This week’s album-length playlist with music from artists including John Lennon, Mott the Hoople, and John Entwistle
The Gems album playlist—new and classic tracks, with listening notes, curated by Ian Sharp of 'LP'
Welcome to Gems. Each week I compile a playlist of classics and new tracks. In keeping with the ethos of LP, each playlist is 40–45 minutes long - think of it as the equivalent of a sampler album from the 1970s.
Each Gems playlist includes listening notes (below), giving the source, release date, and something notable about the song or artist.
This week, several of the choices are inspired by the limited edition pressings to be made available on Record Store Day (indicated with the tag #RSD24). The list is extensive so I’ll include some more tracks in future Gems as I listen more. Press play.
Gems. Albums, not algorithms.
Note: Album titles are linked to Amazon (affiliate) if the record/CD discussed is available, or to Bandcamp.
Side 1 (22 mins)
Ian Hunter Precious (from Defiance Part 2: Fiction out 19/04/24)
Finally, part two of Hunter’s Defiance project is imminent. This is the first track to be released, with guests including Taylor Hawkins, Brian May, and Joe Elliot. I wrote a Glimpse of Part 1 last August. I’m looking forward to hearing parts one and two back-to-back soon.
The Groundhogs Country Blues (from Black Diamond, reissued on vinyl for #RSD24)
Good to see The Groundhogs getting some recognition with this vinyl release of their album from 1976. This track is a great piece of rocking blues. For me, they were better live than on record (often true of this kind of band - studio recordings can sound sterile and lacking in sweat). If you follow the link you’ll be reminded of how web pages used to look when the blues was invented (slight exaggeration, but … wow!)
Steve Hackett Taking You Down (from The Circus and the Nightwhale, out now)
I suspect Hackett’s new ‘conceptual album’ needs to be listened to properly in one sitting to properly make sense of it. As the record was only released yesterday I’ve not done so yet. Reviewers are discussing his wild guitar on this album, that at least partially tells Hackett’s life story, and such playing is in evidence here.
Linda Ronstadt Tumbling Dice (from Simple Dreams, in The Asylum Albums (1973-1978), issued for #RSD24)
In the early 1970s, artists such as Jackson Browne, the Eagles and Linda Ronstadt were honing a unique Asylum Records sound. Good to see her Asylum albums (she defected to Capitol and returned) in one place. Ronstadt’s vocal gives this Stones song a different feel.
Big Big Train Love is the Light (from The Likes of Us, out 01/03/24)
This one is a grower, and it grows rapidly. This is one of Alberto Bravin’s first songwriting contributions. The band have found a suitable replacement for David Longdon, not only as a singer but with the ability to join the songwriting team too.
Buy on CD + Blu-Ray
Buy on vinyl
Side 2 (23 mins)
John Lennon Mind Games (Ultimate Mix) (from Mind Games 4 Track EP for #RSD24)
The Mind Games album is getting the full super deluxe box treatment later this year, and there’s a sampler EP available for collectors for RSD. This is Lennon in one of his more mellow moods, and with a sound that could only be John Lennon.
Buy Gimme Some Truth on vinyl
Buy Gimme Some Truth on CD
John Entwistle Too Late the Hero (from Too Late the Hero, 1981)
All of Entwistle’s solo albums have recently appeared on streaming services, and a box of physical releases is on it’s way. The Quiet One? Well, maybe but then everyone would seem quiet next to his partner in Who rhythm Keith Moon. He’s wrote some excellent songs for The Who, and had plenty left over given he was competing with Townshend’s concepts. This track borders on AOR but Entwistle always brings something else; in this case, a song that stretches out and never quite builds in the way it seems destined to do, and it better for not going the cliched route.
Chester Thompson Wake Up Call (from Wake Up Call, out now)
When Genesis needed another drummer after Phil Collins became the singer, they eventually settled on Chester Thompson, who Collins knew from his work with Weather Report, Frank Zappa, Santana and many others. Thompson was also in Collins’ touring band. Here’s a track from his new solo album, excellent melodic jazz rock - the sort of thing Brand X used to play. Phil Collins also recorded a song called Wake Up Call but this isn’t the same one.
Albion Black Lake (Llyn Y Fan Fach) (from Lakesongs of Elbid, out now)
Scrolling through my Facebook timeline I saw a recommendation for Albion. For all the downsides of streaming, it does allow suggestions to be checked rapidly. I’m glad I followed this one up; Albion are playing a kind of folk-metal here. I’ll report on them again when I’ve fully listened to the album.
Mott the Hoople Ballad of Mott the Hoople (from Mott, 1973)
Mott is next week’s Glimpse. The opportunity to open and close this week’s Gems with a bit of Ian Hunter was too good to pass up.
Video Gem of the Week
This is the original promo for Ballad of Mott the Hoople.
What’s next … early next week I’ll post a Glimpse of the Mott album, and (finally!) the Immersions playlist.
Enjoy the music,
Ian
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Excellent bands!
I know the filmmakers at Start Productions (produced the Mott doc)