Wednesday, January 17, 2018

Vinyl Countdown: The Relative Popularity Of MY LP APPRECIATIONS



Tomorrow marks the second anniversary of Boppin' (Like The Hip Folks Do), so I've been looking back at the relative popularity of some of my posts thus far. On Monday, we looked back at my posts about individual songs (The Greatest Record Ever Made) and posts about live concerts on Tuesday (Virtual Ticket Stub Gallery). Today, let's go to the ol' album rack for some LP appreciations.

I have five similar series bundled under the group title My LP Appreciations. Best Of Everything covers greatest-hits and best-of sets, but I have yet to actually write an entry in that series (other than a general introduction); I'll get to it, I promise! Love At First Spin was suggested by Steve Stoeckel, and it details albums I loved from start to finish from the first time I heard them; after a foreword, there have been three editions of Love At First Spin to date. Second-Hand Sound, focused on individual used LPs I plainly appreciated more than some clueless previous owner, has seen just one entry so far, but it was a popular one. There has also been but a single edition of Rescued From The Budget Bin!'s coverage of cut-outs, remainders, and cheapies. Finally, Groove Gratitude (A Gift Of Music) deals with albums I received as gifts; it was introduced here, and has seen two full-fledged entries so far.

Here are the links to all seven of My LP Appreciations, ranked from most-viewed to least-viewed.:

1. The Monkees: Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn & Jones, Ltd.



I'm not sure that I could quite narrow down my list of great used LP purchases sufficiently to name one as my all-time # 1 greatest second-hand album. But man, that copy of The Monkees' 1967 gem Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn & Jones, Ltd. I bought for fifty cents in '77 would have to be a contender.

2. The Hollies: The Very Best Of The Hollies



My first Hollies album. I had no idea of the world of wonder awaiting me.

3. The Barracudas: Drop Out With The Barracudas



The Barracudas' 1981 debut album Drop Out With The Barracudas isn't all that obscure--the group did chart in the UK--but it's the least-known among the albums I've examined in the My LP Appreciations essays. Whether obscure or familiar, it was my favorite album of the '80s, and the obvious choice for the inaugural Love At First Spin.

4. The Byrds: Mr. Tambourine Man




I'd nearly forgotten how much I loved The Byrds' 1965 debut.

5. The Ramones: Rocket To Russia



My first Ramones record was the 45 of "Sheena Is A Punk Rocker" (aka The Record That Changed My Life). My first Ramones album was their 1976 eponymous debut. But Rocket To Russia was likely the most important Ramones LP for me, and I bought it shortly after I'd met a girl who would wind up being pretty important to me, too.

6. The Beatles: Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band




7. The Beatles: The White Album



Given the prevailing and pervasive (and justified) popularity of The Beatles, and considering how much positive feedback I received for my two Beatles album essays, I'm shocked (Yeah, shocked. Shocked.) and stunned (Yeah, stunned. Very stunned.) that those two are the least-viewed of My LP Appreciations. Go figure. Maybe Blue Meanies are handling the stats? Granted, both of these cover a period in The Beatles' career that interests me less than what came before it; I regard The Beatles' released work from 1964 through '66 as the finest body of pop music ever done, and I've often made public note of that preference. But I love the later stuff too.



TOMORROW: Boppin' (Like The Hip Folks Do) celebrates its second birthday with an unranked listing of some of my favorite blog entries outside of My LP Appreciations. Join me! I'm here every day.

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Our new compilation CD This Is Rock 'n' Roll Radio, Volume 4 is now available from Kool Kat Musik! 29 tracks of irresistible rockin' pop, starring Pop Co-OpRay PaulCirce Link & Christian NesmithVegas With Randolph Featuring Lannie FlowersThe SlapbacksP. HuxIrene PeñaMichael Oliver & the Sacred Band Featuring Dave MerrittThe RubinoosStepford KnivesThe Grip WeedsPopdudesRonnie DarkThe Flashcubes,Chris von SneidernThe Bottle Kids1.4.5.The SmithereensPaul Collins' BeatThe Hit SquadThe RulersThe Legal MattersMaura & the Bright LightsLisa Mychols, and Mr. Encrypto & the Cyphers. You gotta have it, so order it here. 

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