Hello Y'all,
This week I am back at Maxwell's in Hoboken. After several nights with themes it will be nice to get back to genre jumping insanity. A themeless thet of music (said in your best Thindy Brady). I have purchased (and swapped) some really nice records in the few months away from Maxwell's. I will be spinning a lot of stuff I haven't gotten to play out including the 12" version of Pelican's "March Into The Sea" which I consider to be one of the finest pieces of music to come out in quite some time.
Primitive Sound System Mixed Tape Sessions from 9PM - 2AM
Maxwell's
1039 Washington Street
Hoboken New Jersey
(201) 653-1703
The Mixed Tape Sessions:
No stone unturned and no vinyl format left unspun or unsung. Crawling, spinning and stumbling through the decades finding the connections between 50's - Now Instrumentals of all shapes and sizes, Funk 45's, Raw Soul and R&B, Soul, Gospel, Blues, Country, Latin, Brazilian, African, Dub, Rock Steady, Ska, Reggae, Indian, Jazz (of all types), Lounge / Moog, Hawaiian (slack key and Pop), Vocalists, Singer Songwriters, 50's – 70's Pop, Garage Rock, Psych, Surf and Drag, Soundtracks (OST), Comedy, 70's Rock, Prog, Punk, Hardcore, Hip Hop, Indie Rock, Noise and some Metal old and new. I'm mostly drawn to the instrumental side of life favoring the "B" side to the "A." Heavy as hell beats and exquisitely subtle moments side by side to entertain, educate and elate.
Pelican - "March Into The Sea" (hydra head records cat. HH666-84 )
This is the extended version of the title track from the newest Pelican release. This beautiful piece of music comes in an equally enticing package. The cover is a photo of an open sky without any text and on the back the band stands against the sky including all the credits and other text below. The paper seems to be a very heavy stock Black charcoal/pastel paper and the printing appears to be screened. The colors are few (blue, purple and white) but the effect is very powerful layered over the deep black. On top of the heavy stock is another cover of printed vellum. The image on the vellum is a wave similar to a drawing of Hokusai printed in purples moving towards pink. The vinyl is a combination of all the aforementioned colors (except black) and the label is the wave print from the vellum printed over a pink label. Damn that's good stuff. The music is powerful, exquisitely composed and played with perfection by four very possessed musicians. The piece runs a full side of the 12" at 33 1/3 RPMs. Guitars and bass ride and push the dynamics from explosive intensity to subtle almost silent passages. The drums crash, thrash, bang, explode, pause, tap, roll, glide and thunder their way through these and every other Batman pop-up adjective. At times the guitars sound as if they are singing a chorus or verse shouting to be heard or whispered from behind the amps. All instrumental and lacking nothing that could have been added by way of the Human Voice. In reality I can only name a few voices that would even be up to the challenge and if given the challenge what the hell would they even say. The piece slows just past the half way point as if cruising down a gradual decline but never once loses the intensity. Deep breaths gear the band up for another assent and the destruction or deconstruction of what the have created. Spinning drums and whirling guitars crash and collide forming something bigger and greater than what came before when suddenly it all stops like the creation of a universe. Acoustic guitar lightens the mood and repeats the theme over subtle feedback and eventually light drums and added flute. this simple repeated groove is continued to the run out and as much music we just were treated to I am compelled to re-cue immediately and march right back into the sea.
Soul Snatchers - "Get Yourself Together" b/w "Sniffin & Snatchin" (Social Beats Modern Stereo Recordings cat. Social701)
Both sides of this thing are MONSTERS. Side one takes off at a pretty fast clip. Drums are off and in the pocket right from the start making everyone else's job that much easier. If you can't keep up get the fuck out. The horns go from deep soul lines to in sync ensemble horns of a bigger band. bass and drums dog it out for king of the hill but the horns refused to be left out. Amazingly sharp and well rehearsed throughout. Side two gets a bit more deep with a groove that would be right at home as the intro to an action film. The drums are way out front again and breaking like crazy. The other instruments seem fearful of tangling with them and choose to poke in and out of his devastating beat. WEIRDLY and what I think is an AMAZING choice the flute takes a go at it and although the drums never let up the effect is really nice. The next challenger is the organ who can definitely hold his own against the beat but the man at the throne is relentless. Great work all around and a great two sider if there ever was.
Javier R. Rodrigez and The Players - "Rollin De Dice" Vocal / Instrumental (Raw Wax cat. RW45-005)
The folks over at Raw Wax are on one hell of a roll. With only five releases behind them and not a bum in the bunch I shake and sweat in anticipation of what will come next. The recordings can be simultaneously mistaken for Acid Jazz releases from the 80's or unreleased gems from the late 60's or early 70's. Their most recent release from Javier R. Rodrigez and The Players actually does that exact thing about half way through on the instrumental version changing the groove from an Acid Jazz like feel to a raw 60's organ groover. Nothing short of incredible. The vocal on the A-side is spooky and gritty as it repeats the same line over and over.
Duku Brothers - "Starch" b/w "Rhythm Method" (Raw Wax cat. RW45-004)
Reportedly a rare unreleased reel:" Mysterious recordings from 1978 recently recovered from a closed down studio in Detroit. With only 2 tracks, both funky instrumentals. No other information available. What a find!!" What The Duku Brothers are is a heavy, jazzy group. On "Starch" the Sax takes the lead on this mid-tempo head bobber. The intensity is raised as the sax solos ferociously over the steady groove and gives way to a short guitar solo before getting back to the theme. Before the finish the sax decides to grab the spotlight again and whales one more time. "Rhythm Method" is heavier and keeps to the mid tempo pace set by the first side. The bass is out front here but the sax solos and grooves under the thick sounds and sharp repeated drum lines. Mesmerizing, unchanging rhythm played by the guitar and drums allow the bass and sax to dance together for most of the track.
The Funky Muchachos - "Not My Fault" (Raw Wax cat. RW45-003)
Slow and Low... OK, alright, That Is The Tempo. Guitar bass and drums pound out a groove that makes me wish I was cruising in a convertible right about now. Nothing fancy here, just slow hard playing. They do break it down toward the end which breaks up the looped sound of the tight playing. Let's roll.
Donald & The Delighters - "Wang Dang Dula" (Cortland cat. C-109)
The Vocaleers - "The Cootie Snap" (Twistime cat. 45-T-11)
The Revels with Barbara Adkins - "Church Key" (Impact cat. 1-IMX)
CLASSIC! This ode to the greatest tool man ever forged with fire and ore. The music slides along in a Surf / Drag mode and includes deep calls of "CHURCH KEY" and the giggles of a slightly tipsy young lady. I have had this on a comp forever but never even thought of looking for the 45. WHAT AN IDIOT! Now I am happy and... ready for a cold one.
The Megatons - "Shimmy, Shimmy Walk, Part 1" (Dodge Records cat. 808)
Blues with a beat. Shimmy, shimmy indeed folks. Happy organ, harmonica and horns groove it out over a simple stroll like beat. My Grandmother would have loved this.
Ocnam Sirba - "Eli Iralmidray Ni Trazom A. W." (Nayos cat. 322-SF)
It's really really really good and I can't say no more.
The Drifters - "Didn't It" (Atlantic cat. 45-2225)
Wow! This is one great track from The Drifters... like they had many duds. This little dancer has a really nice organ line running underneath the harmonized vocals and even gets to take a little solo over the "did did did din it" backing vocals. Short sweet and finger snapping good.
The Wallace Brothers - "Woman, Hang Your Head In Shame" (Jewel Records cat. 804)
Erma Franklin - "Piece Of My Heart" (Jay Boy cat. BOY 41)
Thank you Mr. $mallchange. A favorite for some time and I completely forgot who do the original. Thanks for shaking my brain and for this fine piece of wax.
Hi-Fly - "Hi-Fidelity" (Tramp records cat. TR-1005)
Diesler - "Puppy Fat" (Tru-Thoughts cat. TRU7098)
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