Collecting 1972's Life, Love and Faith, 1975's Southern Nights and 1978's Motion, as well as a bonus disc of a complete 1975 concert, The Complete Warner Recordings is the rare compilation that serves as both highlight reel and in-depth tutorial. To call Allen Toussaint "underrated" is both fitting and a slight understatement, as though his recorded output over the past 50 years has been incredible (for those who've been keeping track), he's best known as the writer of other people's hits. Glenn Campbell made "Southern Nights" his own in his 1977 album of the same name, Bonnie Raitt used "What is Success" as the centerpiece to her 1974 Streetlights LP and just about everyone has their own version of "Working in the Coal Mine." Looking back on his string of LPs for Warner/Reprise in the mid 70s though, it's amazing Toussaint didn't hit it big in his own right. The first of the bunch, Live, Love and Faith, overflows with hits, touches on tripped out funk and, though bordering on genre exercise, manages to hold together quite nicely, but his second LP for the label, Southern Nights, is the true masterpiece. Held together by the title track, sections of which weave in and out of the LP in ghostly apparitions, Southern Nights is a classic fusion of southern soul and tasteful psychedelia in the hands of a true master - impeccably arranged from end to end and fascinating through a set of headphones. Its follow up, Motion, doesn't quite move me as do its predecessors, but I'm sure it will eventually, so it's great to have on deck. Highlights of the live set include "Last Train" and "Southern Nights," but really, it's incredible all the way through to Toussaint's closing statements.
Showing posts with label Psychedelic. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Psychedelic. Show all posts
Friday
Allen Toussaint
The Complete Warner Recordings - 1972-1978
Collecting 1972's Life, Love and Faith, 1975's Southern Nights and 1978's Motion, as well as a bonus disc of a complete 1975 concert, The Complete Warner Recordings is the rare compilation that serves as both highlight reel and in-depth tutorial. To call Allen Toussaint "underrated" is both fitting and a slight understatement, as though his recorded output over the past 50 years has been incredible (for those who've been keeping track), he's best known as the writer of other people's hits. Glenn Campbell made "Southern Nights" his own in his 1977 album of the same name, Bonnie Raitt used "What is Success" as the centerpiece to her 1974 Streetlights LP and just about everyone has their own version of "Working in the Coal Mine." Looking back on his string of LPs for Warner/Reprise in the mid 70s though, it's amazing Toussaint didn't hit it big in his own right. The first of the bunch, Live, Love and Faith, overflows with hits, touches on tripped out funk and, though bordering on genre exercise, manages to hold together quite nicely, but his second LP for the label, Southern Nights, is the true masterpiece. Held together by the title track, sections of which weave in and out of the LP in ghostly apparitions, Southern Nights is a classic fusion of southern soul and tasteful psychedelia in the hands of a true master - impeccably arranged from end to end and fascinating through a set of headphones. Its follow up, Motion, doesn't quite move me as do its predecessors, but I'm sure it will eventually, so it's great to have on deck. Highlights of the live set include "Last Train" and "Southern Nights," but really, it's incredible all the way through to Toussaint's closing statements.
Collecting 1972's Life, Love and Faith, 1975's Southern Nights and 1978's Motion, as well as a bonus disc of a complete 1975 concert, The Complete Warner Recordings is the rare compilation that serves as both highlight reel and in-depth tutorial. To call Allen Toussaint "underrated" is both fitting and a slight understatement, as though his recorded output over the past 50 years has been incredible (for those who've been keeping track), he's best known as the writer of other people's hits. Glenn Campbell made "Southern Nights" his own in his 1977 album of the same name, Bonnie Raitt used "What is Success" as the centerpiece to her 1974 Streetlights LP and just about everyone has their own version of "Working in the Coal Mine." Looking back on his string of LPs for Warner/Reprise in the mid 70s though, it's amazing Toussaint didn't hit it big in his own right. The first of the bunch, Live, Love and Faith, overflows with hits, touches on tripped out funk and, though bordering on genre exercise, manages to hold together quite nicely, but his second LP for the label, Southern Nights, is the true masterpiece. Held together by the title track, sections of which weave in and out of the LP in ghostly apparitions, Southern Nights is a classic fusion of southern soul and tasteful psychedelia in the hands of a true master - impeccably arranged from end to end and fascinating through a set of headphones. Its follow up, Motion, doesn't quite move me as do its predecessors, but I'm sure it will eventually, so it's great to have on deck. Highlights of the live set include "Last Train" and "Southern Nights," but really, it's incredible all the way through to Toussaint's closing statements.
Wednesday
Roky Erickson
Psych-rock warrior Roky Erickson has a full-length collaboration with Okkervil River coming out in April. I appreciate his story a little more than I actually enjoy his music with the 13th Floor Elevators, the Aliens, et. al, but you've gotta respect an artist who's paid dis dues like Roky has. Anyone who's seen the documentary You're Gonna Miss Me can attest. Here's a short promo of him clowning around the always awesome Toy Joy here in Austin with Okkervil's Will Sheff. It's great to see the dude looking and sounding healthier than he has in years. Cheers to you, Roky.
Thursday
Rolling Stones
The Satanic Sessions, Volumes 1 & 2 - 1967
As time has worked to dull the pain of witnessing a band so desperately nipping at the heels of Sgt. Pepper, it has also allowed for a long overdue re-examination of the Rolling Stones' most misunderstood album. Aside from containing founding member Brian Jones' last worthwhile contributions as a Stone, Their Satanic Majesties Request also marked the last, and arguably the most significant shift for a band that would morph into the world's greatest over the course of its next three albums.
Far from the cohesive, back to basics Beggars Banquet that would follow, Satanic Majesties was wildly unfocused and plagued by general period-specific themes of outer space, togetherness and mind expansion. And through use of unconventional instruments, it has been extremely difficult to determine which member(s) of the band led the sessions. Thankfully, this 2-volume box alleviates these major flaws - the entirety of this 8-disc set is comprised of the basic instrumental tracks (not a drop of hippy drippy vocals), and the multiple takes and studio chatter illustrate the specific contributions of each member.
So what's revealed here? 1) Keith Richard's guitar riffs form the structure of the majority of the album, 2) Nicky Hopkins' virtuosic keyboards make him virtually a 6th member of the band, 3) Brian Jones' Mellotron is its main psychedelic ingredient, and 4) "Jigsaw Puzzle" was originally recorded during these sessions. But that's just scratching the surface. If you're unfamiliar with the album, this set will be like entering a conversation halfway through, so get your hands on the original first. If it's already on your list of favorites, take a listen. The results are fascinating, but not for everyone. Full track list in comments.
As time has worked to dull the pain of witnessing a band so desperately nipping at the heels of Sgt. Pepper, it has also allowed for a long overdue re-examination of the Rolling Stones' most misunderstood album. Aside from containing founding member Brian Jones' last worthwhile contributions as a Stone, Their Satanic Majesties Request also marked the last, and arguably the most significant shift for a band that would morph into the world's greatest over the course of its next three albums.Far from the cohesive, back to basics Beggars Banquet that would follow, Satanic Majesties was wildly unfocused and plagued by general period-specific themes of outer space,
So what's revealed here? 1) Keith Richard's guitar riffs form the structure of the majority of the album, 2) Nicky Hopkins' virtuosic keyboards make him virtually a 6th member of the band, 3) Brian Jones' Mellotron is its main psychedelic ingredient, and 4) "Jigsaw Puzzle" was originally recorded during these sessions. But that's just scratching the surface. If you're unfamiliar with the album, this set will be like entering a conversation halfway through, so get your hands on the original first. If it's already on your list of favorites, take a listen. The results are fascinating, but not for everyone. Full track list in comments.
Tuesday
Baby Huey
The Baby Huey Story: the Living Legegnd - 1971
God only knows why I passed up this record for so long. I urge you to not make the same mistake. James Ramey, or oddly "Baby Huey", was a giant at over 400 pounds. He was a young (26 at the time of this recording) heroin addict, a disciple of Curtis Mayfield and was dead before his only LP could be completed. Inspired by Sly Stone's psych-soul, Huey and the aptly-named Babysitters, forged a similar path in the late 60s Chicago club scene. But where Sly's pre-Riot funk could be uplifting, friendly even, Huey and the Babysitters' brew was a tad darker, more heady and without a doubt, some of the heaviest funk of the era. The band's live set grabbed the attention of Curtis Mayfield, who produced their debut and donated a few tracks of his own, "Mighty Mighty", "Runnin'" and the magnificent "Hard Times". At some point during the sessions, Huey suffered a fatal heart attack in a Chicago hotel, and though Mayfield and the band trudged on and finished the record, it failed to chart and was resigned to obscurity. Nearly 40 years on, The Living Legend remains an intensely vivid snapshot of a band and a singer with no rivals, flawlessly produced and tastefully dated. It's easy to dream how far out Huey and the band could've gone from here, but its hard to imagine they'd could ever top this.
God only knows why I passed up this record for so long. I urge you to not make the same mistake. James Ramey, or oddly "Baby Huey", was a giant at over 400 pounds. He was a young (26 at the time of this recording) heroin addict, a disciple of Curtis Mayfield and was dead before his only LP could be completed. Inspired by Sly Stone's psych-soul, Huey and the aptly-named Babysitters, forged a similar path in the late 60s Chicago club scene. But where Sly's pre-Riot funk could be uplifting, friendly even, Huey and the Babysitters' brew was a tad darker, more heady and without a doubt, some of the heaviest funk of the era. The band's live set grabbed the attention of Curtis Mayfield, who produced their debut and donated a few tracks of his own, "Mighty Mighty", "Runnin'" and the magnificent "Hard Times". At some point during the sessions, Huey suffered a fatal heart attack in a Chicago hotel, and though Mayfield and the band trudged on and finished the record, it failed to chart and was resigned to obscurity. Nearly 40 years on, The Living Legend remains an intensely vivid snapshot of a band and a singer with no rivals, flawlessly produced and tastefully dated. It's easy to dream how far out Huey and the band could've gone from here, but its hard to imagine they'd could ever top this.Wednesday
Allen Toussaint
What is Success: The Scepter and Bell Recordings - 1968-70
It's hard to fathom the meager success of Allen Toussaint when considering the incredible impact he's had on music over the past 40+ years. In fact, the title of this compilation might be more fitting with a question mark at the end, but that's just getting picky. Jokes aside, this collection of tracks from Toussaint's second LP (the first under his own name) and a few singles from his days on the Bell label is a stunning example of the man's ability to crank out classic after classic tune and one of the greatest single documents of Crescent City R&B every produced. And though he's looked upon fondly for his songwriting chops, Toussaint's fingerprints are all over records by Dr. John, the Meters, Lee Dorsey and famously, the Band's Rock of Ages LP, for which he arranged the horns. Just take a peek at the liner notes - he's everywhere. So hearing Toussaint's own records is like filling in a giant void, connecting the dots on your record collection and realizing there's a giant hole in it where his LPs should be sitting.
It's hard to fathom the meager success of Allen Toussaint when considering the incredible impact he's had on music over the past 40+ years. In fact, the title of this compilation might be more fitting with a question mark at the end, but that's just getting picky. Jokes aside, this collection of tracks from Toussaint's second LP (the first under his own name) and a few singles from his days on the Bell label is a stunning example of the man's ability to crank out classic after classic tune and one of the greatest single documents of Crescent City R&B every produced. And though he's looked upon fondly for his songwriting chops, Toussaint's fingerprints are all over records by Dr. John, the Meters, Lee Dorsey and famously, the Band's Rock of Ages LP, for which he arranged the horns. Just take a peek at the liner notes - he's everywhere. So hearing Toussaint's own records is like filling in a giant void, connecting the dots on your record collection and realizing there's a giant hole in it where his LPs should be sitting.Thursday
Herbie Hancock
Flood (Live) - 1975
Herbie Hancock was all but unstoppable at the midway point of the 1970s. Following his tenure in Miles' great quintet through the latter half of the 1960s, working with the trumpeter to lay the groundwork for jazz-fusion at the turn of the decade, spacing out and stretching the groove beyond recognition with Mwandishi and pumping out some of the most refined, sophisticated funk of all time with Headhunters, Hancock was the master. It was all his turf. On Flood, the 1975 live album he recorded with the Headhunters lineup in (of all places) the Tokyo Sun Plaza, Hancock doesn't necessarily bring anything that he hasn't brought to record before, but featuring cuts from each of his previous three LPs - all of which are stone classics - the album serves as a Headhunters-era greatest hits that proves, yes, this band really was as good as it sounds on record. Chamelion and Watermelon Man, while great, lack the fire that only comes from having performed them a few too many times, so it's the tunes from Man Child and Thrust that really smoke here. Actual proof, indeed. This two-disc set runs a shade over 74 minutes, so burn it to a single, put it in the dash and enjoy those last few days of summer.
Herbie Hancock was all but unstoppable at the midway point of the 1970s. Following his tenure in Miles' great quintet through the latter half of the 1960s, working with the trumpeter to lay the groundwork for jazz-fusion at the turn of the decade, spacing out and stretching the groove beyond recognition with Mwandishi and pumping out some of the most refined, sophisticated funk of all time with Headhunters, Hancock was the master. It was all his turf. On Flood, the 1975 live album he recorded with the Headhunters lineup in (of all places) the Tokyo Sun Plaza, Hancock doesn't necessarily bring anything that he hasn't brought to record before, but featuring cuts from each of his previous three LPs - all of which are stone classics - the album serves as a Headhunters-era greatest hits that proves, yes, this band really was as good as it sounds on record. Chamelion and Watermelon Man, while great, lack the fire that only comes from having performed them a few too many times, so it's the tunes from Man Child and Thrust that really smoke here. Actual proof, indeed. This two-disc set runs a shade over 74 minutes, so burn it to a single, put it in the dash and enjoy those last few days of summer.Spider John Koerner & Willie Murphy
Running, Jumping, Standing Still - 1967
While Dylan and the Band were holed up in basement of Big Pink brewing up their response to the summer of psychedelia, Spider John Koerner was doing much of the same back in Minneapolis, and with arguably better results. Instead of eschewing any and all drippy hippie elements like his Woodstock counterparts, Spider John and barrelhouse pianist Willie Murphy carefully plucked and weaved curious harmonies, bizarre instrumentation, clever production and the finer elements of the technicolor scene into an LP that remained firmly rooted in the brilliant folk songwriting with which he'd made his name as one third of Koerner, Ray & Glover. Produced by the same Mohawk production team responsible for Dr. John's magnificent Gris-Gris LP, Running, Jumping, Standing Still is an absolute rarity; an album of incredible depth and ingenuity that has remained far enough off the radar to detract hordes of imitators, and in turn, has managed to age more elegantly than most anything of its time. Standouts include the title track and "Magazine Lady", a couple of the album's finer examples of the duo's penchant for loose grooves and patchwork time shifts, as well as the pillowy leadoff track "Good Night." An album as satisfying on its first spin as its twentieth.
While Dylan and the Band were holed up in basement of Big Pink brewing up their response to the summer of psychedelia, Spider John Koerner was doing much of the same back in Minneapolis, and with arguably better results. Instead of eschewing any and all drippy hippie elements like his Woodstock counterparts, Spider John and barrelhouse pianist Willie Murphy carefully plucked and weaved curious harmonies, bizarre instrumentation, clever production and the finer elements of the technicolor scene into an LP that remained firmly rooted in the brilliant folk songwriting with which he'd made his name as one third of Koerner, Ray & Glover. Produced by the same Mohawk production team responsible for Dr. John's magnificent Gris-Gris LP, Running, Jumping, Standing Still is an absolute rarity; an album of incredible depth and ingenuity that has remained far enough off the radar to detract hordes of imitators, and in turn, has managed to age more elegantly than most anything of its time. Standouts include the title track and "Magazine Lady", a couple of the album's finer examples of the duo's penchant for loose grooves and patchwork time shifts, as well as the pillowy leadoff track "Good Night." An album as satisfying on its first spin as its twentieth.Wednesday
Charles Wright and the Watts 103rd Street Rhythm Band
You're So Beautiful - 1971
Following the massive one-two punch of 1969's In the Jungle Babe and Express Yourself the following year, Charles Wright and his Watts 103rd Street Rhythm Band understandably began to run out of gas when it came to constructing tight, heavily orchestrated mini funk masterpieces. By the time You're So Beautiful was released in 1971, the band was frayed and loose; their uplifting soul anthems replaced by slow loping jams that bordered on despair and a general unease that drifted in an out of the grooves like an instrument in itself. If the band wasn't in tatters, it was damn close, with a number of members jumping ship throughout 1969 and 70, making the band that recorded You're So Beautiful and altogether different animal than the one that cut its two predecessors. Its easy to draw parallels to what was going on at the same time with Sly and the Family Stone, and though it doesn't quite mirror the hauntingly stark funk that became There's a Riot Goin' On, You're So Beautiful is an album that benefits heavily from a band falling apart at the seams. Loose, wearily funky and at times directionless to the point of amusement, the charm of the LP is in how good the music sounds despite it all, and how far out Charles Wright took himself and his band in just a year's time. This was to be the Watts 103rd's final album, thought Wright would continue to record solo records throughout the early part of the decade.
Following the massive one-two punch of 1969's In the Jungle Babe and Express Yourself the following year, Charles Wright and his Watts 103rd Street Rhythm Band understandably began to run out of gas when it came to constructing tight, heavily orchestrated mini funk masterpieces. By the time You're So Beautiful was released in 1971, the band was frayed and loose; their uplifting soul anthems replaced by slow loping jams that bordered on despair and a general unease that drifted in an out of the grooves like an instrument in itself. If the band wasn't in tatters, it was damn close, with a number of members jumping ship throughout 1969 and 70, making the band that recorded You're So Beautiful and altogether different animal than the one that cut its two predecessors. Its easy to draw parallels to what was going on at the same time with Sly and the Family Stone, and though it doesn't quite mirror the hauntingly stark funk that became There's a Riot Goin' On, You're So Beautiful is an album that benefits heavily from a band falling apart at the seams. Loose, wearily funky and at times directionless to the point of amusement, the charm of the LP is in how good the music sounds despite it all, and how far out Charles Wright took himself and his band in just a year's time. This was to be the Watts 103rd's final album, thought Wright would continue to record solo records throughout the early part of the decade.Thursday
Sir Douglas Quintet
Sir Douglas Quintet +2 = Honkey Blues - 1968
The consistency of the output of Doug Sahm and his Sir Douglas Quintet was worth betting the homestead on back in his heyday of the late 1960s and 70s, but it's only through the benefit of hindsight that one can appreciate the giant curve ball he threw with the release of the Quartet's first album. Sure, it's loaded with a heavy Tejano influence, an occasional shout out to the folks back in San Antonio, and his usual melange of styles and influences, but the overwhelmingly psychedelic nature of the album is the what makes Honkey Blues such a treat and a complete anomaly in the Doug Sahm canon. It's also worth noting that the LP is one of his few without the wheezing Vox Continental of longtime cohort Augie Meyers. The tunes here, as strong as any in Sahm's repertoire, are drenched in reverb, linked in reverse tape effects and patched together using such bizarre editing that the result is an album that is remarkable for inducing such an aural trip between the ears of its listener rather than one that sounds like the band were simply out of their heads when recording it. A tremendous listening experience and one of the great underappreciated psychedelic LPs of all time.
The consistency of the output of Doug Sahm and his Sir Douglas Quintet was worth betting the homestead on back in his heyday of the late 1960s and 70s, but it's only through the benefit of hindsight that one can appreciate the giant curve ball he threw with the release of the Quartet's first album. Sure, it's loaded with a heavy Tejano influence, an occasional shout out to the folks back in San Antonio, and his usual melange of styles and influences, but the overwhelmingly psychedelic nature of the album is the what makes Honkey Blues such a treat and a complete anomaly in the Doug Sahm canon. It's also worth noting that the LP is one of his few without the wheezing Vox Continental of longtime cohort Augie Meyers. The tunes here, as strong as any in Sahm's repertoire, are drenched in reverb, linked in reverse tape effects and patched together using such bizarre editing that the result is an album that is remarkable for inducing such an aural trip between the ears of its listener rather than one that sounds like the band were simply out of their heads when recording it. A tremendous listening experience and one of the great underappreciated psychedelic LPs of all time.
Tuesday
Velvet Underground
Bootleg Series Volume 1: The Quine Tapes
Recorded at the peak of Lou Reed's songwriting powers and the band's apex as a well oiled touring machine, The Quine Tapes are undeniably the best official record of the Velvet Underground in all its ear bending splendor. There are live documents of higher sound quality, namely the double LP set 1969: The Velvet Underground Live, but for what The Quine Tapes lack in quality (and in reality, they're not all that bad) they more than make up for in capturing the spirit of a group that was light years beyond its time. Famed for his guitar work throughout the mid 70s/80s, Robert Quine befriended the Velvets somewhere in the midst of the 1969 tour and with the band's permission, began recording all of the shows he'd attend on a personal tape recorder. The best of the best were transferred to reel-to-reel tapes and those that survived comprise this officially released collection. Mirroring the band's set on the 69 tour, each disc climaxes with a monster-sized version of Sister Ray (24, 38 and 28 minutes respectively), while the amount of material pulled from each of the band's four albums is represented in almost equal measure - including plenty of Loaded material roughly a year before it was released, and a bevy of tunes that would never appear on the band's LPs. The consistent quality across these discs proves that even on shows that were recorded up to six months apart as they are here, the Velvet Underground was a live band without equal. Words like transcendent, frothy, superbly melodic, orgasmic, et al come to mind, but they're really of no use in describing what we have here. Just click, wait and reward yourself with a good listen. It hardly gets better than this.
Recorded at the peak of Lou Reed's songwriting powers and the band's apex as a well oiled touring machine, The Quine Tapes are undeniably the best official record of the Velvet Underground in all its ear bending splendor. There are live documents of higher sound quality, namely the double LP set 1969: The Velvet Underground Live, but for what The Quine Tapes lack in quality (and in reality, they're not all that bad) they more than make up for in capturing the spirit of a group that was light years beyond its time. Famed for his guitar work throughout the mid 70s/80s, Robert Quine befriended the Velvets somewhere in the midst of the 1969 tour and with the band's permission, began recording all of the shows he'd attend on a personal tape recorder. The best of the best were transferred to reel-to-reel tapes and those that survived comprise this officially released collection. Mirroring the band's set on the 69 tour, each disc climaxes with a monster-sized version of Sister Ray (24, 38 and 28 minutes respectively), while the amount of material pulled from each of the band's four albums is represented in almost equal measure - including plenty of Loaded material roughly a year before it was released, and a bevy of tunes that would never appear on the band's LPs. The consistent quality across these discs proves that even on shows that were recorded up to six months apart as they are here, the Velvet Underground was a live band without equal. Words like transcendent, frothy, superbly melodic, orgasmic, et al come to mind, but they're really of no use in describing what we have here. Just click, wait and reward yourself with a good listen. It hardly gets better than this.Friday
Can
Can Live: Music - 1971-1977
While their albums throughout the early and mid 1970s were landmarks of stylistic innovation and studio mastery, Can in the live setting was a band of startling, head wringing power. Most concerts would contain just a few tunes pulled from their various LPs, with the majority of the show left open to the whims of improvisation. Heady music in its most adventurous form. Songs would swell to double, at times triple the length of their studio counterparts, vocalization was sparse if it appeared at all and was treated as another instrument in the mix when it did, and the sheer volume and intensity of the music would reach cathartic levels. Originally part of the Can Box package, Can Live Music (1971-1977) collects material from the band's "golden period" and presents it here with tremendous fidelity. "You Doo Right" is incredible as usual, but here it emerges from the audience's rhythmic clapping as if being summoned from the depths. "Colchester Finale" is a massive 37+ minute jam that incorporates more than a few morsels from Tago Mago before falling in on itself in a swirl of chaos and stopping - quite miraculously - on a dime. Only nine tracks in all, but the majority of what's contained on this double live set is beyond compare, even when lined up to their studio output. This is the other side of the coin. Enjoy.
While their albums throughout the early and mid 1970s were landmarks of stylistic innovation and studio mastery, Can in the live setting was a band of startling, head wringing power. Most concerts would contain just a few tunes pulled from their various LPs, with the majority of the show left open to the whims of improvisation. Heady music in its most adventurous form. Songs would swell to double, at times triple the length of their studio counterparts, vocalization was sparse if it appeared at all and was treated as another instrument in the mix when it did, and the sheer volume and intensity of the music would reach cathartic levels. Originally part of the Can Box package, Can Live Music (1971-1977) collects material from the band's "golden period" and presents it here with tremendous fidelity. "You Doo Right" is incredible as usual, but here it emerges from the audience's rhythmic clapping as if being summoned from the depths. "Colchester Finale" is a massive 37+ minute jam that incorporates more than a few morsels from Tago Mago before falling in on itself in a swirl of chaos and stopping - quite miraculously - on a dime. Only nine tracks in all, but the majority of what's contained on this double live set is beyond compare, even when lined up to their studio output. This is the other side of the coin. Enjoy.Dr. John
Babylon - 1969
Establishing himself as the high priest of psychedelic voodoo with his 1968 debut, Gris Gris, Dr. John tweaked his formula a bit, spaced things out even further and brewed up a far weirder, equally intoxicating follow up with Babylon. Here, the grooves are twitchy and loping, the instruments have more room to roam and the chorus of female voices serves as more of an instrument in and of itself rather than a counterpoint to the lead vocals. Oddly enough, Mac Rebennack's voice toes the line between a frothy Captain Beefheart and Van Morrison on a bad trip, while the music reaches Sun Ra levels of spacial intensity. Taken in album-length doses, Babylon is an incredible achievement that with such a varying palette of flavors and grooves laid out to soak up, rivals Gris Gris in depth and flat-out weirdness. Every track is a highlight, but the chorus of "Glowin'" is one of Dr. John's most beautifully emotive sections in his repertoire, while the electric-piano backbone of "Black Widow Spider" drives and whirls the album to a manic peak. Not easy to come by and sadly overshadowed by its predecessor and Dr. John's funkier, more accessible work with the Meters a few years later, Babylon is an enigma. If Gris Gris was a tidy pot of gumbo, Babylon was a cajun boil with all of its elements poured on the table to feast on and dissect. Delicious.
Establishing himself as the high priest of psychedelic voodoo with his 1968 debut, Gris Gris, Dr. John tweaked his formula a bit, spaced things out even further and brewed up a far weirder, equally intoxicating follow up with Babylon. Here, the grooves are twitchy and loping, the instruments have more room to roam and the chorus of female voices serves as more of an instrument in and of itself rather than a counterpoint to the lead vocals. Oddly enough, Mac Rebennack's voice toes the line between a frothy Captain Beefheart and Van Morrison on a bad trip, while the music reaches Sun Ra levels of spacial intensity. Taken in album-length doses, Babylon is an incredible achievement that with such a varying palette of flavors and grooves laid out to soak up, rivals Gris Gris in depth and flat-out weirdness. Every track is a highlight, but the chorus of "Glowin'" is one of Dr. John's most beautifully emotive sections in his repertoire, while the electric-piano backbone of "Black Widow Spider" drives and whirls the album to a manic peak. Not easy to come by and sadly overshadowed by its predecessor and Dr. John's funkier, more accessible work with the Meters a few years later, Babylon is an enigma. If Gris Gris was a tidy pot of gumbo, Babylon was a cajun boil with all of its elements poured on the table to feast on and dissect. Delicious.
Wednesday
The Creation
Our Music Is Red with Purple Flashes - 1998 comp.
Despite being one of the most artistically bold outfits of their time - guitarist Eddie Phillips bowed his guitar long before Jimmy Page while lead singer Kenny Pickett would paint gigantic canvases on-onstage and light them ablaze at the end of the performance - the Creation are simply grouped along with the Who, the Kinks and the Small Faces as the cream of the mod crop of the mid 1960s, and are best known for the spectacularly powerful guitar riffage of "Making Time." Setting them further apart from their contemporaries is the fact that the band's complete discography is comprised solely of Shel Talmy-produced singles and a lone album, 1967's We Are Paintermen, that simply rounds up their A and B sides in one unimaginative package. No Village Green Preservation Society, no S.F. Sorrow. Just "Biff Bang Pow", a brilliant flash of light, a giant puff of smoke and they were gone. In the 40 years since they disbanded there have been many compilations aiming to collect the band's greatest moments, but Our Music Is Red With Purple Flashes is undeniably the best of the lot - claiming to "contain the entirety of the band's recorded output from their original 60s incarnation." It's all here, from standard period covers like "Cool Jerk" and "Like A Rolling Stone" to their magnificent originals, including "Painter Man," "Making Time" and the criminally overlooked "How Does It Feel To Feel," presented in vastly different US and UK single versions. With unmatched power pop bravado that was entirely of its time, and fractured, arty guitar work that was about 10 years ahead of the curve, it frequently amazes me how the Creation has remained an "also-ran" for four decades. You'll likely feel the same way.
NOTE: The tremendous Lost-In-Tyme blog posted the We Are Paintermen LP a while back. Head on over and pay 'em a visit.
Despite being one of the most artistically bold outfits of their time - guitarist Eddie Phillips bowed his guitar long before Jimmy Page while lead singer Kenny Pickett would paint gigantic canvases on-onstage and light them ablaze at the end of the performance - the Creation are simply grouped along with the Who, the Kinks and the Small Faces as the cream of the mod crop of the mid 1960s, and are best known for the spectacularly powerful guitar riffage of "Making Time." Setting them further apart from their contemporaries is the fact that the band's complete discography is comprised solely of Shel Talmy-produced singles and a lone album, 1967's We Are Paintermen, that simply rounds up their A and B sides in one unimaginative package. No Village Green Preservation Society, no S.F. Sorrow. Just "Biff Bang Pow", a brilliant flash of light, a giant puff of smoke and they were gone. In the 40 years since they disbanded there have been many compilations aiming to collect the band's greatest moments, but Our Music Is Red With Purple Flashes is undeniably the best of the lot - claiming to "contain the entirety of the band's recorded output from their original 60s incarnation." It's all here, from standard period covers like "Cool Jerk" and "Like A Rolling Stone" to their magnificent originals, including "Painter Man," "Making Time" and the criminally overlooked "How Does It Feel To Feel," presented in vastly different US and UK single versions. With unmatched power pop bravado that was entirely of its time, and fractured, arty guitar work that was about 10 years ahead of the curve, it frequently amazes me how the Creation has remained an "also-ran" for four decades. You'll likely feel the same way.NOTE: The tremendous Lost-In-Tyme blog posted the We Are Paintermen LP a while back. Head on over and pay 'em a visit.
Tuesday
Lee "Scratch" Perry
Upsetters 14 Dub Blackboard Jungle - 1973
Having been renamed, remixed and reorganized many times since its original release in 1973, the phenomenal Upsetters 14 Blackboard Jungle Dub has at long last been restored to its original incarnation and given the definitive remastering treatment it's deserved for decades. Arguably the first true dub LP, Blackboard Jungle is a landmark pairing of two of the greatest minds of the genre, Lee "Scratch" Perry and King Tubby, both of whom leave their unmistakable imprint all over this record. It's tough to pin down exactly who did what and where, but from the sound of things, the bulk of the tracks were arranged and recorded at Scratch's Black Ark Studio - wobbly guitars, grimy bass and percussion, distant horns and all - while King Tubby reigned over the mixing board and dubbed it blacker than dread. Thanks to Tubby's meticulous technique, Blackboard Jungle is unlike anything else to come out of the Black Ark, incredibly precise, elegantly psychedelic, even flirting with American soul at points, and every bit as thrilling as anything either man would accomplish at the height of their career. One of the greatest albums of all time. If you're looking to dip your toe into the murky waters of dub, dip it here.
For this LP and more of the same, head over to the incredible You and Me on a Jamboree. They've got enough dub, roots reggae and classics to make you sick.
Having been renamed, remixed and reorganized many times since its original release in 1973, the phenomenal Upsetters 14 Blackboard Jungle Dub has at long last been restored to its original incarnation and given the definitive remastering treatment it's deserved for decades. Arguably the first true dub LP, Blackboard Jungle is a landmark pairing of two of the greatest minds of the genre, Lee "Scratch" Perry and King Tubby, both of whom leave their unmistakable imprint all over this record. It's tough to pin down exactly who did what and where, but from the sound of things, the bulk of the tracks were arranged and recorded at Scratch's Black Ark Studio - wobbly guitars, grimy bass and percussion, distant horns and all - while King Tubby reigned over the mixing board and dubbed it blacker than dread. Thanks to Tubby's meticulous technique, Blackboard Jungle is unlike anything else to come out of the Black Ark, incredibly precise, elegantly psychedelic, even flirting with American soul at points, and every bit as thrilling as anything either man would accomplish at the height of their career. One of the greatest albums of all time. If you're looking to dip your toe into the murky waters of dub, dip it here.For this LP and more of the same, head over to the incredible You and Me on a Jamboree. They've got enough dub, roots reggae and classics to make you sick.
Monday
Pink Floyd
The Complete Zabriskie Point Sessions - 1969
The six year span of Pink Floyd's career between Piper at the Gates of Dawn and Dark Side of the Moon is a meandering, often treacherous stretch of road. That's not to say that it didn't show some signs of promise, and here and there, occasional glimpses at the brilliance that was on the horizon. Commissioned to record ambient sections of soundtrack music for Michaelangelo Antonioni's film Zabriskie Point, the band took full advantage of their studio allowance to not only record a wealth of material that would signal a shift toward pastoral folk of Meddle and Obscured By Clouds, but to demo rough sketches of tunes that would turn up on Dark Side of the Moon a couple of years later. With the effects of their acid-drenched Syd Barrett period still lingering, it's not surprising that a few brief slices of self-indulgence pop up here and there, but overall The Complete Zabriskie Point Sessions is an exciting listen, if not a completely captivating one from end to end. Had the fat been trimmed and a few overdubs thrown on for good measure, these sessions would have resulted in their first great album of the post-Barrett Floyd. On it’s own terms, it’s still an essential document in tracing the evolution of one of psychedelic rock’s all-time greats.
The six year span of Pink Floyd's career between Piper at the Gates of Dawn and Dark Side of the Moon is a meandering, often treacherous stretch of road. That's not to say that it didn't show some signs of promise, and here and there, occasional glimpses at the brilliance that was on the horizon. Commissioned to record ambient sections of soundtrack music for Michaelangelo Antonioni's film Zabriskie Point, the band took full advantage of their studio allowance to not only record a wealth of material that would signal a shift toward pastoral folk of Meddle and Obscured By Clouds, but to demo rough sketches of tunes that would turn up on Dark Side of the Moon a couple of years later. With the effects of their acid-drenched Syd Barrett period still lingering, it's not surprising that a few brief slices of self-indulgence pop up here and there, but overall The Complete Zabriskie Point Sessions is an exciting listen, if not a completely captivating one from end to end. Had the fat been trimmed and a few overdubs thrown on for good measure, these sessions would have resulted in their first great album of the post-Barrett Floyd. On it’s own terms, it’s still an essential document in tracing the evolution of one of psychedelic rock’s all-time greats.Wednesday
Nilsson
The Point! - 1971
While the same could be said for any of his albums, The Point is easily a high water mark in the career of Harry Nilsson. Thematically brilliant, densely orchestrated and packed with more hooks than a meat locker, The Point! was commissioned as the soundtrack to an ABC television special in 1971 with a voice-over narration by Dustin Hoffman. In subsequent VHS and DVD reissues of the film, Ringo has taken the voice over reins, while Nilsson handles narration duties on the album itself. But even without the narrative, the album would hold up as a tremendous concept in the sharply focused lyrical and musical themes that pop up across the entire LP. Brief bits of one song will be reprised in another, the story's characters are referenced throughout and all of the songs share similar instrumentation, however every tune is a magnificently crafted pop gem in and of itself. Here, at the peak of his power as songwriter, lyricist and singer, not a soul in the world could match Nilsson's ability. The entire album is required listening, but "Me and My Arrow" is one of my all-time favorites and "Thing About Your Troubles" is absolute perfection.
Captain Beefheart
Grow Fins Vol. 1 (Early Demos & Live) - 1966-68
Even the Captain had to start somewhere, and not surprisingly, his "somewhere" was pretty out there for most folks. Rounding up tracks and traces from the early days of the Magic Band, Grow Fins Vol. 1 (the vinyl-only compilation of the Just Got Back From the City and Electricity discs in the fantastic Grow Fins box set) is a fine collection of demos that would pre-date the Safe as Milk LP, a full-length television performance from 1968 and a smattering of demos and live versions. Through its many incarnations, the Magic Band in turn, had many primes. With slide virtuoso Ry Cooder as a full on member of the band on many of these cuts, and Van Vliet searching for and ultimately finding his voice over the course of this set, this compilation is undoubtedly one of them. Highlights here are numerous, but my favorites include the 1967 demo of "Sure Nuff n Yes I Do" and "Electricity", presented here in two extraordinary live incarnations. As they say, if you got ears, you gotta listen.
Even the Captain had to start somewhere, and not surprisingly, his "somewhere" was pretty out there for most folks. Rounding up tracks and traces from the early days of the Magic Band, Grow Fins Vol. 1 (the vinyl-only compilation of the Just Got Back From the City and Electricity discs in the fantastic Grow Fins box set) is a fine collection of demos that would pre-date the Safe as Milk LP, a full-length television performance from 1968 and a smattering of demos and live versions. Through its many incarnations, the Magic Band in turn, had many primes. With slide virtuoso Ry Cooder as a full on member of the band on many of these cuts, and Van Vliet searching for and ultimately finding his voice over the course of this set, this compilation is undoubtedly one of them. Highlights here are numerous, but my favorites include the 1967 demo of "Sure Nuff n Yes I Do" and "Electricity", presented here in two extraordinary live incarnations. As they say, if you got ears, you gotta listen.Tuesday
Miles Davis
At Fillmore - 1971
The result of a four-night stand at the Fillmore East running from June 17-20, 1970, At Fillmore is among the finest, and undoubtedly the most controversial live album in Miles' official catalogue. In order to fit Miles' Wednesday-Saturday residency into a double LP package, producer Teo Macero pulled some of the finer moments from each night and stitched them together to form a medley that took up a single side of vinyl. Initially, some listeners derided Macero's efforts on the basis that several tunes were repeated throughout the album, while others bellyached that editing the songs in such a fashion removed the groove that propelled each night's set. More savvy listeners however, heard the album as a brilliant distillation of Miles' live performance and a compelling record of the band's ability to so drastically reinterpret the same material night after night. Aside from the addition of Keith Jarrett on a wah-wah'd combo organ, At Fillmore features the same personnel that produced the live Black Beauty LP only two months previous - yet the two albums are so different that they could have been recorded years apart. Whereas Black Beauty was loose, mean document, ferocious to the point of frightening, At Fillmore is ambient, funky, tightly wound and extremely focused. On Black Beauty, the music was in complete control. Here, the ensemble holds the reins. Listen close. The results are absolutely incredible.
The result of a four-night stand at the Fillmore East running from June 17-20, 1970, At Fillmore is among the finest, and undoubtedly the most controversial live album in Miles' official catalogue. In order to fit Miles' Wednesday-Saturday residency into a double LP package, producer Teo Macero pulled some of the finer moments from each night and stitched them together to form a medley that took up a single side of vinyl. Initially, some listeners derided Macero's efforts on the basis that several tunes were repeated throughout the album, while others bellyached that editing the songs in such a fashion removed the groove that propelled each night's set. More savvy listeners however, heard the album as a brilliant distillation of Miles' live performance and a compelling record of the band's ability to so drastically reinterpret the same material night after night. Aside from the addition of Keith Jarrett on a wah-wah'd combo organ, At Fillmore features the same personnel that produced the live Black Beauty LP only two months previous - yet the two albums are so different that they could have been recorded years apart. Whereas Black Beauty was loose, mean document, ferocious to the point of frightening, At Fillmore is ambient, funky, tightly wound and extremely focused. On Black Beauty, the music was in complete control. Here, the ensemble holds the reins. Listen close. The results are absolutely incredible.Wednesday
Nilsson
Aerial Pandemonium Ballet - 1971
With his star on the rise and his breakthrough LP Nilsson Schmilsson just around the corner, Harry Nilsson took it upon himself to introduce his newly acquired fan base to his earlier material, albeit in a wildly unconventional, but unmistakably Nilsson fashion. Rather than simply re-release his first two records, 1967's Pandemonium Shadow Show and '68's Aerial Ballet, Nilsson chopped, screwed, re-edited and in turn, created the world's first remix album from their contents. Those who hadn't heard the first two records wouldn't necessarily discover anything out of the ordinary, since both were stylistically very similar. But for the few who already had these two records in their collection, purchasing Aerial Pandemonium Ballet was still a no-brainer - even if there were no new songs on the album! Entire sections were slowed down, others were removed entirely, new vocals were added, songs were completely remixed and intros and outros were tacked on to create an entirely new beast, yet one that would remain faithful to the original. So far ahead of its time and an amazing record any way you look at it.
With his star on the rise and his breakthrough LP Nilsson Schmilsson just around the corner, Harry Nilsson took it upon himself to introduce his newly acquired fan base to his earlier material, albeit in a wildly unconventional, but unmistakably Nilsson fashion. Rather than simply re-release his first two records, 1967's Pandemonium Shadow Show and '68's Aerial Ballet, Nilsson chopped, screwed, re-edited and in turn, created the world's first remix album from their contents. Those who hadn't heard the first two records wouldn't necessarily discover anything out of the ordinary, since both were stylistically very similar. But for the few who already had these two records in their collection, purchasing Aerial Pandemonium Ballet was still a no-brainer - even if there were no new songs on the album! Entire sections were slowed down, others were removed entirely, new vocals were added, songs were completely remixed and intros and outros were tacked on to create an entirely new beast, yet one that would remain faithful to the original. So far ahead of its time and an amazing record any way you look at it.Tuesday
Miles Davis
The Lost Mid-70s Sessions - 1973-76
This scattershot collection has been compiled on numerous occasions and in many forms, most notably on the bootleg sets Unknown Sessions 1973-1976: Volume 1 and Unknown Sessions 1974-1976: Volume 2. As the title implies, the collection featured here includes the various studio jams in their un-editied forms that would appear on Davis' mid-70s LPs, as well as successful funk studio workouts the band would add to their live repertoire up until Miles "retirement" in '76. And while there are plenty of fine moments in this collection, including a couple of truly wicked takes on "Agharta Prelude Pt. 2," the overarching feel is that of a weary, unfocused and uninspired Miles Davis. When he attempts to solo here - over a band that is painfully beyond his control in comparison to the taught precision of his Jack DeJohnette-led ensembles at the turn of the decade - his horn is heavily processed and his tone is often aching and thin, but thankfully, and most interestingly, he resorts to playing the organ throughout the majority of this material. A six-disc Columbia box titled Beyond the Corner is rumored to be in the works, and will almost certainly pull from these sessions.
This scattershot collection has been compiled on numerous occasions and in many forms, most notably on the bootleg sets Unknown Sessions 1973-1976: Volume 1 and Unknown Sessions 1974-1976: Volume 2. As the title implies, the collection featured here includes the various studio jams in their un-editied forms that would appear on Davis' mid-70s LPs, as well as successful funk studio workouts the band would add to their live repertoire up until Miles "retirement" in '76. And while there are plenty of fine moments in this collection, including a couple of truly wicked takes on "Agharta Prelude Pt. 2," the overarching feel is that of a weary, unfocused and uninspired Miles Davis. When he attempts to solo here - over a band that is painfully beyond his control in comparison to the taught precision of his Jack DeJohnette-led ensembles at the turn of the decade - his horn is heavily processed and his tone is often aching and thin, but thankfully, and most interestingly, he resorts to playing the organ throughout the majority of this material. A six-disc Columbia box titled Beyond the Corner is rumored to be in the works, and will almost certainly pull from these sessions.
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