Dave's Side One

Stereotomy is not another Eye in the Sky—and that is exactly why it deserves another listen.

In today's episode of Dave’s Side One, Dave explores the album’s colder production, its themes of pressure and control, and the different voices contributed by John Miles, Chris Rainbow, Gary Brooker and Graham Dye.

The album’s nine-track sequence also includes extended instrumentals and recurring title material, giving the record the structure of a complete sonic world rather than a collection of obvious singles.

Today’s Side One Spin: What is the most overlooked Alan Parsons Project album, and which Stereotomy track would you recommend first?

Mention Styx’s Cornerstone, and many listeners immediately think of “Babe.”

In this episode of Dave’s Side One, Dave looks beyond the album’s biggest hit and revisits songs including “Lights,” “Boat on the River,” “Borrowed Time,” “Eddie” and “Love in the Midnight.”

The record reflects the competing musical personalities of Dennis DeYoung, Tommy Shaw and James Young. Those contrasts can make the album feel divided, but they also capture one of the qualities that defined Styx.

Today’s Side One Spin: What is the best song on Cornerstone besides “Babe,” and has the hit helped or hurt the album’s reputation?

How do you follow an album like Hotel California?

In today's Dave’s Side One, Dave begins a new week called Albums That Deserved Better by reconsidering the Eagles’ The Long Run.

The album is frequently remembered as uneven, difficult and evidence of a band approaching its breaking point. Yet it also contains “Heartache Tonight,” “I Can’t Tell You Why,” “In the City,” “Those Shoes,” “King of Hollywood” and “The Sad Café.”

The question is not whether The Long Run equals Hotel California. The question is whether it deserves to be heard as an album with its own identity.

Today’s Side One Spin: Is The Long Run underrated, and which song deserves more attention?

Dave already knew and loved Van Halen’s debut. The search for an early pressing was not about gaining access to the music; it was about finding a physical copy connected to the period when the album first arrived.

In this episode of Dave’s Side One, Dave looks at the label, catalog number, runout information, jacket and condition of the copy that ended his search. He also explains why pressing details should add context to a record’s story rather than replace the music as the reason for collecting it.

Today’s Side One Spin: Which album made you search for a specific pressing or edition?

Some records enter a collection immediately. Others remain on the want list for years.

In today's episode of Dave’s Side One, Dave explains why Montrose’s Paper Money became one of those long-term searches. He already knew the music and knew the album belonged in his collection, but he continued waiting for a copy he would be happy to keep.

The eventual purchase became more meaningful because the search, the patience, and the anticipation had become part of the album’s story.

Today’s Side One Spin: What album did you wait years to own?

For many listeners, Journey begins with Steve Perry. But before Perry joined the band, Gregg Rolie handled the lead vocals as Journey developed a more progressive and exploratory sound.

In this episode of Dave’s Side One, Dave revisits In the Beginning, a two-record compilation drawn from Journey’s first three studio albums. The episode explores Rolie’s voice, Neal Schon’s already-recognizable guitar playing, and the musical ideas that connected Journey’s experimental beginnings with its later melodic success.

Today’s Side One Spin: What band surprised you when you explored its earlier work?

Great record stores do more than sell music. They become classrooms, meeting places, and gateways into larger musical worlds.

In this episode of Dave’s Side One, Dave remembers Smokey’s Records in Salt Lake City and the role it played in shaping his approach to music discovery.

Browsing the bins taught him to read credits, follow musicians and producers, connect albums, and explore without knowing exactly what he would find.

Today’s Side One Spin: What record store helped shape your musical life?

Some albums make an immediate impact. Others become more meaningful as the listener changes.

In this episode of Dave’s Side One, Dave revisits Chicago’s Chicago VI and considers how time, experience, and attentive listening can transform a familiar record. The album did not become deeper over the years—Dave became more capable of hearing what had always been there.

Today’s Side One Spin: What album means more to you now than it did when you first heard it?

Why Styx's Crystal Ball Never Left My Turntable

Dave reflects on the first album he loved enough to literally wear out—and why those records often become our most treasured possessions.

Some records become favorites. Others permanently change how we listen.

n today's Dave’s Side One, Dave shares how Rush’s 1978 album Hemispheres introduced him to a different kind of listening—one built around long-form composition, dynamics, instrumental relationships, lyrical themes, and the full-album journey.

Today’s Side One Spin: What album changed the way you listen to music?