Safety Last, Struck By Love, 1983 on Twin/Tone

This was the first and only full length by Twin/Tone’s Safety Last, following their self-titled EP. On this LP they include Rusty Jones, Gary Louris, Lianne Smith, and Jim Tollefsrud (as “Jimmy T”). Founding members Tim Mauseth and Sprague Hollander left for other projects.

Produced by Paul Stark and the band; recorded by Paul Stark with overdubs by Steve Fjelstad. My copy via Cheapo Records in Minneapolis.

#1980s #1983 #CheapoRecords #JimTollefsrud #LianneSmith #MinneapolisMN #PaulStark #RustyJones #SafetyLast #SteveFjelstad #TwinTone #vinyl #vinylcollection #vinylfinds

The Triffids, Calenture, 1987 on Island Records

This was actually the fourth LP for the Australian alt-rock (post-punk?) band The Triffids, but likely their best known to US audiences (like me). The literary-ness of being named after The Day of the Triffids and using (and defining on the sleeve – this was well before google) a word like Calenture appeared to the precocious teen me:

Calenture: Tropical fever or delirium suffered by sailors after long periods away from land, who imagine the seas to be green fields and desire to leap into them

At this point The Triffids were David McComb, Robert McComb, Alsy MacDonald, Graham Lee, Martyn Casey, and Jill Birt, with production credits spread across Adam Peters, David McComb, Gil Norton, and Craig Leon.

My copy via Cheapo Records in Minneapolis MN

#1980s #1987 #AdamPeters #AlsyMacDonald #CheapoRecords #CraigLeon #DavidMcComb #GilNorton #IslandRecords #JillBirt #MartynCasey #MinneapolisMN #RobertMcComb #TheTriffids #vinyl #vinylcollection #vinylfinds

Figures, In a Chalk Circle, 1985 on Twin/Tone

On this release, Figures was Jeff Waryan, Jay Peck, Steve Brantseg, and Steve Fjelstad. (There’s an earlier LP credited to Jeff Waryan solo that is titled Figures). Waryan was also in Fingerprints and supported many other area bands at the time.

An underappreciated Twin/Tone band from the 80s.

My copy—via Cheapo Records in Minneapolis MN—includes the original inner liner, on one side of which is the Twin/Tone catalog with their descriptions of various LPs – worth it just for that.

#1980s #1985 #CheapoRecords #Figures #JeffWaryan #MinneapolisMN #SteveBrantseg #SteveFjelstad #TwinTone #vinyl #vinylcollection #vinylfinds

Randy Newman, Sail Away, 1972 on Reprise

Randy Newman’s third studio LP, including the title track and “You Can Leave Your Hat On” which became a big hit for Joe Cocker in the 80s. Quality of songwriting you expect from early Newman, including “God’s Song (That’s Why I Love Mankind).”

Musicians include Ry Cooder on guitar, and Earl Palmer, Gene Parsons, and Jim Keltner all contributing drums, along with Chris Ethridge, Jimmy Bond, and Wilton Feider on bass. Produced by Russ Titelman and recorded at a number of different studios in LA.

My copy, via Cheapo Records in Minneapolis MN, is a 1972 Terre Haute pressing – a gatefold with no titles listed on the back, which came with (and still has!) a 12×24″ poster insert. The gatefold opens on the bottom – see the front and rear jackets over each other in the gallery.

#1970s #1972 #CheapoRecords #EarlPalmer #MinneapolisMN #RandyNewman #Reprise #RyCooder #Songwriter #vinyl #vinylcollection #vinylfinds

The Suburbs, Poets Party, 2021 on Suburbs Music (Self-Released)

Before there was The Tortured Poets Department, there was a Poets Party – the most recent release from reliable Minneapolis art-rock stalwarts The Suburbs.

I’ve been a fan since the early 80s, and happy to say they keep making great albums. Recorded and mixed at Dream Hog, which is Steve Price’s studio, and produced by Chan Poling and Steve Price. Janey Winterbauer adds vocals along with […]

#2020s #2021 #ChanPoling #CheapoRecords #HugoKlaers #JaneyWinterbauer #JeremyYlvsaker #MinneapolisMN #StevePrice #Suburbs #vinyl #vinylcollection #vinylfinds

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