POPSURFING.COM

Johnny Marks -- Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer, Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree, A Holly Jolly Christmas, Silver and Gold, I Heard The Bells On Christmas Day AND Run Rudolph Run for Chuck Berry! Plus all the songs on the Rankin-Bass TV special Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. Like "We're A Couple Of Misfits"

Tuesday, November 24, 2020

Rolling Stone 500 Best Albums of All Time 2003/2012/2020/?

Albums Returning To 500 Greatest Albums Of All Time List 2020 Edition
Boogie Down Productions' Criminal Minded (2003: #444; 2012: Not on list; 2020: #239)
Creedence Clearwater Revival's Cosmo's Factor (2003: #265; 2012: Not on list; 2020: #413)
Massive Attack's Mezzanine (2003: #412; 2012: Not on list; 2020: #383)
Alanis Morissette's Jagged Little Pill (2003: #327; 2012: Not on list; 2020: #69)
Linda Ronstadt's Heart Like A Wheel (2003: #164; 2012: Not on list; 2020: #490)
Roxy Music's Avalon (2003: 307; 2012: Not on list; 2020: #336)

Albums No Longer On 500 Greatest Albums Of All Time List 2020 Edition

AC/DC's Highway To Hell (2003: #199; 2012: #180)
Aerosmith's Toys In The Attic (2003: #228; 2012: #229)
Arctic Monkeys' Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not (2003: Unreleased; 2012: #371)
The Beach Boys' The Smile Sessions (2002: Unreleased; 2012: #381)
The Beach Boys' Sunflower (2003: #380; 2012: Not on list)
The Beatles' Please Please Me (2003: #39; 2012: #39)
The Beatles' With The Beatles (2003: #420; 2012: Not on list)
Beck's Sea Change (2003: #440; 2012: #436)
Blood, Sweat & Tears' Child Is Father To The Man (2003: #264; 2012: #266)
Bobby Bland's Two Steps From The Blues (2003: #215; 2012: #217)
Bob Marley's Burnin’ (2003: #319; 2012: #319)
Bob Marley's Natty Dread (2003: #182; 2012: #181)
David Bowie's Aladdin Sane (2003: #277; 2012: #279)
David Bowie's Changesone (2003: #425; 2012: Not on list)
James Brown's Greatest Hits (2003: #414; 2012: Not on list)
James Brown's In The Jungle Groove (2003: #330; 2012: #329)
Jackson Browne's For Everyman (2003: #457; 2012: #450)
Jackson Browne's Late For The Sky (2003: #372; 2012: #375)
Jackson Browne's The Pretender (2003: #391; 2012: #391)
Buena Vista Social Club's Buena Vista Social Club (2003: #360; 2012: Not on list)
Buffalo Springfield's Buffalo Springfield Again (2003: #188; 2012: #188)
The Paul Butterfield Blues Band's The Paul Butterfield Blues Band (2003: #476; 2012: #468)
The Byrds's Greatest Hits (2003: #178; 2012: Not on list)
The Byrds' The Notorious Byrd Brothers (2003: #171; 2012: #171)
The Byrds'Younger Than Yesterday (2003: #124; 2012: #127)
Captain Beefheart and His Magic Band's Trout Mask Replica (2003: #58; 2012: #60)
The Carpenters' Close To You (2003: #174; 2012: #174)
Johnny Cash's American Recordings (2003: #364; 2012: #366)
Manu Chao's Proxima Estacion: Esperanza (2003: Not on list; 2012: #474)
Ray Charles' The Genius Of Ray Charles (2003: #263; 2012: #265)
Cheap Trick's At Budokan (2003: #430; 2012: #426)
Cheap Trick's In Color (2003: #448; 2012: #443)
Eric Clapton's 461 Ocean Boulevard (2003: #409; 2012: #411)
Eric Clapton's Slowhand (2003: #312; 2012: #325)
Leonard Cohen's Songs Of Love and Hate (2003: Not on list; 2012: #295)
Alice Cooper's Love It To Death (2003: #460; 2012: #454)
Elvis Costello's Armed Forces (2003: #482; 2012: #475)
Elvis Costello's Imperial Bedroom (2003: #166; 2012: #166)
Cream's Fresh Cream (2003: #101; 2012: #102)
Cream's Wheels Of Fire (2003: #203; 2012: #205)
Creedence Clearwater Revival's Chronicle, Vol. 1 (2003: Not on list; 2012: #59)
Creedence Clearwater Revival's Green River (2003: #95; 2012: Not on list)
The Cure's Boys Don’t Cry (2003: #442; 2012: #438)
Miles Davis's Sketches Of Spain (2003: #356; 2012: #358)
Def Leppard's Hysteria (2003: #472; 2012: #464)
Def Leppard's Pyromania (2003: #384; 2012: Not on list)
Neil Diamond's The Neil Diamond Collection (2003: #222; 2012: #224)
The Doors' L.A. Woman (2003: #362; 2012: #364)
The Doors' Strange Days (2003: #407; 2012: #409)
Nick Drake's Five Leaves Left (2003: #283; 2012: Not on list)
Nick Drake's Bryter Layter (2003: #245; 2012: Not on list)
The Drifters' Golden Hits (2003: #465; 2012: #459)
Bob Dylan's Desire (2003: #174; 2012: #174)
Bob Dylan's Modern Times (2003: Unreleased; 2012: #204)
Bob Dylan's Time Out Of Mind (2003: #408; 2012: #410)
Steve Earle's Guitar Town (2003: #489; 2012: #482)
Echo and the Bunnymen's Heaven Up Here (2003: #471; 2012: #463)
EPMD's Strictly Business (2003: #459; 2012: #453)
Eurythmics' Touch (2003: #500; 2012: #492)
Fleetwood Mac's Fleetwood Mac (2003: #183; 2012: #182)
Stan Getz and Joao Gilberto featuring Antonio Carlos Jobim's Getz/Gilberto (2003: #454; 2012: #447)
Grateful Dead's Anthem Of The Sun (2003: #287; 2012: #288)
Grateful Dead's Live Dead (2003: #244; 2012: #247)
Merle Haggard's Branded Man (2003: #484; 2012: Not on list)
PJ Harvey's To Bring You My Love (2003: #435; 2012: Not on list)
Don Henley's The End Of The Innocence (2003: #389; 2012: #389)
Buddy Holly's The “Chirping” Crickets (2003: #421; 2012: #420)
John Lee Hooker's Ultimate Collection 1948-1990 (2003: #375; 2012: #377)
Jane’s Addiction's Nothing’s Shocking (2003: #309; 2012: #312)
Jane’s Addiction's Ritual De Lo Habitual (2003: #453; 2012: Not on list)
Jefferson Airplane's Volunteers (2003: #370; 2012: #373)
The Jesus and Mary Chain's Psycho Candy (2003: #268; 2012: #269)
Jethro Tull's Aqualung (2003: #337; 2012: #337)
Billy Joel's 52nd Street (2003: #352; 2012: #354)
Dr. John's Dr. John’s Gumbo (2003: #402; 2012: #404)
Elton John's Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy (2003: #158; 2012: #158)
Elton John's Elton John (2003: #468; 2012: Not on list)
Elton John's Greatest Hits (2003: #135; 2012: #136)
Elton John's Tumbleweed Connection (2003: #463; 2012: #458)
Joy Division's Substance (1988)(2003: #361; 2012: Not on list)
Albert King's Born Under A Bad Sign (2003: #499; 2012: #491)
B.B. King's Live In Cook County Jail (2003: Not on list; 2012: #499)
The Kinks' The Kink Kronikles (2003: #231; 2012: #232)
Kiss' Destroyer (2003: #496; 2012: #489)
Labelle's Nightbirds (2003: #272; 2012: #274)
Little Walter's The Best Of (2003: #198; 2012: #198)
LL Cool J's Radio (2003: #478; 2012: #470)
Loretta Lynn's All Time Greatest Hits (2003: #485; 2012: #478)
Madonna's Music (2003: #452; 2012: Not on list)
The Mamas and the Papas' Greatest Hits (2003: #423; 2012: Not on list)
The Mamas and the Papas' If You Can Believe Your Eyes and Ears (2003: #127; 2012: #112)
John Mayall's Blues Breakers with Eric Clapton (2003: #195; 2012: #195)
Curtis Mayfield's The Anthology 1961-1977 (2003: #179; 2012: #178)
Paul McCartney and Wings' Band On The Run (2003: #418; 2012: #418)
MC5's Back In The USA (2003: #451; 2012: #450)
Meat Loaf's Bat Out Of Hell (2003: #343; 2012: #343)
The Meters' Rejuvenation (2003: #138; 2012: #139)
MGMT's Oracular Spectacular (2003: Unreleased; 2012: #494)
M.I.A.'s Kala (2003: Unreleased; 2012: #393)
Steve Miller Band's Fly Like An Eagle (2003: #450; 2012: #445)
Moby's Play (2003: #341; 2012: #341)
Moby Grape's Moby Grape (2003: #121; 2012: #124)
The Mothers Of Invention's Freak Out! (2003: #243; 2012: #246)
The Mothers Of Invention's We’re Only In It For The Money (2003: #243; 2012: #246)
Mott The Hoople's All The Young Dudes (2003: #491; 2012: #484)
Mott The Hoople's Mott (2003: #366; 2012: #370)
My Morning Jacket's Z (2003: Unreleased; 2012: #457)
Willie Nelson's Stardust (2003: #257; 2012: #260)
Randy Newman's Good Old Boys (2003: #393; 2012: #394)
Randy Newman's 12 Songs (2003: #354; 2012: #356)
New Order's Substance (1987) (2003: Not on list; 2012: #363)
No Doubt's Rock Steady (2003: #316; 2012: Not on list)
No Doubt's Tragic Kingdom (2003: #441; 2012: Not on list)
The O’Jays' Back Stabbers (2003: #318; 2012: #318)
Graham Parker's Squeezing Out Sparks (2003: #335; 2012: #334)
Gram Parsons' Grievous Angel (2003: #429; 2012: #425)
Pearl Jam's Vitalogy (2003: #492; 2012: #485)
The Pogues' Rum, Sodomy and the Lash (2003: #445; 2012: #440)
The Police's Ghost In The Machine (2003: #322; 2012: #323)
The Police's Outlandos D’Amour (2003: #434; 2012: #428)
The Police's Regatta De Blanc (2003: #369; 2012: #372)
Professor Longhair's New Orleans Piano (2003: #220; 2012: #222)
Public Enemy's Yo! Bum Rush The Show (2003: #497; 2012: Not on list)
Public Image Ltd.'s Metal Box (2003: #469; 2012: #461)
Quicksilver Messenger Service's Happy Trails (2003: #189; 2012: #189)
Radiohead's Amnesiac 2003: Not on list; 2012: #320)
Rage Against The Machine's The Battle Of Los Angeles (2003: #426; 2012: Not on list)
Bonnie Raitt's Give It Up (2003: Not on list; 2012: #495)
Otis Redding's Dock Of The Bay (2003: #161; 2012: #161)
Otis Redding's Live In Europe (2003: #474; 2012: Not on list)
Lou Reed's Berlin (2003: #344; 2012: #344)
R.E.M.'s Document (2003: #470; 2012: #462)
The Replacements' Tim (2003: #136; 2012: #137)
The Rolling Stones' Between The Buttons (2003: #355; 2012: #357)
The Rolling Stones' Now! (2003: #181; 2012: #180)
The Rolling Stones' Out Of Our Heads (2003: #114; 2012: #116)
The Rolling Stones' Tattoo You (2003: #211; 2012: #213)
Linda Ronstadt's The Very Best Of Linda Ronstadt (2003: #324; 2012: #164)
Roxy Music's Country Life (2003: #387; 2012: Not on list)
Roxy Music's Siren (2003: #371; 2012: #374)
Santana's Santana (2003: #150; 2012: #149)
Boz Scaggs' Boz Scaggs (2003: Not on list; 2012: #496)
Simon & Garfunkel's Bookends (2003: #233; 2012: #234)
Simon & Garfunkel's Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme (2003: #201; 2012: #202)
Frank Sinatra's Songs For Swingin’ Lovers (2003: #306; 2012: #308)
Sly and The Family Stone's Fresh (2003: #186; 2012: #186)
Smashing Pumpkins' Mellon Collie And The Infinite Sadness (2003: #487; 2012: Not on list)
The Smiths' Louder Than Bombs (2003: #365; 2012: #369)
The Smiths' Meat Is Murder (2003: #295; 2012: #296)
The Smiths' The Smiths (2003: #481; 2012: #473)
Soundgarden's Superunknown (2003: #336; 2012: #335)
Phil Spector's A Christmas Gift For You (2003: #142; 2012: #142)
Bruce Springsteen's Greetings From Asbury Park (2003: #379; 2012: Not on list)
Bruce Springsteen's The Rising (2003: Not on list; 2012: #424)
Bruce Springsteen's Tunnel Of Love (2003: #475; 2012: #467)
Steely Dan's Pretzel Logic (2003: #385; 2012: #386)
The Stooges' Raw Power (2003: #125; 2012: #128)
Talking Heads' Stop Making Sense (2003: #345; 2012: #345)
Talking Heads' Talking Heads: 77 (2003: #290; 2012: #291)
Richard & Linda Thompson's Shoot Out The Lights (2003: #333; 2012: #332)
U2's All That You Can’t Leave Behind (2003: #139; 2012: #280)
U2's Boy (2003: #417; 2012: #417)
U2's War (2003: #221; 2012: #223)
Vampire Weekend's Vampire Weekend (2003: Unreleased; 2012: #430)
Tom Waits' The Heart Of Saturday Night (2003: #339; 2012: #339)
Tom Waits' Mule Variations (2003: #416; 2012: #416)
War's The World Is A Ghetto (2003: #449; 2012: #444)
Muddy Waters' At Newport 1960 (2003: #348; 2012: #348)
Muddy Waters' Folk Singer (2003: #280; 2012: #282)
Barry White's Can’t Get Enough (2003: #281; 2012: #283)
The White Stripes' White Blood Cells (2003: Not on list; 2012: #497)
The Who's A Quick One (Happy Jack) (2003: #383; 2012: #384)
The Who's Quadrophenia (2003: #266; 2012: #267)
The Who's The Who Sing My Generation (2003: #236; 2012: #237)
Hank Williams' The Complete Hank Williams (2003: #225; 2012: Not on list)
Jackie Wilson's Mr. Excitement! (2003: #235; 2012: #236)
Wings see Paul McCartney
Howlin’ Wolf's Howlin’ Wolf (2003: #223; 2012: #238)
Peter Wolf's Sleepless (2003: #432; 2012: #427)
X's Wild Gift (2003: #334; 2012: #333)
The Yardbirds' Having A Rave Up With The Yardbirds (2003: #353; 2012: #355)
The Yardbirds' Roger The Engineer (2003: #349; 2012: #350)
ZZ Top's Eliminator (2003: #396; 2012: #398)
ZZ Top's Tres Hombres (2003: #498; 2012: #490)

Various Artists' Anthology Of American Folk Music (2003: #276; 2012: #278)
Various Artists' Best Of The Girl Groups Vol 1 and 2 (2003: #422; 2012: #421)
Various Artists' The Sun Records Collection (2003: #308; 2102: #311)

Friday, July 17, 2020

DEANNA DURBIN -- A HUGE STAR THAT NEVER QUITE MADE IT

DEANNA DURBIN COLLECTION I

$49.95 BluRay; Kino Lorber Studio Classics

By Michael Giltz

What a talent. What a waste. For a brief period in the 1940s, singer and actress Deanna Durbin was the highest paid actress in the world. Her first two films were nominated for Best Picture and reportedly saved Universal from bankruptcy. Her fan club was the biggest in the world. The Metropolitan Opera came a'calling and offered this lyric soprano the chance to sing for them. Heck, she made her debut in a short opposite Judy Garland and soon eclipsed that artist in almost every way. Almost.

The truth is Durbin never made a great film, a great album or even more than a decent single or two. She easily made the leap from juvenile lead to terrific-looking and talented adult star but to what purpose? Garland demanded the spotlight; Durbin fled from it. After 21 films at Universal, Durbin walked away from it all, married her third husband and never did anything creative again. It worked. Her death in 2013 was certainly noted but as more of a curiosity. Durbin became the answer to a trivia question, one most people would get wrong. Her movies are rarely watched; her recordings rarely listened to, even by those who dimly remember her.

That indifference will probably extend to this odd selection of three films, as random a choice of movies as one could ask for. Durbin made 21 films for Universal and if you were going to showcase just three, surely you'd choose the 3 Smart Girls trilogy: the first was her debut and a massive success. Or maybe you'd choose her first three. Or the first three she made with director Henry Koster and producer Joe Pasternak, the men who snapped her up when MGM passed and coached Durbin into stardom. Or all six films she made with Koster. Or something that made a lick of sense.

Instead, this collection includes the SECOND film in the 3 Smart Girls trilogy, her SECOND film at Universal (100 Men and a Girl) and her LAST film with Koster (It Started With Eve), which at least has the distinction of being considered one of Durbin's best. On the bright side, the three prints on this BluRay collection are solid, the sound quality good and to continue the random nature of this endeavor, it features TWO audio commentaries instead of three. You'll also find trailers for all three films, though weirdly none of them are available on YouTube. Here's a clip of Durbin singing the Irish traditional "Danny Boy" to Charles Laughton in It Started With Eve.

All three films are this side of good. They contain strong talent, decent scripts and enough smarts to make clear everyone was trying. It's easy to see why they were hits and why no one bothers with them much anymore. In 3 Smart Girls Grow Up, Durbin must untangle the romantic confusion of her two older sisters. The blonde is marrying a family friend but it's the OTHER sister (a brunette) who really loves him. To console the loser, Durbin dragoons Robert Cummings into falling for the brunette, but he too wants the blonde. Hilarity ensues. In 100 Men and A Girl, Durbin is the daughter of down on his luck classical musician Adolphe Menjou. They're surrounded by out of work artists (99 of them, to be exact) so naturally Durbin convinces a wealthy producer to back her new orchestra and shames conductor Leopold Stokowski into leading them. It Started With Eve cranks up the confusion even more: Cummings (again) is engaged to be married, which is easy to imagine since he's the son of one of the wealthiest men in America (Charles Laughton). When dad is dying and wants only to meet his son's fiancee, Cummings panics when she's not available and grabs a hat check girl (Durbin) to take the woman's place and let dad's last moments go quietly. Needless to say, Laughton recovers, Durbin sees a chance to launch her singing career and despite himself Cummings falls for this inconvenient gal.

Each film is painless and breezy, as long as you're in an undemanding mood. Each features a few moments of real charm and artistry, along with laugh-out-loud nonsense like only old Hollywood can muster. And each film shows Durbin was a real, if squandered talent. My favorite comment on Durbin's career comes from Durbin herself when ending her career: she was tired of being "the highest-paid star with the poorest material." Indeed. It's not that these films are awful; they're just far from what she deserves.

If Universal was going bankrupt until Durbin rescued her, it might have been due to construction costs. Even by the standards of Hollywood, the sets for these three films are bat shit crazy. We're used to Astaire and Rogers dancing across a massive living room floor in a sky-high penthouse. Nonetheless, the home of Stokowski in 100 Men and A Girl is bonkers. He apparently enjoys an atrium in the middle of his Manhattan home that's so elaborate, an entire 100 piece orchestra can be arrayed on three levels, with Stokowski popping out of his room and steps onto an interior balcony to check out the talent as the orchestra plays. (Indeed, the funniest moment of the film is the twitching in Stokowski's hands when he simply can't resist the desire to conduct.) The home of gazillionaire Lauhgton in It Started With Eve is cozy in comparison, even as Durbin shoves a grand piano from one cavernous room to another so she can serenade the old buzzard.

But both are topped by the epic proportions on display in 3 Smart Girls Grow Up. Their Manhattan home is jaw-dropping in its immensity. And again, this is in comparison to other insanely lavish Hollywood movies, not reality. At one point Durbin must storm out of a room and upstairs in a huff. But the room is so gigantic, the next one so expansive, the stairs so sweeping that Durbin practically sprints so she can get to the landing on the next floor and deliver her final zinger. While she's running, you could head to the concession stand, get popcorn and a soda and head back into the theater without missing a thing. Robert Cummings has the best line in the film. When asked if he had trouble finding their home Cummings admits he did. He walked by twice, Cummings says, because he thought their home was the Museum of Natural History.

Cummings is a good example of the frustrating nature of Durbin's vehicles. He breezes in so naturally in 3 Smart Girls Grow Up, it's like a breath of fresh air. Durbin is surrounded by talent, even if they are forced to elevate the material rather than getting the script they deserve. Eugene Pallette is his usual, gravelly voiced charmer as a wealthy producer confused as to how he suddenly became the not-so-proud owner of a 100 piece orchestra. Laughton is slumming it in It Started With Eve, but he's got marvelous chemistry with Durbin and his hamminess is held in check. Butlers, waiters, cabbies -- these films are filled with strong bit players who make the most of their moments. It Started With Eve in particular is a bummer. It's got the bones of a good screwball comedy; they just needed to deliver another draft or two.

And Durbin is a treat. Director Koster and the scripts do one thing right: they slip in the classical bits with ease. In 3 Smart Girls Grow Up, Durbin is allowed to trill away to annoy her two sisters, delivering the "classy" material with a girl-next-door casualness and a hint of comedy. Again and again, they incorporate her musical moments smoothly or give Durbin some comic bit to deliver physically while singing away. The singing is high class and never mocked, but if they can have Durbin flirt or joke while delivering a number, they do.

Durbin is also a charmer as an actor, enjoying the same onscreen relaxed vibe that turned Mickey Rooney and Judy Garland into all American kids just when America needed them. And unlike so many child actors, Durbin grew up very nicely. Look at the scene in It Started With Eve where Laughton is thought to be dying. Durbin barely has a word to say, but her face tells it all: sympathy for a dying man, an immediate chemistry, shame over the trick they're playing on him (well intentioned though it may be) and above all a sweetness and goodness that Laughton immediately grasps and which powers the rest of the film. Best known for her singing, Durbin holds the screen here without saying a word.

If you're one of the vanishing few that remembers Durbin, this random grab bag of movies is presented nicely and with care. If you've never heard of her, you won't discover any gems from Hollywood's golden age. But pay attention and you'll appreciate her talent and wonder what might have been.

Wednesday, June 17, 2020

Music Library Master List Z+ Various Artist Compilations

VARIOUS ARTISTS

  Africa Screams Contest *** 1/2
  Africa Screams Contest Vol. Two *** 1/2
Afrocubism *** 1/2
Aloha Got Soul 1979-1985 ***

Angel-Headed Hipster: The Songs Of Marc Bolan and T-Rex ** 1/2
Bluesin' By The Bayou ** 1/2

      Bob Stanley Presents '76 In The Shade ** 1/2
  Burnwood PLaylist: Deep Lizzy -- Thin Lizzy *** 1/2
  Burnwood Playlist: This Won't Take But A Minute Or Two *** 1/2
A Christmas Gift For You From Phil Spector ****
Come and Get It: The Best Of Apple Records ** 1/2
  Come On Let's Go: Powerpop Gems From The 70s and 80s ***
Come On Up To The House: Women Sing Waits ***
Country Soul (2015) ** 1/2
Divided And United: Songs Of The Civil War *** 1/2
Dub Specialist: Studio One Dub FireSpecial ** 1/2
Feelin' Right, Saturday Night: The Rick and Ron Anthology *** 1/2
  The Golden Age Of Popular Music: Jazz Hits From 1958-1966 ****
The Golden Age Of Popular Music: More Country Hits ***
Gonna Sing, Gonna Shout: Bluegrass Gospel From The Pen Of Rick Lang ***
  The Great Gospel Men: 27 Classic Performances *** 1/2

Hawaiian Slack Key Guitar Masters Collection (1995) *** 1/2

          Hawaiian Slack Key Guitar Masters Collection Volume Two (1999) ***
  The Indestructible Beat Of Soweto Volume One ****
  The Indestructible Beat Of Soweto Volume Two *** 1/2
John Savage's 1966: The Year The Decade Exploded ***
Let The Good Times Roll: 40 Jumping R and B Classics ***
Live From The Old Town School, Vol. 1-4 *** 1/2
The Lost Notebooks Of Hank Williams ***
Mercyland: Hymns For The Rest Of Us *** 1/2
  Motown: The Complete #1s (11 CD set) *** 1/2 \
The Nebraska Sessions (tribute to Springsteen album via Clubhouse Records UK) *** 1/2
Nigeria Disco Funk Special: The Sound Of The Underground Lagos Dancefloor 74-79 *** 1/2
Nigeria Freedom Sounds: Popular Music and the Birth... ** 1/2
  Nigeria 70: No Wahala -- Highlife, Afrofunk and Juju 1973-1987 ***
Nigeria Special: Modern Highlife, Afro-Sounds & Nigerian Blues 1970-1976 *** 1/2
  Nippon Girls 2: Japanese Pop, Beat and Rock n Roll 1965-1970 *** 1/2
  Nostalgique Porto Rico (Puerto Rican Roots 1940-1960) *** 1/2
  Now That's What I Call Yacht Rock ***
Remembering Mountains: Unheard Songs by Karen Dalton **
Roll Columbia: Woody Guthrie's 26 Northwest Songs **
  Songs Of Lennon and McCartney (UK) ** 1/2

      Songs That Got Us Through WW II (Rhino, 1990) *** 1/2
  Soul Of A Nation: Afro-Centric Visions In the Age of Black Power ***/
The Sounds Of Siam ***
  Southern Soul Crate *** 1/2
  A Tribute To Dan Fogelberg **
You Make My Heart Sing: 50 Of The Greatest Love Songs Ever (UK) *** 1/2

Music Library Master List Z+ Cast Albums and Soundtracks

CAST ALBUMS/MUSICALS/BROADWAY

  Annie Get Your Gun (Doris Day, Robert Goulet album) (1963) ****
  Camelot Orig Broadway Cast Album ****
Dear Evan Hansen (2017) ** 1/2
  Hadestown Orig Off Broadway Cast Album *** 1/2
Hamilton Original Broadway Cast Album *** 1/2
  My Fair Lady (Orig Broadway Cast Album) ****
  Octet *** 1/2
  Spring Awakening Orig Cast Album ****
  Sunday in The Park With George (Original 1984) ****
  Sunday in The Park With George (Bway 2017) *** 1/2

SOUNDTRACKS

  Baby Driver *** 1/2
  The Big Chill ****
  The Big Chill Volume Two *** 1/2
Black Panther ***/
  Blade Runner Original Soundtrack ***/
  Blade Runner Original Complete Score Bootleg ****
Blade Runner 2049 ***
Boardwalk Empire ***
  Chariots Of Fire ** 1/2
The Cold Blue ***
  Country Music (soundtrack to Ken Burns doc) ****

          Funny People ** 1/2
  Guardians Of The Galaxy Awesome Mixtape Vol. 1 *** 1/2
  The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel Season One ***
  The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel Season Two ***

The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel Season Three ***

Motherless Brooklyn ***
Once Upon A Time In Hollywood *** 1/2

Thursday, June 11, 2020

Musi Library Master List Z+ Holiday Music/Christmas Albums

Updated November 28, 2020 Done listing iTunes;

HOLIDAY MUSIC/CHRISTMAS ALBUMS MASTER LIST

Bryan Adams -- Christmas EP ** 1/2
Herb Alpert -- Christmas Album (1968) ****

The American Boychoir -- Carol **

Tori Amos -- Midwinter Graces

The Andrews Sisters -- see Bing Crosby

Julie Andrews -- Christmas With Julie Andrews * 1/2

David Archuleta -- Winter In The Air ** 1/2

Jann Arden -- A Jann Arden Christmas * 1/2

Gene Autry -- A Gene Autry Christmas ** 1/2

Joan Baez -- Noel

Anita Baker -- Christmas Fantasy **

Barenaked Ladies -- Barenaked For The Holidays **

Mandy Barnett -- Winter Wonderland
John Basile -- Silent Night **

The Beach Boys -- The Beach Boys' Christmas Album ** 1/2

Harry Belafonte -- To Wish You A Merry Christmas

Tony Bennett -- The Classic Christmas Album **
Tony Bennett -- Snowfall ** 1/2
Tony Bennett -- A Swingin' Christmas (w Count Basie) ***

Justin Bieber -- Under The Mistletoe

Mario Biondi -- A Very Special Mario Christmas *

The Blind Boys of Alabama -- Go Tell It On The Mountain ** 1/2

Booker T and the MGs -- In The Christmas Spirit **

Chris Botti -- December * 1/2

Wade Bowen -- Twelve Twenty Five **

Bright Eyes -- A Christmas Album ** 1/2

Sarah Brightman -- A Winter Symphony

Brown Bird -- A Brown Bird Christmas **

Chuck Brown -- The Spirit Of Christmas *
James Brown -- Funky Christmas **

Jimmy Buffett -- Christmas Island * 1/2

Kate Bush -- 50 Words For Snow

Los Campesinos! -- A Los Campesinos! Christmas

Larry Carlton -- Four Hands and a Heart Christmas * 1/2

Mary Chapin Carpenter -- Come Darkness, Come Light: Twelve Songs Of Christmas **

Marco Carta -- Merry Christmas

Johnny Cash -- The Classic Christmas Album **

Ray Charles -- Spirit Of Christmas **

Kristin Chenoweth -- A Lovely Way To Spend Christmas

Chicago -- Chicago Christmas *

The Chieftains -- The Bells Of Dublin ***
Choir of Kings College, Cambridge -- A Festival Of Nine Lessons and Carols (1992) ***

June Christy -- This Time Of The Year ***

The Clancy Brothers -- Clancy Brothers Christmas * 1/2

Kelly Clarkson -- Wrapped In Red

Rosemary Clooney -- White Christmas

Rosemary Clooney -- Songs From White Christmas (& Other Yuletide Favorites)

The Coasters -- Christmas With The Coasters *

Natalie Cole -- Holly & Ivy * 1/2

Nat King Cole -- The Christmas Song ***

Bootsy Collins -- Christmas Is 4 Ever * 1/2
Judy Collins -- Winter Stories (w Jonas Fjeld and Chatham County Line) *** 1/2

Shawn Colvin -- Holiday Songs and Lullabies **
Harry Connick Jr. -- When My Heart Finds Christmas * 1/2
Harry Connick Jr. -- Harry For The Holidays **
Harry Connick Jr. -- What A Night! A Christmas Album * 1/2

Dave Koz -- Dave Koz & Friends: The 25th Of December *

Bing Crosby -- The Crosby Christmas Sessions (2010) ** 1/2

Bing Crosby -- Merry Christmas aka White Christmas (many editions) *** 1/2

Bing Crosby -- A Merry Christmas With Bing Crosby and the Andrews Sisters ***

Bing Crosby -- Sings Christmas Songs *** 1/2

Jamie Cullum -- The Pianoman At Christmas *** (great Bobby Darin vibe, arrangements)
Timi Dakolo -- Merry Christmas, Darling *
Martina DaSilva -- A Very TinyChima Christmas **

John Denver -- The Classic Christmas Album

John Denver -- Lime Creek Christmas ***

John Denver -- Rocky Mountain Christmas

John Denver & The Muppets -- A Christmas Together **

Earth, Wind & Fire -- Holiday * 1/2

Enya -- And Winter Came... **

John Fahey -- Christmas With John Fahey Vol. 1 aka The New Possibility (1968) ***

John Fahey -- Christmas With John Fahey Vol. 2 ***
Ella Fitzgerald -- Ella Wishes You A Swinging Christmas ****

For King And Country -- A Drummer Boy Christmas *

Eddie G -- Christmas Party With Eddie G (compilation) ** 1/2

The Gifted Children -- Christmas, Volume 7 *

Jackie Gleason -- Merry Christmas

Danny Gokey -- Christmas Is Here *

The Goo Goo Dolls -- It's Christmas All Over * 1/2 (but "Ain't Getting Nothing" a keeper)
CeeLo Green -- CeeLo's Magic Moment ** 1/2
Vince Guaraldi -- A Charlie Brown Christmas ****
Hanson -- Snowed In ** 1/2

Emmylou Harris -- Light Of The Stable *** 1/2
Bobby Helms -- Jingle Bells (2019 album) **

Hey Monday -- The Christmas EP

The Hot Club Of San Francisco -- Hot Club Cool Yule *

Whitney Houston -- One Wish

Human Nature -- The Christmas Album * 1/2
The Imaginaries -- Hometown Christmas **

Chris Isaak -- Chris Isaak Christmas **

Burl Ives -- Christmas Album ** 1/2

Burl Ives -- Christmas Songs * 1/2

Burl Ives -- Have A Holly Jolly Christmas ***

Mahalia Jackson -- Mahalia Sings Songs Of Christmas!

Mahalia Jackson -- Silent Night: Songs For Christmas

The Jackson 5 -- A Motown Christmas Carol **

Ryland James -- A Little Christmas ep * 1/2

Beau Jennings -- The Christmas Light ** (title track good)

Jewel -- Let It Snow: A Holiday Collection
George Jones and Tammy Wynette -- The Classic Christmas Album **

Sharon Jones -- It's A Holiday Soul Party **
Keb' Mo' -- Moonlight, Mistletoe and You **

Stan Kenton -- A Merry Christmas! ***

The Killers -- (Red) Christmas

Mark Kozelek -- Sings Christmas Carols *

Diana Krall -- Christmas Songs **

Lady Antebellum -- On This Winter's Night

Lady Gaga -- A Very Gaga Holiday

Lateral Blue -- This Christmas * 1/2
Latvian Concert Choir -- Christmas Joy In Latvia ***
Ledisi -- It's Christmas **

Peggy Lee -- Christmas With Peggy Lee **

Annie Lennox -- A Christmas Cornucopia ** 1/2
Letters To Cleo -- OK Christmas **
Ramsey Lewis Trio -- Sound Of Christmas (side one good, side two w strings awful) **
Ramsey Lewis Trio -- More Sounds Of Christmas * 1/2
Little Steven -- Little Stevens' Christmas A Go-Go ***

The Living Sisters -- Harmony Is Real: Songs For A Happy Holiday *** 1/2
Los Lobos -- Llegó Navidad *** 1/2

Michael Londra -- Beyond The Star

Los Lobos -- Llego Navidad *** 1/2

Los Lonely Boys -- Christmas Spirit * 1/2

The Louvin Brothers -- Christmas With The Louvin Brothers * 1/2

Darlene Love -- It's Christmas, Of Course **

Patty Loveless -- Bluegrass & White Snow **

Low -- Christmas ** 1/2

Nick Lowe -- Quality Street

Robert J. Lurtsema -- Christmas Stories ** 1/2

Raul Malo -- Marshmallow World & Other Holiday Favorites **
Aimee Mann -- One More Drifter In The Snow *** 1/2

Mannheim Steamroller -- Christmas (1984) **

Mannheim Steamroller -- Christmas Song *

Mannheim Steamroller -- 30/40 Ultimate Collection *
Wynton Marsalis/JLCB -- Big Band Holidays *** 1/2
Wynton Marsalis/JLCB -- Big Band Holidays II ***
Wynton Marsalis -- Crescent City Christmas Card *** 1/2

Johnny Mathis -- Merry Christmas *** 1/2

Johnny Mathis -- Sending You A Little Christmas * 1/2

Johnny Mathis -- Sounds of Christmas **
The Mavericks -- Hey! Merry Christmas ***

Maysa -- A Very Maysa Christmas * 1/2
The McCrary Sisters -- A Very McCrary Christmas **

Kate & Anna McGarrigle -- The McGarrigle Christmas Hour ** 1/2

Jon McLaughlin -- The Christmas EP

Idina Menzel -- Holiday Wishes *

The Mermen -- Do You Hear What I Hear? A Very Mermen Christmas
Lea Michele -- Christmas In The City *
Jacob Miller -- Natty Christmas *

Roger Miller -- Nestor, The Long-Eared Christmas Donkey

Mormon Tabernacle Choir -- Once Upon A Christmas

Jacqui Naylor -- Smashed For The Holidays *
Liam Neeson -- The Polar Express (narrator) ***
Willie Nelson -- Pretty Paper *** 1/2

Olivia Newton-John and John Travolta -- This Christmas
Ne-Yo -- Another Kind Of Christmas **

The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band -- The Christmas Album **

Odetta -- Beautiful Star (the 1987 album w a new title to avoid confusion) ****

Odetta -- Christmas Spirituals (1960) ****

Odetta -- Christmas Spirituals (1987) **** (new recording of mostly the same songs from 1960)

Odetta -- Gonna Let It Shine ** 1/2

Leslie Odom Jr. -- The Christmas Album * 1/2

Over The Rhine -- Blood Oranges In The Snow **

Over The Rhine -- Snow Angel **

Buck Owens -- Christmas With Buck Owens **

Brad Paisley -- A Brad Paisley Christmas **

Dolly Parton -- A Holly Dolly Parton Christmas *

Dolly Parton and Kenny Rogers -- Once Upon A Christmas * 1/2

Pentatonix -- That's Christmas To Me * 1/2

Joe Perry -- Joe Perry's Merry Christmas

The Persuasions -- You're All I Want For Christmas *** 1/2
Oscar Peterson -- An Oscar Peterson Christmas **

Elvis Presley -- Elvis' Christmas Album (1957) **** (side one)/** (side two, not Christmas!)

Elvis Presley -- If Every Day Was Like Christmas ** 1/2

John Prine -- A John Prine Christmas **

The Puppini Sisters -- Christmas With The Puppini Sisters **
Randy Rainbow -- Gurl, It's Christmas **

The Raveonettes -- Wishing You A Rave Christmas
Lou Rawls -- Merry Christmas From Lou Rawls (2009 ep reissue) *** 1/2
Lou Rawls -- Merry Christmas Ho! Ho! Ho! (1967) *** 1/2

Rend Collective -- Campfire Christmas Vol. 1 *

Riders In The Sky -- Christmas The Cowboy Way **

LeAnn Rimes -- One Christmas: Chapter One ***

Kenny Rogers -- Once Again, It's Christmas *

Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton -- Once Upon A Christmas * 1/2
Josh Rouse -- The Holiday Sounds Of Josh Rouse **

Kermit Ruffins -- Have A Crazy Cool Christmas **

Alexander Rybak -- Christmas Tales **

Brian Setzer -- Boogie Woogie Christmas **

Brian Setzer -- Christmas Rocks: The Best Of Brian Setzer ** 1/2

Martin Sexton -- Camp Holiday *** 1/2

She & Him -- A Very She & Him Christmas ***

Sia -- Everyday Is Christmas *** 1/2

Frank Sinatra -- Christmas (2015) ** 1/2

Frank Sinatra -- Christmas Dreaming (1950 Columbia) *** 1/2

Frank Sinatra -- Christmas Songs By Frank Sinatra (1949 Columbia) *** 1/2

Frank Sinatra -- Christmas Songs By Frank Sinatra (2008) **

Frank Sinatra -- Christmas With Frank Sinatra and Bing Crosby (1957 show) * 1/2

Frank Sinatra -- Christmas With The Rat Pack *

Frank Sinatra -- The Classic Christmas Album (2014) ** 1/2

Frank Sinatra -- A Jolly Christmas From Frank Sinatra (1957) *** (first side ****, second **)

Frank Sinatra -- The Sinatra Christmas Album (1994) **

Sleeping At Last -- Christmas Collection (2014)

Huey "Piano" Smith -- 'Twas The Night Before Christmas ** 1/2
Jimmy Smith -- Christmas Cookin' aka Christmas '64 *** 1/2

Meaghan Smith -- It Snowed ***

Mindy Smith -- My Holiday

Smoke Fairies -- Wild Winter
Phil Spector -- A Christmas Gift For You From Philles Records ****

Ronnie Spector -- Ronnie Spector's Best Christmas Ever **
The Staples Singers -- The 25th Day Of December ** 1/2
Stile Antico -- A Spanish Nativity ***

Straight No Chaser -- Social Christmasing * 1/2

Barbra Streisand -- A Christmas Album * 1/2

Barbra Streisand -- Christmas Memories * 1/2
Dave Stryker -- Eight Track Christmas **

Sufjan Stevens -- Songs For Christmas Vol 1-5 ****

Sufjan Stevens -- Silver & Gold Vol. 6-10 ****

Keith Sweat -- A Christmas Of Love * 1/2

Swingle Singers -- Noeles Sans Passeport: Christmastime ***

John Michael Talbot -- Songs from Solitude * 1/2

James Taylor -- At Christmas **

Dylan Thomas -- A Child's Christmas In Wales and other poems *** 1/2
Rosie Thomas -- A Very Rosie Christmas **
Tara Thompson -- Hillbilly Christmas **
Tracey Thorn -- Tinsel and Lights *** 1/2

3J's -- Acoustic Christmas

TobyMac -- Light Of Christmas *

Train -- Christmas In Tahoe *

Meghan Trainor -- A Very Trainor Christmas **

Steve Tyrell -- This Time of The Year

Carrie Underwood -- My Gift * 1/2
The Ventures -- Christmas Album **

Fred Waring and the Pennsylvanians -- Twas The Night Before Christmas *

Fred Waring and the Pennsylvanians -- Christmas Time *
Weezer -- Christmas With Weezer ***

Scott Weiland -- The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year *

Matthew West -- The Heart Of Christmas * 1/2
Nigel Wilson -- Have Yourself A Merry Little Synthmas *
Phil Wickham -- Christmas **

Marian Williams -- O Holy Night *** 1/2
Robbie Williams -- The Christmas Present ***

Robin and Linda Williams -- The First Christmas Gift **

Jackie Wilson -- Christmas Eve With Jackie Wilson **
George Winston -- December *** 1/2

Tammy Wynette -- Christmas With Tammy Wynette *

Dwight Yoakum -- Come On Christmas **

VARIOUS ARTISTS

VA -- A Big Band Christmas (Columbia, 1988) *** 1/2

VA -- Billboard Greatest Christmas Hits 1933-1954/1955-Present ***

VA -- Billboard Rock 'N' Roll Christmas **

VA -- Blue Christmas (1994) ***

VA -- Bummed Out Christmas! **

VA -- A Christmas Celtic Sojourn: Live

VA -- A Christmas Gift For You From Phil Spector ****
VA -- Christmas In Soulsville (2007) ** 1/2

VA -- Christmas In The Stars: Star Wars Christmas Album *

VA -- Christmas In Vienna (Diana Ross, Placido Domingo, etc) *

VA -- Christmas Of Hope (1995) **

VA -- A Christmas Of Love

VA -- Christmas On The Bandstand (1994) ** 1/2

VA -- Christmas Party With Eddie G ** 1/2

VA -- Christmas Past (1965) ***

VA -- Christmas The Album (UK, 1999) **

VA -- Christmas Time Again! (2006/2015) **

VA -- Christmas With The Kranks **

VA -- Cool Christmas (1992) ** 1/2

VA -- Country Christmas (1993) **

VA -- Doo Wop Christmas ** 1/2

VA -- Free Soul Christmas

VA -- The Gathering * 1/2

VA -- The Great Songs Of Christmas By Great Artists of Our Time 6 (courtesy Goodyear) ** 1/2
VA -- Hannukah+ (2019) **

VA -- Have A Merry Chess Christmas ***

VA -- Have A Nice Christmas: Holiday Hits Of The '70s * 1/2

VA -- Have Yourself A Jazzy Little Christmas (Verve, 1989) *** 1/2

VA -- Hillbilly Holiday ** 1/2

VA -- Hipster's Holiday (1989) *** 1/2

VA -- Home For The Christmas: Voices From The Heartland * 1/2

VA -- Home For The Holidays: Voices From The Heartland * 1/2

VA -- How The Grinch Stole Christmas (1966) *** (as a TV special it's ****)

VA -- I'll Be Home For Christmas: Songs That Won The War *** 1/2

VA -- It's A Cool Christmas (2000) **
VA -- It's A Prog Rock Christmas *

VA -- A Jazz Christmas

VA -- Jazz For Joy: A Verve Christmas Album ***

VA -- Jazz To The World Blue Note, 1995) **

VA -- A Jazzy Wonderland **

VA -- Jingle Bell Jam: Jazz Christmas Classics ***

VA -- Jingle Blues

VA -- A John Waters Christmas **

VA -- Just Can't Get Enough: New Wave Christmas **

VA -- Just Say Noel

VA -- Let It Snow

VA -- The Little Drummer Boy

VA -- Mambo Santa Mambo: Christmas From The Latin Lounge ** 1/2

VA -- Maybe This Christmas Too?

VA -- The Millenia Collection: American Christmas Classics

VA -- The Millenia Collection: Best-Loved Christmas Carols

VA -- Mixed Nuts soundtrack

VA -- MTV: The TRL Christmas

VA -- Music From "The OC" Mix 3: A Very Merry Chrismukkah

VA -- Natty and Nice: A Reggae Christmas

VA -- New Orleans Christmas (Putumayo)

VA -- The Nightmare Before Christmas ** 1/2 (but *** 1/2 as a score in the film)

VA -- O Come All Ye Faithful: Rock For Choice

VA -- The Original Soul Christmas (Atlantic, 1968) *** 1/2

VA -- Punk Goes Christmas

VA -- Reggae Christmas From Studio One **

VA -- Rudolph and Frosty's Christmas In July

VA -- Rudolph, Frosty and Friends ***

VA -- Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer *** (mostly in context in the special)

VA -- Santa Claus Is Comin' To Town ***

VA -- Shimmy Down The Chimney

VA -- Songs Of Christmas ** 1/2

VA -- Sounds Of The Season

VA -- Swingin' Christmas (Rhino, 2006) ***

VA -- Swingin' Christmas Party (RCA Victor/Sony Legacy, 2002) ***

VA -- Try Smiling, It's Christmas Part 2

VA -- Ultimate Christmas Album (WCBS FM series) Vol 1 ** 1/2

VA -- Ultimate Christmas Album Vol. 2 ** 1/2

VA -- Ultimate Christmas Album Vol. 3 **

VA -- Ultimate Christmas Album Vol. 4 **

VA -- Ultimate Christmas Album Vol. 5 ** 1/2
VA -- The Ultimate Motown Christmas ** 1/2

VA -- Ultra-Lounge: Christmas Cocktails, Part 2 ***

VA -- A Very Special Acoustic Christmas (Country -- Vol. 6) ** 1/2

VA -- A Very Special Christmas ***

VA -- A Very Special Christmas Vol. 2 **

VA -- A Very Special Christmas Vol. 3 **

VA -- A Very Special Christmas Live (Vol. 4) **

VA -- A Very Special Christmas Vol. 5 **

VA -- A Very Special Christmas Vol. 7 *

VA -- A Very Special Christmas: Bringing Peace On Earth (Top Christian acts, 2012) * 1/2

VA -- A Very Special Christmas: 25 Years Bringing Joy To The World Vol. 8 * 1/2

VA -- Where Will You Be Christmas Day *** 1/2

VA -- Wonderland: Yulesville ***

VA -- World Christmas (Metro Blue Records, 1996) ** 1/2

VA -- The Year Without A Santa Claus

VA -- Yule Cool ** 1/2

VA -- Yule Struttin' ***

SINGLES

The Bangles -- "Hazy Shade Of Winter"

Kasey Chambers -- "Christmas Day"

Melissa Etheridge -- "Christmas in America"

John Lennon -- "Happy Xmas (War Is Over)"

Oh Wonder -- "This Christmas" (single) *** 1/2

Madeleine Peyroux w kd lang -- "River"

The Pretenders -- "2000 Miles"

Nancy Sinatra -- "We Need A Little Christmas"

CHRISTMAS ADJACENT

Harry Nilsson -- "Remember (Christmas)"

Updated November 28, 2020

Thursday, November 26, 2020

Christmas Music -- A MindSpace Discussion