This was a cheap purchase from Harborough Market a couple of weeks ago, continuing my frugal examination of the Lambchop back catalogue. My first grumble about this one is the CD packaging, while the tracing paper biro sketch of what appears to be a sex orgy (one side too graphic for Discogs to show), unless it gives some basic details about the album, it's style over function. This album seems a bit heavier in country and western themes than previous albums, alongside a few

My introduction to this was the 1975 Ken Russell film, which we all dashed to see on release, and it was only later that I borrowed (and of course, taped) the album from a friend. I picked the CD album up in a sale much, much later - this version being the 1996 reissue. I think it still stands up today, even if only as a naive attempt by a young man to do something a little more than the standard ten song album, and create something bigger than the band had previously done. F

A couple of quid in Harborough Market was the asking price for this 30th anniversary reissue (issued 27 years after in 2002!) of the mighty Crim's live album from 1975. Recorded in Asbury Park, NJ and Providence, RI during the band's USA tour, this was released following Fripp's disbandment of the group in early 1975. Opening with an excerpt from Fripp's No Pussyfooting collaboration with Eno as the band take the stage, we kick off with a splendidly raucous version of Larks T

This is yet another solo Paul Weller album in poor condition, which was clearly pennies in a boot fair long ago. Given the state of the digipack, I was more than a little surprised to find it plays perfectly. I've previously suggested that, like me, lots of 1970s Jam fans bought the Weller albums, but weren't convinced by them. This album hasn't done much to convince me. Don't get me wrong, there are some lovely songs here, but nothing with the impact of a Going Underground.

Another Wednesday afternoon at Harborough Market, and another interesting selection of CDs at a mere £3 each, starting with this. Taj Mahal is a name I've heard as being 'influential', but never previously investigated. However, convinced by the presence of Ry Cooder, I decided to take a chance. This is a straightforward album of blues standards. I'm not particularly a fan of blues music, but when it's as well done as this, I'm finding it irresistible. From the start, Sleepy

This is the second of Scott Walker's solo albums (as the name implies) and one which I own as part of a Classic Albums 5 CD set. As on the previous album, Scott, this collection contains a mixture of covers, interpretations and a couple of original songs. While Walker's voice is so lovely that it would be worthwhile listening to him singing a shopping list in monotone, some of these songs have much more impact than others, the weakest being only memorable for Walker's deliver

This is one I've long enjoyed as a performance, but never really listened to the individual songs in any depth. The premise is that this is a small cabaret/jazz club performance just Tom and a small band, doing a live show, a few songs and lots of spiel and jokes between them. This is only partly true. Certainly it was recorded as live, in front of a small invited audience in the Record Plant studio in Los Angeles, but in two sessions across four days. Nevertheless, it's a ma

I have no idea where or when I picked this up, but it was certainly a deliberate replacement for the LP plus 12" I bought from the record stall in Folkestone Market round about the time of release. This CD is a 2001 reissue, with a plethora of additions to the original album. I've long admired Pete Wylie, self-styled Part Time Rock Star, Full Time Legend, and will defend his ability to write a classic pop song to anyone. He is also capable of writing some ...er, less than cla

This is the Velvets' third album and their first without founding member John Cale, who had been replaced by Doug Yule. I don't recall buying this (but I assume by the usual route - cheap in charity shop / boot fair), nor ever previously listening to it. It's a much gentler album than the debut (the only other one I know), with all the songs written by Lou Reed. Opener Candy Says is a decent song, although I don't find Doug Yule's delivery convincing, and it's followed by the

I've seen Theo Travis perform under a number of guises. Firstly guesting with In Cahoots and Hatfield And The North at the Mean Fiddler in London in 2005, as sax player for Gong in 2009, and more recently in his current day job with Soft Machine. But the best performance of all was upstairs in Pizza Express in Maidstone, in a small dining crowd, purchasing this CD from the man himself after the show. I didn't get it autographed, mostly because I didn't want to and because his

I've no idea where or when I picked this up. It's Richard Thompson's first solo outing following the personal and professional break up with Linda Thompson, and falls fairly and squarely into the folk-rock genre, accompanied as he is by several Fairport friends, as well as John Kirkpatrick on accordion and concertina, which play a big part in this album's sound. Sadly, there isn't too much to get excited about. Nothing's awful, but really strong songs are few and far between.

Back in the olden days, when CDs were expensive, and video rental was a thing, a couple of video shops also rented out CDs (£1 for 3 days as I recall). It's from one of these that I first encountered this album in the early 1990s, and when I saw it cheap, eventually snapped it up. Dark isn't the word for this album. Dealing with the seamier side of his psyche, and not pulling his punches, Matt Johnson provides heartfelt music with uncompromising lyrics on the dysfunctional si

While I lost patience with Bongo and The Hedge at the point where they seemed to have a messianic complex, I'd always had it in my head that there was much to be enjoyed in their early albums, and I'll certainly defend the live Under A Blood Red sky as a fine listen. So, for a quid at a boot fair, the band's debut album seemed a fair prospect. Reader, prepare for disappointment. It kicks off just fine. I Will Follow is a powerful, solid rock opening which promises much. Sadly

I don't normally do best of/greatest hits albums, but having waited too long to find The Cure's debut album going cheap, I took advantage of this one, full of the early singles, for a quid in a charity shop. It's a fine document of the band's first few singles, with an opening run of 'classics that were never hits), all minimal and fantastic - Boys Don't Cry, 10:15 Saturday Night, Boys Don't Cry (got to No 22) and Jumping Someone Else's Train. From the second album, there's p

This was Sylvian's first solo album for 12 years, which followed some abortive collaborations with Ryuchi Sakamoto. I have it in my head that I bought this in a second hand CD shop in Belgium, although that may be an entirely fabricated memory. The album opens with the lovely, languid, but possibly overlong I Surrender (the last thing of Sylvian's to trouble the Top 40 singles chart), followed by the brief Dobro #1, a short song with just Sylvian and Bill Frisell on dobro, de

Sugar was Bob Mould's second band (after Husker Du), but one where he clearly led, writing all the material and producing. I wasn't aware of the band (nor of Mould) until after the band finished, but they were a fantastic discovery. The band have reformed in 2026, and will play US gigs in the autumn. Let's hope for some UK dates to follow. This mini-album (six tracks, just over half an hour) followed six months after their debut, Copper Blue, and has a darker, heavier sound t

This is another one picked up at the weekend in Harborough Market, an addition to the Yes albums of the 1970s which I grew up with. Many regard this one highly, and very few rankings of Yes albums have anything outside the 1970-76 period in their top five. While there are nine songs on the album, in reality there are only four band songs, and five (one from each band member) solo compositions/indulgences. So, the main courses first - opener Roundabout became a live favourite,

A waste of talent and electricity, was John Peel's verdict of ELP's debut Isle of Wight concert, following the formation of the prog supergroup from members of The Nice, King Crimson and Atomic Rooster. Nevertheless, the band were an important part of my early teenage experience and grounding in the art of prog. And on seeing the CD for a couple of quid in Harborough Market, I decided to revisit their debut album. It kicks off with the bombastic The Barbarian (which coinciden

I don't always check the condition of a CD before buying it, and sometimes this works against me. So, imagine my annoyance at opening this (bought from nice man' CD stall at Harborough Market) and discovering a CDR of two different albums. However the real CD was beneath this, and I wouldn't have bought it if I'd opened it and checked, so it worked this time. I first heard this album back in the 1970s, after borrowing it from a friend, and quite enjoying it while feeling it w

Five years on from the debut album which painted the Stone Roses as the saviours of rock'n'roll, with the weight of expectation on their shoulders, the band released this album. It was bought by the bucketload, and 30 years later is available for very little at your local charity shop, which is where I picked it up. So, did the Roses save rock'n'roll? Well, I think we all know the answer to that. Was this album the disappointment many feel the band served up? I think that dep