The Selecter “Too Much Pressure” 1980. The debut album from English 2 tone ska revivalists; the record went to no. 5 in the UK (it was released on 2 Tone Records in the UK and Chrysalis Records in the US – our version – but I do not think in charted here). The singles released from the LP did really well, too: “On My Radio,” released before the album in the fall of ’79, hit #8 (it’s one of the better tracks on the album); “Three Minute Hero” went to #16 and “Missing Words” to #23. Those were all band originals, written by Selecter guitarist and primary writer Neol Davies; another original “Street Feeling” is one of my top tracks. Another top pick is “My Collie (Not a Dog)” which is not a Selecter original; I can’t find any other bands’ versions but it was written by Robert Spencer and Johnny Roberts, songwriters active in the 50’s and 60’s. The song is a play on Jamaican slang for weed (collie) and is a super upbeat, ass-shaking ska burner. Other covers/non-originals Too Much Pressure include “Time Hard” (The Pioneers), “Murder” (Owen & Leon Silvera), “Carry Go Bring Come” (Justin Hinds And The Dominoes) and a ska’d up version of “James Bond” (the movie theme). It’s a good end-of-summer listen but I think this is LP is on the thin-the-herd chopping block.

The Pleasure Seekers “What a Way to Die” 2016, songs recorded 1965-1968. Sundazed Music, pink vinyl. A comp of the 60’s all-female garage rock band from Detroit, From their Discogs bio:

All female American band founded in 1964 in Grosse Pointe, Michigan by sisters Patti and Suzi Quatro, sisters Nancy (drums) and Mary Lou Ball (guitar), and Diane Baker on piano. Baker was soon replaced by Arlene Quatro. The released their first single in 1964 on Hideout (Never Thought You’d Leave Me). “Nan” Ball left in 1965 and was replaced by Darline Arnone. In 1968 they signed to Mercury and released a second single (Light Of Love). In 1969 they changed their name to Cradle and pursued a heavier direction. Arlene became the band’s manager and Nancy Quatro joined as the new drummer. Suzi Quatro left in 1971 and went on to have a successful solo career. Cradle ultimately disbanded in 1973.

This compilation is killer! A mix of hard rock (for the mid-60’s), soul/Motwon-inspired, and psych. Their first single, the l0-fi “Never Thought You’d Leave Me” from 1965 is included as well as their second (and final, I think) poppy single “Light of Love.”  I also love “Gotta Get Away” – classic 60’s garage and a real ass-shaker with the organ sound up front and center, “Locked In Your Love” (girl-group soul all the way). Side Two of this comp slides into the later 60’s with a much more hard rock sound: ‘White Pig Blues” is all hard and heavy bendy blues with vocals that have just a smidge less edge than Janis Joplin’s and “Brain Confusion” is acid psych backed by more hard blues.

While this song is not on the comp, it’s the only live performance video I could find and it’s pretty fucking awesome (“Reach Out” 1968):

Dolly Parton “New Harvest…First Gathering” 1977. Paying tribute today to great Dolly (b. 1946, d. yesterday August 25th, 2026), along with the rest of the world. She was the most rare of musicians (humans, really) who is appreciated by, like, everyone. Yesterday (and continuing today) my feed has been filled with tributes from punks, goths, garage-rockers, boomers, zoomers, x-ers, hippies, folkies and everyone in between who adored her. Given my 80’s new wave/punk background I think she first came into my consciousness with 1980’s 9 to 5 (both the movie and the song), and then again when Whitney Houston covered Dolly’s epic, anthemic in 1992 (Dolly herself scored a hit with the original in both ’74 and ’82 but really only on the country charts, which I didn’t pay any attention to). As an adult my love for “Jolene” has grown and grown – damn, what a perfect song. Her grit, smarts, open-mind and generosity were legendary, on top of her jaw-dropping songwriting prowess. Anyway, while we’re not big on country music here, we do have a copy of New Harvest…First Gathering which was her 18th solo LP and the first she self-produced. It hit #1 on the country chart and went to #71 on the Billboard pop chart. The lead track, “Light of a Clear Blue Morning” was released as a single; it reached #11 on the country chart. A couple of other tracks were also released as singles in Europe. While Parton wrote the majority of the album, there are two covers: the Temptations’ “My Girl (My Love)” and Jackie Wilson’s “(Your Love Has Lifted Me) Higher and Higher.” Both are excellent, with creative reworkings making the tunes absolutely hers. Parton’s compositions are twinged with country twang but the arrangements are for sure more adult pop orientated (with 70’s flavor of course): “How Does It Feel” is a great example of the marrying of those two genres and “Getting in the Way” adds a little funk into the country hills. There is little folks agree on these days, but Dolly is  someone we all love.