Hi everyone, here are our five musical recommendations for the week; four streaming suggestions* and one recommended album on CD.
(Click on the photo to stream or request the album you’re interested in!)
Freegal Streaming Suggestions*
My first recommendation for this week is actually an album set issued as one single collection on CD but broken up into two streaming albums by Freegal. The related titles are “America’s Greatest Hits 1957, Volume 1” and “America’s Greatest Hits 1957, Volume 2. And the two streaming collections feature all 120 of the songs to hit the top ten on the Billboard Pop Chart in 1957!
The two album collection offers us a cool listen to a mixture of what today we’d deem vocal and easy listening music, which was the main popular music of the day, and songs in the emerging style of Rock N’ Roll.
America’s Greatest Hits 1957, Volume 1 (1957, 2018) (Genre: Pop, Rock, Classic Rock):
America’s Greatest Hits 1957, Volume 2 (1957, 2018) (Genre: Pop, Rock, Classic Rock):
Songs in the double album streaming collection include: Signing the Blues by Guy Mitchell, The Green Door by Jim Lowe, Butterfly by Andy Williams, Love Me Tender, All Shook Up and Jailhouse Rock by Elvis, Blueberry Hill by Fats Domino and Hey Jealous Lover by Frank Sinatra.
This is a great collection for summer!
Behind The Shade (2018) by James Williamson and the Pink Hearts (Rock, Punk):
Former Stooges guitarist James Williamson steps out with a brand new album. And despite the years that have elapsed since he played with the Stooges – Williamson has retained his fierce in-your-face style of guitar playing.
If you’re a Stooges fan – check out this new release!
Songs on the LP include: Riot on the Strip, Pink Hearts Across the Sky, You Send Me Down, Miss Misery and Revolution Stomp.
Hotel Transylvania Score (Genre: Score, Classical):
Composer Mark Mothersbaugh has created a great score for the films in the Hotel Transylvania series. The score is upbeat, cheerful, majestic and just plain fun.
Songs include: Through The Roof, Battle with Bela, The Mummy Arrives, Monster Festival, Chasing Quasimodo and Dragon Tail/Grandpa Van Helsing.
Complete 1950-1954 Studio-Issued Recordings (with the Stan Kenton Orchestra) by Four Freshmen (Genre: Classic Pop, Easy Listening, Barbershop, Vocal, Big Band):
The original Four Freshmen band formed in 1948 and consisted of brothers Don and Ross Barbour, Bob Flanigan and Hal Kratzsch. In 1950 the group was singing in the Esquire Lounge in Dayton, Ohio when they were heard by big band leader Stan Kenton. Kenton was very impressed by the group and urged his record company, Capital Records, to sign them. The group was indeed signed by Capital Records and their first single, Mr. B’s Blues was released later that year.
The group’s heyday was in the early to mid-fifties when they released hit singles and were one of the front and center pop groups of the day. By the late fifties, as Rock N’ Roll was starting to gain in popularity, vocal groups like the Four Freshman started taking a back seat to new acts like Elvis Presley, Chuck Berry and Fats Domino. Having said that, the group has remained popular throughout the years and although the last original member of the band, Bob Flanigan, retired in the 1990s the group continues to perform.
This 29 song set includes some of the best songs released by the group in their heyday.
Songs in the set include: Then I’ll Be Happy, Mr. B’s Blues, It’s a Blue World, Tuxedo Junction, The Day Isn’t Long Enough and Seems Like Old Times.
Recommended CD of the Week:
The Jazz Soul of Little Stevie (1962) by Stevie Wonder:
This album was recorded when Stevie Wonder was only 11. And boy, what a genius! The young Stevie showed off his prodigious skill by playing piano, harmonica, percussion instruments and by writing several of the songs on the album.
Wonder is very energetic on this LP and it is a very upbeat album – check it out!
Songs on the album include: Fingertips, The Square, Soul Bongo, Manhattan At Six, Some Other Time and Wondering.
Videos of the Week:
Blueberry Hill by Fats Domino
Party Doll by Buddy Knox
Singing The Blues by Guy Mitchell
Heartbreak Hotel & All Shook Up by Elvis
Round and Round by Perry Como
Jenny Jenny by Little Richard
Behind The Shade by James Williamson and the Pink Hearts
The Wedding, Hotel Transylvania Score Composed by Mark Mothersbaugh
Poinciana by Four Freshmen
Fingertips by Stevie Wonder
Have a great weekend!
Linda, SSCL
*A library card is required to use the Freegal Music Service. If you live in the service area of the Southern Tier Library System, which consists of the public libraries in Steuben, Chemung, Yates, Schuyler and Alleghany counties in New York State, you can get a library card for free at your nearest public library – including our own Southeast Steuben County Library in Corning, New York. The Freegal Music Service is free for all Southern Tier Library System member libraries library card holders to access.
References:
Artist Biography & Discography Information:
The Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits by Joel Whitburn (Billboard Books. New York. 2009.)
P.S. If you have any questions about how to download or stream free music through the Freegal Music service to a desktop or laptop computer or how to download and use the Freegal Music app let us know! Drop by the library or give us a call at: 607-936-3713
*You must have a library card at a Southern Tier Library System member library to enjoy the Freegal Music Service. Your card can be from any library in the system, and the system includes all public libraries in Steuben, Chemung, Yates, Schuyler and Allegheny Counties and includes our own Southeast Steuben Count Library in Corning, New York!
Library cards are free if you live in our service area. And you can obtain a card by visiting the Circulation Desk and presenting staff with a form of ID that features your name and your current address.
Links to the desktop versions of the catalogs for the library system – apps for each are available in your app store:
Digital Library Catalogs:
Freegal offers streaming and downloadable music
OverDrive allows you to check out eBooks, downloadable audiobooks and handful of streaming videos
RB Digital is the place you go to check out magazines – on demand – and you never have to return them!
The Traditional Library Catalog:
You can search for and request books, DVDs, music CDs, audiobooks on CD and other physical format items through StarCat – it is the modern day card catalog!
Tech & Book Talk at SSCL 