Extended Play - January 12 Set

[Extended Play]

This week we have the usual three albums but with a
little wider focus than usual.

Phil Manzanera's Diamond Head opens up the show. This was his first solo album from '75, including: Robert Wyatt, Brian Eno, John Wetton, Doreen Chanter, and Bill MacCormick. As you'd guess from the wide array of artists, this album is all over the place. however, it's still rooted by Phil's guitar, even if he's not the focal point of the song.

Frank Zappa & The Mothers follow this up with Roxy & Elsewhere from '74. The Roxy band is still widely regarded as one of Zappa's best--you can hear it for yourself here. The amazing thing I always find about this album is how much music existed purely on stage while never appearing on a studio album, Penguin in Bondage first and foremost. This was overdubbed, so maybe it does count as a studio album anyway . . . . For extra fun, get up and dance with the Be-Bop Tango that closes out the album. You'll know when it's time.

National Health closes out the set with Of Queues and Curves, their second album from '78. Highly steeped in the Canterbury scene, National Health couldn't help but to deliver a truly unique sound. I know that it's probably not right for me to mention this with Zappa already in the playlist, but everytime I listen to the first two National Health albums, I hear little Zappa quotes in the music. Listen up and maybe you can spot the one on this album, in the second song "The Collapso". I think it's from an early album, but my mind doesn't seem to work right now. Well, that shouldn't overshadow the album, it's quite amazing on its own.

Ever On The Verge
Tommy - Extended Playa