FRED MANTEGHIAN BLOG

The Black Crowes, $hake Your Money Maker (LP, DEF American Records, 1990), picked up during my first trip to Las Vegas in a used record store on Sahara. Even 20 years ago, The Black Crowes were doing what bands like the Rolling Stones seemed incapable of anymore. This hard-driving rock has no missteps and no end to the catchy tunes. Singer Chris Robinson's distinctive gravelly voice, a cross between Rod Stewart and Mick Jagger, gets stellar backup from the two guitars, bass and drum line-up that's as tight as it is raw.

Johnny Cash, American Recordings (LP, American Records, 1994). One of his last and maybe his greatest, just Johnny and his guitar, singing songs that are as timeless Americana as anything he, heck, anyone, has every done. Freed of the need to prove himself, that's just what he does.

C + C Music Factory, things that make you go hmmm . . . (EP, Columbia, 1990). Okay, one of my favorite albums of the early 90's, it's dance music meets Rap, spoken nice and clear, "Will Smith style," so a white-bread like me can follow along. I picked up this piece of vinyl with three extended remixes of the title song at a garage sale somewhere for less coin than a phone call. Each cut is so different, you're basically hearing three different songs. A great piece of bass pumping guilty pleasure with which to show off your system.