While I can't say for the first time ever, I had only heard Pink Floyd's Dark Side Of The Moon once when I was in my teens, I think I was 18, which means 32 years ago. I just know it was shortly after high school. It was on a long trip, where a friend of mine wanted to see a mutual female acquaintance/friend of his who he briefly, they liked each other as more than friends briefly. I just thought she was cool, didn't feel that way about her, but my being a third wheel was insulting; dragged on unnecessarily on a trip (for the benefit of my friend, so he wasn't lonely on the drive?), a trip in his van from San Jose up far near Sacramento (I can't recall the town's name), to see her. Yeah great I got to see they liked each other. They kissed once or twice as I *SAT IN THE VAN*! (and yes, the visit was that brief). Big deal, why was I there? HE was happy. I was damn bitter. A terrible drive too, we even got lost at at least one point on the way, maybe coming back too. So after this absolutely miserable trip I was sorry I agreed to go on, we're driving back, I'm exhausted out of my mind, and my friend plays me Dark Side Of The Moon on his boombox stereo. I ask him what's that? He tells me enthusiastically (was my mood oblivious to this guy?). I ponder at the strange sounds I'm hearing which just (further) rubbed me the wrong way as he enjoyed it. I dismissed it as "c***", and never again bothered to check it out again over the years, even though I liked a couple songs from The Wall. I dismissed it as hype, totally overrated, pointless, etc. Why people liked it baffled me. Then earlier this year I was looking over what music I could hear via streaming from a trial on Amazon, checked it out, and found myself liking it more and more. I knew after a few listens I HAD to get a copy. I LOVED it. I took me til I was 49 (I turned 50 in May, so this is a little old to post it now; it was in March), but I finally appreciated Dark Side Of The Moon, to the point where I thought to myself "this is a masterpiece." It's never too late to enjoy ANY album or kind of music. And yes - it felt like I was hearing the whole album for the first time this year.
ELO. Not just album but entire production. Spotify gave me last winter on my weekly list some tracks from album ”Long Wave”. Name Jeff Lynne didn’t ring any bells at all, and I had to google it. I think that I had bypassed ELO in the past hearing something from the two or three first albums when they were released, and thought that this is not for me. Actually, the only one ELO song I remembered, was Turn to Stone, which I have always liked. Now I am totally obsessed. Still, I don’t listen very much the oldest albums, but everything since Face the Music, including Jeff Lynne’s solo production.
A few days ago, I finally got a used LP of King Crimson's 1971 album, Islands. Never heard a single song off the album before, but was aware of its existence for the last 25 years or so, right around the time I purchased the other 6 pre-1975 KC studio albums on CD. Listened to Islands twice in the past couple days, and I find I enjoy it more than I do Lizard, and it's a better album than I expected. The title track is my favorite. Listened to the album twice so far, and will listen to it again soon. Not as good as the debut album or the 3 with John Wetton in the lineup.
I got to know this album just a week ago: Bought the deluxe edition of it. Think I gonna listen to it again tonight.
Gene Clark and Carla Olson, "So Rebellious a Lover" (1987). I was interested in the album because I'm a fan of Gene Clark's "No Other" and because I had heard that it was to some degree the inspiration for Robert Plant and Alison Krauss's "Raising Sand". It's terrific. It's interesting that it doesn't sound like an especially collaborative album, so much as an album that features two different singers in very compatible styles. But the singing--not to mention the songs--are so good!
Southern Comfort/Frog City. I believe, counting Iain Mattews' Southern Comfort, that there were three bands using this name at around the same time. A decent album, nonetheless. Dollar bin find. Had to glue peel the mildew off of it before it was fit to spin. The UK got a different cover than America.
Bob Dylan - "Freewheeling' Bob Dylan" (just bought used sacd) Sly And The Family Stone -" Life" and "Dance To The Music" (borrowed original album classics box from library)
Been playing this album a lot in the car last month or so. I liked UK Jive a lot when it came out, and then got some others in the 90s, moved on to other stuff, and finally got around to hearing this whole album and really love it. My 2017 'Find'.
Just recently checked out David Axelrod's discography minus Songs of Innocence, which I've been familiar with for a few years. Somehow I'd managed to miss Axelrod completely until I played Grand Theft Auto IV. I picked up Songs of Innocence because of that--"Holy Thursday" is what's featured in the game, and that's what turned me on to him, but it took me a few years to get to the rest. I finally checked out the rest over the last few months. Good stuff.
In the Carolinas, we have a FM station, WNCW, that has a weekly program called "Dig". We hear songs from deep in an artist's catalog or songs from some obscure artist, all from the 1960's. A few weeks ago, they played a song from the album "Apple Candy" by The Skeptics. I found and purchased the album and it's full of really good garage rock. One of quite a few discoveries thanks to WNCW in Asheville, NC.
The first five Gentle Giant albums. They were interesting, but I wasn't blown away. I will probably see if repeated listens help.
bob dylan - s/t 25 years ago i started with freewheelin' and went forward. never checked out the debut, i think because it was mostly cover songs. found it for $1, spun it for the first time. instantly loved it.
Sleater Kinney - The Woods. I know it has a bad reputation for the sound but the songs are very good.
It's gets ignored because it barely has any Dylan originals, but the performances are pretty impressive.
Just discovering these for the 1st time.....better late then never! Manassas - ST Grateful Dead - American Beauty Marillion - Misplaced Childhood Captain Beyond - ST Elton John - Tumbleweed Connection Kevin Ayers - Joy of A Toy Traffic - Low Spark of High Heeled Boys
I have a habit of buying music I think I will like and then putting it on the shelf for some time in the future when I just know I will want to listen to it. Case in point: Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers - Let Me Up (I've Had Enough). Bought it as a cutout CD over five years ago. Never opened it until Tom Petty's recent death. I really liked it but a more seasoned Petty veteran can tell me how it stacks up to his other albums. I only have a few of his other CDs - Full Moon Fever, the solo album, is my favorite.
I discovered Randy Newman's Sail Away LP a few months ago. It absolutely floored me. I'm 50 years old - how did I go this long without ever hearing this (save "Political Science", which I heard on a movie soundtrack)? Heartbreakingly genius from start to finish. "Old Man" made me cry, I will admit.
It's a solid LP, with a few great songs, but for me, not his best. The good news is, if you go back to his earlier stuff, it's even better. Check out the greatest hits too if you haven't already. Good overview or starting point even.
Nothing by any major bands or artists, everything I've heard 'first' time tends to be an independent label pressing made in small numbers. Theres some really cool stuff that never made it far out of Iowa or Michigan. My portal tends to be the excellent compilations that have been put out in recent years: Cosmic American music, yacht rock etc.
Focus - Moving Waves and Hamburger Concerto I liked both of these more than I expected to. I'm planning on listening to Focus 3, but I haven't gotten around to it yet.
