Depeche Mode, People Are People, 1984 on Sire / Mute

Compilation album for North America put out by Sire in 1984, pulling the title track single and a combination of album cuts, and b-sides. This song was such a key to the soundtrack of my life in the early 80s: “People are people so why should it be / you and I should get along so awfully.” I still sing along word for word when it comes on First Wave.

It also included the 7-minute plus “Everything Counts (In Larger Amounts)” from the 12″ single of that song. I’m still fleshing out my Depeche Mode collection but they can be hard to find in original pressings.

My copy—via Academy Records in NYC—is a 1980s Specialty pressing with the E A S T around the spindle and the “tm” under the Sire logo.

#1980s #1984 #AcademyRecords #compilation #DepecheMode #Mute #NYC #Sire #vinyl #vinylcollection #vinylfinds

Bob Dylan, Shadow Kingdom, 2023 on Columbia / Legacy

This is Dylan’s 40th (!!) studio album and is also technically a soundtrack to Alma Har’el’s film of the same name: Shadow Kingdom: The Early Songs of Bob Dylan

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wWWpMb5ORg8

Great album whether you are a Dylan die-hard and life long fan (as I am) or just discovering him.

My copy—via Academy Records in NYC—is a three-sided vinyl version (fourth side etched – see image below) for the US market.

#2020s #2023 #AcademyRecords #AlmaHarEl #Columbia #film #Legacy #NYC #vinyl #vinylcollection #vinylfinds

Abbey Lincoln, Golden Lady, 1981 on Inner City

Originally issued by Blue Marge in France under the name Painted Lady (Abbey Lincoln in Paris), the first US issue was on Inner City Records under the name Golden Lady. Aminata Moseka, the name she adopted in the mid seventies, also appears in a parenthetical on the cover, along with Archie Shepp who accompanies her.

Recorded in Paris in 1980.

My copy—via Academy Records in NYC—is a 1981 release pressed by Hub-Servall and mastered at Europadisk.

#1980s #1981 #AbbeyLincoln #AcademyRecords #AminataMoseka #ArchieShepp #InnerCity #jazz #NYC #Paris #vinyl #vinylcollection #vinylfinds

Joe Jackson’s Jumpin’ Jive, Jumpin’ Jive, 1981 on A&M

Joe Jackson always seemed to me a bit like someone out of the wrong time – though I loved his new wave / new romantic era and azz inflected records, on this one he went full on 1940s, covering songs from the swing and jump blues era.

Some people feel like it is a gimmick album or a throwaway, but I really enjoy it – it may be done a bit tongue in cheek but these are musicians (Jackson included) who love this music and take it seriously.

My copy—via Academy Records in NYC—is a Terre Haute pressing from the early 80s.

#1940s #1980s #AM #AcademyRecords #JoeJackson #JumpBlues #Swing #vinyl #vinylcollection #vinylfinds

Love, Forever Changes, 1967 on Elektra

Iconic later sixties album from Arthur Lee and co. This would be their third and final album in the original lineup. The track “Alone Again Or” (with the refrain “And I will be alone again tonight my dear”) has been used in a number of films and was covered by The Damned on 1986’s Anything.

If you only know the single, well worth checking out the whole album – it’s current revalued reputation is well deserved.

My copy—via Academy Records in NYC—is a 2012 reissue by Rhino pressed at Optimal GmbH, which sounds fantastic.

#1967 #2012 #AcademyRecords #Elektra #Love #NYC #Psychadelic #Reissue #Rhino #vinyl #vinylcollection #vinylfinds

Bob Marley and the Wailers, Shakedown, 1979 on ALA

This was originally released in August 1971 with the title The Best of the Wailers on Beverley’s Records – but it is not a greatest hits album. It was recorded in 1970 with Leslie Kong and has been reissued many times with many different labels. Here it is called Shakedown on the cover and Shake Down on the labels.

This was the fourth studio album by the Wailers.

ALA was a label co-founded by Lou Drozen in LA, who also founded Laff records. The credit here says it is “leased to ALA Records & Tapes by San Juan Record & Tape Club LTD” – which is a Michael Chernow company that does license a lot of back catalog recordings including Marley.

My copy via Academy Records in NYC doesn’t carry a date of release but seems to be from 1979.

#1970s #1971 #AcademyRecords #ALA #BobMarley #BobMarleyTheWailers #LeslieKong #LouDrozen #Reggae #SanJuanMusic #TheWailers #vinyl #vinylcollection #vinylfinds

Lloyd Cole and the Commotions, Mainstream, 1987 on Capitol

Third and last studio LP under the name Lloyd Cole and the Commotions, released by Polydor in the UK and Capitol in the US. Fared better in the UK than in the US, where it failed to chart.

One track produced by Stewart Copeland, the rest by Ian Stanley. Well worth a listen if you liked Rattlesnakes or other Lloyd Cole.

My copy—via Academy Records in NYC—is an Allied pressing with Specialty metalwork on purple Capitol labels (and the original custom inner liner).

#1980s #1987 #AcademyRecords #Allied #LloydCole #LloydColeAndTheCommotions #Polydor #Specialty #TheCommotions #vinyl #vinylcollection #vinylfinds

Harold Vick, Steppin’ Out!, 1963 on Blue Note

Debut album from Harold Vick (as a leader), recorded Rudy Van Gelder’s studio in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, with a wonderful supporting cast: Blue Mitchell, Grant Green, John Patton, and Ben Dixon.

Vick would also go on to play with folks like King Curtis and Aretha Franklin, and passed in 1987. Great album of early 60s Blue Note jazz.

My copy—via Academy Records in NYC—is the Blue Note Tone Poet reissue from 2022.

#1960s #1963 #2022 #AcademyRecords #BenDixon #BlueMitchell #BlueNote #EnglewoodCliffsNJ #GrantGreen #HaroldVick #JohnPatton #NYC #TonePoet #vinyl #vinylcollection #vinylfinds

Lucinda Williams, Stories from a Rock N Roll Heart, 2023 on Highway 20 Records

Lucinda Williams just keeps putting out great music, including this 15th studio LP of original material (alongside the jukebox series of cover albums).

She’s joined by Bruce Springsteen and Patty Scialfa on two tracks and Tommy Stinson, Angel Olsen and Margo Price on one each (among other guests).

My copy—via Academy Records in NYC—is the standard black vinyl pressing with a gatefold sleeve.

#2020s #2023 #AcademyRecords #Highway20 #LucindaWilliams #NYC #vinyl #vinylcollection #vinylfinds

Grandmaster Melle Mel and the Furious Five, Piano, 1989 on New Day Records

After the split between Grandmaster Flash and Melle Mel, Mel took the “Grandmaster” role and continued with the Furious Five splitting. On this record the Furious Five include Cowboy, Scorpio, Rahiem, and Kidd Creole (credited as Kid Creole), but no Flash.

The Furious Five with Flash did reunite in 1988 for On the Strength, on Elektra – so not sure what the state of the relationship was when this came out in 1989. Can’t find much about New Day Records either, other than it existed something like 1989-1993.

My copy—via Academy Records in NYC—is an 80s pressing on New Day labels.

#1980s #1989 #AcademyRecords #FuriousFive #GrandmasterMelleMel #NewDayRecords #NYC #vinyl #vinylcollection #vinylfinds