Keb’ Mo’, Good to Be . . . , 2022 on Rounder

Fifteenth studio album from Keb’ Mo’ whose career I’ve followed for a long time, since his self-titled debut (as Keb’ Mo’) in 1994. He’s joined by Darius Rucker, Old Crow Medicine Show, and Kristin Chenoweth (yes, that Kristin Chenoweth) on specific tracks.

Nominated for a Grammy for best Americana album in 2023.

I was super excited to learn once that Keb’ Mo’s site was using a plugin I’d developed (now defunct – though he is still on WordPress) – though I think his webmaster reached out to me, not Keb’ Mo’ himself.

My copy—via Rounder Records’ store—is a black vinyl 2xLP version with the fourth side etched (three sides of music).

Dr. John, Things Happen That Way, 2022 on Rounder

Dr. John’s final studio LP, posthumously released by Rounder after he passed in 2019. Guest appearances by Aaron Neville (“End of the Line”), Willie Nelson (“Gimme That Old Time Religion”), and Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real (“I Walk on Guilded Splinters”).

Great covers here: Willie Nelson’s “Funny How Time Slips Away,” Hank Williams Sr.’s “Ramblin’ Man” and “I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry,” and the Traveling Wilburys’ “End of the Line.” Sad to lose such a great talent.

My copy—direct from Rounder Records’ store—is the “coke bottle clear” vinyl pressing in a gatefold sleeve with lyrics sheet.

Sarah Jarosz, Polaroid Lovers, 2024 on Rounder Records

Seventh studio album from Jarosz (who is also part of I’m With Her), produced by Daniel Tashian and recorded at Sound Emporium in Nashville TN. Tashian, Natalie Hemby, Ruston Kelly and others share co-writing credits on different tracks.

My copy—direct from Rounder Records’ Store—is a Memphis Record Pressing issue on “purple translucent marble” vinyl.

Indigo Girls, Look Long, 2020 on Rounder Records

15th album from Amy Ray and Emily Saliers, with guests including Lucy Wainwright Roche, Lucy Jules, and producer John Reynolds. Recorded at Peter Gabriel’s Real World Studios in Bath and Reynolds’ own New Aer Studios in Kilburn.

Loved seeing the Lilith Fair documentary Building a Mystery and the role Indigo Girls seemed to play in bringing the musicians on the tour together as a community.

My copy—direct from Rounder Records store—is the standard black vinyl 2xLP pressing with a gatefold and lyrics sheet.

Billy Strings, Me and Dad, 2022 on Rounder

Love this album which features Billy Strings and his dad, Terry Barber. It includes a print of artwork Billy did as a child “When I grow up, I want to be a bluegrass player.” Mission accomplished, I’d say.

There’s also a great long concert on YouTube live from Traverse City Michigan:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_6U6NCvOfl8

My copy, direct from Rounder, is a Memphis Record Pressing issue in standard black vinyl.

Fleetwood Mac, Jumping At Shadows, 1985 on Varrick

This release is also known as Live in Boston, and first surfaced in the mid-80s. It is labelled as “Live in Boston 1969” but it was actually recorded at The Boston Tea Party (which used to be at 15 Lansdowne Street, where the House of Blues Boston now sits) in February 1970.

It was professionally recorded for a proposed live album and features Peter Green, Jeremy Spencer, Danny Kirwan, John McVie, and Mick Fleetwood.

My copy via Electric Fetus in Minneapolis MN, though Varrick is a sublabel of Rounder Records and thus based here in Cambridge / greater Boston.

Jonathan Richman & The Modern Lovers, Modern Lovers ’88, 1987 on Rounder

Although the Modern Lovers formed in Natick MA, this incarnation formed in California and recorded this album in Grass Valley CA. This became the final album for Richman with the Modern Lovers, as a trio, with Brennan Totten and Johnny Avila.

My copy—via Electric Fetus in Minneapolis MN—is the Craft Recordings’ 2022 Record Store Day 35th Anniversary Edition on blue vinyl. This reissue itself charted (a first for a Modern Lovers release) at 77 on the US album charts.

#1980s #1987 #BrennanTotten #craftRecordings #ElectricFetus #JohnnyAvila #JonathanRichman #JonathanRichmanAndTheModernLovers #MinneapolisMN #ModernLovers #NatickMA #rounder #vinyl #vinylcollection #vinylfinds

Various Artists, All My Friends: Celebrating the Songs & Voice of Gregg Allman, 2014 on Rounder

A tribute concert to Gregg Allman with a star-studded set of guests, recorded January 10th, 2014 at the Fox Theater in Atlanta, and put out on Blu-Ray, DVD, and CD by Rounder.

Allman faced significant health issues in the 2010s, including hepatitis c, liver cancer, and a lung transplant – it’s great they were able to film this concert with Allman participating before he died in 2017.

Some great tributes here from some of the expected folks (Warren Haynes, Derek Trucks, The Allman Brothers Band) as well as some I did not expect: Dr. John, Keb’ Mo’, Jackson Browne, Taj Mahal, John Hiatt, Eric Church.

My copy is the 4xLP vinyl edition Rounder put out in 2022, which I got directly from the Rounder Store. It’s a well packaged box set with a booklet of photos and credits.

#2010s #2014 #2024 #AtlantaGA #boxSet #DerekTrucks #DrJohn #EricChurch #FoxTheater #GreggAllman #JacksonBrowne #JohnHiatt #KebMo_ #Reissue #rounder #TajMahal #TheAllmanBrothersBand #variousArtists #vinyl #vinylcollection #WarrenHaynes

"Thicker."
"Rounder."
"Poofier."
"Are these Daft Punk lyrics?"

Some of the voice chats I'm in are heckin' fun.

#Thicker #Rounder #Poofier #ABDL