Thursday, August 26, 2021

VA - Brazuca!, Samba Rock And Brazilian Groove From The Golden Years (1966-1978) [2013]

 

BRAZIL

VA  - Brazuca!, Samba Rock And Brazilian Groove From The Golden Years (1966-1978) [2013]

This compilation gathers two Brazilian musical references - Samba Rock and Brazuca. The focus begins in the mid sixties and continues through to the late seventies, from the decline of bossa nova until the explosion of the disco scene. The Samba Rock movement, as related to black urban culture, goes back to the origins of the DJ in Brazil, particularly in the São Paulo banlieue in the mid-fifties. With the introduction of valves and hi-fi technology, the sound system became more accessible, and the first parties began to spread. In the late sixties they grew in quantity and audience, and the repertoire, so far dominated by international jazz, rock and swing, became nationalized, thanks to a new style of samba brought to the people by the great Jorge Ben.

In the mid-nineties, the re-discovery of the Racional phase of Tim Maia brought new music and artists to light, inspiring DJ's to dig deeper for obscure grooves, made in Brazil in the sixties and seventies. What they had in common was the groove, from samba to funk 'n' soul, from psych to Afro. Together with the Samba Rock scene, the Brazuca wave brought attention to unknown musical gems, in Brazil and abroad.  Soon they started to take the dance floors with great success! The Brazuca scene was coming! They brought old artists back to the stage, putting names like Gerson King Combo, Arthur Verocai, Banda Black Rio and Arnaud Rodrigues back in the limelight, and sending the price of these records through the roof. These two scenes are still very lively in the São Paulo musical landscape, and to this day it's possible to find undiscovered gems, hidden deep in the banlieue.  DJ Paulão from Sao Paulo combines the best of both worlds on this compilation, featuring 12 rare tracks by the likes of Di Melo, Vera Lucia, Marisa Rossi, Giovana, and many more... A true must have for fans of Brasilian gems! (Amazon)

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Track lists  

01 Marisa Rossi Quem Vem Lá 2:31

02 Arnaud Rodriguez Turma Do Pole 2:43

03 Elza Soares Saltei De Banda 3:01

04 Noriel Vilela 16 Toneladas 2:14

05 Toni Tornado Sou Negro 2:29

06 Golden Boys Segura Na Cintura Dela (O Gavião) 2:37

07 Bebeto Mister Brown 2:52

08 Di Melo Pernalonga 2:45

09 Vera Lucia Quem Mandou 3:17

10 Silvio Cesar Beco Sem Saida 2:18

11 Evinha Esperar Pra Ver 2:09

12 Giovana Tataruê 2:21

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VA - Classical Gassers (Pop Gems Inspired By The Great Composers) [2016]

CLASSICAL POP

VA - Classical Gassers (Pop Gems Inspired By The Great Composers) [2016] 

At first glance the worlds of classical music and pop might seem diametrically opposed - the former signifying straight-backed refinement and the latter youthful rambunctiousness - but as these two dozen tracks attest, there are occasions when these unlikely bedfellows have resulted in a harmonious union. The great composers have never shied away from taking inspiration from each other, so, too, contemporary songwriters have drawn from the well of memorable melodies, often to add gravitas or simply to enhance a song's catchiness. From ELP to Lana Del Rey, Muse to Lady Ga Ga, this is nothing new. Focusing on the 1960's, "Classical Gassers" explores this unlikely meeting of the twain with recordings ranging from rocked-up instrumentals to lush countrypolitan ballads. While some are unabashed in their use of the composer's original, others tread more lightly, giving the piece a new dimension entirely. Recorded between 1960 and 1971, this eclectic selection includes hits by James Darren, the Toys, Waldo de Los Rios, Julie Rogers, Love Sculpture and the Mindbenders, album tracks by Roy Orbison and Harpers Bizarre, and lesser-heard finds by the Cats, Renee St Clair, Lesley Miller and the Pulse. (Amazon)

It is quite an interesting selection of music ranging from fairly straightforward interpretations of classic music to one with just plain weird lyric set to a classic score (Mountain of our Love by Lesley Miller). All in all a very good selection of songs. Excellent sound as one would expect from the Ace label.

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Track lists


01 Piltdown Men Piltdown Rides Again 2:25

02 James Darren Goodbye Cruel World 2:21

03 Jay & The Americans Dawning 2:26

04 Lesley Gore Just Let Me Cry 2:17

05 B Bumble & The Stingers Nut Rocker 2:01

06 Toys A Lover's Concerto 2:41

07 Lesley Miller Mountain Of Our Love 2:14

08 Kokomo Asia Minor 2:00

09 Roy Orbison She Wears My Ring 2:31

10 Julie Rogers The Wedding 2:31

11 Second City Sound Tchaikovsky One 2:23

12 Cats Swan Lake 3:06

13 Jay & The Americans My Clair De Lune 2:39

14 Galens Stranger In Paradise 2:14

15 Allan Sherman Hello Mudduh Hello Fadduh (A L 2:45

16 Sounds Incorporated Hall Of The Mountain King 2:12

17 Renée St Clair My Hero 2:15

18 Pulse Can Can Girl 2:49

19 Harpers Bizarre Peter And The Wolf 1:58

20 Waldo De Los Ríos Mozart Symphony No 40 In G Min 4:27

21 Toys Attack 3:05

22 Shorty Long A Whiter Shade Of Pale 2:57

23 Mindbenders A Groovy Kind Of Love 2:02

24 Love Sculpture Sabre Dance 4:51

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BB'S LUCKY DIP # 34

 

BB'S LUCKY DIP # 34


Lucky Dip's will be a mystery gift to those who choose to pick them up. 


Today's links: HOLY FUNKIN' GRAILS


"If you fake the funk, your nose will grow."... Bootsy Collins

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Wednesday, August 25, 2021

VA - Separate Paths Together, An Anthology Of British Male Singer-Songwriters 1965-1975 (3 x CD's)

 

BRITISH MALE SINGER SONGWRITERS

VA - Separate Paths Together, An Anthology Of British Male Singer-Songwriters 1965-1975 (3 x CD's)

In 2017, Grapefruit released Milk Of The Tree, a highly-acclaimed compendium of female singer/songwriters active during the late 60's, early 70's. Having covered the distaff side of the genre, we now provide a companion piece to that set with Separate Paths Together, a similarly detailed examination of the post-Dylan, pre-punk British male singer/songwriter scene during a time when, to quote the late Dave Cartwright, "a man with a guitar could play to hushed audiences hanging on every word and make a damn good living". As our anthology proves beyond any doubt, the singer/songwriter branch of the Sixties/Seventies rock family tree was rather more eclectic than received wisdom might suggest, housing such disparate bedfellows as Peter Hammill and Gilbert O'Sullivan, Kevin Ayers and Peter Skellern, Richard Thompson and Leo Sayer. In addition to the above names, we feature such key figures from the scene as Al Stewart, Donovan, Ralph McTell, Michael Chapman, John Martyn, Bert Jansch and Gerry Rafferty while also exploring the roads less travelled with a host of more obscure, collector-friendly acts. Housed in suitably evocative artwork and a stylish clamshell box design, Separate Paths Together provides a wide-ranging, four-hour overview of the pop stars, the club folkies, the rock band refugees, the stoned poets, the political agitators, the wry humorists and the bedsit bards that came together to make up a vibrant, multifaceted scene. With a dazzling array of hit singles, key album tracks, cult favourites, buried treasure and glorious one-offs, Separate Paths Together recalls a lost era via tales of love and pain, of childhood memories and adult disillusionment, of beautiful strangers and family men, and, perhaps most poignantly of all, of time past and time passing. (Amazon)

And so this anthology cruises along, always in good spirits, with an almost inexhaustible supply of songs … prolific nearly man and ‘pre Camel’ (kind of) singer/songriter, Phillip Goodhand Tait’s ‘Reach Out For Each Other’ is almost buried among lesser known names on CD3, as is Peter Sarstedt’s ‘One More Frozen Orange Juice’, the lesser charting follow up to his mammoth European hit, ‘Where Do You Go To My Lovely’. All that said, perhaps the real gem is Graham Gouldman’s ‘For Your Love’. The song that began it all for the Yardbirds, where Clapton, Page and Beck all got their start. In rock’n'roll terms, you can’t get much more significant than that. (Amazon)

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Track lists

CD1

01 Duncan Browne Journey 3:23

02 Kevin Ayers Girl on a Swing 2:49

03 Richard Thompson Poor Ditching Boy 3:01

04 Clifford T. Ward The Cause is Good 3:23

05 Jim Capaldi It's All Up to You 4:09

06 Gerry Rafferty Don't Count Me Out 3:49

07 Kevin Coyne Mad Boy 4:45

08 Harvey Andrews Sweet Little Fat Girl 3:34

09 Mike Cooper Paper and Smoke 3:56

10 Keith Christmas The Fawn 4:57

11 Ian A. Anderson The Survivor 4:21

12 Dave Ellis I Don't Know 3:37

13 Peter Skellern Hold on to Love 2:55

14 Mike Heron Audrey 4:12

15 Peter Hammill Easy to Slip Away 5:23

16 Graham Gouldman For Your Love 2:34

17 Ray Dorset Maybe That's the Way 2:38

18 Pete Atkin Beware of the Beautiful Stranger 5:25

19 Eddie Hardin California Sun 4:30

20 Leo Sayer The Bells of St. Mary's 3:37

21 Phil Cordell Red Lady 2:29


CD2

01 David McWilliams The Days of Pearly Spencer 2:34

02 Al Stewart You Should Have Listened to Al 3:03

03 John Martyn May You Never 2:44

04 Steve Tilston I Really Wanted You 3:59

05 Murray Head Say it Ain't So, Joe 4:29

06 John Howard Family Man 3:00

07 Dave Cousins Two Weeks Last Summer (2019 Remaster) 3:07

08 Bert Jansch Tell Me What is True Love 2:02

09 Andy Roberts All Around My Grandmother's Floor 3:11

10 Gary Farr Two Separate Paths Together 4:48

11 Peter Sarstedt Frozen Orange Juice 3:11

12 Wizz Jones When I Leave Berlin 3:12

13 Patrick Campbell-Lyons Jesus Christ Junior 4:29

14 Beau There Once Was a Time 3:38

15 Meic Stevens Love Owed 3:22

16 Jimmy Campbell Frankie Joe 3:10

17 Dave Cartwright Song for Susan 2:35

18 Michael Chapman Postcards of Scarborough 4:07

19 Ralph McTell Daddy's Here 4:24

20 Mick Audsley Dark and Devil Water 2:49

21 John Williams She's That Kind of Woman 2:29

22 Richard Digance My Friend Up the Road 2:55

23 Gilbert O'sullivan Nothing Rhymed 3:22


CD3

01 Steve Gibbons One of Those Days 3:56

02 Al Jones Jeffrey Don't You Touch 3:32

03 Marc Brierley Welcome to the Citadel 4:36

04 Bryn Haworth Miss Swiss 2:19

05 Stephen Jameson Thought of You Instead 3:41

06 Mick Softley Caravan 3:03

07 Jackie McAuley Country Joe 4:36

08 Dave Bundy Inside a Hole 3:18

09 Bob Bunting Soliloquy 4:13

10 Mike Hart Disbelief Blues 4:53

11 Paul Brett One Sunday Morning 3:29

12 Chris Baker Naked Fingers 2:17

13 Shape of the Rain What You Gonna Do Now 2:08

14 Bill Fay Sing Us One of Your Songs, May (Demo) 2:14

15 John Pantry Jewel 2:54

16 Tony Hazzard Fox on the Run 2:40

17 Crispian St. Peters Love, Love, Love 2:46

18 Jona Lewie The Swan 3:15

19 Phillip Goodhand-Tait Reach Out for Each Other 3:24

20 Dave Morgan So Weary 4:32

21 Gerald Thomas Moore Wake Up 6:00

22 Donovan Turquoise 3:31

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Tuesday, August 24, 2021

Steve Winwood - The Finer Things [1995]

 

STEVE WINWOOD

Steve Winwood - The Finer Things [1995]

The Finer Things is a compilation album box set of recordings by Steve Winwood.  This box set simply has so much going for it. Unmitigated brilliance, nicely balanced and extremely comprehensive. (Up to the time of its release.) There are some really choice Spencer Davis Group selections, to get things off to a thrilling start. Then an excellent coverage of the psych/pop and folky/jazzy/proggy Traffic periods, separated by the brief Blind Faith interlude. The solo Steve Winwood period covers just over a full CD.  Interestingly, there are some very worthwhile oddities with this box set. Check out the two excellent Eric Clapton and the Powerhouse cuts, from a sixties Elektra sampler, which cannot be very easy to obtain in CD form. There are a couple of live Blind Faith tracks, along with an electric version of their "Can't Find My Way Home". Also included is one selection from the obscure Winwood/Kebaka/Amao 1973 collaboration. A couple of Stomu Yamashta's Go tracks feature, as does "Your Silence Is Your Song" from what appears to be a similarly obscure film soundtrack. (Amazon)

This is a stunning package with fantastic Traffic mastering. It is just a fabulous box set; Steve has a sort of late sixties magic. A true genius.

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Track lists

CD1

01 Spencer Davis Group Dimples 2:21

02 Spencer Davis Group I Can't Stand It 2:11

03 Spencer Davis Group Every Little Bit Hurts 3:31

04 Spencer Davis Group Strong Love 2:15

05 Spencer Davis Group Keep on Running 2:49

06 Spencer Davis Group Somebody Help Me 2:04

07 Spencer Davis Group When I Come Home 1:59

08 Eric Clapton & the Powerhouse I Want to Know 2:17

09 Eric Clapton & the Powerhouse Crossroads 2:19

10 Spencer Davis Group Gimme Some Lovin' 2:58

11 Spencer Davis Group I'm a Man 2:58

12 Traffic Paper Sun 4:16

13 Traffic Dealer 3:12

14 Traffic Coloured Rain 2:45

15 Traffic No Face No Name No Number 3:35

16 Traffic Heaven is in Your Mind 4:19

17 Traffic Smiling Phases 2:43

18 Traffic Dear Mr. Fantasy 5:40

19 Traffic Pearly Queen 4:20

20 Traffic Forty Thousand Headmen 3:16

21 Traffic No Time to Live 5:22

22 Traffic Shanghai Noodle Factory 5:06

23 Traffic Medicated Goo 3:37

24 Traffic Withering Tree 3:03


CD2

01 Blind Faith Had to Cry Today 8:48

02 Blind Faith Can't Find My Way Home (Electric Version) 5:43

03 Blind Faith Sea of Joy 5:25

04 Blind Faith Sleeping in the Ground (Live) 4:33

05 Blind Faith Under My Thumb (Live) 5:53

06 Traffic Stranger to Himself 3:54

07 Traffic John Barleycorn 6:24

08 Traffic Glad 6:59

09 Traffic Freedom Rider 5:29

10 Traffic Empty Pages 4:38

11 Traffic Low Spark of High-Heeled Boys 11:43

12 Traffic Rainmaker 7:51


CD3

01 Traffic Shoot Out at the Fantasy Factory 6:02

02 Traffic Uninspired 10:33

03 Winwood, Kabak, Aamao Happy Vibes 4:56

04 Traffic Something New 3:18

05 Traffic Dream Gerrard 11:05

06 Traffic Walking in the Wind 6:56

07 Traffic When the Eagle Flies 4:27

08 Stomu Yamashta's Go Winner Loser 4:20

09 Stomu Yamashta's Go Crossing the Line 7:50

10 Steve Winwood Hold On 4:34

11 Steve Winwood Time is Running Out 6:31

12 Steve Winwood Vacant Chair 6:55


CD4

01 Steve Winwood While You See a Chance 5:15

02 Steve Winwood Arc of a Diver 5:30

03 Steve Winwood Spanish Dancer 6:02

04 Steve Winwood Night Train 7:52

05 Steve Winwood Dust 6:22

06 Steve Winwood Valerie 4:08

07 Steve Winwood Talking Back to the Night 5:47

08 Steve Winwood Your Silence is Your Song 5:16

09 Steve Winwood Higher Love 5:51

10 Steve Winwood Freedom Overspill 4:19

11 Steve Winwood Back in the High Life Again 4:25

12 Steve Winwood The Finer Things 4:14

13 Steve Winwood Roll With It 4:32

14 Steve Winwood Don't You Know What the Night Can Do 4:32

15 Steve Winwood One and Only Man 4:40

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Monday, August 23, 2021

Vashti Bunyan - Some Things Just Stick in Your Mind, Singles and Demos 1964 To 1967 [2007] (2 x CDs)

 

VASHTI BUNYAN (Jennifer Vashti Bunyan)

Vashti Bunyan - Some Things Just Stick in Your Mind, Singles and Demos 1964 To 1967 [2007] (2 x CDs)

Some Things Just Stick in Your Mind – Singles and Demos 1964 to 1967 is a compilation album by Vashti Bunyan collecting her mid-sixties singles cuts (including the Jagger/Richards penned title track) with unreleased demos recorded at the time. Disc two features her recently rediscovered first studio demo session from 1964 in its entirety. (Wikipedia)

This is a  comprehensive look back at her early recordings from the period prior to her classic 1970 Just Another Diamond Day album. Some Things... attempts to both draw a line under the past and also to set the record straight regarding the disparity between how Bunyan viewed (and still views) herself and the way the public views her as an artist. This complete collection of Bunyan's 25 existing early recordings is a young London girl's series of beautiful love songs that resonate profoundly via an almost brutal efficiency and honesty. The melodies seem timelessly sweet and addictive, the vision at once delicate but somehow tough as granite. The first disc gathers together the early singles (two of which were unreleased) and a set of demos recorded between 1965 and 1967; the second comprises the entire, unaltered contents of a long-forgotten tape discovered at the last minute before mastering, containing a set of raw, pure, intimate recordings. 

A brilliant record, how most of these beguiling tracks were never released at the time is a mystery! I guess the right people just didn't take her work seriously—maybe it was just too subtle. Throughout, Vashti comes across as a sort of English Françoise Hardy. Some of the songs -- in particular the superb I'd Like to Walk Around in Your Mind and Winter Is Blue—have inventive, sensitive arrangements. One listen to them and you'll be hooked. Most of the tracks, however, are home demos that feature Vashti solo on guitar, charmingly introducing the title of each track, so that you really feel you're in the room. Quite different -- more straightforwardly melodic, more direct -- than her later folky output [which is also great in a different way], this is essential for anyone with affection for great 60's pop music. (Amazon)

The wonderful Vashti in an earlier incarnation. A sadly unknown genius.

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Track lists


CD1

01 Vashti Bunyan Some Things Just Stick In Your Mind 2:18

02 Vashti Bunyan I Want To Be Alone 2:51

03 Vashti Bunyan Train Song 2:15

04 Vashti Bunyan Love Song 2:00

05 Vashti Bunyan Winter Is Blue 2:55

06 Vashti Bunyan Coldest Night Of The Year 3:28

07 Vashti Bunyan I'd Like To Walk Around In Your Mind 2:15

08 Vashti Bunyan Winter Is Blue (Demo) 1:48

09 Vashti Bunyan Girl's Song In Winter 1:37

10 Vashti Bunyan If In Winter (100 Lovers) 1:47

11 Vashti Bunyan Wishwanderer 1:56

12 Vashti Bunyan Don't Believe 1:37

13 Vashti Bunyan 17 Pink Sugar Elephants 1:51


CD2

01 Vashti Bunyan Autumn Leaves 1:57

02 Vashti Bunyan Leave Me 2:25

03 Vashti Bunyan If In Winter (100 Lovers) 1:19

04 Vashti Bunyan How Do I Know 2:00

05 Vashti Bunyan Find My Heart Again 1:59

06 Vashti Bunyan Go Before Dawn 1:54

07 Vashti Bunyan Girl's Song In Winter 1:38

08 Vashti Bunyan I Don't Know What Love Is 1:48

09 Vashti Bunyan Don't Believe What They Say 2:12

10 Vashti Bunyan Love You Now 2:10

11 Vashti Bunyan I Know 1:34

12 Vashti Bunyan Someday 2:05

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BB'S LUCKY DIP # 33

 

BB'S LUCKY DIP # 33


Lucky Dip's will be a mystery gift to those who choose to pick them up. 


Today's links: Obscure 70's


"Til there was Rock, You only had God. (Sweet Head)" ... David Bowie

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Sunday, August 22, 2021

MESSAGE - MY COMPILATION! INVITATION TO PARTICIPATE

 


MY COMPILATION!

INVITATION TO PARTICIPATE

Once again, I have been planning ways for readers to participate in the blog. In the past I asked you to send in your Best Songwriters and your Desert Island Songs. These were a great success and many of you participated resulting in two really great compilations being created. I though we could take this a step further... 

I know many of you do your own compilations and may have thought of posting those. So here is a forum for your passion in music. I for one would love to see and listen to compilations you have created. We all have them in our collection whether its a driving mix, an exercise or walking set of songs on your MP3 player or a share with friends.  What would be your compilation?

So I invite you to present your own compilations for a new Post Topic titled "MY COMPILATION". This topic will be posted each Sunday from compilations submitted the previous Wednesday's deadline.

As the Butterboy Blog only posts compilations I think this be a great way to build rewarding listening experiences outside what I post daily. But obviously there needs to be some guidelines. 


GUIDELINES

  • Only Various Artists compilations will be accepted.
  • Only one compilation per week from each contributor with a limit of 25 tracks per track list per submission. (Total 25 tracks only). You can submit a new track list the following week.
  • The Topic is your choice, Genre is your choice and any music is acceptable. (If readers don't like the topic or choices then they don't have to pick them up)
  •  When presenting your submission, the Topic of your compilation should be Noted as well as the sound quality of the compilation. (ie 320Kbps MP3, Flac, etc).
  • Whilst most would prefer MP3's @ 320 kbps all I request is a good sound quality. 
  • A track list must be supplied together with a LINK for your Compilation.  (please do not send the compressed file)
  • Artwork is not necessary but would be welcomed.
  • All submissions need to arrive via email  to:  

        BUTTER2020ap@protonmail.com 

  • Entries must be recieved by  Midnight ,Wednesday. (Wherever you are in the world.)
  • Once received, your entries will be checked for content matching the track lists provided. If an entry is considered unsafe or different to the track list provided it will be deleted. If your submissions are outside the guidelines they will not be include (No questions asked and no reply)


I hope you will enjoy the opportunity and I certainly look forward to the results. I think everyone will benefit from this so join this group and enjoy the music. Lets make this fun.

Cheers

BB

VA - The Cosimo Matassa Story Vol. 02, Gumbo Ya Ya [2012] (4 x CD's)

COSIMO MATASSA         Part 2

VA - The Cosimo Matassa Story Vol. 02, Gumbo Ya Ya [2012] (4 x CD's)

Cosimo Vincent Matassa was born in New Orleans in 1926. In 1944 he began studies as a chemistry major at Tulane University, which he abandoned after completing five semesters of course work. In 1945, at the age of 18, Matassa opened the J&M Recording Studio at the back of his family's shop on Rampart Street, on the border of the French Quarter in New Orleans. In 1955, he moved to the larger Cosimo Recording Studio on Gov. Nichols Street, nearby in the French Quarter.  As an engineer and proprietor, Matassa was crucial to the development of the sound of R&B, rock and soul of the 1950's and 1960's, often working with the producers Dave Bartholomew and Allen Toussaint. He recorded many hits, including Fats Domino’s "The Fat Man" (a contender for the first rock and roll record), Little Richard's "Tutti Frutti", and records by Ray Charles, Lee Dorsey, Dr. John, Smiley Lewis, Bobby Mitchell, Tommy Ridgley, the Spiders and many others. He was responsible for developing what became known as the New Orleans sound, with strong drums, heavy guitar and bass, heavy piano, light horns and a strong vocal lead. In the late 1950's and early 1960's, Matassa also managed the successful white New Orleans rock-and-roll performer Jimmy Clanton.  Matassa retired from the music business in the 1980's to manage the family's food store, Matassa's Market, in the French Quarter. He died on September 11, 2014, aged 88, in New Orleans. (Wikipedia)

VA - The Cosimo Matassa Story Vol. 02, Gumbo Ya Ya [2012]

This is a fine companion to the first box set of Cosimo Matassa's recording work from this period in New Orleans. This second volume begins essentially where the first set ends. Like all box sets from the Proper label, each disc slips into a cardboard sleeve, with the tracks listed on the backside. This second collection is even more proof (as if it's needed) that Cosimo Matassa had that certain "something" when it came time to record these seminal sides of "New Orleans' style" music. He more often than not set the controls in the studio and then rarely touched them when recording. He liked a live sound and feel to the music and tried to stay true to that sound. There are many treasures to be found in this collection, and in these songs you can hear music morphing into something new right in front of you. An example of a great song from an unknown performer is Diamond Joe's "Moanin' and Screamin', Pts 1 & 2". He's backed by the band Allen Toussaint used for much of his studio work, and some great background vocals. This late night sounding lament is a combination of soul music and the blues. Joe's pleading, lonely vocals are combined with some heartbreaking lyrics, with everything coming together to make a great, atmospheric little gem. After this song Joe never again gained any notoriety and disappeared. But what a song. What a performance. Cosimo Matassa recorded nearly all the New Orleans R & B and Rock 'N' Roll classics that emanated from one of his four recording studios during the Crescent City's golden age. Much of this music forms a large part of all the music that came afterwards. It's both important and it's hot rocking r&b/r'n'r. How can you beat that? (Amazon)

This is one of those collections that's all killer no filler. Yes, there's a number of tunes that will be familiar, and that you probably already own. But hearing all this music in one nice little package is both exciting and revelatory-all this music from one man who was an engineer-not a music producer.  

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Track lists

CD1

01 Dave Bartholomew Four Winds 2:25

02 Smiley Lewis One Night 2:20

03 Fats Domino I Can't Go On 2:15

04 Fats Domino Bo Weevil 2:10

05 Dave Bartholomew Shrimp And Gumbo 2:08

06 Spiders Witchcraft 2:40

07 Lloyd Price Woe Ho Ho 2:24

08 Little Richard Miss Ann 2:20

09 Smiley Lewis She's Got Me Hook, Line And Sinker 2:29

10 Roland Cook Tell Me Baby 2:40

11 Roland Cook Hear My Plea 2:16

12 Bobby Marchan Chickee-Wah-Wah 2:20

13 Bobby Marchan Don't Take Your Love From Me 2:21

14 Fats Domino When My Dreamboat Comes Home 2:21

15 Little Richard Lucille 2:28

16 Little Richard All Around The World 1:57

17 Little Richard Shake A Hand 2:54

18 Smiley Lewis Mama Don't Like It 2:39

19 Bobby Charles Laura Lee 2:13

20 Little Richard Jenny Jenny 2:07

21 Little Richard Good Golly Miss Molly 2:14

22 Little Richard Baby Face 2:18

23 Little Richard By The Light Of The Silvery Moon 2:11

24 Little Richard Send Me Some Lovin' 2:22

25 Sugar Boy Crawford She's Got A Wobble (When She Walks) 2:15

26 Fats Domino I'm Walkin' 2:06

27 Tommy Ridgley When I Meet My Girl 2:11

28 Bobby Marchan Rockin' Behind The Iron Curtain 2:20


CD2

01 Huey 'piano' Smith & the Clowns Rockin' Pneumonia and the Boogie Woogie Flu 2:16

02 Huey 'piano' Smith & the Clowns Rockin' Pneumonia and the Boogie Woogie Flu (Pt. 2) 2:23

03 Charles 'hungry' Williams Darling 2:21

04 Charles 'hungry' Willians So Worried 2:15

05 Lee Allen Walkin' With Mr.Lee 2:26

06 Lee Allen Tic Toc 2:36

07 Paul Gayten 07- Nervous Boogie 2:22

08 Shirley & Lee Rockin' With the Clock 2:39

09 Eddie Bo Walk That Walk 1:50

10 T.V. Slim Flatfoot Sam 2:14

11 Paul Gayten 11- Tired of Cryin' 2:57

12 Paul Gayten Just One More Chance 2:03

13 Bobby Mitchell I'm Gonna Be a Wheel Someday 2:06

14 Allen Toussaint Java 1:57

15 Little Booker Teenage Rock 1:53

16 Jerry Byrne Lights Out 1:55

17 Paul Gayten Windy 1:47

18 Joe Tex You Little Baby Face Thing 2:26

19 Art Neville Zing, Zing 2:04

20 Art Neville Cha Dooky-Doo 2:42

21 Eddie Bo Oh, Oh 2:29

22 Huey 'piano' Smith & the Clowns Don't You Just Know It 2:33

23 Huey 'piano' Smith & the Clowns Don't You Know Yockomo 2:28

24 Jimmy Clanton & His Rockets Just a Dream 2:32

25 Art Neville What's Going On 2:03

26 Art Neville Arabian Love Call 2:25

27 Fats Domino Whole Lotta Lovin' 1:42

28 Jimmy Clanton A Letter to an Angel 2:53


CD3

01 Frankie Ford Sea Cruise 2:47

02 Frankie Ford Roberta 2:28

03 Eddie Bo I Love To Rock 'N' Roll 2:27

04 Lee Allen Creole Alley 2:30

05 Huey Smith & His Clowns Would You Believe It (I Have A Cold) 2:22

06 Joe & Ann Gee Baby 2:52

07 Frankie Ford Alimony 2:25

08 Fats Domino I Want To Walk You Home 2:24

09 Earl King Everybody's Carried Away 2:17

10 Johnny Adams I Won't Cry 2:20

11 Alvin 'Red' Tyler Snake Eyes 2:30

12 Mac Rebennack Storm Warning 3:21

13 Fats Domino Be My Guest 2:05

14 Charles Brown; Amos Milburn Educated Fool 2:22

15 Professor Longhair Go To The Mardi Gras 2:56

16 Joe Jones You Talk Too Much 2:34

17 Jessie Hill Ooh Poo Pah Doo (Pts. 1 & 2) 4:28

18 Jessie Hill Whip It On Me 2:22

19 Huey 'Piano' Smith & His Clowns For Crying' Out Loud 2:35

20 Lee Dorsey Lottie Mo 2:39

21 Aaron Neville Over You 2:18

22 Frankie Ford What's Goin' On 2:02

23 Frankie Ford; Jerry Byrne; The Three Stooges Chinese Bandits 2:04

24 Ernie K. Doe Mother-In-Law 2:29

25 Fats Domino Walking To New Orleans 2:02

26 Roy Montrell Mudd 2:39

27 Aaron Neville Show Me The Way 2:33

28 Big Boy Miles New Orleans 2:22


CD4

01 Aaron Neville Show Me the Way 2:33

02 Big Boy Miles New Orleans 2:22

03 Aaron Neville Even Though (Reality) 2:40

04 Fats Domino My Girl Josephine 2:08

05 Irma Thomas Cry On 2:30

06 Chris Kenner I Like it Like That 1:59

07 Clarence 'frogman' Henry But I Do 2:23

08 Ernie K. Doe Ta-Ta-Te-Ta-Ta 2:43

09 Clarence 'frogman' Henry You Always Hurt the One You Love 2:31

10 Clarence 'frogman' Henry Lonely Street 2:14

11 Alvin 'red' Tyler and the Gyros Peanut Vendor 2:09

12 Alvin 'red' Tyler and the Gyros Junk Village 2:33

13 Fats Domino Let the Four Winds Blow 2:04

14 Irma Thomas It's Too Soon to Know 3:38

15 Aaron Neville Let's Live 2:41

16 Chris Kenner Something You Got 2:52

17 Ernie K. Doe I Cried My Last Tear 2:15

18 Ernie K. Doe A Certain Girl 2:48

19 Diamond Joe Moanin' and Screamin' (Pts. 1 & 2) 6:44

20 Willie Harper New Kind of Love 2:20

21 Joe Barry I'm a Fool to Care 2:22

22 Lee Dorsey Ya Ya 2:28

23 Showmen It Will Stand 2:18

24 Showmen Country Fool 1:55

25 Joe (Mr.G) August Everything Happens at Night 2:36

26 Lee Dorsey Do-Re-Mi 2:15

27 Del-Royals Always Naggin' 2:43

28 Jessie Hill Oogsey Moo 2:47

29 Barbara George I Know 2:22

30 Barbara George Something You Got 2:45

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Saturday, August 21, 2021

Sparks - Past Tense, The Best Of Sparks [2019] (3 x CD's)

SPARKS

Sparks - Past Tense, The Best Of Sparks [2019] (3 x CD's)

Past Tense is a career-spanning collection by the provocateurs of pop - Sparks.  Masters of reinvention, with an unappeasable ambition and a ravenous hunger for the now, Sparks – brothers Ron and Russell Mael – have been creating eye-poppingly brilliant pop music for more than 50 years. PAST TENSE: THE BEST OF SPARKS is an immaculate lesson in how to stay consistently interesting for fifty years. With sleeve-notes by Simon Price*, each track is hand-picked by Ron and Russell to best epitomise the era of Sparks from which they are drawn - forerunners of art rock, inventors of the synth duo, masters of new wave pop, Europop experimentalists and self-revisionists, in the 21st century they pioneered the electronic opera before delivering 2017’s pop masterpiece Hippopotamus.  This is a treasure! (Amazon)

The Los Angeles sons, the Mael brothers Ron (mustache) and Russell (mullet) are an integral part of music for the past fifty years. Joined through blood, the two artists work as an independent musical machine who have created a stunning body of work. Perhaps even up there with influential acts such as Kraftwerk, Velvet Underground, what may sound astounding is simply fact even though, at times they are not as recognizable as that very influence, they cast. Sparks were simply innovators, and remain to be, incorporating styles such as synth pop, new wave, post-punk, and alternative music stretching further into indie and even goth. The lessons they taught the music world has been picked up by a wide range of singers and bands including- New Order, Depeche Mode, The Smiths, Siouxsie and the Banshees, Sonic Youth, Nirvana and Björk. Which is why a retrospective is not only welcomed but essential for both fans and attracting curious newcomers. 

The aptly titled Past Tense is fifty-eight tracks (triple cd version) covering the outfits twenty-four studio albums. The set kick-starts faithfully with 1967’s “Computer Girl” although recorded under the name Urban Renewal Project. From there through Halfnelson’s “Wonder Girl” and into the greatest album name of all time;A Woofer in Tweeter’s Clothing. “Girl from Germany” and “Beaver O’Lindy” both representative of that early burst of creativity. From there moving into the sonic treatments of “This Town Ain’t Big Enough for Both of Us”, which is new wave, glam, hair metal all rolled into one. With that voice of Russell soaring against the strange intense creations of Ron. The songs roll out across the first disc taking in cuts from Indiscreet, Propaganda right up to the close of the seventies, and the Sparks collaboration with Giorgio Moroder on Nº 1 in Heaven.  The bands disco adventure stretches into disc two, for those who may feel the first incarnation, like so many others, is the best, here’s the thing, they retain quality throughout. Not hinged on one era the ideas with a tongue-in-cheek humor continue. The consistency within the outfit runs through their output with a few collaborations notably the Go-Go’s Jane Wiedlin on “Cool Places” and more interesting “Singing In The Shower” with French pop outfit Les Rita Mitsouko. 

With extravagant adventures into concept pieces with the neo-classical Lil’ Beethoven represented with “Suburban Homeboy” and the art rock of “Dick Around” from 2006’s Hello Young Lovers. From here we come right up to date with the engrossing The Seduction of Ingmar Bergman along with the acclaimed collaboration with Franz Ferdinand in FFS on “Johnny Delusional”. Ending with their most recent, the sharp pop of Hippopotamus and the 2017 Record Store Day release “Check Out Time 11AM”.  This collection acts as a celebration, a reminder of the vast depth of quality Sparks have created, and thankfully continue to. (bigtakeover.com)

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Track lists


CD1

01 Sparks Computer Girl 3:12

02 Sparks Wonder Girl 2:19

03 Sparks (No More) Mr. Nice Guys 5:47

04 Sparks Girl From Germany 3:29

05 Sparks Beaver O'Lindy 3:45

06 Sparks This Town Ain't Big Enough For Both Of Us 3:03

07 Sparks Amateur Hour 3:35

08 Sparks Here In Heaven 2:46

09 Sparks Never Turn Your Back On Mother Earth 2:29

10 Sparks Something For The Girl With Everything 2:16

11 Sparks Achoo 3:32

12 Sparks Get In The Swing 4:06

13 Sparks In The Future 2:13

14 Sparks Looks, Looks, Looks 2:34

15 Sparks I Want To Hold Your Hand 2:55

16 Sparks Big Boy 3:28

17 Sparks I Bought The Mississippi River 2:28

18 Sparks Occupation 5:13

19 Sparks Those Mysteries 5:00

20 Sparks Tryouts For The Human Race 6:07

21 Sparks Beat The Clock 4:23


CD2

01 Sparks The Number One Song In Heaven 7:27

02 Sparks When I'm With You (Single Version) 4:06

03 Sparks Tips For Teens 3:33

04 Sparks Funny Face 3:26

05 Sparks Angst In My Pants 3:28

06 Sparks I Predict 2:52

07 Sparks Sherlock Holmes 3:36

08 Sparks Cool Places (with Jane Wiedlin) 3:23

09 Sparks Popularity 3:51

10 Sparks I Wish I Looked A Little Better 2:59

11 Sparks With All My Might 3:42

12 Sparks Change 5:25

13 Sparks Music That You Can Dance To 4:22

14 Sparks So Important 4:31

15 Sparks Singing In The Shower (with Les Rita Mitsouko) 4:23

16 Sparks National Crime Awareness Week (Psycho Cut) 3:29

17 Sparks When Do I Get To Sing 'My Way' 4:37

18 Sparks (When I Kiss You) I Hear Charlie Parker Playing (Radio Edit) 3:46

19 Sparks Let's Go Surfing 5:02


CD3

01 Sparks Pulling Rabbits Out Of A Hat 3:35

02 Sparks The Calm Before The Storm 4:03

03 Sparks It's A Knockoff 3:42

04 Sparks The Rhythm Thief 5:20

05 Sparks My Baby's Taking Me Home 4:43

06 Sparks Suburban Homeboy 2:57

07 Sparks Dick Around 6:36

08 Sparks Perfume 4:59

09 Sparks Islington N1 2:34

10 Sparks Good Morning 3:54

11 Sparks Lighten Up Morrissey 4:15

12 Sparks Two Hands One Mouth 5:25

13 Sparks Piss Off (Original Sparks Version) 4:21

14 FFS Johnny Delusional 3:12

15 Sparks Missionary Position 4:18

16 Sparks Edith Piaf (Said It Better Than Me) 4:32

17 Sparks I Wish You Were Fun 4:04

18 Sparks Check Out Time 11AM 3:33

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