Monthly Archives: November, 2012
GREAT BRITISH ALBUMS.
GREAT BRITISH ALBUMS. Usually, in the run-up to Christmas, record companies find any excuse to release compilations, best of’s and box set galore. Wander through you’re local record shop, and you’ll find the umpteenth album of greatest hits from the usual suspects, including rock stars of yesteryear topping up their pension plans. Often, a similar …
TIM MAIA: WORLD PSYCHEDELIC CLASSICS 4: NOBODY CAN LIVE FOREVER: THE EXISTENTIAL SOUL OF TIM MAIA.
TIM MAIA: WORLD PSYCHEDELIC CLASSICS 4: NOBODY CAN LIVE FOREVER: THE EXISTENTIAL SOUL OF TIM MAIA. For a label looking to release a retrospective compilation of an artist’s career, things don’t always go smoothly. Pitfalls aplenty await the label. Often their persistence, never mind patience is sorely tested. Indeed from deciding to rerelease an album …
BLUE NILE-HATS.
BLUE NILE-HATS. For most groups, a gap of five years between albums would be unthinkable. It just wouldn’t happen. Either the group would be keen to get a new album released, or their record company would be pressurizing them to do so. Not the Blue Nile. In fact, the five years between their debut alum …
SURINAM! BOOGIE AND DISCO FUNK FROM THE SURINAMESE DANCE FLOORS ’76-83.
SURINAM! BOOGIE AND DISCO FUNK FROM THE SURINAMESE DANCE FLOORS ’76-83. All too often, when compilers decide to compile an album of disco, boogie and funk, they stick to what I’d call tried and tested tracks. They’re hardly adventurous, and as a result, far too many compilations of predictable, if not boring compilations are released.Granted …
MARY WELLS-THE COMPLETE 20TH CENTURY COLLECTION.
MARY WELLS-THE COMPLETE 20TH CENTURY COLLECTION. After four hit laden years at Motown, Mary Wells dropped a bombshell, when she announced she was leaving Motown. Mary couldn’t have chosen a better time to leave Motown. She was holding all the cards, and had just enjoyed the equivalent of a Royal Flush. My Guy had just …
SYREETA-ONE TO ONE.
SYREETA-ONE TO ONE. Mention the name Syreeta, and somewhat predictably, most people remember her as being married to Stevie Wonder. That, however, is doing Syreeta a huge disservice. Not only did Syreeta play a huge role in transforming Stevie Wonder’s career, writing and appearing on his albums, but enjoyed a successful solo career. Their marriage …
OLIVIA DE LANZAC-SPANISH MONK.
OLIVIA DE LANZAC-SPANISH MONK. Recently, I had the pleasure of reviewing Olivia De Lanzac’s forthcoming album for BBE Music Uncut, which will be released on 26th November 2012. This will be Olivia’s sophomore album, and the followup to 2010s Baby Let’s Play House. Uncut is a genre-crossing collection of compelling and eclectic tracks. It’s almost …
DELEGATION-DELEGATION II.
DELEGATION-DELEGATION II. Although Delegation calling their third album Delegation II, might seem somewhat confusing, but in many ways it made sense. Delegation II the second album to feature the new lineup of Ricky Bailey, Ray Patterson and Bruce Dunbar, who’d replaced founding member Len Coley. So essentially, Eau De Vie, Delegation’s sophomore album and now …
BLUE NILE-A WALK ACROSS THE ROOFTOPS.
BLUE NILE-A WALK ACROSS THE ROOFTOPS. Enigmatic, reluctant and contrarian are words that best of describe the Blue Nile, whose 1984 debut album A Walk Across the Rooftops was rereleased just two days ago. The Blue Nile are the complete opposite of most bands. Describing the Blue Nile as publicity shy, is an understatement. Indeed, …
ACID JAZZ: THE 25TH ANNIVERSARY BOX SET.
ACID JAZZ: THE 25TH ANNIVERSARY BOX SET. Over the last twenty-five years, record companies have come and gone. New labels have been set up, released innovative music, and then, they’re gone. Many of these people found that running a label wasn’t as easy as they thought. Often, the business-side got in the way of what …
BRIAN ENO-LUX.
BRIAN ENO-LUX. It seems only fitting given how often I review albums of electronic music, that I review Brian Eno’s new album Lux. After all, Brian Eno is the Godfather of electronic music and one of the genre’s founding fathers. Ever since his days with Roxy Music, Brian Eno was an innovator, looking to explore …
DELEGATION-EAU DE VIE.
DELEGATION-EAU DE VIE. Often, it seems American bands have a monopoly when it comes to producing quality and successful soul and funk music. Sometimes, British groups can match their American counterparts in the success stakes. It doesn’t happen often, but very occasionally, a British band releases a single or album that takes America by storm. …
MORE LIKE TREES-FULL CIRCLE.
MORE LIKE TREES-FULL CIRCLE. Just nineteen months after More Like Trees played their first concert in an East London pub, the London-based, acoustic trio release their debut E.P. Full Circle on 26th November 2012, on BBE Music. Ever since that debut gig, More Like Trees have built a loyal following and in the process, while …
NICKI RICHARDS-LAY YOUR HANDS ON ME PARRISH JAMES AFRO HOUSE ONCEOVER REMIX.
NICKI RICHARDS-LAY YOUR HANDS ON ME PARRISH JAMES AFRO HOUSE ONCEOVER REMIX. One of the latest musical innovations is releasing an E.P. featuring multiple remixes of a single. Usually, the E.P. features the original version of a single, plus three other remixes. For Hawaii born and New York-based Nicki Richards, she took this concept one …
MIND OVER MIDI-MONOLOG.
MIND OVER MIDI-MONOLOG. Usually, when I review albums they’re released in their thousand. Not today. When Mind Over Midi released Monolog on 12th November 2012, on the Glasgow-based Diametric label, only 200 copies of Monolog were released. This is the norm for Diametric. Their releases are limited to 300 copies of an album on CD …
DOUBLE EXPOSURE-LOCKER ROOM.
DOUBLE EXPOSURE-LOCKER ROOM. Following the trials and tribulations that surrounded Double Exposure’s sophomore album Fourplay, Locker Room their third and final album, proved to relatively plain sailing. Having released their debut album Ten Percent Salsoul in 1976, there was a two year delay with the followup. This was due to alleged discrepancies regarding Double Exposure’s …
ENNIO MORRICONE-MORRICONE IN COLOUR.
ENNIO MORRICONE-MORRICONE IN COLOUR. Probably the most prolific, highest profile and best respected film composer of the past sixty years, is Ennio Morricone. He has written over five-hundred soundtracks. These soundtracks cover every possible genre of film. Mention his name to many people, and they’ll associate Ennio Morricone with the soundtracks he scored for Sergio …
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