Posted on Ephemera

In Heavy Rotation: Bosq of Whiskey Barons – Bosq Y Orquesta De Madera – Ubiquity

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Bosq feat. Mendee Ichikawa – Never Feel Cold

While 2013 has been notable for the wealth of great music already released, something has been sorely lacking…tracks with handclaps. At various times I’ve mentioned my affinity and great weakness for a well placed soul clap, but in a year where it seems every single “retro” soul act has or will put out a record, soul claps have been mighty scarce. Filling that gap, and then some, is this offering from Boston’s Bosq of the Whiskey Barons production team. I’d first been drawn to this album because it features one of my favorite current vocalists Tita Lima, but once I finally made my way past her track (“Paciencia De Jo” which is truly stellar), I feel in love with this summertime stunner featuring sugary sweet vocals from Mendee Ichikawa (herself a part of the Long Beach collective Free Moral Agents) and soul claps for days and days and days and days.

Posted on Ephemera

Giveaway: Matthew Sweet performs “Girlfriend” @ the Gibson Amphitheatre July 20th!

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foto © abandonedcouches.com

{Please note this show has been moved to the Wiltern!}

On the heels of our interview with Matthew Sweet discussing Girlfriend, we also have a couple of pairs of passes to see Matthew Sweet perform the entire album, start to finish, with a few extras likely thrown in this Saturday at the Gibson Amphitheatre in Los Angeles. This is part of what is called the LP Tour, that also features Big Head Todd & the Monsters, Soul Asylum and members of the Wailers each performing a classic album. If you’d like to go courtesy of Melting Pot, be sure to e-mail me at michael[at]meltingpotblog.com by Thursday at 6pm. Good luck!

If you’ve never seen it, as a fan you need to see this performance on the old Dennis Miller show featuring the one and only Robert Quine, “the most unassuming guitar god” who ever existed:

Here’s a more recent appearance with Matthew and his band performing “I’ve Been Waiting”:

Posted on Radio

Breakdown: July 14th on KPFK’s Melting Pot

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Had a show all planned out Friday night, then news broke late Saturday that George Zimmerman was found “Not Guilty” in the death of Trayvon Martin. Like a number of people, particularly black men who grew up in the South, the case was a stark reminder that race remains a major way how people will perceive you as “normal,” “regular” or a “suspect.” I couldn’t figure out a good track to play for Trayvon and his family until fairly close to broadcast. “A Tree Never Grown” was recorded in the wake of the Diallo shooting (which also ended in an acquittal), but the lyrics of most of the rappers were specifically about police brutality and that didn’t fit this case. But Mos Def’s chorus for the song still seemed to fit, so I used the instrumental to make a quick edit that took out the rhymes but kept the chorus. From there we moved on to other things, with a few new tracks from Bosq, The Mantles, Spectrals plus classic tracks from Television, Fela Kuti and Richard Hell. The 2nd hour is given over to the first part of an interview/performance with Matthew Sweet. This section focuses on his classic album Girlfriend, next week’s second part focuses on the follow-up Altered Beast.

Melting Pot on KPFK #134: First Hour
Melting Pot on KPFK #134: Second Hour

Playlist: 07-14-2013
{opening theme} Booker T & the MGs – Melting Pot – Melting Pot (Stax)

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Hip-Hop For Respect feat. Mos Def (Yasiin Bey) – A Tree Never Grown – Hip-Hop For Respect 12” (Rawkus)
Television – Guiding Light – Marquee Moon (Elektra)

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Jungle Fire – Comencemos – 7” (Colemine)
Bosq feat. Mendee Ichi – Never Feel Cold – Bosq y Orquesta De Madera (Ubiquity)
Fela Kuti – Mr. Follow Follow – Everything Scatter (Knitting Factory)

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The Mantles – Bad Design – Long Enough To Leave (Slumberland)
Myron & E – Cold Game – Broadway (Stones Throw)
The Spectrals – Milky Way – SOB Story (Slumberland)
Richard Hell & the Voidoids – Betrayal Takes Two – Blank Generation (Sire)
Demon Fuzz – Past, Present & Future – Afreaka! (Janus)

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Matthew Sweet – Interview and Performance – Recorded Live At KPFK (KPFK Archives)

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

Posted on Dig Deep

Dig Deep: Miguel De Deus – Black Soul Brothers – Underground (1977)

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Miguel De Deus – Black Soul Brothers
Miguel De Deus – Flaca Louca
Miguel De Deus – Fabrica De Papeis

Our first dig deep of year #5 is a big of heavyweight funk out of Brazil. I’ve never been able to find out much information on Miguel De Deus. MiguelDeus2 I know that he was a member of Os Brazões, who backed Gal Costa for a period of time. But that group doesn’t appear to have recorded much beyond their debut. A lot of time passes from 1969 to 1977 when this LP is released. I’m sure I’ve missed some credits from Deus during that period of time, but even still there’s a lot to be discovered and rediscoverd about Brazil music in the 1970s. Black Soul Brothers is a somewhat strange kind of record. Virtually every song on the album doesn’t really have any lyrical structure, it’s more a phrase or a chant. It sounds as if Deus invited all his friends into the studio, without any actual songs, and just cut loose and messed around. Aside from “Fabrica De Papeis” songs have at best 2 lines of lyrics, sometimes even less. “Black Soul Brothers” only real line is “Black Soul Brothers,” either spoken or sung by the female back-up dancers. All the minimal songwriting aside, this IS a mighty funky record. I love “Black Soul Brothers” so much I was thinking of making it my ringtone. I mean that beginning where dude screams out “Bzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz, Shaka Du Shaka Du Shaka Shaka Du Shaka Du Shaka…UUUh!” before some B-Boyrific drums kick in is just too cool. In addition to the title cut, “Mister Funk” and “Cinco Anos” have also been comped to death on Funky Brazil collections. Every track basically follows the same template, band plays funky, a gaggle of voices join in and things strut and slink to an eventual fade out. As much as I might like some actual songs here, it’s hard to complain when the result is so darn funky.

Cheers,

Michael

Posted on Ephemera

In Heavy Rotation: V/A – Good God!: Apocryphal Hymns – Numero Group

The Many Covers Of Numero’s Latest Gospel Collection

The Gospel Clouds – Let Us Pray

The latest in the Good God series, features even deeper soulful gospel sounds from the 1960s and 1970s. Virtually all of these songs have a more “sweet soul” or “sweet funk” sound to them, rarely getting too upbeat and instead keeping things mighty mellow for the Lord. “Let Us Pray” was a standout track on Matthew Africa (RIP) and B. Cause’s now legendary Soul Boulders 2 and  I was more than happy to find it here.  But there are sooooooooooo many standout tracks here that I could have posted up virtually every track on the collection. Highly recommended soul music for your soul.

Posted on Radio

Breakdown: July 7th on KPFK’s Melting Pot…Best So Far Of 2013!

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First six months or so of 2013 have packed in more than enough good music for the whole year. There’s been a particularly strong bumper crop of retro soul this year, in truth “soul” music in general has been nicely represented and that is certainly reflected in the show. Really looking forward to what the rest of 2013 has in store for us, we’ll start finding out next week, but until then enjoy the show!

Melting Pot on KPFK #133: First Hour
Melting Pot on KPFK #133: Second Hour

Playlist: 07-07-2013
{opening theme} Booker T & the MGs – Melting Pot – 7” (Stax)

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Adrian Younge & William Hart of the Delfonics – Stop and Look – Adrian Younge Presents The Delfonics (Wax Poetics)
Charles Bradley & the Menahan Street Band – Strictly Reserved For You – Victim Of Love (Dunham/Daptone)
The Black Opera feat. Mayer Hawthorne – Queen of Hearts – Libretto: Of King Legend (Mellow Music)
Jose James – Trouble – No Beginning, No End (Blue Note)
Rhye – Last Dance – Woman (Innovative Leisure)
Jungle Fire – Chalupa – 7” (Colemine)

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Myron & E with the Soul Investigators – I Can’t Let You Go Away – Broadway (Stones Throw)
The Summer Twins – I’m No Good – Forget Me EP (Burger Records)
Lady – Money – Lady (Truth & Soul)
Golden Grrrls – Older Today – Golden Grrrls (Slumberland)
Orchestre Poly-Rythmo De Cotonou – A Oo Ida – Vol. 3: The Skeletal Essence of Afro-Funk 1969-1980 (Analog Africa)
Svenska Kaputt – Happy Ending – Svenska Kaputt (Moserobie)

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The Amazing – Flashlight – Gentle Stream (Partisan)
The Pastels – Secret Music – Slow Summits (Domino)
King – In The Meantime – Single (Self-Released)
Shuggie Otis – Things We Like To Do – Inspiration Information/Wings Of Love (Legacy)
Heliocentrics – Collateral Damage – 13 Degrees Of Reality (Now-Again)

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Toro Y Moi – So Many Details – Anything In Return (Carpark)
Bomba Estereo – Mozo – Elegancia Tropical (Soundway)
Ilaiyaraaja feat. P. Susheela – Poo Poo Kkum – Ilectro (Finders Keepers)
Ghostface Killah & Adrian Younge – The Sure Shot Parts 1 & 2 – 12 Reasons To Die (Soul Temple)
Jimi Hendrix – Inside Out – People, Hell & Angels (Experience)

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Jimi Hendrix – Izabella – People, Hell & Angels (Experience)
Shannon & the Clams – Into A Dream – Dreams In The Rathouse (Hardly Art)
Nicole Willis & the Soul Investigators – Best Days Of Our Lives – Tortured Soul (Timmion)
Amatorski – Come Home – TBC / Same Stars We Shared (Crammed Discs)
The Gospel Chords – Let Us Pray – Good God!: Apocryphal Hymns (Numero)
Vieux Farka Toure – Peace – Mon Pays (Six Degrees)

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Quadron – Neverland –Avalanche (Vested In Culture)
Alice Russell – Twin Peaks – To Dust (Tru Thoughts)
Dom La Nena – O Vento – Ela (Six Degrees)
Jaimeo Brown – This World Ain’t My Home – Transcendence (Motema)
Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds – Mermaids – Push The Sky Away (Bad Seeds LTD.)

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The Pastels – Slow Summits – Slow Summits (Domino)

Posted on About Melting Pot

Melting Pot: Four Down…Movin’ On Up To Year #5

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Hard to believe a whole ‘nuther year has passed but we’re still kicking after 4 years of steady bloggin’. This past year was especially fantastic on the radio end with a number of great interviews/performances (from Shuggie Otis, King, Dom La Nena and Lady just to name a few) and exclusive Guest DJ sets from Kenny Dope, Spinna, Frane and E Da Boss. I have no idea what year number five will have in store for the blog or the radio show, but I sincerely thank all of you who have supported this blog, from checking out the posts and music to actually throwing a little money my way to keep everything up and running. Vol. 4 of our anniversary mix might be a little late this year, but that will be coming up soon…onwards and upwards!

Cheers,

Michael

Posted on Dig Deep

Dig Deep: Poe – Up Through The Spiral – UNI (1971)

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Poe – There Is A River / Your Prayers Have Been Answered / What Do You Want To Do / I Want To Heal The Sick (Medley)
Poe – You’ve Got To Try
Poe – Tune In
Poe – Sons Of Belial

For our final post of year four (tomorrow will mark exactly four full years since I began this blog!) I’ve pulled out this interesting psych record from out of Texas circa 1971. Ran into this at the beginning of the year at Burbank’s Atomic Records. I’m always on the look out for interesting psych records and I’ve found that material on UNI rarely disappoints, particularly when I know nothing about the group. In this case, Poe was a five-piece band from McAllen, Texas. I knew this band had to be from McAllen, even before I learned anything about them because they recorded this album in McAllen and there is absolutely NO reason for anyone to record anything in McAllen unless they were actually from there (Sorry those of you reading from Texas, spent a summer there with my wife while she was interning…I’m sure you’d agree there really isn’t any reason for anyone to stay in McAllen). Turns out the band used to be called the Playboys Of Edinburg, which would make you think they were from the UK or something but actually that’s another town near McAllen. For reasons unknown to me, the band shortened their name to simply Poe and released this album, which is a complex psuedo-concept album.

You might imagine that the name change to Poe might have led them (or had it suggested to them) to create a concept record based on Edgar Allen Poe’s writings, but no. The concept here is focused on a completely different Edgar, Edgar Cayce, a psychic, mystic or charlatan depending on who you believe, who perhaps is most famously remembered for his “visions” of Atlantis. The guys in Poe must have really been into his work, not only to dedicate an entire album to Cayce, but to even include a glossary of terms associated with him and the address of Cayce’s Association For Research and Enlightenment. It’s quite possible that the album was even commissioned by the A.R.E., but only the band members could answer that. The music is really sensational, often heavy, psychedelic rock. For a guy who listens to most everything through Hip-Hop ears I’d wish there was a instrumental version of this record. Just great guitar throughout and snappy drums too. A nice one to end our fourth year here at Melting Pot.

Cheers,

Michael

Posted on Ephemera

In Heavy Rotation: Myron & E with the Soul Investigators – Broadway – Stones Throw

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Myron & E with the Soul Investigators – Turn Back

A lot of times you say “I’ve been waiting years for this to come out,” and it’s a figure of speech. In this case, it’s seriously literal as those of us in the know were convinced Myron & E’s debut would be released in 2010…or 2011…or 2012. But no matter, Broadway has been finally released and all of the promise of the various singles released by the group has been fulfilled. It’s interesting having spent time with some of this music for a long period of time, it’s easier for me to hear the progression of the group over the years, in contrast to newer listeners who pick this up as just a “debut.” In some ways there have been multiple debuts for this group, some of their earliest sounds are here with “Cold Game,” “I Can’t Let You Get Away,” and “Broadway.” On these tracks the vocals are much more straight forward and while they blend nicely with later ones, there is a stark contrast in terms of how the band’s sound has progressed. It’s in the tracks that have been recorded more recently that the special talents of Myron & E really come to bear, in the layering of their vocal harmonies as well as mixing in their distinctive high/low voices, particularly on “If I Gave You My Love” and the track I’ve chosen to share here “Turn Back.” It goes without saying (especially since “On Broadway” was one of my favorite tracks of 2010), that this will be near the top of my list at the end of what has been a really exceptional year for Soul music. Now that Broadway is finally out, I can’t help but want even more, as I’m sure you will as well once you hear this debut.

…As mentioned in the interview with Myron & E, the band has been embraced by the “Oldies” crowd here in Cali, and for the video for the song “If I Gave You My Love” they paid tribute to that support, along with the DJ crew, the Southern Soul Spinners at one of their events in the City of Industry:

Posted on Radio

Be Our Guest: Myron & E on KPFK’s Melting Pot!!!

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{In addition to their record release, this Saturday at the legendary Funky Sole in Echo Park, you can catch Myron & E live and direct this Summer as part of the Stones Throw Soul Tour! Check this link for dates and locations}

Myron and E I’ve been spinning music from Myron & E ever since I first received their single “It’s A Shame” in a package of 45s from the Timmion record label back in 2010. The fact they were backed by the Soul Investigators was intriguing enough, but more than anything it was the vocals that drew me to the group, through their definitely not run-of-the mill sonority and interesting use of melody & harmony. Since then it’s been seemingly an endless wait for their full-length record to be released, but it is finally here (released TODAY as a matter of fact). Myron & E were in the LA area for a spell and sat in with me to chat about how the group got together, how they hooked up with the Soul Investigators, their now trademark soul sound and even a few songwriting secrets. We’d intended to record a guest DJ session with E Da Boss after the interview, but some asshole absconded with the KPFK mixer (there really should be a special place in Hell for people who steal from community/public radio stations), so we had to get it recorded through other means at a later date. E Da Boss is one of the residents at the 45 Sessions and he definitely comes correct on the 45 vinyl for this very eclectic set. Hopefully I’ll get a tracklist soon, but with tracks from Benny Sharp & the Sharpies, Jodi Gayles, Mark Capanni (the original version of “I Believe In Miracles”!!!) and Gil Scott-Heron I’m sure you’ll enjoy this one to the fullest!

Myron & E Interview on KPFK’s Melting Pot:  06-21-2013
Guest DJ Set from E Da Boss for KPFK’s Melting Pot: Recorded 06-29-2013

Posted on Radio

Breakdown: June 30th on KPFK’s Melting Pot

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Generally at the end of the month we’re all on vinyl. This time I had to make a Serato “exception” in order to pay tribute to Bobby “Blue” Bland at the start of the show, an artist who’s work I appreciate but I haven’t ever really collected. The rest of the time is devoted to one of my favorite recent “Soul” bands, Myron & E (separate post to follow). During the first hour we talk about how the group got together and how they settled on their particular brand of Soul, with help from Finland’s the Soul Investigators. In the second hour we have quite a treat from E Da Boss, a guest DJ set culled from his 45 collection. Next week we’ll be running down the “Best So Far” of the year, so join us then!

Melting Pot on KPFK #132: First Hour
Melting Pot on KPFK #132: Second Hour

{Opening Theme} Boris Gardiner – Melting Pot – Is What’s Happening (Dynamic)

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Bobby Blue Bland – I Pity The Fool – Two Steps From The Blues (Duke)
Bobby Blue Bland – That Did It – 7” (Duke)
Bobby Blue Bland – Ain’t No Love In The Heart Of The City – Dreamer (ABC Dunhill)
Bobby Blue Bland – I’ll Take Care Of You – Two Steps From The Blues (Duke)
Charles Wright & the Watts 103rd Street Rhythm Band – Express Yourself II – You’re So Beautiful (WB)

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Myron & E – Interview – Recorded Live At KPFK (KPFK Archives)

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E Da Boss – Guest DJ Set – Recorded Live At KPFK (KPFK Archives)

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{closing theme} Myron & E – On Broadway (Instrumental) – 7” (Timmion)

Posted on Dig Deep

Dig Deep: Lois – Infinity Plus – K Recs (1996)

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Lois – Sunrise Semester
Lois – A Summer Long
Lois – Capital A, Capital B
Lois – Rougher

{Just in case you were wondering, this year’s record sale was very successful, even though most of the records didn’t sell! Just about all of our fees for the next year were covered by that Demon Fuzz record alone, thanks to those of you who donated a little money towards Melting Pot or spread the word about the auctions!}

I realize that even though I routinely profess my love for indie-pop on the radio show, I very rarely ever post any of those sounds in this section. A major part of this is that since the big sell-off in 2004, I just don’t have a lot of those albums any more. Most of what I dig for these days are the rare jazz, soul, funk & psych that you usually see here. Every now and again though a song from those glorious 1990s of my youth (what I like to call the “Heroic Years of Indie-Rock” when the distinction between “major” and “indie” REALLY meant something) pops into my head and stays there and it forces me to track down the record. Lois’ 1996 album Infinity Plus is one that routinely finds its way into my mind, especially here in the Summer.

The record holds a a special place for me because it was one of a number of albums that I helped champion when I was a music director at Album 88 in Atlanta. But what’s really obvious from just one listen is that this is an album that “sticks” because the songs are just really fucking good. Outrageously good, so good in fact for the life of me I never understood how this album didn’t break out. Maybe it was the fact that it was uber-Indie K Records, or it was Lois Maffeo’s over-reliance on “Ooohs” and “Ohs.” I don’t have any idea. I’ve long thought several of the songs here were not only the best of her career, but some of the best indie-pop songs, period. “Sunrise Semester” is just perfect. I can’t think of a more unabashedly romantic song for shy people that’s ever been written. Ever time I hear it my heart just melts. Lois had a great knack for writing love songs, with “Capital A, Capital B” also being a standout.

Strangely the sheer romantic weight of those two songs is tempered by the ones that are right next to them on the album, “Rougher” (featuring the now legendary Elliot Smith) and “A Summer Long” (which features Alan Sparhawk of Low). For all the hope and wide-eyed exuberance captured on those prior two, these songs are almost like punches to the gut in the way they portray quite different realities of love. But that is the way it is isn’t it? What seems like true love can (sometimes quite quickly) turn into something truly heartbreaking. Lois didn’t record much else on her own after Infinity Plus. Maybe she felt the same way I did about this record, “if they don’t fall for this, what else can I do?” Who knows. I’m just glad she wrote these songs, recorded them with Heather Dunn of Tiger Trap and Brendan Canty of Fugazi (along with the previously mentioned guests) and that this album found it’s way back into my collection.

Cheers,

Michael

Posted on Ephemera

In Heavy Rotation: Quadron – Avalanche – Vested In Culture / Epic

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Quadron – Neverland

Though it was released a few weeks before the official start of Summer, from the first listen, I was thinking that Quadron’s second release would be one of THE records of the Summer of 2013. Avoiding any discussion of sophmore slump entirely Avalanche picks up where their debut left off, with a mix of slower, mid and uptempo tracks that equally showcase the production of Robin Hannibal and the vocals of Coco. O. More so than the debut, several tracks seem to be very much inspired by Off The Wall/Thriller era Michael Jackson. Here on the 4th anniversary of his passing, it seems fit to highlight “Neverland” a song written in tribute to MJ and his fans. It’s pretty rare that I actually pull for a band to break into the mainstream. It almost always means that whatever charms the group had before they got big are smoothed away and eventually the shift into mediocrity. Quadron may be one of those rare groups that has the talent and desire to maintain their aesthetics and vision for their music even as they become more successful. That is a thing to celebrate as is this new album.

Speaking of the Summer, still hoping “Hey Love” will break out big for the group and be a song of the summer, though with the number of views for a group like this, seems it already has: