Tuesday, November 30, 2004

Primitive Sound System - Maxwell's - Tuesday, November 30 at 9PM

Hello Y'all,
This week features some new acquisitions as well as more records from the many unsorted boxes in my studio. I think I am coming down to the last of them but of course there are more Garage, Gate and Estate Sales right around the corner. As always the mix is all over the musical map. Diggin' The Crates can bring you some real surprises as well as a fresh way to look at some familiar territory. Also along for the ride this week are some Prog Rock LPs. From what I can tell there is no one playing in the back room tonight.

- pat.

Primitive Sound System and the continuing food stylings of el Diablo Every Tuesday! (9PM - 2AM)

Maxwell's
1039 Washington Street
Hoboken New Jersey
(201) 653-1703

The 45s:
New finds and some more from old "$5 The Whole Box" purchases...
* = New
** = "$5 Whole Box" purchases
*Barney Bungle & Klarence Kleen - "The U.F.O. Landing" b/w "Martian Walk" (Partee cat. PBA - 1302 (PM-01335-PL))
Yet another great instrumental in a short-line of B-side organ instrumentals I have found hiding on some well known and not so well known Dickie Goodman style Cut-Ups. This one is pretty great with a screaming sax through-out.
The following are older ones I have collected over the years:

Lou Toby And His Heavies - "Heavy Steppin' " (Peach-Mint cat. AR-6065-B)
John & Ernest - ("Super Fly Meets Shaft") b/w "Problems" (Rainy Wednesday Records cat. RW-201)
John & Ernest - ("Soul President number One") b/w "Crossover" (Rainy Wednesday Records cat. RW-201)
Dickie Goodman - ("The Touchables") b/w "Martian Melody" (Mark-X Records Co. cat. 8009)
Johnny Colon - "(Dickie Goodman - "On Campus") b/w "Mambo Suzie" (Cotique cat. C-158)

**Neal Ford and The Fanatics - "Bitter Bells" b/w "Don't Tie Me Down" (Tantara cat. T-1101)
"Don't Tie Me Down" starts off like "We Gotta Get Outa This Place" but then moves in its own delightfully moody Garage ways. Nice snarling vocal and a simple, solid backing although a bit poppy. "Bitter Bells" is a bit more stylized but still manages to hit on all the right Gargey cliches. Good one and I guessing this is from Texas.

**North Atlantic Invasion Force - "Blue And Green Gown" (Congressional Records cat. 999 (C-1767))
I have heard other tracks by this group and one in particular "Elephant in My Tambourine" sticks out because of the name only. This track is a bit more of what I like in a Garage tune. Sounds similar to the Neal Ford track in it's poppier moments but for the most part this is a Garage track through and through. I did found out that this is Connecticut Garage Rock. Maybe that is why it lacks edge.

**Sonny & Cher - "It's Gonna Rain" (ATCO cat. 45-6539 (65C-9026))
OK, so "I Got You Babe" is a classic 60's Pop Song but I never even thought of turning this baby over. BANG! The B-side is a mid-tempo 60's Garage tune that'll shake your ass. If you can't make your way around the floor when this one is on then you're jaded or deaf. Not really much going on lyrically (Sonny talking is way through most of it) but this one is about the groove. Nice surprise.

*Lee Fields Featuring The Expressions - "Do You Love Me (Like You Say You Do)" b/w "Honey Dove" (Truth & Soul cat. TS-004-45)
*The Mighty Imperials - "Thunder Chicken" b/w "Chico's Barnyard" (Daptone Records cat. DAP-1018)
*Rickey Calloway & The Crack Mirrow Band - "Tell Me Pt. 1 & 2" (Kay-Dee Records cat. KD-004)

*Wilson Pickett - "Take A Closer Look At The Woman You're With" promo copy (RCA cat. DJHO-0049 (APBO-0049))
Damn. Wicked Wilson Pickett remained Wicked longer than I knew. Very cool stop start intro similar to Action Film Soundtracks of the time. Super Fly gets name checked over the "Shaft" style beat and the band then quotes the theme from "The Good, The Bad, The Ugly," not a bad start. The track grooves its way threw some nice screams from Mr. Pickett and fine musical a vocal accompaniment. Weirdly this track makes me think I don't own enough Bobby Womack or Wilson Pickett.

*Curtis Mayfield - "Do Do Wap Is Strong In Here (Edit) b/w "Need Someone To Love" (Curtom cat. CMS 0131)
This has always been one of my favorite Curtis tunes. Flawless opening guitar solo that moves over a Jazzy groove and some propulsive congas. This is from the soundtrack of the movie "Short Eyes" (Short Eyes is the prison term for a pedophile and the film is based on a play by Miguel Pinero). On LP this could be the only track Curtis curses on which is not necessarily one of the reasons why I like this track so much but it sure doesn't hurt. Once again like his superb soundtrack to "Super Fly" Curtis makes music that stands on its own with or without the visuals.

*War - "Low Rider" (United Artists Records cat. UA-XW706-Y (UAST-15793))
This is a picture sleeve copy. The one side has the "Why Can't We Be Friends" LP art on it and the other has a beautiful photo of a man in his ride. Oh yeah, this is "Low Rider" one of the best songs of all time.

*Betty La Vette - "My Train's Comin' In" (Silver Fox cat. SF-24 (711-978))
I have been digging this sound a lot over the past year; Hard Rocking Soul Sisters if you will. This track rolls along nicely with some wonderful vocal and music aggression. I need more of these... NOW!

*Foxy - "Trouble" (Double Shot Records cat. #153 (DS-353)

*The Ramrods - "Soultrain" - (Rampage cat. 1000 (R-100 & 1))
So this track is called "Soultrain" at least that is what it says on both sides of the 45 yet one is 2:30 and the other 1:30. There is no designation to part one or two which I think is really cool. The track skips along and picks up steam with a guitar solo which fades slightly to the back of the train on the shorter side. When ever I hear this 45 I wish I was in the studio so I could have heard the rest of this jam.

**Society's Children - "White Christmas" (ATCO cat.45-6538 (67C-13438-PL) - Arr. by Irving Spice (A Touch of Spice)
Society's Children give the Beach Boys a good run for their money on this extremely cheerful version of "White Christmas." Each year I like to find at least one more Christmas record and oddly enough found this one in the unsorted boxes. Lucky me, lucky you and of Merry Christmas.

*"The Alone Phone" - "Here's a disc with a couple of groovy tunes about..."
Ma Bell's got ill-communication! This one is a paper disc obviously ripped from a magazine advertisement - "At NY Telephone we're hip to your privacy..." "An Alone Phone it's really out-of-sight." The songs are a bit groovy so there is truth in advertising. The first version is a bit poppy while the second is pretty damn good. It has a dry vocal and Garagey melody driven by piano instead of organ. Like current automobiles I don't think I will be talking about any current "jingles" 30 years from now so needless to say I am pretty impressed.

*Methodist Hospital of Brooklyn - "Chapel Music and "Our Dream" by Vernon Stutzman, Director"
Very weird with cool vocal bits for snacking.

*Budweiser Showdown - "We Got The Juice - WBLS 107.5 FM" (Showdown Records BS1027 (SO17415)) B-side of local winner Tyrone Davis, Glen Stewart & Co. - "To John (Lennon)
What the hell is this? The "To John" track is horrendous. I really can't listen to stuff like this. People should not be allowed to do "tributes" if the song would be considered unworthy CRAP even by the likes of the American Idol crowd. Is American Idol so cleverly titled so that we know what music and people to avoid? Yoko Ono made a recording with the sounds of gunshots at the beginning in tribute to John Lennon. I am not unconvinced she was not trying to shoot these guys. But... the B-side is pretty damn good complete with Budweiser ad intro. This is a tribute I can get behind. Electro Boogie ode to Frankie Crocker and BLS produced by Crocker himself. Echo, guitars, shout outs and some of the cheesiest synth drums money could buy. Get your hands up in the air and shakem' like you just don't care. By the way the clearest recorded vocal part is when they are repeating "Frankie's got the juice, BLS' got the juice." All this beauty is capped off by another Bud ad. This all comes wrapped in a picture sleeve.

*Rascals - "Jungle Walk" (Columbia cat. 4-45649 (ZSS 156956))
The Rascals have always been a favorite of mine yet I don't own many of their records. You hear a track from one record and it is mind blowing and then the rest of the LP just doesn't live up to that track. The one thing that is obvious on all of their LPs is that they can run a funky groove pretty damn convincingly. Their later LPs include performances that include Joe Farrell, Alice Coltrane, Ron Carter and many others. "Jungle Walk" is one of their genuinely funky tracks (think somewhere between Parliament and Funkadelic - there is a place between there, I checked).

*The Romeos - "Juicy Lucy" (Mark II Records cat. M-101 (J-1B))
So this is the definition of fun. Flute conquers all on this the happiest of tunes. Believe it or not the flute on this track helps it from getting beat up at recess. The Boing Boing Boing bass line and the "chorus" need to be smacked around a bit if you ask me. All in all I actually like this track and all its Loungey goodness.

*Jose Madrigal Orchestra - "Azuquito Con Leche" and "Mambo Diablo" (Gateway Records cat. 148-AA (81718))
Old big band style Latin tracks are so much fun to listen to. This one has some great bass and wild percussion throughout. The real winner is the far more aggressive "Mambo Diablo" with it's driving dance beat.

*Irving Fields Trio - "Cuban Mambo" (Fiesta Record Company cat. 45-056 (F 98))
Everybody Mambo! This is a bit happy and feels like this is something that may have been played in Hotels rather than Clubs. Irving Fields piano playing makes me feel he is channelling the Marx Brothers which isn't a bad thing. I don't think I will go looking for much more of Irving Fields' music although I will be sure to play this with my Eddie Cano record.

*The Latin All Stars (Music Consultant - Tito Puente - Produced by Franf Peri - "Mi Chinna" b/w "Santa Isabel" (both tracks are Cha Cha Cha)(Roper Records (Special Series) cat. XX-503-A)
The Roper Label appears to be a private label for a dance studio. I will probably grab more of these next time I see my buddy because it seems he bought the whole series. "Mi Chinna" is a bit straight forward but played quite nicely. Sounds like it was recorded in a large space like a Webster Hall recording. "Santa Isabel" is a great Beny More track featuring a flute and some Montuno style piano. The track moves with real excitement.

*Eddie Barclay and His Orch - "Neu Piao" (Tico (el rey del mambo) cat. 45-249 (45-TR-998))
**Shirley & Lee - "Let The Good Times Roll" (Aladdin cat. 45-3325 (NO-2688))
**Les Paul - "Goofus" (Capitol cat. F1192 (45-6538))
**Betty Wright - "Clean Up Woman" (Alston cat. A-4601 (AL-23160LY)) Written by Reid-Clarke and Arranged by "Little Beaver"
**The Isley Brothers - "Shout - Part 1 and Part 2" (RCA Gold Standard Series cat. 447-0589) Great sounding re-issue.
**Johnny Nash "I Can See Clearly Now" (Epic cat. 5-10902 (ZSS 156984))