Jane’s Addiction: Nothing’s Shocking (1988)

Jane’s Addiction always brings up a very specific sense memory for me: driving to high school with my friends in the backseat of a station wagon, transitioning from the suburbs to the country, hearing these songs mixed in with Led Zeppelin, Jimi Hendrix (it was always the Smash Hits compilation), and Minor Threat, among others. Ritual de Habitual may have been the chart breaker as it rode the alternative wave in 1990, but I always preferred the hazy, Zep-heavy debt of Nothing’s Shocking. Recently my brother and I went record shopping looking for the songs we grew up with, and whereas his Perry Farrell fix came from Porno for Pyros (we’re seven years apart), mine was with the OG. This just came in on vinyl yesterday, so no better time to give it a fresh spin.

ChrisJanuary 3, 2023Leave a comment

Vinyl

Black Sabbath: Mob Rules (1981)

Despite being a massive Black Sabbath AND Dio fan, I’m here to sheepishly admit I rarely if ever listen to the albums the two made together. I usually stick to the first six album for both parties, but when I saw a great condition original pressing of Mob Rules at my shop I couldn’t pass it up and take a chance to dig deeper and see what works, what doesn’t, and how it compares to the discography I tend to stick to. Plus that album art…damn if this isn’t maybe one of the best covers in all of heavy metal.

ChrisJuly 6, 2022Leave a comment

Vinyl

Dischord: The First Six Records (2022)

Day 23 of the #mayvinylchallenge asks for a limited edition/signed/numbered or otherwise rare album. I’ve been talking a lot about my love for the Dischord label, and was lucky enough to get in and order their limited edition box set of the First Six Records back when it was $40 and not the $250+ it’s going for now on Discogs. Covering the entire spectrum of music from bands I’ve never listened heard before now to bands that were a formative part of my youth, there’s a lot to unpack here, and that’s besides the great booklet, original liner notes and lyrics/posters, not to mention the careful job of sleeve and colored vinyl recreation, so let’s jump in here with some thoughts.

ChrisMay 23, 2022Leave a comment

Vinyl

#mayvinylchallenge Day 21: Dischord

Day 21 of the #mayvinylchallenge asks to feature an independent music label. As I’m still trying to catch up I decided to return to an old favorite – one I’ve been covering here at the site for a while. So rather than write up another album from the fierce and impeccable Dischord label, I’m going to link to a few I’ve already written for the site. Because sometimes you’re exhausted and it’s 90 degrees and you just need a good lie down, you know?

ChrisMay 22, 2022Leave a comment

Vinyl

Tears For Fears: The Seeds of Love (1989)

Day 19 of the #mayvinylchallenege asks to highlight a decade. After furious discussion with my wife, I went with the 80s to highlight that the decade – any decade, in face – is more than the memes and nostalgia kicks the media hypes. So much of the music was and remains incredibly rich and alive, regardless of genre. So many popular albums had a willingness to experiment with their production and arrangements, and one band in particular I’ve come to appreciate more and more for this over the years is Tears For Fears. Their third album The Seeds of Love didn’t quite reach the heights of their mammoth hit Songs From the Big Chair, but there’s so much depth and ambition to the album it’s become a go-to for me when I want to chill on the couch and just let my mind go.

ChrisMay 19, 2022May 20, 2022Leave a comment

CD, Vinyl

De La Soul: 3 Feet High and Rising (1989)

Day 5 of the #mayvinylchallenge asks for your “black gold” – your most valuable record. You can cut this a number of ways using the selling numbers on Discogs, and truth be told this is my third highest average album in my collection. And as you know, three is the magic number. We’ll get to the first and second highest later during the month in other categories; in the meantime there’s no better cure for a dreary and humid Sunday morning that to break out one of the greatest hip-hop records of all time, the smooth and ridiculous groove of 3 Feet High and Rising, the debut from De La Soul.

ChrisMay 15, 2022Leave a comment

Consuming the Tangible

We are what we consume

Tag: 1980s

Jane’s Addiction: Nothing’s Shocking (1988)

Black Sabbath: Mob Rules (1981)

Dischord: The First Six Records (2022)

#mayvinylchallenge Day 21: Dischord

Tears For Fears: The Seeds of Love (1989)

De La Soul: 3 Feet High and Rising (1989)