Skip to content

Standard Reader

Goatless

Goatless

@johneckman.com

Add to list Follow

Music, Veganism, Travel

0Readers

13Posts

todayLast active

Iron & Wine, The Creek Drank The Cradle, 2002 on Sub Pop

Debut studio album from Sam Beam's Iron & Wine, put out on Sub Pop in 2002, recorded at home by Beam himself (in Miami Florida, though now he lives in North Carolina. Beam is another artist I could just put on endless repeat (harder to do on vinyl, I'll grant you). If you don't know...

Bill Callahan, Shepherd In A Sheepskin Vest, 2019 on Drag City

Bill Callahan's sixth studio album under his own name (he previously led a project under the name Smog), recorded at Wonder Chamber in Austin Texas, which is Brian Beattie's home studio. Beattie plays on the record along with Matt Kinsey, Adam Jones, Gary Newcomb, and Callahan. Callahan is a consistent and prolific artist - maybe...

Ray LaMontagne and The Pariah Dogs, God Willin’ & the Creek Don’t Rise, 2010 on RCA

Fourth full length from New England's Ray LaMontagne (born in New Hampshire, has lived in Maine & Massachusetts) and the first credited to a band. The album was recorded at The Big Room at Apple Hill, on LaMontagne's property in western Massachusetts. Pariah dog is another name for Desi Kutta or Indian Pariah dog, though...

Steely Dan, Gaucho, 1980 on MCA

This was the seventh Steely Dan full length and their only one on MCA records, following six on ABC. It would also be their last studio album for ~20 years. Though Keith Jarrett would later sue and be awarded writing credit on the title track here it is still credited just to Becker and Fagan....

Regina Spektor; Home, Before and After; 2022 on Sire

I was a bit obsessed with Soviet Kitsch, Spektor's major label debut, when it came out in 2004 via Sire (she'd previously self-released it), as well as Begin to Hope which included the song "Samson". This is Spektor's eighth full-length album and her sixth for Sire. It was produced by John Congleton (along with Spektor...

Coldplay, Parachutes, 2000 on Parlophone

Stunning debut album from Coldplay, out in 2000 on Parlophone in the UK. I know some folks have turned on Coldplay as uncool (I blame The 40 Year Old Virgin) but this is truly a wonderful album from beginning to end. It also sold like wild and won Best Alternative Music Album at the 2002...

R.E.M., The Best of R.E.M. at the B.B.C., 2018 on Craft Recordings

Craft Recordings put out an 8 CD / 104 file digital download R.E.M. at the B.B.C. in 2018 - this was the condensed "best of" version, narrowing down to 20 tracks across 2 LPs. The first disc is all BBC sessions (Nicky Campbell, John Peel, Mark and Lard, Drivetime, Radio 1 Lounge) and the second...

BBCcraft recordings

The Connection, 7 Nights to Rock, 2013 on King Yum Records

This may actually be called Connection Collection Vol 1 - there's no real title on the cover or the labels but that's what it is currently called on Bandcamp (which also says it came out in 2012). But the "one sheet" for the release I found on Facebook (see below) calls it "7 Nights to...

Devotchka, This Night Falls Forever, 2018 on Concord Records

DeVotchKa (their capitalization) are an American band formed in Denver, despite the Russian name and the global folk sound. This is actually their most recent full length LP, though they also did the soundtrack for The Neverending Story in 2020. Like many people I found DeVotchKa through the soundtrack to Little Miss Sunshine but since...

The National, The National, 2001 on Brassland.

This was the debut album from Matt Berninger, Aaron Dessner, Bryan Devendorf, Scott Devendorf, with Bryce Dessner listed under additional performers under "with" rather than as part of the band. Maybe the harshest reviewed records in The National's catalog. I'd agree it is not their strongest but it it where it all started. Who knew...

4ADAaron Dessner

Mia Doi Todd, Gea, 2008 on Zen City

Gea was Todd's sixth full length studio album, released in 2008 by her own Zen City Records. It's very atmospheric art-folk strongly featuring her voice - she's really a unique talent. My copy—via Vinyl Index in Somerville MA—is the 2020 Org Music reissue, on transparent green vinyl, which was put out as part of Record...

Eli “Paperboy” Reed, 99 Cent Dreams, 2019 on Yep Roc Records

Boston's own (Brookline via Somerville) Eli "Paperboy" Reed's sixth full length and his second on Yep Roc, 99 Cent Dreams was recorded in Memphis at Sam Phillips Recording Studio in Memphis with Matt Ross-Spang producing and engineering. My copy—via Residency Records in Salem MA—is an RTI pressing and sounds great.