Tag Archives: box set

#653: C is for Costello, Elvis (A Prologue)

I have 25 Elvis Costello albumsin my CD collection. There is onlyone other artist more prominent in the shelves of compact discsthan Elvis, and that would beMr. Frank Zappa, at 36 albums, half of which are double CD’s. On the shelves of vinyl, I have the three Elvis studio recordsreleased since 2018, and threemore specialContinue reading “#653: C is for Costello, Elvis (A Prologue)”

#635: B is for Bright Eyes

In the fine tradition of great bad singers, here is Conor Oberst, otherwise known as the band leader of Bright Eyes. His singing is imprecise, full of vibrato, a tentativetenor, except for when he’s screaming, which he does sometimes, even in quiet songs. He often soundslike he’s on the verge of crying or throwing aContinue reading “#635: B is for Bright Eyes”

#632: B is for Bowie (“Brilliant Adventure,” The Box)

I I could read more, I suppose, to be more learned (“LUR-ned”)on the subject, but sometimesit’s just fun to imagine. Five yearspassed between albums, a totalmystery for a guy who had beenso prolific now for two full decades. He may have just been resting(entirely unlikely, I think). Or doing other stuff. Didn’t the first TinContinue reading “#632: B is for Bowie (“Brilliant Adventure,” The Box)”

#631: B is for Bowie (“Loving the Alien,” The Box)

I It will be forever and a single daybefore I get to the M section of thealphabet, so, even though I won’t write about them, I will from timeto time listen to an album from artistsin other parts of the alphabet. And the only reason I mention thisis because I listened to Magdalena Baythis morning,Continue reading “#631: B is for Bowie (“Loving the Alien,” The Box)”

#629: B is for Bowie (“Who Can I Be Now?” The Box)

I didn’t rememberliking Diamond Dogsall that much at the firstlisten, but today it’s freshand weird and good.I’d have to study the lyricspretty carefully to understand the Orwell references beyond the titles, “We Are The Dead,”“1984,” and “Big Brother,” but I’m not going to do that; I rather just letthe record wash behindme as I toolContinue reading “#629: B is for Bowie (“Who Can I Be Now?” The Box)”

#628: B is for Bowie (“Five Years,” The Box)

I “Ground Control to Major Tom,”are likely the first words any of usever heard from David Bowie. Maybe I was five, and for yearsI would hear that distinctive voiceon the radio and knew the hits, but my older siblings, the arbitersof new music into the householdnever brought home a Bowie album. I didn’t start buyingContinue reading “#628: B is for Bowie (“Five Years,” The Box)”