Columbia/Legacy CD6512. 1973 (1997)
That shit is the funk, right there.
Though the jazz-improv-freakout gets a bit much towards the end of track 3, Sly, there isn't much to complain about here.
Just look at the cover!
Showing posts with label occasional dalliance. Show all posts
Showing posts with label occasional dalliance. Show all posts
Tuesday, 24 March 2009
Thursday, 19 March 2009
David Holmes - Don't Die Just Yet (single)
Entirely reasonable track, with those damn pointless remixes. And we all know what I think of pointless remixes.
Wednesday, 5 November 2008
The Hafler Trio - A Thirsty Fish
More of the good stuff.
I'm kind of glad this is the last THT disk on the shelf though. Some music would be nice.
Thursday, 30 October 2008
The Hafler Trio - Intoutof
More dark (even though the first half of it is clearly made with those whirly tube doofers) drone delight. Second half is harsh.
This is slower than the original vinyl, as they had to speed the tapes up to make it fit on each side of a record. Those crazy cats.
Lock the doors.
Holger Hiller - Demixed
Mute CDSTUMM102. 1992
All the greatness of the original tracks, shoved through a mangle and given a bit of a squeeze. I wouldn't say any of these are better than the starting material, but nothing comes across as too tragic, though track 8, XXX remixed by A.J. is a bit annoying and unnecessary.
I just noticed a sample from World Destruction by Timezone on this listen, which I've not made out before. There you go - I've achieved something today.
For fans of squeaky door samples.
Andrew Hodson - In Your Heart You Will Find Your Dreams
(No label info) TR00001. 2005
More masterful musicality from the Shandy. This was the result of a project at Royal Bolton Hospital's mental health unit, using found sound and recordings of performances of 'service users' and staff.
The result is quite diverse, but always enjoyable. So much so I considered releasing it myself to give it exposure beyond the 1000 copies produced for press, funders, friends and hospital use. It seemed to be getting a bit complicated with all the money people involved, so it never happened. Shame.
Andrew Hodson - Map Music
A soundtrack to a journey on the Tyne and Wear Metro system by Newcastle-based nice guy and all round musical wunderkind Mr Andy H (also responsible for The Matinee Orchestra).
Lots of manipulated field recordings, squeeky bleeps and all round pleasantness. Worth digging out, though I haven't made the train journey with the headphones on yet.
Wednesday, 8 October 2008
A Hawk And A Hacksaw - A Hawk And A Hacksaw
Leaf BAY35CD. 2004
Did anyone survive Neutral Milk Hotel intact? It become apparent after mere moments of pressing play that this album is the fermented fruit of a slightly rotten mind.
I will qualify that. Jeremy Barnes sports, or at least has every time I've seen him, a full beard. As we all know, anyone that favours so much facial fluff is as mad as several fishcakes.
This is an exhausting collection of frenetic masterpieces of the bizarre. It's difficult to keep up with the instrumentation and field recording jammed together in 40 odd minutes, and I can't say it's a pleasant experience.
Interesting enough to hang on to.
Wednesday, 1 October 2008
Gold Chains - Straight From Your Radio EP
Big improvement on the GC ep. Turn it up!
Get that coochie over here I want to fuck it (oh yeah!), get that coochie looking tight I want to lick it all night. (ad infinitum)
Gold Chains - Gold Chains EP
Play It Again Sam PIASB078CD. 2001
I'd never heard of him. I was off to see Kid606 play at the Buddle in Wallsend, and Gold Chains was playing too. He's a mad little fella. Cool as fuck.
After the gig we all went back to BP's, ate take-away curry and watched the continuing footage of 9/11 - neither K606 or GC had seen any of it until after the gig. On seeing the planes doing their smashy thing, K606 - "fuck it, that's east coast shit".
File under hispanic bass-party rap. Check out the album Young Miss America, especially the epic Break Or Be Broken.
"Everybody rocks at a Gold Chains party"
Grandaddy - The Sophtware Slump
I probably give this album too much of a hard time. It's ok. I was just disappointed with it after the glory of ...Freeway.
It isn't as dull and one-tempo'd as everything that came after it, but nothing really jumps out.
Monday, 29 September 2008
Groove Armada - Vertigo
Zomba Records 0523782. 1999
Not nearly so good as my memory would have it. Pleasant enough in the car but I wouldn't play it at home again. A couple of classic funky tunes (I see you baby / If everybody looked the same) and the mellow groove of At the river stand out.
Monday, 22 September 2008
Godflesh - Pure
Earache MOSH32CD. 1992
The first 20 seconds of Avalance Master Song on Godflesh (1988) won me over. I saw them tour with God shortly after, and they were great. (I'm pretty sure Kevin Martin spent the entire God set cupping one hand to his ear and furiously pointing to a monitor. Really, the entire set.) I was inspired to buy a drum machine. I wish I could remember what kind it was. I stood in the tiny electronics department of (I think) Rock City in Newcastle, where I'd previously bought myself a Charvel Model 1 pointy headstock rock guitar, and said to the guy 'Will it go 'du-dum, du-dum, du-dum-du.... du... du'', mimicking those first few bars. He assured me it would, so I spent my cash. I think I sold it to NF a few years later, who it turned out had owned it before me. Bizarre.
I digress. I lost interest in GF with this release. Instead of the relentless, sludgy dirge they'd spewed out previously, they got a bit melodic here. Some of the riffs even sound a bit bluesy-rock. I'd put that down to the new presence of Robert Hampson (Loop) in the line-up, but a quick look at the track-list would indicate otherwise. He doesn't play on the rockity ones.
The production sounds a bit weak to me. Doesn't hurt the head like it should. Never mind.
Rubén González - Introducing....
World Circuit WCD049. 1997
Oh, what the hell. I need something to take the taste of Diamanda Galas away...
Part of that whole Buena Vista Social Club thing that made Cuban music reet popular a few years back. This chap is pretty damn good with his joanna.
I was in Havana in November 2003 to look at some artsy stuff, and while wandering the back streets at night the air is heaving with music like this. Literally every other bar has a live band belting out Cumbanchero.
Hang on, I've been through this in the BVSC entry. Sorry.
Back to Rubén. Good stuff, but nothing to make it stand out from everything else BVSC-related.
The Goats - Tricks of the Shade
Columbia/Ruffhouse CK53027. 1992
Damn funky intelligent hip-hop.
I programmed a 'favourites' setting on my old CD player for this to cut out every other track, as they've got an annoying story thing going on through the album in between the toons. Don't people listen to their records before releasing them? Surely they'd have realised it would boil the piss of even the most patient hippity-hopster to have to skip the skits every listen.
Just to reiterate - this is really, really good. And that's from a chap who wears clothes that actually fit.
Grooverider - Mysteries of Funk (2 x cd)
Higher Ground/Sony HIGH06CD. 1998
I used to love this, but I prefer my DnB a bit more straight forward. Less of the annoying 'atmospherics' samples, more.... well, drums and bass really.
This also suffers that cancer on the spleen of many a potentially good DnB record - those damn spurious female vocal snippets. Honestly chaps, leave them out!
It'll go on again, but with a finger poised on the FF button on the remote.
10 months in a Saudi jail is a bit much for a bit of dope the size of a mouse's tit in your pocket, mind you. Welcome home Groove. Hope you get your job back at the BBC.
The Go's (Genbaku Onanies) - On Time, Live At Open House
Alchemy ARCD019. 1991
Bought at Volume Records, Newcastle upon tyne, £8.49 (sale price).
Very playable three chord punk. Glitchy live recording, but fun enough to get past that. I haven't got a clue what they're singing as it's all in Japanese.
According to a scribbled note stuck in the case by one of the kindly staff of Volume (I'd imagine, being the kind of music this is, it'd be Lee or Has), the name translates as 'A-bomb Masturbations'. Fancy that. Come to think of it, I'd say this is the first time I've actually seen the front cover, as I'd never removed the note.
One of the more obscure items on my shelves, and there it shall stay.
Friday, 15 August 2008
Various Artists - Filter... killing music
Inoffensive collection of DnB-ish technosity.
I think I'll start adding links to allmusic for entries from now on. Why not eh? From now on the catalogue no. and date will link to allmusic.com.
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