Having a huge record collection has its advantages and its disadvantages. The disadvantages include:
1) Find space to keep 'em in
2) Movin' 'em
Moving sucks and moving records sucks more. My dad once cracked "At least you don't collect old tanks." So I've been trying to reduce. I've already given away around 50 LPs and now I'm in phase two. I'm really trying to hone in on the albums I actually like to listen to. Example: Turns out I had three copies of BTO's Greatest Hits. BTO? I fucking hate BTO.
However, there are advantages to having a seemingly endless amount of albums. You find gems you totally forgot you had. Recently I've been blown away by a couple titles I'd like to share:
Leon Russell- Carney, 1972, Shelter Records
It's a fine blend of honky-tonk rock and wonderful songwriting. Back-up vocals and guitars by Mother Don Preston (probably the reason for the Leon Russell crack in 200 Motels). It's a weird album and yet it hit #2 on the Bilboard charts. Sometimes you gotta miss the '70s. The album closes with it's strongest track, "Magic Mirror."- primarily just Leon's piano and a cool click-track-esque backbeat. I believe I got this from my Uncle John who gave me his record collection. Hope he's doin' well...
Leon Redbone- On The Track, 1975, Warner Bros. Records
Man, let's hear it for Leons. Didn't realize that until I started writing this. At any rate, this is such a solid record. It seems every decade tries to bring back swing music and in the '70s, everyone was all about western-swing, like Dan Hicks and Ry Cooder. From the opening track "Sweet Mama Hurry Home or I'll Be Gone," you immediately lean back in your chair and re-fuckin-lax. And Jeeeesus that voice of his. He makes "Polly Wolly Doodle" sound cool. Though Lionel Barrymore already made it cool in You Can't Take It With You but that's an argument for another day...
Stefan Grossman & John Renbourn, 1977, Kicking Mule Records ("It's Easy to Be Easy When You're Easy!")
OK now we're going off the deep end. Got this from a man in Indiana and never listened to it until last night. All this album is two guitarists, two microphones, and a shitton of notes. These mothers are CRAZY. Easily the best guitarists no one has heard of. Three or so tracks on this album are straight up guitar rags, but the rest is this unheard of fusion of jazz, rock, and folk. Needs to be heard to be believed.
***
Jeeze, so many albums. And with RSD almost upon us, I think I'm gonna keep it simple. Only two titles really have me excited, like Jimmy Fallon's 7" for his Tebow/David Bowie which is probably the only funny thing he's done since "Idiot Boyfriend." I'm more excited about the re-release of Bright Eye's A Collection of Songs Written and Recorded which came out this month.
It's all about building a well-rounded record collection. Or rather sculpting in my case.
