Singles Going Steady 73-Golden Age Of Rock N Roll From Davenport

DAV Thrift Store in Davenport has been very very good to me in terms of finding lost 45s.  The majority of them have seen better days, worn out labels, water damage, vinyl crack that makes them unplayable.  As a record hoarder/collector, I get the most fun out of seeing 50s and 60's 45s, mainly whatever comes from Atlantic or Chess or RCA.  I am aware of other collectors out there that are scouring the same places that I go to and the pickings usually are slim.  Nobody seems to want Let Love Come To Us from James and Bobby Purify, that was donated from Stuff Etc when it didn't sell there.   On a different subject, Ragged Records has reopened, which means I can get replacement record sleeves (and a couple of CDs to boot).  However, it's the thrift stores that the bargains remained there.  And I swear next time, I'll cross the Mississippi to Moline and the other stores there, but for now 

Being an old prune faced collector,  records are the only thing that keeps me going.  I love summer and all the beautiful girls in summer wear out and about, but let's face it, I'm not attracted to somebody whose mom is closer to my age and four decades younger too.  I cannot tolerate music from the great jukebox in the sky on a tinny smart phone.  I'll go to my grave wanting actual product in my hands.  And ruining the needle on the record player in the process tho I do try to find records that are in decent shape.

Which leads us back to the DAV and two brass 45 storage unit holders with some old time records.  And the more I went deeper into these things, the more vintage rock and roll forty fives came out.  Somebody was really into Bill Haley And The Comets, Fats Domino, Chuck Berry, and Elvis.  And a couple of Atlantic sides from Joe Turner, to which I have never seen anywhere and The Clovers.  Most of the Chuck Berry singles were trashed, except for Oh Baby Doll, to which the last time I saw a copy was at the Independence Goodwill and was trashed sad to say.    I didn't buy all the Elvis singles, Don't Be Cruel and Hound Dog was left for somebody else to get.  Some other ones had Roy Brown Let The Four Winds Blow, three Fats Domino, 7 or 8 Bill Haley And The Comets and the Cheers Black Demin Trousers, a single I have no use for.

It is a shame that these records were not in better shape. My guess is that most of these records were on these things for a good fifty plus years;  they came into the store like that I suppose.  A couple had little vinyl dings and chippings on the vinyl edge but they are playable.  

Other notable finds:

Swoardfishtrombones was found for a friend.

Ars Nova-Sunshine and Shadows

Bonzo Dog Band-Keysham

Chris Issak

Loaded, Best of Blake Sheldon

Tomita's Greatest Hits CD

Atlantic Jazz-Bebop

Earl Klugh-Dream Come True

Lee Roy Parnell-On The Road

LPs

Happy Moods-Amand Jamal

Zoot Sims and Bob Brookmeyer-Tonite's Music Today

45's

Corrine Corrina-Joe Turner (Atlantic 45-1088) #41 1956

Love, Love, Love-The Clovers (Atlantic 45-1094) #30 1956 

Let's Have A Party-Wanda Jackson (Capitol 4397) #37 1960

Easy Loving-Freddie Hart (Capitol 3115) #17  1971 #1 Country 

Pride Goes Before A Fall-Jim Reeves (RCA 47-8080) 1962 #18 country 

Susie Q-Dale Hawkins (Checker 863) #27 1957

Good Morning Captain-Joe D Gibson (Tetra 4450) 1956

I Want You, I Need You, I Love You-Elvis Presley (RCA 47-6540) #1 1956

Too Much-Elvis Presley (RCA 47-6800)  #1 1957

Oh Baby Doll-Chuck Berry (Chess 1664) #57 1957

Lucille-Little Richard (Specialty 598) #21 1957

Well Now Dig This-The Jodimars (Capitol F-3285) 1955

Lawdy Miss Clawdy-Elvis Presley (RCA 47-6542) 1956

Guitar Rock-Bill Flagg (Tetra 4448) 1956 

The Low Road-Mac Curtis (King 45-4965) 1956 

Touch The Morning-Don Gibson (Hickory HK-301) 1973  #6 country  

I Still See The Want To In Your Eyes-Conway Twitty (MCA 40282) 1974 #1 country

Big Four Poster Bed-Brenda Lee (MCA 40262) 1974 #4  country

It's hard to find decent jazz albums and alas, the Amund Jamal album had a couple of vertigo craters that made it hard to play.  The Zoot Sims/Bob Brookmeyer is cool 1956 bebop underrated classic, on George Wein's Storyville label.  

The 45's are a cross breed of rock's golden age with a few 70s country chart hits from Freddie Hart and Conway Twitty's lovely I See The Want to In Your Eyes.  Connie Francis's Drowin' My Sorrows was a middling pop hit with a country slant (Bill Justis arranged) the B side an Italian version of Evil Woman  which you can take or leave.  Another Connie Francis picture sleeve.   Brenda Lee continued to chart on the country charts with this S. Silverstein composition, this might have made the bubbling under chart on Billboard.  And Freddy Hart's Easy Loving is his only top ten hit on the pop chart, tho he did better on the country side of things.  And I continue to find Jim Reeves singles such as this forgotten weeper Pride Goes Before A Fall.  The B side I'm Gonna Change Everything shows Jim was very good at uptempo songs to which Sony Music seems to forget.  Like George Hamilton IV's RCA years.  Don Gibson's Touch The Morning is his second wind at Hickory MGM, but then again he begin to cover an unknown songwriter named Eddy Raven.  Gibson remains one of my fave singer songwriters but he also made me a Eddy Raven Fan too.  B side Too Soon To Know is another revisit of his classic song, updated for the 70s.

The Chuck Berry is the 45 I got with the original Chess label and it has a nice loud mix but a couple of scratches to boot.  The little heard b side Lajaunda continues' Berry's calypso fascination, tho not as good as Havana Moon.  

You Ain't Treating Me Right is rockabilly goodness from King Records and Mac Curtis and has made a couple rockabilly comps.  The Low Road is picked as a A side, but it was a bit dark for radio back then, a answer record to Elvis' Heartbreak Hotel perhaps?  Guitar Rock from Bill Flagg is hillbilly rockabilly from the mid 50s, I'm So Lonely, is the B side. These sides reveal that hillbilly rockbilly was the the punk music of the those days.  They're rare, even in so so shape but I can listen to this every day. The Jordimars have that Bill Haley influence, including bouncy sax and loud drums and a sea whistle to start things out.  There were a couple more singles at the store but I thought they were more rough looking, just like the Bill Haley numbers, whoever had these 45s played them a lot.  B side Let's All Rock Together might have taken the Bill Haley rock a bit more than they should, but it's rockabilly. Shake that thang!  What better way to play next?  Let's Have A Party by Wanda Jackson.

I have been slowly been finding more Little Richard singles here and there and Lucille was the best shape of the 3 forty fives.  B side the number 54 charting blues of Send Me Some Loving is Richard singing the blues.  The New Orleans backing band of Lee Allen and Charles Connor bringing out the best of the late great king of rock n roll.   Connor was a southpaw drummer and can be seen in the old rock movies of the 1950s.  Connor passed away on August 1, 2021 at age 86.

The more I dig into this collection the more harder rocking these songs are. Susie Q from Dale Hawkins with James Burton doing the wild guitar riff.  Judging by the sound and Hawkins not upfront on the first verse, this might have been a one take.  We found a couple Elvis number 1's I want you etc, and Too Much but I like the number 21 b side My Baby Left Me more, plus I Want You got plenty of plays, and scratches. Somehow Shake Rattle and Roll and Lawdy Miss Clawdy somehow didn't chart for all the chart topping singles from Elvis.  B side to Too Much, is the Stan Kesler written Playing For Keeps Lawdy Miss Clawdy was from a collection of 7 singles that RCA issued for those who couldn't afford to buy the album at that time.  Good Morning Captain is Joe Gibson's manic remake of Mule Skinner Blues and made it to the Chicken House compilation that I brought earlier in the year from Moondog Music. 

The Clovers' Love Love Love was their only pop showing, whereas Joe's Corine Corrina was one of two (the other was Honey Hush), but both Joe and the beloved Clovers charted a few times on the R and B charts. Your Tender Lips, the B side was the B side to Ivory Joe Hunter's Since I Met You Baby on the Oldies reissue and may have been better suited for that Ivy Joe's.  Classic doowop tho it's not one of my go to Clovers numbers. I don't play the Ivy Joe Hunter single all that much, I doubt if I'll play this song, but Love Love Love is a keeper,  Overall, this was one of the better 45 hunts despite the age and rough looking shape but most did play fine with the occasional scratch or two.

Paul Cotton, best known for his time in Poco, passed away Saturday of natural causes.  He was 78.  He's best known for Heart Of The Night and Bad Weather but after Richie Furay left the band, He and Rusty Young (who passed last year) wrote the majority of the songs.  He was also part of Illinois Speed Press that made two albums for Columbia/Epic before Furay asked him to join Poco. 

Forty years ago on August 1, MTV was born.   It died when Road Rules and other reality crap channels took over eight years later.

 

RAGBRAI 2021

Music finds this week

K T Ostlin-My Roots Are Showing

Buck Griffin-Let's Elope Baby

George Hamilton IV-I Know Where I'm Going (1956-1962)

K T Oslin-80's Lady

Hammer-Funky Headhunter

Duke Ellington Live At Newport

Styx-Big Bang Theory

John Parr-Running The Extra Mile

Love And Rockets

Bellamy Brothers Greatest Hits Volume 2

The Big Chill Soundtrack

Cassette:

Hootie And The Blowfish-Cracked Rear View

45

Connie Francis-Drownin'  My Sorrows (MGM K-13160)  #36 1963

The Goodwill finds of the last couple weeks have dried up.  Maquoketa's Goodwill still had the Connie Francis 45 and My Roots Are Showing, an uneven collection of cover songs from the late great K T, which would be her last album for BMG Music, on the second tier BNA label.  Half Price Books had the other two in the cheap bins and Buck Griffin's overview was better than Terry Fell's Truck Drivin' Man.  Some music collector had a bunch of Bear Family best ofs from forgotten artists like Griffin, who best known hit was Jessie Lee.  In usual Bear Family fashion, they moved the better songs up front and the lesser known (gospel numbers) in the back.  Not Now Music took the five best Buck Griffin songs and put them on the Essential Rockabilly MGM Story a few years ago.  Griffin showed a Hank Williams side but perhaps a bit too Southern.  MGM did managed to pick his best sides for distribution.  Bear Family covers the Lin/MGM-Metro/Holiday Inn sides, to which collectors are still looking for those rare 45s.  

George Hamilton IV has been poorly represented on CD,  not even a Country Legend series from Sony Music has been attempted.  Abilene, the album made it to a Collectibles cd but Jasmine compiles the ABC Paramount sides (most of them) and three albums directed to the teen idol kiddies, but Hamilton wanted to do more country and after his ABC contract lapsed, he moved to RCA and made his best songs there.  The Don Costa produced and arranged songs are Paul Anka like and a bit wooden at times (Jasmine opted for the RCA version of If You Don't Know I Ain't Gonna Tell You, to which George lobbied hard for the plug side, ABC went with A Rose And A Baby Ruth.  Disc 1 has the ABC hits, tho If I Had A Printing Press is one of the songs that Hamilton didn't care much for, Even Tho' was left off for some reason.  I Know Where I'm Going gives more time and thought to the ABC teen idol years but look closely and some of the songs are written by John D Loundermilk, to which he and George would have a long career together with some of the finer songs written by Loudermilk. The Hank Williams tribute album is the last ABC album and Costa is in charge of the production, the next album To You And Yours is the first RCA release and Chet Atkins takes over.  Hamilton would later discover and cover Gordon Lightfoot but that's a different time.  Maybe then some label will chance it and reissue those classic country/folk numbers, tho Sony/BMG did a half assed best of on a hard to find CD. 

For the first time since 2012 RAGBRAI is coming through these neck of the woods. The riders are stopping through Anamosa tonight but some adventurous riders have found their way through my town and Waubeek and Stone City.  For today, my friends Meinfield are playing their last show in Stone City before they move to Utah next month.  It's sad that we'll never get together again and play The Weight one more time but I will miss Brenda and Greg and wish them happy journeys together.  Hudson/Overly played later in the afternoon and the evening will be capped off by Wooden Nickel Lottery.  But I noticed a lot of bikers were going west, probably to FB Company in Waubeek.  Which I'm sure there'll be somebody there to play as well.  Or they can hi tail it back to Anamosa later on.  But the sudden influx of bikers going west was very noticeable. 

Death usually comes in threes it seems and we lost Mike Rowe (Metal Church), Joey Jordinson (Slipknot/Murderdolls) and Dusty Hill (Z Z Top) in the past week.  Rowe was the legendary voice of Metal Church, Joey was one of the fastest double bass petal speed manics ever and perhaps that might have been cause for his demise at age 46.  For 50 years, Z Z Top had a stable lineup of Hill, Billy F Gibbons and Frank Beard, till Hill had to take time off to recover from a injury to which he went to bed on Monday night and moved on from life.  Z Z Top's of the 1970s were classic Texas blues and rock and roll boogie, starting with Tres Hombres, Fandango and Tejas as the classic trio albums. (First album and Rio Grande Mud are very good as well).  I always loved the weirdness of their music, Fandango is a text book on bar band music and El Loco, their most underrated album.  1983, Eliminator ushered in a new era of MTV video as ZZ Top updated their music, that album is still fun to hear, tho you can't escape Gimme All Your Lovin and Sharp Dressed Man on Corporate Crap Radio.  Highlight is Hill's slapping bass on Thug, which is worth the price of having that record in your collection.  The light begin to fade on Afterburner and Recycler and perhaps the RCA years was when they bogged down (Rhythmeen remains their best at that time).  Hill's passing marks an end to a trio that stuck it out for five decades.  We will miss you Dusty.

It is the end of July and the Chicago Cubs find themselves 10 and a half games out of first place and each passing day is one less day to watch them not hit or pitch,  Joey Votto has hit two HR in the first three games for the Reds.  The ongoing feud with King Kong Garrett and El K Baez reared its ugly head again when Baez, jawing away at the OO OO man and one pitch later delivered the game winning hit, to which Baez, taunted and laughed at Garrett while walking all the way to first.  Needless to say Garrett wasn't too happy, but he got his revenge the next night, as did Votto hitting two more HRs off Azolay, the overrated Cubs rookie pitcher and another two Wed night against Zac Davies and glass arm Cody Abbott, who hasn't done jack shit except give up walks and shots into the Wrigley seats.  The past two months we continue to hear about the team being breaking up by the trade deadline but so far  Joc Pederson and Andrew Clafin are the only ones traded away, Chafin was traded for a promising first baseman and another shit pitcher with a 0-2 6-97 ERA.   I'm sure we'll keep an eye up this week to see who finally leaves or if we get anybody in return.  Bryce Ball, should fit in well with the Cub hitters that love to strike out in record fashion.

And Anthony Rizzo got traded to the Yankoffs for duct tape.  Ricketts sucks as owner, Hoyer is just as bad as GM.  Bryant went to San Francisco. Baez took Trevor Williams with him to the fucking Mets, Krimbel joins Ryan Tejara at crosstown rival Chicago White Sox and just in time for the crosstown series.  Jake Marinick is a Padre. Some of the people received have had Tommy John surgery (one twice) or is out for the season.  The dark ages has begin.  To which the depleted Washington Nats defeated the Cubs and the return of Jake Arrieta 4-3, tho Jake pitched four so so innings..

The Goodwill Pick and Save actually some CDs of note, tho why I wanted to hear MC Hammer going gangsta with the forgotten Funky Headhunter, I could have donated the 22 cents for Goodwill training. To which the bossy clerk scolded me for not wearing gloves when I came inside.  The Hootie And The Blowfish on Cassette was a novelty I couldn't pass up for 15 cents. The Styx, Love n Rockets and perhaps John Parr might be given to my girlfriend to build up her CD collection.  Somehow I was compelled to give the bossy clerk my 23 cents for Goodwill training.  If it was a quarter or more, I would have asked for change. 

Five star mud game: Washington 16  Philadelphia 10  (Franklin Field 11/10/68)  Philadelphia PA

The Eagles of the Joe Kunchinich era had the best uniforms but the most uneven teams. They were 9 and 5 in 1966 and lost to the Baltimore Colts in the Playoff (or as Lombardi called it, the Shit Bowl) and great things were expected.  1967 they never got it going and in 1968, they were stinking up the league. They had a few hard luck losses, a 6 to 3 loss to Pitt, and 7-6 New York victory.  But on a windy and rainy day in Philly, The Eagles failed again.  Sam Baker missed 2 FGs, Norm Snead had two picks and Ben Hawkins scored the only touchdown.  Franklin Field was one of the better stadiums but the chewed up field turned into a mighty muddy mess that probably caused Baker's two FGs to go elsewhere.  In the running for OJ Simpson, Philly won two games, including the 12-0 Thanksgiving mudbath in Detroit  and a 29-17 romp past New Orleans, but Minnesota got the last laugh, whopping them 24-17 in the infamous  "let's boo Santa Claus" game which would be the last game on grass in Franklin Field before they became the first NFL stadium to go Artificial Turf.  Which ushered in a new era of foorball.  The Astro Turf, looked nice, but players complained it was like playing on concrete.  To which they had a point, since you had a 1/4 of plastic carpet on concrete.   And the new Eagles uniform for 1969 looked as cheap as that Astro turf.  

Record Reviews.

Los Lobos-Native Sons (New West 2021)

In this day and age, I don't pay attention to new music and new bands anymore.  There's some great ones out there and yes I need to check out the latest from Too Much Joy, however the Weezer Ok Human hasn't been played yet and I had it for a couple weeks now.  The first new Los Lobos album in seven years is their tribute to the LA bands that influenced them.  The title track is the only original that they did and it's a keeper.  Farmer John is fun (tho Crazy Horse's drunken version is the better take) but they bring a dark overtone to Bluebird/For What Its Worth that Buffalo Springfield is done proud and The World Is A Ghetto is jamtastic.   Per usual, it's still a family band (David Hidalgo Jr, basically replaced Bugs Gonzalez in the studio on drums, but is quite good since he did play for Social Distortion at one time).  Los Lobos, fifty years onward still make great albums.  This one is no exception.

A-

Various: Crimestoppers (Rhino 2000)

I'm a sucker for compilations that are based on concepts of TV shows or movies.  Back in 2000, Rhino quietly issued a Cd of various private eye shows and alas, has to rely on old TV scores  (Cannon, Hart To Hart) that renders this nothing more than what TVT would put out for TV themes back in the 1990s. And how could you forget the Dragnet theme? Unless Rhino didn't seem to give Capitol records a piece of the action with Ray Anthony's version of that, this gets docked a notch.  It's not all a waste, Peter Gunn is the original Henry Mancini version (probably the hardest theme Henry ever came up with), Hawaiian Eye has a catchy hook, and even Mike Post's Rockford Files Theme and Magnan PI makes sense.  And Lalo Schitfin's Mannix theme is jazzy.  Then again we are missing The Streets Of San Francisco, The Saint, Ironside or I Spy.  Back then, private eye shows always had the best jazzy type of sound to make the show memorable.  And probably better than the shows themselves (Checkmate) 

B

John Parr-Running The Endless Mile (Atlantic 1986)

Ain't it amazing that the so called cutting edge music of the 1980s has dated much more badly than disco or bubblegum or big garage revival of 2001 (yea, the Strokes really really threw the wool over our eyes)?   Parr's first album had Naughty Naughty and a barrage of bubblegum rock that could challenge Foreigner.  His second album for Atlantic, Parr goes all in on the Casio keyboard schist and plastic intimation sounds of guitar and sax, that this could be laughable had the songs didn't have any hooks. King Of Lies, Scratch, Do It Again and Blame It On The Radio are quite good, Parr knows a good hook and he can sing in a Lou Grimm type of voice.   While the album didn't do as well as his first, Atlantic cut ties with him.  It's a period piece for sure and you can live without this, but there's a fascination that makes this worth hearing a couple more times before donating it back to Goodwill and let somebody enjoy this relic.

B-

K T Oslin-80's Ladies (RCA 1988)

She never really was country.  She was more pop than country, maybe a eye for show tunes.  Phoebe Snow is more in terms what Oslin was, or in my opinion Melissa Manchester.   Listening to her overview Songs From An Aging Sex Bomb was more wishful thinking, she was too feminist to be pin up and she was in her 40's when she made the big time.  She had her own voice which was welcomed in the country field but then again she did load up on the balladry on side two of 80s Ladies.  She could rock when she felt like it (which wasn't too often) but Wall Of Tears is a nice lead off and Do Ya so so. I like Melissa Manchester about the same as K T but then again if I wanted to listen to Melissa, I would put on her greatest hits.  As with K T, Songs From An Aging Sex Bomb would be my go to album but I need to get that back from my girlfriend before she donates it back to Goodwill.

B-

Ars Nova-Sunshine And Shadows (Atlantic 1969)

Psychedelic music can be fun in so many ways, fifty years after the fact that most of it is cheesy and the expiration date expired a long time ago.  13th Floor Elevators made great psychedelic albums (their first) and Iron Butterfly came close (Heavy, and In Da Gadda Da Vida) but Ars Nova is hit and miss.  In fact I'm not sure what they want to be.  The best tracks found their way to an Atlantic 45 that I still have, including the 6 minute Walk On The Sand which explores their inner Blues Project.  But there's a maddening of crappy horn pop, that puts them in Lighthouse territory (Rubbish) or Please Don't Go Now, which sounds like New Vaudeville Band.  Not everything that came out of the 60s from obscure bands are worth hearing.  This is one of them

C

Goodwill finds on RSD Day

What was found:

Status Quo-In The Army Now

Sex Pistols-There Is No Future

John Lennon And The Ono Plastic Band

Yello-Essential

David Grissom-Loud Music

200 Cigarettes Sound Track

Sir Douglas-Live Love

Amy Winehouse-Back To Black

Robert Earl Keen-What I Meant To Say

Lee Roy Parnell-Love Without Mercy

Prince-Purple Rain

World Leader Pretend-Punches

Jemima James-Book Me Back In Your Dreams

Dennis  Wilson-Pacific Ocean Blue

Kiki Dee-Gold

LP

The Skyliners 

What wasn't found:

Seems like folks in town are getting rid of their CD collection.  Even I have been shocked of what has been found.  The Goodwill number 2 store once again provided a lot of great music.  Somebody donated London Calling, OK Computer, Run Devil Run and other Paul McCartney CDs Jim Carroll's Catholic Boy and even XTC Black Sea but I had that one and in better shape.   Still, John Lennon's 1970 album is seldom seen at any store.  The Sex Pistols seem to not have many songs in their time together and this collection has been issued via Restless and other labels,  the book and inserts are not exactly in great shape but the CD plays fine.  As much as I had reservations about Amy Winehouse, I never seen Back To Black all that much.  200 Cigarettes, my friend Tim was looking for, but I haven't seen Tim in over five years, we used to chat with Bruce Stanley when Bruce was still alive.  The Sir Douglas CD is a Edsel import and I never see much Sir Douglas anywhere.  

The Status Quo was found at Half Price Books and Mercury in the US never bothered to issue it tho they did cop three cuts from that album on the S/T 1988 album that did come into the states but never sold. Red Skies and Rollin Home were produced by Dave Edmunds, who'd rather be down at the pub than producing, Pip Williams ended up replacing Dave on the album.  Overall, it's better than the 1988 S/T album (aka Ain't Complaining, UK Version) but then again I like the Quo.  They just never took off in America.  I may regret getting the Yello best of,  Stella is their best, Flag, the followup wasn't so great. And the David Grissom album is a curio, since David has done wonders with James McMurtry and Storyville. Mostly guitar solo stuff, tho Loud Music the song is a hoot to hear.   The Robert Earl Keen was still sealed.

Ragged Records, had a grand opening at their new Davenport location, just in time for Record Store Day, an event that I haven't paid much attention to, since the major labels tend to drop overpriced albums and curios.  If you find the new John Mayer album, it's at Wal Mart with the laughable Nice Price sticker, however the record is 23 dollars at Wally World, 11.97 on CD.  Not such a nice price since back in the 80s, it was 4.99 to start out.  Sony Music still have those CD specials going on at Big Lots.  The selections not exactly worthwhile to get. 

Still, I'm sure Moondog Music, Co Op Moline, CDs 4 Change and Wax Static had a nice turnout of record buyers.  But for this CD hunter and hoarder, every day when I go to a store is record store day and this week, I managed to find a lot more than I bargained for.  This backlog should keep me out of the junk shops for at least the weekend.   

I suppose I should have picked John Mayer's Sob Stories but it's not high on the list of things to get. Ok Human was picked instead.  But the Coralville Goodwill had a surprise, Dennis Wilson's single cd of Pacific Ocean Blue, his 1978 album that Jerry had at Relics for a couple years before anybody bought that.  I thought the 2 CD set was a bit bloated.  Picking up Purple Rain is a luxury but hell, I guess I need to hear it, just like Amy Winehouse's Back To Black. Goodwill Iowa City also had the 3 cd Kiki Dee Gold album.  I could have picked up Kid A or OK Computer once again but those CDs were a bit too scratched up for my liking.    The Skyliners' 1978 album is the old Doo Wop group with Jimmy Beaumont and friends.  I'm guessing it's a disco album but for four songs, it barely hits 25 minutes.  The Lee Roy Parnell album is probably his best studio album, he was a bit too more blues rock than country (the steel guitar doesn't deter it from being a blues album) and Jimena James album was a interesting collection of country blues folk music.  3 Songs features Mike Bloomfield, and the 64 minute playing time might be a bit too much for the majority, but there are some cool songs to them.   I may regret getting World Leader Pretend. 

Dubuque Blues...and more singles

What was found.

Bob Dylan-Fallen Angels

Marty Stuart-Tempted

Weezer-Ok Human

Lonnie Mack-Second Sight

Tampa Red-The Guitar Wizard

Big Bill Broonzy-Big Bill's Blues

Say Anything Soundtrack

Harry Belafonte At Carnegie Hall

Bo Deans-Joe Dirt Car (a better copy)

More 45's from Moondog Music

Mercy-Ohio Express (Buddah  One Million 14)  #30 1969

The Chambers Brothers-I Can't Turn You Loose (Columbia 4-44679) #37 1968

Gotta Hold On To This Feeling-Jr. Walker And The All Stars (Soul S-35070) #21 1970

What Is A Man-Four Tops  (Motown M-1147) #53 1969

You Gotta Have Love In Your Heart-The Supremes And Four Tops (Motown M-1181) #55 1971

Life-Rick Nelson (Decca 32779) 1971

Tired Of Toein' The Line-Rocky Brunette (EMI 8043) #8 1980

To Be A Lover-Billy Idol (Chrysalis 43024)  #6 1986

Tall Cool One-Robert Plant (Es Paranza 7-99348)  #25 1988

Beg Borrow And Steal-Ohio Express (Cameo C-463) #29 1967

I Can't Get Over You To Save My Life-Lefty Frizzell (ABC-11387)  1973 #43 Country 

Ticket To Ride-The Beatles (Capitol 5407)  #1 1965

Who's Your Baby-The Archies (Kirshner 63-5003)  #40 1970

Forever Came Today-Diana Ross And The Supremes (Motown M-1122)  #28 1968

Massachusetts-The Bee Gees (Atco 6532)  #11 1967

Train Of Thought-Cher (MCA 40245) #27 1974

I Know You're Out There Somewhere-Moody Blues (Polydor 887 600-7) #30 1988 

If I keep finding things close to home, we won't have to go to Madison to hoard things.

Alas, I was late to get my oil changed, I picked the wrong day, therefore I have to return back to Maquoketa to get taken care of....in two weeks.

They do have a open jam session on Thursday Nights and I got to check it out.  At the Smokestack, it was basically a much younger bunch of kids playing Pavement songs and a 15 minute version of All Along The Watchtower which made me wanna invade the stage.   In some ways, it's Dubuque's answer to the Olympic Thirsty Thursday Jam, 20 something's playing music.  I think I was the oldest guy there outside of the dude that wanted me to back him up on drums but lost his spot since he was outside and didn't make the stage in time.

A few obscure and lesser known Motown singles, from the fading Four Tops and Supremes 1971 duet, What Is A Man and Gotta Hold On To This Feeling came from the production of Johnny Bristol, B Side Don't Bring Back Memories, has a hook that would pop up on K Jee from the Nite Lighters, not a surprise since Harvey Fuqua produced this. Forever Came Today and Time Changes Everything seemed to be giving signals that Diana Ross was ready to depart from the Supremes, tho Time Changes Everything adds a cha cha beat, very un 1968 like. Not one of the better Holland/Dozier/Holland songs. I always thought Can't Turn You Loose was a very good Chambers Brothers song, of course it's no Otis Redding, but it still rocks.

The Ohio Express has two songs, one is the garage rocker Beg Borrow And  Steal, with a Louie Louie riff with different words,  Mercy is one of the last of the top 30 songs and more in tune with the bubblegum craze for the Buddah Records label. Roll It Up, is a minute forty jam complete with cheesy organ with thought on the spot lyrics, what's not to love about it.  Maybe, is a forgettable b side mellow tune. Speaking of bubblegum, we have The Archies' Who's Your Baby, their last top 40 hit, with Toni Wine dueting with Andy Kim.  With Jeff Berry producing, it's a given that Ellie Greenwich is singing backup, certainly on the b side Seniorrita Rita.  

The Bee Gees 45s that I have found have suffered from too many scratches or grooves played down to the nubs, but Massachusetts is the best condition of sound.  Cher's Train Of Thought is one of her better 70's songs written by Alan (Undercover Angel) O'Day.  Dixie Girl (written by former Five Americans keyboard player John Durrill) is a underrated b side.  Cher could find great songs to cover,  she found her rock and roll roots from time to time with If I Could Turn Back Time, but she's been all over the place, hitting it big with Believe in 1998.  Of course she had to break away from Snuff Garrett.  The one hit wonder Tired Of Toein' The Line from Rocky Burnette, which I had on 45 but gave it away.  Another Rick Nelson find was Life, to which the former teen idol had a nice career making California country rock but by this time, nobody paid much attention outside of She Belongs To Me or Garden Party.  Nelson never did get much credit for this music, which does fuel the seeds of bands like Poco and Eagles.  Nelson did record a version of Tired Of Toein' The Line but the record label decided to give Rocky Burnette the edge to sing it. Nelson's version was fair but Burnette's version was better.  After that, Burnette faded from view.  Nelson would record Playing To Win for Capitol to indifferent ears and public.

Concluding the finds, is Billy Idol's To Be A Lover, the best song he's ever done.  Tall Cool One, was Robert Plant's fond farewell to Led Zeppelin, even sampling Black Dog, Whole Lotta Love, The Ocean and Custard Pie, with Jimmy Page on guitar.  It did give incentive for him to get back to rocking on his next album Manic Nirvana and later returning to hang with Page with the No Quarter and Walking To Clarksdale.  Most of the time, any 45's I found in the late 80s are jukebox copies but To Be A Lover plays fine, tho Tall Cool One sounds a bit tinny.

(Photo courtesy of Garland Boyette)

Five star Mud Game:  Rice Stadium 12/16/67

Houston 24 San Diego 17

When the Oilers played at Jeppersen Stadium, they had plenty of mud bowl games, the 1963 Chargers edge Houston when George Blanda missed a game winning FG and splashed around the mud puddles yelling at the refs.  By 1967, Houston and George parted ways, and Bobby Breathard was the starting QB and George moved over to Oakland to finish out his career.  Houston had a poor 1966 but on this game they managed to win 5 of the next 6 (only loss was to George Blanda...and the Raiders)  and on the fourth straight home game at Rice Stadium eliminated the Chargers on that rainy afternoon. Breathard throwing for 2 touchdows and Hoyle Granger running for 107 yards and a score.  San Diego lost their final four games and sat out during the playoffs.   The AFL Eastern was week (only the New York Jets hade a winning record)  But Houston had a 9-4-1 record.  The comeback team fell short, Oakland (and George Blanda) got the last laugh again and blew them out 40-7 for the privilege of playing Super Bowl 2 and The Green Bay Packets, To which Green Bay blew them out 33-14.  

The next season Houston would move into the Astrodome to which the only games they got dirty was during baseball season and the dirt infield was not covered. 

Singles Going Steady 72-Naked Vinyl From The Vinyl Emporium

It is my yearly return to the Vinyl Emporium in New Bo Cedar Rapids to see what sort of 45s that he has in the cheap bin, although 50 cents per record is par for the course for used 45s.  I like the guy that he gives you a discount when you buy in bulk.  12 45s for 5 dollars, but today he threw in two more for free.  Last time, he took pity on me and gave me three of them for free.  I do think there was a bit of turnover from the last time since I found a few more that were not there the last time.   Since they are sleeveless, I will have to stop at Analog Vault and see what they have.  

All were sleeveless, therefore we have naked 45s Hahahahahaha......

He did have a few Atlantic 45s, one was a P P Arnold that had seen better days.

I Love My Baby-Archie Bell and The Drells (Atlantic 2612) #94  1969

Take Me (as I am) -Solomon Burke (Atlantic 2416)  #49  1967

Movin On Out-Eddie Harris (Atlantic 2667)  1969

Sweet And Sour-The Changing Scene (Avco Embassy AVE-4538) 1970

Las Vegas-Two Ton Baker (Sunny SR-504) 1968?

From The Bottom Of My Heart (I love you)-The Moody Blues (London 9764)  #93 1965

Have You Ever Loved Somebody-The Searchers (Kapp K-783)  #94 1966

Every Step That I Take (Every Move I Make)-The Hassles (United Artists UA 70258)  1968

Freaky Billy-The Wheelie King-Loose (Nocturne HR-1909) 1969

We Can't Go On This Way-Teddy And The Pandas (Musicor MU-1190) #103 1966

Walk With Me-Calvin Cooke (Revival R-124)  1969

Singles Game-Jay And The Techniques (Smash S-2171) #116 1968

My Town, My Guy And Me-Leslie Gore (Mercury 72425)  #32 1965

My Pledge Of Love-Joe Jeffries Group (Wand WND-11200) #14 1969

For the most part this collection stems around the 1968-70 year with a couple of mid 60s minor hits from The Moody Blues and The Searchers.  Two Ton Baker's Las Vegas is a Dixieland jazz romp for a minute fifty two seconds. When My Sugar Walks Down the Street is another minute quickie. Somehow that goes right into Sweet And Sour, how this doesn't differ from Two Ton Baker is beyond me. Bubblegum Dixieland pop?!  Since when. B Side Sit Down Lorraine is actually better, complete with fuzzy bass.  But Sweet And Sour Baby has an infectious hook to it that grabbed my attention the second time I heard it. .  The Hassles are better known as having Billy Joel in their band and Every Step I Take managed to bubble under the top 100 in 1968. It's kinda a cross of Dusty Springfield and the Young Rascals.  I Hear Voices owes more to the Vanilla Fudge in execution, but all fairness The Hassles were in the same league as the Fudge or Rascals.  The Razor And Tie compilation proved that.

Continuing the silly pop and rock we have Freaky Billy The Wheelie King from Loose, a band and record that I never heard of.  Walk With Me is gospel blues, further proof that gospel blues with a blues guitar riff is worth hearing.   We Can't Go On This Way is a lost bubblegum pop classic, the b side is the mysterious Smokey Fire   Strange how we come across singles like these and never heard these on the radio.  The Moody Blues with Denny Laine was more toward Gerry And The Pacemakers than what they would become and Go Now! was a different style and sound, the followup Bottom Of My Heart scraped the bottom top 100, And My Baby's Gone probably would have been a better plug side, eventually Denny Laine would move on to better pastures with Paul McCartney and Wings and The Moody Blues would get John Lodge and Justin Hayward and of course you knew what happened after that.  The reliable Searchers came up with the infectious Have You Ever Loved Somebody, and in reality of the British Invasion bands, The Searchers held their own. 

The Lesley Gore single was once part of that classic box of 45s that I grew up with, My Town, My Guy And Me was the A side but I wanted to hear A Girl In Love, My Town is a bit on the scratchy side but A Girl In Love plays better.  Singles Game is another song that I may have heard up in Waterloo in the summer of 68. Underrated soul classic.

The Atlantic sides are probably the biggest of finds, anything from the soul side of Atlantic is worth seeking out. Movin On Out is one of the lesser known soul jazz classics from Harris, tho Funky Doo,the B Side borrows  the Jumbo Starks stutter beat.  Solomon Burke's Take Me is another certified soul classic done in his trademark preaching singing.  I Stayed Away Too Long, continues more of the soul balladry, tho I wish Solomon would have picked up the tempo a bit more.  Archie Bell takes on the Gamble Huff team on I Love My Baby, which would sounded better had Jerry Butler covered it, still a fun song, however B side Come A Little Closer reveals that Archie should just stick with up tempo dance numbers.   And finally, Joe Jefferies, My Pledge Of Love has the most grooviest hook ever put on record. And probably the reason why I bought this batch of 45s.

For naked rekkids, they do sound very well, despite their age and wear.  It always seems that anything from London Records have a poor quality of sound and the Moodies are no exception.  Usually in my case, I tend to be careful of buying scratched up records of fifty plus years old and exposed to the elements.  Come A Little Closer is probably the worst in terms of wear and tear. The Vinyl Emporium did have a decent selection of these naked vinyl goodness that did bring a few surprises.

Visit them at 1120 2nd Street. SE.  in Cedar Rapids. 

(Bill Cary: photo credit) 

Goodwill Finds Of The Day-Leave The Brat At Home Version

What was found;

The Bluerunners (Island 1991) 

Portishead-Roseland NYC Live (Go Beat/London 1998) 

Grateful Dead-Dozing At The Knick (Grateful Dead 1990)

Mekons-So Good It Hurts (Twin Tone 1988) 

Hoarding can be an art.  Among the Hootie and Blowfish, among the sacred music and gospel artists, among the forgotten rappers and the usual Billy Joel and Elton John Greatest Hits 1 and 2, sometimes I get lucky and find off the wall stuff.  Even tho, the Goodwill didn't have much to offer one week, come back the next and you are rewarded with good music.

I wasn't pleased of finding Roky Erickson The Evil One with the CD missing, but somebody gave away some choice blues from the likes of Robert Cray, Muddy Waters, John Lee Hooker and the 2 CD Lightning Hopkins collection on EMI that the CDs were in great shape, but I didn't really need that.  Dozing At The Knick was the surprise find, 3 CDs for a 1.88 and everything in tact.  There was also music from the Silos, a rare find of Worlds In Collusion by Pere Ubu (but I had that one), Pavement Wowie Zowie and two of the 3 CD Bob Dylan Biograph album.  Like the last Goodwill hunt on the other side of town that gave us the classic rock of Beatles, Seals And Crofts and Simon Garfunkel, this one was more alternative rock.  At least somebody was listening to Tommy Keene.

For a Saturday afternoon find, that had me running to the toilet after too many pizza slices, I had to deal with somebody's brat riding around Goodwill on a two wheeler, while their dumb fuck parents, mom with the grotesque blue hair and bad tattoos and the ignorant beer belly husband with another screaming kid, I guess I was rewarded with good music to put up with the Stupids.   I never seen So Good It Hurts in the bargain bins anywhere.  

The Bluerunners album is a Cajun answer to Los Lobos, tho if Dash Rip Rock had a accordion and listened to zydeco than rock is a better term.  Not sure why Island would give a contract to a band like Bluerunners but perhaps it's Chris Blackwell's last gasp of keeping the label as eclectic before Polygram bought him out and got swallowed up by Universal.  For a cult album, it's fun, not essential but perhaps had I got the Wowie Zowie Pavement album and played that back to back it would make more sense.

The all star break is here and  The Cubs got a much needed rained out to rest up.  The team has been beat up and with lack of starting pitching (only Kyle Hendricks has been the best starter that could last more than 5 innings) has started to catch up on a overused bullpen that was once the best in the MLB.  The Cubs fire sale hasn't started yet.  The Good:  Hendricks (who started out poorly in April and now has won 11 straight decisions)  Craig Kimbrel (0,57 ERA, the best stopper in baseball) and Andrew Chapin (the self proclaimed best failed starting pitcher but lights out in middle relief) are the three pitchers that have kept the Cubs away from the crapper basement.  The bad:  a starting lineup that either hit solo shot home runs or strike out with runners on bases and the most erratic ways of scoring that makes the dreaded 2019 Cubs look better., 32 games this season the Cubs have scored 2 or fewer runs, with 8 shutouts to boot.   The remaining core of the 2016 Cubs WS team continue to swing for the fences but only strike out more than they connect.  Wilson Conteras, the only Cubs catcher that can hit, is worn out, striking out 3 times in another shutout.  Leave it to the brains of the team dealing Canatini with Yu Darvish away for unproven prospects and the catcher backups striking out more than the pitchers on the staff.   The shuttle to Des Moines  from Chicago is 24/7, Kohl Stewart, picking up frequent flyer miles on U Turns.   The Ugly:  Jake Arrieta, who had a hamstring problem that has hampered him since May but the glaring fact is that he simply doesn't have it any more, after blowing a 7-0 lead to Milwaukee and then former team Philadelphia lit him up for another 7 runs in another blowout.   That might have seal his release from the Cubs but they placed him on IR.   Hapless Ian Happ who strikes out more than El K, Baez and frustrated Cubs fans booing him and wonder why he didn't get let go but Kyle Schwarber did, (kyle was on a hot HR streak before he got injured). Anthony Rizzo's cranky back and Kris Bryant who got hurt too and hasn't been the same.    And the on and off Patrick Wisdom and Joc Pederson, who will be sent somewhere before play starts up after the All Star break.   There has been comparisons with the 1973 Cubs, a team that started out hot and then fell apart in July and having the hated Mets come up from last place to win the division before losing to Oakland in the WS.  The 73 Cubs were like the 69 team, a roster of beloved faves that all of sudden got older and couldn't hit or pitch anymore.  The 2021 Cubs are beginning to look a lot like them. 

A year after they painted the mural to George Floyd, A lightning strike took out the Floyd's face but left Gil Scott Heron's in tact.  This was in Toledo.  The building remained in tact but the owner will tear the whole mural down. 

The Great Wasteland Of Waterloo

CDs

Dave Brubeck-Live At The Oberlein (Fantasy 1953)

Duke Tomato-A Ejukatid Man (J Bird 1999) 

Ismael Lo-Iso (Mango 1994)

45's 

Bop-Dan Seals  (Capitol B-44077)  #42 1985 #1 Country 

Yodeling Crazy-Jean Valli (ABC 11448) 1974

What She Is (is a woman in love) Earl Thomas Conley RCA 6894-R) 1987 #1 Country  

My Wild Irish Rose-Muggsy Spanier (Decca 9-29857) 1956

Stand A Little Rain-Nitty Gritty Dirt Band (Warner 7-28690) 1985  #6 Country 

Are We In Love (or am I?) Charlie Ross (Town House B-1061) 1982

Oh My Mother In Law-Red Buttons (Columbia 4-40243)  1954

Worst time to go up to Waterloo is the fourth of july weekend and I didn't bring enough CDs for the car and what was found wasn't exactly worthwhile.  The Dr Duke (Duke Tomato) album is fun blues and whoever Ismael Io was Iso was the CD I knew nothing about.  Senegalese music and it's nice to listen to, unlike the Trail Of The Dead album that got traded in for the Dave Brubeck Live CD.    Most of the 45s found are country songs of the 1980s and of course the novelty and oddball jazz from Spanier.  Jean Valli's Yodeling Crazy is not even on 45 cat and is an out of control yodeling classic that you'll never hear. Dirt Band's Stand a Little Rain is a bit too slick of a country ballad.  Charlie Ross's Are We In Love is a passible forgotten 1981 minor hit that nobody knows about either. Conley regularly made the top country charts and What She Is is no exception.  Oh then there's Bop, the 1985 Country single of the year that managed to hit the pop top 40 as well.  The 1953 Dave Brubeck Group Jazz At Oberlin is a March 1953 gig that showcases the interplay between Dave and Paul Desmond and one of Paul's most expressive piano soloing.  Way before Joe  Morello and Eugene Wright came on board, the rhythm section of Ron Crotty and the easy swing of Lloyd Davis, who would leave soon after, replaced by the underrated Joe Dodge, one of the best time keeping drummers in jazz at that time. Then again Brubeck managed to get some of the best drummers (Morello, Alan Dawson) in the band.  Oberlin is basically the Desmond and Btubeck show but what a show that was. 

Nothing else going on, Metro Records closed at 5 so I missed out going there.  I tried to find the Camp Run A Muck jam session but then moved on to Waterloo after washing the car.  Today makes the 10th anniversary of the passing of Dennis Pusateri, and also today was the day my X The Brat finally got her wish to be married.   And probably to my situation, the end of my relationship.  A bittersweet day for sure.

The Cubs have not won since no hitting the Dodgers 10 days ago, LA taking the next three, Milwaukee sweeping, and now Cincinnati ready to sweep them.  The Cubs can't hit, they have struck out 25 times in the two games with Cincy, the power puff hitting of Rizzo hitting a double play to kill a Cubs rally and El K popping out a short foul ball didn't help much either.  A brief 2 run lead and Pitching hack Azolay tired out and gave up a home run and the Reds win 3 to 2.  Cubs have been spared of seeing washed up Amir (King Kong) Garrett in this series, which is for the better for the Cubs since any of the hitters will swing at just about everything that is not a strike.  Former cub Kyle Schwarber did go on a Home Run streak which did end and he pulled a hamsting in the process of a base running play.  Nico Horener returns back off the IR list to try to give some spark to a team that has lost it.  They can't score and when they do, the Cubs pitching gives it right back (Jake Arrieta).  Craig Kimbrel still remains lights out as the stopper but he has had no lead to save due to lack of offense, Andrew Chaflin, another bright spot.  But even as rag tag and as good the bullpen was in May, the lack of offense and quality starts are taking their toll.  New York fans are screaming about the lackluster Yankees, which they're only a game behind the Cubs in the W's department (as long as the Orioles are in the crapper, don't worry about the Yankoffs being in the basement).  But then again the Cubs owner, Rickey Ricketts is too busy pumping his money into the laughable Marquee Network and doing nil about sizing up help to get the fading Cubs to the title, but it is all a moot point if Ricketts does nil and do a fire sale which Kimbrel might be going to a team that's going to the playoffs.  El K, Rizzo and Kris Bryant has not done much to prove themselves worthy of a contract extension. 2016 is five years gone.  Embrace them for the World Series Championship and move on.  PS, The Reds came back to win 3-2 and King Kong Garrett got power puffer Wilson Contreras to hit into a game ending DP for the sweep.  To which I'm sure he went and pounded his chest in victory.    Nice going Cubs, you make any washed up pitcher look good like King Kong Garrett. 

For your pleasure.  Jane Dillon celebrating the 4th of July in cheeky style.  Anything to divert attention away from the Cubs.

CDs from Half Price Books

Pink Floyd Saucerful Of Secrets 

Pink Floyd Meddle

Echobelly: On

The Doors: Weird Scenes From The Goldmine 

Blackberry Smoke-You See Georgia

Basically completing my Pink Floyd collection, checking out Echobelly since they are like The Primitives and new Black Berry Smoke to boot.  The Doors' album is one of those albums you really don't need unless your nostalgic for a forgotten best of that has been replaced by better comps.  Hoarding is hard habit to break.  

Goodwill Finds 7 4 21

Best Of Seals And Crofts

The Beatles 1962-1968

The Essential Earth Wind And Fire

Simon And Garfunkel-Concert In Central Park

LP: Renaissance-Camera Camera (IRS)

More CDs:

The Bush-Got Bush If You Want It

XTC-Nonesuch

Iain Matthews-The Soul Of Many Places-The Elektra Years

George Thorogood-Nadine

LaBelle-Something Silver

Lee Dorsey-Yes We Can And Then Some

Rilo Kiley-The Execution Of All Things 

The Bush Got Bush If You Want It, compiles all of the recordings that this band did for Hibtone (3 singles) and a bunch of unreleased stuff.  They might have been a minor garage rock band, but they opened for the Rolling Stones and the Byrds by winning a battle of the bands contest.  Ernie Freeman produced a single of Got Love if You Want It, Kim Fowley produced To Die Alone and the third single Who Killed The Ice Cream Man? was supposed a slam on novelty songs but it became a novelty song itself to which the band was against.   The liner notes are worth reading, and they were right, that the original cut of Got Love If You Want It, was off, as well as Every Night (these songs got re recorded with Freeman producing with better results). They loved the Stones, They loved the Kinks and for a brief time managed to carve out a couple of singles on their own.  One of those dollar CDs at Record Collector that looked good enough to check out.   XTC  Nonesuch wastes the talents of Dave Mattacks on drums and one of the last productions from Gus Dudegon and makes a bloated 17 song effort that should have been cut in half.  Andy Partridge can be full of himself at times and this record proves it.  Which might explain why this was their last album for Virgin/Geffen. 

LaBelle's Something Silver (Warner) is the source point for the over the top vocal of Patti LaBelle, which pioneered the Don't yell at me singer era that gave us Whitney Houston and Anita Baker, while it's nice to hear the medley of Something In The Air/The Revolution Will Not Be Televised there are way too meddling soul scream ballads and while Won't Get Fooled Again is interesting for the arrangement, it bogs down in the OTT vocals that almost ruins the song.  Blame Kit Lambert for giving them the idea.  Best song: Lady Marmalade to which Allen Toussiant managed to tame the screaming down.   Toussaint produced the Lee Dorsey Yes We Can Polydor album and got the Meters to play. Anything with Ziggy on drums will be a funky ole good time and this CD is quite hard to find.  Lee Dorsey is one of the best, let's see if we can locate his 1978 ABC album Night People on CD (tho evil empire Universal owns that master).

The Rilo Kiley album is as not as hooky as their Warner's debut and I really didn't listen to the whole thing.  I got interrupted by a shitty rush hour traffic, which enabled me to have road construction and 10 merging cars coming off the exits to the point that I missed my turnoff and had to log an extra 10 miles. getting to work just to make it before the buzzer.  God owes me a better day and less traffic headaches tomorrow.

Davenport Summertime Finds

45's

Cottonfields/This Land  The Staple Singers (Riverside RF-4563)  1963

Dark At The Top Of The Stairs Theme-Bob Crosby (Dot 45-16141)  1960

Raunchy/Puddin' Ernie Freeman (Imperial X5474)  #4 1957

Beyond The Shadow-The Browns (RCA 47-7427)  1958

Gaye-Clifford T Ward (Charisma FC-26001)  1973 

LP's

Armageddon (A&M 1976)

City Boy-Book Early (Mercury 1978)

CDs

Chris Rea-The Blue Cafe (East West 1996)
Barney Bentall-Lonely Avenue (Epic Canada 1990)

The Streets-A Grand Don't Come For Free (Vice/Atlantic 2004)

Talking Heads-Remain In Light (Sire 1980)

Rilo Kiley-Under The Blacklight (Warner 2007)

Trail Of The Dead-Sources, Tags And Codes (Interscope 2002)

A spur of the moment deal, I went to see Quad Cities River Bandits blow out the CR Kernels 12-3.  A five run 8th inning sealed the deal for the Bandits on a nice sunny evening. Jimmy Govern hit a three run home run to give a QC 3-0 lead and they never looked back.  Kernels loaded up the bases for a last ditch effort but Seth Gray hit a screaming liner to the second basement who then picked off the runner from second to conclude the game.  There was talk of free pizza but damned I knew where they had it at.  Besides, I opted for the Mesa Combination at Los Amigos prior to the game.  Managed to get in and out in 25 minutes.  Very fast service.

For this trip, I did not venture across the Mississippi to Moline, it was strictly Goodwill and Salvation Army and the Army Vets Thrift Store to where the 45's were found.  The SA junk store, simply doesn't have 45s there, (the one down the road had a few quarter ones but none I didn't see the need to get.   Raunchy is a replacement copy of my old red Imperial label that was bought back when we lived in Waterloo and went to the downtown Goodwill.  The Staple Singers was the reason I bought  Night Theme and Beyond The Shadow, I have never came across anything on Riverside from the Staples.   The Clifford T Ward single was from  the Bettendorf Goodwill.  Armageddon and City from the 53rd St Davenport store.  I've been searching for a copy of the former album and the latter is probably City Boy best known album.  The SA Junk Shop had Ellie Greenwich's Let It Be Written, Let It Be Sung but I already had a copy.  They had some decent country albums from the likes of Jim Reeves, Hank Locklin and Bobby Bare but I passed.  The Barney Bentall album was never issued in the US, Columbia passed since the first album didn't sell and I don't think I ever listened to that one at all.  Barney still has Bruce Springsteen in his sights or Bryan Adams but this record had a bit more to it than the first.  The Chris Rea, is another album that toils in the budget stores.  I couldn't have gotten another Best Of Johnny Ray but decided I didn't need it.  A Grand Don't Come For Free got get good reviews but it doesn't serve very well as background music.  For the Jenny Lewis led Rilo Kiley Under The Blacklight is their best album, it only took me 14 years to finally convince myself to buy it.  Worthy of one of the best of the 2000's.  I've never seen Remain In Light at any thrift store, now if somebody can donate More Songs About Buildings And Food.....

And as for Trail Of The Dead, I bought this a few years ago and didn't think much of it.  Perhaps a second revisit might convince me otherwise if it's worthy of the best of 2000's or is it overrated at Kid A.  But then again it's cheap music.  Which got donated again, it still sucks. 

Other notables was Kevn Kinney's McDougal Blues and a April Wine Forever For Now, but I had the former album and the latter, I could live without it.   Stuff Etc, had to cut back hours due to lack of help (they close at 6 nowadays) but I found nothing of note up there.  Not going to Co Op Moline will free me up to Dubuque if I want the latest Blackberry Smoke You See Georgia album on CD.  Otherwise Analog Vault in town has it on vinyl (28 dollars). 

Bob Cosby was a big band leader back in the 40s n 50s but by the time he reached Dot Records, his songs were no different than Vaughn Monroe or Lawence Welk.  Dark At The Top Of The Stairs is suited for the Cha Cha Cha craze, complete with cheesy Vox organ.  Night Theme more toward the Stroll.  Neither song would be out of place on a muzak station and probably did get heard at one time over there.  Ernie Freeman (Dean Martin, Frank Sinatra) adds a laid back groove to Raunchy which did well but then again the drummer is probably Earl Palmer, who shuffles quite well.  B side Puddin' was a childhood fave of mine. Gaye, is a mellow tune that should have charted better.  Brought to you by Tony Stratton-Smith, head of Charisma Records. Richard Hewson (Nick Drake) did the arrangements. One of the prettiest songs you never heard.  Beyond The Storm is vintage Jim Ed Brown and his sisters, done in a early RCA production shine.  While the biggest complaint has always been that Nashville Sound polish that doesn't make it feel like country, I think it enhances the song much better. B side This Time I Would Know is written by John Loudermilk.  As for the Staple Singers, Pops Staples always knew a great gospel ballad or folk song such as This Land Is Your Land, which is the better side than Cotton Fields, which sounds a bit uninspired.   But then again I'll take an uninspired Staples Singers song over rap and lackluster R and B Soul any day.