Here are some random albums I've listened to from artists which I didn't want to make separate discography pages for. Some of these albums are from artists who only had one or two albums; some from artists I never bothered with further.
America: America (1972): C+
Barbra Streisand: The Barbra Streisand Album (1963): B-
Barbra Streisand: Barbra Streisand's Greatest Hits (1970): C
Barbra Streisand: Barbra Streisand's Greatest Hits Volume 2 (1978): C
Boston: Boston (1976): C
Burt Bacharach: The Very Best of Burt Bacharach (2001): B-
Crazy Horse: Crazy Horse (1971): C+
David Axelrod: Song of Innocence (1968): B-
The Edgar Winter Group: They Only Come Out at Night (1972): B
Fisk Jubilee Singers: Fisk Jubilee Singers, Vol. 1: Swing Low, Sweet Chariot (1997): B
The Four Seasons: The Very Best of Frankie & the Four Seasons (2002): C
James Talley: Got No Bread, No Milk, No Money, But We Sure Got a Lot of Love (1975): A
James Talley: Tryin' Like the Devil (1976): B
Joy of Cooking: Joy of Cooking (1971): B
Lesley Gore: The Golden Hits of Lesley Gore (1965): C+
Louis Jordan: Let the Good Times Roll: The Anthology 1938-1953 (1999): A-
Mahalia Jackson: Gospels, Spirtuals, & Hymns (1991): C+
Nico: Chelsea Girl (1967): C+
The Righteous Brothers: The Very Best of the Righteous Brothers: Unchained Melody (1990): C
Van Dyke Parks: Song Cycle (1967): B
America: America (1972):
If you've liked the music you've heard from America and think you need more from them, I suppose you'll like this. But I found their vocalists to be mostly uninteresting. C+
Barbra Streisand: The Barbra Streisand Album (1963):
At only 20, Streisand made quite a entrance and her debut album caught enough positive attention to get the Grammy for Album of the Year. Although the public was very close to discarding classic pop entirely in 1963, this is the type of album which nevertheless feels deserving of such an elite award from a polling group who has never been hip to the ongoings of popular music. The choice of covers is occasionally questionable and her voice can be too piercing, but Streisand's performances can also be immaculate, the track-list is surprisingly consistent, and the production is always enjoyable. B-
Barbra Streisand: Barbra Streisand's Greatest Hits (1970):
Her debut had some pleasant moments because way back when Barbra didn't have unlimited resources. But that quickly changed and soon she and her production team could stay behind the soundboard for hours perfecting every millisecond of her singles. With pristine vocals up front and strings taking up all the left over space in the mix, the climactic moments are overwhelming and the quiet moments don't have a shred of intimacy. C
Barbra Streisand: Barbra Streisand's Greatest Hits Volume 2 (1978):
While her first greatest hits volume largely consisted of show tunes that had nothing to do with the popular music of the 60s, this one sees her moving to a sound that certainly has some rock elements. Predictably, transplanting her bombastic strings onto rock cuts don't make them any more listenable or interesting. C
Boston: Boston (1976):
Boston bought the radio-friendly rule book and plagiarized it for your listening pleasure here. C
Burt Bacharach: The Very Best of Burt Bacharach (2001):
To give yourself an easy introduction to some of the most famous recordings of Bacharach's songwriting, this is probably a great place to hunker down. But it doesn't (and I presume his other compilations don't either) provide an insightful portrait of the songwriter as it tours a number of different artists' interpretations of the man's songs. A good track-list nonetheless. B-
Crazy Horse: Crazy Horse (1971):
I should have given this more of a chance, but upon one listen I realized why they're a backing band. Also, as much as I love Danny's voice on Tonight's the Night, he doesn't do it here for me. C+
David Axelrod: Song of Innocence (1968):
I'm probably expected to find Axelrod's classical influence highly objectional and his novel jazz rock fusion as upsetting as the hollow temples of heavy metal but I don't. Wrecking Crew members really can do wonders and although the strings swell all over the place and pierce with frequent displeasure, what the heck? There are some okay movements and melodies that keep me attentive to an album I don't ever get into. B-
The Edgar Winter Group: They Only Come Out at Night (1972):
No need to go out of your way to listen to this half decent record, but the younger Winter has a hellova lot better voice than his brother and he has original idea of what rock can be. This may just be a half decent record to go out of your way to listen to. B
Fisk Jubilee Singers: Fisk Jubilee Singers, Vol. 1: Swing Low, Sweet Chariot (1997):
The Fisk Jubilee Singers--hailing from Fisk University--rose to international prominence in the 1870s after embarking on several commercially successful tours. Mixing European classical elements with African American spiritual songs, the a cappella singers were met with widespread acclaim for their original sound, which was far removed from the offensive minstrel acts that many Americans presumed Black music sounded like. Despite their immediate success, it wasn't until the early 20th century that commercial recording was able to capture a male four-piece iteration of the Fisk Jubilee Singers, who had evolved beyond the original lineup. This compilation gathers the group's earliest material from 1909 to 1911. Although collecting essential material like "Swing Low, Sweet Chariot," "I Couldn't Hear Nobody Pray," "There Is a Balm in the Gilead," "Golden Slippers," "In Bright Mansions Above," and "I Know the Lord Laid His Hands On Me," not everything is as accessible or relevant today. A few works are spoken word while many of the others are obscure and forgotten spirituals. Nevertheless, it is unlikely that a better compilation of this early period will ever be released--after all, they only recorded twenty songs during this time--so this will remain the best choice for curious listeners, especially for those who want to hear some of the earliest recorded music by African Americans. B
The Four Seasons: The Very Best of Frankie & the Four Seasons (2002):
Almost immediately, the Four Seasons were a success as the single off their first album "Sherry" charting at number one in 1962. With pop instrumentation and soaring harmonies reminiscent of the Beach Boys but way more overpowering and less graceful, the band has a mildly nostalgic sound that grates as it becomes clear they never moved all that far away from the formula that quickly earned them number ones. Hearing one of their early singles on the radio every few months or so might be a pleasant surprise but it becomes a laborious chore to sit through even three of their songs in a row. C
James Talley: Got No Bread, No Milk, No Money, But We Sure Got a Lot of Love (1975):
Probably one of the most obscure albums on this blog, this home-spun country album is truly a delight. Talley's country croon is disarming, but the lyrics don't shy away from hard times for people in middle America. But most importantly, the music, which is full, sharp, and relaxed, follows the lyrics and covers every part of country music you desire and avoids everything dubious. A
James Talley: Tryin' Like the Devil (1976):
Talley remains very charming and this time around he further concentrates on hard times for middle America, which I greatly admire especially because his criticisms aren't traditionally conservative. The lyrics work and are better than on his debut, but the slower music isn't as delightful or original even when the album does pick up pace. B
Joy of Cooking: Joy of Cooking (1971):
Other than the tight harmonies of the two lead vocalists, which isn't utilized as often as it should, and an occasional strong songwriting effort, most of my enjoyment of this long forgotten album comes from the fact it's long forgotten. Because most of it isn't spectacular though, that homespun feeling doesn't end up transpiring into the immense charm of James Talley's Got No Bread. B
Lesley Gore: The Golden Hits of Lesley Gore (1965):
Gore became an early 60s pop sensation with a number of hits while she was still in high school. This compiles her earliest hits, released only two years after her first single "It's My Party." I like the innocence of much of 60s pop music but her songs are too much on the nose. Although she sings the feminist "You Don't Own Me," it's followed immediately by "That's the Way Boys Are" and other mindless pop songs about chasing boys. It's not really her fault--all her hit songs were written by men--but if she doesn't have any say in the songs she sings, why give her much critical thought? C+
Louis Jordan: Let the Good Times Roll: The Anthology 1938-1953 (1999):
After saxophonist Louis Jordan got his chops in big bands in the late 1920s, he became a bandleader and fronted the Tympany Five, which sometimes stretched larger than its original five. With them, he signed to Decca Records in 1938 and stayed there during the most fruitful years of his career. As a vocalist, Jordan frequently sang lighthearted and humorous lyrics which occasionally had a sly political slant. One example is the 1949 song "Saturday Night Fish Fry," a narrative which features a distorted electric guitar and became one of the most notable hits of the genre jump blues. Through songs such as this, he became a primary influence on rock'n'roll, with Bill Haley commending his labelmate, B.B. King acknowledging Jordan's impact, and Chuck Berry ripping off the opening guitar riff on "Ain't that Just Like a Woman" for his iconic "Johnny B. Goode." This chronological, forty-six song compilation Let the Good Times Roll of his Decca recordings properly highlights what made Jordan such a star for his time and why he had such an impact for the next generation of musicians. A-
Mahalia Jackson: Gospels, Spirtuals, & Hymns (1991):
Jackson had first recorded as a solo artist in 1937 but she met commercial success as a gospel singer in 1947 with the big hit "Move on Up a Little Higher." When she signed with Columbia in 1954, she reached her most widespread popularity and was frequently marketed as the greatest gospel singer alive. Collecting material from her time at Columbia up until 1969, this two hour compilation sees Mahalia Jackson as a powerful force but one entirely focused on her technical skills. With minimal instrumentation, the music is generally slow and subdued so as not to take away from Mahalia's spotlight. While Sister Rosetta Tharpe's recordings radiate with joy because she couldn't imagine anything more fun than singing God's praises, Jackson's strict adherence to gospel music hardly matters because in the end it's all about her. C+
Nico: Chelsea Girl (1967):
Though you probably knew that The Velvet Underground & Nico is one of my favorite albums, I've never put into writing my mixed feelings on Nico's contributions. "Femme Fatale"? Meh--I would like to hear Lou Reed on this one. "I'll Be Your Mirror"? Hard to picture Lou singing this one and it's a gorgeous lyric; I'm not gonna complain. "All Tomorrow's Parties"? One of the best instrumental pieces on the album and the double-tracked vocals by the German-born singer is perfect. The quality of Nico's debut album is similarly assorted. The first two songs--interestingly written by a teenage Jackson Browne--are superb gems of baroque pop. The rest I couldn't care less about. The three songs that stretch over five minutes are utter rubbish while the songs with the electric guitars are confused with the overdubbed strings. The truth is she isn't all that useful without fantastic writing, stellar arranging, and a once-in-a-lifetime band behind her. Cool album cover though. C+
The Righteous Brothers: The Very Best of the Righteous Brothers: Unchained Melody (1990):
A duo like this could have easily become one of the worst group in the 1970s, indulging in a true Wall of Sound and even trying their lotion-laden hands at songwriting, but this compilation cuts them off before they regrouped so fortunately I'll never know. They're already a pretty lame group in the 60s. Collaborations with Phil Spector save a few of their songs but even Spector's dramatic production doesn't come close to overpowering these passionate singers. C
Van Dyke Parks: Song Cycle (1967):
Lyricist for the infamous Smile sessions with the Beach Boys, Van Dyke Parks left the project after realizing it would never be completed and began recording his debut album. Despite his negative experience with Brian Wilson's disarrayed sessions, Parks's debut was so ambitious itself that it quickly became one of the most expensive albums up to that point. Though the end product mostly fails to produce anything remarkable, Song Cycle is highly fascinating and informs the direction that Randy Newman would take on his debut (Parks was co-producer and a close friend). Parks's singing is pretty wimpy overall but I'd easily count this as the coolest musical artifact I've unearthed in 2022. B