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Abbey Road [Vinyl]

Childrens Toy Shop > Music > Vinyl Records
by: The Beatles

December 05, 1995
Love most of the album then and now. Didn't really understand, though, how much coulda been used elsewhere (like the "White Album"), and how much - not alot - came from other places: Come Together with its' Chuck Berry reference really driving the whole thing; Something, impossible without James Taylor's classic; Oh Darling, yet another Little Richard tribute while Richard was without a recording contract.
Some other curiosities: Mean Mr. Mustard & Maxwell's Silver Hammer (c'mon Paul!); I Want You (She's So Heavy) - a nice soundtrack for a bad Buster Crabbe pirate movie.
Which leaves up with the gems: above mentioned classic A and B side; Here Comes The Sun, You Never Give Me Your Money, Because.
And just like the double ... Read More:

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Pet Sounds (VINYL)

Childrens Toy Shop > Music > Vinyl Records
by: The Beach Boys

September 02, 2008
A caveat - the 5 stars are for the music. 4 stars for pressing!

Re: Pet Sounds and OK Computer Capitol vinyl reissues:

These are better than the abysmal (imo based on disraeli gears and tea for the tillerman) "back to black" reissues.

both the capitol reissue of ok computer and of pet sounds that i bought today are dead quiet and neither suffer from obvious digitalis. they do not sound as if they were recorded using the cd as the source, which many people have felt about the b to b pressings.

the lead vocal on pet sounds is a tiny bit on the bright side (though it may simply be more revealing of whats there - and my system is extremely revealing and cuts no slack in this direction), but it's not ... Read More:

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Just a Little Lovin' [Vinyl]

Childrens Toy Shop > Music > Vinyl Records
by: Shelby Lynne

January 29, 2008
I like Dusty Springfield. I like Shelby Lynne. I love Shelby Lynne singing songs that used to be condsidered to be "Dusty's." And I say "used to be considered" meaning to use those words.

It was funny a few years ago when some kid asked his father about Paul McCartney, who was then singing with Wings, "Dad, didn't he used to be in another band?" Well, a similar question might now be asked about these songs, "Did someone else sing that song years ago?" I do not mean to diminish Miss Springfield and would not be able to do so even if that were my intent. I mean only to say that these songs in Miss Lynne's capable hands have an emotional appeal on an entirely different level than that of Miss Springfield. I believe that Miss Lynne's treatment ... Read More:

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Endless Summer (2 LPs)

Childrens Toy Shop > Music > Vinyl Records
by: The Beach Boys

October 28, 2008
...and, still I listen to it frequently. It's really easy to say that The Beach Boys are outdated, especially for kids my age. BUT, I gotta say, that, this record, a hand me down on vinyl, and eventually a purchase on CD has remained an all time bust out album, for unique situations, or just the occasional, beach party in my head type moment. This thing is loaded with just about all of the beach boys classics... sans the entire Pet Sounds (which I still don't see the big deal with, did it have Surfin U.S.A. on it....NO!.... go ahead and tell me why I'm ignorant)
There are some great Beach Boy records from the sixties. They will never be my favorite, but they have some cool stuff to listen to, when you are getting a ride to the beach with one of your ... Read More:

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The Studio Albums 1967-1968

Childrens Toy Shop > Music > Vinyl Records
by: The Bee Gees

November 07, 2006
Though the Bee Gees' superstardom in the mid-to-late-70s has obliterated many listeners' memories of the group's earlier work, their brilliant beginnings is here for all to hear. Lavishly packaged as three double-CD digipacks in a custom-made slip, each of the group's first three albums is presented in both mono and stereo, accompanied by a disc of related bonus tracks and a lavish 20-page booklet. That's six discs, three booklets, a wealth of terrific music and intimate background detail. As the box set left print, each of the individual albums was reissued in their two-CD form, with the same fold-out four-panel digipack, bonuses and booklet originally included in the box.

The Bee Gees stardom began with the Gibb brothers' 1966 return from Australia ... Read More:

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Revolver

Childrens Toy Shop > Music > Vinyl Records
by: The Beatles

July 15, 2008
For my definition of 'classic' albums please refer to my review of 'Heaven Or Las Vegas' by the Cocteau Twins.

If The Beatles had ended their career with the album "Help", they would still remain the best pop and rock band of all time. But that was not meant to be. God wanted more. It was Thursday and God still had one more working day. I was amazed, astonished and stunned with God's creations on the first five days of the week. It was too much to me. But on Friday he seemed to be in a better mood and came up with something half sweet, half weird, called Rubber Soul, an ape losing his body hair and tail and standing on his two feet. And then God said: "I've had enough. I've created human being and a world for him. Now I'm gonna rest and take back something ... Read More:

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Rubber Soul

Childrens Toy Shop > Music > Vinyl Records
by: The Beatles

July 15, 2008
Great to hear the Beatles again. In these days of on-line download purchases of individual songs for I-Pods, picking up an real "old fashioned" album is a real treat. Wonderfully nostalgic.

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Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band

Childrens Toy Shop > Music > Vinyl Records
by: The Beatles

July 15, 2008
... but I only gave it 4 stars because Paul died before this album was finished. Had Paul (not Faul) been involved in the making of this classic album, it would've been even crazier.

Still... beautiful album by the 3 remaining Beatles. Highly recommended.

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Rubber Soul

Childrens Toy Shop > Music > Vinyl Records
by: The Beatles

December 05, 1995
Great to hear the Beatles again. In these days of on-line download purchases of individual songs for I-Pods, picking up an real "old fashioned" album is a real treat. Wonderfully nostalgic.

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Bookends

Childrens Toy Shop > Music > Vinyl Records
by: Simon & Garfunkel

October 28, 2008
November 2, 2008
Simon and Garfunkel's Bookends was a perfect album, no cherry picking necessary. These songs written by Paul Simon are comparable to nothing crafted before he wrote them and I do not think will be possible to match at anytime in the future. Among perfect albums (every selection a strong keeper)I consider Sergeant Pepper, Sweet Baby James, Tapestry, Rumours,
Turnstiles, and Johnny Mathis Greatest Hits. Truthfully, you might be better served purchasing a Bookends CD than one of these modern day hits loaded with three songs to be proud of. Old Friends is so intensely metaphorical and descriptive that when I was a young man as Bookends was issued, I kept moving fast forward to a time in my life when I too would be sitting on that park bench like my father before me. "How ... Read More: