Posted on Radio

Breakdown: July 18th on KPFK’s Melting Pot…Debut of Side Dishes with O-Dub of Soul Sides!

Side Dishes #1 With Oliver Wang

This week we had the debut (right at the start of the second hour) of a new monthly feature on Melting Pot at KPFK, a set put together by Oliver Wang of Soul Sides. Oliver is an old friend from back at Berkeley, where we both went to graduate school and worked at KALX Berkeley, the freeform radio station there. He’s been a music journalist for a decade or more and runs one of the best audioblogs around in Soul Sides. Every third Sunday of the month, “Side Dishes” will feature several of Oliver’s picks, this week including several smashingly good compilations from Soundway records and Vampi Soul.  “Side Dishes” is also available as a podcast from Oliver’s website if you click here. 

The rest of the show features new music from Best Coast, Rakaa (of Dilated Peoples), M.I.A., Adam Franklin, The Pepper Pots, Tita Lima and more.  Next week we have the organizers of Make It Funky (Funk Rumble Block Party Pt. 2!), coming in to discuss what should be one of the summer’s best concerts, currently set for July 31st in Los Angeles’ Chinatown.  I’ll also be doing a vinyl-only show next week, which I think will probably be a tradition for the end of the month from here on out.  Audio for this show will be here for a month, so listen in and tell a friend about Melting Pot on KPFK!

Melting Pot on KPFK #8: First Hour
Melting Pot on KPFK #8: Second Hour

Playlist: 7-18-2010
{opening theme} Booker T. & the MGs – Melting Pot – Melting Pot (Stax)

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Rastus – Sailin’ Easy – Rastus (GRT)
Menahan Street Band – The Contender – Make The Road By Walking (Dunham)
Quantic – Dub Y Guaguaganco – Dog With A Rope (Tru Thoughts)
Sahr Nagaujah & Antibalas – Upside Down – Fela! (Original Broadway Cast Recording) (Knitting Factory)
Cochemea Gastelum – Guardian Angel – The Electric Sound Of Johnny Arrow (MRI)

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The Pepper Pots – Real Tru Love – Now! (Black Pepper)
Jackie Lee – Let Your Conscience Be Your Guide – 7” (Mirwood)
Neverever – Blue Genes – Angelic Swells (Slumberland)
Tita Lima – Mundo Pequeno – Possibiliadades (Label A)
Foreign Exchange – Take Off The Blues – Leave It All Behind (Halls Of Justus)
Orgone – Mantanza – Cali Fever (Ubiquity)

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Rakaa feat. Mad Lion – Observatory – Crown Of Thorns (Decon)
Connie Price & the Keystones feat. Aloe Blacc – Tell Me Something – Tell Me Something (Ubiquity)
Saravah Soul – Alforria – Cultura Impura (Tru Thoughts)
Soul Investigators – On Broadway – 7” (Timmion)

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Side Dishes with Oliver Wang of Soul-Sides.com #1:

{theme} The Nite-Liters – Down & Dirty – 7” (RCA)

The Funkees – Breakthrough – The World Ends: Afro Rock & Psychedelia in 1970s Nigeria (Soundway)
Lijadu Sisters – Life’s Gone Down Low – The World Ends: Afro Rock & Psychedelia in 1970s Nigeria (Soundway)
Cumbia Siglo XX – Nagal Pegale – Palenque Palenque: Chapeta, Criolla And Afro Roots In Colombia 1975-1991 (Soundway)
Wganda Kenya – Pim Pom – Palenque Palenque: Chapeta, Criolla And Afro Roots In Colombia 1975-1991 (Soundway)
Los Destellos – Guajira Sicodelica – Cumbia Beat: Experimental Guitar Driven Tropical Sounds From Peru 1968-1976 (Vampi-Soul)

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Best Coast – Boyfriend – Crazy For You (Mexican Summer)
The Spectrals – 7th Date – 7” (Slumberland)
Adam Franklin – Carousel City – I Could Sleep For A Thousand Years (Second Motion)
Sleepy Sun – Lord – Embrace (ATP)
Total Babe – Country – Heatwave EP (So Tm)

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M.I.A. – Tell Me Why – MAYA (N.E.E.T. / Interscope)
Pollyn – If I Chose You – This Little Night (Self-Released)
Alpha – Dim – The Impossible Thrill (Melankolic)
Francoiz Breut – 2013 – A l’aveuglette (T-Rec)

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

Posted on Dig Deep

Dig Deep: Rico – Man From Wareika – Blue Note (1976/1977?)

Rico – Ramble
Rico – This Day
Rico – Gunga Din

This record from Jamaican trombonist Rico Rodriguez has always been a bit of an enigma to me. I’ve never been able to understand the how or why this record came to be on Blue Note. While the playing is a bit “jazzy” and Blue Note’s output around 1977 was more focused on funky fusion from Donald Byrd, Bobbi Humphrey and the like, it still seems just plain odd that there’s a roots reggae record on Blue Note. I know this record also came out on Island, but I think the Blue Note edition actually was pressed first in 1976 (my copy is a second pressing definitely from 1976, I’ve never seen an “original” or an Island pressing of this so I can’t confirm that the 1976 release date).

Additionally, for the life of me I cannot remember where I first heard “Ramble,” one of the most slyly funky reggae tracks I’ve ever run into. I think it was on a “Blue Note Breaks” collection from back in the day, but doesn’t show up on any of the tracklists for those comps. What I do remember is the first time i actually ran into this record, where else but Groove merchant in San Francisco. I knew “Ramble” was a top track, but one quick listen to the rest of the album made it a no-brainer. In addition to having some of the loveliest album cover art on a Jamaican LP, the whole record is filled with top-notch, all instrumental mid-tempo roots vibes with exceptional playing from everyone involved but especially Rico on trombone.

For those of you who don’t know Rico is (even still at 75) a legendary trombone player from JA, second only to perhaps the greatest trombonist of all time (and any nation) Don Drummond. His playing on the records from the Specials and Special A.K.A. were what led me to discover original Jamaican ska and rock steady sounds. It’s a free and easy sound (imagine Lester Young as a trombone player and you’ve got Rico), with loads of feeling and tons of soul, as you can tell on the additional tracks here “This Day” and “Gunga Din.” One day I’ll learn the full story behind this lovely record, how it came together and how it came be released on Blue Note, but for now I’m just happy to have run into it again.

Cheers,

Michael

Posted on Ephemera

Under Review: Tita Lima – Possibilidades – Label A

Tita Lima – Só O Começo
Tita Lima – Jardim

Over the past few years several of my favorite contemporary releases have been from Brazilian artists including CeU, 3 Na Massa, Seu Jorge’s upcoming release and this new album from Tita Lima. Few musical scenes are mixing styles as seamlessly as Brazilians are these days, or to greater effect. Lima’s new album “Possibilidades” shifts and strays into a variety of musical territories, from the dub disco reggae of “Mundo Pequeno” to the bloozy funk of “Jardim”, without ever losing direction or sounding out of place.

Throughout it all there are the vocals and presence of Tita Lima, at times playful yet cautionary, as on the lone song in English, “Smile,” or damn sensual on “Ciranda” and, despite abrupt changes in tempo and tone, “Só O Começo,” easily my favorite song in this set. Lima’s voice and the musicians continually take things in unexpected places on “Possibilades,” including a reworking of the track she cut with Ocote Soul Sounds in 2009, and one of my absolute favorite songs in recent memory, “Vendendo Saude E Fé,” into a tougher, heavier, though still very funky, piece.

Perhaps these masterful musical mashups should be expected from musicians whose country has such a rich legacy, especially with the veneration of the Tropicália movement in recent years (incidentally Lima’s father actually played bass for Os Mutantes), but it is refreshing to hear artists like Tita Lima take chances with their music, mixing together their disparate influences into something that is both novel and familiar, original and classic.

As an added treat, here’s the video for one of the album’s other standout tracks, “Mundo Pequeno”:

Posted on Ephemera

Giveaway: Antibalas Afrobeat Orchestra @ The Echoplex July 15th!

{Congrats to Gina S. who won the tickets to go see Antibalas!!!}

Here’s another giveaway for Melting Pot fans out here in Los Angeles. The mighty Antibalas Afrobeat Orchestra will be in town this week at the Echoplex on Thursday July 15th. Antibalas is loosely aligned with the Daptone camp and plays Fela inspired Afrobeat, but often adding latin elements and more into the funky mix. Recently they helped score Fela!, the (soon to be) award winning Broadway musical on the life, times & music of Fela Kuti.

If you interested in going to the show, e-mail me at michael @ meltingpotblog.com and I’ll let you know if you’ve won tickets by Wednesday July 14th! Here’s a taste of wait awaits if you win…

Posted on Ephemera

In Heavy Rotation: The Pepper Pots – Now! – Black Pepper Records

The Pepper Pots – Dream Guy

With Spain winning the World Cup yesterday, I’ve certainly had Spain on my mind quite a lot this past month. It just so happened that in the mail this weekend I received this record from the Pepper Pots straight out of Girona in Catalunya. The Pepper Pots originally favored Jamaican Ska & Rock Steady sounds, but they’ve enlisted Binky Griptite of the Dap Kings to revamp themselves into a Retro Soul powerhouse. While the new sound is great, I’m still very fond of the rock steady style they used to employ exclusively, which is represented sublimely on “Dream Guy.” Below is a little behind the scenes footage of the band with Binky working through rehersals and recording “Real Tru Love,” and “Starlight” while still in Catalunya before finishing the record in New York. Really hoping someone has the good sense to release Now! in the states and that the Pepper Pots will tour the US sometime soon…

Posted on Radio

Breakdown: July 11th on KPFK’s Melting Pot…Best So Far Of 2010!

Sunday was a whirlwind, with the tension filled, extra-time finale of the World Cup (Viva España y Barça!) and my “best so far” of 2010. Two hours is a very short amount of time to attempt to mix together the best music I’ve heard over the last 6+ months. Several records didn’t make it in, solely based off of time, including Golden Triangle, Bastien Lallemant, Neverever, but there are 35 different releases featured here from this first half of 2010, plus a couple of sleepers from 2009. I think I’ll have to do two shows for the year end special. Enjoy the show and be sure to let me know what you think have been the best records at this point in 2010!

Melting Pot on KPFK #7: First Hour
Melting Pot on KPFK #7: Second Hour

Melting Pot’s Best So Far Of 2010
Playlist: 7-11-2010

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

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Charades – En Las Batallas – Revolución Solar (Bcore)
The Hawk feat. Little Hannah Collins – Don’t Judge A Book By Its Cover – 7” (Record Kicks)
Sharon Jones & the Dap Kings – Better Things – I Learned The Hard Way (Daptone)
Strange Boys – Be Brave – Be Brave (In The Red)
The Amazing Farm Singers Of Chicago – I Got A Telephone In My Bosom – Fire in My Bones (Tompkins Square)
Orgone – Cali Fever – Cali Fever (Ubiquity)

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Apple & The Three Oranges – Curse Upon The World – California Funk (Now-Again)
3 Titans feat. The Menahan Street Band – Life Of A Scholar – 7” (Daptone)
Tita Lima – So O Comeco – Possibilidades (Label A)
Miguel Atwood-Ferguson Orchestra – Welcome 2 Detroit / Gobstopper – Timeless: Suite For Ma Dukes (Mochilla)
Murs & 9th Wonder – I Used To Love H.E.R. Again – Fornever (SMC)
Hypnotic Brass Ensemble – Spottie – Heritage (Choice Cuts)

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Dum Dum Girls – I Will Be – I Will Be (Sub Pop)
The Stooges – Shake Appeal – Raw Power: Legacy Edition (Sony Legacy)
The Black Keys – She’s Long Gone – Brothers (Nonesuch)
Caetano Veloso – Sem Cais – Zii E Zie (Nonesuch)
Charlotte Gainsbourg – Trick Pony – IRM (Elektra)
Jose James – Black Magic – Black Magic (Brownswood)
Flying Lotus – Do The Astral Plane – Cosmogramma (Warp)

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Gil Scott-Heron – I’m New Here – I’m New Here (XL)
The National – Lemonworld – High Violet (4AD)
Ame Son – Eclosion – The BYG Deal (Finders Keepers)
The Morning Benders – All Day Daylight – Big Echo (Rough Trade)
Jimi Hendrix – Valleys Of Neptune – Valleys Of Neptune (Experience Hendrix)
Jimi Hendrix – Lullaby For Summer – Valleys Of Neptune (Experience Hendrix)

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Total Babe – Bearbones – Heatwave EP (So Tm)
Broken Social Scene – Highway Slipper Jam – Forgiveness Rock Record (Arts & Crafts)
Gorillaz feat. Yukimi Nagano of Little Dragon – To Binge – Plastic Beach (EMI)
She & Him – Thieves – Volume 2 (Merge)
Polar Bear – Want To Believe Everything – Peepers (Leaf)

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Gonjasufi – Kowboyz & Indians – A Suf & A Killer (Warp)
Ana Tijoux – La Nueva Condena – 1977 (Nacional)
Sahr Nagaujah & Antibalas – Zombie – Fela! (Original Broadway Cast Recording) (Knitting Factory)
Cumbia Moderna De Soledad – Shacalao – Black Man’s Cry: The Inspiration of Fela Kuti (Now-Again)
The Gospel Storytellers – Peter & John – Good God! Born Again Funk (Numero)

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{closing theme} Bonobo – Black Sands – Black Sands (Ninja Tune)

Posted on Dig Deep

Dig Deep: Rahsaan Roland Kirk – Bright Moments – Atlantic (1973)

Bright Moments! Bright Moments! Bright Moments!
These "Bright Moments" are for all of you, so check 'em out!

Rahsaan Roland Kirk – Bright Moments
Rahsaan Roland Kirk – Fly Town Nose Blues
Rahsaan Roland Kirk – Dem Red Beans and Rice

It seems only fitting that the first post of Melting Pot’s second year be this 1973 record from Rahsaan Roland Kirk. If I had owned a copy of it on vinyl when we started up on 7/7/2009, I would have posted it then. In fact, if I’d really been on top of my game, I would have started the blog on August 7th, so that each anniversary I’d be compelled to post up something from Rahsaan since that day is his birthday. In some ways it does seem to fit more now, especially since the message of Melting Pot (i.e. “uncovering Bright Moments across the musical spectrum”) is finally matched with the picture that graces the cover of this album in the website’s banner…High time indeed to give the master his due.

Since my ears first experienced the joyful noise that is Rahsaan (somewhere back in 1994), he has been my favorite all-time musician. Kirk’s work balances all the elements of modern music that I enjoy. It has deep intellectual and spiritual heft but never at the expense of a rowdy good time. It is frequently playful while often carrying a sincere and serious social message. For Rahsaan, when it came to music, there were no boundaries, he was as comfortable playing a century old New Orleans’ second line rhythm as he was playing avant-garde “new thing” with intense fire.

Rahsaan with the Vibration Society

He was also a master showman, as all his live recordings can attest to, though perhaps no record does it better than Bright Moments. Recorded at San Francisco’s Keystone Korner in 1973 and spread out over 4 sides, it features Rahsaan at the height of his artistry and with some of his best collaborators, loosely brought together as the “Vibration Society.”

What I’ve posted here are three songs that from the sound of the LP were performed in succession over the evening, I’ve switched up the order a bit so that “Bright Moments” can lead off. “Bright Moments” is so much more than a song, it’s more a description of a brief or perfect moment of beauty. Rahsaan explains “Bright Moments” in the spoken introduction through several examples, though this one was always my fave:

Bright Moments is like being with your favorite love
And you’re sharing the same ice cream dish,
And you get mad when she gets the last drop,
And you have to take her in your arms and get it the other way.

Musically, “Bright Moments” it’s a mostly straight ahead flute driven number, but there’s a feeling that’s evoked in the song that is as related to the introduction and the concept of “Bright Moments” as it is to the music. I would wager good money that it is impossible to remain depressed after listening to the full version of this song, just impossible.

Next up is “Fly Town Nose Blues,” which begins with a short rap from Rahsaan that has the crowd in stitches, but also serves the purpose of making sure the listener is aware (if they’ve never seen Rahsaan perform) that many of the flute sounds in the piece are derived from one of Kirk’s many creations, the nose flute, which yes…the man plays with his nose. Now, granted, playing an instrument with your nose should come off as a gimmick, and, in fact, many critics who just simply didn’t get Rahsaan certainly accused him of gimmickry throughout his career. But, when you watch Rahsaan perform you understand that it was never about gimmicks, it was always about the joy that comes from producing sounds that no one else would even dream of creating.

“Fly Town” is not only one of Rahsaan’s best live performances, its one of his most playful and also maybe his funkiest, though with some assistance from Todd Barkan’s synthesizer on the funky end of things.

“Dem Red Beans and Rice” closes things out for us here on an upbeat note with a trip back to the source of all great American music, New Orleans. There is, however, plenty more music to discover on the full LP, many more Bright Moments to be discovered and shared in Rahsaan’s catalog and elsewhere. My hope is that this blog, as the years go passing by, will be able to continually spread Bright Moments and allow music to bring just a little more sunlight to whatever corner of the world it may find you in.

Cheers,

Michael

Posted on About Melting Pot

Melting Pot: One Year Down…Movin’ On Up With Year Number Two!

Today marks exactly one year that Melting Pot has been up and running! I want to thank all of you who have been checking out the blog and especially for spreading the word (please keep doing so!). I think this coming year will be even better than the first, especially now that we’re over at KPFK. Expect more giveaways and performances to find their way here, in addition to the same mix of music.

One consequence of no longer being at KCRW is that I have to archive my radio programs directly on this blog which takes up significant space. This means that the majority of music will be up for only one month from the day it was posted. I may make exceptions for performances (once we start doing them!) and for special shows (the MJ Tribute will be here until the end of days…) but that’s the new policy now here at Melting Pot. So, if there’s music here that you dig and don’t have in your own collection, make sure you get it before it’s gone. In celebration of this 1st anniversary, at some point in between now and August 7th, I’ll be rolling out a mix of my favorite tracks from year one of “Dig Deep,” still in the concept phase right now, might focus just on breaks, might mix full versions, but I think this will be a yearly affair from here on out.

I’ll also be starting a new feature, Top 5’s, later next week. When KCRW started their “Five Things” blog stories, I found that there were a bunch of lists that were rolling around in my head, so “Top 5’s” will likely be a bi-weekly feature. Along with “Pound For Pound” and “What Does It All Mean?” I’m really hoping that as the years go passing by, “Top 5’s” will be another avenue for discussions about music, which is the only thing I wish we had a bit more of over here at Melting Pot. (Comment Please!!!)

Thank you all for checking out the blog and radio show…Onwards and Upwards!

Cheers,

Michael

Posted on Ephemera

In Heavy Rotation: Konono No. 1 – Assume Crash Position – Crammed Discs

Konono No. 1 – Wumbanzanga

This one is part of the Congotronics series that has been going on for a few years now, highlighting exceptional contemporary sounds out of Congo. Konono No. 1 has been around for quite a while, but have only recently caught on to international ears. This new album is seriously fantastic, with upbeat rhythms and electro kalimba sounds. If you happen to be in the LA area, they are playing a free show on Thursday July 8th as part of the Santa Monica Pier’s Twilight music series. Not to be missed!

Posted on Radio

Breakdown: July 4th on KPFK’s Melting Pot

We were finally back to just playing music this week on Melting Pot, for the first time in three weeks. Many thanks to everyone who pledge their support to KPFK during the fundraiser, we raised close to $3,000 on our three shows, which is no small feat given the circumstances. This week’s show featured new music from Aloe Blacc, Adam Franklin (of Swervedriver fame), Tender Trap, Seu Jorge, Bastien Lallemant, Orgone and music from the cast recording of Fela! Also some classic material from the Tuff Darts, Tim Maia and the Jon Spencer Blues Explosion.

Now that I’m getting settled at KPFK, I’m starting to think about the future possibilities for Melting Pot, including interviews, performances and many more giveaways. Next week I’ll have my “Best So Far” of 2010 show, so definitely tune in or check back here.

Melting Pot on KPFK #6: First Hour
Melting Pot on KPFK #6: Second Hour

Playlist: 7-4-2010

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

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Sharon Jones & the Dap Kings – This Land Is Your Land – 7” (Daptone)
People Under The Stairs – Anotha BBQ – FUN DMC (Gold Dust)
Big Barney – The Whole Thang – 7” (Grandville)
Roy Ayers – Everybody Loves The Sunshine (9th Wonder Remix) – Verve Remixed 4 (Verve)
Polar Bear – Happy For You – Peepers (Leaf)

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Charades – Revolución Solar – Revolución Solar (Bcore)
Total babe – Short Stories – Heatwave EP (So Tm)
Laurindo Almeida & Bud Shank – Nocturno – Brazilliance Vol. 2 (World Pacific)
Aloe Blacc – Femme Fatale – Good Things (Stones Throw)

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Neverever – Now – Angelic Swells (Slumberland)
The Tuff Darts – All For The Love Of Rock’n’Roll – Tuff Darts! (Sire)
Armageddon – Oh Man – Cloud Cuckooland (Finders Keepers)
Orgone – Overtime – Cali Fever (Ubiquity)
Anibal Velasquez – Vestido Nuevo – Mambo Loco (Analog Africa)
Los Silvertones – Uptight – Panama 3! (Soundway)

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Konono No. 1 – Fula Fula – Assume Crash Position (Crammed Discs)
Saravah Soul – Fire – Cultura Impura (Tru Thoughts)
Jon Spencer Blues Explosion – Orange – Orange (Matador)
Sahr Ngaujah & Antibalas – Water No Get Enemy – Fela! Original Broadway Cast Recording (Knitting Factory)
Femi Kuti – Do You Know – Day By Day (Mercer Street)

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Tender Trap – Do You Have A Boyfriend – 7” (Slumberland)
Leon Gardner – Farm Song – California Funk (Now-again)
Los Shakers – Break It All – Nuggets II (Rhino)
Quantic – Te Pico El Yaibi – Dog With A Rope (Tru Thoughts)

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Seu Jorge & Almaz – Cristina – Seu Jorge & Almaz (Now-again)
Tim Maia – Over Again – Tim Maia (1973) (Polydor)
Bastien Lallemant – L’amour – Le Verger ( L’autre)
Adam Franklin – She’s Closer Than I’ve Ever Been – I Could Sleep A Thousand Years (Second Motion)

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

Posted on Dig Deep

Dig Deep: The Packers – Hole In The Wall – Pure Soul (1965)

The Packers – Pure Soul
The Packers – Hoppin’ John
The Packers – I’m Converted

It doesn’t happen often, but I honestly can’t remember where I first came into contact with this album. I might have gotten a copy off of Dusty Groove, or at Groove Merchant, definitely while I was living in Oakland, but can’t remember…anyhow, for a long time this was a record that after my great sell-off in 2004, I really wish I had kept. I recently tracked down another copy at Amoeba Hollywood and now I share it with you.

The Packers are a somewhat mysterious group, put together by a DJ (Man, those were the days!!!) by the name of Magnificent Montague and led by saxophonist Charles “Packy” Axton, who was the son of the “AX” part of Stax records, Estelle Axton. The mystery surrounding this record is who else is involved. Funky 16 Corners did some nice detective work back in 2006 which explains that most likely Booker T and several “MGs” are featured on the original single (with Booker on piano and Leon Haywood on organ), one of the all-time great soul instrumental sides “Hole In The Wall” and it’s B-side “Go Head On.” From there, no one seems to be sure who the sessions men are that make up the rest of the record’s dynamite soul sound.

To my ears, it really does sound like Steve Cropper throughout, but it could have been one of the Muscle Shoals pickers, or just someone biting Cropper’s style. Perhaps someone else on the internets has figured it all out (or maybe it’s even in one of those books everyone used to read before the internet came along), but a little mystery is never a bad thing. Neither is the absolutely ace soul sound of this record. With tracks like “Hoppin’ John” with it’s snapping fingers and poppin’ drums and “I’m Converted,” with it’s mighty fine, though very quick, drum break, this record got me rethinking my preferences for soul music and got me digging for pre-1967 titles.

“Pure Soul” remains my favorite track though, with it’s “Tramp” inspired beat and gritty sax, as well as multiple times every takes it down and plays it a little bit softer before bringing it back up and banging. I would have loved to have been at a performance or a dance hall when this was playing back in the day.

Speaking of “Pure Soul,” it might just be my shaky memory regarding this song, but I could have sworn that my original copy, which had a red label, faded out at the end, though this current copy (on a black label pictured to the right) just cuts cold. Maybe there are more subtle differences between these two pressings, which will remain a mystery to me, unless some chimes in or I track down another copy.

Cheers,

Michael

Posted on Ephemera

In Heavy Rotation: Charades – Revolución Solar – BCore

Charades – En Las Batallas

Charades were one of my few contemporary music finds from our trip to Spain in 2008 (my only time overseas). I was initially intrigued by the cover art for their record En Ningún Lugar but just about instantly fell in love with the fuzzy indie-pop that was on display from the group back then. Somehow this follow-up, which was released all the way back in January, slipped under my radar until now. Revolución Solar finds the band with a more polished sound, which is still mighty solid, but I do miss the slight grittiness of the prior release. It feels as if the group has traded in a more Pixies influenced sound for more of a Stereolab vibe at times, which seems clear on “En Las Batallas,” perhaps the best bridge between the older sound of Charades and the newer version.

Posted on Ephemera

Giveaway: Dum Dum Girls @ The Echo July 1st!

{Congrats to Javier R. and Rachel G., winners of the tickets to go see Dum Dum Girls @ the Echo!}

Been a long time since we were able to do one of these, I think we’ll have a few more in coming weeks. LA based Dum Dum Girls are, in my humble opinion, leading the way in a “girls in the garage” styled revival that also includes Best Coast, Neverever, Golden Triangle and The Vivian Girls. They are playing at the Echo this Thursday July 1st, one of their last shows in California before heading out for Europe on their own and then around the country and world in brief stints on tour with Vampire Weekend and MGMT. Their debut “I Will Be” has been reviewed here and remains one of my fave releases of 2010.

If you interested in going to the show, e-mail me at michael @ meltingpotblog.com and I’ll let you know if you’ve won tickets by Wednesday June 30th!  Here’s a taste of what to expect, DDG performing at SXSW in all their fuzzed out glory…