Robert Baird

Sort By: Post Date | Title | Publish Date
Recording of December 2022: Muswell Hillbillies/Everybody's in Show-Biz
Recording of the Month
Robert Baird  |  Nov 16, 2022  |  2 comments
The Kinks: Muswell Hillbillies/Everybody's in Show-Biz
BMG BMGCAT720DBOX (6 LP, 4 CD, Blu-ray). 2022. Ray Davies, Andrew Sandoval, prods.; Mike Bobak, Matt Jaggar, Kevin Gray, others, engs.
Performance ****
Sonics ***½

Despite world-class songwriting and great singing from Ray Davies, solid guitar work from brother Dave, a run of six classic albums from Face to Face (1966) to Muswell Hillbillies (1971), multiple hit singles and albums in the US and the UK, the Kinks are rarely mentioned, on either side of the Atlantic, in the same breath as contemporaries the Beatles and the Rolling Stones. Why is that?

Continue Reading >
Recording of December 2023: Who's Next/Life House Super Deluxe Edition
Recording of the Month
Robert Baird  |  Nov 14, 2023  |  3 comments
The Who: Who's Next/Life House Super Deluxe Edition
Polydor/UME (10 CD, Blu-ray). 1971/2023. The Who, orig. prod.; Glyn Johns, associate prod.; Bill Curbishley, Robert Rosenberg, exec. prods. reissue; Bob Pridden, Richard Whittaker, Andy McPherson, Jaime Howarth, Pete Townshend, engs.; Jon Astley, Layla Astley, remastering engs.
Performance *****
Sonics *****

Impossibly ambitious? Too many demands on the audience? Tommy done better? A final collapse before a glorious resurrection? 1971's Who's Next, which began life as a more-advanced-than-Tommy sci-fi rock opera called Life House (also called Lifehouse), is all that and more. All the elements of this oft-reissued opus have been remastered and reissued in several new configurations, the most complete being the Who's Next/Life House Super Deluxe Edition, which includes 10 CDs with 155 tracks sourced from the original tapes, 89 of them previously unreleased.

Continue Reading >
Recording of February 1998: Sacred Steel
Recording of the Month
Robert Baird  |  Feb 02, 1998  |  0 comments
VARIOUS ARTISTS: Sacred Steel
Arhoolie CD450 (CD). 1997. Robert Stone, prod.; Chris Strachwitz, exec. prod. AAD? TT: 74:29
Performance *****
Sonics ****
Continue Reading >
Recording of February 2001: El Cancionero Mas Y Mas
Recording of the Month
Robert Baird  |  Feb 05, 2001  |  0 comments
LOS LOBOS: El Cancionero Mas Y Mas
Warner Archives/Rhino RS 76670-2 (4 CDs). 2000. Los Lobos, Luis Torres, T Bone Burnett, Ry Cooder, Mitchell Froom, Hal Willner, others, prods.; Larry Hirsch, Tchad Blake, Bob Schaper, John Paterno, others, engs. AAD? TT: 5:01:49
Performance *****
Sonics ****
Continue Reading >
Recording of February 2002: Love, Shelby
Recording of the Month
Robert Baird  |  Feb 17, 2002  |  0 comments
SHELBY LYNNE: Love, Shelby
Island ISLF 15426-2 (CD). 2001. Glen Ballard, prod.; Scott Campbell, eng.; Bob Clearmountain, mix. ADD? TT: 42:19
Performance ****?
Sonics ****
Continue Reading >
Recording of February 2005: How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb
Recording of the Month
Robert Baird  |  Feb 13, 2005  |  1 comments
U2: How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb
Interscope B0003613-02 (CD). 2004. Steve Lillywhite, prod.; Carl Glanville, eng.; Brian Eno, Daniel Lanois, Chris Heaney, others, asst. engs. AAD? TT: 49:08
Performance ****½
Sonics ****
Continue Reading >
Recording of February 2006: Fox Confessor Brings the Flood
Recording of the Month
Robert Baird  |  Feb 12, 2006  |  0 comments
NEKO CASE: Fox Confessor Brings the Flood
Anti 86777 (CD). 2006. Neko Case, Darryl Neudorf, prods.; Craig Schumacher, Chris Schultz, engs. AAD. TT: 34:55
Performance ****½
Sonics ****
Continue Reading >
Recording of February 2007: Wincing the Night Away
Recording of the Month
Robert Baird  |  Feb 11, 2007  |  0 comments
THE SHINS: Wincing the Night Away
Sub Pop SP 705 (CD). 2007. James Mercer, Joe Chiccarelli, prods.; Phil Ek, Sean Flora, Hiro Ninagawa, Brian Deck, Lars Fox, engs. AAD? TT: 41:52
Performance ****
Sonics ****
Continue Reading >
Recording of February 2009: Cardinology
Recording of the Month
Robert Baird  |  Feb 10, 2009  |  1 comments
RYAN ADAMS: Cardinology
Lost Highway B0012195-02 (CD, LP, 7" EP). 2008. Tom Schick, prod., eng.; Noah Goldstein, asst. eng. AAD?, AAA. TT: 40:29
Performance ****
Sonics ****
Continue Reading >
Recording of February 2010: Orchestrion
Recording of the Month
Robert Baird  |  Feb 12, 2010  |  0 comments
Pat Metheny Orchestrion
Pat Metheny, guitars, orchestrion programming.
Nonesuch 516668-2/-1 (CD/LP). 2010. Pat Metheny, prod.; eng. AAD? TT: 52:06
Performance ****
Sonics ****
Continue Reading >

Pages

X