Herbie Hancock - Speak Like A Child [Blue Note reissue CD, 1987, orig. 1968] This could sound better, it's murky and mechanical. Maybe there's a more recent issue I should check out. The music deserves it.
The Artwoods - Art Gallery [Repertoire expanded reissue CD, 1995, orig. 1964-'67] Very fine Brit R&B group, more on the mod/soul side than the blues side, with touches of psych, will appeal to fans of keyboard-driven bands like The Spencer Davis Group, The Small Faces, The Brian Auger Trinity, etc. With eponymous leader/singer Art Wood, whose younger brother Ronnie you may have heard somewhere, and Jon Lord of Deep Purple fame on organ and Keef Hartley on drums. None of their tunes were originals, but their covers were varied, well-chosen, and not at all the usual fare (except for a few of the bonus tracks), with imaginative arrangements and excellent musicianship. But despite or because of those things, they were only a minor ripple in England and never had any US releases so far as I know. Remastered sound is quite clear and powerful on the original album tracks if a little exagerated in the treble.
Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band - Safe As Milk [Buddha expanded reissue CD, 1999, orig. 1967] As with Zappa, I prefer the earliest stuff, when it was still rockin'.
The Rolling Stones - Aftermath [Abkco CD, 1986, orig. 1966] Listening to this today it struck me, as it does from time to time, that Jagger earned his keep as a lyricist back in the day, before the rockstar rot jet-set in. This sounds fine to me, maybe a bit forward in the low treble, but does the SACD reissue CD layer really sound that much better? My vinyls are in storage...
Nina Simone - The Best Of... [Philips stereo LP, 1969] Before I really got hip to Nina I was once in a used book store that sold records (always one of the best kinds of places to shop for records), where apparently a huge fan had unloaded (or had died and their family had unloaded) an impressive multitude of vintage Simone albums in nice clean condition. I perused them all but not knowing where to begin stupidly bought none, and by the time I realized my mistake they were all gone, so I'm forced to make do until I get lucky again (this disk is shiny as a new penny, but alas most of what I've unearthed of hers since that day has been good only for frisbee practice).
Lorrie & Larry Collins - Another Man Done Gone b/w The Lonesome Road [Columbia white-label promo 45, prob. late 50's] I don't think either of these tunes are included on my Collins Kids compilation LP (they were a teenage brother/sister Rockabilly novelty duo, for those unfamiliar), but again that record's in storage and I'm not positive. Scored this single in beautiful shape at an estate sale the other week and it's wild. The A-side is written by Johnny Cash and features Lorrie without Larry growling her way through a heavily produced, down-tempo minor-key weird-out with whip-cracking sound effects and wordless female chorus over a menacing bass line that's creepy as hell - Wanda Jackson's "Funnel Of Love" played at half-speed is all I can bring to mind to compare it to. At least as odd as the Captain above, and a whole lot sexier.
