juni 28, 2020

Narada Michael Walden - Confidence (1982) - €10,00

No comments  
Confidence is the sixth full-length studio recording from singer/songwriter/drummer/producer Narada Michael Walden.
It was his first album wherein he co-wrote every single song with other people.

Narada Michael Walden's 1982 date 'Confidance' is among them.It did okay on the R&B side of things but is barely acknowledged in the pop world-his pop productions during this time for Stacy Lattisaw and later Whitney Houston and Aretha Franklin are.
This album begins with the hefty funk jam "Your #1"-one of the best slices of funk Narada ever threw down!"Summer Lady" has yet more of that heavy 80's funk throb to it before again returning to the breezy and inspiring urban soul sound of "I'm Ready".
The title track goes to the same place with great verve and style! The presense of jazz and fusion icons Randy Brecker,David Sanborn and the immortal Wayne Shorter really showcase Narada as the successor to Norman Connors;drummer and great assembler of talent.
Another truely impressive track to be found here is the the closer "Blue Side Of Midnight",a moody romantic smooth groove with some creamy sax from Sanborn and a great otherworldy guitar solo from Corrado Rustici! 'Confidance' is absolutely no misnomer;Narada delivers everything here with sincerity,conviction and so many hard-driving grooves to make you bug!


Side A
A1. You’re # 1 - 5:43 
A2. Summer Lady - 5:18 
A3. I’m Ready - 4:20 
A4. Safe In My Arms - 4:14 

Side B
B1. Confidence - 4:01 
B2. Holiday - 4:27 
B3. You Ought To Love Me - 5:10 
B4. Blue Side Of Midnight - 6:57


Companies, etc.
Credits
Studios:
The Automatt, San Francisco
George Massenburg Studios, Los Angeles
Eldorado Studio, Los Angeles
Power Station, New York
Mastered at A&M Studios

Notes
Release: 1982
Format:  LP
Genre:  Soul / Funk
Label:  Atlantic Records
Catalog#  50883
Prijs:  €10,00

Vinyl:  Good
Cover:  Good

juni 27, 2020

Tom Kimmel - 5 To 1 (1987) - €10,00

No comments  
Tom Kimmel (born Thomas Eugene Hobbs II in 1953 in Memphis, Tennessee), is an American singer-songwriter and poet.
Tom Kimmel grew up largely in small towns in south Alabama. He attended public schools and graduated from the University of Alabama in 1975.
Kimmel is known as a songwriter, and his compositions have been recorded by many popular artists, including Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings, Linda Ronstadt, Joe Cocker and Randy Travis. His songs have also been featured in television series including Miami Vice, Touched by an Angel and Dawson’s Creek — and in films including Twins, Runaway Bride and Serendipity.
"That's Freedom", the lead track on his 5 to 1 album, was co-written by Kimmel and gave him a Billboard Hot 100 hit as a solo artist. The song later became a Top 10 hit for Australian singer John Farnham in late 1990.

This is such a terrific album - there really isn't a bad song on this record. My introduction to Tom Kimmel was hearing "That's Freedom" on a rock station in Minneapolis in 1987 and to this day, I'm amazed it wasn't a big hit.
Then again, there are several songs on this album that simply were overlooked. Since Tom was an unknown, Polygram just didn't seem to support this record. Songs like "Shake" just ooze airplay.
A really well written (if not a tad cheesy) ballad called "A to Z" which - especially in 1987, was as good a ballad as anything else out there at the time and yet another track that begs for airplay.
It continues - "Tryin' To Dance' was a single and did indeed chart on the Billboard Mainstream Rock charts for a bit, but it was another lost song. Great lyrics too:

He usually tours as a solo performer, and occasionally tours with The Sherpas, a trio he formed in 1994 with Michael Lille and Tom Prasada Rao. A new trio, The New Agrarians, was recently formed with Pierce Pettis and Kate Campbell. He also sings sporadically with songwriters Don Henry and Sally Barris, collectively called The Waymores.
He frequently teaches songwriting and creative expression at retreats and workshops, and in 2006, he published his first book of poems. He lives in Tupelo, Mississippi.



Side A
A1.  That’s Freedom - 4:15
A2.  Shake - 4:15
A3.  Tryin’ To Dance - 3:16
A4.  A To Z - 4:19
A5.  True Love - 4:50

Side B
B1.  Heroes - 4:26
B2.  On The Defensive - 3:56
B3.  Violet Eyes - 3:35
B4.  No Tech - 2:32
B5.  5 To 1 - 6:13


Companies, etc.
Credits
Tom Kimmel - lead vocals, songwriter, backing vocals, harmony vocals, guitar, acoustic guitar
Bill Szymczyk - producer
Kenny Greenberg - guitar, lead guitar, 12 string guitar, backing vocals
Michael Joyce - bass, backing vocals, fretless bass
Mike Lawler - keyboards, programming, Hammond organ
Joe Vitale - drums, programming
Jim Nipar - recording engineer
Rocky Schnaars - recording engineer
Carlos Nieto - assistant engineer
Clarke Schleicher - assistant engineer
Bob Clearmountain - mixing engineer
Steve Boyer - mixing assistant
Jon Goldberger - mixing assistant
Michael Christopher - mixing assistant
Bob Ludwig - mastering engineer
Cary Wasserman - photography
Bill Levy - art direction
Janet Perr - Design

Notes
Release: 1987
Genre:  Rock
Label:  Mercury Records
Catalog#  832248-1
Prijs:  €10,00

Vinyl:  Good
Cover:  Good

 http://www.ad-vinylrecords.com/product/kimmel-tom-5-to-1-lp/

juni 21, 2020

Commodores - Heroes (1980) - €10,00

No comments  
Heroes is the eighth studio album by the Commodores, released in June 1980 by Motown Records.

From 1974 until the end of the '70s, the Commodores enjoyed kicking out the hits.
As the 1980s rolled in, the Commodores did not lose much steam as they scored their first Top Ten hit of the decade with the midtempo beauty "Old Fashion Love."
From the flattering lyric to the zestful groove, the splendid selection is complemented by Lionel Richie's colorful delivery.
It peaked at number eight on the Billboard R&B charts."Heroes" extols everyday people for their feats and courage and checked in at 27 after 11 weeks on the charts.
The former Tuskegee collegians were not known to do gospel, but the self-contained sextet scored big with "Jesus Is Love." Richie's prayerful message and pleading cries are solidified with a lyric and melody that complement one another.
The song's popularity is far greater than what the charts reflected (number 37). "Wake Up Children" and "Mighty Spirit" are two other inspirational selections.


Side A
A1.  Got To Be Together - 5:44
A2.  Celebrate - 5:03
A3.  Old-Fashion Love - 4:56
A4.  Heroes - 5:24

Side B
B1.  All The Way Down - 3:35
B2.  Sorry To Say - 4:01
B3.  Wake Up Children - 4:33
B4.  Mighty Spirit - 4:06
B5.  Jesus Is Love - 6:04


Personnel
Credits

Notes
Release: 1980
Format:  LP
Genre:  Soul, Funk
Label:  Motown Records
Catalog#  M8-939M1
Prijs:  €10,00

Vinyl:  Goed
Cover:  Front Small Cut

http://www.ad-vinylrecords.com/product/commodores-heroes-lp/

juni 08, 2020

Larry Graham - Sooner Or Later (1982) - €10,00

No comments  
Larry Graham Jr. (born August 14, 1946) is an American bassist and singer, both with the psychedelic soul/funk band Sly and the Family Stone, and as the founder and frontman of Graham Central Station.
He is credited with the invention of the slapping technique on the electric bass guitar, which radically expanded the tonal palette of the bass, although he himself refers to the technique as "thumpin' and pluckin' ".

Maybe because it was his pioneering days with the Family Stone or what he did with GCS that Larry Graham's solo career during the 80's ended up being somewhat neglected.
This was his third realese from 1982. The type of organ and rhythm section based music Sly had pioneered in the 60's and early 70's had long given way to a more electronic sound. And now that computers and digital soul/funk/R&B age had officially arrived Larry was in an excellent possition to take part.
After all he had been highly creative and artistic with synthesizers and electronic rhythms on many of his GCS recordings. Considering the fact his first couple of solos had concentrated heavily on slickly produced soul ballads with some other grooves mixed into them it was more than a pleasant surprise for "jam fans" this Larry chose to mix it up on this release,focusing heavier on a mixture of deeper ballads and a modern variation of the hard funk he had been known for.
Whether it be on his own electric axe,a synthesizer or Larry's singing itself the overall production is all about bass in some way. The title track is the best uptempo funk song in his solo career up to this point.
The mix is extended a lot more to accomodate a series of overlapped vocorder effects and a repeated refrain.There are four slow songs here but all are actually excellent."Still Thinkin' Of You",co-written with George Duke who provides some of the music as well is in fact not disimilar to his breakout solo hit One In A Million You."You're My Girl","Let Me Come Into Your Life" and "Easy Love" all sound kind of similar but aren't bad nonetheless. Now anyone who gives this album a serious run through will quickly figure out it's strenghs lie in the jams. "Don't Stop When Your Hot" finds Larry breaking out his slap bass for this glorious funk jam that makes complete sense in Graham's musical progression thus far.
"I Feel Good" is sloooow and stomping and HEAVY;despite the heavy electro-funk dressing the rhythms are definately rooted in a 70's style groove that GCS and Sly explored now and again,even if their forte had been for the faster sort of funk. George Duke throws in his hand at an uptempo tune here too on "Walk Baby Walk",a faster number two with a lot of musically complex solos darting in and out of the horn arrangements and such. Again a fresh extension on the old GCS sound in many ways.
"Hold Up Your Hand" brings to mind one very interesting point just out of my own head. True the very unspoken influence Wonder had on Larry during both their salad days was present on GCS's music of the day,it's still very much in attendance here.
The closer is a (largely) instrumental version of the title song with more vocorder than the original verison. For someone who is highly skeptical,as I was that Larry Graham was spending most of the 80's trying to pass himself off as California's version of Lionel Ritchie and turning his back to making high quality funk this would be the perfect place to begin to change your mind on that front.


Side A
A1.  Sooner Or Later - 3:28 
A2.  Still Thinkin’ Of You - 3:09 
A3.  Don’t Stop When You’re Hot - 4:34 
A4.  You’re My Girl - 3:22 
A5.  I Feel Good - 3:39 

Side B
B1.  Walk Baby Walk - 4:26 
B2.  Let Me Come Into Your Life - 3:23 
B3.  Hold Up Your Hand  -4:09 
B4.  Easy Love - 3:24 
B5.  Sooner Or Later (Instrumental) - 4:59


Companies, etc.
Credits

Notes
Release:  1982
Format:  LP
Genre:  Soul
Label:  Warner Bros. Records
Catalog#  WB 56992
Prijs:  €10,00

Vinyl:  Good
Cover:  Good

http://www.ad-vinylrecords.com/product/graham-larry-sooner-or-later-lp/

juni 06, 2020

Floy Joy - Weak In The Presence Of Beauty (1985) - €5,00

No comments  
Floy Joy was an English group formed in Sheffield, England, who recorded two albums and had minor success with several singles.

The band formed in 1983, consisting of Elana Harris, Michael Ward and Shaun Ward.
This line-up released only one single that year titled "Answer Through Me", produced by Andy Hernandez.
By 1984, Elana Harris was replaced by Carroll Thompson. The group released three singles, with two of the three being minor hits in the UK. "Until You Come Back to Me", "Operator"
The album which the singles came from was released that year titled Into the Hot, produced by Don Was at The Sound Suite in Detroit. The album peaked at No. 40 in New Zealand.
After the album, Thompson and Shaun Ward subsequently left the band, leaving Michael Ward to draft singer Desi Campbell and bassist/drum programmer/co-writer Robert E. Clarke and put together a new all-male Floy Joy.

Weak in the Presence of Beauty is their second and final studio album, released by Virgin in 1986 and produced by Don Was.
With the departure of original singer Carroll Thompson and guitarist Shaun Ward, Weak in the Presence of Beauty features vocalist Desi Campbell, original member Michael Ward and new member Robert E. Clarke.
"New vocalist Desy Campbell's vocals are more aggressive and muscular than his predecessor. [His] vocals have added a harder edge to the band's pop songs.
The enthralling single, "Weak in the Presence of Beauty", the sax-driven "Friday Night" and the soulful "Penny in My Pocket" are three solid pop performances."

The album's title track was released as the lead single and reached No. 85 in the UK Singles Chart. "Friday Night" was also released as a single but did not chart
Although the album was overall unsuccessful, the lead single, also called "Weak in the Presence of Beauty"
The song was later covered by Alison Moyet which became a large European hit, including reaching the top 10 in the UK.


Side A
A1.  Weak In The Presence Of Beauty - 3:27
A2.  Friday Night (In This Cold City) - 6:34
A3.  Penny In My Pocket - 4:20
A4.  Too Drunk To Funk - 3:50
A5.  Ask The Lonely - 3:39

Side B
B1.  Chinese A-Go Go - 3:59
B2.  Crackdown - 2:48
B3.  Walking In The Night - 3:25
B4.  This Is My Time - 1:56
B5.  It Makes No Difference To Me - 3:23


Companies, etc.
Credits
Notes
Released:  1985
Genre:  Synth-pop
Label:  Virgin ‎Records
Catalog#  207585
Prijs:  €5,00

Vinyl:  Some Users Tracks
Cover:  Good

http://www.ad-vinylrecords.com/product/floy-joy-weak-in-the-presence-of-beauty-lp/

juni 01, 2020

Don Johnson - Let It Roll (1989)

No comments  
Donnie Wayne "Don" Johnson (born December 15, 1949) is an American actor, producer, director, singer, and songwriter.

He played the role of James "Sonny" Crockett in the 1980s television series Miami Vice, winning a Golden Globe for his work in the role.
He also had the eponymous lead role in the 1990s cop series Nash Bridges. He has received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Johnson released two albums of pop music in the 1980s, one in 1986 "Heartbeat" and this one "Let It Roll" in 1989.

Anyone one who doesn't like the "Let It Roll" album just hasn't listened to it enough!
Although there are a couple of slow spots, (Better Place, & Your Love is Safe With Me,) there is a lot of fun stuff and a couple of really sweet ones, too.
The title song is one of my favorites; sounds like a typical Saturday night: the dude is hot, hustlin'...and broke! I love it when he loses place, then picks it up, makes it better and carries on! "Tell It Like It Is" is even better if you can find the video. A sultry Naw 'Leans saloon singer, swingin' sax, totally hot!
Little One's Lullaby is totally sweet, although you realize the reason for getting the kids to bed may be the fact the night is warm, and so is Mama!<g> What if It Takes All Night, Angel City, When You Only Loved Me, Other Peoples Lives, are all great.
Lonely Too Long is a hoot, especially towards the end, where Don is seemingly winding it down, and the background singers seem to find a life of their own!
The little "wreck" at the end, complete with "sirens" is too funny, and the laughter just makes it more fun! If you are a "serious" collector, maybe; if you just want to have fun, go for it!


Side A
A1. Other People’s Lives - 5:25
A2. Tell It Like It Is - 4:30
A3. Your Love Is Safe With Me - 4:22
A4. A Better Place (Duet With Yuri) - 5:25
A5. When You Only Loved Me - 3:55

Side B
B1. Angel City - 4:22
B2. Lonely Too Long - 4:20
B3. Let It Roll - 4:21
B4. What If It Takes All Night (Backing Vocals – Barbra Streisand) - 4:06
B5. Little One’s Lullaby - 3:24


Personnel
  • Don Johnson – vocals
  • Ira Siegel, Keenan Keating, Paul Pesco, Dave Resnik, Jeff Daniels – guitar
  • Bruce Kulick – additional lead guitar on track 3
  • Steve Jones – guitar on track 3 and 7
  • Paul Pesco, John Pierce, Carl James, Keith Diamond, Wayne Braithwaite – bass
  • Larry Russell – bass on track 8
  • Keith Diamond, Ron Schwartz, Mike Jewel, Ned Liben – keyboards
  • Omar Hakim, John Keane, Terry Silverlight – drums
  • Bashiri Johnson – percussion
  • Danny Wilensky – saxophone
  • Mike Davis – trombone
  • Chris Botti, Kent Smith – trumpet
  • Leon Pendarvis – horn arrangement
  • Curtis King, Don Johnson, Michael Camacho, Tracy Amos, Audrey Wheeler, B.J. Nelson, Cindi Mizelle, Janice Dempsey, Chrissy Faith, Jill Del'Abate, Laura Kramer, Liz Constantine, N'Dea, Yogi Lee, Rock Wilk, Lauren Kinhan, Louis Merlino, Barbra Streisand, Debbie Cole – background vocals
  • Joe Lynn Turner – background vocals on track 1
  • Acar Key – engineer

Companies, etc.

Notes
Release: 1989
Format: LP
Genre: Pop, Rock
Label: Epic Records
Catalog#  EPC 460857
Prijs: €5,00

Vinyl: Users Tracks
Cover: Good