Archie Shepp “Attica Blues” (1972)

Thunderous, joyous, angry, sad beautiful and swinging. All of this in forty minutes of music from Shepp. This is a remarkable record that has so many flavors. The free jazz of his earlier work is replaced by gospel, blues and R&B. The opener is an all out assault that literally screams from the speakers. The fact that his can be followed by a ballad of such tenderness as Steam shows the genius of Shepp. Human rights form a common theme throughout and may explain some of the energy within. Shepp himself sounds so much more fulfilling in a bluesy role. –Jon

Seriously funky! The title track makes Sly Stone look like Kenny Rogers. The rest reminds me of Gil Scott-Heron occasionally straying into freaky Melvin Van Peebles territory. Expecting jazz, this album really blew my mind the first time I heard it. –David

Syreeta “Syreeta” (1972)

Syreeta’s career was hidden in the shadows of her husband, Stevie Wonder, and never really reached the commercial success she deserves despite the quality of her recordings. I strongly believe “Syreeta” to be one of the best debut albums of all time. Five star material from start to finish with Stevie’s masterful hands all over the production and songwriting. More than being just a vehicle for him to flex his talents though as his wife has such a great voice and passion for the music she takes the songs to the next level. Any soul fan needs this record in their collection as do all Stevie fans. –Jon

You’ll find sweet soul, synth-inflected funk, folk and gospel here. Even the use frippertronics can’t disguise Stevie Wonder’s voice on “She's Leaving home.” In fact his presence is felt all over this great record. “Syreeta” is a must have soul LP! –David

Guided by Voices “Bee Thousand” (1994)

Their best album, without question: an inspired amalgam of a particularly British rock history (Bob even puts on the accent, though with a charming lack of consistency that recalls Sir Alex Chilton rather than other lesser American poseurs): channelling Who mod aggression, late-60s Kinks nostalgia, Revolver's kitchen-sink aesthetic, and post-punk collage sensibilities, this was the album that got GBV out of a Dayton, OH basement, and I bet it's the one that'll be played 20 years from now. I know, I know, Alien Lanes is arguably more varied and better paced. But Pollard never wrote a better set of lyrics than here (his random strings of sentiment pile up into something more significant here than they tend to do), and the hooks are seemingly effortless. The ultra lo-fi recording reveals layered detail, and the opening three tracks here qualify among the best sequences in pop history: "Hardcore UFOs" is one of the only rock anthems of the last 30 years that packs any emotional punch, while "Tractor Rape Chain" sounds like Neil Young & Crazy Horse in some parallel universe where they hailed from Leeds. And littered throughout this 20-song tunefest are many of their other best songs: "Gold Star for Robot Boy" is a mod anti-authority song for the slacker generation; the deranged but dead-on "Her Psychology Today" resurrects classic-rock misogyny for the era of the institutionalized sensitive male and the powerbook feminist; and "Kicker of Elves," well, what the hell is "Kicker of Elves?" Pop bliss in a minute. God Bless Guided By Voices and the Lager-Soaked Four-Track They Sailed In On. –Will

Willie Nelson “Shotgun Willie” (1973)

Classic outlaw country music, this record is polar opposite of the Nashville “songwriting machine” still so popular at the time. Honest (maybe too honest, the first words of this record are “Shotgun Willie sits around in his underwear”), loose and written and performed with a “don’t give a f...” attitude that millions fell in love with and thousands tried to emulate. “Sad Songs and Waltzes” and “She’s Not For You” are bruised ballads that stick with you after one listen, and age gracefully in your mind. –Cameron

Guided by Voices “Alien Lanes” (1995)

Arguably better than Bee Thousand for its sequencing alone, Alien Lanes runs at breakneck speed and nestles the tiniest fragments of the group's highly fragmentary career in among some of their (his) all-time best cuts ("Watch Me Jumpstart," "(I Wanna Be a) Dumbcharger," "Game of Pricks," "Closer You Are," "Motor Away," "Striped White Jets"), which appear in a particularly high ratio over the course of what, at nearly 42 minutes, must qualify as a lengthy record by GBV standards. There's the rub, though: it may be a little too long; even at what seems a comparatively more languid pace, Bee doesn't have any downtime like "Auditorium" or "King and Caroline:" before this one's 28-song onslaught has come to a close, I get the feeling it wouldn't have suffered from a six or seven cut grooming. So it's only the second best of their four or five classics. Blame Bob's usual lack of quality control. –Will

Harry Nilsson “Nilsson Sings Newman” (1970)

Delicate, gentle and earnest, it’s hard not to believe every word Harry Nilsson sings, even if a yet-to-make-it-big Randy Newman wrote them. I challenge any man with a heart to remain dry eyed during his rendition of "Living Without You." Plus, this is one of the most technically amazing recordings ever (it won 1970’s Record of the Year award from Stereo Review Magazine), and a treat on headphones. –Cameron

Mighty Baby “Mighty Baby” (1969)

Most of the members of Mighty Baby began in The Action, a Scouse soul/R&B group, and slowly evolved, as their hair and beards grew and thier minds expanded, into Mighty Baby. Mighty, indeed!

This is a great album of solid easy groovin’ by English boys assimilating American psychedelic West Coast sounds. Full of heady, reserved guitar fills/leads, harmonies... and that Hammond! Sheesh! –Nipper

Jive Time on Flickr

Check out our photostream on Flickr! Long time customers will see some old familiar faces here as the pictures span the eight years we've been open. We're a little more lived-in looking now but that's a good thing we think.

If you have any pictures of Jive Time that you'd like to share please email them to us so we can post them here and on Flickr.

Stevie Wonder “Music of My Mind” (1972)

This fully deserves to be held in just as high esteem as the rest of Stevie's 70's discography. Totally stunning music and it must have been a total shock to soul lovers ears on release. The music at the time was futuristic in the extreme. Utilizing the synthesizer to full effect to create a unique sound to go along with the supremely catchy and uplifting songs. There is really no weaknesses to this record. If there is any downside it is that Stevie doesn't seem to realise quite what he has unleashed and so there is a little too much experimentation in places. Is there a better Stevie song than "Superwoman"? If there is I have yet to hear it. Get this and everything up to Songs In The Key of Life and you have some serious soul music to fall back on. –Jon

New Order “Low-Life” (1985)

One of New Order’s great subtext is the notion that these band members don’t like each other. Low-Life is a typical New Order record, a 50/50 mix of guitar rock and mechanical dance tracks built around synths and table-top boxes, but it stands out to me for excellent songwriting that hints at genuine emotion restrained by an unwillingness to emote in front of those people. Lyrically uncommitted and passive, this is the sound of a band at a creative high with A+ material, trying to keep the sneer hidden behind a stiff upper lip. High points for me are “This Time Of Night” and “Sub-Culture” (the latter of which was a dance club hit) both of which juxtapose the deadpan with cinematic, sinister hooks. –Cameron

Ronnie Lane “Anymore For Anymore” (1974)

Out of all the albums that I've heard this is the one that has touched me the most. It's such a joy to hear Ronnie Lane sing about unimportant things that, after a second listen, become the most important issues you can think of. Seemingly loose played, but at the same time heartfelt and pure. Music far removed from the standards of those days but at the same time so very timeless. Yes, this album means the world to me. If I had to describe "Anymore for Anymore" in one word it would have to be "love." From the beautiful sax solo on "Don't You Cry For Me" to those spine tingling strings on "The Poacher", every track is a gem. The passion and sincerity with which it is crafted is of a standard previously unknown to me. This album will make you enjoy and appreciate life so much more. It's simply brilliant and, in my opinion, essential listening for every roots/country/folk listener. –Ton

Gandalf “Gandalf” (1969)

This is late period, super dreamy sike from Jersey! Gandalf sounds a bit like if Nick Drake were in the Zombies, but where Nick Drake can be uplifting and the Zombies' always turn your frown upside down, Gandalf instills a terse, creepy tense sense of melancholy. Though it doesn't feel self conscious in it's "moody," they balance mood without overstating creepy and sad. Of course, I don't know if they were trying to be dark, but it works...almost too well. That said, the band has said given the chance they mixed the album heavier, as they were heavier live, but due to label interference they weren't invited to the mixing sessions...fine by me, this LP ought not be fixed. It ain't broke. –Nipper

Paul McCartney “Ram” (1971)

I was just a sprout of a boy when dad brought home the shiny Pioneer hi-fi, and this was the only album I was allowed to play (as it was already scratched). It turns out this is the perfect album for a small child; sweet, sentimental, slightly silly at times, and incredibly easy to sing along to. Surprisingly devoid of radio hits, it works better as a 40 minute pastiche of tunes, rather than a collection of three-minute confections. If pop music is simply some form of arithmetic that pleases the brain, then I learned basic math from this record. The same qualities that appealed to me as a child make Ram sound just as great today. –Cameron

De La Soul "3 Feet High and Rising" (1989)

De La’s debut really was a breath of fresh air upon release with the Daisy Age crew flipping the hip hop script big time with their fun odd ball approach to the genre. In the wrong hands it could have been a disaster - all style over substance - but these three young MC’s had something about them even then and an ace up their sleeve in the shape of producer Prince Paul. This record also introduced us to the overuse of the Skit on hip hop LP’s and after a while it is perhaps my main complaint against an otherwise fantastic debut. Sure the skits are funny and on occasion work well with the flow of the record they can grate after a while. However there are some absolute classic tunes presented too, with at least three to four essential cuts. This record always seems to be the one that casual fans are most attracted too perhaps because of commercial success at the time but please do not ignore the follow   bbbb    up two LP's, De La Soul Is Dead which deserve even more praise.

Greetings from Tokyo

On our Facebook page, we asked for pictures of you wearing our logo tee and Allay Iwase of Tokyo really delivered! Thanks for the kind words and great photo Allay. We look forward to your next visit to Seattle.

Dinosaur Jr. “You’re Living All Over Me” (1987)

My favorite record from my favorite band. I don't even really know what to say. This record speaks to me in a way no other piece of recorded music ever has. It's heavy and gentle, totally hardcore and psychedelic, wasted, yet totally on point, defeated yet triumphant. It's all these little contradictions that make it so profoundly cool to me. They "nailed it" like no other band. In the artwork, the guitar sound, the rhythm section and even the track order. –Richard

Jive Time Wooden LP Crates

Who remembers Peaches' Records? They're gone but not forgotten. We've brought back the Peaches' style wooden LP crate! They're slightly smaller so that they're easier to lift (each crate holds approximately 100 LP's), with our own custom Jive Time Records crate label and currently available at our Fremont store. (A special thanks to Dean, our crate builder, RJ, our label-gluer and Shawn Wolfe for the killer label design).

Roy Ayers “He’s Coming” (1972)

It takes about 20 seconds for you to realise that this is one heavy record. The opening keys and vocals on the reverential opener “He’s a Superstar” just kill it and the music doesn’t let up too much on the rest of the LP. So many great moments from Roy and Harry Whitaker here. I mean “We Live In Brooklyn Baby” is as good as it gets and “Sweet Tears” is one of those Roy Ayers jams designed to get you moving. In the 70’s this pairing had a formula down and worked it to the maximum without ever sounding tired or, amazingly for that matter, repetetive. One of the great songwriting partnerships in music. There are so many great Ubiquity LP’s from this period and you cannot go wrong with any of the classics as they all contain a killer track or two. I would say that this and the less heralded Virgo Red are the pick though. –Jon

The Rascals “Peaceful World” (1971)

The Rascals “Peaceful World” is a surprising first listen owing more to Sly Stone, War and Tower of Power than the blue-eyed Young Rascals who gave us the sixties hit “Groovin.’” The album is a soulful blend of rock, jazz and world music featuring jazz legends Joe Farrell, Hubert Laws, Alice Coltrane and Ron Carter. The funky “Love Me,” the cosmic “Sky Trane” and the mellow, twenty-minute title track, are just three of my favorites here. Fortunately this is LP is still pretty easy to find and usually under $15 making it a peaceful world we can all visit. –David

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Donald Byrd “Places and Spaces” (1975)

Donald Byrd made the transition from Bop trumpeter to jazz funk artist seemlessly and in the mid seventies he teamed up with the hottest producers in the genre, the Mizell brothers. This is the peak of their work together and is a jazz funk classic. Some traditional jazz critics never forgave Byrd for the switch accusing him of selling out. Nonsense and a narrow minded approach. Sure this is not jazz music but it doesn’t pretend to be either. It is simply fantastic jazz funk with the signature Mizell sound. As with all Mizell productions it is essentially their show and the sound is as familiar as ever. Characteristic vocal harmonies and well placed horn and string arrangements all feature heavily. What makes this Mizell LP stand out though is Byrd’s work on the trumpet. He had fully embraced this new genre by now and was the perfect player for this session. There are too many classics here to discuss but special mention must go to the opening two cuts “Dominoes” and “Change (makes You Want To Hustle).” –Jon

Connect The Dots

It’s First Friday Art Walk in Fremont October 2nd. Join us at Jive Time where we’ll display our private collection of over thirty album covers featuring circles and dots. A smaller version of the show will remain on display through the end of October. Watch for upcoming shows this Fall to be announced here.

John Coltrane “A Love Supreme” (1965)

For the curious: This is the greatest jazz album ever recorded. For those in the know: This is not the greatest jazz album ever recorded. For Ornette Coleman, Eric Dolphy, Andrew Hill, Charlie Mingus, and Miles: You know I love you guys, but... the curious might be on to something... –Will

Terry Callier “What Color Is Love” (1973)

Quite simply one of the greatest records ever made. I cannot believe that it does not get greater attention. It really is the perfect marriage of soul and folk. Callier’s songs are at times joyous and at others surreal and almost sad. They are all delivered in one of the most gentle yet expressive voices there is. Another major part of this album is the production and arrangement of Charles Stepney who was the producer at Chess/Cadet records at the time. He has a wonderful sound that has influenced the likes of 4 Hero heavily in todays age. He is also heard producing the Rotary Connection classics from the same label. –Jon

New Riders Of The Purple Sage (1971)

Anyone who enjoys the Grateful Dead should get the New Riders of the Purple Sage's eponymous release. With Jerry Garcia and Mickey Hart of The Dead and Spencer Dryden of Jefferson Airplane in tow, they record their first album. The country rock sound which had been made popular by bands such as Dillard & Clark and The Flying Burrito Brothers was given a healthy dose of acid rock by a bunch of stoned hippies and it works. "New Riders of the Purple Sage" is some of the most spaced-out country-rock of the period. Highly recommended! -David