Nation of Heat

Singer/Songwriter Joe Pug and his record, "Nation of Heat." Just his acoustic guitar and voice ..... and occasional harmonica. What else does a troubadour need?

Discovered recently while hanging around the iTunes store trying to look cool and clicking on unfamiliar things. Sounds of Americana. Powerful songs. I'd sing along if I only knew the words!!

American Songwriter Magazine - The Miseducation of Joe Pug

Blow My Mind Peter Buck

Flipping through the "new arrivals" vinyl bins in my record store, about to call it a day as I'm finding nothing of interest when suddenly I come across this .....

Peter Buck's (R.E.M.) "I Am Back to Blow Your Mind Once Again." From 2014 and recorded in Portland. Patterson Hood (Drive-by Truckers) takes lead vocals on one song, Corin Tucker on another.

All Music Review
Pitchfork Review

Big Harvest

Vinyl record from 1989. "Big Harvest" by Indio. Apparently Indio is a man named Gordon Peterson. His name appears to be the only common denominator on each song. There's sounds and tones that bring to mind Peter Gabriel.

Maybe one of the last records purchased before my transition to compact discs. It would be years before I found my way back to vinyl.

Cover art that's suitable for framing.

The Balancing Act

Digging further into the most remote regions of my vinyl record collection. From 1987. One of those records that failed to give a positive impression on the first listen thirty-two years ago, then ended up filed away, buried and never heard again ...... UNTIL TONIGHT!!! I had high hopes and I love it!! Like I've expressed before, sometimes it just takes a different perspective, a different time, from a different angle and with different, more evolved, open and appreciative ears.

Acoustic based, six song EP. A little quirky in one or two spots but in a good way. Peter Case's involvement as producer makes perfect sense. If assigning a genre is required, maybe Folk-Rock. Definitely will be surviving the current personal record collection purge taking place.

I've no recollection of what led me to this record in 1987. Maybe I was simply drawn to the cover art and a less expensive price tag for an EP?

What's next? Research to discover if the band has additional recordings.

All Music Guide Review

Mickey Newbury

Another 70's Singer/Songwriter. Mickey Newbury's, "'Frisco Mabel Joy" from 1971.

The purging of my vinyl collection and the elimination of records that I no longer have any interest in has led me to other records buried deep in the stacks of vinyl that have been waiting in near eternal hibernation to one day be heard again. I'm finding a new appreciation for many of these sounds. It's amazing what time can eventually reveal!!

All Music Guide Review

Michael Dinner

On vinyl!! One of the great Singer/Songwriter albums to come out of the 1970's. From 1976.

The song that initially caught my attention all those years ago was the closing song, "Pale Fire." ..... An anthem. A letter to a girlfriend left behind without an explanation in pursuit of dreams.