A couple of records came in the mail this week, and I'm really pleased with both of them so far. First up, the debut album by that band out of Boston... Boston! Yes, that '76 rock classic that everyone knows inside and out. I've loved the album since I first heard it back in the late-ish 70's, I guess. Full disclosure... I knew and owned their second album before I ever got their first. That sophomore recording, Don't Look Back, happened to be the only Boston album in the record store at the time, and since it was prominently displayed, all colourful and beckoning... I grabbed that without a moment's pause. Terrific album, though it wasn't exactly packed to the rafters with hit songs like numero uno.
Back in the early 80's I bought myself the Boston debut on cassette tape and played that to death, which led to its upgrade to CD. I still have that trusty disc, which hasn't really seen much action in many years. I did, however, haul it out not long ago for a spin, and then it struck me that this recording deserved a place in my vinyl record collection. So after some internet searches through Ebay and Discogs (Amazon doesn't need any more of my money), I located a home-based seller asking a reasonable sum for his very nicely preserved copy. It's looks brand new to me, both the sleeve and vinyl in pristine condition, and it sounds fresh off the tree, too. Beautiful! Tom's guitars never sounded so expansive and powerful. One thing that stood out to me was how the volume of the vocals were just barely on par with the instruments in the mix. A touch lower in level and Brad's voice might have been lost amongst the drums, bass, keys, and guitar. But the sound is awesome. Such a timeless set of tunes, all rockin', yet loaded with melodies and harmonies that will never get old. So glad to finally have that on my record shelf... right beside Don't Look Back.
Secondly, I got something quite different. Again, very recently I felt ready to revisit some CDs I hadn't listened to in many years, and Neil Diamond was one of the artists I pulled off the shelf. I have a handful of his discs, a few studio albums (well, one is The Jazz Singer soundtrack) and a few nicely curated compilations. Back in the late 90's I think, and the early 2000's, I was really into vocalists, mostly older ones like Sinatra, Bennett, Matt Munroe, Julie London, and Engelbert Humperdinck. But I think I was even more into Diamond's near-rock style, showcasing catchy melodies and of course, his warm and expressive vocals.
I remember seeing The Jazz Singer on vinyl at one or two record shows or flea markets in the past, but at the time, I wasn't in the mood for upgrading my Neil music. When I got to shopping online recently, a cool compilation of his early years jumped out at me... especially since it was available from the same Discogs seller who offered me that Boston record. I figured why not, this will at least get me listening to Neil again, both the hits I knew plus a few I didn't know. They are all originals, written by Diamond, and include biggies like Kentucky Woman, Cherry Cherry, Thank the Lord For the Night Time, I'm a Believer (which The Monkees made famous, too), and Shilo. I haven't spun this record yet, so I can't report on sound quality, but a visual check looks very good, as promised. I'll fire it up soon... can't wait!
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