Collective Soul
Blender (Craft Recordings)
When Collective Soul emerged from Georgia in the '90s, they were lumped in with a post-grunge crowd that also included the likes of Bush and Silverchair. And to be fair, the hat did fit.
By the dawn of the new millennium though, they had started to weave more pop hooks into the mix and their fifth album Blender was probably their best to that point.
From the chant-along joy of the opening "Skin" to the gleefully caustic "Vent," this is a band that was working at its melodic peak.
This Record Store Day release is a special limited edition LP, celebrating the album's 25th anniversary. The LP is on lovely, translucent cobalt vinyl, and it sounds stunning.
"Released in 2000, it marked nearly a decade of meteoric rise for the Georgia-based rock band," the press release states. "The album saw Collective Soul harnessing rock’s mainstream appeal while weaving in elements of pop, industrial and beyond to expand their sound."
Thelonious Monk and Gerry Mulligan
Mulligan Meets Monk (Riverside)
Originally released back in 1957, Mulligan Meets Monk is a album beloved by jazz-heads as the two giants of the genre join forces and create magic.
"At heart, Mulligan Meets Monk is a study in contrasts, with Mulligan’s bright, smooth sax playing off Monk’s edgier piano (and vice versa), all grounded by the rhythm section of bassist Wilbur Ware and drummer Shadow Wilson" reads the press release. "The more unforgettable tracks include the dexterous '’Round Midnight' (co-written by Monk), a breathless delight of an album opener, and the slyly corkscrewing 'Straight, No Chaser' (a Mulligan composition) — proving Mulligan Meets Monk can indeed be all things at once."
It really is a treat, to hear the two masters of their art deftly play off of each other. This Record Store Day limited edition has been recorded with the original mono mix, and press on 180-gram vinyl. It's warm, dazzling and quite beautiful.
