The Non-Rolling Stones Side of My Record Collection (Part 1)

This series of blog post will let you have a look inside of my record collection...That is the non-Rolling Stones records that are in my collection. [Keep a look out for blog posts about the Rolling Stones records that are in my collection at a later date!] Every week I will pick out five records from my collection and write a little about them, provide pictures of them, and tell you what I like about each record that I have selected. 

1: Boys & Girls by Alabama Shakes 

Don't mistake this white album as The Beatles. The Alabama Shakes are an American rock band from Alabama...Would have never guessed that right! The members are Zac Cockrell, Heath Fogg, Brittany Howard, and Steve Johnson. This album titled Boys & Girls is the debut studio album from the Alabama Shakes and was released on April 9, 2012. The album reached number six on the US 200 Billboard charts and number three on the UK Album Chart. It was also #34 on Rolling Stone's list of the Top 50 albums of 2012. The album is very blues-rock influenced and has a soulful vocals by Brittany Howard. Her vocals are one of the main reasons I like listening to the Alabama Shakes. 

I started listening to the Alabama Shakes on recommendation from my brother. I picked up this record after their second album was released. Even though I like the whole album my three favorite songs are "Hang Loose", "I Ain't the Same", and "On Your Way". 

2: Whispers by Passenger 

Whispers is the fifth studio album released by Passenger (AKA Mike Rosenberg). It was released in June 2014. This album's geners is a little of pop but mostly folk. I love how Mike writes songs that are stories of someone he met on tour, his own life, or someone he already knew like the songs "Bullets" and "Riding to New York", which are two of my favorite songs on the album. However, my favorite song on this album is "Hearts of Fire" especially the version he did with Ed Sheeran in an empty arena two years before the album was released.(linked below) Mike said that "Hearts on Fire" is the oldest song that he wrote on this album. 

Aside from the songs on Whispers lets talk about the album art. Within the record sleeve there is a beautiful water color piece that I fell in love with when I first received it, and to this day when I open it to listen to it on my record player I still find myself in awe of how beautiful it is. This is by far my favorite thing about the Whispers record.

3: The London Chuck Berry Sessions 

Side one of this record consists of songs that were recorded at a studio in London, England while on side two are songs that were recorded at the Lanchester Arts Festival in Conventry, England. On the studio recordings it featured Ian McLagan and Kenny Jones of The Faces.This record was released in October 1972 on Chess Records. "Johnny B. Good" from the the festival recording is my favorite song on this record. I love how the crowd interacts with Chuck Berry during the performance. This album was the only album of Chuck Berry's to certified by the Recording Industry Association of America(RIAA). With over 1,000,000 record sells in less then a month of its release making it certified a gold record. 

4: Bob Dylan's Greatest Hits 

This is Bob Dylan's best selling album in the United States. It is certified five times platinum by RIAA. It was released on March 27, 1967 and is the first compilation album released by Dylan. It is a collection of every Top 40 single that Bob Dylan released in 1967. What drew me to listen to Bob Dylan is his folk sound and his use of the harmonica in his songs. This influenced me to try and learn to play the harmonica myself, which I am still working to this day. My two favorite songs off this album is "Blowing in the Wind" and "Like a Rolling Stone". 

5: The Best of Elvis Costello and the Attractions 

This was the first record I have ever owned and it was a gift from my brother for one of my birthdays. This compilation album was released in 1985 and is the first of many that is released by Elvis Costello. Costello is an English singer-songwriter, and The Attractions was his back up band from 1978-1986 and 1994-1996. Elvis Costello genre is described as pub rock, punk rock, new wave, and power pop. "Alison" and "Radio, Radio" are my favorite songs off of this album. Another song that I like by Elvis Costello is "(I Don't Want To Go) Chelsea". (linked below) 

Ed Sheeran's X

This British singer/songwriter nailed it on the head with his first debut album + (plus) and now he has released his second debut album X (multiply), which is magnificent. X was released in June 2014. The album is coming up on it's one year anniversary of its release and I grown to love this Ed Sheeran album as much as I did his first album.

With + Ed Sheeran had an orange theme that ran through out the whole album and everything he did with, and for X the theme is green. He said he "feel[s] every single one of [his] records should have a theme that runs through it, even if it's just a colour. The first one was orange, throughout, everything [he] did was orange. This one's going to be green throughout, and everything [he does] will be green in terms of artwork." 

X is available in all formats you can think of. The most common now a days is the digital album through iTunes, but it is also in CD and 12'' Vinyl. 

Ed wrote with Pharrell and Rick Ruben on this which brought hip-hop and R&B into some of the songs. His first single off of X was "Sing" which was a hit on the radio and in the charts. Don't worry Ed Sheeran did not forget to include ballads like everyone loved from his first album. Sweetly written "Thinking Out Loud" and "Tenerife Sea" are some of the ballads on X. Then there is "The Man" where Ed raps thought out the whole song and says how he needs to change his cider-drinking, spliff-lighting, bad-loving ways, he might be "writing my will before I'm 27."  All of the types of songs Ed wrote for this album all blend together and make X a good album to listen too.

The track list for X is... 

01 One
02 I'm a Mess
03 Sing
04 Don’t
05 Nina
06 Photograph
07 Bloodstream
08 Tenerife Sea
09 Runaway
10 The Man
11 Thinking Out Loud
12 Afire Love 
Deluxe Edition includes...
13 Take it back 
14 Shirtsleeves 
15 Even My Dad Does Sometimes    
16 I See Fire 
Deluxe Edition Physical Copy includes...
17 All of the Stars

"I See Fire" was played during the end credits of the film, The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug while "All of the Stars" was featured in the film The Fault in Out Stars. My favorite tracks on X are "I'm a Mess", "Take it Back", and "Afire Love". 

Check out Ed Sheeran's newest music video for the song and current single "Photograph". 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nSDgHBxUbVQ


Where to find Ed...
Offical Website: http://www.edsheeran.com/ 
Twitter: @edsheeran
Facebook: www.facebook.com/EdSheeranMusic 
Instagram: teddysphotos 
YouTube: www.youtube.com/EdSheeran

The Best Little Guitar in Town

     Have a trip coming up and want to take your guitar but cannot because it is too large and takes up too much space, or are you looking for the perfect guitar to start learning to play on? Well look no more the Little Martin by Martin&Co. is the guitar for you.

     I received a Little Martin, or known as by the model name LX1, for Christmas 2012.(shown above) Before my Little Martin I had two other guitars they were good at the time and I still go to play my Ibanez now and then, but when I want to play guitar I gravitate to my Little Martin because it is thebest guitar I had yet!

     On Martin& Co. website ( www.martinguitar.com ) they describe the Little Martin as "While the Little Martin is our smallest guitar, it is very big on tone, quality and versatility." 

     Any Martin Guitar is well known for their good quality in sound that can fill a room, and that holds true for the Little Martin as well! Just because this guitar is smaller in size does not mean it has to produce a less rich tone. The Little Martin has the ability to fill a venue,like Madison Square Garden, with rich tones and warmth. On the market there are some scaled down guitars that do not perform as well. You do not have to worry about that with the Little Martin. You can depend on it to produce quality sound where ever you go. 

     There are two models of LX1 Little Martins you can purchase. There is the LX1 and the LX1E. The only difference between these two models is the LX1E is an acoustic-electric and the LX1 is not. In the LX1E it contains the Fishman Isys and tuner hookup so it can be played through an amp at a show and you have a tuner right at your finger tips. Other than that difference the two models are identical. They both feature solid Sitka Spruce top and Mahogany High-Pressure Laminate(HPL) back and sides. The Little Martin is a 3/4 size guitar. The scale length is 23 inches with 20 frets. On the headstock it features small-knob tuners. 

     Left handed? No worries! The Little Martin can be easily converted into a left handed guitar so it can fit your needs. 

     The Little Martin was designed with the traveling performer in mind. This guitar is perfect for carrying onto planes and trains, slide into the back of a taxi or car, skateboard with it on your back, or simply carry it on foot. No matter your mode of transportation this guitar can stick with you right by your side. It will be the perfect accompany for your gig or a jam session you have with your friends. Also, because of the size it is good for children who are starting to learn guitar, but don't let the size fool you and think it is only for small people. Anyone can enjoy the Little Martin! 

     There are two places that I would recommend purchasing the Little Martin off of. The first is the Martin&Co. website ( www.martinguitar.com ) where the guitar will run from $429.00 to $519.00 depending if you get the LX1 model or the LX1E model. The second is the Guitar Center website ( www.guitarcenter.com ) or a Guitar Center store near you. Here the Little Martin can run between $299.00 to $399.00 again depending on which model you get. No matter where you purchase the Little Martin you get a pretty sweet gig bag.(shown below) The gig bag is padded so when you are traveling with your Little Martin it will be safe and protected. 

     An experienced or a beginner guitar player can enjoy the Little Martin. It is a good guitar for anyone who is looking for good guitar in high quality and easy transport. This guitar will not disappoint you. You shold not put this guitar off and think that it will not have the same quality as a larger guitar. Martin&Co. has deffenitaly put the same quality and workmanship in the Little Martin like they do with any other guitar they make. If you purchase this guitar I will garentee you will not regret that you purchased the Little Martin.