic might appear to be a bit unnecessary, but a closer look reveals that it's a better record than the previous Live Killers. Culled from a variety of dates from the 1986 Kind of Magic tour but concentrating on the final show at Knebworth, Live Magic captures Queen, and Freddie Mercury in particular, at the height of their powers. While the set list might rely a bit too heavily on mediocre mid-'80s material for some tastes, the band is tight and professional, and Mercury has an undeniable hold over the crowd. It's to Queen's credit that the energy rarely dips over the course of the record. Live Magic may be designed for hardcore fans, but for those listeners, it will provide a number of highlights, proving that the band's remarkable performance at Live Aid was no fluke
Most of the performances were recorded at Knebworth Park on 9 August 1986, which marks the band's final ever concert with its original line-up.
Side A
A1. One Vision (5:09)
A2. Tie Your Mother Down (2:59)
A3. Seven Seas of Rhye (1:21)
A4. A Kind of Magic (4:47)
A5. Under Pressure (3:49)
A6. Another One Bites the Dust (5:16)
Side B
B1. I Want to Break Free (2:40)
B2. Is This the World We Created…? (1:30)
B3. Bohemian Rhapsody (4:42)
B4. Hammer to Fall (4:22)
B5. Radio Ga Ga (4:27)
B6. We Will Rock You (1:33)
B7. Friends Will Be Friends (1:09)
B8. We Are the Champions (2:01)
B9. God Save the Queen (1:19)
Genre: Rock
Label: EMI Records
Catalog# 1A062-2406751
Vinyl: VG
Cover: VG