Posted on Radio

Breakdown: June 20th on KPFK’s Melting Pot

Melting Pot on KPFK #4: First Hour
Melting Pot on KPFK #4: Second Hour

Our second chance to raise funds for KPFK was yesterday, and even though it was Father’s Day we did a little better than the week before. A lot of that had to do with all the special “free” premiums we had to give to subscribers during the show, including tickets to see the Black Keys and the Antibalas Afrobeat Orchestra. Additionally, virtually all of the music is available to subscribers to KPFK, just click here  to see some of our CD premiums. Based on how things are going with this fundraiser there’s a chance we’ll be doing one more fundraising show this Sunday, but hopefully we’ll be back to business as usual…

Melting Pot Fundraising Special #2
Playlist: 6-20-2010

{opening theme} Booker T. & The MGs – Melting Pot – Melting Pot (Stax)

~~~~ Break ~~~~

Love – The Good Humor Man He See Everything This Way – Forever Changes (Elektra)
Gonjasufi – Sheep – A Sufi & A Killer (Warp)
Quantic – Cumbia Del Mar – Dog With A Rope (Tru Thoughts)
Murs & 9th Wonder – I Used To Love H.E.R. – Fornever (SMC)
Richard “Groove” Holmes – Song For My Father – Onsaya Joy (Flying Dutchman)
Orgone – The Cleaner – Cali Fever (Ubiquity)

~~~~ Break ~~~~

Dum Dum Girls – Lines Her Eyes – I Will Be (Sub Pop)
Ray Frazier & the Shades of Madness – I Who Have Nothing – California Funk: Rare Funk 45s From the Golden State (Now-Again)
Seu Jorge & Almaz – Rock With You – Seu Jorge & Almaz (Now-Again)
Sharon Jones & the Dap Kings – If You Call – I Learned The Hard Way (Daptone)
Quantic – Selections from Dog With A Rope – Dog With A Rope (Tru Thoughts)

~~~~ Break ~~~~

Bill Withers – Excerpt from Still Bill – Still Bill
Various Artists – Selections from California Funk – California Funk: Rare Funk 45s From the Golden State (Now-Again)

~~~~ Break ~~~~

Antibalas – Si Se Puede – Liberation Afrobeat Vol. 1 (Ninja Tune)
Saravah Soul – Fire – Cultura Impura (Tru Thoughts)
The Black Keys – The Only One – Brothers (Nonesuch)
Orgone – Selections from Cali Fever – Cali Fever (Ubiquity)
Mehrpouya – Soul Raga – Pomegranates (Finders Keepers)

~~~~ Break ~~~~

Noosh Afarin – Gol-E Aftab Gardoon – Pomegranates (Finders Keepers)
Francois Wertheimer – L’Automne – The BYG Deal (Finders Keepers)

~~~~ Break ~~~~

Jamie Lidell – Enough’s Enough – Compass (Warp)
Flying Lotus – Do The Astral Plane – Cosmogramma (Warp)

~~~~ Break ~~~~

Flying Lotus – Selections from Cosmogramma – Cosmogramma (Warp)
Enrique Olivarez Y Los Vampiros – Al’s Place – California Funk: Rare Funk 45s From the Golden State (Now-Again)
Orgone – Cali Fever – Cali Fever (Ubiquity)
{closing theme} Dungen – C. Visar Vagen – Tio Batar (Kemado)

Posted on Dig Deep

Dig Deep: Richard Hayman – Genuine Electric Latin Love Machine – Command (1969)

Richard Hayman – Windmills Of Your Mind
Richard Hayman – Melody No. 2
Richard Hayman – Goin’ Out Of My Head

First heard this in Berkeley at the apartment of a friend who was in the Sociology PhD program at the time, Carl Somers. I recently got back in touch with Carl and he set me straight on the original story. While I had remembered it being a friend of his who found this record, it was actually Carl who literally dug this record (and a few other choice cuts) out of a dumpster in Hot Springs, Arkansas. With that as the backdrop, I’ll admit, I was pretty skeptical of what I was about to hear and when he put in the tape dub of the record (yes that’s right a cassette tape, this was back in 1999) and started “Windmills Of Your Mind,” the opening wash of Moog sounds and familiar melody didn’t really thrill me, but then those drums came in and I was completely floored.  Something about those drums, combined with the guitar and the darkness of the mood, really reminded me of early Portishead in its sound. I’ve never been sure if it’s a live drummer and guitarist or if all the sounds come from the Moog, but if it is a live drummer, I really wish I knew who it was, cause they are just about perfect.

Eventually I tracked down a copy, first at Saturn Records in Oakland (which then became part of my wedding inspired sell-off) and more recently again at Atomic in Burbank.  Though I’m not particularly fond of Moog records generally, or even 80% of this album in particular, the two tracks that lead off each side, the aforementioned “Windmills” and “Goin’ Out Of My Head” are really very stellar.  I know that Katalyst sampled “Windmills” and I figure a few others probably have as well. If there was one Moog record to have, this is the one I’d recommend.  Just remember it’s from Richard Hayman, not Dick Hyman…

Cheers,

Michael

Posted on Ephemera

In Heavy Rotation: Bastien Lallemant – Le Verger – L’Autre

Bastien Lallemant – La Plage

I’ve been rather smitten with the sound of this one since first hearing it on Le Pop Musik’s fifth collection of contemporary French music. “La Plage” is from a full length record that was just released (and shortly on it’s way to me!) in France from Bastien Lallemant. On this track he is paired with Armelle Pioline who sings in the group Holden, and the pair sound quite lovely together even though the mood and subject matter are a bit darker than it might at first seem, as is the case with this photo montage/video for a different song from Le Verger, “Filature.”

Posted on Radio

Breakdown: June 13th on KPFK’s Melting Pot

Just two weeks into our new digs at KPFK and it’s time for a fundraiser! Had a great show yesterday along with Derek Rath of KPFK, packed to the gills with music that is available to you if become a subscriber to KPFK. We are a 100% Community radio station, powered by the people as we like to say, with no corporate sponsorship or underwriting. This means that we absolutely need your help to help keep the station going. If you can become a member do so by calling (818) 985-KPFK or by pledging online at KPFK.ORG. If you want to get some of my premiums, just click on “Browse By Program” and scroll down for “Melting Pot.” If you need some help, just drop me a line by clicking the mail icon in the top left hand corner of the main page here on the blog. Unfortunately, many of the tickets were only for the live show, but others you can still get and we’ll have even more this coming week!

Thanks for all your support!

Melting Pot Fundraising Special #1
Playlist: 6-13-2010

{opening theme} Booker T. & The MGs – Melting Pot – Melting Pot (Stax)

~~~~ Break ~~~~

Captain Beefheart – Party Of Special Things To Do – Blue jeans & Moonbeams (Mercury)
The Black Keys – She’s Long Gone – Brothers (Nonesuch)
Rhon Silva – Get It Right – California Funk: Rare Funk 45s From The Golden State (Now-Again)
Orgone – Time Tonight – Cali Fever (Ubiquity)
Flying Lotus – Selections From Cosmogramma – Cosmogramma (Warp)

~~~~ Break ~~~~

Quantic – No Soy Del Valle – Dog With A Rope (Tru Thoughts)
Quadron – Average Fruit – Quadron (Plug Research)
Seu Jorge & Almaz – The Model – Seu Jorge & Almaz (Now-Again)
The Stooges – Gimme Danger – Raw Power: Legacy Edition (Sony Legacy)
Saravah Soul – Selections From Cultura Impura – Cultural Impura (Tru Thoughts)

~~~~ Break ~~~~

Jose James & Jef Neve – Tenderly – For All We Know (Impulse!)
The Soul Fanatics – Ain’t No Sunshine – Panama 2 (Soundway)

~~~~ Break ~~~~

Excerpts from the Documentary Film Still Bill
V/A – Selections from California Funk – California Funk: Rare Funk 45s From The Golden State (Now-Again)
Mulatu Astatke – Mulatu – New York Addis London (Strut)

~~~~ Break ~~~~

The Suite For Ma Dukes Orchestra – Stakes Is High – Timeless: Suite For Ma Dukes (Mochilla)
Gonjasufi – Klowds – A Sufi & A Killer (Warp)
Grupo Fantasma – Realizando – El Existential (Nat Geo Music)
Quantic – Selections From Dog With A Rope – Dog With A Rope (Tru Thoughts)

~~~~ Break ~~~~

She & Him – Thieves – Volume 2 (Merge)
Dum Dum Girls – Blank Girl – I Will Be (Sub Pop)
Saravah Soul – Se Da Do – Cultura Impura (Tru Thoughts)
Niagara – Sangandongo – Niagara (United Artists)

~~~~ Break ~~~~

{closing theme} Dungen – C. Visar Vagen – Tio Batar (Kemado)

Posted on Dig Deep

Dig Deep: Roy Brooks – The Free Slave – Muse (1972)

Roy Brooks – The Free Slave
Roy Brooks – Understanding (Excerpt)
Roy Brooks – Five For Max

I first heard Roy Brooks’ “The Free Slave” in a relatively unlikely place to discover music, at a performance of the Alvin Ailey dance troupe in Berkeley. It’s rare to hear this kind of music in clubs these days, with the lack of true rare groove, dance floor jazz spots in the US, so while it was a treat to hear something I’d never heard before, it was a true pleasure indeed to watch some of the best dancers in the world improvise and choreograph to this kind of music.

Though released in 1972, this set was recorded in front of a very engaged crowd in 1970 at the Left Bank Jazz Society in Baltimore. What I’ve always found interesting about these live records is that you never really knew how big the crowd was, but their enthusiasm just made you think that hundreds of people were there digging this music. I’d argue it’s impossible not to be enthusiastic about a track like “The Free Slave.” It’s got a slyly funky rhythm from Brooks on drums, Cecil McBee on bass and Hugh Lawson on piano, excellent solos from Woody Shaw and George Coleman, and this great stuttering stop at various points which the crowd really vibes with. It’s one of my favorite “soul-jazz” tracks and something that I promise to myself I’ll spin out every time I hear it.

The rest of the record is very solid post-bop, very lyrical and quite lovely on “Understanding” and “Will Pan’s Walk.” The album closes with Brooks paying tribute to his mentor Max Roach on “Five For Max” with a variation on a couple of classic Roach solos, as the crowd implores him to “Do His Thing!” Part of his “thing,” according to the liner notes is what was called a “Breath-a-tone” which was some kind of Rahsaanian device that allowed Brooks to change the pitch of the drums through two breathing tubes used by the drummer. Would have loved to have seen video/film of that…

Incidentally, I got this copy over at Amoeba Hollywood for maybe $6 or $7, only because of the relative shape of the vinyl, which I’d probably say is “VG” from looking at it, but plays much better. Sometimes it pays to get a record that’s not in the best shape, because it’s so rare to find it in the original.

Cheers,

Michael

Posted on Ephemera

In Heavy Rotation: The Black Keys – Brothers – Nonesuch

The Black Keys – Tighten Up

I hadn’t posted anything on this album, the sixth record from one of my favorite groups, The Black Keys, because I was hoping to be able to offer a couple more tracks and do a fuller review. These boys have been busy over the last couple of years since 2008’s “Attack & Release” with solo records (Auerbach’s Keep It Hid) and side projects (Drummer for Carney, BlakRoc for both with a slew of MCs) but they’ve remained remarkably consistent. In fact I’m not sure there’s a more consistently enjoyable sound than that of the Black Keys.  Their new record “Brothers” only further proves  my case. 

“Tighten Up” the single and only approved song to post, is probably the weakest song on the record, which says nothing about it’s sparkling qualities but is just to say that the rest of the album is even stronger. Auerbach even rolls out some new tools, including a falsetto on “Everlasting Light” and “The Only One” that had me fooled into thinking it was a guest vocalist. He also sings with a bit of a lighter tone on the cover of Jerry Butler’s “Never Gonna Give You Up” though elsewhere things are suitably muddy, dark and fuzzy, especially on the standouts “I’m Not The One,” “Too Afraid To Love You,” the instrumental “Black Mud,” “The Go-Getter” and “She’s Long Gone” where the boys more directly “sample” the Howling Wolf Album’s sound that they reference with their cover art. “Brothers” is guaranteed to be on my year end best of 2010 list.

Now, even though the track is above, I had to make sure to share the video for “Tighten Up” because it’s pure comic genius. Don’t believe me? Observe for yourself…

Additionally, while tracking down the link for “Tighten Up” I found that somehow I missed this video for “Next Girl,” which shows that either someone is a fan of Craig Ferguson in the BK’s universe or that the boys (or their people if the often hilarious scroll at the bottom of the video is to be believed) have realized the excellent comic potential of randy lip-synching puppets. Whoever put this together, it’s bloody brilliant…

Posted on Radio

Breakdown: June 6th on KPFK’s Melting Pot

Yesterday’s show featured a ton of new music from Stereo Total, Seu Jorge, M.I.A., Cee-Lo Green of Goodie Mob and Gnarls Barkley fame, Saravah Soul and classics from David Bowie, Tricky aka Nearly God and Jimmy Radcliffe with the Steve Karmen Big Band. At the end, I put together a set of modern music from my picks for the semifinalists for the 2010 World Cup, Brazil, Argentina, Spain and Nigeria, plus a sleeper pick for the closing instrumental in Cameroon. Have a feeling this World Cup will be even more epic that usual!

Next week KPFK’s fundraiser begins, I’m working on some nice premiums for subscribers and it will be very nice to do my part to keep KPFK strong, hope you’ll join up if you can and thank you for listening.

Playlist: 6-06-2010

{opening theme} Booker T. & the MGs – Melting Pot – Melting Pot (Stax)

~~~~ Break ~~~~

Steve Karmen Big Band feat. Jimmy Radcliffe – Breakaway pt. 1 – 7” (United artists)
Sharon Jones & the Dap Kings – I Learned The Hard Way – I Learned The Hard Way (Daptone)
Quadron – Slippin’ – Quadron (Plug Research)
Jamie Lidell – It’s A Kiss – Compass (Warp)
Jose James – Code – Black Magic (Brownswood)
Flying Lotus – Galaxy In Janaki – Cosmogramma (Warp)

~~~~ Break ~~~~

Quantic – Te Pico El Yaibi (Version) – Dog With A Rope (Tru Thoughts)
Cumbia Moderna De Soledad – Shacalao – Black Man’s Cry: (Now-Again)
Murs & 9th Wonder – Cigarettes & Liqour – Fornever (SMC)
David Bowie – Soul Love – The Rise & Fall of Ziggy Stardust & the Spiders from Mars (Virgin)
Seu Jorge & Almaz – Cirandar – Seu Jorge & Almaz (Now-again)
Shonx – Canton – Steppa’s Delight (Soul Jazz)

~~~~ Break ~~~~

Cee-Lo Green – Georgia – Lady Killer (Elektra)
Lloyd Nolan – I Don’t Know About You – R&B Hipshakers Vol. 1 (Vampi Soul)
The Strange Boys – Be Brave – Be Brave (In The Red)
Soledad Miranda – La Verdad – Absolute Belter (Finders Keepers)
Stereo Total – Illegal – Baby Ouh! (Kill Rock Stars)

~~~~ Break ~~~~

Total Babe – (Mission Hills Country Club Wall Of) Champions – Heatwave EP (So TM)
Lois – Sunrise Semester – Infinity Plus (K)
Joyce & Nelson Angelo – Sete Cahorros – Joyce E Nelson Angelo (Odeon)
Saravah Soul – The Truth Is Hard To Come By – Cultura Impura (Tru Thoughts)

~~~~ Break ~~~~

M.I.A. – I’m A Singer (Haters) – MAYA (NEET / Interscope)
The Bug feat. Warrior Queen – Poison Dart – London Zoo (Ninja Tune)
Nearly God – Poems – Nearly God (Island)

~~~~ Break ~~~~

3 Na Massa feat. Pitty – Lagrimas Pretas – 3 Na Massa (Nublu)
El Hijo De La Cumbia – El Ghetto Va A Mover – Freestyle De Ritmos (Soot)
El Guincho – Costa Paraiso – Alegranza! (XL)
Tony Allen – Alutere – Secret Agent (World Circuit)

~~~~ Break ~~~~

{closting theme} Manu DiBango – Oboso – Soul Makossa (Atlantic)

Posted on Dig Deep

Dig Deep: Roberto Carlos – Roberto Carlos – CBS (1969)

Roberto Carlos – Nao Vou Ficar
Roberto Carlos – Nada Vai Me Convencer
Roberto Carlos – As Curvas da Estrada De Santos

Had such a positive response (even my wife was asking me about it!)from playing one of the songs off this record during last week’s radio show, I thought it was a good choice for this week’s “Dig Deep.” Roberto Carlos became a major star for singing ballads in a bunch of different languages, but back around the time this record came out he was part of the “Jovem Guarda” of Brazilian musicians influenced by American and UK Rock. This record shows the influence of the Brazilian soul godfather Tim Maia and features one of my single favorite funky Brazilian tracks in “Nao Vou Ficar.”

I’d heard Tim Maia’s version of the song, but never this one. I couldn’t believe my ears when Soul Marcosa played a 45 of Roberto Carlos’ version at the dearly departed Gris-Gris last year. The phrasing was like proto-rap and the beat was so funky. And then there’s that breakdown, most definitely one of the baddest breakdowns of all time. Just knew I had to track this one down and eventually did.

I was pleasantly pleased with the other funky tracks here, showing Maia’s influence, but also the influence of Carlos’ brother Erasmo (currently looking for a 1971 record from him that’s mighty mighty dope). While many of the other tracks on the LP are slightly slick ballads, these tracks are right up my alley, real nice and gritty.

Cheers,

Michael

Posted on Ephemera

In Heavy Rotation: Total Babe – Heatwave EP – So Tm

Total Babe – Bearbones

Just before leaving KCRW I asked to review a bunch of the CDs that were sent to the station but were just sitting in the music library waiting to be processed. Stations like KCRW literally get hundreds of CDs each day and the vast majority of them are mediocre at best and in some cases laughably bad. After all these years working in radio, I’m still amazed at how quickly it takes for you to recognize quality material. You can listen to literally hundreds of crappy musicians and as soon as you hear music with talent behind it, you immediately know it. Out of the 300+ CDs I listened to (roughly 90% self-released, which was very different from the mid-90s when I was a Music Director at Album 88 in Atlanta…I blame American Idol for that dynamic) there were only a handful of releases that I thought deserved to be “saved,” of that bunch by far the best music came from this band of teenagers called Total Babe.

When I first came upon this EP from this Minnesota quartet I was intrigued by the Raymond Pettibon-esque cover art. What continues to impress me about this band is their sound, with sugary sweet vocals from Clara Salyer, two guitars, a violin and a boss drummer. All the tracks have this rather lovely and very layered indie-pop style with some interesting and complex chord and rhythmic changes, vaguely reminiscent of a couple of my fave 1990s female led indie-poppers, Lois and Nerdy Girl. I got a feeling that as they continue to mature musically things will only get better. Not having this band slip through the cracks was the best parting gift I could have gotten from KCRW…

In addition to the track above, here’s also a dangerously cute video for another song on the EP, “(Mission Hills Country Club Wall Of) Champions”:

Posted on Radio

Breakdown: May 30th on KPFK…Melting Pot’s Debut!!!

{Update: Okay, I’m going to take you guys behind the curtain on this one…So, I’ve been planning this debut for this past week and thought I had everything ready to go. Since I draw my music from a bunch of sources, vinyl, CDs, mp3s, I tend to burn the music I’m going to use to a couple CDs and just take that, bringing my laptops to record the audio of the show. As I was on my way to KPFK, about 25 minutes before the show, I found out one of my CD-R’s(with ½ of my show) did not record properly!!!!!!!

After 5 minutes of some truly classic freaking out on the 134 freeway, I remembered that virtually all of the music was on my two laptops, both of which I had thankfully taken with me, with most of the tracks on one and some tracks I’d recorded over from vinyl on the other. I didn’t have time to edit the raw vinyl tracks, just burn another CD.

Mind you, this is all going on literally as the show begins…that’s the reason the “Melting Pot” theme goes on for about 3 minutes at the start and why I mention “if the technology will work for me…” at the start of the show…all that craziness is also why the audio (now added below) is a little “hot” on the Mic. Quite an auspicious beginning for Melting Pot, but the fact that everything worked out says a lot and is one of the many reasons I love radio. Enjoy the show, this one was a debut for the ages on my end…Michael}

Well here we go with the first official show for Melting Pot on KPFK. If there’s a difference between this show and ones I’ve done at other places it’s definitely the level of focus. With only two hours, the shortest amount of time I’ve ever had for a regular show in my 16+ years of radio, I really have to make sure that everything I put on is top shelf material. But I try to come up with an eclectic mix that tends towards the funky, but goes a few other places as well. I hope you enjoy the debut and all the shows to come. In today’s show we have a lot of new music, including from Seu Jorge, Chali 2na,Pains of Being Pure At Heart, the Atl’s Mass Influence, Now Again’s new California Funk collection and music from the Iranian pop underground from Take It Easy Hospital. One of the tracks I’m most excited to play comes from some high schoolers out of Minnesota called Total Babe. You’ll definitely be hearing more from them in coming weeks. Also classic material from Roberto Carlos, Les Baxter (Hell’s Belles!), Willie Hutch and some Electric Prunes in honor and tribute to Dennis Hopper who passed away just yesterday.

Also on a more serious note, a LA DJ by the name of Kutmah is fighting deportation and there’s a benefit show for his legal fund coming up on June 3rd at the Echoplex here in Los Angeles with Dam-Funk, Daedulus, Gaslamp Killer and others. You kind more info here: http://www.freekutmah.com

Melting Pot on KPFK #1: First Hour
Melting Pot on KPFK #1: Second Hour

Playlist: 5-30-2010

{opening theme} Booker T. & the MGs – Melting Pot – Melting Pot (Stax)

~~~~ Break ~~~~

Willie Hutch – I Choose You – The Mack: Original Soundtrack (Motown)
Murs & 9th – I Used To Love H.E.R. Again – Fornever (SMC)
Twilight – Still Loving You – Still Loving You (Luv’n’Haight)
Seu Jorge – Everybody Loves the Sunshine – Single (White Label)
Kutmah – Blazt Off (excerpt) – Master Blazter: Blazt Off (HVW8)

~~~~ Break ~~~~

Shoes – Saving Mr. Billy’s Soul – Eccentric Breaks & Beats (Numero)
Mass Influence – Morning Breath Chasers – 12” (self-released)
Mr. Chop – Straighten It Out – For Pete’s Sake (Now-Again)
Roberto Carlos – Nao Vou Ficar – Roberto Carlos (CBS)
Polar Bear – Bap Bap Bap – Peepers (Leaf)

~~~~ Break ~~~~

Bastien Lallemant – La Plage – Le Pop 5 (Le Pop Musik)
The National – Sorrow – High Violet (4ad)
Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds – Sad Waters – Your Funeral My Trial (Mute)
Petula Clark – Heart – I Know A Place (Warner Bros.)
The Electric Prunes – Kyrie Eleison (instrumental) – David Axelrod: The Warner/Reprise Sessions (Warner UK)

~~~~ Break ~~~~

L.A. Bare Faxx – Super Cool Brother – California Funk (Now-Again/Jazzman)
The Black Keys – Next Girl – Brothers (Nonesuch)
Les Baxter – Chain Fight – Hell’s Belles: Original Soundtrack (Sidewalk)
Los Roberts – El Saltamontes – Sensacional Soul, vol. 2 (Vampi Soul)
Chali 2na feat. J-Live – Across The Map – Fish Market Part 2 (Decon)
Sun Ra – Angels & Demons At Play – Angels & Demons At Play (Impulse)

~~~~ Break ~~~~

Take It Easy Hospital – Me & You – No One Knows About Persian Cats: Original Soundtrack (Milan)
Flying Lotus – Drips/Auntie’s Harp – Cosmogramma (Warp)
Broken Social Scene – Sentimental X’s – Forgiveness Rock Record (Arts & Crafts)
Neu! – Hallo Gallo – Neu! (Polygram)

~~~~ Break ~~~~

Pains of Being Pure At Heart – Lost Saint – 7” (Slumberland)
Love – And More – Love (Elektra)
Total Babe – Bearbones – Total Babe (So Tm)
Jovenes y Sexys feat. Joie Joie Joie – Gold Day – Bruno EP (Poni Republic)

~~~~ Break ~~~~

{closing theme} The Dirty Three – Ever Since – Cinder (Touch & Go)

Posted on About Melting Pot

Melting Pot on KPFK !

It’s official! My new show on KPFK debuts this Sunday. “Melting Pot” will be on the air, every Sunday from 4-6pm, left coast time on KPFK 90.7 FM Los Angeles, 98.7 FM in Santa Barbara and worldwide at KPFK.org. I’ll be putting up the audio for shows on the blog here and keep them up for a month at a time, in case you miss a show. The music will be similar to what I did over at KCRW and KALX, diverse sounds from all over, from different eras and different genres with an emphasis on all things funky.

Posted on Dig Deep

Dig Deep: Les Baxter – Hell’s Belles (Original Soundtrack) – Sidewalk (1969)

One of the Funkiest and Fuzziest soundtracks of all time!

Les Baxter – Hot Wind
Les Baxter – Dan Again
Les Baxter – Hogin’ Machine

Still not finished with grading so I thought I’d post something that I don’t really need to say anything at all about (though I will still say a little something about it), the soundtrack to Hell’s Belles. An original copy of this has been a “white whale” of mine every since I first ran into it in the KALX library back in 2000. There’s a reissue that you can cop for $10 or less, but I can tell you the sound is vastly superior on the original and it’s worth the price. I’m not sure there’s a record that has harder drums and fuzzier guitars out there, even if virtually every song is just a slightly different take on the same basic theme. If only there was a soul clap on all these tracks instead of the occasional tambourine it would be the greatest record of all time.

Cheers,

Michael

Posted on Ephemera

In Heavy Rotation: Broken Social Scene – Forgiveness Rock Record – Arts & Crafts

Broken Social Scene – Sentimental X’s

I’m fairly sure this is entirely based off of the good feelings I still have after watching a truly satisfying series finale for the TV Series LOST, but I’ve had this song “Sentimental X’s” stuck in my mind and in my ears all day long, and it’s now become my theme song of the day as I continue to grade finals from the semester. I love how lyrically it’s based on fairly simple phrases, but sometimes they are reversed or changed slightly which changes the overall meaning too (for example “Off and On is what we Want,” “What We Want Is Off and On,”). Something about the way it ends with the phrase “All Of You” becoming “I Love You” at times, admist that huge wash of sound, seems to capture the big message out of the LOST finale last night. Though these feelings might wash off in a day or two, this one is still likely to be a contender for song of the year come December.