James Brown - Undisputed Legend

Any excuse for another James Brown post, a great story regarding a personal legend and lifestyle rolemodel (well, maybe not). From Drowned in Sound:

One night in the summer of 2001, after he’d slathered her in Vaseline (“He liked you all greased up,” she says. “Like a porkchop”) and wore her out trying to come, he gave up and left the room, and Gloria dozed off.

When she woke up, Mr. Brown was standing at the foot of the bed in a full-length mink coat over his bare chest, a black cowboy hat, and silk pajama pants with one leg tucked into a cowboy boot and the other hanging out. He had a shotgun over his shoulder and a white stripe of Noxzema under each eye.

“I’m an Indian tonight, baby,” he announced. “C’mon, let’s let ’em have it.” Then he dumped a pickle jar of change on the floor, told her to get a machete, and went out to the garage. He took the Rolls, drove ten miles to Augusta, weaving all over the road, clipping mailboxes, smoking more dope, and screaming about being an Indian.

Amazing stuff, he will be missed.

For all his foibles as a man, you can't fault his music:

James Brown - Dead On It (U-Tern Edit) (MP3): YSI
For more U-Turn mixes and re-edits, see his excellent blog - One Day Later

James Brown - Ain't It Funky Now (Live in Paris 1971)(MP3) : YSI
From one of the greatest live albums ever, Love Power Peace, the classic JB's lineup (including Bootsy on bass) - complete fire from start to end.

Some videos from the Paris performance, you don't shows like this anymore. Ferocious stuff, don't miss these videos - the finest live James Brown I've seen anywhere (and I've looked in a lot of places):

Brother Rapp:

Ain't It Funky Now:

Sunny (Not on the CD, what a band and the cat could move!):

Sex Machine:


Buy from Amazon - essential in every respect.

Supersonic 2008

Tickets for possibly the best UK festival lineup of 2008 went on sale today, Capsule's Supersonic 08. 3 days of electronic, folk, metal, doom, drone, noise, drum and bass, krautrock, post rock, hiphop and plenty more - all held in Birmingham's Custard Factory. There's a fair number of bands I need to look further into in the lineup, but there's more than enough to get excited about - Krautrock LEGENDS Harmonia, sludge pioneers Harvey Milk, Red Sparowes, Dalek (no one is making hiphop like them, dark droney and claustrophobic - essential) and plenty else.

More info on tickets, lineup, accomodation and everything else you'll ever need to know at Supersonic's website

More stuff I'm looking forward to:

Parts & Labor - Fractured Skies (MP3) : Myspace P&L's Mapmaker was one of my favourite albums of last year. Unashamedly loud and noisy, pummelling drums and tonnes of ideas. Turn Fractured Skies up - The horns!


Oxbow: The most terrifying live band in the world? Don't mess with Eugene Robinson.


Battles: These were one of the highlights of 2007's ATP Vs The Fans, spellbinding.


Fuck Buttons: Their debut album is just out on ATP, and it's a stormer. Noise at it's most accessible but no less affecting, either turn it up loud or listen through headphones and lose yourself.

Vast Aire (& Cannibal Ox) return

This one caught me unawares, some new Cannibal Ox material (of a sort) from Vast Aire's new solo album Dueces Wild, out 24th June. Teaming up once again with Vordul Mega on the mic, the production duties are taken by the legendary Pete Rock rather than El-P. However don't think this is your typical Rock beat, there's a definite Can Ox vibe to the track with a sci-fi feel. The weird high-pitched squeak throughout could definitely have been from The Cold Vein, whilst the drums and samples have been filtered into the space age, but turn it up loud to appreciate the bass - this could be one of the weirdest clubtracks you'll hear. I didn't like it all that much at first but keep listening; it's a huge grower. Check it out!

Vast Aire - Mecca And The Ox f/Vordul Mega (produced by Pete Rock) (MP3)

The last Vast Aire solo album was excellent, so the newie should be definitely one to look out for later in the year.

Full Album Tracklisting:
1.) You Know (produced by Lee Parasite)
2.) T.V. Land (produced by Melodius Monk)
3.) Take Two (produced by Melodius Monk)
4. The Dynamic Duo f/Gecchi Suede of Camp Lo (produced by Aspet One)
5.) Give Me That Mic f/Copywrite (produced by Rocktight)
6.) Mecca And The Ox f/Vordul Mega (produced by Pete Rock) (MP3)
7.) Back 2 Basics” (produced by Melodius Monk)
8.) Lunchroom Rap (It’s Nothing) (produced by Oh No)
9.) When Starz Fall f/Double A.B., Thanos, Swave Sevah & Karniege (produced by DJ Priority Musik)
10.) The Crush (produced by Falside)
11.) Shu (The God of Aire) (produced by Thanos)
12.) Graveyard Shift f/Genesis (produced by Melodius Monk)
13.) The Infinity War (produced by Thanos)
14.) The Man With Out Fear (produced by Melodius Monk).

Free Blood

I discovered these guys after seeing they were added as support to Holy Fuck's UK tour, which I'll be attending in the fine city of Norwich - From past experience with the band, I anticipate it'll be off the fucking hook.

Anyway, Free Blood are a two piece (Madeline Davy and ex !!! percussionist John Pugh) who make a jerky, post punk influenced electronic brew. They remind me a little of Holy Fuck with lyrics or a darker Hot Chip (who remixed their Quick and Painful single) - all slightly warped but definitely music for the dancefloor.

You can stream a bunch of their tracks in full at Last.FM, definitely check Quick and Painful and the Hot Chip remix: Stream at Last.FM

I've included a lowish bitrate MP3 of The Royal Family as a sample:

Free Blood - The Royal Family (MP3) : YSI

Buy from 7Digital:

Yellow Swans

Noise is a 'music' genre that I've been trying to get into for a while but it's obviously not super-accessible to enter into. After Fuck Buttons' sparkling electronic noise provided a suitable entry point last year, I delved further in and discovered Yellow Swans and started on their quite formidable back catalogue to pleasing results - although they weren't afraid to amp up the noise quota with layers of feedback or abrasiveness when required, there always seemed to be a thread of melody or rhythm underpinning the sonic assault, something to cling onto.

So after discovering something great, it was disappointing to read that they are sadly splitting up in June (confirmed by the band on Drowned in Sound). I'll be seeing their last ever show at the Sonar Festival in Barcelona which should be epic - I have my earplugs all ready to go. Despite their forthcoming demise, I'm looking forward to delving into their discography some more.

I've included some samples below, highly recommended if you're looking into Noise. Fans of drone (Sunn O))) etc) and dark ambient will find a lot to like too, especially on their latest "At All Ends" (receipient of a v.positive Pitchfork review recently), a great starting point. There's something strangely uplifting about the album, despite often hidden under shards of psychedelic feedback, shimmering guitars shine through the cloudiness. Not for everyone, granted, but definitely worth the effort.

Yellow Swans - Our Oases (MP3)

Yellow Swans - I Woke Up (Excerpt) (MP3)

Yellow Swans - Mass Mirage (Stream)

Buy Yellow Swans albums from Load Records, Emusic and Amazon

Blu & Exile

2007 was hardly a banner year for hiphop from what I heard, some good stuff around granted but the general quality was a bit off. Still, I thought I must have been missing a few gems littered in the rough - some real independent hiphop albums to reignite my passion. Donning my investigator's cap and doing a bit of digging, I think I may have found one - Blu & Exile's Below the Heavens.

Many of the reviews I've read of the album align Blu (the MC of the duo) with Lupe Fiasco or Kanye West, but I'd put him closer to Common or Talib Kweli. Always honest, intelligent and soulful whilst using clever wordplay; he's a cut above the average MC. Exile's classic sounding production reminds me mostly of 9th Wonder, but also strong touches of Pete Rock and J Dilla - like Wonder, he could do with shaking up the beatstyle a bit more on the longplayers, but track by track it's hard to fault.

Below is a MP3 of the album's best track, Soul Amazin' (Steel Blazin'), a string-led beauty (very Dilla). Please don't miss this one, top stuff:

Blu & Exile - Soul Amazin' (Steel Blazin') : YSI

Couple of videos if you're not convinced:

Blu & Exile - Simply Amazin



Blu & Exile at Amoeba Records in Berkeley - he can do it live too



Blu & Exile - Blu Collar Worker



Blu & Exile - Soul Amazing



Buy Below the Heavens from Amazon or Emusic

HEALTH

Hello! I say this everytime I start posting again but I'll try and be more regular with my updates, this time expect a real mixture of music - probably a lot noisier than before in general. If you like it, great! If not, there might be something next time more suited.

I'll start with the self-titled HEALTH album from last year, a record I completely ignored until this week and I'm sorry I did. It reminds me an awful lot of the Liars' epic Drums Not Dead; a similar tribal atmosphere, the use of drone and noise, and just pummelling DRUMS DRUMS DRUMS. So in general, think Liars, Boredoms and early/mid Sonic Youth all having a big shindig and you're just about there.

Below I've links to stream the whole album, download some MP3s and remixes, watch some videos. I think it's all great, BE EXCITED.

HEALTH
"Crimewave" (mp3)
from "HEALTH"
(Lovepump United)

Buy at eMusic
Buy at Amazon
More On This Album


HEALTH - Triceratops (MP3) : Acid Girls Remix (think a nastier Justice) : CFCF Remix (very Glass Candy neo-Italo ish, good stuff!)



I've yet to see a poor live video from them on Myspace either, they genuinely look like one of the most thrilling live bands on the planet. See below for proof, especially the multiple drum assault with Aa:







Buy HEALTH S/T from Amazon or Emusic