Linda Ronstadt – Mad Love

Very well mixed record. Girls Talk sounds like a Juice Newton hit song, which is a very good thing.

This is one of the most best sounding records I know. Great mix!

Not sure if this is analog or digitally sourced, but this mix is dynamic and the vinyl is gorgeous, heavy, quiet, and flat. Bonus points for the lined inner sleeve.

I got my lp for 50 cents glad I did

*** noteworthy. While Linda had covered Costello on her previous album, this 1980 set is considered her one true new wave album, reviewers often pointing out how this marked her brief departure from her signature sounds...but really this still had much in common with her most of her output, pop rock with some hillbilly elements. She covers three Costello songs but she also focuses on the mid-60s, both with covers and with sounds on other cuts, something she'd done before. And of course, the mid 60s were a huge part of new wave--which looked back at least as much as it looked forward. Anyway, when you catch this in the cheap bins, you might want to grab it and give it a listen. It's nothing remarkable, but most of it is fairly enjoyable.

-- winch (Winch Records: only the good ones...the good, the odd, and the wonderful.)

I gave this release such a high rating because it felt like I was listening to a Blondie album, whether that was pure coincidence, remains to be seen.