PSS and Bill Dolan at D.C.'s Tavern - Thursday November 6th from 9PM to closing

Hello Y'all,
Sometimes you really don't have to spend a lot of money to get what you really want. A couple of weeks back WFMU had their annual Record Fair which I can sadly say I look forward to almost the moment it has ended. I spent about 4 hours diggin' around and came home with twenty-nine records and spent just $50. This year my son was Obi-Wan Kenobi for Halloween and I was lucky enough to un-earth a copy of Star Wars - Story, Music and Photos From The Original Motion Picture so let's just say he was very happy and I think I may have scored a few points. Some of the records were upgrade copies of records I already had, some I have been looking for for a while and others I never knew existed. Dropping the needle on Sod's "Too Loose To Get Tight" was pretty mind blowing and The Truth's two-sider mines the same heavy Rock / Funk territory as the Sod 7-inch. Other surprises include "The Snake" by the Tradewinds, a very raw version of "Telstar" by Sam Wright Group and "The Beatnik Bounce" by The Beats. All in all it was a very good day and of course I can't wait to spread the audio wealth. See you all Thursday night and remember folks be kind and tip your bartender.

- pat.

Primitive Sound System
VINYL RULES!
"Audio Visual Triumphs and Disasters" - http://primitivesoundsystem.blogspot.com

Primitive Sound System, Bill Dolan & Joe Raaen
Thursday November 6th 9PM to Closing
D.C.'s Tavern
505 8th Street
Between Jefferson and Madison
BACK IN BACK
Hoboken, New Jersey
PH: 201-792-5550
http://www.dcstavern.com
http://myspace.com/dcstavern

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What's in THE BOXXXX!

Deep Street Soul - "Loose Caboose" b/w "Nasty" (Jaycees cat. JCR-002)
I stumbled upon the Deep Street Soul MySpace page completely by accident. This is what you call a happy accident, a very happy accident. Raw organ based instrumentals touch me in a way few other styles of music do. This isn't an unwelcome touch on the no-no place by a creepy relative. This is deep in the soul where every part of your mind and body are brought together and then explode out of your body. The band takes off on side one as being chased by an axe wielding maniac. The pace of "Loose Caboose" can only be described as a terrified run. Similar to an extremely slow song it is a litmus test of how well a band can swing. If they can make it Funky at this speed then they are doing something right. This shit is all about the Drums and Organ. The drummer is hammering the hell out of his kit and the organ teases him with accents but never challenges or matches the forward attack. The bass and guitar keep everything contained by making sure nothing becomes too out of control. "Nasty" keeps the band and especially the drummer right up there in your grill. Here the pace is far more relaxed but the players have not lessened their attack. On "Nasty" the organ gets a little more room to strut its stuff and it uses the time well and in the end we are bobbing our heads and still very impressed. This band means business and they are taking it to the streets.

Birdwave - "Soul Lift" Part 1 & 2 (Jaycees cat. JCR-003)
From the same label as Deep Street Soul comes the deeply soulful Birdwave. I can only hope they are named after the incredible Jimmy McGriff song of the same name. The name may be obvious, but it is a very appropriate point of inspiration. Like McGriff, Birdwave knows how to set the perfect mood. This is playing late night and the crowd still has a little life left in them. They ain't ready to pass out on the bar or pour themselves into a cab. They need a few more sounds to keep the mellow and smile themselves to sleep.

Stereoscope Jerk Explosion - "Jerk a la Vague" b/w "Fuzz Party" (Les Disques Cosmic Groove cat. groove cosmique 07 (w/poster and post card))
"Fuzz Party" is the real winner here and it is not a misnomer in the slightest. The drums, organ and bass are sharp and popping but the guitar is fuzzed out and crunchy. There are even sweet wordless vocals floating over the top and giving it a bit more light feel as well as giving it a 60's soundtrack sensation. This is a real deep groove played by some stellar musicians. I will be going to this "Fuzz Party" quite often. "YEAH BABY!"

Sod - "Too Loose To Get Tight" (Part 1 & 2) (Decca cat. 32937 (Promotional Copy Not for Sale))
WOW! What the hell is this? A nasty, nasty, nasty break leads off as guitar, bass and powerful horn blasts JUMP out of the grooves. This is a Rock / Funk masterpiece. Having this and Iron Knowledge in the same box could be dangerous. This is tight as hell 70's bell bottom jeans, white guys with afros and a bottom so heavy it will crush you. All this is packed into a mere 7-inch vinyl record that certainly does not seem able to contain the contents of the grooves and ensure our safety. If the intro isn't enough to knock you on your ass, or at least get it shaking, there is spectacular percussion, monstrous organ, thudding bass that will rattle your brain and blistering guitar riffs that make you hate that weak ass crap tossed off by Eric Clapton even more than you already did... and you do. But wait folks... there is an equally great side two. First off, almost all "part twos" of a 45 RPM 7-inch record fade in but not here and I couldn't be any happier. Side two lets the horn section shine. First the flute gets to do its thing over the beats and then the sax. About half way through we get a taste of the chorus followed by the band picking up the tempo and pounding their way to one final statement of the theme. This is one brilliant little disc-o-fire.

The Truth - "Wade In The Water" b/w "Love Locked"
The Truth combine Rock, Funk and a touch of Jazz to produce a two-sided flood of grooves and sweat. The guitar stands out along with the percussion on "Love Locked" but then, as if someone thought I was in need of a treat, the organ bulldozes forward on the break taking this from the Rock Heavy side to the Soul Jazz side. Sometimes the Rock / Funk thing can be too slick or soulless but The Truth are raw and have plenty of soul to keep the band swinging and the crowd dancing. The side is short so all of this happens quickly. There is even an all too short guitar solo after the organ but instead of making this a jam it is a perfect 45. One of my favorite songs is "Wade In The Water" and The Truth certainly add to that section of my collection with an aggressive rendition. Unfortunately for me the lead vocals come off a bit stiff at times and seems at bit at odds with the beautiful version the band is laying down. The drums, the organ and the guitar keep the tempo up from the songs usual medium pace. The guitar really gets to shine with a great "vocal" sounding solo taking on a verse and chorus all its own. Both sides are fantastic and which gets spun will be determined by the mood of the set. I'm guessing this will be a regular in my collection box.

Ace Cannon - "Chicken Fried Soul" b/w "Drunk" (Hi Records cat. HI 2187)
I grabbed this for the obvious reason. A food song backed by a drinking song. Even if one side of this was a harpsichord solo the other side would have to be great. I didn't know either of these two sides but a friend recognized "Drunk" almost immediately as a version of the Joe Liggins tune. Liggins of course penned one of my current collecting obsessions "The Honeydripper." "Country Fried Soul" is probably one of the biggest disappointments I have had on wax in a while. Basically sounds like an answer song to "Yakety Sax." What a shame and yes it might as well be a harpsichord solo. "Drunk" couldn't sound any more different than the abomination on the other side. Call it a divine moment but Ace Cannon and gang truly get touched with a moment of greatness. The drums, bass and guitar seem to share a single heart as they pound away at this funky little groover. Right from the start our drunk in question gets to tell his story of a life where lessons aren't learned but instead they are drank away. Mr. Cannon gets to blow a forceful and soul infused solo. Is it too easy to say the whole thing is intoxicating? Well, fuck it. I'm DRUNK!

Don Covay - "Shingaling '67" b/w "I Was There" (Atlantic cat. 45-2375)
Sadly I did not know this. I need to be shamed publicly but that is actually what makes record collecting so exciting. The best part is, I don't just grab them and put them in a stamp collection and hide them away for ever. No, I get to play this for those lucky enough to have never heard it before and those even luckier who know it, and love it as much as I do. "There is a brand new dance going around and it is called the Shing-A-Ling!" Not only is this soulful but it has a huge arrangement for what should be a raw dance party staple. I don't think there is a person alive or dead who couldn't catch this groove. Covay's voice is so distinctive and when he is pleading he is at his best. Here he is having a fun time dancing but he needs to get everyone out on the floor, so plead he does. "I Was There" spotlights Covay's urging and begging tone and is sure to draw a tear from even the heartless amongst us. How he manages to add a playfulness to such a sad tail is a testament to his genius.

Lou Rawls - "Bring It On Home" b/w "Can You Dig It" (Monologue) / "Take Me For What I Am" (Capitol cat. P-2856 (Promotional Record Not For Sale))
I have said it before, I can listen to Lou Rawls sing pretty much anything his voice always gives me the chills. I was pretty sure this might be the one time he came up short on song choice because "Bring It On Home" can fall a little flat in its repetition. Oh, how happy I was when I found out how wrong I was. Lou Rawls plus David Axelrod almost always equals masterpiece and it is true here as well. A southern sounding guitar lick opens this up and leads into one of Lou's beautiful soloed voice intros. In true Axelrod form this is soon followed up by a beautiful yet brief break and then bring on the horns and raise the roof. Repetition is good and Rawls is great.

Sam Space And The Cadets - "Take Me To Your Leader Cha-Cha-Cha" (Cabot cat. Ca-127)
I LOVE songs about space and spacemen BUT could there be anything more incredible on earth, or to the ends of the Universe, than a Space song about Spaceman that is... a Cha Cha? I think not. I have already listened to this about 100 times. It is infectious and entertaining. Most likely it is from the late fifties or perhaps the early Sixties but needless to say it almost certainly could not be done nowadays and have the same sound and appeal. This is simplicity personified. Space, Spacemen, and Cha Cha Cha so c'mon what are you waiting for lets conquer the world, hell it doesn't even have to be this one.

Sam Wright Group - "Telstar" b/w The Mexikans - "The Lonely Bull" (BiG cat. C-17)
Ahh the wonderful Mr. Wright. I have another 45 where he takes a stab at "Green Onions" and sautés it to perfection. Here he takes a spin out of the stratosphere for a ride on the telecommunications satellite known as Telstar. This is easily the rawest version I have ever heard and the 20 seconds of rocket launch sounds at the end elevate this to a whole other Galaxy. I assume Mr. Wright is the man at the organ as it is the most prominent instrument on both this and Green Onions. There is nothing out of the ordinary with the performance but it is simply just enjoyable.

The Tradewinds - "The Snake" b/w "Congo Beat" (Dan - Tone Records cat. 1001)
Next two the organ instrumental there is nothing more satisfying than a ripping raw guitar one. I love to hear fuzzed up, distorted, loud guitars tangle with the saxophone for dominance on the bandstand. With a name like The Tradewinds honestly I didn't expect much but the song titles hinted at greatness carved into the vinyl. I was first drawn to the hard to disguise "Congo Beat" but was sadly let down by the pedestrian approach taken. Mind you, it is not bad, it just ain't evil. So flip it I did and slithering into my mind came, "The Snake!" This is what guitar instrumentals are all about. Pounding drums, hand claps, wailing sax, the mimicked sounds of a snake and guitar coil and strike you where you stand or hopefully dance. The guitar never busts out but remains part of the pack.

and the rest...
Jan & Dean - "Drag City" b/w "Schlock Rod (Part 1) (Liberty cat. F-555641)
The Kingsmen - "Louie Louie" b/w "Haunted Castle" (Wand cat. 143)
**Syndicate of Sound - "Little Girl" b/w "You" (Bell Records cat. 640)
The Show Stoppers - "Ain't Nothin' But A House Party" b/w "What Can A Man Do" (Heritage cat. HE800)
Nina Simone - "To Love Somebody" b/w "I Can't See Nobody" (RCA Victor cat. 47-9447 (Not For Sale))
Dusty Springfield - "Breakfast In Bed" b/w "Don't Forget About Me" (Atlantic cat. 2606)
Jazz Crusaders - "Tough Talk" b/w "The Thing" (World-Pacific cat. WP-429 (Audition Record))
**Rusty Bryant - "Soul Liberation" (Part 1& 2) (Prestige cat. 45-738)
**Eddie Harris - "It's Crazy" b/w "Live Right Now" (Atlantic cat. 45-2561 (Promotional Copy))
**Mickey And His Mice - "The Crackerjack" b/w "Abraham, Martin and John" (Marti Records cat. R12986)
Hubert Laws - "Bloodshot" b/w "Let Her Go" (Atlantic cat. 45-5077 (Promotional Copy))
El Chicano - "Cubano Chant" b/w "Viva La Raza" (Kapp Records cat. K-2129)
**Arthur Sterling With The Pucho Band - "Ain't That Right" b/w "Darin's Mambo" (Verve cat. VK-10490 (Special Disc Jockey Record))
Apollo 100 - "Telstar" (Short Version - Mono) b/w "Telstar" (Stereo) (Mega cat. 615-0080 (Promo Copy))
Star Wars - Story, Music and Photos From The Original Motion Picture (Buena Vista Records cat. 450 (Not Cleared For Broadcast))
Barnsley Bill - "Barnsley Rap" b/w "Dance With Ronnie Bossanova" - Music by The Daves - (Mother In Law Records cat. NAG1)
The Beats - "The Beatnik Bounce" (Part 1 & 2) (Columbia cat. 3-41781 (Small Hole 33RPM 7-inch - For Demonstration Use Only Not For Sale)
Al Casey - "Surfin' Hootenanny" with the K-C-ettes b/w "Easy Pickin'" (Stacy cat. 962)
**Bobby Gregg and His Friends - "The Jam" (Part 1 & 2) (Cotton Records cat. 1003)
Helmut Zacharias - "Respect" b/w "Hurdy Gurdy Man" (Capitol cat. P-2415 (Promotional Record Not For Sale))
Chordbenders - "I'm From New Jersey" (State Version) b/w "I'm From New Jersey" (Adapted Version (Phillipsburg, Alpha, Milford, Easton, PA, Bethlehem, PA, Allentown, PA) (Anniversary cat. NO. 1000)