Monthly Archives: March 2010

WTF: Steve Walsh Glossolalia

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WTF bad album covers steve walsh glossolalia

by Joe Wallace

Normally, when I write up these bad album cover posts, I go into an extended rant about how silly the artwork is, or how goofy the clothing featured on the cover might be, perhaps taking time to savor a ridiculous facial gesture or some badly arranged hair styles.

However, when it comes to former Kansas singer Steve Walsh and his album Glossolalia, I can’t really do that. Instead, I’ll just have to settle for this:

I’ll gladly pay the sum of one million dollars in Monopoly money or its equivalent if someone can please explain to me exactly WTF is going on in this album cover. I am at a total loss to make hear or tail (heh) of it, and I am afraid to stare at it any longer–my brain might just turn into tapioca.

This album cover is so brain-rottingly dumb that I would have mistaken it for a Ted Nugent album if it weren’t for the Steve Walsh thing stamped on this–like he’s PROUD of it, or something. I think Walsh is a talented singer, but when it comes to picking the album art, maybe he should let a drunken sailor do it or something.

For the record, let me just state that I am NOT making fun of surrealism. I LIKE Dali. I LIKE M.C. Escher. I don’t think you have to “understand” art in order for it to be GOOD. But THIS crap? Um…well, I think there’s some kind of veiled Christian anti-evolution agenda going on here (Glossolalia means ‘speaking in tounges” and I think Talking Heads should sue on this basis alone–brand integrity has definitely been damaged.) But I’ll be damned if I can get past the hardy-har joke on poor old Darwin to find the deeper meaning (?) of any of this nonsense.

I really admire Steve Walsh for having the cajones to go through with this–NOBODY GETS IT, STEVE. This album is one of the all time greats. I love it. It’s number one in dumb and I wish I could find one so I could frame it. Really. I’d pay up to five bucks for it. Drop me a line in the comments section, cuz I am a HUGE fan of misguided crap like this.

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Jackie Brown Soundtrack Vinyl LP

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jackie brown soundtrack vinyl recordSOLD OUT

Quentin Tarantino made a hell of a fun movie here. Jackie Brown has everything a Tarantino fan wants—Samuel L. Jackson chewing the scenery, great retro-now locations and culture references, a bit of the old ultra-violence, plus one hell of a smokin’ soundtrack. You can’t go wrong with Bobby Womack, Johnny Cash, and the infamous Vampire Sound Corporation–who made Jesse Franco’s Vampyros Lesbos such a great thing to behold.

This soundtrack album never fails…and DJs will love the dialogue snippets from the movie. Throw in The Grass Roots, The Delfonics, and Elliot Easton’s Tiki Gods for good measure and you’ve got a slab of wax that’s almost perfect.

The Jackie Brown Original Soundtrack album is a sealed, new vinyl record. SOLD OUT

 





 

 

Goblin Roller CD

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Goblin Roller CD
After Profondo Rosso, Goblin released a rare, non-soundtrack album. Some sources say the title track was part of a film soundtrack called Wampir, but I can’t confirm or deny that bit of trivia. No matter, as Roller is a fantastic record.

If you’re already a fan of Goblin, this is a must-own. You’ll recognize a bit of Deep Red influence here, especially on the title cut, but there’s a nice overall prog vibe throughout the album, and Snip-Snap is absolutely classic Goblin from the Profondo Rosso period.

If you’re new to the group, let it be known that they’re a fine entry in the Italian prog field…not a prog fan? Or are you convinced that Emerson, Lake, and Palmer or Yes is as far as you need to go? Think again–those two groups aren’t really even on the radar here. Goblin isn’t what you’d call a prog purist group, which makes them all the more interesting. It’s definitely an influence in all the best ways, though.

Goblin is hard to pin down, stylistically speaking–later efforts went further into synth/dance territory to good effect. Roller is six outstanding cuts that is getting hard to find, and even download junkies won’t find any official versions of the Roller track Dr. Frankenstein, as it’s listed as “album only.” Hear it in all its glory on this gorgeous import compact disc.

Roller by Goblin is a new, sealed import compact disc on Cinevox Records. Buy it now from Turntabling for $26.00 plus shipping.





Here’s a brief, fan-shot snippet of a Goblin live performance of Roller. It’s far too short, but nice to see.