Send us a text On this week's episode, we explore the 1973 LP by one of progressive rock’s most interesting (and entertaining) bands, Selling England by the Pound by Genesis. Considered by many to be the best album of the Peter Gabriel era of Genesis, it is definitely the most accessible, and even gave the band their first Top 40 single int he UK with “I Know What I Like (In Your Wardrobe) which peaked just shy of the Top 20. The overall theme of the album laments the Americanization and co...
Nov 25, 2023•2 hr•Season 4Ep. 1
Send us a text On this week's episode, we discuss the debut album by Kris Kristofferson 1970's Kristofferson . A man of many talents, Kris Kristofferson is a scholar, an athlete, a pilot, an actor, a performer, and most importantly, one of country music's most beloved (and most successful) songwriters. On par with Bob Dylan, Townes Van Zandt, and John Prine, he has penned some of country music's most endearing songs. Many of the songs on this album have been covered before an...
Oct 29, 2023•2 hr 55 min•Season 3Ep. 28
Send us a text This week it is another listerner's pick as we dig into the debut solo LP by Texas music legend Doug Sahm, 1972’s Doug Sahm and Band . Doug Sahm was by all accounts a musical prodigy, having mastered the guitar, steel guitar, mandolin, and fiddle by age 8. Born and raised in San Antonio, TX, Sahm was attracted to a variety of music: blues from the black clubs of his neighborhood, the horn heavy conjunto music of the west side, country, polka, rock n' roll, really anythin...
Oct 17, 2023•2 hr 55 min
Send us a text On this week's episode, we discuss Tomorrow, the criminally underappreciated 1968 self-titled debut album by the band Tomorrow. Mostly known as a band that featured future Yes guitarist, Steve Howe. Alongside bands like Pink Floyd and the Soft Machine, Tomorrow was a pillar of the British underground scene, and their song "My White Bicycle" was considered by many to be its its anthem. While heralded by critics, the album saw little success (an almost year long delay...
Sep 29, 2023•2 hr 46 min•Season 3Ep. 26
Send us a text On this week's episode, we discuss the Band and their second LP, The Band (also affectionately known as the Brown Album) . With 50 plus years having passed, its difficult to understand the impact the Band had on the music industry, but it was HUGE. It is also hard to find a band that incorporated more American music traditions into their sound than the Band did, which is odd when you consider all but one of the members was Canadian. After years of honing their skills in indiv...
Sep 18, 2023•2 hr 18 min•Season 3Ep. 25
Send us a text On this weeks episode, we dive deep into the history of British rock legends Ten Years After and discuss their iconic 1971 album "A Space In Time." Their first record for new label Columbia showcased a notable shift towards a more acoustic and melodic direction compared to their previous works. Alvin Lee, widely regarded as the Flash Gordon of guitar, delivered some of his most memorable guitar licks throughout the record. This collection also includes the instantly reco...
Aug 30, 2023•2 hr 44 min•Season 3Ep. 24
Send us a text On this weeks episode, its another listerner's pick! We give listen to 1978's Heaven Tonight, Cheap Trick's third studio album, and considered by many to be their best. Having explored their harder rock side on their self-titled debut, and embracing their power pop leaning on their second LP In Color , Heaven Tonight finds the band finding a happy middle ground between both to fantastic results. From the opener fantastic "Surrender", an ode to the generati...
Aug 18, 2023•2 hr 52 min
Send us a text This week we look at The Stranger, Billy Joel’s 1978 tour de force. Teaming up with producer Phil Ramone for his fifth LP The Stranger, Billy Joel finally found the critical and commercial success that had eluded him previously. Recorded with his own band, the album represents Joel at the pinnacle of his art. Containing such Joel standards as "Just the Way You Are", "Movin' Out (Anthony's Song)", "Only the Good Die Young", and "She&apos...
Aug 07, 2023•2 hr 19 min
Send us a text This week we talk about Five Days in July, the fifth album by the Canadian country-rock band, Blue Rodeo. Formed in 1984 by high school pals Jim Cuddy and Greg Keelor, Blue Rodeo became mainstays of the country and roots-rock revival in Toronto during the mid-1980s. In 1993, the band gathered at Greg Keelor’s farmhouse to begin work on their next album, Five Days In July , which was actually recorded in five days. Bucking the trend of popular music at the time (grunge anyone?) the...
Jul 20, 2023•2 hr 8 min
Send us a text On this week’s episode, we dig into the eponymous third album by the “Queen of Americana” 1988’s Lucinda Williams . After a move to California, Lucinda Williams found herself in the middle of a burgeoning roots rock scene, where traditional music was being performed with a punk-rock attitude. She formed a band of ace musicians and began making a name for herself as part of the scene. Eventually signed by Rough Trade after several labels passed, Williams recorded a self-titled LP t...
Jul 05, 2023•2 hr 2 min•Season 3Ep. 20
Send us a text On this week’s episode, its another “Listener Pick,” the band and LP that gave the world Glam Rock: 1971’s Electric Warrior, the second album by T. Rex. Marc Bolan, T-Rex's charismatic front man played a pivotal role in early 70’s British rock. Forming the folk-rock duo/band Tyrannosaurus Rex, Bolan would embrace the shortened moniker “T. Rex” at the dawn of the 1970’s, as well as a more flamboyant look, attitude, and sound, essentially ushering in the Glam Rock era. Bolan an...
Jun 24, 2023•2 hr 7 min
Send us a text On this weeks episode, we take a listen to the third album by Wilco, 1999’s Summerteeth. Wilco rose from the ashes of Uncle Tupelo trying to find its footing in the shadow of Son Volt, the band Jay Farrar founded. Wilco lead singer and main songwriter Jeff Tweedy had the vision of letting multi-instrumentalist Jay Bennett play just about any keyboard he could get his hands on while he and the rest of the band provided strong backing that let the songs sound like pop tunes from ano...
Jun 14, 2023•2 hr 59 min•Season 2Ep. 18
Send us a text On this weeks episode, we discuss one of the most underrated albums by one of the most underrated bands of the 1990s: Spilt Milk by Jellyfish. Only the band's second outing, Spilt Milk is a fully realized collection of of meticulously crafted pop songs, with orchestration and lyrics that elevate those songs way above your normal pop fare. After a critically acclaimed, but commercial disappointing debut, the creative core of the Jellyfish- Andy Sturmer and Roger Manning Jr - s...
May 30, 2023•2 hr 59 min•Season 3Ep. 17
Send us a text On this week's episode, we talk about the third LP from the Steve Miller Band: 1969’s Brave New World . Considered by many to be the most consistent album from his early years, it is an album that foreshadowed the path Miller would take in subsequent albums. It's a mix of swampy blues, gurgling synths, and psychedelic overtones. But most of all it's a guitar album that shows off Miller's considerable chops on the instrument. Visit us at www.tappingvinyl.com....
May 21, 2023•2 hr 48 min•Season 3Ep. 16
Send us a text On this week’s episode its another "Listener Pick." We talk about the last album by Nick Drake, 1972’s Pink Moon. Upon its initial release, the album was a both a critical and commercial failure, but it has grow in stature and appreciation for both critics and fans in the decades since. The album is quiet, mostly just Drake and his acoustic guitar, with lyrics steeped celestial imagery about loneliness and and heartbreak. Reclusive by nature, Drake did little to support ...
May 12, 2023•2 hr 42 min•Season 3Ep. 15
Send us a text So this is it, we’ve hit 100 album reviews (or whatever it is we do on our little show). We decided that the only way properly celebrate was to talk about an album by the most influential rock band in rock and roll history - the Beatles - and their fifth studio album: 1965’s Help! . Released at the height of Beatlemania, Help! is the last album of what is typically considered “Early period” Beatles. Tied to the movie of the same name, Help! is too often dismissed as just a soundtr...
Apr 23, 2023•2 hr 16 min•Season 3Ep. 14
Send us a text Here's a phrase you don't read very often: One of the biggest bands to ever come out of Iceland. Sigur Ros have gone through numerous personnel and style change since its formation in the 90s, but their music has always been unique. This album, their fourth, is difficult to categorize. It is atmospheric and ethereal, with guitars played with bows (instead of picks), drums that aren't designed to keep rhythm, lush orchestration, and an abundance of chiming sounds. Th...
Apr 10, 2023•2 hr 43 min•Season 3Ep. 13
Send us a text This week, we delve into what many contend is the blue print for 1990's power pop, the 1991 LP by Matthew Sweet, Girlfriend. Things were not looking particularly up for Sweet as he worked on his third album . Professionally he had no label, and personally his marriage was falling apart. Having released two competent, but commercial disappointing albums for 2 different labels, no one expected what came next. Tentatively titled Nothing Lasts , the album was rechristened Girlfri...
Mar 29, 2023•2 hr 11 min•Season 3Ep. 12
Send us a text For this episode, we focus on the 6th album of singer-songwriter Steve Forbert, The American in Me. Forbert focuses on the realities of middle-aged life with its failures and compromises. Despite the general feeling of weariness, his humor and hope come through. Although there are no hits on this album, many tracks sure sound like they could have been. We bet American listeners will recognize the American in themselves. Visit us at www.tappingvinyl.com....
Mar 16, 2023•2 hr 42 min•Season 3Ep. 11
Send us a text On this episode, we take a look at another listener's pick: Warren Zevon's eponymous second album. Produced by Jackson Browne and featuring a who’s who of the mid-70’s “California Sound” (including members of the Eagles, J.D Souther, David Lindley, and Jackson Browne), the album is full of wry wit and dark humor. His lyrics may cover familiar ground, but he imbibes the subject with a self-depreciated sense of self awareness that strips a way much of the clichéd romance f...
Mar 07, 2023•2 hr 48 min•Season 3Ep. 10
Send us a text On this week's podcast, we dig into one of the most respected and understated guitarists in the business, Ry Cooder, and his 1974 LP Paradise and Lunch. Cooder’s slide guitar has graced albums by Van Morrison, Little Feat, and the Rolling Stones. He has also written and performed music on countless soundtracks and is perhaps most well known for his work with the Buena Vista Social Club. On Paradise and Lunch , Cooder covers a variety of tunes from a variety of genres, includi...
Feb 28, 2023•2 hr 32 min•Season 3Ep. 9
Send us a text On this week's podcast, we have another “Listener’s Choice,” the 1977 debut by Television - Marquee Moon. Recorded in the fall of 1976 and released in February of 1977, Marquee Moon was a critical darling and a minor hit in the UK. Music fans in the US outside of New York were indifferent. Which is unfortunate because Marquee Moon is an album worthy of attention. Over the melodic yet solid rhythm section of drummer Billy Ficca and bassist Fred Smith, duel lead guitarists Tom ...
Feb 11, 2023•1 hr 18 min•Season 3Ep. 8
Send us a text On this week's podcast, we take a look at the 1987 album Clutching at Straws by the kings of 80's Neoprog Marillion. By the early 1980's in the wake of Punk and New Wave, Progressive Rock (or Prog Rock) was considered decidedly "uncool" by the the music press. In the midst of all of this, a bunch of young bands who loved the Prog Rock of the 70's decided to ignore what was considered "hip" and make the music they wanted to make. Rather than ...
Jan 29, 2023•2 hr 48 min•Season 3Ep. 7
Send us a text On this memorial episode of This Is Vinyl Tap, we discuss the life and legacy of one of rock’s most unique and imaginative guitarists, Beck. We focus on his 1968 groundbreaking album Truth. After his very successful, but short-lived, stint in the Yardbirds, Beck began to work on his next project. Finding an amazing supporting cast in singer Rod Stewart, bassist Ron Wood, and drummer Mickey Waller, Beck recorded an album that used the foundation of the blues to build something that...
Jan 21, 2023•2 hr 46 min•Season 3Ep. 6
Send us a text On this episode, we discuss the 1972 eponymous debut from B.W. Stevenson, a tragically overlook talent from Texas. Stevenson was one of group of artists identified with the progressive or Outlaw country movement of the early 1970s, a singer-songwriter based movement that strove for a more authentic sound than that coming out of Nashville at the time. Stevenson’s debut did showcase his ability to write incredibly earnest and introspective songs, about longing and loneliness. Unfort...
Jan 15, 2023•1 hr 27 min
Send us a text On this, our third violation podcast, we finally get around to talking about the late, great King of Western Swing: Bob Wills. While wills didn’t invent Western Swing, he was most certainly the most recognizable face of the genre. Wills was a musical melting pot of sorts, combining traditional string music with the horns and phrasing of jazz ad big band music, and tossing in a good dose of Tejano, gospel, and anything else he could find. The result was a truly unique and utterly d...
Jan 04, 2023•1 hr 24 min•Season 3Ep. 4
Send us a text On this weeks episode, we dig into the second album by the Psychedelic Furs, Talk, Talk, Talk. Starting as so many other young UK bands did in mid-1970s, the Psychedelic Furs got inspired after seeing the Sex Pistols. They met with almost immediate success, and were talked about n the same breadth as U2 as the next big thing. They even shared the same produce - famed British producer, Steve Lillywhite, who helped them refine their sound on their first two albums. While Talk, Talk,...
Dec 15, 2022•2 hr 31 min•Season 3Ep. 3
Send us a text This week we take a deep dive into the 1978 LP by the Jam All Mod Cons. The Jam’s music was steeped in the urgency and energy of punk, but unlike most of their contemporaries, the Jam was not interested in tearing down what came before. Instead, the Jam unabashedly embraced the music and fashion of the 1960’s Great Britain, particularly that of the Who and the Kinks. As a result, the Jam helped to usher in the Neo-Mod movement in the UK, and gained then a rabidly loyal following i...
Nov 28, 2022•2 hr 41 min•Season 3Ep. 2
Send us a text This week we take a listen to the 1971 debut LP by J.J. Cale Naturally. Though not a household name, J.J. Cale (or Johnny Cale as he was originally known) was a songwriter, singer, engineer, and guitarist of great renown among his fellow musicians. He has penned songs made famous by other artists (Lynyrd Skynyrd, Poco, and, most famously Eric Clapton) and he may well be one of the most influential guitarist in rock. A pillar if the "Tulsa Sound" (whatever that is), his l...
Nov 16, 2022•2 hr 37 min•Season 3Ep. 1
Send us a text On this week's episode, we look at our second "Lister's Choice" and a record that we were for the most part sadly unaware of: the 1994 studio debut by Jeff Buckley - Grace . Jeff Buckley's career was brief, but brilliant. The son a famed singer/songwriter Tim Buckley, he worked as a session guy before making people really take notice at a New York tribute concert in his dad's honor. Jeff unfortunately followed in his father's footsteps by dying t...
Oct 29, 2022•2 hr 39 min•Season 2Ep. 36
