Ma-Me-O

Hey, so it has nearly been a year since I have posted on this blog, but I feel today is a good day to do so...

Why you may ask? It is because today marks the release date of Michael Raults first major label release, a day many of us who are connected with Michael have been waiting for years. Michael, of all the musicians I know personally, has payed his dues, and deserves what is going on for him. I wish him great success with his new album, and anything he does in the years to come (hopefully I can ride his coattails to some degree, haha). Anyways, you can download the album for only $6.99 on iTunes, and it will be released on CD and Limited Vinyl in the coming weeks. You can also listen to it for free right now on his new personal website www.michaelrault.com, that's a hard one to forget.

year, we recorded the album at Riverdale Recorders here in Edmonton. After it was completed there was a whole lot of hustle and bustle through out the majority of the year about what he was going to do about releasing it, and all the stress that comes with the life of an aspiring independent musician...

Somewhere along the way, he made a connection with Sony records, and the guys from the band Bedouin Soundclash. They loved his album, and are finally releasing it today...

I was not involved with the engineering or recording of the album, but I did provide all the organ parts, as well as some bass parts, and backing vocals, as well as some hints towards it's production... Through working with him in the studio and meeting it's owners, I was able to land my internship, which with a lot of luck quickly turned into me working out of the B control room.

The album is getting a lot of hype in record label land, Universal/ Motown even flew Michael and his family down to California to discuss the possibility of releasing something in the future... but I'm only a peon who knows not much about it...

With that said, give the album a listen, and post your feelings...

www.michaelrault.com you can stream the whole album here...

stand out tracks for me are The Times When You Were Mine, and I Don't Need No Help Getting Down...

Mardi Gras in New Orleans

Hey everybody, I have a vinyl rip for you today, the first one I've done in a long time. So the other day I found a microphone that was a deal and a half on kijiji, and the guy selling it said I couldn't look at it until the next day (Sunday). Sunday means church, then work, initially I told the guy id come at 5:30 after work, but I to squeeze it in between church and work, (I hate missing out on something on kijiji). Luckily enough the guy was only a few blocks from my church, I went there, got the mic (and a lot of other stuff compulsively), and I found myself with 20 extra minutes, so on the way to work I drove past Sound Connection, and before you could say "Bobs your Uncle", I was pulling up in front, nearly cused an accident with a "small" SUV. Anyway, I'm a ramblin rose. While inside I found the legendary "New Orleans Piano" album, by Professor Longhair. I am a lover of New Orleans music, and in the not so distant past, I was trying very hard to find a place online I could download this particular album (which is a 70's re release of all his stuff recorded in 1949-1953), but met with no luck. So, until now, I've missed out on the Professors famous piano stylings, and I'm telling you now that he IS the New Orleans piano. Allen Toussaint, whom is, and you may quote me on this, my all time favorite producer, reeks of Professor Longhairs infectious Boogie Woogie Rhumba style. The Godfather of Rock & Roll. It's the closest thing to being up my alley, and hopefully Its up yours aswell. Enjoy (Compressed Zip)

New Orleans Piano - Professor Longhair (click here to download)

Everything I Do Ghon Be Funky

OK, so yes its been over 3 months since Ive posted anything. I apologize, but there is no time for an extended one. Lee Dorsey is one of my favorite R&B singers of all time, as you might know from reading posts from long ago. I payed 30 whole dollars for a Lee Dorsey LP when I found one, thats a lot of money for a piece of plastic. Anyhow, I've always known of tracks by him that I have not been able to hear, because you can't track them down anywhere. Yesterday, however, I realised that sundazed (a great 60's reissue label) had reissued The New Lee Dorsey (that's the album I bought), but they included all the obscure B-sides that I haven't been able to get a hold of. It's forever been at my fingertips, but sometimes the simplest thing is the hardest to realize. Really cool stuff, sounds very Allen Toussaint, very typical Lee Dorsey, which is not a bad thing. Signature Toussaint "Coal Mine" back-up singers, and of course he Meters on the later b sides. One of my favorite of the bunch is "What Now My Love", one of his very few soul ballads, very similar to "Take Care of our Love", the duet with Betty Harris, but even more minimal. There are still more Dorsey songs I have yet to hear, but this takes care of a good percentage of it. Theres one Betty Harris song that I have yet to, and never expect to hear called "Taking Care of Business", if you EVER come across that, lemme know. Here you go, The New Lee Dorsey, contains his hits that everyone knows, as well as all the weird stuff. (Compressed Rar Download)

The New Lee Dorsey (click here to download)

Steal A Good Sample

Hey, so I know I said I was gonna do some epic post, but I think I'm gonna hold that off for post #100? Sound cool? Today I got a stupid one for you. You know the commercials for Save-On-Foods, yeah, the More More More, ones? Well, turns out thats take right from a real song, just like the Zender Ford commercial ripped of Elvis' "Return to Sender", or Future Shop uses some ugly guitar chords from a Sloan song. Well, the original of this song is some disco garbage from 1976, by somebody called Andrea True Connection. Now, I'm normally a disco hater, but this song has a really cool little instrumental breakdown near the end, that anyone who was around in the late 1990's in Canada would recognize. Thats right, that song by Len, "Steal My Sunshine". As far as I'm concerned it's a solid feelgood break, the perfect foundation for any 90's summer pop jam (I have a guilty pleasure for 90's summer jams). Enjoy (Mp3 Download)

More, More, More - Andrea True Connection

and

Steal My Sunshine - Len

50th Post

So this is the 50th post on this blog, whaddyah know! I would make it a special occasion, but I tottaly forgot it was the 50th post, and I was planning 5 seconds ago (before I realised) to make a half assed post, so I'l make next post more substantial, and today I'm just gonna leave you with some punk trash. This is what I wanted my old band the Subatomics to sound like back when we were still kicking it, Travis wanted to do long wah wah solos (no offence). Creative differencs, gotta love em. Anyway, really cool stuff. (Mp3 Download)

Death Has Come Over Me - The Knaughty Knights

(ps. I know the sound quality isn't the best, its slightly sped up, full of crackles, and at one point a mysteriouse man saying "yeah oh yeah"... where I get my Mp3's is none of your business)

When 70's R&B come, Reggae Take Over

Now, when it comes to music, my rules usually go a little something like this (though there are many exceptions): It has to be either performed by black musicians, if not that, inspired by black musicians. Now, don't catch the wrong drift, my ears aren't being a racist, they just know what they like to hear. In my opinion, there's nothing like the music that was made by the African-Americans over the decades, I regard it as the highest standard of music. Next to it, I like the music that were inspired by black music (R&B), that would be Brit Invasion, 60's pop, Rock & Roll, Old Country, Reggae ect. At first it may seem that I have tunnel ears, but the influence of R&B is so prolific on contemporary music, that it pretty much covers everything. My other criteria are that it usually has to fall before the date of 1972 (inclusive). Now, I love punk rock, it's what initially got my into music than more than just a small part of my life, and we all know it officially began in 1974, or 76, or 77, or whatever (there's 1000 arguments about it as some of us know, my argument is that Little Richard was the first punk rock, but what do I know). The song I'm going to show you today doesn't really fall into my regular posting category, but when I first heard it, it really turned something on in me, and I can't deny posting it. Hell though, now I'm thinking everything I wrote up to this point in this post was a useless ramble, because although I do usually post 60's era R&B, I DO NOT have any strict boundaries (and besides, the song I'm offering today doesn't even stray to far from my "imaginary" boundaries, oh well, gotta meet a certain word quota, right?). The song is from the late 1970's , which is really not my era. Before I got into reggae, there was not a lot else other than punk that I can stand from this time (Please correct me if I'm wrong), especially R&B, or should I say disco (which is only good for about 1 song, correct me if I'm wrong). I actually believe that where R&B starts to miss, Reggae takes over (around about 1968, Motown got sappier than ever, and Stax tried to be more more corporate, and put out records a LOT less interesting than they had before, Stax died with Otis Redding, correct me if I'm wrong). Now 1968 is also the same year that Reggae began to take over the Rocksteady sound of the previous year in Jamaica, and by 69 (see spirit of 69), reggae was a full blown form of popular music, and Desmond Dekkers "Israelites" was No. 1 on the UK pop charts. Anyhow, this song has so many elements of it that you may hear in a very contemporary R&B song, the gospel backup vocals, the super smooth R&B vocals, which is nicely countered by the songs edgy Jamaican production, not to mention the most likely recycled riddim that provides the songs bed (likely recorded in an earlier era, potentially as early as the 60's, if I ever find the original riddim I'll post it). The American R&B producers of the 1970's were smother than McDonalds soft ice cream, and just as sugary, in other words, BARF. They should have taken example from those in JA on how to do music at the time, though it made for some good payouts at the time, it's given us a ton of sappy ass shit to worry about now (but hey, lots of people like 70's R&B, suit yourselves, suckers). I'm rambling like a mofo at this point, I can assure you you'll like the song though, especially if you like modern R&B, this is surely one of its inspirations. (Mp3 Download)

Download Johnny Osbourne - We Need Love

Canadian Cut Diamonds

Yesterday, I bought a few LP's at the Junque Cellar on whyte, one of them being "Let's Limbo Some More" by Chubby Checker. When I got home, I slipped out the record to play it, but it turned out to be the wrong record inside the sleeve. What a pain! Since I was going to be working on whyte that evening anyway, I figured I would stop by before work and either return the record, or find the correct one (the one I had was the disc for James Last - Hammond A Go-Go"). When I walked in, I heard some music playing over the system that imidiately struck a chourd on my heartstrings. I even peered over at the cd player to see if I could spot the album that was playing (earlier that day, they were playing the Supreems, and the cd was propped up on the player). He found the original Chubby Checker lp in the James Last case, and I in the meantime found yet another LP to take home (a cool The Animals greatest hits 60's release). When I went to pay for the Animals LP, I asked him what the music that was playing, it turned out he was spinning some record that he himself was testing for quality, he hadn't even priced it yet. He pulled out the LP sleeve, and we took a look at it, They were called the Five Bells, and from the pictures they looked like a 60's mod pop group (mind you they sounded like that aswell). He told me that he suspected they may be a Canadian group, because they have a song called "Moody Manitoba Morning", and after reading the back he found they were from Montréal!. I said "I'll give you 8 bucks", and he took up that offer, not without a lot of bitching about how he could be selling me a Canadian artifact, and about how he's giving me such a good deal and so on (he didn't stop). he also said, that "it was meant to be", the fact that I had to come back to exchange the mistaken LP, only to find this Canadian cut diamond. I went home and did some research, and it turns out this very album if their 1969 debut (although they had been around since 1965), and that they are better known as simply "The Bells" (A name they changed to after one of the members left to raise children, with which she had with another band member. They released many more things as "The Bells" throughout the rest of their existance). Anyways, I'm really excited to own a little piece of Canadian history, the music is also phenomenal. It's really too bad that this band (and many other Canadian bands from the 60's mind you) has slipped away into the abyss and gone unheard or unsung for so long. In my life, I've only ever got the slightest taste of vintage Canadian music, I've always loved it, and I want more! Anyhow, out of the vaults after who knows how long, I give you today, the entire Debut album by The (Five) Bells, entitled Dimensions. The best way I can describe it is a Anglophone version of the french pop style of Françoise Hardy, more or less, top that off with some male vocals. It's like a early form of, or a precursor to bands like Belle and Sebastian. If you like B&S, you should relly love this. Glad to be able to share this with you. (full album .zip download)

Download the Album - The Five Bells - Dimensions

Find Another Blog...

Ever since that dang amp lit itself on fire, I've been really down, and I havn't wanted to do this blog. Or maybe that it's that I got myself 2 jobs, and that has been taking my time all up. P'haps? I think either of those, or perhaps a combination of the two. No I have not fallen off the face of this earth, in fact, in this last month, I've managed to pick up quite a library of new LPs. Between the Old Strathcona Antique Mall at which I have recently found employment, which deals large amount of old vinyl, and the local record stores (namely freecloud), and recently the biannual edmonton pop culture fair, which was yesterday. It was the first time I had ever gone to it, and I must admit I was skeptical before going there (as many expos that sell records just turn out to be flea market esque, but with steeper prices. Well, that wasn't the case with the pop culture fair, I found a ton of R&B records, many of which I had to hold myself back from purchasing. Anyways, I have a ton of suff to sort through, and share. I wanna try to get back up and blogging, i just need something that'll keep me motivated, hows about you guys who read this blog DOWNLOAD the links? Then, tell your friends to do the same. I have a download tracker that lets me know how many people have downloaded any particular file, the higher the downloads, the more likely I am to keep blogging. If you like the music, the least you could do is download it to motivate me. Anyways, today what I have to offer you is something you may recognise from your punk days (if you had punk days). What I am about to offer you for FREE is the original version of "Find Another Girl", which is most commonly known as a song off of the Hives second album Vidi Veni Vicious. It's by the great Jerry Butler, Enjoy! (Mp3 Download)

Download Find Another Girl - Jerry Butler

No Bass

My bass amp freaking caught on fire today, and it's just barely one month old. To commemorate this untimely event, here's a song that features no bass guitar in it. Enjoy, while I sulk at the reality of my situation.

Sovereignty Flight - The Gories

Leona Buckles

Today I got two nice little vinyl Rips for yall. It's Leona Buckles! Ever heard of that name? I sure as heck haven't. Thats because she only ever recorded two songs, and I have them here for you today. Came across some bargain R&B compilations at sound connection last week. I was looking with a friend who himself enjoys the musical styling of Irma Thomas, he was flipping through records when he came across this, as soon as he noticed that it said Irma Thomas on it, it was allready "yoinked" out of his posession my my very hands. I felt bad, and he was angry, but I told him there is no friend that will come between me and an R&B record, haha... kinda sad and sick. Speaking of which, the guy who I baught them off (who thought I was a jerk to my friend, spose he was right) told me there would be more R&B comps in the next week, we are now well into the next week, perhaps today I'll make a trek down there. Enjoy. (Mp3 Download)

Baby We're Through - Leona Buckles

I'm Waiting - Leona Buckles

To The Punch

Just about the most kick ass Solomon Burke Song, definitely the roughest (I've heard).

Home in Your Heart - Solomon Burke

Soul Triple Treat!

Ok, so I was browsing through archive photos of soul musicians (something I do all the time, as you may have guessed) and I came across a great photograph, which the music is going to be based off of. Now if you will look to your left, you may have noticed a photograph of 3 rather nice looking people. Now, unless you are not at all soul savvy, you may have recognized the man on the left, the great Sam Cooke, who basically started soul music (along with Ray Charles and Solomon Burke to name a few). In the middle, its none other than Tami Terrell, you know, the girl who sang freaking "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" (with Marvin Gaye). Last but definitely not least on the right you got Betty Harris, my personal favorite. Now for the promised trifecta of soul goodness. Enjoy (Mp3 Download)

Chain Gang - Sam Cooke

There are Things - Tammi Terrell

I'm Evil Tonight - Betty Harris

A Carribean Shade of Pale

One time I was listning to my itunes on shuffle, and this came up, and for some reason it stood out to me compared to the rest of what I had been hearing. Its a reggaefied version of the Procul Harum tune "A Whiter Shade of Pale" , reimagined by the late and great Alton Ellis. I don't really have the patience to make a lenghty post today, but I don't know what more I have to say. If you are absolutely new to Reggae, or Jamaican music in general, Alton Ellis is a great place to start, if you don't want to immediately turn yourself off of the genre due to hearing something thats either bad, or for the reggae nerds with more specified reggae fetishes. Not only is he an excellent crooner and an artist by all means, but he also covers a vast stretch of Jamaican music, starting with ska, and moving up to almost evrything else that come out in JA until his death last year. So, listening to his stuff, p'haps a greatest hits comp, you will get a taste of some qulity cuts from every decade he was active in. This one is simply another chip off the old Alton block, but its a good block to chip at. Enjoy. (Mp3 Download)

A Whiter Shade of Pale - Alton Ellis

Everyone Goes Through Phases

Everyone goes through phases, and I'm going through one in which I do not post on my blog very often, as well as continually apologizing for not posting. Tonight, Jaime North and Michael Rault are chick-a-DEE JAY'n at Prohibition tonight, and they will surely play a few chickadee blog songs, so check out this flyer (that I designed), and then come on down!

Rene

From The Desert

HEY YALL. Yeah sorry I know, I've been lazy with the blog lately. But I've been busy doing nothing. I haven't even pirated any music in like 10 days, odd. Heres something I heard on CJSR a few weeks ago. Really cool, and it's off of Tom Verlaines 1992 instrumental album. Yeah, Tom Verlaine believe it or not (for those of you who don't know anything, he's the frontman of the first post punk band, Television (whom came out before punk itself, strange) who were formed in the early 70's, check them out if you haven't already). This song was decribed by the radio DeeJay as desert influenced, which is a turn on for me! Hope you like it. (Mp3 Download)

Boulevard - Tom Verlaine

Feel Good

So, when I got back from India, I decided that I couldn't afford to purchase vinyl LP's at retail price anymore. However (although I had already failed at keeping this resolution beforehand), yesterday I came across the holy grail (for me) of LP's. I swear, not one night before, I was looking at it on ebay for about $70 (and no, I was not planning on buying it for that much online). I was flabbergasted when I came across it at freecloud for only $30 (only $30 for some cardboard and plastic, sheesh I'm crazy). I bought it (one can assume). I always get the Idea that being a record collecter (an R & B record collceter) in Edmonton, Alberta is a real pain in the ass, cause the thrift shops are either entierly consisting of, or just hyper-saturated with the records your average white, blue collar, nuclear family would possess over the last 5 decades (not likely R & B). And though It's not wrong to say that perhaps the secondhand stores in Vancouver, Toronto, Detroit, Chicago, NYC, LA, Menphis, Louisianna, Atlanta ect ect may actually contain alot more of what I'm looking for, because they are simply regionally disposable, when records like this show up in the northernmost center of the mid-west (Edmonton), It gives me hope. Thats because the record I picked up is a freaking 1966 original Amy Records release of Lee Dorseys album "The New Lee Dorsey", vinyl in pristine condition. You can't even get this crap on reissue. Thank you God, honestly, for making an ebay dream a reality!

Anyways, lets get to the tracks. This has got to be one of the most solid albums I own (disregarding it's cool factor, of which it has through the roof). It contains many Dorsey staples like the obvious "Working in the Coalmine", "Can You Hear Me", "Get Out of my Life, Woman", ] "Ride Your Pony", "Confusion", and "Holy Cow". Those tracks alone make up about 1/2 of Lee Dorseys Greatest Hits (album). But today, I'm posting a few album cuts which made my soul jump. The thing I love about Lee Dorsey (and others among my absolute favorites) is how "feel good" the music is. Now you may have heard the term befor, whether you have or not, it's what you think it is, how you feel when you hear a song that contains the right elements in order to make you smile, or feel good. Example, add a jumping, dancing backbeat to some new orleans boogie-esque piano, mix that in with some cheery horns, a punchy and melodic, deeply rythmic bassline, and throw on some chanking guitars for flavour enhancement. Top that off with the smileyest voice in soul music (Dorsey), and there you have it, FEEL GOOD. Seriousley though, this music can (will) actually make you smile, and feel better. It's "everything is ok, infact, life can be so good" music, it's audio infatuation. The reason why I like "Love, Lots of Lovin'" (pervious post) so much, is because it is the King (and Queen) of feeling good tracks. The tracks I'm giving you today are not quite up to that par of greatness, but considder the fact that these are merely album cuts, forgotten about or unheardof (until now), and they still make you feel good. If "Love, Lots of Lovin" is happyness paid in full, considder these tracks 2 considderable down-payments of joy. Enjoy! (Mp3 Download)

Don't You Ever (Leave Me) - Lee Dorsey
and
A Mellow Good Time - Lee Dorsey

I Apologize!

I know it's been well over a week since I've left an update on here. But heck! You know how life is. You get caught up in life, and have to take care of that crap, before getting to the crap you like doing. For me, it has been a 1985 Plymouth Voyager, which for the last 3 weeks has caused me such a hell of a lot of grief. I payed 300 dollards for it, and I shouldn't have expected anything better. After taking off the oil pan 2 days ago and finding huge piece of hevy metal in the oil pan, I thought there wasn't much use putting anymore cash into it. So yeah, I remembered that I (used) to keep a blog, and here I am apologizing. It's like forgetting to water a plant, if you don't it may die (like the bamboo plant that my friend Desiree got me a few years ago, that I neglected and...). To make up for it, i thought I would post what I think is the best song ever recorded. Everything about it is just good, cleans the sadness right on out of me! What could be better than a feelgood R'n'b duet by none other than Lee Dorsey and Betty Harris? Beats me, here it is, my favorite song ever (I suppose among many other favortie songs ever, but lets say if there is ever a trivia question about my favorite song ever, it's "Love Lots of Lovin'" by Lee Dorsey + Betty Harris.) John Peel had his "teenage kicks", this is mine. Enjoy (Mp3 Download)

Love Lots Of Lovin' - Lee Dorsey and Betty Harris

When Fruit still had Seeds...

For those of you who are not wanting to take part of the Michael Jackson death craze, or the Farrah Fawcett one for that matter, theres another not so famous celebrity who also died on June 25th, this year. Its Sky Saxon, the frontman of the 60's psychedelic flower power garage rock group The Seeds, and as a little tribute, I'm posting up there self titled debut. Now, there was one phase of my life where I listened to nothing but 60's garage, and my final virdict, in hindsight, is that a lot of it is quite uninspired and pretty bland, but I must say this Seeds stuff really makes the cut. If you haven't heard their hit of this album "Can't Seem to Make you Mine", check that one out first, basque in the unique freshness (that guitar line is just breathtaking, and the whole texture of the song is really cool, the out of tune piano solo.. mhmm!), and then move onto the rest of the album. Thats all I have to say to you today, enjoy this Gem! (Compressed Rar Download)

The Seeds (self titled) - The Seeds

Now, It's YOUR Thing

Ok, so it has been a few days since I have been updating this thing, but that is because I have been rather busy. With what, you must be wondering, well, I rediscovered using filesharing sites to obtain music, and damn... I have been on a full on rampage for the last 4 days. I have probably downloaded over 1000 songs this past weekend, and I don't even know where to start showing you guys, because I havent listened to enough of any of it to be advertising it. There is one album however that I downloaded just to have it on my computer without having to do a tedius vinyl transfer (as I own it on that format). It is the album "It's My Thing", by Marva Whitney, and it is an absolutely essential part of anyones music collection. The first time I heard her (incredibaly revamped) version of the Isley Brothers "I'ts My Thing" (the title track), it was one of those first love experiances. I mean, I was kindof just getting into funk music at that time, and like, that was one of the songs that triggered it into full force. Like "Judy is a Punk" by the Ramones got me into punk way back when, or "I got a Woman" by Ray Charles got me into R'n'b, or "Rescue Me" by Fontella Bass, which started what seemes to be an endless obsession with 60's soul music. Heck, I can look even farther back, the first song I ever downloaded on napster back in grade 6, which was "I Got You (I Feel Good)" by James Brown (of course, followed by the 2nd song I ever downloaded, the Malcom in the Middle theme song, sweet). Or howabout the first time I ever heard Little Richard, when my little brother, my dad, and I were going out to our cabin at peigeon lake in the middle of the night when I was not more than 7 years old. I specifically remember asking my dad who was it that was singing on the radio, because I liked it, from that day on I knew I liked old rock and roll. These are all first time experiances, each song setting off a new phase of desire to hear more out of the same vein. Anyhow, I first downloaded Marva Whitney when I was looking for drum breaks to sample for making my own Hip Hop beats with, because I was just getting into that, and I had read that Marva Whitney's stuff is among the most sampled stuff in hip hop land (if not that, the most easyly recognisable samples in hip hop. The bridge of Marvas "It's My Thing" is what NWA built their ear-fammiliar intro for "Fuck Tha Police" out of, and if you can't recognize the begnining of Marvas "Unwind Yourself", which is one of the most recognizable samples out there, you are whack!) I first heard "It's My Thing" on one of many now broken ipods while taking a long Edmonton bus ride from Millwoods, to Downtown. Suddenly, the busride was no longer depressing, but rather a time of inspiration. That point onwards was my funk stint, and I bought this album offline, along with some other cool James Brown band and Curtis Mayfield stuff. Anyhow, that phase likely ended because of a contrasting oversaturation of not so fabulous funk bands obtained in my search for funkdom, but I am as interested in funk today, my searching is just delving elsewhere. Marva Whitney was one of James Browns singin' divas, so she definately has the chops, her voice is brassy and pericing, and very distiguishable, not to mention the backing band on this album is none other than Browns late 60's band, which is about the purest funk you can get. Notable Tracks are the above mentioned "It's My Thing" and "Unwind Yourself", and others to look out for are "Things Got to Get Better", "I Made a Mistake Because it's Only You", "What Do I Have To Do To Prove My Love To You", "You Got To Have a Job", and "I'm Tired, I'm Tired, I'm Tired" (respectively). Those are the particularily funky tracks, but theres also some good slower songs "('ll Work It Out, If you Love Me), and two James Brown Band Instrumentals, "In the Middle" being exceptionaly good in my mind, love its minimalism, that is oh so charachteristic of pure early funk music. Of course, the album has it's weaker tracks, but perhaps you will find more in them than I did. This particular version of the album includes some tracks that arent on the LP release, but I think I should stop talking now and let you do the listening. I went through the pain and cash of buying this album offline, now you have the ease of listening, and absolutely free. Enjoy! (Compressed .rar Download)

Download It's My Thing (album) - Marva Whitney

Expect the Unexpected

DID YOU KNOW that in the early 80's, Serge Gainsbourg went to Jamaica to make a reggae album with Sly Dunbar and Robbie Shakespeare? Not to mention, Rita Marley (Bob Marleys Wife), whom did the backup vocals on the album. How screwed up is that? For all yall who don't know, Sly and Robbie are possibly the biggest names in late 70's, and 80's reggae (I must say though, I don't know too much about them myself, as im into the reggae period a decade earlier.) So, we got the biggest name in France, making aliances with the biggest names in the carribean, and aside from some small conflict between Mr. Marley and Serge, over the fact that he made her sing sexual lyrics, the music surfaced. This combination is almost as unlikely as the theory that we evolved from amoebas. Serge isn't a reggae singer by any means, but the insrumentation is indisdutably authentic, so it kindof balances it'self out (for a reggae purist). Unlike Ob-La-Di by the Beatles, which was also (believe it or not) an attempt of Paul McCartney to make a reggae song. In their case, in the end their product sounded so far removed from the original goal to compare them anylonger. Anyway, here you have it, enjoy! (Mp3 Download)

Overseas Telegram - Serge Gainsbourg

Funky Frenchy

Ok, back into french mode. As I have said, I've been doing a lot of french listening lately, and not to mention searching. I first got into the likes of Serge Gainsbourg, Françoise Hardy, and France Gall back in high school, but I never really let the search extend past that point. I think it comes with the age. I remember back in grade 9, when my best friend Travis Bretzer sent me "Hollywood Babylon" by the Misfits over MSN messenger one night after going to the indoor skate park. I thought it was so damn good that, from that point onwards, I would do everything in my power to obtain all possible Misfits tracks, (this of course, went for any obsessed band of the time). Of course, it led me to a rough patch in Travis and I's relationship, because I had "stolen" his favorite band; because he liked them first and that I'm acting like I know everything about them and so on... perhaps you also know the whole grade 9 band exclusivity bit as well. Anyway, after that smoothed out (with Travis), I didn't only have every song (and every unreleased track and demo to top it) by them, but I could tell you each one of the bands lineups, the studios they recorded at, even the freaking distortion pedals they used in a particular recording. That was the degree of my obsession, and I suppose when I first started to play music in bands, the Misfits were one of my biggest influences (actually, now that I think of it, my first (functional) band was a Misfits cover band called Teenagers from Mars.) Now, fast forward to now, I am again writing music (surprise after like a 3 year hiatus), and I would say it's rather influenced by this 60's french music, but my personal library of is rather skimpy. SO, now I get to my point, I was finally taking the initiative searching for some more of the good french stuff, takes a little longer to do when you're older, and have other things to worry about rather than the extent of your music collection (though I know there are many "misfits"out there that are either my age to a helluva lot older who are still more concerned about their music collection than anything.) Anyhow, this gem I happened to come across yesterday by Jacqueline Taïeb is quite amazing. It's quite unlike its contemporaries (even its western ones), in that is contains considerably funky drumming, dub reggae sounding horns, but, the sound of them seems before its time altogether. Like, I know funk was well on its way but 1967, and this song is from 1968, but the American brand of funk that I've listened to, is a lot more rough, in its recording quality and all around approach. Also, reggae was well on its way at this time, but the fast aggressive skinhead reggae style of 1968 (which was its most progressive form to date) hadn't by any means come close to sounding like its 70's phase, roots and dub reggae styles, that the horns in this particular song sound like they were taken from. The song has such a nice quality actually, that to my ears it may as well have been recorded yesterday, this song confuses you in both timeline directions. It just goes to show that things happen way before they are even realized. People with nothing but time on there hands will often debate the TRUE origins of punk rock (I, in my younger age, with all that disposable time, did so also). (Now, recalling the old arguments) The original punk band was the Ramones, because that's when it was defined as "Punk" by genre, thought the Sex Pistols were the first major punk band, the Ramones were formed in 1974, not 76, therefore making them the first punk band. Then somebody else starts talking about Pre-Punk, Suicide, Stooges, another about the Sonics, and the circular argument continues today. If i was to argue about it again, I'd argue that every phase of music since the beginning of time had its wild and unchained forms. Even way back in the ancient times, when King David (for the heck of it) started plucking powerchourds on his lyre. Everything's been done before, hasn't it? Anyways, who cares, I'm being boring now and sounding like a dumbass. Enjoy! (Mp3 Download)

Le Coeur Au Bout Des Doigts - Jacqueline Taïeb

PS: as a joke, I thought it would be funny to throw in a recording I made of misfits song when I in grade 9, lot more where that came from, get that crap here. (Mp3 Download)

Vampira - Teenagers From Mars

You Have a Strange Voice

So, I'm gonna take a break from this french toast, and give you a little grits. I know I made a post already this morning, but after hearing this song again, I thought I'd do a quicky. It's Strange Love by Slim Harpo, harmonica blues, with some really weird ass singing. He sounds like (what I would imagine to be) the archetypal childs-playground stalkers voice, don't it? He may as well be one, singing about a strange love (for a child), the cutest thing he's ever seen. I'm not to educated in the blues, but apparently Slim is quite the harp player, so keep an ear out for that one also. Anyway, enjoy it, I sure do! (Mp3 Download)

Strange Love - Slim Harpo

What'd I Say... En Français

At the moment, I'm kind of on a role for listening to a ton of french music, so today I have yet another french gem to give to you. I just came across this track about 5 minutes ago. I read that a yé-yé (yé-yé being the sub genre that all these 60's girl singers fit into) by the name of Sylvie Vartan (whom you should also check out) does a french language cover of Ray Charles What'd I Say. Any freak like me would be on a mission to hear that song from the point of discovering its existance, like a kid looking for the kinder suprize on easter morning. Anyway, so I was doing that, and I thought I ran into some luck, but I actually ran into a version by some other french group of the time. Dick Rivers et les Chats Sauvages is the name of the band, and I know nothing of them, other than the fact that their french version of What'd I Say is sweet, and that they looked like this. As I plan to do in a few moments, you can also read about the group here (as we are all short of information). Enjoy the song! (Mp3 Download)

Est-Ce Que Tu Le Sais-Les - Dick Rivers et les Chats Sauvages

The Begining of the End...

Today, I give you a contrary to the last two posts. Not by era, tongue, or genre, but on terms of love relationships. Two posts ago was the beautiful piece sung by the likewise beautiful Françoise Hardy, the following post, about her hubby Jacques Dutronc. Now, I mentioned how they were a match made in heaven, and how it goes to show by the fact that today they are still together. Now, as I said, today I am giving you the polar opposite, regarding a relationship, not about any other thing. This duo also hails from France (well, partially), its from the late 1960's, and it is very much part of the contemporary french pop scene of the time. The fleeting couple is the Devil Serge Gainsbourg, and his slut Jane Birkin. I mean, I'm only a speculator, and of a time 40 years ago for that matter, but when comparing the two couples of Hardy/Dutronc and Gainsbourg/Birkin, I think it's safe for me to say such things. One look into Serges disgustingly seductive droopy eyes, and one can sense his intentions, along with Birkins snake-woman like charm, to be honest she reminds me of a prostitute. Now, if you think I'm crazy, look at the single they put out that year (1969). "Je t'aime... moi non plus" has got to be the first sexually provocative hit single to be ever released (at least that I know of). I mean sure, there has been sexual artistic exploits since the beginning of man, not to mention musical ones, but this particular song was a No. 1 Hit in the UK! (Actually, it first reached No. 2, was withdrawn, then re-released, and reached No. 1., it was BANNED all over France, go figure) NOW, one would argue at the songs harmlessness in the UK, as it is not sung in English, however, despite the inability to make sence of the lyrics, it's quite easy to make out the implications of freaking orgasmic gasping (which were so nonchalantly added within the song). If you, like me, are disgusted by the outrageous amount of sexual connotiations, or blatant sexual reference in popular music today, now you know where it has its origins. You may still think I'm crazy, but that's likely because I have morals, and you don't! However, I'm not here to argue morality, or point my finger at anyone (though I kind of already did), I'm here to post a sexually provocative song on the internet. Now, one may ask me why I would continue to post up a song that I am against the message of (actually, I can't say I really KNOW the literal message of the song, as I am not a french-speaking person, regardless, the song is sexually rousing). Well, here's a few reasons why I am posting. A. Regardless of lyrics, the instrumentation of the song tickles me right where I want to be tickled, It's the epitome of a late 6o's sophisticated bubblegum sound, which I really love. The reverberated drums, the muted bass, the hammond organ, and the guitar chanks, not to mention the celestial strings that come in when Jane Birkin first begins singing (on that note, aside from the moanin and groanin, I quite like Janes singing). Reason B. Travis Sargent, voluntarily mailed me the single of "Je t'aime... moi non plus" to my house all the way from Portugal, along with a few other singles (by other peoples). As I truly appreciate his efforts, and this one somewhat makes the cut, and as I have been posting about french music anyway, I thought why not, thanks Travis. Well, hear it is, you've been warned. Please don't be tempted by it, that is if you are concerned for your own good. (Mp3 Download)

Je t'aime... moi non plus - Serge Gainsbourg & Jane Birkin

Invasion britannique! En france?

So, if your really digging this french music I've put myself on a role for lately, or if you enjoy the rougher side of the British invasion sound, or are a francophone looking for something new to cater to your audio urges, or just like cool music in general, you are going to enjoy todays post. I found out that a man named Jacques Dutronc was wed to Françoise Hardy (see previous post) a while back, and I knew that he was a musician, but I never took the time to check him out. Now, thanks to one of the many compilations a certain blog I frequent put out, I recognised his name and got to hear him. Man! I don't think anyone is more suited to be wed to my favorite french popper (Hardy)! It's like a match made in heaven, and apperantly today they are still married, which is a miracle considering it's a "celebrity marraige". So, guess it is a match made in heaven. Anyway, just hear the songs, its like Ray Davies singing Gloria-esque songs in french, really cool, like... really REALLY COOL MAN!!! Anyway, theres also some less upbeat stuff on there for you mellow yellow indie fans. Enjoy. (Compressed rar. Download)

A Small Collection of Jacques Dutronc (Download)