Category: Legends

Guard your eardrums. Numero Group is releasing a four album set of live Hüsker Dü music on November 07, 2025.

Photo credit: Daniel Corrigan

Numero Group announces the release of Hüsker Dü’s 1985: The Miracle Year, a live 4 LP box set, out November 7th. Witness the transcendent Minneapolis punk trio tearing into the most incendiary year of its existence, captured live on stage at First Avenue in perhaps the highest fidelity recordings of the band’s lauded SST era. 1985: The Miracle Year includes Beau Sorenson’s restoration of an entire January 30, 1985 set, plus 20 extra live tracks from the year’s touring schedule, and a deluxe booklet detailing twelve months of history-making Hüsker Dü. Along with today’s announcement, four songs from the box set are available to stream now. Titled Jan. 30, First Ave Pt. 2, the collection features “The Girl Who Lives On Heaven Hill,” “I Apologize,” “If I Told You” and “Folklore.” What is the sound of a legend being written?

Stream Jan. 30, First Ave Pt. 2

Looking at 1985 through the dynamic lens of independent DIY music, mid-decade, there was a year-long succession of leaps by Hüsker Dü, each building on the powerful and undeniable sprint from the scrappy punk institution SST to the artistic empathy of Warner Bros. As observers began to catch on, testimonials came from many quarters, including the New York Times, which recognized the band as “the best to have emerged from the hardcore scene.”  Consistent with such praise, Hüsker Dü revealed a heightened creative pace rarely, if ever, seen in any musical era. Before or since. After blowing the doors off the burgeoning alt-rock movement with Zen Arcadethe previous July, the band dropped New Day Rising just six months later on January 14, 1985, and then never stopped chasing the Hidden Beach sunrise that adorned that album’s cover.

On January 30, 1985, Minneapolis reached -11° at show time, marking 19 points of mercilessly dropped mercury from the day’s 8° apex. The 1500 attendees inside First Avenue, however, wouldn’t be needing so much as a T-shirt, let alone the nearest fiberfill parka: from the first blinding moments of “New Day Rising,” it was clear that Bob Mould, Grant Hart, and Greg Nortonhad arrived intent on setting every molecule in the room alight. Their setlist displayed a night-long cascade of fireballs chosen from Everything Falls Apart, Metal Circus, Zen Arcade, and New Day Rising, and five new songs that would reappear later on Flip Your Wig. They also made several nods to the band’s rock forbears, with a ballistic take on The Byrds’ “Eight Miles High,” a turbulent spin on The Beatles’ “Helter Skelter” featuring Soul Asylum’s Dave Pirner, a pop-punk remake of “Ticket To Ride, ” and closing with their signature cover of Sonny Curtis’s Mary Tyler Moore theme “Love Is All Around.”

Considering the late-January 2011 house fire that consumed a precious portion of the Hüsker Dü archive, it has to be reckoned as a kind of subordinate miracle that the 1985 First Avenue tapes survived at all. They deliver peak Dü at full gallop through already beloved material, still years shy of fully cementing their status as a blueprint for the alternative rock skyscraper to come. This box set celebrates these tapes, strikingly perhaps the highest fidelity Hüsker Dü recordings ever produced during the band’s lauded SST years. “When I think of that time,” Greg comments, “it was three guys doing what they loved, having fun, and basically showing other people that you can be true to yourself, true to your music, and not have to bow down to fashion or expectations to make something really great.”

Pre-order/Pre-save 1985: The Miracle Year

1985: The Miracle Year Tracklist:
Minnesota Miracle
SIDE A
1. New Day Rising
2. It’s Not Funny Anymore
3. Everything Falls Apart
4. The Girl Who Lives On Heaven Hill
5. I Apologize
6. If I Told You
7. Folklore

SIDE B
1. Every Everything
2. Makes No Sense At All
3. Terms Of Psychic Warfare
4. Powerline
5. Books About UFOs
6. Broken Home, Broken Heart
7. Diane

SIDE C
1. Hate Paper Doll
2. Green Eyes
3. Divide And Conquer
4. Pink Turns To Blue
5. Eight Miles High

SIDE D
1. Out On A Limb
2. Helter Skelter
3. Ticket To Ride
4. Love Is All Around

More Miracles
SIDE E
1. Don’t Want To Know If You’re Lonely
  2. I Don’t Know For Sure    
3. Hardly Getting Over It    
4. Sorry Somehow
5. Eiffel Tower High    

SIDE F
1. What’s Going On
2. Private Plane    
3. Celebrated Summer    
4. All Work And No Play    

SIDE G
1. Keep Hanging On
2. Find Me    
3. Flexible Flyer
4. Sunshine Superman
5. In A Free Land    
6. Somewhere

SIDE H
1. Flip Your Wig    
2. Never Talking To You Again
3. Chartered Trips    
4. The Wit And The Wisdom    
5. Misty Modern Days

Keep your mind open.

[Don’t forget to subscribe!]

[Thanks to Patrick at Pitch Perfect PR!]

Circle Jerks set to release a deluxe reissue of 1983’s “Golden Shower of Hits.”

Circle Jerks ~1983 | Photo By Glen E. Friedman

Golden Shower of Hits is a vicious, snotty and vibrant collection of tracks that highlight  Circle Jerks’ insane punk chops, and their penchant for anti-authorianism, nihilism and a good ol ‘time. They’ve teamed up again with renowned archival label Trust Records for its re-release – marking the first time that its original tapes have been touched in 40 years.

The announcement of Golden Shower of Hits’ deluxe reissue comes just in time – today marks frontman / punk icon Keith Morris’ 70th birthday! Fans will have the chance to celebrate alongside the Circle Jerks with their return to the Hollywood Palladium tomorrow night, Friday, September 19,  in Los Angeles. The show promises to be an unforgettable night honoring his legacy and the enduring power of punk. Joining them on this special night are Ceremony, Rocket From the Crypt, and Negative Approach — a lineup as ferocious as the occasion demands. Attending fans will also have access to two special exclusives available only at the Palladium show: A limited-edition 7-inch single of “When the Sh*t Hits the Fan”, (limited to 300 copies) and a limited-edition birthday poster, (500 copies) designed and signed collaboratively by Morris and Shepard Fairey (Obey Giant). Tickets and more info are here.

The audio for Golden Shower of Hit’s deluxe reissue was remastered from the original analog tapes by Pete Lyman at Infrasonic Sound in Nashville and restored and digitized by Dan Johnson at Audio Archiving Services. In addition to the vastly improved sound, this version also features a few different variants and updated artwork which has been given a modern touch by Bryan Ray Turcotte from Kill Your Idols Studio and features unseen photos by legendary photographer Glen E. Friedman. 

By 1983, Circle Jerks had already established themselves as one of the most crucial hardcore punk bands– not only in their native Los Angeles, but worldwide. Their seminal debut Group Sex (1980) and the massive follow-up Wild in the Streets(1982) had been unleashed on the public along with extensive touring. The remaining original lineup of Keith Morris (Black Flag, later of OFF!), Greg Hetson (Redd Kross, later of Bad Religion), and Roger Rogerson would soon create another landmark hardcore punk release with their follow up, the masterful Golden Shower of Hits.

Golden Shower of Hits was initially released on July 21,1983 via LAX Records, a label owned by producer Jerry Goldstein best known as manager for Sly Stone and The Plugz, as well as the producer for WAR and The Strangeloves. Clocking in under 28 minutes, the album featured eleven new tracks and the infamous title track, a medley that, like the Paul Revere & the Raiders and Jackie Shannon covers found on the previous LP, completely reinvented the originals into a twisted take on AM radio pop favorites. A pair of tracks, “Coup d’État” and a version of “When the Sh*t Hits the Fan” made their way onto the soundtrack for the midnight movie Repo Man, and is forever cemented into that oddball slab of cinematic genius. “‘Golden Shower of Hits’ was recorded after Lucky Lehrer decided he was going to go to law school, so John Ingram filled in after being recruited by Roger Rogerson,” recalls Morris. “We pretty much recorded live on the sound stage. And the really fun part of that scenario was that our engineer had worked with the Grateful Dead– which at the time was odd.”

LISTEN / SHARE “WHEN THE SH*T HITS THE FAN” REMASTERED AUDIO

Upon release, Golden Shower of Hits became just as its moniker inferred– a modern classic that added to Circle Jerks’ already formidable legacy. And more than 42 years later, that legacy’s already long tail stretches further and wider with the release of this meticulously crafted reissue– cementing the LP’s importance in not only punk history, but the cultural zeitgeist as well. “I’d say that this is a cornerstone in the Circle Jerks discography,” says Morris. “When it comes to our setlist, we’re playing at least seven of these songs live. I think that’s a statement in itself. The title track is probably one of the most ridiculous things that we ever recorded.” 

PRE-ORDER / PRE-SAVE GOLDEN SHOWER OF HITS

Circle Jerks Live Dates: 
Oct 02: Portland, OR – Roseland Theater
Oct 03: Tacoma, WA – Temple Theatre
Oct 05: Bend, OR – Volcanic Theatre Pub
Oct 06: Boise, ID – Knitting Factory
Oct 08: Salt Lake City, UT – The Depot
Oct 10: Grand Junction, CO – Mesa Theater
Oct 11: Boulder, CO – Boulder Theatre
Oct 13: Kansas City, MO – Madrid Theater
Oct 14: Oklahoma City, OK – Tower Theater
Oct 15: Little Rock, AR – The Hall
Oct 17: Dallas, TX – House of Blues
Oct 18: San Antonio, TX – Paper Tiger

Keep your mind open.

[Don’t be a jerk. Subscribe today.]

[Thanks to Bailey at Another Side.]

WSND DJ set list: Deep Dive of Isaac Hayes

Thanks to all who tuned in for my Deep Dive of Isaac Hayes on WSND. It was a fun and funky show. Here’s the set list:

  1. Isaac Hayes – Theme from Shaft
  2. Ben Branch – How Could I Let You Get Away?
  3. Burt Bacharach – What the World Needs Now
  4. Hal David – The Way to Your Heart
  5. Burt Bacharach, Hal David, and Anita Kerr – I Say a Little Prayer
  6. Brook Benton – It’s Just a Matter of Time
  7. David Porter – Just Be True
  8. The Astors – Candy
  9. Carla Thomas – Let Me Be Good to You
  10. Mable John – Your Good Thing (Is About to End)
  11. Sam & Dave – Hold On, I’m Comin’
  12. The Emotions – So I Can Love You
  13. Soul Children – The Sweeter He Is (Parts 1 & 2)
  14. Booker T and The Mrs – Winter Snow
  15. Isaac Hayes – Precious, Precious
  16. The Bar-Kays – Move Your Boogie Body
  17. Isaac Hayes – Walk on By
  18. Isaac Hayes – I Don’t Know What to Do with Myself
  19. Isaac Hayes – Our Day Will Come
  20. Isaac Hayes – Ike’s Rap II / Help Me Love
  21. Portishead – Glory Box
  22. Isaac Hayes – Theme from The Men
  23. Isaac Hayes – Rolling Down a Mountainside (live)
  24. Isaac Hayes – The Look of Love (live)
  25. Three Tough Guys radio ad
  26. Isaac Hayes – Theme from Three Tough Guys
  27. Truck Turner radio ad
  28. Isaac Hayes – Theme from Truck Turner
  29. Isaac Hayes – I Can’t Turn Around
  30. Isaac Hayes – Disco Connection
  31. Isaac Hayes – The Storm Is Over
  32. Isaac Hayes – It’s Heaven to Me
  33. Dionne Warwick – Deja Vu
  34. Isaac Hayes – Memphis Trax
  35. Isaac Hayes – Summer in the City

Be sure to check out my last Deep Dive of the 2025 summer next week!

Keep your mind open!

[Don’t forget to subscribe!]

WSND DJ set list: Deep Dive of Ozzy Osbourne and Black Sabbath

Thanks who all who listened to my deep dive of Ozzy Osbourne and Black Sabbath. Here’s the metal-heavy set list:

  1. Ozzy Osbourne – Crazy Train
  2. The Beatles – She Loves You
  3. The Rolling Stones – Sympathy for the Devil
  4. Earth – When I Came Down
  5. Black Sabbath radio spot
  6. Black Sabbath – Black Sabbath
  7. Crow – Evil Woman
  8. Black Sabbath – Behind the Wall of Sleep (live)
  9. Brown Sabbath – The Wizard
  10. The Flaming Lips – War Pigs
  11. Black Sabbath – Electric Funeral
  12. Mexico City Blondes – Planet Caravan
  13. Black Sabbath – Children of the Grave
  14. Mac Sabbath – Sweet Beef
  15. Black Sabbath – Snowblind (live)
  16. Charles Bradley – Changes
  17. Black Sabbath – Sabbra Cadabra
  18. Black Sabbath – Am I Going Insane?
  19. Helmet – Symptom of the Universe
  20. Black Sabbath – Gypsy
  21. Black Sabbath – Never Say Die!
  22. Necromandus – Nightjar
  23. Ozzy Osbourne – Dee (requested)
  24. Ozzy Osbourne – Goodbye to Romance
  25. Ozzy Osbourne – Over the Mountain
  26. Ozzy Osbourne – Iron Man (live)
  27. Was (Not Was) – Shake Your Head
  28. Ozzy Osbourne – Rock ‘n’ Roll Rebel
  29. Ozzy Osbourne – Crazy Babies (requested)
  30. Lita Ford & Ozzy Osbourne – Close My Eyes Forever
  31. Ozzy Osbourne – No More Tears
  32. Ozzy Osbourne – Dreamer (acoustic version)

The Deep Dive returns next week!

Keep your mind open.

[Don’t forget to subscribe!]

WSND DJ set list: Deep Dive of Carlos Santana

Thanks to all who listened to my deep dive of Carlos Santana on WSND to celebrate his birthday. Here’s the set list:

  1. Santana – Smooth
  2. B.B. King – Chains n Things
  3. John Lee Hooker w/ Carlos Santana – Stripped Me Naked (requested)
  4. T-Bone Walker – T-Bone Shuffle
  5. Muddy Waters – Mississippi Delta Blues
  6. Gabor Szabo – Gypsy Woman
  7. Mike Bloomfield, Al Kooper, and Steve Stills – Blues for Nothing
  8. The Shadows – Apache
  9. Fleetwood Mac – Oh Well
  10. Santana – Persuasion (live)
  11. Willie Bobo – Evil Ways
  12. Santana – Jingo
  13. Gabor Szabo – Gypsy Queen
  14. Santana – Black Magic Woman
  15. Tito Puente – Oye Como Va
  16. Santana – Hope You’re Feeling Better (live)
  17. Santana – No One to Depend On
  18. Steve Winwood and Sheila E – Everybody’s Everything (live)
  19. Santana – Batuka (live)
  20. Carlos Santana and Buddy Miles – Marbles (live)
  21. Santana – Waves Within
  22. Journey – To Play Some Music
  23. Santana – Just in Time to See the Sun
  24. The Mahavishnu Orchestra – You Know You Know
  25. Carlos Santana and John McLaughlin – Naima
  26. Santana – Yours Is the Light (live)
  27. Santana – Love, Devotion & Surrender
  28. Alice Coltrane and Carlos Santana – Illuminations
  29. Santana – Life Is Anew
  30. Santana – Europa (live)
  31. The Zombies – She’s Not There
  32. Carlos Santana – Free As the Morning Sun
  33. Santana – Winning
  34. Carlos Santana and The Fabulous Thunderbirds – Who Do You Love?
  35. Santana – Before We Go
  36. Carlos Santana – I’m Gone

Be sure to tune in next week for another Deep Dive!

Keep your mind open.

[Don’t forget to subscribe!]

WSND DJ set list: Deep Dive of Brian Wilson and The Beach Boys

Thanks to all who listened to my Deep Dive of the music of Brian Wilson and The Beach Boys. Here’s the set list!

  1. The Beach Boys – Good Vibrations
  2. The Four Freshmen – It’s a Blue World
  3. Dion and The Belmonts – I Wonder Why
  4. The Pendletones – Surfin’ Safari
  5. The Beach Boys – 409
  6. The Teddy Bears – To Know Him Is to Love Him
  7. Rachel and The Revolvers – The Revo-Lution
  8. Bob & Sheri – The Surfer Moon
  9. The Gamblers – Moon Dawg!
  10. The Beach Boys – Shut Down (live)
  11. Jan & Dean – Surf City
  12. The Honeys – He’s a Doll
  13. The Beach Boys – In My Room
  14. The Beach Boys – All Summer Long
  15. The Beach Boys – Little Honda
  16. Red Hot Chili Peppers – I Get Around (live)
  17. The Beach Boys – Don’t Worry Baby
  18. Glen Campbell – Guess I’m Dumb
  19. The Beach Boys – Please Let Me Wonder
  20. The Smithereens – Girl Don’t Tell Me
  21. The Beach Boys – California Girls (mono version)
  22. The Beach Boys – Caroline, No
  23. Boogarins – Let’s Go Away for a While
  24. The Beach Boys – I Just Wasn’t Made for These Times
  25. The Beach Boys – Heroes and Villains
  26. The Beach Boys – Wild Honey
  27. Redwood – Time to Get Alone
  28. The Beach Boys – Busy Doin’ Nuthin’
  29. Wall of Voodoo – Do It Again
  30. The Beach Boys – All I Wanna Do
  31. The Beach Boys – ‘Til I Die
  32. American Spring – Slip on Through
  33. Randy Newman – Sail Away
  34. KGB – Sail on Sailor (requested)
  35. California Music – Why Do Fools Fall in Love
  36. The Beach Boys – It’s O.K.
  37. Brian Wilson and Paul McCartney – God Only Knows (live)
  38. Brian Wilson – Love and Mercy (live)

Tune in next week for a Deep Dive of Carlos Santana!

Keep your mind open.

[Don’t forget to subscribe!]

WSND DJ set list: Deep Dive of Sly and The Family Stone

Thanks to all who listened to my Deep Dive of Sly and The Family Stone on WSND. Here’s the set list in case you missed it!

  1. Sly and The Family Stone – Everyday People
  2. The Stewart Four – On the Battlefield
  3. The Viscaynes – Yellow Moon
  4. Danny (Sly) Stewart – A Long Time Alone
  5. James Brown – Love Don’t Love Nobody
  6. Booker T and The MG’s – Green Onions
  7. Otis Redding – I’ve Been Loving You Too Long
  8. The Impressions – People Get Ready
  9. Bobby Womack – Woman’s Gotta Have It
  10. The Beau Brummels – Laugh Laugh
  11. The Mojo Men – Dance with Me
  12. Bobby Freeman – C’mon and Swim
  13. The Great Society – Somebody to Love
  14. Dionne Warwick – Don’t Make Me Over
  15. Sly and The Family Stone – Let Me Hear It from You
  16. The Dirtbombs – Underdog
  17. Sly and The Family Stone – Dance to the Music
  18. The Four Tops – Reflections
  19. The Undisputed Truth – California Soul
  20. Sly and The Family Stone – M’Lady
  21. Sly and The Family Stone – Into My Own Thing
  22. Fatboy Slim – Weapon of Choice
  23. The Jackson 5 – Stand!
  24. Sly and The Family Stone – Sing a Simple Song (live)
  25. Little Sister – Somebody’s Watching You
  26. Sly and The Family Stone – Thank You (Falletinme Be Mice Elf Agin) (Todd CD mix)
  27. Daryl Hall & Sharon Jones – Hot Fun in the Summertime (live)
  28. Sly and The Family Stone – Higher / Music Lover (live)
  29. Bob Marley & The Wailers – Put It On
  30. Marvin Gaye – What’s Going On
  31. Sly and The Family Stone – Luv ‘n’ Haight
  32. Iggy Pop – Family Affair
  33. Sly and The Family Stone – In Time
  34. Red Hot Chili Peppers – If You Want Me to Stay
  35. Sly and The Family Stone – Time for Livin’ (alternate version)
  36. Rose Banks – Darling Baby
  37. Graham Central Station – Your Love
  38. Sly Stone – The Same Thing (Makes You Laugh, Makes You Cry)
  39. Earth, Wind & Fire – Good Time
  40. Sly Stone – His Eye Is on the Sparrow

I’m back July 13th with a Deep Dive of The Beach Boys!

Keep your mind open.

[Don’t forget to subscribe!]

WSND DJ set list: Deep Dive of Waylon Jennings

Thanks to everyone who tuned in for my Deep Dive of Waylon Jennings on WSND. Here’s the set list:

  1. Waylon Jennings – The Dukes of Hazzard theme (Good Ol’ Boys)
  2. Bob Wills & His Texas Cowboys – Ida Red (live)
  3. Floyd Tillman – I Love You So Much It Hurts
  4. Ernest Tubb – Thanks a Lot
  5. Hank Williams – Lost Highway
  6. Carl Smith – If Teardrops Were Pennies
  7. Dean Martin – Ain’t That a Kick in the Head
  8. Elvis Presley – Can’t Help Falling in Love with You
  9. Carl Smith – Hey Joe
  10. Waylon Jennings, Buddy Holly, & King Curtis – Jole Blon (live)
  11. Buddy Holly – You’re the One
  12. Waylon Jennings – The Stage (Stars in Heaven)
  13. Waylon Jennings – Take Me Home (live) (requested)
  14. Waylon Jennings – Another Blue Day
  15. Don Bowman – The World’s Worst Guitar Picker
  16. Herb Alpert – Spanish Flea
  17. Waylon Jennings – Love Denied
  18. Waylon Jennings – Just to Satisfy You
  19. Patsy Montana – Cowboy’s Sweetheart
  20. Bobby Bare – Detroit City
  21. Chet Atkins and Dolly Parton – Do I Ever Cross Your Mind?
  22. Waylon Jennings – That’s the Chance I’ll Have to Take
  23. Waylon Jennings – Anita, You’re Dreaming
  24. Gordon Lightfoot – For Lovin’ Me
  25. Waylon Jennings – Norwegian Wood
  26. Waylon Jennings – Only Daddy That Will Walk the Line (live)
  27. Waylon Jennings and The Kimberlys – MacArthur Park
  28. Johnny Cash – Big River (live)
  29. Waylon Jennings – Ladies Love Outlaws
  30. Waylon Jennings – Gone to Denver
  31. Waylon Jennings – You Ask Me To
  32. Waylon Jennings – This Time (live)
  33. Waylon Jennings – Bob Wills Is Still the King (live)
  34. Waylon Jennings – Can’t You See
  35. Jessi Colter – I’m Looking for Blue Eyes
  36. Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson, Johnny Cash, and Kris Kristofferson – Luckenbach, Texas (live)
  37. Waylon Jennings – Don’t You Think This Outlaw Bit’s Done Got Out of Hand?
  38. Waylon Jennings and Willie Nelson – Don’t Cuss the Fiddle
  39. Waylon Jennings – Working without a Net
  40. Waylon Jennings – Wrong
  41. Waylon Jennings and The Sesame Street Cast – There Ain’t No Road Too Long
  42. Waylon Jennings – Cowboy Movies
  43. Waylon Jennings – Wastin’ Time
  44. The Old Dogs – Rough on the Livin’
  45. Waylon Jennings – Waymores Blues / Shine (live)
  46. Waylon Jennings – Trouble Man (live)

Come back on June 22nd for a Deep Dive of Sly Stone!

Keep your mind open.

[Don’t forget to subscribe!]

Rewind Review: Mavis Staples – Only for the Lonely (1970)

Mavis Staples‘ second solo album, Only for the Lonely, is a heartfelt, heartbreaking, and heart-lifting record, with the songs expressing a lot of emotions and moments Staples was living through at the time.

“I Have Learned to Do Without You,” with its slow-dance guitar and drums and soulful string arrangements, automatically lets you know this album is going to be full of songs to which anyone who’s been through heartbreak can relate. Staples sings, “I got over you!”, but you’re not sure if that’s 100% accurate. “How much water can you pour in a boat before that boat begins to sink?” Staples asks on “How Many Times” – in which her exasperation with a lover comes through in every note.

She finds better times on “Endlessly,” as she sings, “You were made for my arms to surround.” to a lover to whom she’ll be “as faithful as the sunrise.” The horn section on “You’re the Fool” is a great backup to Staples’ powerful and soulful voice. On “Since I Fell for You,” her gospel vocal training shines and makes you pay attention.

“What Happened to the Real Me” is a powerful anthem for jilted lovers everywhere, with Staples’ backing band putting down a solid groove while horns and strings charge behind her voice. “Since You Became a Part of My Life” and “It Makes Me Wanna Cry” are back-to-back, going from praise of a lover and how they changed Staples’ outlook on life to Staples being crushed after his departure. It shows how well she can sing either type and make you feel all those emotions. The closer, “Don’t Change Me Now” has Staples thanking her lover for taking the time to build the love they have, and pleading that he doesn’t screw it up. You’ll think, “Yep. That guy’s an idiot if he thinks he’ll find better.”

Only for the Lonely is a perfect title for the record, as Staples sings to those of us (all of us?) who have felt that emptiness and hope cycle of love again and again.

Keep your mind open.

[I haven’t learned to do without your subscription.]

Rewind Review: Esquivel – More of Other Worlds, Other Sounds (1962)

Somewhere between the late 1950s and the mid-1960s was an aesthetic of design that was known as the “space age bachelor pad.” It was partially inspired by James Bond films, speculation on a glorious, automated future that was to come after World War Two ended, and thrilling adventures in space exploration.

Of course, if you were going to live in a space age bachelor pad, you needed space age music to play on your hi-fi stereo, and that’s where Esquivel entered the scene. More of Other Worlds, Other Sounds is the sequel to 1958’s Other Worlds, Other Sounds, which blew people’s minds back then. More does the same with blends of Latin jazz, big band swing, beautiful piano work, and plenty of odd sounds that come out of nowhere.

“The Breeze and I (Andalucia)” is almost a John Barry Bond movie theme (Dig those horns!), but Barry is happily drunk and goofing around in the studio. The weird hand percussion and surf guitar on “Chant to the Night” are trippy compliments to the great trumpet playing on it. “Canadian Sunset” builds to a thrilling point and then drifts into comfortable warmth (or is it cool dark?).

“Street Scene” has plenty of low-end piano bass to get you prowling, while the middle keys provide sultry glances from across the road. Esquivel (and His Orchestra) does a fun, luxurious spin on the classic “I Get a Kick Out of You” with great piano flourishes. “Primavera” is a song you’ll think you’ve heard in hundreds of elevators, airports, and train stations…and you probably have.

“Street of Dreams” has sublime and subtle percussion behind Esquivel’s plucky piano work, and another trumpet solo that you can practically frame and hang on a wall. “La Mantilla” is layered with Latin acoustic guitar, piano riffs, and hand percussion, instantly transporting you to a place that only exists in dreams. Esquivel’s version of “One for My Baby (and One for the Road)” takes a song popularized by Frank Sinatra and makes it even woozier.

The percussion on “Dancing in the Dark” almost sounds out of whack, almost like Esquivel is playing piano in one room while a samba band plays in another and the recording equipment is set up in the hallway between the two rooms (and a jazz trumpeter is on the veranda outside). You’ll want “Snowfall” on your Christmas playlists this year and every year afterwards. It’s bright and perfect for a cozy night of snuggling in your satellite bachelor pad. The album ends with “Travelin’.” It’s a good finisher, as it’s perfect for putting on as you start on a new journey to some exotic place, even if it’s only a couple miles down the road.

This is a lounge classic, like all of Esquivel’s work, and shouldn’t be missed. Your date will thank you.

Keep your mind open.

[Don’t forget to subscribe!]