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The Rotation, #45

stack of lp records close up

The Yardbirds: SHAPES OF THINGS (1964)*

Until he passed away recently, Jeff Beck hadn’t been more than a name and a reputation to me. This is the first Yardbirds album that really shows off his talent.

Collected Tracks

  • What Do You Want
  • Jeff’s Blues

Yes: TOMATO (1978)*

I love Yes, but we definitely seem past peak Yes by this record. It’s weird to think of a Yes record as “pedestrian,” but that’s what I’m getting here.

Collected Tracks

  • N/A

The 5th Dimension: UP, UP AND AWAY (1967)*

Welcome to the start of my 10th trip around the alphabet!

The 5th Dimension is a group that’s important to my spouse, and so, I’ve been trying to get more familiar with them. They were actually her very first concert back in the late 60s. While a lot of it is cheesy 60s and 70s pop, some of it is quite enjoyable, and I’m always impressed with the theatricality of Marilyn McCoo’s voice. It’s a wonder to me that she was never successful on Broadway.

Collected Tracks

  • Another Day, Another Heartache
  • Too Poor to Die

10,000 Maniacs: HOPE CHEST (1990)*

A compilation of early recordings that’s more interesting than good. I’m glad I heard it, but it’s not a classic, by any stretch.

Collected Tracks

  • Grey Victory

13th Floor Elevators: THE PSYCHEDELIC SOUNDS OFTHE 13TH FLOOR ELEVATORS (1966)*

Collected Tracks

  • You’re Gonna Miss Me
  • You Don’t Know
What is The Rotation?

The primary way I build my digital music collection is by maintaining a playlist called, “The Rotation.” On this list, I load albums of artists I’m interested in hearing; mostly new-to-me artists or albums. Because I need some organizational principle to conduct this survey, I go by the alphabetical listing of the artist. I typically move from earlier records to later records, although there are exceptions. If I’m excited to hear a new album by a favorite artist I’ll add it in an apparent random placement to hear it sooner than later. From this list I’ll select tracks to add to my collection. It’s rare that I DNF a record, and uncommon for me to not select a single track from it. I’ve been doing this for a while and am currently on my 10th trip around the alphabet. Above are the albums heard in a given session and what thoughts, if any, I have about them. These are mostly first impressions, so don’t expect in-depth analysis.

Asterisks (*) after the album title indicate that it is a new-to-me record.

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