The Curious Mystery:

Rotting Slowly:(2009)

There's a dreamy David Lynch quality to the atmosphere of this album. It kind of wraps itself around you, and makes you think, "If I stare hard enough out this window I might see a different world." The conversational lyrics remind me a bit of Jandek, only sung by smokey voices. The music is like a 60's Indie Rock take on Godspeed You! Black Emperor. 

Xavier Cugat and his Orchestra:

Cha Cha Cha:(1955)

Viva Cugat!:(1961)

As I've mentioned before, thrift store, junk store, garage sale shopping for records is what I love most. Diggin' in dusty moldy piles of old vinyl, not knowing what I'll find. Sometimes, I don't find anything I'm interested in, sometimes I find things I've been wanting, and other times I find things I never knew I wanted. And I'll take a chance on something I don't know about because its price is nominal. So was the case when I found my first Xavier Cugat record, Viva Cugat! This is some killer big band Latin Jazz. 

Crow:

Crow Music:(1969)

I always wanted this album to be better than it is... Seems like they were going for a Steppenwolf/Black Sabbath/Zeppelin thing. It has moments of being cool, but then some of the production choices border on, if not crossing fully over to Spinal Tap cheeseville. Really, it just feels like they were trying too hard. However, I dig the album artwork. And with my affinity for crows, I love the name.

Bing Crosby:

Greatest Hits:(1977)

There's a lot of things that make Bing Crosby significant in the history of music. In addition to his being a pop sensation in the 1940s, his vocal style was pioneering, and only made possible by the coming of better microphones that allowed a singer to not have to project over the band. This relaxed style would be adopted by many crooners after Bing. His versions of Blue Skies, and Don't Fence Me In are some of my favorites. And who could imagine Christmas without White Christmas?

Seasons:(1977)

The final album Bing ever recorded before death claimed him. And yet, his voice is strong, considering he had been dealing with a fungal infection of a lung during this time. I find it interesting to hear artists perform songs in old age that they originally did when they were much younger, like April Showers on this album. In '77 Crosby performed his final concert on August 16th, the night Elvis died. 

Crosby, Stills, Nash & sometimes Young:

Crosby, Stills & Nash:(1969)

Deja Vu:(1970)

4 Way Street:(1971)

Graham Nash David Crosby:(1972)

So Far:(1974)

CSN:(1977)

Hmm, let's see. Where to begin with this group of albums? I own three vinyl copies of Deja Vu. One of the first five or so albums I bought myself as a kid, along with Bob Dylan, The Stones, and The Byrds was, So Far. This was also one of the groups that inspired and informed my politics in a big open armed socialist hippie kind of way. Not to mention, these dudes could sing their asses off. But some of my favorite bits are when Neil Young and Stephen Stills get to exchanging guitar solos, then magic happens. Every time I'm about to walk into a hair appointment I start singing Almost Cut My Hair in the dark corners of my mind. These songs, sung by these people are so much a part of my life that even when I haven't listened to them for years I feel instantly at home when one of them comes on, or I drop the needle in the groove.

Jim Croce:

I Got A Name:(1973)

The Faces I've Been:(1975)

Time In A Bottle:(1976)

As a kid I sang in that high pitched little kid way to almost anything on the radio. One car ride while a Jim Croce cassette was playing, and probably more than a little annoyed by their kid singing in this high pitched voice, my folks asked, "Hey, have you ever tried singing in a lower voice?" The next song that came on the tape I relaxed my throat and sang in a timbre much closer to Mr. Croce, and that was the day I started learning my adult voice. So, what does Jim Croce's music mean to me? I'm not sure, it's so ingrained in my childhood, and early life that I can't separate things. 

Marshall Crenshaw:

Marshall Crenshaw:(1982)

A pop record from a time when "Pop" didn't feel like a dirty word. It's a hard mark to hit to sound as youthfully naive, and yet insightful as Marshall Crenshaw sounds on his debut album. And the production is as bright as the album cover. I first heard Crenshaw on the short lived music based TV show, Live From The House of Blues in the early 90's, I've been a fan ever since. Key tracks here are: Someday, Someway and Rockin' Around in NYC.