The Kinsey Report "Edge Of The City" 1987***

I recently came across this album on an internet piece called 10 forgotten blues rock albums from the 1980s that deserve another listen. And I thought... forgotten, yes, indeed, I really had forgotten I had it. And...does it? deserve another listen? Well, since I'm going to do it anyway, so why not present it on my blog? I'll start from the name: The Kinsey Report was a groundbreaking, taboo-busting scientific research on human sexual behavior - I learned about it, like many others I guess, when the biopic of the same-named scientist came out (featuring Liam Neeson, well worth watching I thought at the time). And it has absolutely nothing to do with this album, except that the 3/4 of the band are brothers Donald (guitar & vocals), Kenneth (bass), and Ralph (drums) Kinsey. Second guitarist Ron Prince is the fourth musketeer. Also, sex is one of the subjects negotiated here. But, of course it is; what popular music album isn't about sex, even a little bit? Fun fact: 97% of the thousands of subjects participating in Dr.Kinsey's research reported experiencing sexual thoughts and fantasies in their daily life. So, if you're writing songs, it's going to get in there. Of course relationships (especially broken ones) are a big subject matter for the blues, as are sexual innuedos e.g. "Back Door Man" (in this case an original composition, not the old Willie Dixon number). At least The Kinseys mix it up with social commentary e.g. on the funky "Poor Man's Relief" and atmospheric inner city blues "Full Moon On Main Street". Re-listening to this LP, I must admit that its good reputation is well deserved - and, at the same time, that it's not surprising that it's "forgotten". The reason being that it's way too similar to other (good) blues records from the same period that I have in my collection; e.g. the funky "I Can't Let You Go" reminds me of Robert Cray, while "Got To Pay Someday" kicks off with hard rock guitar a la Gary Moore; "Come To Me" and the upbeat "Give Me What I Want" are closer to the style of Stevie Ray Vaughan. There's also clean, B.B. King-like rhythm and blues ("Lucky Charm") and, of course, some "blue" blues, that is slow pieces with atmospheric guitar and smoky late-night vibes, like "Answering Machine", "The Game Of Love", and "Full Moon On Main Street". In any case, while the music isn't terribly original, it's very well played: Donald Kinsey (who had previously played with Bob Marley and Albert King) is a soulful vocalist and a talented guitarist, while the production retains a bit of raw authenticity - which wasn't a given in the 80's when even legends like B.B. King made boring generic pop-blues LPs burdened by overpolished and levelling production. Thankfully, Alligator Records managed to avoid the worst pitfalls; most of their albums that I have from that era (by Albert Collins, Koko Taylor, Johnny Winter, Lonnie Mack etc) are gritty electric blues. Edge Of The City is an, above average, example of that sound.

**** for Poor Man's Relief, Got To Pay Someday, Give Me What I Want, Full Moon On Main Street, Lucky Charm, Back Door Man

*** for I Can't Let You Go, Answering Machine, The Game Of Love, Come To Me

The Rolling Stones "Reggae 'N' Roll" (rec.1975, release 1978?)****

Back to the subject of rare recordings that I have and are being made more readily available, I have this RS bootleg, subtitled "The Stones in Studio with Jeff Beck". Now, I know that the new Black And Blue reissue contains outtakes featuring Jeff Beck, so does that include what I have here? Apart from "Sexy Night", which is retitled "I Love Ladies", there are also three jams featuring Jeff Beck on the Deluxe edition of the new reissue, but the titles are different ("Blues Jam", "Rotterdam Jam" and "Freeway Jam") so who knows? Back to the sessions for Black And Blue, Mick Taylor had just quit The Stones feeling creatively stifled, as well as unable to follow the others' frantic pace of non-stop gigging and partying. So the band reconvened in Rotterdam and Munich to try out new material and audition guitarists. Among those considered: Peter Frampton, Steve Marriott, Harvey Mandel, Wayne Perkins, Robert A. Johnson, Ronnie Wood, Rory Gallagher, and Jeff Beck. Clapton was apparently also there, but doesn't seem to have recorded anything or to have been seriously considered. Perkins, Mandel, and of course Wood, can be heard on the final album. Marriott also being a singer, was vetoed by Jagger. Gallagher impressed everyone and was leading the race, but had to go off on a Japanese tour; when he came back, the seat was filled. Later he recognized a riff he played during his audition as the main riff on "Start Me Up", released a few years later on Tattoo You (1981). It's not surprising, as The Stones hadn't written any new songs for that album, raiding their archives for any useable half-finished stuff instead. Two more outtakes from the Black and Blue sessions appearing on Tattoo You were "Worried About You" (here under the title "Sometimes I Wonder Why") and "Slave" (here in an instrumental version under the title "Black 'N' Blue Jam"). The former is a nice ballad with a falsetto vocal by Jagger, a bit too similar to "Fool To Cry", which explains why it wasn't included on Black And Blue. According to Wikipedia, the solos are played by Wayne Perkins, not Beck - but then, they may have tried it with different guitarists during their Rotterdam residency. The latter is a funky jam with lots of organ, quite good, and showing a different direction for the band. As is relaxed instrumental "Reggae 'N' Roll", apparently also known from other bootlegs as "Munich Reggae". "Back To The Country" aka "Cellophane Trousers" is another, more rock'n'roll, instrumental and "Memory Motel" a shorter instrumental version of the track that ended on the finished album. "Sexy Nite" is a slow funky piece with a falsetto vocal - the version on the 2025 Black and Blue deluxe reissue is obviously heavily overdubbed, with better sound. But that's not to say that this bootleg suffers in the sound quality department. After all, it's not an amateur concert recording: it was recorded on the RS' own mobile studio. The last song "Come On Sugar" (aka "Let's Do It Right") may probably be the best unreleased RS song (well, after "Cocksucker's Blues" of course). It is a very danceable funk jam with Jagger on top form, as is everyone really. Does Jeff Beck play guitar here, too? I wouldn't know; I think that the title is misleading; probably he plays on some, but not all, of the tracks here. Truth is, he found The Stones' rock'n'roll playing style rather limited (he was in his virtuoso jazz phase at the time) and elected to continue his solo career. In the end, The Stones chose to go with Beck's former bandmate (he played bass in The Jeff Beck Group) Ronnie Wood, mostly because he was an English lad, and a member of a similarly hard-partying band, The Faces. Now, this bootleg is (probably) a Dutch release, but I've never seen it in all the years I've been living here. Instead, I found it in Tokyo. I'm not a big fan of bootlegs, given their questionable sound quality, but the price (I think slightly over ¥1000, so less than €10) and my curiosity as to what a combination of The Stones and Jeff Beck would sound like, convinced me to get it. Which was a good choice, because I love the masterful playing and relaxed vibe of it - you can really tell that the lads are enjoying themselves. I might even like this bootleg better than certain official RS albums.

**** for Sometimes I Wonder Why, Memory Motel, Sexy Nite, Black 'N' Blue Jam, Come On Sugar 

*** for Reggae 'N' Roll, Back To The Country

Buckingham Nicks "Buckingham Nicks" 1973 (orig)***

I resent the fact that this album was re-released 4 months ago, and now looks at me from the front window of every record store in the world. I do, because it was among the rarest albums in my collection. I mean, a pre-fame LP by Buckingham and Nicks, the duo behind Fleetwood Mac's transformation from white blues copyists to huge pop stars? One that fell between the cracks and hadn't been reissued for 50 years, only heard by a select few, one of which was myself? What was I thinking, not presenting it when I could gloat that I am a proud owner of such a rarity? Now, even Limb Mary has a copy - I'm told it sold 30.000 copies in the first week of its release, in US alone. I will present it now, but I'll drop a star because it's become so common. This isn't one of those albums I ever sought after; I just happened upon it, which is one of those moments that make physical record hunting so much more satisfying than online buying. I used to work in a dental practice in The Hague, and had noticed an address on googlemaps with a title like Whatsitsname Records, a few blocks away. When I was mapping the city's record shops for this blog I went by and couldn't find the place, but on a day with nice weather that I had finished work early I decided to take a walk and make another try. This time I happened to catch it open, or at least the door was open; it was just a private house with no sign on the door. Doesn't function like a record store, the guy probably only sells online or at record fairs. The front room had a couch, some audio equipment and stacks of records, mostly techno 12'. The owner told me there were more records in the back, and indeed there were more stacks: electronic music, but also a lot of funk and disco which I mostly didn't recognise, as well as a few pop-rock ones. At first glance, the nude album cover looked like a typical 70's disco LP, but when I saw the names and looked closer at the couple's faces, I realized these were Lindsay Buckingham and Stevie Nicks from Fleetwood Mac. I knew that they used to perform together before they joined Mac, and I may have known but forgotten that they had ever released an LP as a duo. Because, if it was any good, it would be right up there with their later work, right? I nevertheless knew that I had a rarity in my hands, and being a fan of Rumours-era Mac, I was eager to hear how they started. So, I asked about the price, and it was a surprisingly modest €20 or something.

So I payed, went back home and put the record on my turntable. I had no preconception, but because of the duo format I kind of expected a collection of acoustic ballads or something similar. So it was a very pleasant surprise when the opener "Crying In The Night" sounded like an outtake of Rumours-era Fleetwood Mac; a smooth soft-rock ballad with Stevie's characteristic voice and nice harmonies, it's followed by a charming acoustic guitar piece called "Stephanie". "Without A Leg To Stand On" is  pleasant but unremarkable, it somewhat reminded me of 70s Kinks. The next track "Crystal" sounded familiar - the reason being, that it was revived by Fleetwood Mac after the couple joined them. This first version has a more typical Californian sound, reminiscent of Linda Ronstadt and The Eagles. It's followed by "Long Distance Winner" which to my ears sounds more proggish, Supertramp-like. No piano solos of course, but masterful electric guitar by Lindsey. Side 2 opens with one of their louder  rockers "Don’t Let Me Down Again". To me, it sounds like a precursor to "You Can Go Your Own Way" off Rumours. "Django" is another wistful instrumental showcasing Lindsey's guitar chops, while "Races Are Won" is a typical folk-rock ballad with country-ish harmonies, and "Lola (My Love)" a Southern blues with nice slide guitar. The album closes with another winner "Frozen Love" which encapsulates everything that's great about 70's rock: the smoothness of the West Coast sound, intricate folk harmonies, and prog rock intricacy, all spread over 7+ minutes. It was Lindsey Buckingham's guitar work on this track that made Mick Fleetwood invite him to join the band as lead guitarist. He insisted on bringing Stevie along, and that was the start of Fleetwood Mac's rise to stardom. Neither Mac nor Buckingham Nicks could have done it alone, but the combination of their songwriting and musical talents created pop genious. This album may not be up there with their best moments, but it's very, very good, and contains the seeds of their later success. The nude cover, I personally find very tasteful and concordant with the confessional nature of the lyrics, but I recently read a Stevie Nicks interview where she said she felt too awkward and embarassed by it. Who knew she was such a prude? Lastly, a word about the musicianship and production: it's no surprise that it sounds as good as it does, when you look at the credits: producer Keith Olsen, who later produced so many hits for mainstream artists, and studio aces like drummer Jim Keltner (Bob Dylan, Eric Clapton, solo Beatles), guitarist Waddy Wachtel (Rolling Stones, Warren Zevon, etc), and bassist Jerry Scheff (Elvis, The Doors, etc) - really the cream of the California session musicians. Highly recommended: 4* for my ® copy, 3* for yours. I don't care if yours is 180 gram colored vinyl, has booklets or other extras - I had it first. There!

**** for Crying In The Night, Crystal, Long Distance Winner, Don’t Let Me Down Again, Django, Frozen Love

*** for Stephanie, Without A Leg To Stand On, Races Are Won, Lola (My Love)

Various Artists "Raks Raks Raks: 17 Golden Garage Psych Nuggets From the Iranian 60s Scene" 2009(comp)****

Right now the situation in Iran is really bad; a protest that started from the market, initially because of economic grievances, has turned into a nationwide rebellion against everything the theocratic dictatorship stands for. Paramilitary types shoot in the midst of the demonstrations, killing 100's of civilians. Expat Iranian friends of mine are living in constant fear for their friends and relatives still living there: all internet connections in the country are severed, as is telephone communication from abroad. One the other hand, they feel a glimmer of hope: how much longer can a corrupt and incompetent government keep imposing themselves on an unwilling public? surely this time it should collapse under the weight of the people's righteous anger? Maybe the West (i.e. Trump) will help? For my part, I'm both hopeful and fearful of change. Hopeful that this attrocious dictatorship will at last come to its end, fearful that its end may cause Iran to deteriorate into a Syria-like civil war between multiple factions. When people are bereft of freedom for so long, they sometimes tend to forget how to arrive to decisions through mutual respect, open discussion, negotiation, and compromise. Factor in all the power-hungry world leaders and multinational corporations eager to steer the boat their way in order to get their hands on the country's natural resources, and one sees how precarious it all is. Anyway, earlier in the week when all this begun, I took out this compilation and played it a few times, to remind myself that things used to be different and may again change to the better. That, far from being a bunch of religious fanatics as the regime wants us to think, the people are as fun- and freedom- loving as anyone in the West. 

When this album was first released back in '09, it was greeted with disbelief; such is the isolation that the theocratic regime has imposed on its citizens that we couldn't conceive of rock music ever being produced in Iran. Well, what do you know? Not only did Iran have a vibrant club scene in pre-revolutionary times, it still has, even though it's all been pushed underground and young people run the risk of being arrested or worse just for attending an unlisenced rock concert - especially if it involves dancing and women removing their hijab, which they do immediately when they are in a safe indoors space. Back in the 60's though, the country was undergoing a "modernization" phase, although not a democratic one: the regime was an absolute monarchy, and prisons were full of dissidents, but otherwise a distancing from Islamic customs and towards Western ones was encouraged; the Shah for example would enjoy private performances of contemporary Rolling Stones hits by local bands like The Sinners. Who aren't included in this compilation, but we have many others... crucially The Golden Ring, who according to internet sources were the most popular and longest-lived Iranian rock band. Now, the CD version of this compilation contains 27 tracks instead of 17, and comes with a booklet with info about the bands; my own vinyl LP didn't contain any inserts so unfortunately there's very little information I can impart. The internet was minimally helpful; for example, I found out that Kourosh's "Akhm Nakan" wasn't released in the 60's but in 1974, and that the singer's full name is Kourosh Yaghmaei, sometimes refered to as the Persian "king of rock". His reign was short indeed, as he only managed to release a handful of singles before being banned from playing any kind of music in 1979; that ban lasted for 17 years, but even after it was lifted he was not allowed to record anything that contained electric guitars or sounded even remotely like rock. "Akhm Nakan" definitevely does sound like 1968 UK psych-funk-hard rock, with great bass breaks and pounding drums, but a non-Western sensibility in the vocals; I thought he sounded a bit like Anatolian rocker Cem Karaca, but it could be the singer's giant moustache that clicked something in my brain. This song is followed by one of very few English-language tracks here, as well as the only one with female lead vocals: a cover of Aretha's "Respect" sung by another icon of Persian music, Googoosh. Googoosh was a hugely popular singer and actress before the revolution, but she, too, was prohibited to sing publicly. She resurfaced after leaving the country in 2000, and is now one of the prominent voices of the Iranian diaspora. Her performance here is extremely energetic, while the band plays somewhat looser and jazzier than in the original American version of the song. Another English-language track is the closer "I Need Somebody To Love" by Shabah, a ballad with saccharine harmonies. A third one might be The Rebels' "Indian Rebels" - I mean, I think I discern some English words but I'm not 100% sure, such is the quality of the recording and accent of the singers. I like it though; it's lo-fi mid-tempo garage rock with a nice surf-like guitar break. In general, irrespective of when these songs were recorded (and I'm pretty sure it was way after the surf craze had passed), Iranian guitarists seemed to derive inspiration from Hank Marvin or The Ventures rather than from Clapton or Hendrix. Especially The Golden Rings; "Bas Ay Dokhtar Ha" is a Ventures-like instrumental with groovy organ, while "Shekar Dar Kohestan" features some wordless vocalizing and loud whistling that reminds me of Ennio Morricone Westerns. Other great instrumentals include Penahi's "Dance-Music" and Littles "4x8 Jadeed". That band, fronted by singer Ebi Littles, has two more songs here: opener "Fatemah Sultan" is a garage-beat cover of a traditional tune, and "Mehtaab" is a moody ballad. Moha Jamin also have 3 tracks here, each one different from the others: "Sheshwa Heshat Moha Jamin" is built around an oriental melody, "Ashk-e Roya-e Bashkohe" is a Zombies-like ballad, and (my favorite) "Raks Raks Raks" a scorching garage rocker that's the equal to any included in the American Nuggets series. Other favorites include The Flowers' garage-psych-folk "Meekshi Manoo" and oriental-exotica psych "Mosh Va Karnah" by Group Sayeed. Lastly, "Dokhtar E Darya" and "Polhaee Shakastah" are a couple of folk-psych ballads. As I mentioned earlier, the CD contains more songs, including Persian-language covers of Ray Charles and Monkeys songs, but it won't be presented here since I only own this compilation on vinyl. In general, this isn't like one of those European garage rock comps where you have Swedish, Portuguese, or Czech bands emulating the sound of The Beatles, Stones, Animals et al. Maybe it's a language thing, but the "ethnic" element is way more pronounced; especially the singing is more complex and playful, sometimes reminiscent of the melismatic Arabic style, others of Indian music. In any case, if you like 60's pop-rock and aren't put out by the strange and exotic sounds of the Farsi language, this LP is full of rare treasures - you may not like all of them, but they're worth your attention.

***** for Moha Jamin - Raks Raks Raks 

**** for Littles - Fatemah Sultan, The Flowers - Meekshi Manoo, Littles - 4x8 Jadeed, Ojooba Ha - Polhaee Shakastah, Penahi - Dance-Music, The Rebels - Indian Rebels, Kourosh - Akhm Nakan, The Golden Ring - Shekar Dar Kohestan

*** for Moha Jamin - Sheshwa Heshat Moha Jamin, Group Takhala La - Dokhtar E Darya, Moha Jamin - Ashk-e Roya-e Bashkohe, The Golden Ring - Bas Ay Dokhtar Ha, Googoosh - Respect, Group Sayeed - Mosh Va Karnah, The Littles - Mehtaab, Shabah - I Need Somebody To Love

P.S. I couldn't resist a comment on the album cover art. There's what seems like a nice geometric motiff in green and red on the sides of the back cover. Only it isn't exactly a purely decorative design: taken from the modern (post-revolutionary) Iranian flag, this is actually a Kufik (calligraphic Arabic) script endlessly repeating the phrase Allahu Akbar (God Is Great). Given that this is most definitely a collection of secular songs by artists persecuted by the theocratic regime, this reads like a bit of a fail.

Larkin Poe "Bloom" 2025***

Only a week ago I wrote I only had one album off the best-of-year lists I published; yet within a couple of days I had gotten myself a second one, Classic Rock's #18, Bloom. I became aware of Larkin Poe a few years ago when I heard the Lovell sisters (Megan & Rebecca) sing backing vocals on an album by ZZ Top's Billy Gibbons. I liked their singing and made a mental note to check out their own work. The two young ladies (still in their early 30's despite being around for 15 years) are Larkin Poe, although there are obviously more musicians involved in recording and touring. They apparently named the band after their great-great-great-great-grandfather, a cousin of Edgar Allan Poe. Music-wise, at least on this album, they don't sound as country as I was expecting; if I was looking for just one word to describe the band's sound, "rootsy" would do much better. It's mostly Southern rock full of soulful vocals, hard rock riffs and bluesy slide guitar while the country element mostly comes out in the ballads, especially when the girls harmonize as in the closing "Bloom Again". Other country-ish ballads include "Little Bit", "Easy Love Pt. 2", and "You Are The River". Then there are some upbeat numbers halfway between gritty blues and commercial country pop: "Mockingbird", "Easy Love Pt. 1", "Fool Outta Me" - the instrumental part rocks, but Rebecca's vocals kind of remind me of Shania Twain - not a bad thing if you're chasing success, but I like her singing best in the grittier, bluesy hard rock, numbers ("Bluephoria", "Nowhere Fast", "If God Is A Woman", "Pearls") with their Beth Hart-meets-the-White Stripes vibe. Had it stayed on this course, this album would have gotten an extra star from me, but as it is there's a wider appeal to it. The production is a bit too polished for my taste, presumeably making it more appealing to commercial country radio, but I can't fault the passionate playing - I especially like the alternating loud sound of the electric guitar and more expressive and soulful slide and pedal steel. In the end, this record ticks a lot of boxes: the lyrics reflect on matters of love and life in general with maturity and insight, and the music will appeal equally to fans of rock, country, and blues. It’s hard to imagine any listener who enjoys those genres feeling let down.

**** for Easy Love Pt. 1, Bluephoria, Easy Love Pt. 2, Nowhere Fast, If God Is A Woman, Pearls, You Are The River

*** for Mockingbird, Little Bit, Fool Outta Me, Bloom Again

R.I.P. 2025

Another year, another difficult list of dead musicians to compile. Among the heavier ones, Brian Wilson, the pop genious behind The Beach Boys, and Ozzy Osbourne whom no-one's ever called a genious, and yet has left a huge mark on rock and heavy metal. Just as influential, albeit in the narrow confines of Greek folk and rock, was the "Greek Dylan" Dionysis Savvopoulos. Other important losses include psychedelic soul wizard Sly Stone, and Marianne Faithfull - a wonderful lady whose voice sent more chills up one's spine as she progressed with age. Also, hugely underrated R&B guitarist Steve Cropper, neo-soul singers Angie Stone and D'Angelo and classic soul legend Roberta Flack, Kiss' spaceman Ace Frehley, reggae pioneer Jimmy Cliff, and so many others who have given us so much. Please take a minute to read through the list, to give  a mental farewell, and to say 

Thanks For The Music 

to:

Brian Wilson (The Beach Boys, 82)

Ozzy Osbourne (Black Sabbath, 76)

Sly Stone (Sly and the Family Stone, 82)

Marianne Faithfull (singer-songwriter, 78)

David Johansen (New York Dolls, 75)

Jimmy Cliff (Reggae singer, 81)

Ace Frehley ("Spaceman", Kiss guitarist, 74)

Dionysis Savvopoulos (Greek singer-songwriter, 80)

Steve Cropper (Booker T. & the M.G.'s/ Blues Brothers, 84)

Brian James (The Damned/ Lords of the New Church, 74)

Mick Ralphs (Mott the Hoople/ Bad Company 81)

Danny Thompson (folk jazz bassist, Pentangle 86)

Jesse Colin Young (The Youngbloods, 83)

Angie Stone (Hip-hop and soul singer, 63)

Roberta Flack (Singer and songwriter, 88)

D'Angelo (soul singer-songwriter, 51)

John Lodge (The Moody Blues, 82)

Roy Ayers (Jazz-funk vibraphonist 84)

Dave Cousins (lead singer, Strawbs)

Chris Dreja (The Yardbirds 79) 

Garth Hudson (The Band 87)

Bill Fay (Singer-songwriter, 81) 

Chris Jasper (The Isley Brothers 73)

Perry Bamonte (The Cure, 65)

Rick Buckler (The Jam, 69)

Sam Rivers (Limp Bizkit, 48)

David Ball (Soft Cell/ The Grid, 66)

Peter Yarrow (Peter, Paul and Mary, 86)

Max Romeo (Jamaican reggae singer, 80)

Sam Moore (Soul duo Sam & Dave 89)

Amadou Bagayoko (of Malian duo Amadou & Mariam 70)

David Thomas (Pere Ubu/ Rocket from the Tombs 71)

Mick Abrahams (Jethro Tull/ Blodwyn Pig, 82)

Mani (The Stone Roses/Primal Scream, 63) 

Dave Allen (Gang of Four, 69)

Mike Peters (The Alarm/ Big Country, 66)

Lalo Schifrin (Argentinian pianist, 93)

Chuck Mangione (Jazz trumpeter, 84)

George Kooymans (Golden Earring, 77)

Clem Burke (drummer of Blondie, 70)

Joe Ely (country singer, 78) 

Chris Rea (Singer-guitarist, 74)

Terry Reid (singer-songwriter, 75)

Larry Tamblyn (The Standells, 82)

James Lowe (The Electric Prunes, 82)

Joseph Byrd (The United States of America, 87)

Serge Fiori (of Canadian prog band Harmonium, 73)

Flaco Jiménez (Texas Tornados/Los Super Seven, 86)

Simon House (Hawkwind violinist/ multi-instrumentalist, 76)

Mark Volman (The Turtles/ Mothers of Invention/ Flo & Eddie 78)

Bobby Whitlock (Derek and the Dominos/ Delaney & Bonnie 77)

Viv Prince (drummer, Pretty Things, The Jeff Beck Group 84)

John Palmer (Family, Blossom Toes, Bakerloo 82)

Rick Davies (singer/keyboardist, Supertramp 81)

Rick Derringer (rock guitarist, The McCoys, 77)

Eddie Palmieri (Jazz pianist, composer 88)

Barry Goldberg (The Electric Flag, 83)

Gabriel Yacoub (Malicorne, 72)

Chad Morgan (Country singer and guitarist, 91)

Sara Surkamp (Pavlov's Dog, 72)

Wayne Osmond (The Osmonds, 73)

Brenton Wood (Soul singer, 83)

Ed Askew (Folk singer, 84)

Bobby Hart (Boyce and Hart, 86)

Stephen Luscombe (Blancmange 70)

Sonny Curtis (The Crickets 88)

Beej Chaney (singer/guitarist of  The Suburbs 68)

Fredrik Lindgren (guitarist of Unleashed/Terra Firma, 53)

Ragne Wahlquist (Heavy Load 69)

P. Fluid a.k.a. Peter Forrest (24-7 Spyz, 64)

Jellybean Johnson (The Time, 69)

Linda Nolan (The Nolans 65)

Ornella Vanoni (Italian singer, 91)

Jamie Muir (King Crimson percussionist, 82)

Edweena Banger (The Nosebleeds/Slaughter & the Dogs, 65)

Sal Maida (bassist for Milk 'N' Cookies/Roxy Music/Sparks 76) 

Brigitte Bardot (French actress/singer, 91)

Gary Grier (60's R&B The Contours)

Bruce Howe (Fraternity 77)

Mungo Jerry (singer 82)

Tommy Hunt (The Flamingos 91)

Snowy Fleet (The Easybeats, 85)

Jerry Butler (The Impressions, 85)

Fred Bekky (Belgian pop group The Pebbles 81)

Linsey Alexander (Blues singer and guitarist, 82)

Robert John (Soft rock singer and songwriter, 79)

Coburn Pharr (Annihilator/ Omen 62)

Joey Molland (Badfinger 77)

Frank Maher (Folk musician 90)

Jeffrey Runnings (For Against 61)

Bob Rupe (Cracker, The Silos 68)

Randy Brown (R&B singer 72)

Troy Seals (singer and songwriter 86)

Danny Cox (singer-songwriter 81)

Bill Ashton (Jazz saxophonist 88)

Les Binks (Judas Priest drummer, 73)

Rob de Nijs (Dutch singer 82)

Rod Clark (The Moody Blues, 82)

Peter Farrelly (Fruupp 76)

Ian Lees (Moving Pictures)

Leanne Cowie (drummer of The Scientists)

Paul "Wags" Wagstaff (Black Grape/ Happy Mondays, 60)

Kevan Staples (of Canadian rockers Rough Trade, 74)

Johnny Tillotson (Singer and songwriter, 86)

Michael Hurley (Folk singer and songwriter, 83)

Mike Berry (English singer and actor 82)

Roger McLachlan (bassist; Little River Band 71)

David Briggs (Keyboardist, 82)

Roy Phillips (The Peddlers, 83)

Freddie Aguilar (Filipino singer-songwriter, 72)

James Baker (The Scientists/ Hoodoo Gurus/ Beasts of Bourbon, 71)

Billy Earheart (Country keyboardist; The Amazing Rhythm Aces, 71)

Larry Lee (The Ozark Mountain Daredevils 78)

Ray Mayhew  (Sigue Sigue Sputnik 60)

Tetsu Yamauchi (Free/ Faces, 79)

Chubby Tavares (Tavares, 80)

Graham Fenton (Matchbox, 76)

Sheila Jordan (Jazz singer 96)

Brent Hinds (Mastodon 51)

John Edwards (The Spinners 80)

Junior Byles (Jamaican reggae singer 77)

Douglas McCarthy (Nitzer Ebb 58)

John Reid (Nightcrawlers 61)

Lou Christie (singer-songwriter 82)

Ron Woodbridge (The Searchers 87)

James Prime (Deacon Blue 64)

Cavin Yarbrough (Yarbrough and Peoples 72)

David L. Hamilton (Pavlov's Dog, 74)

Patrick Walden (Babyshambles, 46)

Connie Francis (Singer and actress 87)

Michael Sumler (Kool & the Gang, 71)

Gigi Canu (Planet Funk 66)

David Kaff (Rare Bird, Spinal Tap 79)

Frank Maffei (Danny & the Juniors 85)

Jock McDonald (Bollock Brothers 69)

Livio Macchia (I Camaleonti 83)

Paul Mario Day (Iron Maiden/More/Wildfire/The Sweet, 69)

Kenny Marco (Canadian guitarist;  Blood, Sweat & Tears 78)

Robert Jaramillo (Cannibal & the Headhunters, 78)

Jim Kimball (Laughing Hyenas/The Jesus Lizard 59)

Chuck Girard (The Castells, The Hondells, 81)

Judy Cheeks (The Ikettes, 71)

Justin Baren (The Redwalls, 40)

Bob "Bongo Starr" Starkie (Skyhooks, 73)

Warren Williams (Australian rock pioneer, 85)

Billy Nichols (Musician and songwriter, 85)

Raul Malo (The Mavericks, 60)

Bruce Loose (Flipper 66)

Atomic Steif (drummer, Sodom 57)

Chris Doheny (Geisha 64) 

Jim McNeely (Jazz composer, pianist 76)

Dave Benton (Spooner guitarist, 77)

Paul Van Bruystegem (Triggerfinger, 66)

Terry "Buzzy" Johnson (The Flamingos, 86)

Thommy Price (drummer, Blue Öyster Cult/Scandal, 68)

Ian Watkins (Lostprophets 48)

Dave Burgess (The Champs, 90)

Marcie Free (King Kobra, Unruly Child, 71)

Vivian Jones (reggae singer, 68)

Andrew Metcalfe (Sound of Guns)

Scott Sorry (Amen/ The Wildhearts, 47)

Ray Drummond (Jazz bassist, bandleader 78)

Donna Jean Godchaux (singer, Grateful Dead 78)

Victor Conte (Pure Food and Drug Act, Tower of Power; 75)

Todd Snider (singer-songwriter, 59)

Thomas Klein (Warrant, 59)

Gilson Lavis (Squeeze, 74)

Hilly Michaels (Sparks, 77)

End Of The Year Retrospectives, 2025

It's always been a favorite December ritual of mine to browse the end-of-the-year lists of music magazines, see which albums made the best-of lists, which had escaped my attention, and plan future additions to my record collection. Nowadays I only buy two magazines, Mojo and Uncut, but I keep including Classic Rock in my end of the year retrospective because it offers a very different viewpoint to the other two. Those always have a lot in common, including -this year- their no.1: Pulp's return to discography after 20+ years is entitled more, and it's a great reminder of what we had been missing all this time; I especially liked the track included in the MOJO sampler, the Gainsbourg-esque "My Sex". Tellingly, this is one of only 4 entries that all 3 magazines have in common. The second one is another 90s favorite, Suede (#2 for MOJO, #3 Uncut, #37 CR). This is their 5th since their reunion (in 2013, after a 10+ year hiatus); I regret to say I haven't followed them at all post-reunion, even though I liked their initial 5-album run a lot. They keep getting great reviews, and "June Rain" (included in the Uncut sampler) proves they're as adept as ever in Bowie-like melodrama. The third one I expected: a collaboration of Robert Plant with Suzi Dian, reminiscent of the former Zeppelin's great collaborative albums with Alison Krauss, only this time there's a bit more psychedelia mixed in with the folk and blues influences. The fourth one I never saw coming: the newest Neil Young LP, entitled Talkin to the Trees. I hadn't even registered it when it came out, because let's face it, the guy releases one or two LPs every year for at least the last four decades. You just know they're going to be good, and you also know they'll be more of the same.Van Morrison is another ultra-prolific veteran whose newest album is supposedly a return to form. CMAT is the newest Irish sensation from a country with a very active scene during the last years, while also of interest is an LP by proggers Cardiacs making the list (#51 Uncut, #29 CR) even though their leader Tim Smith has been dead for 5 years. If I'm not mistaken, the only CD I own which is also on this list is Wet Leg's Moisturizer; I enjoyed it as much as I did their debut, even though it didn't go as high in the end-of-the-year ratings. Two other albums on these lists, I've only ever heard played live: John Fogerty's update of his Creedence catalogue, and The Waterboys' concept album based on the life of actor Dennis Hopper: The last time I saw the band a couple of months ago, they played the whole thing live, and I thought it sounded very interesting. Classic Rock, as always, live in a world of their own; one where the return of the original Alice Cooper band (The Revenge Of Alice Cooper, on #2), is a significant event, and where a title like All Washed Up (Cheap Trick, #4) doesn't carry an uncomfortable whiff of truth about it. Their top choice though (Steven Wilson's The Overview) did get uniformly good reviews.

UNCUT MAGAZINE 1. More (Pulp), 2. Instant Holograms on Metal Film (Stereolab), 3. Antidepressants (Suede), 4. Bleeds (Wednesday), 5. End of the Middle (Richard Dawson), 6. New Threats from the Soul (Ryan Davis & the Roadhouse Band), 7. Interior Live Oak (Cass McCombs), 8. Twilight Override (Jeff Tweedy), 9. Sable, Fable (Bon Iver), 10. Saving Grace (Robert Plant with Suzi Dian), 11. Lotus (Little Simz), 12. Planting by the Signs (S.G. Goodman), 13. Time Indefinite (William Tyler), 14. Caroline 2 (caroline), 15. The Heat Warps (Modern Nature), 16. Alan Sparhawk with Trampled by Turtles (Alan Sparhawk and Trampled by Turtles), 17. Double Infinity (Big Thief), 18. Strawberries (Robert Forster), 19. Allbarone (Baxter Dury), 20. Foxes in the Snow (Jason Isbell), 21. Glory (Perfume Genius), 22. Touch (Tortoise), 23. The Universe Will Take Care of You (Holden & Zimpel), 24. Weirdo (Emma-Jean Thackray), 25. Phonetics On and On (Horsegirl), 26. The Land We Knew the Best (Chris Eckman), 27. Find El Dorado (Paul Weller), 28. International (Saint Etienne), 29. Getting Killed (Geese), 30. Inland See (Bitchin Bajas), 31. Exploding Trees & Airplane Screams (Patterson Hood), 32. Humanhood (The Weather Station), 33. That’s the Price of Loving Me (Dean Wareham), 34. Remembering Now (Van Morrison), 35. Get Sunk (Matt Berninger), 36. Crooked Wing (These New Puritans), 37. Antigone (Eiko Ishibashi), 38. Mr. Luck And Ms. Doom (The Delines), 39. What Did the Blackbird Say to the Crow (Rhiannon Giddens & Justin Robinson), 40. Cotton Crown (The Tubs), 41. Real Warmth (Joan Shelley), 42. The Purple Bird (Bonnie “Prince” Billy), 43. Hard Headed Woman (Margo Price), 44. Can't Lose My (Soul) (Annie and the Caldwells), 45. Life, Death and Dennis Hopper (The Waterboys), 46. Michelangelo Dying (Cate Le Bon), 47. Nation Shall Speak Unto Nation (Edwyn Collins), 48. From Newman Street (Kassi Valazza), 49. Essex Honey (Blood Orange), 50. Moisturizer (Wet Leg), 51. LSD (Cardiacs), 52. Euro-Country (CMAT), 53. In Limerence (Jacob Alon), 54. It’s a Beautiful Place (Water From Your Eyes), 55. Headlights (Alex G), 56. A Sober Conversation (BC Camplight), 57. Pentimento (Carson McHone), 58. Sad and Beautiful World (Mavis Staples), 59. Blurrr (Joanne Robertson), 60. Desert Window (Lucy Gooch), 61. Who Is the Sky? (David Byrne), 62. Héritage (Songhoy Blues), 63. Luminal (Beatie Wolfe and Brian Eno), 64. Figure In Blue (Charles Lloyd), 65. Utopia (Gwenno), 66. Pinball Wanderer (Andy Bell), 67. Tall Tales (Mark Pritchard and Thom Yorke), 68. Mulatu Plays Mulatu (Mulatu Astatke), 69. Sinister Grift (Panda Bear), 70. Daylight Daylight (Steve Gunn), 71. Sharon Van Etten & the Attachment Theory (Sharon Van Etten & the Attachment Theory), 72. Talkin to the Trees (Neil Young and the Chrome Hearts), 73. Tether (Annahstasia), 74. Forever Howlong (Black Country, New Road), 75. Wolf of St Elmo (Slow Motion Cowboys), 76. Begging The Night To Take Hold (Emma Pollock), 77. Is (My Morning Jacket), 78. Never Enough (Turnstile), 79. Pequena Vertigem de Amor (Sessa), 80. Transform Me Then Into a Fish (Martin Carthy)

MOJO MAGAZINE 1. More (Pulp), 2. Antidepressants (Suede), 3. Euro-Country (CMAT), 4. Double Infinity (Big Thief), 5. Can't Lose My (Soul) (Annie and the Caldwells), 6. Instant Holograms on Metal Film (Stereolab), 7. Strawberries (Robert Forster), 8. Cotton Crown (The Tubs), 9. The Collapse of Everything (Adrian Sherwood), 10. Moisturizer (Wet Leg), 11. Find El Dorado (Paul Weller), 12. Alan Sparhawk with Trampled by Turtles (Alan Sparhawk and Trampled by Turtles), 13. Lotus (Little Simz), 14. End of the Middle (Richard Dawson), 15. Sad and Beautiful World (Mavis Staples), 16. Saving Grace (Robert Plant with Suzi Dian), 17. Twilight Override (Jeff Tweedy), 18. Weirdo (Emma-Jean Thackray), 19. Tall Tales (Mark Pritchard and Thom Yorke), 20. Interior Live Oak (Cass McCombs), 21. Allbarone (Baxter Dury), 22. Lay Low (Eddie Chacon), 23. A Bridge To Far (Midlake), 24. The Bad Fire (Mogwai), 25. Remembering Now (Van Morrison), 26. Phonetics On and On (Horsegirl), 27. Who Is the Sky? (David Byrne), 28. Michelangelo Dying (Cate Le Bon), 29. In Limerence (Jacob Alon), 30. International (Saint Etienne), 31. Critical Thinking (Manic Street Preachers), 32. Getting Killed (Geese), 33. Foxes in the Snow (Jason Isbell), 34. Sable, Fable (Bon Iver), 35. The Purple Bird (Bonnie “Prince” Billy), 36. Begging The Night To Take Hold (Emma Pollock), 37. Totality (Natural Information Society and Bitchin Bajas), 38. Love Made Trees (Loaded Honey), 39. Only Frozen Sky Anyway (Jonathan Richman), 40. Sinister Grift (Panda Bear), 41. Sharon Van Etten & the Attachment Theory (Sharon Van Etten & the Attachment Theory), 42. The Overview (Steven Wilson), 43. A Sober Conversation (BC Camplight), 44. Daybreak (Sven Wunder), 45. Metalhorse (Billy Nomates), 46. Heavy Metal (Cameron Winter), 47. Tell Dem It's Sunny (Greentea Peng), 48. Love Chant (The Lemonheads), 49. So Kono (Salif Keita), 50. Hard Headed Woman (Margo Price), 51. Phantom Island (King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard), 52. Liminal (Beatie Wolfe and Brian Eno), 53. Possession (Ty Segall), 54. Humanhood (The Weather Station), 55. Desire On Ice (Tav Falco), 56. I Quit (Haim), 57. The Universe Will Take Care of You (Holden & Zimpel), 58. Earthstar Mountain (Hannah Cohen), 59. Talkin to the Trees (Neil Young and the Chrome Hearts), 60. Touch (Tortoise), 61. Forever Howlong (Black Country, New Road), 62. Till the Morning (Brian D'Addario), 63. Tether (Annahstasia), 64. Renascence (Cymande), 65. Dim Probs (Gruff Rhys), 66. Time Indefinite (William Tyler), 67. Altogether Stranger (Lael Neale), 68. Legacy: The Creedence Clearwater Revival Years (John Fogerty), 69. Flying with Angels (Suzanne Vega), 70. Glutton for Punishment (Heartworms), 71. Ride into the Sun (Brad Mehldau), 72. Golliwog (Billy Woods), 73. Radio DDR (Sharp Pins), 74. Die to Wake Up from a Dream (MF Tomlinson), 75. Abstraction Is Deliverance (James Brandon Lewis Quartet)

CLASSIC ROCK MAGAZINE 1. The Overview (Steven Wilson), 2. The Revenge Of Alice Cooper (Alice Cooper), 3. The End (Mammoth), 4. All Washed Up (Cheap Trick), 5. Dreams On Toast (The Darkness), 6. The Hives Forever Forever The Hives (The Hives), 7. Black & Gold (Joanne Shaw Taylor), 8. Breakthrough (Joe Bonamassa), 9. Sanguivore II: Mistress Of Death (Creeper), 10. No Rain, No Flowers (The Black Keys), 11. Curious Ruminant (Jethro Tull), 12. Saving Grace (Robert Plant with Suzi Dian), 13. June (De’Wayne), 14. Critical Thinking (Manic Street Preachers), 15. God Shaped Hole (Those Damn Crows), 16. Mirador (Mirador), 17. Satanic Rites Of The Wildhearts (The Wildhearts), 18. Bloom (Larkin Poe), 19. Bored Animal (His Lordship), 20. Welcome To The Future (H.E.A.T), 21. Everest (Halestorm), 22. The Painful Truth (Skunk Anansie), 23. V: Lamentations (Wytch Hazel), 24. Brotherhood (FM), 25. The Archer (Masters Of Reality), 26. Whomp Whack Thunder (Whiskey Myers), 27. Chosen (Glenn Hughes), 28. The Bestiary (Castle Rat), 29. LSD (Cardiacs), 30. Skeleta (Ghost), 31. Less Is More (Inspector Cluzo), 32. Futique (Biffy Clyro), 33. Everything (Eureka Machines), 34. Mad! (Sparks), 35. Leo Rising (Danko Jones), 36. Midnight At The Valencia (Cardinal Black), 37. Antidepressants (Suede), 38. Is (My Morning Jacket), 39. Something To Consume (Die Spitz), 40. Ad Astra (Ash), 41. Walking On Water (Luke Morley), 42. More (Pulp), 43. Giants & Monsters (Helloween), 44. I Beat Loneliness (Bush), 45. Gargantuan (Amplifier), 46. Here We Go Crazy (Bob Mould), 47. Circling From Above (Styx), 48. Roar Like Thunder (Buckcherry), 49. Duets Special (Chrissie Hynde And Pals), 50. Talkin To The Trees (Neil Young)

The Album Of The Year website publishes most of the end-of-the-year lists as well as an aggregate list derived (this year) from as many as 106 different publications. This is always different, much more pop-oriented than the magazines I read. According to this list, this year's top album was Rosalía's LUX. now, this is an artist I always dismissed, without really listening, as the latest Latina pop star, sort of a younger Shakira or J-Lo. Well, I certainly was wrong! From what I've listened on youtube, Lux seems to be a very complex and well-realized album blending wildly different genres, high-profile guests, and a heavy concept: each song is inspired by the life of a "saintly" figure from the past. The fact that it doesn't collapse under the weight of all this ambition, is a miracle. And yes, this girl sure can sing! Other than that, the list proves the unanimous acceptance of 90's stalwarts Pulp and Suede - the only two artists that can be found on all 4 lists presented here. Stereolab is another 90's indie band whose return is greeted with widespread enthousiasm while newer bands we've encounterd in previous lists include, among others, CMAT, Wet Girl, Big Thief, and Horsegirl.

ALBUM OF THE YEAR AGGREGATE 1. LUX (Rosalía) 389 Points, 2. Getting Killed (Geese) 384 Points, 3. Bleeds (Wednesday) 194 Points, 4. DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS (Bad Bunny) 180 Points, 5. EUSEXUA (FKA twigs) 177 Points, 6. EURO-COUNTRY (CMAT) 171 Points, 7. Let God Sort Em Out (Clipse) 167 Points, 8. choke enough (Oklou) 158 Points, 9. West End Girl (Lily Allen) 155 Points, 10. NEVER ENOUGH (Turnstile) 153 Points, 11. Ego Death At A Bachelorette Party (Hayley Williams) 152 Points, 12. Baby (Dijon) 146 Points, 13. Addison (Addison Rae) 145 Points, 14. GOLLIWOG (billy woods) 128 Points, 15. Essex Honey (Blood Orange) 125 Points, 16. More (Pulp) 121 Points, 17. Fancy That (PinkPantheress) 118 Points, 18. Moisturizer (Wet Leg) 114 Points, 19. The Passionate Ones (Nourished By Time) 98 Points, 20. Lotus (Little Simz) 96 Points, 21. black british music (2025) (Jim Legxacy) 95 Points, 22. private music (Deftones) 85 Points, 23. MAYHEM (Lady Gaga) 85 Points, 24. Lonely People With Power (Deafheaven) 82 Points, 25. The Art of Loving (Olivia Dean) 73 Points, 26. It's A Beautiful Place (Water From Your Eyes) 71 Points, 27. THAT'S SHOWBIZ BABY! (JADE) 70 Points, 28. Double Infinity (Big Thief) 70 Points, 29. Phonetics On and On (Horsegirl) 69 Points, 30. Instant Holograms On Metal Film (Stereolab) 65 Points, 31. viagr aboys (Viagra Boys) 63 Points, 32. The Clearing (Wolf Alice) 61 Points, 33. THE BPM (Sudan Archives) 61 Points, 34. Everybody Scream (Florence + the Machine) 60 Points, 35. New Threats From the Soul (Ryan Davis & The Roadhouse Band) 60 Points, 36. ICONOCLASTS (Anna von Hausswolff) 58 Points, 37. Virgin (Lorde) 58 Points, 38. SABLE, fABLE (Bon Iver) 56 Points, 39. Willoughby Tucker, I'll Always Love You (Ethel Cain) 55 Points, 40. caroline 2 (caroline) 54 Points, 41. Headlights (Alex G) 52 Points, 42. Antidepressants (Suede) 50 Points, 43. Sinister Grift (Panda Bear) 49 Points, 44. hexed! (aya) 47 Points, 45. Big city life (Smerz) 44 Points, 46. Glory (Perfume Genius) 44 Points, 47. Who Let the Dogs Out (Lambrini Girls) 44 Points, 48. I Love My Computer (Ninajirachi) 43 Points, 49. People Watching (Sam Fender) 42 Points, 50. Pirouette (Model/Actriz) 42 Points.