#12/100 – KLLO – Backwater

This was a neat surprise when I heard it first as a radio promo. Neat Australian duo with lush vocals and interesting beats. I don’t buy a lot of music new, but this deserved my money and By Your Side was my pick on Side C of this release. I really love it’s broken beat stutter and the refrains. I’ve had many people ask about this one in the past.

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#11/100 – The Clash – Combat Rock

I’d never listened to this album, and I still haven’t. Side B was a pick because I didn’t really recognize the cuts, but picked Sean Flynn because it seemed the most like what I _wanted_ to hear. Side A has tracks you’ve heard, but not B. Given to me by someone who had a punk collection, I wasn’t going to turn it down, but my time with it has me even more interested in The Clash and their influences. Side B is very interesting.

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#9/100 – Beastie Boys – Check Your Head

When the trio decided to go in yet another direction for this, their third album, they ditched the bombast of Licensed to Ill and the Dust Brothers influence of Paul’s Boutique for the path less travelled. “Hey, we should learn how to play instruments and make a band record” said almost no one ever. This is a dandy of an album and Something’s Gotta Give was my pick from Side B. Really a great record

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#8/100 – DJ Shadow – The 4 Track Era

A neat, limited release on vinyl, this was DJ Shadow showing his work, so to speak. Endtroducing blew the minds of most who listened to it, and this is the prelude of tracks that paved the way for that groundbreaking instrumental milestone. Lesson 5 is probably a homage to the work of Steinski’s look at the roots of hip-hop to that point. Brave!

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#7/100 – George Fitzgerald – Fading Love

I think this is the only album I got as part of winning a contest held by a promotional company. Good thing that I like the album, but it’s more interesting and introspective after listening to it again after some years. Knife to the Heart is one of many tracks that take the album title and give the perspective of one who is struggling. Compelling nonetheless.

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#6/100 – Johnny Cash and The Tennessee Two – Show Time

I may have put this one on years ago, but I was really disappointed this round because it feels as though it may have been banking on the success of other, actual live performances with fake crowd noises. It’s not a very good sounding pressing/mastering, but I did find some solace in the spirit of The Wreck of the Old ’97 and it’s performance. There are better Cash albums out there.

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#5/100 – Front 242 – Front by Front

I’ve been a fan of the Belgian EBM group Front 242 for about 30 years, and I have a decent collection of their vinyl from Was Trax and RRE. Front by Front was their first album that found popularity in the US with Headhunter and it’s B-side Welcome to Paradise, which isn’t on the LP but is on the CD. Terminal State was COVID-19 in a track, so it was my pick of Side B.

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