various artists - The Roots Of Fleetwood Mac: Mojo Presents 15 Classic Tracks That Inspired The Mac

This one showed up as part of a Discogs "buy a bunch of $2-$3 CDs from a single seller" order a few weeks ago. How am I going to turn down picking up a Mojo comp for a few bucks when I'm already buying a bunch of 90s and 00s punk/HC/indie? And this one had a ton of cool blues tracks, some early rock & roll, even a Kingston Trio cut. So I threw it in the basket and BAM!, here I am presenting it to you.

But that cover...PHEW! It reminds me of how off-putting I've always found the "Tusk" cover to be. It was only in the writing of this blog post that I discovered Vigon Nahas Vigon were nominated for a Grammy for their design. VNV were only together for a few years, but they also did a ton of work making covers for ABC Impulse!, repackaging the 60s Impulse! catalog into compilations that, ultimately, ended up in the young Ape's collection. But I digress.

It's never not going to be fascinating to me how a pair of English blues fans ended up pivoting after losing most of their band, emigrating to the States, picking up a pair of country rockers along the way, and made one of the biggest selling records of all time. Is this comp going to give you any greater insight how they ended up writing "The Chain" or "Rihannon"? Probably not, but it's a good way to get Elmore James and Fabian onto the same disc.

Discogs

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various artists - Dylan's Scene: The Sound Of Greenwich Village

This is one of those good "liner notes"-type compilations where you're guaranteed to learn about your favorite artist's favorite artists. In this case, the boundary is the coffeehouses of early 60s New York City. And only a fool would try to deny the greatness of the artists contained herein. John Lee Hooker and Allen Ginsberg bookend this 15-track CD. In between, there's a range of primal music, from various blues artists to English traditional music to folk music of the day. I'll always co-sign Karen Dalton and Pete Seeger, and encourage you to look into Bukka White's catalog if you've not done so before.

It's hot outside. Slap this on and find yourself a shady spot to just listen this week.

Discogs

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various artists - Bad Seeds - Nick Cave: Roots & Collaborations (Mojo Presents A 15 Track Celebration)

I'm worn the fuck out, having spent all my writing time this past weekend repacking 500 square feet of storage space. So you're not going to get much insight from me about this 2009 Mojo compilation.

Regardless of how one might feel about Nick Cave (editor's note: I'm a'fer 'im), the dude has always had style and taste. All that is reflected here. There's not a skippable track on the entire disc. When I first heard this, it had me seeking out Karen Dalton, a name I knew but have never listened to. The Saints, Johnny Cash, John Lee Hooker, Lydia Lunch, Mississippi John Hurt? Know them all, love them all, love the songs compiled here. It's one of the front to back good ones, kids.

Discogs

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various artists - Mojo Presents: Blues Breakers! (15 Classic Tracks As Covered By Eric Clapton)

I don't like Eric Clapton. Let's get that out of the way immediately. And because I dislike Eric Clapton and refuse to do any research, I'm going to take Mojo Magazine at their word that all 15 tracks here have been covered by the "Tears In Heaven" performer.

The blues performers appearing here, covered by a former Enoch Powell-supporter, are all pretty awesome. And if a proto boomer's catalog brings you to Robert Thornton, Skip James, or Big Mama Thornton (to name three), that's a good thing, too. It doesn't let me forget every instance in my lifetime where the notorious anti-vaxxer was a total, egomaniac cock. But I can forgive grumpy old men yelling at clouds...or I can try to.

Now, would I rock a "No Snow/No Show" t-shirt onstage? Only in an ironic manner, friends.

Discogs

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various artists - Mojo Presents: Life Companion (15 Tracks That Shaped Keith Richards)

Well, it's the last Mojo Monday of the year for me. And let's end the year with one from ten years ago, celebrating our Keef. Keef will not be touring in 2026, for reasons yet to be announced publicly. But if you're old enough to have played with half the performers on this selection, then you have the right to stay your ass home and enjoy the rest of your life. After all, the Stones aren't some weekend warrior shit. They're a machine, well worth the four figure tickets for the stadium seats. Better to leave your feet up if you don't have it in you anymore...or for the time being. You're Keith Richards; you shit where you want and you owe nothing to anyone.

Discogs

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various artists - Mojo Presents: Step Right Up!

As Mojo issues go, this was a tough one to beat. I can still remember grabbing this off the shelves at Atomic Books, drawn in by an entire CD curated by Tom Waits. Hell yeah! Even if I only knew about half the artists, I'd still be into it. Definitely worth the high dollar import price.

In retrospect, I'm mad I didn't hold onto the other freebie Mojo Presents CD's that I'd encountered in the wild up to that point. It's not like I was short on space, or one of those "let's sell all my CDs once streaming became a thing" people. Yet I cannot for the life of me recall hanging onto any of that crossed my path until this one. I popped it into the CD player in the Civic, rolled down the windows on one of the first nice days of the year, started singing along with Tennessee Ernie Ford and Ray Charles. I threw it on the stereo at home once I arrived there, jaw agape as I heard Gavin Bryars for the first time, and listened to Burroughs recite a song I'd heard sung by Dietrich. When I reached the end, I was greeted by Cliff Edwards, singing a song I'd known since childhood. It all felt like a blanket of song that had always been there, so long as I was willing to wrap myself in it.

Discogs

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various artists - The Infinite Zero Almanac: 1996 Sampler V

I ran out of time coming into today, so it's time for an easy write up. The fifth in the series of six Infinite Zero samplers; this one is one of the more comprehensive, coming as it did in the last year of the reissue label's existence. Most of these are available here on the ol' blog; just type in Inifnite Zero and expand your mind. I'm feeling the cover of this one most of all; the caricature of Rollins, flanked by the Def American and Infinite Zero logos, big, stronge fonts. It's a golden joy to behold.

While lacking the superior graphic design and the even-deeper record selection, it's no surprise that my early exposure to these drew me into an ongoing love of the Numero Group and Light in the Attic. I kind of got a kick out of watch the Grammy pre-broadcast show on YouTube tonight, seeing Numero's 90 Day Men set get a Grammy nom. It's great to see even the most obscure bands get beloved treatment, the expense of which makes a hell of a lot more sense then that double LP Chappel Roan release at $50 retail.

I'm all over the place tonight; forgive me, friends. I'm looking at a big record purge within the month, so my head isn't thinking about anything particular.

Discogs

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various artists - Blues Masters Volume 4: Harmonica Classics

Learning things about the blues is fun. For instance, I post this mainly to take the opportunity to note that it's taken more than 30 years to wrap my brain around the fact that "harp" is synonymous with "harmonica". It was on acquiring this that I realized there are at least three different "Sonny Boy Williamsons", all working wihin the milieu. There is only one Howlin' Wolf, and while "I'll Be Around" isn't "Back Door Man" or "Tail Dragger", it's still a pretty great song.

Finally, this is generally my least-favorite volume of "Blues Masters" that I've acquired. Only time and expense will tell if this remains the case, but I guess the presence of the Paul Butterfield Blues Band and the Fabulous Thunderbirds knock this down a few points.

Or I'm just jealous I'll never blow the harp the way these wailers do.

Discogs

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various artists - Mojo Presents: Stooges Jukebox

I have nothing clever or interesting to offer regarding this comp, compiled by Iggy Pop himself and offered up by Mojo back in Twenty Aught Seven. It's just good shit, and I missed a deadliine a couple days ago on account of exhaustion and a binge on Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba, so I know I need to bring the good shit.

Discogs

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various artists - Chasin' That Devil Music

This is the sound of ghosts. Even the commentators have been dead for over 50 years. So put away the Ouija board and cue this up to invoke the spirits; names like Charlie Patton, Son House, and Skip James who you (should) know by heart, and those like William Harris and the Confiners, whose identities are mostly lost.

This came affixed to the book of the same name by Gayle Dean Wardlow, who by 23 was interviewing the remnants of the first wave of blues musicians and now possesses one of the great collection of pre-war blues records in the world. When I was 23, I barely had a serviceable stack of first wave American hardcore. All of which is to say: you see a copy of Wardlow's "Chasin' That Devil Music" out in the world for less than $10 (like I did), you oughta grab it.

Discogs

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various artists - Zeppelin Classics

1/13/23: UPDATED WITH NEW DL LINK

Another P-Vine "Classics" comp. For my money, Thin Lizzy > Zep. But Brock Samson is a fan, so respect must be paid. And as much as I'd like to sit here, talking shit, Plant/Page/Jones/Bonham had fantastic taste and great influences. So this, like the previous one, makes for a pretty compelling comp. Imagine my joy when I found this one at Goodwill for a measly three-spot.

Discogs

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"Mississippi" Fred McDowell - Live At The Mayfair Hotel

I'm not sure why exactly it started, but I got it in my head recently that I was going to start collecting all the Infinite Zero Archive releases. For the uninitiated, Infinite Zero was an imprint that operated under American Recordings from 1994 to 1997, serving as a reissue label. The releases were chosen by Henry Rollins and Rick Rubin, a duo who, regardless of how you feel about their own music, have pretty fucking impeccable taste. I mean, if in 1994 you're going to launch with Devo, the Contortions, and Gang Of Four, you're WAY ahead of the curve.

So I've been slowly accumulating what I didn't already own. There are a couple of Alan Vega reissues, adrift in Postal Service limbo. I've had my eye on a copy of "Black Monk Time", not really wanting to drop $12 before Christmas on something for myself. And I snagged this lil 5" slab of aluminum last week, having appeared in a local record store for less than half what I would have paid online.

Fred McDowell was 55 (so the liner notes say) and had been playing the blues for nearly four decades when he was "discovered" and exposed to a greater audience by Alan Lomax in 1959. He was a master of slide guitar, an influence on the Rolling Stones, and a mentor to Bonnie Raitt. It was on his second trip to the UK that "Live At The Mayfair Hotel" was recorded. It's a nasty-ass record, with McDowell playing a biting electric guitar, so much heavier than his earlier Lomax field recordings or his sides for Arhoolie. "Live" had originally been released across two records on the eastern British blues/R&B label Red Lightnin' in the mid-80s, but was remixed and compiled together for the first time here.

I can't speak with any level of scholarship about the blues; I definitely don't have any authority on the subject. But I do know what I like, and I like this. I can hear the roots of Fat Possum on this record, of the Gun Club and the White Stripes. If you come across a copy in the wild, definitely snag it.

And, yeah, as I grab more of the Infinite Zero releases that are out of print. I'll post them up. It's only fair.

Discogs

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