I’m pretty sure the first copy of this I got at Amoeba Berkeley in their soundtrack section on the cheap, a couple years ago I ran into a sealed copy at Atomic still at the relatively affordable price of $10. Dr. Goldfoot was a thoroughly campy 1960s film that later on became a bit of the inspiration for the first Austin Powers movie. I’d seen the film back when I worked at Four Star video in Madison, WI, so when I saw the soundtrack I picked it up vaguely remembering the music as being in the swinging 60s variety.
Like a number of soundtracks on the Tower/Sidewalk labels, most of the artists aren’t particularly well-known, though Les Baxter does some composing work and likely had a hand in the sessions, and most of the tracks are nothing to write home about. But, the tracks that are good, to my ears at least are VERY good. “The Mad Mad Doctor” is actually one of my favorite instrumental tracks from around this period of time. It’s a great track to start off a night of music, really sets the tone right with those great organ lines at the start and that beat.
“Hidin’ From Myself” sounds like the kind of thing that I’d expect someone to pull out on a white label at a Northern Soul party. Perhaps the vocals aren’t as stellar as they could be, but I love that beat and I’m a well known sucker for some well placed handclaps.
The real surprise on this album continues to be Terry Stafford’s “Try My World Little Girl.” First off I was surprised that Stafford actually had a couple of hits, including a #3 hit with the song “Suspicion” (which does sound suspiciously a bit too much like Elvis). Similar to that song “Little Girl” has a back beat that is at once totally conventional and totally off-the-wall. I’m not sure whether or not that’s a moog or a theremin that’s responsible for the odd sounds in the background of the song and in the breakdown but it gives the track a unique feel that elevates it so far above Stafford’s vocal performance.
If you are a fan of mid-1960s spy spoofs, the film is worth tracking down, if only to see Vincent Price get goofy:
Adrian Younge is the mastermind behind the retro soul masterpiece soundtrack to the retro-blaxploitation masterpiece Black Dynamite! Recently he’s been revisiting earlier work and blending it together with the his more recent material to create the sound you hear on Something About April. The album plays like a concept record focused on the ups and downs of an interracial couple in the late 1960s (for more on the real thing and the couple that made it possible for interracial couples to marry legally in the US, definitely check for the documentary “The Loving Story” premiering on Valentine’s Day on HBO!). One of things that’s interesting is that in some ways the record itself is a mix of retro 1960s style with post-1990s production, a kind of post-modern retro soul record, if that’s possible. “Two Hearts Combine” shows a bit of this, like a fantasy collaboration between the Brand New Heavies and Rotary Connection with production work from Geoff Barrows of Portishead. One of my favorite records of this brand new year and something, even at this early stage, I can almost 100% guarantee will be on my year-end best of list.
Barry Adamson was our guest during what was an exceedingly rare visit to Los Angeles (perhaps his first as a solo artist). I’ve been a fan of Adamson’s music since the mid 1990s when I first discovered his work with Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds and later his own solo work. In addition to being a founding member of the Bad Seeds, he was also a member of post-punk/new wave legends Magazine and has worked with David Lynch and Oliver Stone on soundtracks for their films. Last year Adamson himself became a filmmaker, releasing the short film Therapist, a process that eventually led to his new record I Will Set You Free, coming out in February on his label Central Control.
Adamson performs three songs, “People” from 2008′s Back To The Cat, and two tracks from his new record I Will Set You Free, “The Power of Suggestion” and “The Sun and the Sea,” all on acoustic guitar. Being a long time fan of Adamson I truly was shocked and surprised by hearing Adamson perform his songs in this way. In my mind/ears his music has always had such a dark and often ominous tone, but while the mood is considerably brighter with the use of acoustic guitar, it amazing to me how this simple change magnifies what a fantastic songwriter Adamson is, as well as highlighting his best instrument, that incredible voice. Much more that I could have discussed with Mr. Adamson, but we didn’t have a lot of time, hopefully the next time he’s in LA we can have more time to discuss his career and music.
Last week was rough and tough, 3 legendary performers passing away in the same week! We paid tribute to two of them on this week’s show, honoring Jimmy Castor at the start, and Johnny Otis at the end. In between we have a little new music from the Dirty Three, Michael Kiwanuka, Neverever, Sonnymoon, Sureshot Symphony Solution and a couple others. At the beginning of the second hour there is an interview and performance with Barry Adamson (separate post upcoming), where we talk about his career and he plays 3 songs just with acoustic guitar. If you’re a fan of Adamson, you’ll likely be as surprised as I was hearing him in this new light. Next week we’ll definitely have a tribute to Etta James…
Playlist: 01-22-2012
{opening theme} Booker T & the MGs – Melting Pot – 7” (Stax)
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Jimmy Castor Bunch – It’s Just Begun – Super Breaks (BGP)
Jimmy Castor Bunch – Troglydyte (Cave Man) – It’s Just Begun (RCA)
Jimmy Castor – Southern Fried Frijoles – Hey Leroy! (Smash)
Jimmy Castor – Ham Hocks Espanol – Hey Leroy! (Smash)
Jimmy Castor Bunch – L.T.D. (Life Truth & Death) – It’s Just Begun (RCA)
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Michael Kiwanuka – Home Again – Home Again EP (Communion/Polydor)
Emily King – Every Part – The Seven EP (Self-Released)
Sonnymoon – Goddess – 2012 EP (Plug Research)
Gonjasufi – The Blame – Muzzle EP (Warp)
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Neverever – Venus – Shake-a-Baby (Slumberland)
The Dirty Three – That Was Was – Toward The Low Sun (Drag City)
Dengue Fever – Only A Friend – Cannibal Courtship (Fantasy/Concord)
Katalyst feat. Stephanie McKay & Buff 1 – U Can’t Save Me – Deep Impressions (BBE)
Sureshot Symphony Solution feat. Coultrain – Chair On The Ceiling – A Good Look EP (Self-released)
Barry Adamson – The Big Bamboozle – Oedipus Schmoedipus (Mute)
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Barry Adamson – Interview & Performance – Recorded Live At KPFK
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Barry Adamson – If You Love Her – I Will Set You Free (Central Control)
Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds – Your Funeral, My Trial – Your Funeral, My Trial (Mute)
Johnny Otis – Cold Shot – Cold Shot (Kent)
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Johnny Otis – Signifying Monkey – Cold Shot (Kent)
Johnny Otis Show – Country Girl – Watts Funky (BGP)
Vera Hamilton – But I Ain’t No More (G.S.T.S.K.D.T.S.) – 7” (Epic)
Johnny Otis Show – Watts Breakaway – 7” (Epic)
The Vibrettes – Humpty Dump – 7” (Lujon)
Johnny Otis Show – Goin’ Back To LA – Cold Shot (Kent)
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{closing theme} Dungen – C. Visar Vagen – Tio Batar (Kemado)
Freedom started off as a band featuring a couple of the guys who got kicked out of Procol Harem just as the band found success with “A Whiter Shade Of Pale.” Gutiarist Ray Royer and drummer Bobby Harrison formed the group, which went through a slew of personnel changes before and after releasing this, their third record. By this time the group was just a trio, with Harrison joined by Roger Saunders on guitar and Walt Monaghan on bass.
At times, the groups sounds an awful lot like the band Free, but at their best (I guess sounding like Free isn’t really a bad thing) they have this really nice gritty bluesy rock sound that grooves nicely funky. “Nobody” and “Man Made Laws” have that easy heavy rock groove, “Pretty Woman” is a solid version of the Albert King track (not to be confused with the other “Pretty Woman” from Roy Orbison). Shame the group never took off, the playing is mighty good though (predictably) I wish they’d laid down an instrumental or two (or someone would dig up the instrumental backing tracks), but all in all, pretty good music to drive or strut down the streets of a big city on a Sunday evening.
I guess it’s not too surprising that one of our first releases in 2012 comes from Shawn Lee. Dude is incredibly prolific and will likely release 3 or 4 records this year. Tabla Rock is a pretty faithful tribute to one of the greatest breakbeat records of all time from the Incredible Bongo Band. A few Record Store Days ago, Shawn Lee gave us a take of this project, with his tabla inflected version of “Apache,” now we have a track for track recreation of Bongo Rock complete with tabla and sitar on the majority of the tracks. There are no stunning reimaginings here, just a solid homage with a twist to some great music from a great musician with great taste.
For some strange reason, I’ve been holding off on posts this week unable to get anything together. I’m not saying I’m psychic or anything, but when news first hit early in the week that Jimmy Castor had passed away, there was some feeling that more bad news was coming. Boy was that feeling right, with the additional passings of Johnny Otis and Etta James! Unbelievably three legendary soul artists have left us all in the same week. Over the next couple of weeks on the radio show I’ll be paying tribute to each, with short tributes to Castor and Otis this week and a longer tribute to Etta James on next week’s show. For now, I just wanted to say a few words about my favorite tracks from each artist.
Jimmy Castor Bunch – It’s Just Begun
Jimmy Castor had more popular songs, and he had songs that were more sampled in Hip-Hop, but none of them possibly tops “It’s Just Begun,” a song that if you were to survey “real” B-boys and B-girls the world over, would likely top their list of the best songs to break dance to. I can’t break to save my life (I think all the years of listening to free jazz ruined my ability to consistently “uprock” on beat) but “It’s Just Begun” makes me want more than any other classic B-boy song. The rhythm is so hard, the horns so dirty, the guitar so fuzzy, it just kills all competition for the quintessential B-boy jam. The lyrics also make it anthemic, not only for B-boy/B-girl culture but for Hip-Hop more generally, which literally was just beginning around the time this record was released, and remains a multi-ethnic poly-synthetic hybrid culture that has the potential to break down barriers, like the music of Jimmy Castor.
Johnny Otis Show – Country Girl
My best memories of Johnny Otis are listening to his radio show when it was broadcast in the Bay Area on KPFK’s big sister station KPFA. There’d always be a couple of family members and friends with Johnny in the studio and they’d just basically shoot the breeze for two hours, reminiscing and playing classic R&B. It’s the kind of radio that you almost never hear anymore, endearing beyond belief, silly and funny quite often, but informative and swinging when it came to the music. Johnny Otis had a hand in so many classic and funky tracks, that it’s daunting picking a particular fave. “Country Girl” is the song that I keep coming back to from Johnny Otis. Despite the well-traveled, “Tramp” rhythm the song is based on, Otis brings something new to what he’s borrowing, injecting charm into the back and forth about the merits of this “girl” with singer Delmar Evans (including the gem closer, “it must be jelly, jam don’t shake like that”). But it’s the chorus that slays me every time. First there’s that strong soulful shout, “she’s so fine” and then smoothed out and playful “great big ole healthy country girl.” Even that chorus sounds slightly drunk, just like the rest of the song. Guaranteed to put a smile on your face no matter your mood.
Etta James – I’d Rather Go Blind
Irma Thomas maybe the ruler of my heart when it comes to soul singers, but Etta James’ “I’d Rather Go Blind” is quite possibly the best deep soul song of all time. “At Last” is the song that everyone knows from Etta, but in a number of ways that song is an anomaly. Almost too perfect. “I’d Rather Go Blind” is not a perfect song. It’s not a song that likely gets requested at weddings, it’s a song that is about a woman who is unwilling to give up the man she loves, even though she knows the affair is over. The rawness of emotion which James pours into the song is a rare thing of beauty. It encompasses all of her strengths as a soul singer, it’s a gritty, soulful, painful, desperate performance and it’s the #1 song that I’ll always remember her by.
Generally for these first couple of shows in the new year I don’t have a lot of new records to play, but here in 2012 we’re seeing quite a few quality releases in our early shows (perhaps showing what a strong year musically 2012 will be!). Yesterday’s show features brand new music from The Dirty Three (first album in 5+ years!!!), Frankie Rose & the Outs, Ana Tijoux, Lee Fields & the Expressions, Hunx (without his Punx), and Adrian Younge & Venice Dawn. The show starts with a short tribute to MLK, with tribute tracks from Jose James and Max Roach, and in the middle an excerpt from his final speech. What’s always struck me about the “Mountaintop” speech is King’s awareness that the threats against his life were becoming far too real (he was assassinated the very next day), but despite those threats and all he had endured in the past, he had great faith that this nation would one day live up to its ideals. Though there has been at times slow, at other times stunning progress since his murder, we still haven’t achieved his dream. Our work to make this place better than its been, remains to be done. Part of the reason why I prefer to play multiple genres, is that I want to bring together different types of people with these different sounds, to surprise people who thought they were only Indie or Hip-Hop with music they might not have listened to otherwise, breaking down all the little barriers we erect that keep us from each other. Bridging those gaps and bringing “us” together is what this show, every single week, is about musically, a small testament to men and women like Dr. King who worked so hard to give everyone an opportunity to just be themselves, live and love.
Playlist: 1-15-2012
{opening theme} Booker T & the MGs – Melting Pot – 7” (Stax)
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Jose James – The Dreamer – The Dreamer (Brownswood)
Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. – “I’ve Been To The Mountaintop” excerpt – Free At Last (Gordy)
Max Roach & the JC White Singers – Were You There When They Crucified My Lord? – Lift Every Voice And Sing (Atlantic)
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Lee Fields & the Expressions – Walk On Thru That Door – Faithful Man (Truth & Soul)
Allah-Las – Catamaran – 7” (Pres)
Los Nombres – Todos – Los Nombres (Numero)
Hunx – Always Forever – Hairdresser Blues (Hardly Art)
The Sureshot Symphony Solution – Mr. Fortune & Fame – 7” (Self-Released)
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Echocentrics feat. Tita Lima – We Need A Resolution – Echoland EP (Ubiquity)
Love – Doggone – Out There (Blue Thumb)
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Adrian Younge & Venice Dawn – Two Hearts – Something About April (Wax Poetics)
The Dirty Three – Rising Below – Toward The Low Sun (Drag City)
The Lions – Jungle Struttin’ – Jungle Struttin’ (Ubiquity)
Fela Kuti – No Agreement – No Agreement (Knitting Factory)
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Ana Tijoux – Shock – La Bala (Nacional)
Bright Moments – Travelers – Natives (Luaka Bop)
Wu Tang Clan – Da Mystery Of Chessboxin’ – Enter The Wu Tang (36 Chambers) (Loud)
Sroeng Santi – Nam Man Pang – Thai Funk Vol. 1 (Light In The Attic)
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Frankie Rose & the Outs – Know Me – Interstellar (Memphis Industries)
T. Dyson – It’s All Over – Personal Space (Chocolate Industries)
14KT – Pick Up Sticks – A Friendly Game of KT (Mellow Music Group)
Barry Adamson – The Vibes Ain’t Nothing But The Vibes – Oedipus Schmoedipus (Mute)
Alpha – Silver Light – Stargazing (Nettwerk)
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{closing theme} Dungen – C. Visar Vagen – Tio Batar (Kemado)
I don’t know about you, but most of the time when I run across a “Groove” Holmes record, I’m often disappointed. It’s not that Holmes was not in fact a “groovy” organ player, he certainly was. In terms of pure organ playing, he should be considered with the greats, definitely a player with greater soul feeling. But for a guy who recorded during the heyday of truly funky soulful jazz, a lot of his LPs leave a lot to be desired for my post-hip-hop ears. In my book, there are 4 “good” Groove Holmes records for fans of seriously funky jazz, Onsaya Joy on Flying Dutchman, Comin’ On Home on Blue Note, New Groove on Groove Merchant and this LP on Prestige, which is actually the oldest of the bunch. Strangely enough, it’s just in writing this post that I realized that out of 30+ Groove Holmes recorded in the 1960s & 1970s, he released exactly 1 super solid LP on each of the 4 labels he was associated with! Those 4 records are so good, I really wish the man had gotten a bit more funky during this period of time, but these are the breaks and we should feel blessed for output as funky as “Soul Power.”
I ran into this copy of Soul Power at Amoeba Berkeley back in the day where it was $4 because of the condition. Haven’t seen another copy of it since. Due to an unfortunate post-purchase incident, only Side 1 is playable now, but thankfully that is the “good” side featuring all of these tracks. “Soul Power” is truly a monster. With that guitar intro and then into those funky shuffling drums from Ben Dixon, I’d put that track up against almost every single funk-jazz track from the Prestige catalog (well…at least all of those not named “Fire-Eater”).
“How Can I Be Sure” is a cover of a tune from the Rascals, that more or less follows the original melody, but the arrangement with Holmes group is actually MUCH better than the original. Dual guitars and bright sunrise notes from Holmes’ organ and then more fabulousness from Ben Dixon and that waltz rhythm. I love Holmes’ solo on this track once it begins in earnest, just has this swoozy bluesy vibe to it because of the organ effects. “Sunny” is the kind of song you’re more likely to find on the majority of Groove Holmes records, more swinging than overtly funky, but he does light things on fire during his solo, so I think it rounds out things nicely here.
I’m neither sure exactly how I missed this release or even how I eventually found my way to the Shimmering Stars, but I was in full-on manic music crush mode when I finally did get a chance to hear this Vancouver based trio’s blend of 1950s Rock & Pop + Indie Rock. Seems I’m genetically predisposed to fall hard for great sing-a-long melodies and mountains of beautiful reverb. Shimmering Stars (which really is just about as perfect a band name for this sound as is possible) capped off a really fantastic year for Hardly Art, along with Hunx & his Punx and La Sera, that might just place them at the top of Indie-rockdom.
…An an added treat, here’s also the video to “Nervous Breakdown,” starring the drummer for the band going on what appears to be an alchohol induced “breakdown”:
Here’s our first real show of 2011, (since last week we were focused on looking back on 2011), with a lot of brand new music, a few that slipped under the radar last year and a couple things that hopefully we’ll get in 2012. Show begins with a short tribute to Sean Bonniwell of the Bonniwell Music Machine who passed in late December. Also gave a shoutout to the Fela! Musical that’s at the Ahmanson until Jan. 22nd, (and did a giveaway for the cast’s upcoming performance at the Troubadour) if you’re a lover of Fela’s music, I can’t recommend this show enough. Now that 2012 is here, looks like it will be a fantastic year for music!
Playlist: 1-08-2012
{opening theme} Booker T & the MGs – Melting Pot – 7” (Stax)
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Bonniwell Music Machine – Talk Talk – Nuggets (Rhino)
Bonniwell Music Machine – Bottom Of The Soul – Bonniwell Music Machine (WB)
Bonniwell Music Machine – Unca Tinka Ty – Ignition (Sundazed)
Bonniwell Music Machine – The People In Me – Where The Action Is (Rhino)
Bonniwell Music Machine – Dark White – Ignition (Sundazed)
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BlackStar – Fix Up – Single (Self-Released)
Quadron – Baby Be Mine – Recorded at KPFK (KPFK Archives)
The Avalanches – Etoh – Since I Left You (Modular)
Broadcast – The Little Bell – Ha Ha Sound (Warp)
Shimmering Stars – Believe – Violent Hearts (Hardly Art)
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La Sera – Please Be My Third Eye – Sees The Light (Hardly Art)
Shin Joong Hyun – Pushing Through The Fog – Beautiful Rivers and Mountains (Light In The Attic)
Thee Oh Sees – Carrion Crawler – Carrion Crawler/The Dream (In The Red)
Captain Beefheart – Owed T’Alex – Shiny Beast (Bat Chain Puller) (Warner Bros.)
The Menahan Street Band – Eyes On The Prize – No Time For Dreaming: Instrumentals (Daptone/Dunham)
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Sahr Ngaujah and Cast – Water No Get Enemy – Fela! Original Broadway Cast Recording (Knitting Factory)
Fela Anikulapo Kuti – Sorrow, Tears and Blood – Sorrow, Tears and Blood (Knitting Factory)
Hypnotic Brass Ensemble feat. Phil Cohran – Black Boy – Bulletproof Brass (Choice Cuts)
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Shawn Lee’s Incredible Tabla Band – Let There Be Drums – Tabla Rock (Ubiquity)
Jose James – Trouble – Single (Self-released)
Emily King – Radio – The Seven EP (Self-released)
Catpower – King Rides By – Charity Single (Matador)
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Sea Lions – I Loved Her So Much – Everything You Always Wanted To Know About Sea Lions But Were Afraid To Ask (Slumberland)
Soonthorn Sujaridchan – Sara-a-more Sara-r: Kee Mao Lae – Thai Funk Vol. 2 (Light In The Attic)
Georgia Anne Muldrow – Seeds – Seeds (Stones Throw)
David Bowie – Candidate/Sweet Thing (Reprise) – Diamond Dogs (RCA)
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{closing theme} Dungen – C. Visar Vagen – Tio Batar (Kemado)
Katy Goodman’s side project La Sera is getting ready to release their second full-length LP in as many years and they’ll be swinging into The Echo on Thursday January 12th to perform songs. If you’d like to go courtest of Melting Pot, just send an e-mail to michael[at]meltingpotblog.com by 12noon on Wednesday, January 11th!
Here’s La Sera performing “Hold” at Room 205:
and performing at Make Music Pasadena last summer:
Here is the final post in this week’s look back at the best music from 2011. In a reversal from last year’s list, there are likely a dozen songs that could have been on this list, and many of the top 5 presented here might switch positions depending on which one I’m currently listening to. For what it’s worth these were my Top 5 songs for 2011…share your favorite tracks of 2011 here or on our facebook page!
***Honorable Mentions: Phonte – The Good Fight, The Sandwitches – My Heart Does Swell (live at KPFK), King – The Story, M.E.D. – Blaxican, The Echocentrics feat. Tita Lima – Jardim, Real Estate – Municipality, Real Estate – Green Aisles, WildCookie – Something About Those Days
5. The Strange Boys – “Doueh” – Live Music (Rough Trade)
Two things stick out to me about “Doueh” (which honestly I have no idea how to pronounce, I just say “Doo-eh” on the air) and are responsible for it being in my Top 5 songs of 2011. First, it’s in the interplay of the guitars. “Doueh” is one of the rare places where the Strange Boys’ love and knowledge of garage rock, country and gritty soul all come together at the same time musically. Though the rhythm stays the same virtually throughout, the guitars are constantly doing something a little different, from that main little strut and all the subtle variations throughout that (I’m not ashamed to say) always causes my shoulders to bounce, to the big wash of finger-picking that I supposed counts as a solo, even though it sounds like there are 2 or 3 additional guitar lines overdubbed along with the two main guitars. The way those guitars intertwine with each other shows how far this band has come in a short period of time.
The second big reason why this was my favorite song from the album Live Music and also one of my favorites of the year is the vocal performance of Ryan Sambol. That seems like a strange thing to say, because Sambol’s voice is not likely to win any competitions (I previously described it as a cross between Bob Dylan and Pat from SNL). It’s likely the quirky-ness of that voice keeps them from being major stars along the lines of the Black Keys or other bands, which given the most recent record from the Black Keys might be a very good thing. However, Sambol’s voice IS one of the more distinctive elements of the Strange Boys. On “Doueh” Sambol delivers maybe his best vocals to date, sounding sly and knowing when he remarks “my body betrays me, but I don’t betray it back,” but also fully confident, assured, forceful and strong in the 2nd verse, especially when he sings “I knew not a word, I couldn’t name a note, I swear I heard a language I didn’t know I spoke.” I don’t know where the Strange Boys are going to go from here, but it’s clear that Sambol and the boys have finally grown comfortable in their own skin and have found their sound and the best way to present it.
For my year end show, this track from Olympia, Washington’s very un-Olympia sounding Lake, was the only song that I also played during the summer’s “Best So Far” program. Here’s what I said about this track back in the spring:
“While there are several rather lovely tracks on this album, “Giving & Receiving” is one of the best, not just on this album, but that I’ve heard off of any album all year (I’m always fascinated in how quickly I know a great song when I hear it…after one listen I was absolutely sure that this would be in my year end list of Best of 2011). It has a very early summer, lazy slightly hazy sunday afternoon vibe with its slower than mid-tempo, but still not that slow and soulful beat. Eriksson’s vocals caress the listener with their sweetness, even though lyrically the song seems to point toward a more downbeat mood. I especially like the moment at the literal half point of the song, just before the tempo change that accompanies the “There used to be fish in the Ocean” lyrics, with all those layers of keyboards, subtle notes from the horns and Eriksson’s just slight humming in the background. Just plain gorgeous.”
Months later nothing has dulled my appreciation for the understated beauty and subtle soul in “Giving & Receiving.” The song isn’t just dreamy, it’s literally sounds like the soundtrack of a dream.
3. Katalyst feat. Stephanie McKay – “Day Into Night” – Deep Impressions (BBE)
“Day Into Night” was one of a handful of songs that were a part of my summer playlist in 2011. With it’s reggae riddim and soulful vocals from Stephanie McKay, it just has this late summer vibe that I found irresistible well into winter. For some time I was convinced that this was somehow a sample of Phyllis Dillon’s “Perfidia,” but it’s pretty clear that 9/10’s of the riddim & the vocal sample come from Desmond Dekker’s “No Place Like Home”:
To my ears at least McKay’s vocals DO seem connected to Dillon’s track, which is likely part of the reason why I’m so drawn to “Day Into Night.” Whatever the source material, McKay brings such emotion to her vocals that there’s no way not to pay attention and feel the deep soul she puts into her work.
2. Hunx & his Punx – “Lover’s Lane” – Too Young To Fall In Love (Hardly Art)
Here’s what I originally had to say about this song from Oakland’s Hunx & his Punx:
“I’ve listened to this track probably 30 times this week and I’m still floored by the way the backing vocals tumble out in waves during the chorus. It seems rare to have multiple singers sing in harmony, yet retain distinctive voices, perhaps it’s a slight studio trick, but it’s something I haven’t heard too much before. The way all those voices come together and separate, particularly in the last third of the song, just kills me everytime. I can almost guarantee that this song will be one of my faves at the end of the year.”
After listening to hundreds of songs, Lover’s Lane remained one of my favorites of the year, and was probably the song I listened to on repeat more than any other throughout 2011. As if things couldn’t have gotten better, they actually made a video for the song:
Totally trashy, in a Jon Waters kind of way and simply adorable…and it’s fascinating to me that after listening to this song hundreds of times, it’s only through the video that I even noticed that there were some subtle organ notes in the background of the whole track. I’d focused on the swirling mix of vocals, Shannon Shaw’s endearing squeal at the end of “I Wanna Go,” the neo-60’s beat and great gritty guitar solo so much that I missed that entirely. With new music from Hunx in 2012 and future music from bassist/vocalist Shannon Shaw’s Shannon & the Clams, it’s likely my musical love affair with the members of this group will only grow.
1. Charles Bradley – “I Believe In Your Love” – No Time For Dreaming (Dunham/Daptone)
As much as I love “Lover’s Lane,” no other song thrilled me in 2011 as much as “I Believe In Your Love” from Charles Bradley & the Menahan Street Band. Here’s what I said earlier:
“In terms of the music, “I Believe In Your Love” also is a standout track instrumentally. Menahan works a Hodges Brothers Hi-Records inspired sound, from the drums and the main guitar, adds washes of organ in the right channel, horns primarily in the left, little bells during the verses, and all the elements come together and just explode with sound during Bradley’s chorus. In the vocal version the interplay is damn powerful, in the instrumental version, the intricacies of the rhythm are a marvel to behold, as is the entire album.”
When people tell me that “retro-soul” is just a copy of older better music, I use this as exhibit A. You never would have gotten this same kind of sound in the 1960s and early 1970s. It’s a thoroughly post-modern pastiche of the best elements of that classic soul sound, updated into something that only could come about in the 21st century. A post-modern retro-soul masterpiece and my favorite song of 2011.
All this week on Melting Pot we’ve been taking a look back at 2011′s year in music. This post covers the best new records that I heard last year. In 2010, I had a really hard time picking my favorite records of the year, and essentially ended up with a 5 way tie for #1…that wasn’t the case in 2011. Some of it might have been how much more significantly busy I was this year as opposed to the prior, perhaps the music just wasn’t as strong as 2010, but there were very clear favorites this year, and my list of the top 5 new releases I heard in 2011 is below…let me know what your favorites of 2011 were in the comments or on our facebook page!
***Honorable Mentions: Headnodic – Red Line Radio (Brick), Amon Tobin – Isam (Ninja Tune), The Sandwitches – Mrs. Jones’ Cookies (Empty Cellar), Chain & the Gang – Music’s Not For Everyone (K Records), Hunx & his Punx – Too Young To Fall In Love (Hardly Art), Algodon Egipcio – La Lucha Constante (Lefse)
For much of 2011, I was thoroughly unimpressed by the slate of Hip-Hop releases, all the way up until the Fall. The last several months saw the release of a number of very good independent Hip-Hop releases, including this long-awaited LP from Oxnard’s M.E.D. Featuring production work primarily from the ever fascinating MadLib (plus assists from Karriem Riggins, Georgia Anne Muldrow and The Alchemist), and guest rhymes from Kweli, Planet Asia & Kurupt. M.E.D. is at his best when he’s anthemic as he is on “Where I’m From” and “Blaxican,” but even when he detours into very different themes on “Mystical Magical,” “Love & War,” “Classic” (with a breezy Phil Upchurch sample) and “Flying High,” he consistently shines brightly.
The amazing video for Blaxican (something that I’ll likely be using in my classes for years to come) in and of itself might have warranted inclusion on this list, but the depth and quality of the entire record deserves notice on this aptly named LP.
4. Phonte – Charity Starts At Home – Foreign Exchange Music
For almost 10 years, Phonte Coleman has been my favorite MC, so it’s no surprise that this, his debut “solo” release is on this list. Charity covers much of the territory you’d expect based off of his work with Little Brother and Foreign Exchange, but Phonte’s verbal skills keep it all fresh. This album in some ways marks the long awaited reunion of Phonte with 9th Wonder, though the two have been collaborating quite a bit over the past year or so (and hopefully will be swinging into LA for some shows in 2012). 9th’s production graces the best tracks on the album, from the working man/mc anthem “The Good Fight” to “Life of Kings” a treatise on humility featuring Big Krit and Evidence along with Tigallo. I don’t know if they can mend things with Rapper Big Pooh, but as long as these collaborations continue you can expect to see Phonte’s music on these lists for years to come.
I’m still a bit in shock that the Strange Boys released an album this good, so quickly after releasing last year’s Be Brave, which was also a pretty fantastic album. The casual listener might not note the growth between the two albums, but I certainly have. No longer content with being a garage band with a quirky singer, the Strange Boys are poised to get called up to the Show. Live Music is as good as Jeff Tweedy’s prime material with Wilco, and I mean that in the most complimentary way possible. It’s a record that really deserved to get much more press and airplay than it has. If I ever decided to record my dream album, the Strange Boys are exactly the band that I would want to back me up.
2. Charles Bradley & the Menahan Street Band – No Time For Dreaming – Dunham
Nobody does soul reclamation quite like Daptone (Truth & Soul perhaps comes in 2nd), and with the pairing of the Menahan Street Band with Bradley’s powerful vocals, they’ve got a nice compliment to Sharon Jones & the Dap Kings, certainly the best 1-2 punch in all of retro soulsville. I’ve already said so much about this album that instead of repeating myself, I’ll just quote myself from the review linked above.
“No Time For Dreaming is also a product of these specific times even though the sound is from 1960s. Though Bradley mines some of the same subjects, hard times, heartbreak & loss (particularly the death of his brother in “Heartaches & Pain”), there’s a righteousness in these songs that leans more towards optimism than depression. Whether it’s his pleading, “Got to make it right, all that I’ve done wrong” on “The Telephone Song” or on the title track, as he preaches “No time For dreaming, Go to get on up and do my thing.” Times maybe hard, but in line with James Brown’s most inspiring late 60s/70s material, Bradley wants us to get involved and get OURSELVES together. Even when things turn darker, such as on “The World” Bradley’s role is more of as a truth-teller, diagnosing the ills of the world not simply to gripe about them, but to bring to our attention the problems we experience and to get us focused on doing what we can to solve them (kinda like a musical sociologist!)”
No Time For Dreaming is a brilliant LP and hopefully just the first of many between Menahan and Mr. Bradley.
Real Estate’s Days is here for a simple reason. No other record met and exceeded expectations, or gave me as much joy in listening to it, as this the 2nd full-length release from these Jersey Boys. Last year’s Out of Tune 7” held out quite a lot of promise, and Days delivered in spades. A thoroughly listenable album, from start to finish, so good in fact that I really can’t pick a favorite track from the LP. If “Out Of Tune” hadn’t been released last year it might have ended up on my Top 5 Songs list, but there’s no way to chose from “Green Aisles,” “It’s Real,” “Municipality,” “Younger Than Yesterday,” “All The Same,” “Easy,” or “Three Blocks” for the best song of this LP. Thankfully they even kept a little of that easy going boardwalk spirit with the instrumental “Kinder Blumen.” For my money Real Estate is the best Indie-Rock band in all the world, and I can’t wait to hear what they have in store for us next.
All this week on Melting Pot we’re taking a look back at the best music in 2011. Today’s post focuses on the best reissues of the year. 2011 continued the recent trend in just amazing reiusses, especially on the international front and for lovers of American soul music. Here is my list of the top 5 reissues I heard in 2011, let me know what you think and what was in your own top 5!
***Honorable Mentions: Those Shocking Shaking Days (Now-Again), Local Customs: Burned at Boddie (Numero), The Lijadu Sisters – Danger (Knitting Factory), El Rego – El Rego (Daptone), Life Is Dance: Plugged-In Sounds of Wonder at the Pakistani Picture House (Finders Keepers), Father’s Children – Father’s Children (Numero), Charles “Packy” Axton – Late Late Party 1965-1967 (Light In The Attic)
5. Orchestre Poly Rythmo De Cotonou – The First Album / Rob – Funky Rob Way (Analog Africa)
Analog Africa always seems to deliver top shelf material, and this split LP/CD is no exception. Orchestre Poly Rythmo De Cotonou is an amazing group, and I’ll never get tired of hearing their sound, but I was really surprised by Rob, which I’d never heard before. I’m right now really wishing I had a residency someplace, just so I could see what dancers would do when I dropped the needle on “More.”
4. Shin Joong Hyun – Beautiful Rivers and Mountains: The Psychedelic Rock Sound of Shin Joong Hyun (Light In The Attic)
Light In The Attic had a very strong year (including twin reissues of material from the Louvin Bros.), but this collection of rock, psych and psychy rockin’ funk from South Korean guitarist Shin Joong Hyun was an ear-opener for sure. For me, Hyun’s music is at its best when it’s slowed down and spaced out, but the shorter, tighter and often funkier tracks, such as “I’ve Got Nothing To Say” (which sounds lifted from a film) are just as tasty.
“Truly Exceptional” just doesn’t seem to be a good enough description of how I feel about the music of Iranian songstress Faegheh Atashin, aka Googoosh. From the opening drums of “Shekeyat” I was completely hooked, every note that followed only continued to blow my mind. The story behind this music is just as amazing, with much of this music being banned (and in some cases destroyed) in Iran after the Revolution of 1979, making it exceedingly rare. In addition to often being seriously funky, the music and the singing from Googoosh is seriously beautiful and well deserving of many, many listens.
2. Mike James Kirkland – Don’t Sell Your Soul (Luv’N’Haight / Ubiquity)
I’ve been a fan of Mike James Kirkland’s brand of soul music since the earliest days of Luv’n’Haight and their reissue of his classic “Hang On In There.” Don’t Sell Your Soul brings together Kirkland’s early career with Mike & the Censations with his solo albums (on the double CD) and unreleased material (on the double LP). Highly recommended listening, deep deep soul with slyly socially conscious underpinnings on tracks that on their face appear to be “just” love songs. “Victim Of Circumstance” might just be the best “lowrider/oldies” track of all-time, the horns, the singing, the sentiment…just perfect. Hard to believe this was only the beginning, being his very first song. If you didn’t check it out before, be sure to check out my interview with the man himself, Mike James Kirkland for even more insight into this music and into this musician’s incredible career and world-view.
Last year when Numero went extra hard on the Syl Johnson “Complete Mythology” release, I didn’t think they’d be able to top that anytime soon. Instead, the intrepid crew out of Chicago, doubled down on a total soul excavation of Cleveland, Ohio’s Boddie Recording Company. Sifting through the 300 records and 10,000 hours of tape that the Boddie bunch recorded from 1958 to 1993, Numero raises their own super high bar and releases (on 3CD’s or 5LP’s) one of the most incredible love letters to underground soul music I’ve ever seen. A brilliant release and absolutely deserving of the #1 spot…now the question is how will they top THIS in 2012???
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