It’s never too early to start shopping for the winter holidays. The following are some musical gift-giving recommendations.
Those of us who’ve been listening to Cat Stevens (aka Yusuf Islam) for many years know that he is the kind of artist who was always on a spiritual quest, so becoming a devoutly religious man was not all that surprising. You could hear it in early songs such as “The Wind,” “On The Road to Find Out,” “Sitting” and “The Hurt.”
It’s also evident in “Music,” the opening track on his 1974 album “Buddha and the Chocolate Box” (Cat-O-Log/Island, newly reissued in a handsomely packaged remastered edition on vinyl and compact disc), as he sings about being “a good honest man doing the work of God.” In addition to a pair of hit singles – “Oh Very Young” and “Ready” – the album also includes “Jesus” and “King Of Trees,” all of which have the same kind of mystical feeling.
If you ever needed proof that the 1970s was one of the most musically diverse decades ever, here’s an example. In 1977, a mere three years after the release of Cat Stevens’ “Buddha and the Chocolate Box,” celebrated punk/new wave band Television released its groundbreaking album “Marquee Moon” (Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab), recently reissued on Super Audio CD, as well as an UltraDisc One-Step 180g 45 RPM double LP box set.
One of the most influential albums to be released in the initial blast of American punk, it remains among the gold standard. Unlike contemporaries such as Ramones or Blondie, Television, led by the late Tom Verlaine, had no qualms about recording songs that approached or crossed the four-minute mark, with some, including the epic title track clocking in at more than 10 minutes. There’s not a disappointing moment on the entire album.
Chris Isaak, of the perfect hair, stunning cheekbones, deep dimples, movie star jawline and seductive retro rockabilly vocal style, released two major-label albums before hitting it big with his 1989 release “Heart Shaped World” (Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab), now available on Super Audio CD.
But that success wasn’t immediate.
In fact, it took more than a year for the album, propelled by the song “Wicked Game,” with the breathtaking David Lynch-directed music video, to become Isaak’s bestseller. That song is in good company, as the album also features the standout tracks “Forever Young,” “Don’t Make Me Dream About You,” “I’m Not Waiting,” and “In The Heat of the Jungle.”
The 1990s were a musical era defined and dominated by grunge, hip-hop, and pre-fab boy bands and girl groups. There were also artists flying below the radar who also reached unexpected heights. Ben Folds Five, a North Carolina-based trio (yes, a trio), led by the titular piano wizard Folds were kind of like the anti-Nirvana. However, they could plug in and rock out when necessary. Folds, a piano-playing storyteller in the tradition of Billy Joel, had a distinctive sense of humor that came through on the band’s self-titled debut album, presently reissued in a Capitol/UMe expanded “30th Anniversary” double disc edition featuring an 11-track disc titled “Shelved First Attempt.”
Even though Ben Folds Five’s commercial breakthrough didn’t occur until it’s sophomore release (featuring the hit single “Brick”), this first effort is close to perfect, containing the gorgeous “Boxing” (later covered by Bette Midler), “Alice Childress,” “Best Imitation of Myself,” and “Philosophy,” to name a few.
It might seem to some that Sheryl Crow appeared out of nowhere when her 1993 major-label debut, “Tuesday Night Music Club” (featuring the huge hit singles “All I Wanna Do,” “Leaving Las Vegas,” and “Strong Enough”) was released. But the truth is that she had been at it for a while, including a stint as a (touring) backing vocalist for Michael Jackson.
Crow’s self-titled second album, originally released in 1996, has received the double LP, 180g heavyweight vinyl treatment as part of the Vinylphyle series from A&M/UMe. A vastly different musical experience, the album features songs written by a different set of collaborators as well as solo compositions. The record yielded more hit singles, including “If It Makes You Happy,” “A Change Would Do You Good,” and “Everyday Is A Winding Road.”
Just in case you don’t already worship at the altar of Kacey Musgraves, here are a few reasons why you should. Come on! Did you see her Dolly Parton tribute at the 2026 VMAs? Musgraves’ first two major-label albums, including the Grammy-winning “Same Trailer Different Park,” featured numerous songs co-written by Musgraves and queer singer/songwriters Brandy Clark and Shane McAnally (both Grammy-winners in their own right).
She also embraces her identity as a queer icon, which includes “High Horse,” her loping dance track on the Grammy Award-winning 2018 “Golden Hour” album (can Ella Langley say the same thing?). “Golden Hour” (Lost Highway), which features another pair of Musgraves/McAnally collaborations (“Space Cowboy” and the luminous “Rainbow”), has been reissued in a beautifully packaged, limited-edition double LP set as part of the One Step Process/Definitive Sound Series.
This story is brought to you by Rosedale Health and Wellness and Dudley’s Place.
