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Turn It Up To 11 @turnitupto11.bsky.social · 20h

Let's Dance. Not a horrible LP by any means. But perspective is required. Following his groundbreaking late-70s LPs (+ Scary Monsters), it's a bit of a letdown. Modern Love, China Girl, title track. All decent tunes. Nile Rodgers gave them a sleek, shiny, Chic-inspired sound. But it lacks innovation

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Turn It Up To 11 @turnitupto11.bsky.social · 1d

Basically the album that was my entry point to the fabulous world of Joni Mitchell in 1991. Over the years, it became my "weekend" and "long drive" Joni LP. Cherokee Louise, Passion Play and the title track are all terrific tunes. It's no Blue or Court and Spark but it's very good Joni. Underrated.

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Turn It Up To 11 @turnitupto11.bsky.social · 2d

Speaking of live albums, Band of Gypsies is a must-have. There are many live Hendrix LPs (+ bootlegs) out there but, IMO, this is the best one. Essentially based on extended jams, it shows a glimpse of where he was heading: a soul, funkier sound. Message to Love, Who Knows, … Precious live document.

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Turn It Up To 11 @turnitupto11.bsky.social · 3d

Oh, Nighthawks. Said it many times; not a huge fan of live LPs. But listening to a young Waits perform in front of a small crowd is a real treat. This is where his voice got hoarse, a bit rougher. Many highlights but Warm Beer and Cold Women is immortal; basically the soundtrack to my early 20s.

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Turn It Up To 11 @turnitupto11.bsky.social · 4d

Another case of got-the-album-bc-I-loved-the-cover-art. Was fascinated by it at age 14 (even had nightmares bc of it). The 1st really good Genesis LP… and the 1st with the "classic" lineup. Not the band's apex (that would be Selling and Lamb Lies Down) but full of clever ideas (Hogweed, Musical Box)

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Turn It Up To 11 @turnitupto11.bsky.social · 4d

For those who can't afford the 6+ hours Complete Basement Tapes, there's the original LP. I was bedridden with high fever the 1st time I listened to it. Its rawness and freewheeling spirit were utterly charming. But what seduced me ultimately was its humour. A great collaboration. Still delightful.

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Turn It Up To 11 @turnitupto11.bsky.social · 5d

Eno. Fripp. Dream team. Hadn't heard that LP in years so I dusted it off last weekend. Gave it a spin. While not one of Eno's or Fripp's most refined/sophisticated projects, it's certainly intriguing. And ingratiating. Hypnotic, minimalist, rewarding "loop music" that's ultimately quite beautiful.

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Turn It Up To 11 @turnitupto11.bsky.social · 6d

I didn't know Bowie's work well when I 1st heard Tin Machine's debut. I saw the vid for Under the God, it rocked, so I got the LP. In hindsight, it finds the man in a creative state of mind, reenergized after nearly a decade of cruising on autopilot. It was refreshing then and has aged rather well.

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Turn It Up To 11 @turnitupto11.bsky.social · 7d

90125. Many ex-colleagues/friends snubbed and ridiculed this record. Still don't know exactly why. True, it has nothing to do with late '60s/'70s Yes but for what it is (a sophisticated pop album made for the MTV gen), it's nearly flawless. My personal fav on this has always been the closer, Hearts.

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Turn It Up To 11 @turnitupto11.bsky.social · 7d

When I worked at a record store in the early 1990s, this one played… a lot. Arguably, Squeeze's finest hour on vinyl. They got everything right here. One thing it does well is capture aspects of the UK life (a bit like Blur's Parklife). Varied, creative, catchy. A new wave LP of the highest order.

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Turn It Up To 11 @turnitupto11.bsky.social · 8d

Neu!'s 1972 debut. A krautrock milestone that influenced countless artists over the years : Eno, Bowie, Iggy Pop, PIL, Radiohead, etc. The epic, beautiful 10-minute opener, Hallogallo, alone, is worth the price of admission but the rest of the record is also worth listening to. Pioneers.

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Turn It Up To 11 @turnitupto11.bsky.social · 9d

I firmly believe, you never forget your first exposure to jazz music. I was 7-8 when I first heard Blue Rondo à la Turk at my uncle's cottage. Something happened at that very moment. It clicked. I recently listened to a lot of Brubeck stuff. But Time Out is a timeless, absolutely essential record.

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Turn It Up To 11 @turnitupto11.bsky.social · 10d

Such an important record. Very first NY LP I ever got (thanks to an ex-partner). First one he made with Crazy Horse. And his first really great album. A total departure from his debut and the blueprint for, essentially, the rest of his career. Some highlights : Cinnamon Girl, Down by the River, ...

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Turn It Up To 11 @turnitupto11.bsky.social · 11d

I never met Marianne Faithfull but an ex-colleague of mine said she was the "coolest grandma." For some, her voice is an acquired taste. Not for me. Love it. Broken English is rewarding. While it's clearly a product of its time, the material is pretty strong. Guilt, Lucy Jordan, title track, ...

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Turn It Up To 11 @turnitupto11.bsky.social · 11d

I see that LP ev. day in my record collection. Never talked about it. Let's do it. When I was young, I heard stuff from Starship (Sara) on the radio. This is the original band. The real deal. Today. Somebody To Love. White Rabbit. Not a weak track on this. Still inspired, trippy almost 59 yrs later.

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Turn It Up To 11 @turnitupto11.bsky.social · 12d

The 1st live Talking Heads LP. And I must say, purely as a listening experience, I prefer it to Stop Making Sense. The band is on fire on this; hungry, there's an urgency that's utterly charming and compelling. Overall, it's more satisfying. A great live document. The 2004 re-release is a must-own.

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Turn It Up To 11 @turnitupto11.bsky.social · 13d

THRAK. I often think of this one as a neglected Crimson LP. Many critics at the time said it was "more of the same" or "Red-sounding" but I tend to disagree. Maybe not one of their all-time best but certainly not bad. Many fine moments: VROOOM, Dinosaur and my personal fav, the delightful One Time.

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Turn It Up To 11 @turnitupto11.bsky.social · 13d

Two days ago was Bryan Ferry's birthday. I still can't believe the King of Cool is now 80 years old. I find it genuinely sad that his voice has drastically weakened. But hey, that's life. His distinctive '70s-'80s voice remains one of my favs. I was 15 when I got this. 9 covers, 1 original. Good LP.

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Turn It Up To 11 @turnitupto11.bsky.social · 14d

The infamous Anderson, Bruford, Wakeman & Howe album. Big Generator was a big disappointment for me, so when this came out it was a breath of fresh air. I liked it quite a bit then. Still like it now. Basically, a Yes LP minus the name… and Squire's bass. Heck, it was even better than Yes' Union.

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Turn It Up To 11 @turnitupto11.bsky.social · 15d

Jon Hassell was such a gifted, innovative trumpet player. Many highlights in his lengthy catalog : his remarkable work with Eno, late career gems such as Last Night the Moon… Vernal Equinox, his first official solo LP, remains a really fine introduction. Still impressive and powerful 47 years later.

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Turn It Up To 11 @turnitupto11.bsky.social · 15d

I believe the first time I heard of Pin Ups is from Canadian singer Sass Jordan in the late 1980s. Think it was her favorite David LP. Is it one of MY fav LPs? No, it isn't. Is it one of his best? No. Having said that, for a covers-only album, it's intriguing; a must-listen for the man's true fans.

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Turn It Up To 11 @turnitupto11.bsky.social · 16d

You never forget your first Beatles album. Xmas '87. I asked for the Red Album, not the blue one (because the cover showed them happy, innocent, young). A few days before Xmas, I tore up the corner of the wrapping paper to make sure it was the right LP! And it was. A great entry point for newbies.

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Turn It Up To 11 @turnitupto11.bsky.social · 17d

I know people who absolutely love this record (some even said it was "life-changing") and some who really hate it. I like it. An incredibly inspired, beautiful piece of music. All improvised. And knowing Mr. Jarrett was very sick and only 29 when he recorded it makes it all the more impressive.

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Turn It Up To 11 @turnitupto11.bsky.social · 18d

To say that Harry Nilsson was an iconoclast is an understatement. He had a gorgeous voice, a gift for melody and clever lyrics. He also had demons. Many demons. A complicated and fascinating artist. In the mid-late 70s, the man released some defiantly idiosyncratic LPs. A gateway Nilsson work? This.

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Turn It Up To 11 @turnitupto11.bsky.social · 19d

IMO, Robbie Robertson's best solo LP remains his 1987 debut. Storyville is not far behind but I usually come back to this one. There's a U2 collab that's ok (Sweet Fire of Love) but the rest is better, IMO. Crazy River. Fallen Angel. Showdown. Broken Arrow. Really solid batch of tunes.

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