Mos Def & Dan Auerbach of the Black Keys...chillin
Blakroc – On The Vista
Here’s something to look out for, coming out this coming week, a new collaboration between the Black Keys and a variety of MCs, from underground darlings like Pharoah Monch and Mos Def, to prime-timers like Ludacris & Jim Jones, and no less than three members of Wu-Tang, Raekwon, The RZA and the dearly departed ODB. The standouts come from Jay-Z-a-like NOE and Mos Def, so much so that you almost wish Mos & the Keys just decided to do their own collabo. “On The VIsta” to my ears is the best of the bunch.
If you check their website, apparently there’s a tie-in special edition Blakroc Camaro, and no, that is not a joke…
Here’s two bands that I’m very thankful for, though I don’t even know where I’d begin making a decision on this one…two of the most influential rock’n’roll bands to ever come out of Michigan, maybe two of the most important 60s American bands of all time. Legendary groups, legendary sounds but pound for pound…who would come out on top? The Stooges or The MC5? Let me know what you think!
Here’s some clips of both bands in their prime to help you decide.
Really solid show this past week under duress…I suffer a nasty paper cut opening mail just as the show started, but I was able to soldier on and bring you new music from James Pants (the package that caused the cut), LCD Soundsystem, Dam-Funk, Gossip, Blakroc (Black Keys + Mos Def, more on that soon), and brand new music from Tindersticks who look to release a new record in early 2010. Also some choice older cuts from Rahsaan Roland Kirk to lead off, Little Sister, Gal Costa and the Italian version of “Space Oddity” by Daivd Bowie, a radically different song lyrically “Ragazzo Solo, Ragazzo Sola” roughly “Lonely Boy, Lonely Girl.” Playlist will be up soon enough, and this one will be on demand until next week…
Ken Boothe – Evil Woman
Ken Boothe – Sandy
Ken Boothe – Time Passage
Just some brief comments on this one (maybe I’ll return after the holiday for a bit more)…I don’t see a whole lot of original Trojan records these days, but I ran into this one fairly recently over at Atomic in Burbank. Ken Boothe is a classic vocalist from JA, my favorite tracks of his catalogue being “Say You” and his version of Syl Johnson’s “Is It Because I’m Black.” This record contains neither or those and nothing as exceptionally strong as those sides, but there’s a lot of solid work mixed in with some debatable choices (“The Impossible Dream”? The “Godfather Theme”? Seriously…?).
The non-debatable tracks are definitely worthy of the artist and his skills as a vocalist. “Evil Woman” has a great sound, as does the similar mid tempo (though complete opposite sentiment) “Sandy.” It’s the sound of the record that I find intersting, there aren’t any big name players on this record, none of the usual Reggae supporters, but the band does an ace job supporting Boothe, especially on “Time Passage” the upbeat groover that closes the album out with a righteous bit of jamaican reggae soul.
Los Angeles collective Build An Ark just sounds like 1974 to me. Primarily because their sound is heavily inspiried by artist collectives of that period and the music from labels such as Strata-East and Tribe (Phil Ranelin who cut some great records for Tribe is actually a featured member of B.A.A.). Though the sound is clearly connected to a very different world some 35 years ago, the sentiments and spirits are just as needed now, so I’m thankful that this group is together and producing these sounds today.
Starts off mellow, with a Booker Ervin tune from 1963, and stays mellow for sometime, including new music from The XX, Mr. Chop (paying tribute to Pete Rock!), People Under the Stairs, Felt, some super silly soul from Sharon Jones & Lee Fields and a whole set of live music from Tom Waits from the Glitter & Doom tour. Watch out for some choice older tunes, from Jimmy Cliff, Sebadoh, The Inner Drive, and David Bowie, from the 40th anniversary of his self-titled record. Check it out while you can, it’s on demand until next Wednesday.
Booker Ervin – Home In Africa – Back From The Gig
The Pastels & Tennis coats – Vivid Youth – Two Sunsets
Karen O & the Kids – My Worried Shoes – Where The Wild Things Are – Interscope
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The XX – Infinity – XX
Crime & the City Solution – The Adversary – Until The End of the World
Jimmy Cliff – Price of Peace – Unlimited
The Lions – Sweet Soul Music – Jungle Struttin’
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Natural Self – All Static – My Heart Beats Like A Drum
The Inner Drive – Party Man – 7”
Dam-Funk – 10 West – Toeachizown
People Under The Stairs – DQMOT – Carried Away
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Mr. Chop – T.R.O.Y. – For Pete’s Sake
Orchestre Poly Rythmo De Cotonou – Malin Kpon O – Vol. 2: Echos Hypnotiques
Atlas Sound – Criminals – Logos
Death in Vegas – Dirge – Demonlover
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Devendra Banhart – Rats – What Will We Be
David Bowie – Unwashed and Somewhat Slightly Dazed – David Bowie 40th Anniversary Edition
The Clientele – Tonight – Bonfires On The Heath
Rose Melberg – Truly – Homemade Ship
Build An Ark – Fun’s Theme – Love Part 1
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The Swell Season – The Verb – Strict Joy
Sebadoh – Kath – III
Thao & the Get Down Stay Down – But What Of The Strangers – Know Better Learn Faster
Hope Sandoval & the Warm Inventions – Thinking Like That – Through The Devil Softly
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Sharon Jones & Lee Fields – Stranded In Your Love – Daptone Gold
The Fiery Furnaces – Drive To Dallas – I’m Going Away
Captain Beefheart – I’m Glad – Safe As Milk
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Tom Waits – Trampled Rose/Metropolitan Glide/I’ll Shoot The Moon/Green Grass – Glitter & Doom-Live
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Felt – Ghost Dance Deluxe – 3
Natural Yogurt Band – Thoughts – Away With Melancholy
Lord Cobra – Colon Colon – Panama! Vol. 3
Mulatu Astatke – Lantchi Blye – New York-Addis-London: The Story of Ethio Jazz 1965-1975
The Ettes – Keep Me In Flowers – Do You Want Power
After a couple months of doing this blog, I realized that I was neglecting to dig deep into my 45 collection for tunes in addition to the usual full-length records I post up (I’ll try to make it a semi-regular thang from now on). With the demise of my lightly regarded and even more lightly attended weekly, Gris-Gris, it seemed like good timing to put together a post highlighting some fave 7″s and also pay tribute to my ill-fated Sunday night “dance” party. My preference would have been to keep at it, since I’m not the quitting kind, but with all the budget problems here in California, my day job is getting cut back, which means I’m going to have to hustle up some new revenue and could no longer wait on the upside of this gig to develop. Over 3+ Months, myself, Soul Marcosa and a slew of guests, including O-Dub, Clifton aka Soft Touch, Alberto Sol, Sara Shindig, Greg Belson, Jackie Hoodoo, Jason Pandora, Bobby Soul of the Boogaloo Assassins, Rani-D, Roger Rivas of the Aggrolites and KCRW fam Anthony Valadez & Mathieu Schreyer, spun a mad mix of styles, from raw funk to latin boogaloo to jamaican rock steady to 60s psyche and back again. We never caught on and found our audience but I’m thankful for the music and good times shared between these DJs and others who just stopped by including Music Man Miles of Breakestra, Rick Wren, Roger Paz and Mario Cotto of KCRW.
So, here are a couple of my favorite tracks that I either played at Gris-Gris or were played by some of the guests.
Robert Parker - Let's Go Baby - Nola
Robert Parker – Let’s Go Baby (Where The Action Is)
This track kicked off the mix that I put together to promote the night early on and is just a great anthem and New Orleans soul stomper. I don’t know a single person who doesn’t love this track immediately after hearing it, it just sounds like the kind of party you want to be at. I get a smile on my face everytime Parker tells his girl to “put on your wig and your new red dress…” Just a dynomite bit of 60s soul.
David Rockingham Trio - Joy-De-Vie - Josie
David Rockingham Trio – Joy-De-Vie
I’ve never been able to track down much information on David Rockingham and his trio, I know they released at least one other 45 on Josie, but I’m not sure where they are from, though with a name like “Rockingham” he just seems like he’d be British. The sound of this song and the flipside “Soulful Chant” certainly have that swingin’ London vibe. Perfect kind of transistion song often from soul to latin numbers, all that’s missing is a little soul clap and this one would be perfect.
The Soul Runners - Green Thump - Patches
The Soul Runners – Green Thumb
First heard this when Bobby Soul of the Boogaloo Assassins did a real mellow set for us. The Soul Runners were essentially the Watts 103rd St. Rhythm Band before they became the Watts 103rd St. Rhythm Band. They also released some 45s on the Mo Soul record label, but this one on Patches I think is probably their best, solid mid-tempo groover, with a nice little stutter on the rhythm and really cool organ/electric piano sound throughout.
Howlin' Wolf - Evil - Cadet Concept
Howlin’ Wolf – Evil
The Howlin’ Wolf Album, from which this single comes from, was one of the first rare records I dug up when I started collecting after high school in the mid 1990s. Along with Electric Mud, it’s got this very distinctive, heavy psychedlic funk sound to it, which the traditional blues players and fans must have hated (Howlin’ Wolf himself couldn’t stand these “queer” sounds), but I absolutely love. “Evil” was a personal favorite of Clifton’s from Funky Sole, one of the only tracks he played during each of his appearances at Gris-Gris, and from a listen it’s easy to see why. Those fuzzy guitars and heavy drums slay me every time.
The Lost Generation - The Sly, Slick and the Wicked - Brunswick
The Lost Generation – The Sly, Slick & The Wicked
I’ve always thought that at the end of night, after last call, you wind down with some slower soulful numbers. It’s just the way it’s supposed to be in my book. One of the nights we were winding down, my partner in crime for Gris-Gris, Soul Marcosa, threw on this 45. Instantly I recognized the rhythm as being very similar to Jerry Butler’s 1972 song, “Ain’t Understanding Mellow,” one of my faves from his catalog. This track was released in 1970 and apparently was popular enough that it allowed Brunswick records to become an independent label. It’s about as perfect an imperfect sweet soul song as you can get and exactly the kind of thing I’d expect Mayer Hawthorne to cover on his next record.
Hope you enjoyed these tunes, we enjoyed spinning these and then some at Gris-Gris. Hopefully I’ll get it together soon and hustle up a new night at a new spot. Until then thanks again to all the DJs, dancers, especially the B-boys who came out to support us towards the end, and of course thanks to La Cita, maybe the best spot in all of Los Angeles.
Orchestre Poly-Ryhtmo De Cotonou – Malin Kpon O
Orchestre Poly-Rythmo de Cotonou – Ma Dou Sou Nou Mio
Orchestre Poly-Ryhtmo de Cotonou – Noude Ma Gnin Tche De Me
This was originally going to be just a little highlight of this record, but I just had too much to say and wanted to share just a bit more. 2009 has been a very good year for reissued/uncovered funk from all over the world. One of the best collections is this volume from Analog Africa, featuring this mostly obscured but mighty band from Benin and covering recordings made from 1969-1979 for the Albarika Store label. The first volume of music from this group, released just last year, was really very solid, but I can’t express to you just how fantastic this collection is.
This group just gets in the pocket like nobody’s business, and while it seems almost blasphemous to say, they might have been even better than Fela’s Africa 70. Part of the reason I feel that way is the diversity of sounds, tempos and rhythms this group employs. All of these are front and center on “Malin Kpon O.” With it’s opening wash of organ and creeping funk throughout, this one is nothing short of a monster. It’s exactly the kind of song that would start an obsessive crate digging quest, which is precisely what happened to Analog Africa’s founder once he got a hold of this track 5 or 6 years ago.
However, my personal favorite remains “Ma Dou Sou Nou Mio,” an upbeat burner of a song, with wild, just wild I tell you, organ and guitar lines/solos before turning things over to some massively funky drums. Midway through that break, the drummer shifts the rhythm subtly and in that moment the song switches from sounding distinctly African to sounding more like upbeat funk from Texas or someplace else in the US in the early 1970s. Just an insanely funky track.
Then there’s “Noude Ma Gnin Tche De Me” which shows this group could rock out with the best of ‘em too. Really I could go on and on cause there are nothing but winners on this comp. from the Cymande in Africa opener “Se Ba Ho,” to upbeat strutters like “Me Ve Wa Se” and “Ahouli Vou Yelli,“ to slow cookers like the super duper heavy “Gan Tche Kpo.”
Apparently Analog Africa has over 500 songs from this group they are working on compiling in forthcoming years, including unreleased material, which is just astounding. If the quality keeps up like this, they will have significantly rewritten the history of African music and also re-energized a ton of crate-diggers.
Just a year after releasing one of their best records, Fun DMC, Thes One & Double K are back with another fun-loving affair, Carried Away. These boys are so serious about the party they even have their own board game, which you can play at home since it folds out of the CD insert, with spaces like “If you just Tweeted, move back two spaces.” Priceless…
…Okay, I thought that was priceless, then I found the video for a track off this record “Trippin’ At the Disco.” Now THIS is priceless!
Show begins with some classic Can from what is probably their most consistently funky record, Ege Bamyasi, and then into a group that reminds me a lot of Can, Mi Ami. More specifically, the lead singer reminds me of Damo Suzuki’s love child with Make-Up era Ian Svenonius. The good times just continue from there with new music from People Under The Stairs, Spain, Pieta Brown, Alice Russell (remixed) and also Gift of Gab from Blackalicious (though not from LCD Soundsystem who I promised to play but did not, I’ll get to that next week). The third hour begins with a set of songs from each of the discs from the latest Nuggets series, this time focusing on Los Angeles. Also high quality reissued material from Ghana via Soundway and some classic wax from the Electric Flag, Curtis Knight (featuring Jimi Hendrix) and maybe my favorite track from Richard & Linda Thompson.
Can – Pinch – Ege Bamyasi
Mi Ami – Echononecho – Watersports
Liquid Liquid – Optimo – Liquid Liquid
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Gift of Gab – El Gifto Magnifico – Escape 2 mars
Roger Mas – Cumbia Bonita – 7”
Gaslamp Killer – Yekte Yaylalar – All Killer: Finders Keepers Records 1-20
Hypnotic Brass Ensemble – Marcus Garvey – Hypnotic Brass Ensemble
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Binky Griptite & the Sugarman Three – A Lover Like Me – Daptone Gold
The Electric Flag – Overlovin’ You – A Long Time Comin’
Alice Russell – Living the Life of A Dreamer (Lilstemix) – Alice Russell Remixes
Reparata & the Delrons – I’m Nobody’s Baby Now – One Kiss Can Lead to Another
Desolation Wilderness – Restless Heart – New Universe
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The Dutchess & the Duke – When You Leave My Arms – Sunset/Sunrise
OP8 feat. Lisa Germano – Cracklin’ Water – Slush
Lee Hazlewood & Nancy Sinatra – Arkansas Coal (Suite) – Again
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Pieta Brown – I Know A Girl – Shimmer
Nick Drake – Know – Pink Moon
Nick Cave & Warren Ellis – Moving On – White Lunar
J. Tillman – There Is No Good In Me – Year in the Kingdom
Richard & Linda Thompson – Night Comes In – Pour Down Like Silver
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Spain – I’m Still Free – Single
The National – Ashamed of the Story I Told – Ciao My Shining Star: The Songs of Mark Mulcahy
Adam Franklin – It Hurts To See You Go – Spent Bullets
Tommy James & the Shondells – Crimson & Clover – Crimson & Clover
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Music Machine – People In Me – Where The Action Is: Los Angeles Nuggets
The W.C. Fields Memorial Electric String Band – Hippy Elevator Operator – Where The Action Is: Los Angeles Nuggets
Pleasure – Poor Old Organ Grinder – Where The Action Is: Los Angeles Nuggets
Tim Buckley – Once Upon A Time – Where The Action Is: Los Angeles Nuggets
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People Under the Stairs – Much Too Soon – Carried Away
Curtis Knight & the Squires – Love – Flashing
Atlas Sound – Logos – Logos
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The Barbeques – Aaya Lolo – Ghana Special: Modern Highlife, Afro-sounds & Ghanian Blues 1968-1981
Saravah Soul – Alforria – Tru Thoughts 10th Anniversary
Breakestra – Back At The Boathouse – Dusk Till Dawn
Los Roberts – El Saltamontes – Sensacional Soul, Vol. 2
Mulatu Astatke – Emnete –New York-Addis-London: The Story of Ethio Jazz 1965-1975
Let me just add my voice to the chorus currently singing the praises of the freakishly skinny (produced by Marfan Syndrome, which I only learned about today 1/8/10), but also freakishly talented Bradford Cox and his new record under the Atlas Sound alias, Logos. Much of the attention placed on this record is focused on the exceptional guest work, with Noah Lennox of Animal Collective on the first single “Walkabout” and Laetitia Sadier of Stereolab on the album’s magnum opus “Quick Canal.” The whole record is really worthy of serious acclaim, in fact it was bloody difficult just choosing two tracks to include here, always the sign of an great record, from this diverse group of songs, which move effortlessly from sublime and dreamy to rockin’ yet creepy and even a couple that are borderline funky.
One of the things that I find particularly charming about Cox is the way he often sings, as he does on this record on “Attic Lights” and “Criminals,” like he really doesn’t want to sing. It’s as if there’s anything other than singing he’d be interested in doing, but sing away he does. It’s a detached style, but it never feels like he’s distant or removed, in fact it has the strange effect of making it all sound much more intimate, though I honestly have no idea why.
As I’ve noted elsewhere, his songwriting style and themes are also simultaneously perplexing and alluring. Case in point, the opening lines in “Criminal,”
This criminal walked into my room,
He asked me, ‘why do you live this way,’
‘Think of all you could have…what I would take.’
We could just take this literally, i.e. that a criminal breaks into the Cox household and is so disappointed in the way Mr. Cox lives that he berates him for not being more successful. That imagery in and of itself should garner enough inspiration for an indie-drama or short film. Even if we don’t take it too literally, we’re still left with a “criminal” who appears to be interested in building the subject up only to steal from him in the end. Sounds like a metaphor for fame or perhaps more specifically the hangers on that come just before or just after fame, or maybe it’s a twisted take on love. The pseudo chorus of “You think that I don’t know” only adds to the mystery of a song with so many levels of brilliance.
You should expect this one to rate highly on my year end list of the top records of 2009, (which I’ll have to start getting to work on any day now…). It’s definitely the best indie rock record of the year, just a year after Deerhunter’s Microcastle made it’s own case for the very same honor.
Jesse Lortz & Kimberly Morrison are the principle players for the Dutchess & the Duke, though they are helped out on this record by Greg Ashley formerly (or is it presently?) of the Gris-Gris. While it may be a bit simplistic, their sound reminds me of a post-hipster version of Nancy & Lee, mournful, yet elegantly put together with Ashley’s production, as is evidenced in “Living This Life.” There’s not a cheery song on this set, but the whole record is full of finely crafted, dusky tunes that remind me of heartbreak, the open road and twilight somewhere deep in the country.
This week I’ve been grading a ton for my day job as a Lecturer at CSU-Long Beach. Should be able to get back on track with all posts next week. Enjoy the show, especially all 20+ minutes of Dolphy & Booker Little’s “The Prophet” in hour 3…Peace.
