Spooner Oldham

Very obscure record from Muscle Shoals vet and Dan Penn partner. Some find his singing a little lacking. Me, I think it's part of the charm.

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Tartaglia

By request, here's a lushly orchestrated record by Tartaglia, whose arrangements remind me somewhat of David Axelrod. His other album, "Good Morning Starshine," is in the file as well.

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Muve

Here's an obscure spoken-word album from a guy named Richard Christensen, who sounds at times a little like Rod McKuen. The arrangements, by Tartaglia, are ornate and rather beautiful, and because it's on Capitol it sounds as though no small expense was made. But really, what were they thinking?

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6680 Lexington

Another one of those records full great songs and amazing players (including Darlene Love and Bill Medley) that came and went with little buzz. Very much worth hearing, nonetheless.

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The Groovin' Strings and Things

Groovin' ... on a snowy afternoon.

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Hey Baby!

From Allmusic: Nino Tempo & April Stevens (who were actually brother and sister, born Nino LoTempio and Carol LoTempio) bobbed up and down through the pop charts through much of the 1960s, enjoying only a couple of major successes ("Deep Purple" and "Whispering") but maintaining enough momentum to stay in the good graces of several major labels throughout the decade. Hey Baby! was recorded during the duo's tenure with Atco Records, and it's fairly typical of their work of the period, a polished set of well-known pop tunes ("Hey Baby," "Land of 1000 Dances," "These Arms of Mine") and some well-crafted originals ("Swing Me," "Tomorrow Is Soon a Memory," "Ooh La La") alongside a few genuine eccentricities ("Mohair Sam" is given a fairly improbable parody as "No Hair Sam" and an otherwise strong folk-rock arrangement of "I Love How You Love Me" is punctuated with a hyperactive bagpipe). While Nino & April's efforts to sound hip usually end in failure, they harmonize well and they were capable solo vocalists too, with April sounding sweetly seductive on a new recording of "Teach Me Tiger" and Nino handling his Otis Redding cover quite well indeed. Nino was a talented producer and sax player as well as a vocalist and songwriter, and if this isn't top-shelf mid-'60s pop, the craft is strong throughout and if he and April often sound as if they'd be more comfortable in a supper club than at a rock show, they avoid the suggestion that they're looking down on the material; Hey Baby! doesn't include any of their major hits, but it's certain to please completists.

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Rudy Ramos

Anyone remember "The High Chaparral"?

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Reuben Howell

Here are the two albums by Reuben Howell, the first white dude signed to Motown. A caveat: for reasons unknown, my frickin' iTunes won't let me tag the song titles of the first album.

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Richard Twice

A band so nice they named it ... Twice. Features Wrecking Crew back-up. 'Nuf said.

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Far Country

I see justice
Just out of view
Yeah, I see justice
Don't have much to do
But I got no worries
Why give a toss
I'm already long gone from here
And I don't feel a loss

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San Fernando Brass

Here's an interesting curio: a hits-of-the-day record produced in Quad by Capitol for Realistic, the company that owns Radio Shack. Don't know who plays on it, but the performances are first rate.

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Noel Harrison

From the boy behind the girl from U.N.C.L.E.

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Children of Prague

Thanks so much to Yahwehfrk, who supplied us with this sweet bubblegum rarity.

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Pete Jolly

By request, here's a sweet and mellow record by Pete Jolly.

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Country Coalition

Country Coalition were a pretty cool (mostly) country-rock act signed to ABC's Bluesway - one of the few non-blues artists on the label. The band is probably best known for the song "One Man Band," which was a hit for Three Dog Night. The album is a hodgepodge of styles, but I find that's part of its charm. I added some stray singles and non-album cuts here as bonus tracks.

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Les Crane

Go placidly amid the noise and haste ... and listen to this album. Stuck on an appropriate bonus track for you.

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The Original Hits of Right Now

Picked this one on a recent crate dig, and even though I have the songs on other LPs I dig these Dunhill comps. Et tu?

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Riot on Sunset Strip

A riotous record to kick-start your new year.

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Johnny Brower

Yet another classy record from the Guinness tax-scam label, this one in a country/swamp/lounge mode.

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Hell's Belles

Raunchy Les Baxter soundtrack to American International biker flick. This one has some nifty bonus tracks.

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Don Costa

Thanks to Steinar, here is "Days of Wine and Roses."

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Don Costa

Snagged this one in the Village on a recent trip to NYC. Paid too much, and the guy behind the counter was of kind of a dick. Was it worth it?

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Mark Turnbull

This one is a real curio. Couldn't find much out about young Mark, but he does sound a bit like Bob Dorough or maybe Tom Northcott. If either of those guys rings your bell, then this is for you. Update: check the comments for a link for current info about Mark.

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Scary Guy at the End of the Hall

This one channels the ghosts of Salinger, absent friends and, well, the scary guy at the end of the hall. Cover shot taken at our old apartment on Park Drive in Boston.

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Yours, Mine and Ours

Typically cool Fred Karlin soundtrack from typically silly '60s flick.

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Stoned Hair

With its canned audience sounds and songs that were not performed at Woodstock, this delicious slice of exploito pushes all the wrong buttons in just the right way. If anyone has any other Design Records titles they want to share, please put a link in the comments. They're all pretty bad in a good way.

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South Central Avenue Municipal Blues Band

In the late '60s, everyone was getting in on the Bonnie and Clyde craze, even if it made no sense at all. Still, this is pretty funky little album.

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Bobby Keys

In memory of Bobby Keys, here's his funky solo record featuring the talents of George Harrison, Ringo Starr, Jack Bruce, Dave Mason, Nicky Hopkins, Leslie West, Klaus Voorman, Carl Radle, Jim Gordon, Corky Laing and many others. We'll miss you, Bobby.

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The 5th Dimension

By request, here's the 5th Dimension "Live!" record. BTW, I've updated the link with the correct running order.

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Armistice Day

With all that's going on in the world right now from the Midwest to the Middle East, here's an album about human conflict. And, yeah, that's my mom and dad on the cover.

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Maitreya Kali

On this Thanksgiving Day I'm sharing with you an extreme rarity: the "Apache/Inca" album by Maitreya Kali. If you want to read about the fascinating backstory of this bizarre record, check out this Allmusic entry, or pick up the near-book-length piece in Ugly Things magazine.

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Bermuda Jam

Trippy, pysch-o weirdness on Bob Crewe's Dynovoice label? I'm there. BTW, my outboard CD burner is on the fritz and I am having a problem ripping these albums for you, so it looks like I'll have to buy a new one. If all you downloaders - 135,000 and counting - want to help out with my purchase and keep Mondo going, you can contribute by clicking on the DONATE button. Monkeeboy and Doyscoy have shown their support. Why not you?

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The Sounds of Our Times

Yet another great Sounds of Our Times record.

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The Sounds of Our Times

Nice instro work from Jack Pleis and company. This vinyl rip fulfills a request from, uh, me. Because I love this kind of shit.

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Outta' Sight!

Here's a tasty little comp that features "musical sounds of the new generation."

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Soul Sesame Street

In which the Village Soul Choir, whoever they were, attempt to infuse a little street into Sesame Street.

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Bud Shank

Might anyone have this tasty title from Bud Shank? If so, please put a link in the comments. Thanks.

The Goldebriars

A beautiful folk record featuring crystalline vocals by Dotti and Sheri Holmberg, and, of course, Curt Boettcher.

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Million Dollar Sound Sampler

Another great A&M compilation.

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Leaving on a Jet Plane

Couldn't find much info about this one, other than the singer is one Jim Demitrack, a Bobby Goldsboro-ish crooner. The version here of "Sugar, Sugar" makes the Archies sound like thrash metal by comparison. But, as with all this kind of stuff, I find it hard to resist. Ripped from vinyl, with love.

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The Sidehackers

A link is now in the comments for a pretty decent rip of this ultra-rare record.

The Stone Canyon Rock Group

By request, here's a re-up of Stone Canyon Rock. The dude singing the title track ain't no Richard Harris, and that's saying something. A real cheapie on a real cheapie label (Custom), which makes me love it all the more.

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Loss Leaders

Thanks to Willard's Wormholes, the entire Warner/Reprise Loss Leader shebang is being rolled out. Try not to OD.

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Barbarella

Happy Halloween ... and what better way to celebrate than with this spooky exploito record by the Young Lovers, whoever they were. If you are looking for some more scary fun, check out the comments in the post below.

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Wilderness Years

Days roll along
One into the other
All the time in the world, it seems
The next thing you know
There's one less day
And slightly taller weeds
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The Happy Day Choir

You'd think that from all the happy-faced white folks on the cover that this would be yet one more happy-faced, white-folks exploito. But you'd be wrong.

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Goldenrod

Instro record in which ace sessioners Ben Benay (guitar), Jerry Scheff (bass), and Toxey French (drums) make like a badass power trio in the mold of Cream and truly let their hair down.

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The Moon People

Geez Louise, here's some cheese with a Latin lilt.

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Breeze

Some sweet '70s mellow rock, featuring covers of Bread and Todd Rundgren songs as well as originals that slot right in. Breeze-y.

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Billy Martin

Mostly instro funk workouts from trumpeter Billy Martin. Very hard to find.

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