Fantastic Music and Far Out Albums ( #AtoZChallenge )

 

       Fantastic music resides in my vinyl collection though some might think that some of my albums are pretty far out.  And some are indeed "far out" as we used to say back in the hippy dippy sixties and seventies.  I was striving to achieve an eclectic interesting collection of music that might have something to appeal to many listeners, but most of all I was looking for music that I could enjoy. I think I was successful in my quest for a broad ranging collection of record albums.  

         Flo & Eddie, Full Moon, and the Four Tops have left my building and now reside in some other collection unbeknownst to me. The Graham Nash produced album by The Fool was maybe one of the worst albums ever made so I felt no great urge to keep it. However, as bad as my three albums by Frankie Stein and his Ghouls may have been, I probably should have hung on to them just for the novelty and for the fact that they were albums purchased during my early adolescent years.  But I didn't keep them.  Here are some albums in the F file that I did keep in my collection...

Links to the music are included throughout the post if you want to hear the music.

The Four Seasons "Gold Vault of Hits"  (1965)  was given to me as a Christmas gift from my mother in 1965 while we were still living in northern Indiana.  They were one of  my favorite groups at the time and this album has some great tunes, all big hits.  Nothing really bad on this album and it is worthy of any collection.  Well worn after years of play, it was worth keeping for the sentimental personal nature if not for the music.

Federal Duck (1968)  Don't know where I obtained this cut-out, but this album is very weird at times while being interesting and occasionally oddly beautiful.  I've never seen another copy, but since it has been written about on various internet sources I know I'm not the only one who has a copy.  Still it has a uniqueness that I think makes it worth keeping.  So I kept it.  And did I say it is weird.  I mean the band has a tuba player as well as other assorted musicians.  I like it and that's what matters to me.

Dan Fogelberg "Nether Lands" (1977)  I used to listen to this album so much. Listening now transports me to that time.  My first wife Cathy was a Fogelberg fanatic and through her I gained a great appreciation for his music.  This album came out while Cathy was pregnant with our son who we named Daniel Neil in honor of her favorite artist and mine (Neil Young).   I own several Fogelberg albums on cassette and CD, but this is the only one I have on vinyl.  

Peter Frampton "Wind of Change"  (1972)  I was well aware of Frampton from his work with The Herd (I used to have their album) and Humble Pie (I listened to them a lot on albums owned by friends).  After his Wind of Change album came out I heard it at a friend's house--frequently.  They were playing it every time I was there it seemed.  The album grew on me to the extent that I went out and purchased a full price copy of it.  This is some of Frampton's best work.

Function  "Play It Maestro" (1979)  This prog rock Christian album comes from a Swedish group.  It's a bit run of the mill, but I find it to be okay listening.  Actually I haven't listened to it much.  I found it at a Books-a-Million store in West Knoxville around 1988 or so and it was cheap.  It also has a violin player pictured on the cover as well as a violinist playing in some of the music.  I guess I'd say that I kept this for the album art, but the music could grow on me if I listened enough.

The Fourth Way (1969)   If I remember correctly, I found this album in the cut-out bin at the University of Tennessee Bookstore.  The attraction for me about this album was the violin player. This jazz music was a bit alien to me at first, but soon took hold of me.  It's funky electrified jazz rock by top notch players.  Of course I'd keep this album--the violin you know.

        I'm sure you recognize some these, but do you have a favorite among them?  Do you keep any albums because of the artwork?   What is your favorite artist with an F name?