Songs of Leonard Cohen - Leonard Cohen

‘Songs of Leonard Cohen’ is the 1967 debut album of Canadian musician Leonard Cohen. It foreshadowed the future path of his career, with less success in the United States than in Europe, reaching #83 on the Billboard chart and achieving gold status only in 1989, while it reached #13 in UK and spent nearly a year and a half in the UK album charts.

Madonna - The First Album – Madonna

The debut studio album by American singer Madonna, by Sire Records made the songstress a household name instantly. This was an album I remember in my youth singing her catchy songs and dancing to them. I am so glad to have this original pressing in my collection. This has been one of my favorite albums since I was a kid.

American Idiot – Green Day

As a backlash to the popular sound of disco that pervaded the early ‘70s, the alternative sound of punk [an abbreviation for “punk rock”] had its genesis, especially in England, with slogans ranging from "disco sucks" to "death to disco".

Tracy Chapman – Tracy Chapman

Within five months following the release of her self-titled debut album in 1988, Tracy Chapman became the opening act for the 30th September, 1988 ‘Human Rights Now’ concert held at New Delhi’s Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium where this writer was one of the 70,000 plus attendees.

Don't Shoot Me, I'm Only The Piano Man - Elton John

With studio album number six, Elton John took a giant step towards creative independence, topping the charts in both the US and the UK with this album released way back in 1974. His breakthrough across the Atlantic brought him new fans, but it was this album ‘Don’t Shoot Me I’m Only The Piano Player’, that gave him a No.1 album in his own country in England.

Venus And Mars – Wings

In celebrating the 50th anniversary of Wings’ fourth studio album, ’Venus And Mars’ is being re-issued on 21st March 2025 with a half-speed master edition.

The Royal Scam – Steely Dan

Reading a biography on Steely Dan by Brian Sweet was inspirational enough for this writer to enter the world of Donald Fagen (keyboards, lead vocals) and Walter Becker (guitar, bass), the members behind Steely Dan, and review the band’s 1976 album, ‘The Royal Scam’, consisting of nine, expectedly disparate tracks. As per the band’s wont, the duo are supported on this album by a sterling set of back-up musicians.

A Night At The Opera – Queen

The new year celebrates 50 years of the release of Queen’s iconic fourth album, ‘A Night At The Opera’ (named after the Marx Brothers' film of the same name), revisited at a vinyl listening session organised by Mumbai-based Adagio on 19th December 2024. Truly well-deserved as the album, quite like wine, has aged gracefully and, with it, still sounds better with every play.

Hooker N’ Heat: Recorded live at the Fox Venice Theatre – John Lee Hooker & Canned Heat.

How often do you receive an opportunity of listening to two albums with the same name? ‘Hooker N’ Heat’ is one rarity where the original collaboration between John Lee “Hooker” and Canned “Heat” worked so well in 1971 that they recorded another album with the same name in 1978 (until Peter Gabriel released a self-titled debut in 1977, and followed it with three more albums with the same name).

Here and There – Elton John

‘Here and There’, released in 1976, is a live album by British singer-songwriter Elton John, his 14th official album release. The title refers to the two concerts represented on the album. So you have "Here" a concert recorded at the Royal Festival Hall in London during the summer of 1974 on 18th May that had a 2700 capacity occupancy and which was in the presence of Princess Margaret and was a fundraiser for invalid children.