Julee Cruise's best work. No doubt about it. Perfect for a quiet, meditative Sunday evening. Angelo Badalamenti wrote the music. David Lynch wrote lyrics. Some tunes have appeared on eps of Twin Peaks (Falling, Rocking Back, Into the Night, Nightingale) but the whole thing is quite delightful. RIP.

Leonard Cohen's an absolute legend here in Montreal. Downtown, there are two murals of the man. Wanted to listen to his '92 Future LP. Always found the cover art kinda cheesy. But the content is pretty solid: Title track, Closing Time. And there's a tune called Democracy that's as relevant as ever.

A great Tony album. I really love his Carnegie Hall (released the same yr) but if I want vintage studio Bennett, I go back to this one. Reminds me of my ex-girlfriend who was an actress. She'd come back from her performance and we'd listen to Ella, Billie, Blossom. This. Superb Saturday evening LP.

When you see a Nilsson vinyl in good condition for a few bucks, you don't waste any time and you get it. Didn't have the LP version of this one so I grabbed it ytday. It's a collection of standards with a full orchestra... and quite satisfying. It Had to be You, Makin' Whoopee, As Time Goes By, etc.

Gotta be honest, I wasn't a big fan of Cosmic Thing when it came out in '89. It felt like the band lost its quirky, campy identity to reach mainstream appeal. Don Was + Nile Rodgers gave the tunes a slick, shiny surface. But I like it more and more as time passes. Channel Z is the highlight for me.

Call me crazy but I still believe The Stooges' Raw Power is a truly great Friday record. It stood the test of time. Bowie worked on the post-production and mixing. Starts with a bang w/ Search and Destroy and never lets up for 34 minutes. An LP that needs to be played w/ the volume turned up to 11.

Since it's August 13 (my bday), I wanted to come back to Blur's 13 LP. Love this one. One of the band's best works (still think Parklife is their masterpiece). William Orbit (RIP) produced it and it really has that trademark Orbit experimental-ambient texture. Tender + Trailerpark were always favs.

Mott the Hoople was a great band. Listened to their 1973 LP again last night. Their previous one (All the Young Dudes) is probably considered their all-time classic but I believe this one is even better. Ian Hunter is in top shape here. And the closer (I Wish I Was Your Mother) is quite memorable.

After the experimental Secret Life of Plants, Hotter than July was a breath of fresh air for Wonder fans looking for more accessible, melodic stuff. Even if it doesn't have the freshness and wit of his early '70s LPs, it's pretty darn solid. The first and (easily) the best LP of his uneven '80s era.

A little late to the party but I gave it a shot last night... and really enjoyed it. Was pleasantly surprised. Highly nostalgic, deeply melodic, a bit sentimental here and there... but hey, it's unmistakably Macca. Not perfect but probably my fav Paul record since his 1997 release, Flaming Pie.

The Cow. I listened to it a lot during my Floyd yrs, aka the early '90s. I can understand why the members of the band don't like it. Overall, it's unfocused and the blend of orchestral and rock music on the long suite doesn't quite gel. Still an interesting experiment with many intriguing segments.

On the turntable tonight. I talked about Daniel Lanois yesterday. He also produced The Neville Brothers' Yellow Moon, released in '89. It's clearly rooted in New Orleans funk but it has that atmospheric Lanois prod... and it's poppier for the Brothers. Still a really good listen after all these yrs.

I was studying graphic design, in 1998, when Up came out. I remember that a girl bought it on its release day and was excited. "A masterpiece!" IMHO, it's not a masterpiece and it doesn't have the spark of their early stuff... but it does have its moments and I like it more and more as time passes.

Definitely my weekend Willie album. I often wonder how it would've sounded like without Dan Lanois' atmospheric production... bc it really sounds like a Lanois work. There's even a subtle, moving cover of Dan's The Maker on it. Sparse, intimate, lovely. Perfect companion piece to Nelson's Spirit LP.

Absolutely love Ahmad Jamal. Quite underrated IMO. Three yrs ago (in 2023, the yr he passed away), Impulse reissued his very good 1970 LP, The Awakening. A mix of originals and covers (such as Herbie Hancock's Dolphin Dance). For me, this is perfect Saturday morning music. Upbeat yet peaceful. RIP.

I believe my fav Crowded House LPs are Woodface (pure pop) and Together Alone (challenging, heavier, produced by Youth). But their debut + Temple of Low Men remain the best ones for first-time listeners. Expert songcraft. Strong melodies. This one features one of their classics, Better Be Home Soon.

Love Dusty so much. Near the end of her life, her voice was raspy, husky due to yrs of smoking. But in the '60, she had a velvety, bright, soaring voice. Perfection. I often come back to her '60s catalog. Especially the classic Dusty in Memphis. Windmills of Your Mind, Preacher Man, ... Great stuff.

Zappa's debut, Freak Out, celebrates its 60th anniversary. Gotta admit it, it's damn witty, clever and ambitious for 1966. That year, you'd hear Sonny & Cher, Petula Clark, The Monkees, Nancy Sinatra, Simon & Garfunkel. And then, the Mothers. Eclectic. Zany. Humorous. Still a really good spin today.

Raw Like Sushi. Neneh Cherry's debut. And still her most commercially successful album. When I 1st saw the video for Buffalo Stance in 89, it really caught my attention. "Whoa! Who's that?" While I prefer her 2nd LP (Homebrew) it's a playful, varied, impressive work (even if the prod's a bit dated).

Yesterday, I listened to the whole Beautiful South catalog. What a great English band. They should've been bigger but like a lot of gifted groups (like XTC, Sprout, Blue Nile, …), they were probably too witty and clever for the masses. 0898 is a wonderful album but their debut remains unsurpassed.

The Trinity Sessions. Lovely record. Perfect for unwinding on a rainy Sunday night. The Junkies' debut (Whites Off Earth Now) was promising but they really blossomed on this (now classic) 2nd LP. Saw them live a few times and was never disappointed. Margo Timmins has such an ethereal, unique voice.

John Barry is an icon. Any serious music lover needs (at the very least) one of his compilations in their collection. I own many of his soundtracks but today I'm listening to this gorgeous box set : 4 CDs of his best film works. Delectable stuff.

Just dusted off my vinyl copy of Hours... I wouldn't say it's a classic Bowie record but it's certainly an interesting one. Not as ambitious as his previous '90s albums (although I heard some similarities w/ his Buddha of Suburbia project). Love Reeves Gabrels guitar. A really fine '90s David LP.

I remember seeing Melody Gardot at the Montreal Jazz Festival in 2008. People were entranced. The most ASMResque jazz singer I know. Her voice is silky smooth, utterly soothing. Perfect for a weekend morning w/ coffee... or a late evening. There are gems on all her LPs but this one is a good start.

Pat Metheny is definitely one of my all-time fav jazz guitarists. So many highlights in his massive catalog. His 1982 LP, Offramp, is always a great spin. But this Friday night, I picked his 1978 LP with Dan Gottlieb, Mark Egan and the sensational Lyle Mays. Top-notch.

Every year, I need to listen to this album a few times (like The Blue Nile's Hats and Prefab Sprout's Jordan : The Comeback). Still fresh and excellent more than 36 years after its release. RIP Karl Wallinger, member of The Waterboys in the early years but essentially the brain behind World Party.

IMO, Gainsbourg's the most important figure in 20th century French pop music. He never stopped exploring and was a true provocateur whose lyrics had exceptional wordplay and double entendres. I was sad the day he died in '91. Equally sad when Jane passed 3 yrs ago. This 1969 LP has so many classics.

Evenings are made to unwind. And Eno's "ambient collection" often plays. Discreet Music is just that : discreet. While the 3 short pieces are interesting, the 31-minute title track is the real treat. Beautiful, serene sonic landscape made of slow, warm waves of sound. Fripp's influence is palpable.

I didn't know Glen Hansard well but one of the most heart-wrenching performances I've seen is the one he did w/ Daniel Johnston for the song Life In Vain (check it out on YouTube). It gives me an occasion to talk abt Dan. I own many box sets but one of my favs is Story of an Artist. RIP Glen + Dan.

Ok. Let's get one thing straight: the cover is hideous. But hey, when you're 80+ years old and part of a band called The Rolling Stones. And it's your 27th studio album (here in America), you can get away with it. Other than that, it's a good album (if a bit overlong). I liked it more than Diamonds.