VOCIFEROUS SLAM

2007-08-16T14:54:00.000-04:00

we be over here: vslam.com

2006-03-27T21:22:00.000-05:00

VSLAM.COM will be ready & replacing VSLAM.ORG this April 1st

Slapdash

2006-03-15T23:34:00.000-05:00

The ineffable Sophia told me to post & even gave me a theme (weekends, because kinky sex would take too long). Nothing special, just a few fun tunes to get you through:

Sockeye

Retards Hiss Past My Window (1993)
Freaky Friday Tits
It is supposed to sound that bad. They have funnier tunes, I suppose, like "Tittyfuck a Coal Miner," but this one fits the theme.

Merle Travis

Walkin' the Strings (1960)
Saturday Night Shuffle
I've made out to this. [hahahha! -ed.]

Honey Cone

Sweet Replies (1971)
Sunday Morning People
A dear friend sold me on this lovely music, & it caps off the little theme here just fine.
[honey cone! -ed.]

A real post will be forth coming. Might even be about kinky sex. [what -ed.]

Now, the rest of you should post. [no -ed.]

Cory Daye, Sister Sledge, Rainbow Brown, Prince

2006-02-25T13:00:00.000-05:00

Music!

Cory Daye

Cory & Me (1979)
Green Light
Cory = the vocalist from Dr. Buzzard's Original Savannah Band.

Sister Sledge

The Best of Sister Sledge 1973-1985 (1992)
Mama Never Told Me
The best song ever -- I mean that. Released in 1973 and penned by Thom Bell and Phil Hurtt.

Rainbow Brown

Rainbow Brown (1981)
Til You Surrender
Songs written/arranged/produced by Patrick Adams. Fonda Rae ("Over Like a Fat Rat") does lead vocals.

Prince

Parade (Under the Cherry Moon) (1986)
Anotherloverholenyohead
Parade is my favorite Prince album, easily, and one of my favorite albums in general. Words cannot express the passionate love I have for this man.

1-2-3 & Night Nurse

2006-02-19T18:40:00.000-05:00

The Speedies

Yellow Pills Prefill No. 4 (V/A), Mid 1970s
1-2-3
Awesome Jordan Oakes assembled compilation, fun poppy song by a band who adorably met while working on a research project in high school. They were so young during the peak of their fame that they were often seen doing homework backstage

Gregory Isaacs

Night Nurse, 1982
Night Nurse
This song is probably old news to a lot of you, but this song gets better for me each time I listen to it. "Night Nurse- only you alone can quench this Jah thirst"

feedback in the way of comments appreciated

Hyphy Remix & The Advisory

2006-02-09T19:03:00.000-05:00

The Federation

KMEL Radio Cut, 2003
Hyphy (Remix)
Federation members Doonie Baby, Stres, Goldie Gold, and the guesting Keak Da Sneak, Quinn, E-40, & Turf Talk do what they do best in a Rick Rock produced arena. A lot of people dislike or don't get hyphy, but if you don't like this then something is probably wrong with you.

Knot Pinebox

Suspended Particulation, 2003
The Advisory
Knot Pinebox (aka Karen Hancock) sings a very, very, very, beautiful song.

I just realized I was starting a pattern of rap and female singer posts

Swim!

2006-02-02T13:28:00.000-05:00

The first is a tune I have played on almost every radio show I have ever done (once, the record was misplaced, & we could not find it one week. The next week, when we found it, we played it twice in a row). The second is what I think drowning slowly sounds like.

Ian Dury

Lord Upminster (1981)
Spasticus Autisticus
There is not a single song I am more familiar with than this one. Rumor has it, Dury wrote this at the request of the Special Olympics, only to have it rejected as too offensive. On the record in the radio station, the review says "NOT FOR MORNINGS!" & "offensive in Britian, so perfect for the US!" I played it on every early morning show I had (as well as all the afternoon ones).

Sunroof!

Rainbow Electric Sabbath (2005)
Untitled
The date of release might be inaccurate, but I could find no conflicting information. It's droning indulgence.

Jo Ann Campbell, Jackie Dee, Brenda Lee, Nedra Price...

2006-01-28T11:21:00.000-05:00

I promised a post of upbeat rockabilly ages ago. When I promise something, I do (usually) carry through eventually. This will be a long one; hold tight.

Jo Ann Campbell

I'm Nobody's Baby (1959)
Wassa Matter With You Baby?
Self-penned 1958 awesome. Campbell is a hero.

Jackie Dee

Best Of...1958-1980: Come and Get Me (2000)
Buddy
a.k.a. Jackie DeShannon. She recorded this in 1959 when she was fifteen and wore gold pants. Later, she'd be responsible for "When You Walk Into the Room," which is pretty much the pinnacle.

Brenda Lee

Anthology (1956-1980) (1991)
Bigelow 6-200
This song is penned by Don Woody, who is a pretty great singer in his own right.

Nedra Price

Sugar Doll (2005)
Let's Have a Party
I want to meet this girl.

Lou & Ginny

Sugar Doll (2005)
Do I Do Right?
yeah, I like Sugar Doll...

Penny Candy

The Rockin' Lady (1959)
The Rockin' Lady
Discovered this in a big bag of my dad's 45s a while ago. Became obsessed.

ST IDES, LINDA PERHACS

2006-01-26T21:57:00.000-05:00

King Tee & Ice Cube
St. Ides Promos (Unreleased Compilation) (1989?)
Get Ya Girl In The Mood Quicker
Most of the King Tee and Dj Pooh fronted St. Ides commercials from the late 80s were amazing, but this one pretty much sums up why they were too awesome to not be banned

Linda Perhacs

Parallelograms (1970)
Parallelograms
All of Linda Perhac's Parallelograms sounds to me like what you would sing to the giant oak in the woods so that it would assume the form of a wise elder. The title song is a beautiful exercise in acid+folk.

Polka Polka Polka

2006-01-26T14:28:00.000-05:00

Okay, stop laughing. Seriously, this post is about polkas. A "polka" is a dance in 2/4 time of Czech origin. The music that accompanies it is (obviously) in the same time, but is not limited to sound like "The Chicken Dance". Now, I'm not so talented an ear that I can pick out a polka when I hear it without reading the word "polka" in the title of the song, but after a while, I am sure keener ears could do it. I know they exist (the songs & the ears). Below are some fine polkas from various sources, many recent tunes, & one scratchy pearl from way back when.

Vesely Muzyky

Music From the Ukraine (1998)
Vesilna Polka
Most of my favorite polkas are from Eastern Europe somewhere, generally Ukraine, but not always. Oddly, for being a Czech style, I've heard no Czech polkas that I know of.

Al Duvall

The Butler's Revenge (2001)
Flophouse Polka
A little bit novelty, a little bit dark, this reminds me in spirit of Tom Waits' "Cemetary Polka" (not posted because I assumed most of you would already know it). Duvall is apparently pretty out-there & unknown. I posted this as a prime example of a non-folk, non-traditional polka.

Guido Deiro

Vaudeville Accordion Classics: The Complete Works of Guido Deiro (2003)
I Don't Care Polka
Originally released in 1913, this novel little ditty is being performed by the Italian musician who first popularized the piano accordion.

Haugaard & Høirup

Duo for Violin & Guitar (2000)
Arnes Polka
I actually don't think I am posting any low tempo polkas, but that's because I like the lively stuff better. This is from a Dutch pair who've been acclaimed & touted from the mountain tops in recent years amongst the Dutch press, apparently.

The Warsaw Village Band

People's Spring (2002)
Traditional Rural Polka
Not to be confused with the Polish style of music/dance "polska," this is a Polish group performing polka. Probably my favorite of this bunch.

Let me know if I am posting far too soon after other folk have posted.

Back Like Cooked Crack

2006-01-26T01:50:00.000-05:00

B-Legit

Block Movement (2005)
Guess Who's Back (feat. E-40)
One of the Bay Area's finest. This was one of the catchiest tracks of 2005.

Kyu Sakamoto

Sukiyaki and Other Japanese Hits (1963)
Ashita Ga Aru Sa
Sakamoto became famous worldwide with his hit "Sukiyaki," which became the most popular song in Japanese history. His music was some of the first Japanese music to get major Billboard attention in the U.S., and "Sukiyaki" actually topped the charts for a short time.

The Brown Dots

For Sentimental Reasons: The Brown Dots Collection (2000)
Bow-Wow-Wow
The Brown Dots was formed by former Ink Spots member Deek Watson. He originally simply called the group the Ink Spots, but was forced to change the name to the Brown Dots. Stylistically, however, the Dots were almost identical to the Spots. The group became famous for with "Sentimental Reasons," which would be covered a countless number of times in later decades.

cat's got the measles, dog's got the whooping cough

2006-01-25T10:41:00.000-05:00

A few weeks ago I Say to my friend, hey, I wish I were sick, so easy, stress-free & now finally it's got me on the wrong week. I haven't dealt w/ fevers & fog like this for a long, long time. W/ no voice or legs the internet seems like much more of a viable time-option than it normally does, so here I am.

The Memphis Jug Band were one of the most popular & prolific jug bands around in the 20's and 30's, led by Will Shade on guitar/bullfiddle. They were rad. Wish I had Cocaine Habit Blues handy to put up here.

So much packed & tiny energy in "The Spasm," damn. Can't say much except that it gets me every time -- it's not clear to me if that low horn's a stovepipe (Daddy got his name from his hat, not his instrumentation) but it sounds like one anyway. Old Hat releases some serious stuff.

Memphis Jug Band

Flashbacks Vol 2: Novelty Songs 1916-46, Crazy & Obscure (2000)
Insane Crazy Blues
hear the "jump in line" in that fiddle line?

Daddy Stovepipe & Mississippi Sarah // Tommie Bradley

Good For What Ails You: Music of the Medicine Shows 1926-37 (2005)
The Spasm // Nobody's Business If I Do
daddy stovepipe info

MA-ON, THOMAS JEFFERSON SLAVE APARTMENTS

2006-01-23T19:25:00.000-05:00

Ma-On

Ma-On (2005)
Ma-On & Red Flower
written by mako hasegawa (maher's bassoon player); played w/ tori kudo & some of mshb -- order from the amazing das gemeine

Thomas Jefferson Slave Apartments

No Old Guy Lo-Fi Cry (2000)
Credit
big words & thanks to ally at satan is real again for getting me into t.j. slave apartments & for being unspeakably rad

The Pussywillows

2006-01-22T09:21:00.000-05:00

Elinor Blake --> Pussywillows w/ Mike Chandler from the Raunch Hands --> Shitbirds --> (Theme song to "Cow & Chicken" cartoon...) --> April March

The Pussywillows

Rutles Highway Revisited (1990)
Hold My Hand

UNLV, BG

2006-01-09T22:58:00.000-05:00

Arrh! I be returnin'! Hopefully, much to your overwhelmin' joy, or at the very lest of it, your utmost terror! Here be swarthy, seasome tunes of my dear, dear home port, from the well loved inhabitants thereof, me 'earties. Avast!

UNLV

Uptown 4 Life (1996)
Uptown 4 Life
I live in a much higher part of the U-P-T, & I fear some of the streets dropped in these songs didn't fare as well as mine. Still, much of it survived, especially on the riverside.

B. G.

Chopper City in the Ghetto (1999)
Trigga Play
I'm sure you've heard this, or something off this album. If not, you owe it to yourself to give it a listen.

I'll be back with more sooner rather than later, unless I get eaten by owls. Yarr!

2006-01-01T15:46:00.000-05:00

Welcome to the new year; it's about to get even better, so let's earn it.

Mountain Goats
Live at Yoyo-a-Gogo 7/16 (1997)
Black Molly

GORDONS

2005-12-06T16:02:00.000-05:00

-- SO WHATS NEW
-- Not Much
-- THAT IS UNFORTUNATE

The Gordons

1st Album [self-titled] (1981)
Laughing Now

vinicius cantuaria, snapper

2005-11-08T21:28:00.000-05:00

hey

Vinicius Cantuaria

Sol Na Cara (1997)
Ludo Real
i love you, vinicius cantuaria

Snapper

Snapper EP (1988)
Buddy
i love you, peter gutteridge

Fugs, Magnet

2005-10-30T12:20:00.000-05:00

& as life gets ridiculous, more more & more, it is increasingly difficult to say what is good & what is bad. these songs probably won't be news.

The Fugs

First Album ("The Village Fugs") (1965)
Carpe Diem

Paul Giovanni / Magnet

Wicker Man OST (1973)
Summer Is A Coming In

Ras Michael & The Sons Of Negus

2005-10-26T18:53:00.000-04:00

I Sincerely Hope you are having a good day.

Nyahbinghi is an African word that means "Sons Of Thunder." Ras Michael plays Nyahbinghi.

Ras Michael & The Sons Of Negus
&
Rastafari Dub / Rastafari (1972 [rec.])
None A Jah Jah Children No Cry Dub & It Is No Secret
info

Furry Lewis

2005-10-23T16:37:00.000-04:00

I ain't good lookin but I take my time

Furry Lewis was amazing. Beyond being hands down my favorite slide player, there's something powerfully human about him that, for me, nobody else's got. Not to overstate the dude's talent -- there've been loads of better players, but I haven't heard any who touch his style. All his songs are appropriate for me at one time or another, & here's one of the more polished versions of a favorite.

Furry Lewis

In His Prime (Comp) (1927-28)
I Will Turn Your Money Green
"woman I hate, I see her every day; but the woman I love, she's so far away."

Jean Cohen-Solal

2005-10-13T21:29:00.000-04:00

Got alerted about this rad NWW-listed business a few months ago. Flutes, flutes, flutes flutefluteflute

Jean-Cohen Solal

Captain Tarthopom (1971)
Fossette Surprise

Maher Shalal Hash Baz

2005-10-07T23:40:00.000-04:00

SOMETIMES you just have to listen to this.

Maher
These Songs
These Boots

Mick Farren

2005-10-02T21:16:00.000-04:00

Hi! Yeah, still around. I'm working on something good -- details when there's reason for em.

Mick Farren

Vampires Stole My Lunch Money (1978)
Half-Priced Drinks
from the man who brought you the Deviants

Margaret Lewis, Coon Creek Girls, Betty Foley, Skeeter Davis

2005-09-30T16:14:00.000-04:00

Well, it's been a while since this has been updated.

First, I'd like to encourage everyone (!) to download the Harold Ray mp3s that Alternative Tentacles has put up. This band is ridiculously fun. If you ever have the opportunity to see them "live in concert," leap on it.

I have an intense love of old rockabilly/country with female vocals. Although there's much more to learn and so many recordings I'm dying to get my hands on (check out this site for a hint), I've managed to hoard a decent amount. I'll probably have several posts with this theme--but here's one to start things off. These are all sort of slow; the fiery ones to come.

Margaret Lewis

Lonesome Bluebird (1995)
Reconsider Me
Aw, so pretty... Lewis was born in TX and was inspired early-on by the sounds of gospel and R&B (cites Ruth Brown, LaVern Baker, and Sister Rosetta Tharpe). Later, she got involved in the rockabilly scene, going to shows and befriending people like Buddy Holly. Um... I'm trying to summarize these liner notes, but basically she knew and performed with a lot of famous people. Margaret Lewis penned "Reconsider Me" with Mira Smith (who's playing guitar here), and it became a hit for Narvel Felts. I like Margaret's version a lot better.

Full Grown Man
Another song penned by Margaret Lewis. This one was obviously intended to be picked up by a male singer, but gender-bending's fun, so here you are. Again, Mira Smith is on guitar.

Coon Creek Girls

Early Radio Favorites (1982)
Pretty Polly
This is from a collection of the songs Lily May, Rosie, Daisy, and Violet recorded in the '30s. I wish people still had names like that.

Betty Foley

Sugar Doll (2005)
Old Moon
In the '50s, Betty Foley recorded a number of charting songs with her famous father Red. Like Margaret Lewis, she performed at the Shreveport, Louisiana Hayride. Sugar Doll is a fun compilation put out this year by Buffalo Bop. I might up more songs from it another time. Pretty cover art, huh?

Skeeter Davis

The Essential Skeeter Davis (1995)
Silver Threads & Golden Needles
Yeah, so "Silver Threads & Golden Needles" is one of my favorite songs, actually. It was a toss-up between this version and Wanda Jackson's--both are amazing.

God, there are all these songs I'm dying to put up that I only have on vinyl. I will learn how to rip one day, promise.

June Gardner

2005-08-29T03:56:00.000-04:00

This one is for billy, and the hurricane headed for New Orleans.

June Gardner

99 Plus One (1965-70)
Hang on Sloopy
It's Gonna Rain

Primitive Calculators, The Units

2005-08-28T17:02:00.000-04:00

I like quickies.

Primitive Calculators

Primitive Calculators (1978)
Do That Dance

The Units

Digital Stimulation (1980)
High Pressure Days

maximum volume is recommended.

Casiotones for the Painfully Alone, The Enemy, L. Voag, Music Tapes, Television Personalities

2005-08-26T19:59:00.000-04:00

I guess like everyone else around here I was in California for a week or something a few weeks ago and since I've been back work has been all over me; not to mention the silly personal crap thats been happening. So a large "sorry" to the vslam good guys. At least in the mean time I've been able to pile up a nice stack of tracks that I want to post about, so I have ammunition. There isn't really a theme going for this post or anything, besides being totally badass.

Casiotones for the Painfully Alone is, uh I don't know...cute, sorrowful, innocent, hilarious and often all at the same time. The Enemy was according to legend the first Kiwipunk band to perform original songs, and more importantly (I think) was the very first band of the Chris Knox/Alec Bathgate projects (see also, Toy Love and Tall Dwarfs). I don't think there is enough I could say about L. Voag (aka, Amos, Vic Serf, Narki Brillians, "that guy from the Homosexuals", etc etc etc) a blatant mastermind, obvious weirdo, and DIY diety, if you don't own the Homosexuals Record stop right now and go buy it. Music Tapes are sort of part of the Elephant 6 family of bands (Neutral Milk Hotel, Apples in Stereo, etc), except way more otherwordly and juvenile in a great way, this album sounds like a what a surrealist tapestry would sound like if tapestries were inclined to make sounds. Finally, the Television Personalities; and I am tired of typing and you are tired of reading, but basically after the Swell Maps disbanded the members went off to other projects, Jowe Head went off to the Television Personalities.

Casiotones for the Painfully Alone

Answering Machine Music: A Brief Album in Twelve Parts (2000)
Baby, It's You
I am completely, hopelessly in love with album since yesterday.

The Enemy

Pull Down the Shades (1978)
Iggy Told Me
Admittedly a pretty long song, but undisputedly one of the greatest punk songs I've ever heard.

L. Voag

The Way Out (1997)
Kitchen
How can't you love a song about appliances?

Music Tapes

First Imaginary Symphony for Nomad (1999)
What the Single Made the Needle Sing
Indiepop to the max!

Television Personalities

...And Don't the Kids Just Love It (1980)
I Know Where Syd Barrett Lives
Like songs about appliances, how can't you love songs about Syd?

Cotten, Ritchie, Moore, Horton, Miller, Shocking Blue, Buttholes

2005-08-26T09:30:00.000-04:00

It's 8:30 am. My houseguest is sleeping still, so I have to do this without sound, so it's very strange. I have an urge to share some tunes, though, so I'm going to risk the sound of typing.

Elizabeth Cotten

Shake Sugaree (2004)
Little Brown Jug
Elizabeth Cotten is a beautiful lady who really needs no introduction. I really like this tune. Can't really think of more to say about it. The lady was a southpaw, as many of you might know, & played her instruments upside down or backwards.

Jean Ritchie

Ballads From Her Appalachian Family Tradition (1961)
Hangman
I should really save this one for the post I intended to make of songs about hanging, but whatever. I always get chills listening to this one. Right around my neck, too.

Christy Moore

Box Set 1964-2004 (2004)
Hey, Ronnie Reagan
This tune is a little dated, but the chorus is so much fun to sing along to. My disrespectful nature makes me want to say that it should have been played at Reagan's funeral.

Johnny Horton

Johnny Horton's Greatest Hits (1961)
Honky Tonk Man
An old classic, but I've been playing it pretty nonstop lately. This is the kinda country music you can dance to & not feel like a damned fool.

Roger Miller

Dang Me! (1992)
England Swings
The more I listen to this, the more I think that it could be a commercial for England's tourism industry, but the damned tune is so catchy, I keep listening anyway. This is also one of my mom's favorites, which explains more than it doesn't.

Shocking Blue

Singles A's & B's (1998)
Never Marry a Railroad Man
Honestly, I feel this is just the sort of advice we should give to the kids these days.

The Butthole Surfers

The Hole Truth... And Nothing Butt (1995)
WNYU Interview
Not a song but an interview. My friend Scott quotes from this all the time. It's kinda surreal & absolutely hilarious.

Feedback would be much appreciated. Also, I'm hereby once again begging for company on this lonely little site.

Suplecs, Outlaw Order

2005-08-11T12:46:00.000-04:00

Hard, heavy sludge. New Orleans does this shit best. Anyone who says otherwise, well, we'll have words. And knives.

Suplecs

Wrestlin' With My Lady Friend (2000)
Dope Fu
C'mon, darlin', let's throwdown & get dirty.

Outlaw Order

Legalize Crime 7" (2003)
Illegal in 50 States
Ex-Eyehategod members in this group. Makes your ribcage rattle.

Bettye LaVette

2005-08-08T17:15:00.000-04:00

Hey guys. I, too, am back from LA -- or rather, a tiny LA suburb. But here is music.

Bettye LaVette

Bluesoul Belles (2005)
Let Me Down Easy
Bettye LaVette is amazing.
I Feel Good All Over
Bettye LaVette is amazing again.

Walter Gibbons

Doin' the Best That I Can 12" (1978)
Doin' the Best that I Can
Walter Gibbons remixes of Bettye LaVette are amazing.

Quick background: the lady hails from Detroit, and the first two songs I picked are off a brilliant compilation that came out earlier this year--Bluesoul Belles, with "the complete Calla, Port, and Roulette recordings" of Ms LaVette and another woman, Carol Fran. LaVette has a very interesting history, but I'm not in the mood to type it out right now (an edit is in the works, friends; I will elaborate on Gibbons too).

THE CANNANES

2005-07-20T12:42:00.000-04:00

I just got back from L.A. and I'm pretty sad today! Frances Gibson has one of my favorite voices and so Francesca Bussey comes close. I listen to this a lot on planes. Most of the tracks are great, I mean it.

The Cannanes

The Cannanes (1995)
Get On Down & Swing, You Little Red Devil

The Lowest of the Low, Weddings Parties Anything

2005-07-18T21:46:00.000-04:00

Zach was saying to me the other day he was wary of putting up songs that were too personal, which tended to be his favorites. Well, it was a while after he said that that I realized I have avoided posting songs by two of my favorite groups for just that reason. And that's dumb (which is to say, I understand completely why anyone would do such a thing, but I refuse to let myself). I'm gonna post them. Feedback would be greatly appreciated.

The Lowest of the Low

Shakespeare, My Butt (1991)
Under the Carlaw Bridge
The line "there's people more together than I'll ever be" is one of the most strangely comforting lines in the history of music.

Weddings, Parties, Anything

...They Were Better Live: Live At The Central Club Christmas, 1998 (1999)
Step In, Step Out
Another bittersweet tune. I'm secretly a romantic. Don't tell anyone, please?

Ernie K-Doe, Ann Peebles

2005-07-17T11:28:00.000-04:00

A mixed pair today. Pretty much just lettin' the songs stand for themselves:

Ernie K-Doe

A Real Mother-in-Law for Ya (2002)
Pennyworth of Happiness
Burn! K-Doe burn!

Ann Peebles

I Can't Stand the Rain (1974)
I Can't Stand the Rain
A thousand thanks to Sophia for turning me on to Ann Peebles.

Meade Lux Lewis, John Lewis

2005-07-16T17:31:00.000-04:00

Tempted to add Jerry Lee Lewis, but I promised myself only two a day. Some fine piano playing:

Meade Lux Lewis

Cat House Piano (1998)
Torpedo Juice
I find both these dudes to be very chill ivory ticklers. Good relaxing music.

John Lewis

The John Lewis Piano (1956)
Harlequin
Maybe even more chill than the last one. Almost sleepy, it's so relaxing, but not boring.

Ernest Tubb, Faron Young

2005-07-15T13:51:00.000-04:00

A pair of country favorites:

Ernest Tubb

Walking the Floor Over You (The Hits, Vol. 1) (2003)
It's Been So Long, Darling
Tubb is one of the more influential country singers that graced the airwaves back in the day. This tune is one of those moaning country songs that hits me right between the eyes.

Faron Young

Hello, Walls (2002)
Unmitigated Gall
A cover of a Mel Tillis tune, if I am not mistaken. A quirky tune that hit the top ten for Young back in the late 60s.

Doc Watson, Merle Travis

2005-07-14T12:22:00.000-04:00

A few old men:

Merle Travis

Guitar Rags & a Too Fast past (1994)
God Put a Rainbow in the Clouds
This tune is one of those old religious tunes that make you wanna clap your hands & love Jesus. It's from this sweet five CD boxed set that I wouldn't mind getting my hands on. Wesley Tuttle played guitar on this track, if I am not mistaken.

Doc Watson

Third Generation Blues (1999)
St. James Infirmary
I have so many good versions of this tune, actually, the best being James Booker's, but this one is aces as well. Doc & Richard Watson are in on this one. Doc Watson was heavily influenced by Merle Travis.

Alvin Lucier, Tony Conrad

2005-07-13T14:46:00.000-04:00

Cold, mildly terrifying pieces:

Tony Conrad

Slapping Pythagoras (1995)
The Heterophony of the Avenging Democrats, Outside, Cheers the Incineration
A very long, droning piece that, I feel, is really quite brutal. It is like listening to all the sinners in Hell. It's one of my favorite bits of music, for that very reason. It's like running a marathon.

Alvin Lucier

Still Lives (2001)
Still Lives: Bread Knife
I was thinking of putting up "I Am Sitting in a Room," but I felt two pieces that were roughly 20 minutes long was too much, so I picked a shorter selection from Lucier. He's more haunting than brutal, far colder a tune than Conrad's stuff, but still the sort of music that makes the skin crawl & dark rooms seem much darker.

EWAN MACCOLL, JOHN BERTRAND

2005-07-12T11:51:00.000-04:00

A pair of songs by people with funny accents:

Ewan MacColl

Black & White:the Definitive Collection (1990)
"The Maid Gaed Tae the Mill"
That's English he's speaking. The song is about sex. This song is good for singing along with loudly.

John Bertrand

Early American Cajun Music (1999)
"The Swallows"
Bertrand was around in the 1920s, & I don't think his work can be found outside of various Cajun compilations here & there. The song is in French (I think), it's hard to tell. I love the scratchiness of this track (kinda adds a quaint charm to it), but some might not like how it interferes with the music.

So far, so good.

summer is tired

2005-07-11T20:48:00.000-04:00

Hey, hey. I've been busy for most of these last two months and when I haven't been, I've been busy wallowing in petulant boredom, smoking unnecessary marijuana and swimming. So here I am.

I'll start out with the Radio Stars' signature track. Don't know much about these guys except that the lead singer's a former member of John's Children, that they were one of the many bands in the quirky power pop late 70's scene, and that I love this song.

The Radio Stars

Nervous Wreck (1977)
Nervous Wreck

Everyone should know this song & I'm probably not opening many doors here, but here's the Records' "Starry Eyes" from the compilation of the same name. The stuff of summer, y'know.

The Records

Starry Eyes: UK Pop II 1978-79
Starry Eyes

The first thing I thought when I heard the G.T.O.'s' only album was, "Wow!" It's some of the same, some of what you'd expect for sure, but a whole lot more exciting and earnest than the gimmick its description implies. G.T.O.'s stands for Girls Together Outrageously, & that's what they are: a group of L.A. groupies led by Pamela Des Barres, the infamous supergroupie. As if that's not enough, it's loaded with skits and produced by Frank Zappa. These are two of my favorite tracks in order of acceptabilitude.

The G.T.O.'s

Permanent Damage
I'm In Love With The Ooh Ooh Man and I Have A Paintbrush In My Hand To Color A Triangle

To top it off, here's an amazing (if a little long) live acoustic version of T. Rex's "Cosmic Dancer" along with a cover by Tori Kudo and a version of MSHB's "Interview" done with Ouch Sinsuke & Seki Masaharu. I hope I'll be posting more this summer but more than that, I hope you like everything you hear here. Thanks & you're welcome!

Marc Bolan

Acoustic Warrior (1999)
Cosmic Dancer
unclear when this was recorded but the collection came out in '99

Tori Kudo
Don't Fear An Adjoining Island: Tori Kudo, Kinutapan & Yumbo (Live 2004)
Cosmic Dancer and Interview

CHAMPION JACK DUPREE, SUNNYLAND SLIM

2005-07-11T12:55:00.000-04:00

I am gonna try to post two songs a day for the next ten days or so. Yell at me if I fall behind.

Champion Jack Dupree

Live With the Big Town Playboys (1998)
"Bring Me Flowers When I'm Living"
A nice, long, relaxed blues tune, depressing & dark. Dupree is one of those old New Orleans bluesmen that inspired the likes of Professor Longhair & the like.

Sunnyland Slim

Midnight Jump (1969)
"Sunnyland Special"
With Willie Dixon, Walter Horton, Johnny Shines, & Clifton James, Slim knocks out an upbeat little blues number.

Soul in '69

2005-07-11T04:32:00.000-04:00

Hey, this is Vivek - Zach's been kind enough to allow me to post here, so I guess I'm the newest member of the VSlam team. I thought I'd start out with some pretty basic, but solid stuff - 4 simple Soul tracks from 1969. I hope you like the stuff, feel free to comment if you don't (or even if you do!).

Howard Tate

Howard Tate's Reaction (1969)
My Soul's Got a Hole in It
You might recognize Howard Tate as a member of the Gainors - the Philly doo-wop group that featured the likes of Soul Sensation Garnet Mimms. His solo career picked up in the late 60's with a few minor hits, but much of his fame has been gathered through covers from artists ranging from Hendrix to Masekela to B.B. King.

David Ruffin

My Whole World Ended (1969)
I've Lost Everything I've Ever Loved
David Ruffin, of course, was the signature voice of the Temptations before his Ego swelled and he decided to split from the group. This unfortunate parting has led many to discredit Ruffin's solo career, which is unfortunate. My Whole World Ended is a fantastic album, and this particular track is one of the best on it.

Otis Redding

Love Man (1969)
Direct Me
If you listen to any Soul music at all, you know Otis, so I won't even bother.

Garland Green

Jealous Kind of Fella (1969)
I Can't Believe You Quit Me
The title track of Green's Jealous Kind of Fella turned him into a one-hit wonder, which is surprising considering how good a lot of his other songs are. This is one of the better ones.

summer is for lovers

2005-07-02T05:06:00.000-04:00

I'm in a particularly sappy mood this evening.

Lene Lovich

Stateless (1979)
I Think We're Alone Now

Gal Costa

Gal Costa [Mercury #1] (1969)
Baby
granted, I only speak english and therefore understand all of "Baby, baby, I love you" but I've got a good feeling this is a love song. anyone want to enlighten me with a translation?

Sam Cooke

Sam Cooke (1958)
You Send Me

Old 97s

Wreck Your Life (1997)
You Belong To My Heart
I hope this one doesn't get me thrown out, but their old stuff is really really great.

kiss somebody today.

FIDDLIN' FRENCHIE BURKE, ALICIA SVIGALS, NORMAN EDMONDS, THE DALRIADA BROTHERS

2005-06-29T22:23:00.000-04:00

Fiddlesticks.

FIDDLIN' FRENCHIE BURKE

Cajun Memories (2002)
Devil's Dream
This tune is as old as the hills, & one of those that I have yet to hear a bad version of.

ALICIA SVIGALS

Fidl: Klezmer Violin (1997)
Romanian Fantasy No. 1
Svigals is in the Klezmatics, but this tune is from her solo album.

NORMAN EDMONDS

Southern Journey, Vol. 2: Ballads & Breakdowns (1959)
Bonaparte's Retreat
The compilation this is from was one of those Lomax recordings from the Blue Ridge Mountains. This particular song is a very short, instrumental version, I believe, of what would be the popular country tune by the same name (best done, I feel, by Johnny Horton). Originally, it was an Irish reel, if I am not mistaken.

THE DALRIADA BROTHERS

Farewell to Ireland (1991)
Tripping Up the Stairs
Irish music on fiddle. I love the tunes I have found by this group, but haven't found much information on them.

Hey! You! I'm calling you out! Drop some tunes! Throw down! You know who you are!

MUNGO JERRY, JIMMIE DAVIS

2005-06-16T11:48:00.000-04:00

It is now summer pretty much anywhere you head in the more reasonable latitudes of the northern hemisphere. Some time last year, my good friend Scott idly asked about a song he had long enjoyed but never tracked down, & I, in a moment of pure coincidence, happened to know exactly the song, which I had on my computer. That song was the only hit song Mungo Jerry ever had, a crazy little tune called "In the Summertime."

Now, I've never heard anything else by Mungo Jerry, but I damned well should. This song is about the perfect summer time music. It's hilarious (& sexist, but we'll let that slide), light, even a little danceable, if you don't mind lookin' foolish (who does these days?), but mostly, this is a song for singing along.

MUNGO JERRY

In the Summertime (1970)
"In the Summertime"
"We love everybody but we do as we please!"

A while back, I promised if I ever got a copy of the original "You Are My Sunshine," I would post it. Well, here it is! Coincidentally, also perfect summer listening.

JIMMIE DAVIS

In the Summertime (1970)
"You Are My Sunshine"
One of these days, I'll find his resignation speech, too

15 Minutes of Filth & Depravity

2005-06-07T02:23:00.000-04:00

Without further ado, I present to you: Jelly Roll Morton's, Make Me A Pallet On The Floor. There is a LOT I could say about this track, but half the fun of this song is not knowing what you are getting into until it's too late. So if you want to spoil the spontaneousness click here. Otherwise, listen to the song then click the "the review" link below.

Jelly Roll Morton

Anamule Dance (1938)
Make Me A Pallet On The Floor
the review

Liza Jane

2005-06-01T15:33:00.000-04:00

Damn me, I had the post all typed up and hit the little red x and lost it. The gist of it was: there is this story about a girl named, Liza Jane. I knew about the Huey Smith version, then discovered there was also a Bob Wills version, then discovered there must be 100s of versions, a couple of which I had lying around. So here they are.

Pete Harris

Black Texicans: Balladeers & Songsters of the Texas Frontier (193?)
Square Dancer Corner

Pete Seeger & Woody Guthrie

American Roots: A History of American Folk Music (194?)
Liza Jane

Bob Wills & His Texas Playoys

Collected 78s (1942)
Goodbye, Liza Jane

Huey "Piano" Smith & His Clowns

Having a Good Time (1959)
Little Liza Jane

Encarnita Polo

2005-05-30T15:58:00.000-04:00

Anyone familiar with the site knows that Cha Cha Charming is full of gems. One of them, definitely, is the marvelous article on Spanish pop that alerted me to the existence of Encarnita Polo. She's wonderful. Recorded in the '60s and '70s, and apparently kicked off the flamenco-pop movement with her modernized cover of "Pepe Bandera" (streamable through RealPlayer here). What I have for you here, though, is "Paco Paco Paco," a single recorded in 1970. It's glittering with handclaps and melodic glee, has a giddy sing-song chorus and an awesome flamenco-inspired bridge. What, honestly, is not to love here?

Encarnita Polo

Todas Sus Grabaciones (1963-1975)
Paco Paco Paco

I apologize for (a) the 96 kbps bitrate, and (b) the fact that I needed to upload this through yousendit.com.

Mountain Goats, Fastbacks, Agitation Free, Crime Time, Pooh Sticks

2005-05-15T11:40:00.000-04:00

You've probably noticed that updates here have been sparse, save the consistently respectable efforts of cadet and billy ray. I've been away at school where FTP access & music downloading is forbidden and so I've been kind of in the dark in terms of both new music and updation of this place. I'll be back in 3 weeks and I can't promise regularity but there'll definitely be a lot more updates than you're seeing now.

I was going to post a bunch of hiphop but I'm pretty useless in that department; the dudes over at Cocaine Blunts, Can I Bring My Gat?, WestCoast2K, We Eat So Many Shrimp, etc. can give you what you're hungry for much better than my 17-yr-old suburban ass. & I'm perfectly okay with that.

Here's six tracks that, straight & simple, deserve to be heard.

The Mountain Goats

Nothing For Juice (1996)
Alabama Nova & Going To Scotland
this entire album's gold; find it, buy it

The Fastbacks

New Mansions In Sound (1996)
Fortune's Misery
this album's fun enough for me to overlook the fact that most of the tracks are exactly the same. yeah, one of those

Agitation Free

Malesch (1972)
Rucksturz
just a great closer for a wonderful & classic album

Crime Time
Serenghetto EP (2003)
We Need To Talk
please let me know if you know anything about these guys

The Pooh Sticks

Million Seller (1993)
That Was The Greatest Song
it is imperative

Original Prague Syncopated Orchestra, Original Victoria Band

2005-05-02T21:57:00.000-04:00

Both the Original Prague Syncopated Orchestra and the Orginial Victoria Band are revival bands from Europe; the Czech Republic and Holland, respectively. I didn't have a great deal of luck finding much information on the OPSO, but from the sound of a 2000 article I gather that they were still playing shows in the Czech Republic at that time. My friend Cornelius happens to have been the piano player (and occasional tap dancer) in the OVB and I know from him they disbanded in 1999 after nearly 30 years. The infatuation these foreigners have for americana is really infectious and the recording quality makes it easier to believe you are hearing live music in a 1926 dance hall.

Original Prague Syncopated Orchestra

Collected Recordings (198?)
Terror

Original Victoria Band

Collected Recordings (1989)
Happy Feet

JAMES BOOKER

2005-04-16T14:08:00.000-04:00

Long time no post. Sorry about that. Apologies if I fail completely to get this formatted right, etc. etc. I'm a bit clueless in these murky Internet waters.

I have been listening to a substantial amount of piano players recently, & I have completely fallen in love with James Booker. So I feel the need to post a tune by my newest obsession.

The tune is off King of the New Orleans Keyboard, featuring a photo on the cover that makes me smile broadly each time I see it. The tune itself, "Harlem in Hamburg" (incorrectly labelled when I found it as "Holland & Hamburg," due to Mr. Booker's marvelously slurred speech) makes my whole body quiver with joy. I can't express my love for this tune properly, so I will just let the tune do the talking.

James Booker

King of the New Orleans Keyboard (1976)
"Harlem in Hamburg"

Bernice McClellan, Gertrude Morgan, Annette Hanshaw

2005-04-10T03:49:00.000-04:00

I had this post written the other day and it was much better but I misplaced it. It makes a better 2a.m. sunday morning post anyways.

This first track is from the long out-of-print LP, Negro Church Music, recorded and edited by Alan Lomax. Sister McClellan lays down a real healthy sounding vocal backed by dozens in the congregation with a fantastic band (especially the piano player).

Bernice McClellan & Congregation

Negro Church Music (1959)
What Do You Think About Jesus?

This track by Gertrude Morgan is pure praise'n'worship; something like sermon, something like song, all power. By the time Let's Make A Record was released in 1970 (a decade after the recording was made) Sister Morgan had become well known around New Orleans as "...the eccentric figure best known for roaming the streets of the French Quarter in the 1950s and 60s and shouting invented spirituals through a megaphone..." After 1970 the record fell out of release and it wasn't until last summer that it was finally re-released (Preservation Hall Recordings).
Sister Gertrude Morgan

Let's Make A Record (1960)
Power

This last track is so very very out of place in this post, but I could not resist the temptation to post another Annette Hanshaw track.
Annette Hanshaw

Collected Recordings (1927)
My Idea of Heaven

DJ Kool Herc

2005-04-02T14:15:00.000-05:00

Yesterday I was going somewhere in the auto and my already shaky cassette to iPod connection decided it would be a great time to stop working. Being more than just morally opposed to FM radio I went scanning the AM dial for at least some preaching or far-right rant; this attempt was fruitless. Finally, settling on NPR and was more than just pleasantly surprised to find that irritating woman who does that irritating show interviewing DJ Kool Herc. The moral of the story is never ever ever listen to FM radio. For those who don't know, Kool Herc is widely considered the father of (at least) the hip-hop dj and by some slightly overzealous critics the "Father of Hip-Hop." Many of you maybe wondering how did someone so influential go so unknown for so long? 1. DJ Kool Herc has never, and according to Herc himself, will never make a studio album and 2. the few bootlegs from him DJing parties are few are far between. So for your ass shaking delight:

DJ Kool Herc
Live (197?)
Let Me Clear My Throat
As far as I can tell, this is not Kool Herc with the famed Hercilodians, but I am pretty certain that is Coke La Roc of the Hercilodians on the lyric.

Billy Ocean

2005-04-01T19:06:00.000-05:00

Everything I've read about Billy Ocean has mentioned that he was one of the first Caribbean singers to get major media attention in the US (especially MTV), which is great, but who cares? The dude's amazing. His first hit came in the mid-70's ("Love Really Hurts Without You") & the 80's brought a lot of great followups, most notably the title track from Nights (Feel Like Getting Down). If his name still doesn't ring a bell then you might remember "Get Outta My Dreams, Get Into My Car" and his biggest hit, "Caribbean Queen." Anyway, this is one of my favorites of his, & I think you'll agree that it's pretty fabulous, joyous, danceable stuff.

Billy Ocean
City Limit (1980)
Stay The Night

1926

2005-03-30T18:23:00.000-05:00

From 1900, we jump ahead to 1926. These four tracks come from a record collector friend of mine in Holland, who for the past forty years has been collecting any old time recordings he could get a hold of (78s, 33s, tape, mp3, etc); and for about the past thirty years he has been in the painstaking process of restoring these recordings through a mix of digital and analog means (with some homemade equipment). The results are just incredible. Here is a sample of four of remarkably awesome tracks from artists who unlike Louis Armstrong, Ma Rainey, or King Oliver never managed to make their way into many (if any) of these big 1920s revival box sets you find in your local Virgin mega store.

Billy Murray & Aileen Stanley

Collected Recordings (1926)
Any Ice Today Lady?
"Billy Murray (25 May, 1877 - 17 August, 1954) was one of the most popular singers in the United States in the early decades of the 20th century. While he received star billings on Vaudeville, he was best known for his prolific work in the recording studio, making records for almost every record label of the era. He was probably the best selling recording artist of the first quarter of the 20th century."
"Aileen Stanley (died 1982, age 89) projected a blues-influenced sensuality that was rare in white female vocalists of that era. She was one of Billy Murray's regular singing partners in the 1920's. Aileen also recorded many hits with other collaborators and as a solo artist, most notably "Sweet Indiana Home" (Victor 18992 in 1922) and "When My Sugar Walks Down the Street' (with Gene Austin on Victor 19585 in 1925)."

Dixieland Jug Blowers

Collected Recordings (1926)
Banjoreno
"Combining the sophistication of 1920s jazz bands with the raw energy of country string bands, the Dixieland Jug Blowers were in the vanguard of the early Louisville music scene. Their repertoire covered the spectrum of turn of the century American music - blues, rags, ballads, stomps, fiddle tunes and much more - in such performances as Barefoot Stomp, Blue Guitar stomp, Everybody Wants My Tootelum, National Blues and others."

California Ramblers

Collected Recordings (1926)
She Knows Her Onions
"The Ramblers adopted a slightly different playing style for the various labels they recorded for, thus enabling the record companies to have their own "sound". It wasn't until the development of electrical recording in 1925 that the true depth of the Rambler music became apparent and especially the Columbia company with its superb recording technique and smooth-surfaced records managed to capture the band in full glory. Although only one microphone was used and long before the days of dubbing, artificial reverb and stereo, the recorded sound has a tremendous perspective that even today baffles the listener. Also, these Columbia recordings were rather jazz-orientated, allowing for plenty of improvised solos and for what may already be described as "swing"."

Annette Hanshaw

Collected Recordings (1926)
Six Feet of Papa
"Annette Hanshaw was a popular singer and radio star of the 1920s and early Thirties who had many Jazz overtones in her singing style. She stepped out of her role of a torch singer and improvised and had a great deal of swing that harkened to the Big Band singers of the 1930s. She was viewed by the public as the epitome of a flapper."

For more information the reader is strongly urged to go check out: The Red Hot Jazz Archive they have more information than most people probably need, and tons of tracks in streamable Real Audio format.

Martin Denny

2005-03-25T12:20:00.000-05:00

This might be old news to some of you, but Martin Denny died early this month. Even though Les Baxter is considered the originator of that kind of exotica style by most people, Martin Denny was the guy who added all the kitschy sound effects and jazzed it up. This isn't exactly depressing news - he went at the ripe old age of 93. Anyway, these are my two favorite tracks from the Exotic Moog album, which is definitely one of his best. Lots of fun & not as grating as some moog.

Martin Denny

Exotic Moog (1969)
Delilah
I Talk To The Trees

1900

2005-03-24T15:23:00.000-05:00

Oh, oh, oh, I can barely type I'm so excited. I just got this collection of recordings from 1900, really 1900, not the 1900s but 1900! I am tingly. Enough typing, here are the songs.

Columbia Quartet
Camp Meeting Jubilee
"The name Columbia Quartet was not used for early Columbia discs known as Climax discs. Instead, the Climax Quartet sang on early discs. After the record company switched from its early Climax disc label to the Columbia label, the name Columbia Quartet was cited in spoken announcements. As late as 1908 or so Columbia used the generic "vocal quartette" on labels for performances that had been cut years earlier and remained in the catalog, but by 1906 for new performances the company sometimes put Columbia Quartette on discs."

Edna May
Purity Brigade
"Few people today have heard of Edna May but 100 years ago she was the toast of London and New York. Millionaires sought her hand in marriage, train loads of admirers would follow her where ever she went, she commanded some of the highest fees of her day, and her exploits were reported on both sides of the Atlantic....Edna May first took to the stage at the age of 5, when she played Little Willie Allen in a production of "Dora". By the age of 7 she had joined a children's opera company and performed Gilbert & Sullivan productions in Syracuse." This is so much what I imagine when I think of what music was like in 1900.

Dan W. Quinn
Vaudeville Specialty
"The singer was born in San Francisco, perhaps in 1859 since Jim Walsh reports in the December 1961 issue of Hobbies that Quinn was 79 years old when he died. Posing with other Edison artists of 1900, Quinn appears to be around 40 years old in a photograph that is reprinted in the January 1971 issue of Hobbies. He was occasionally identified as a baritone but most often as a tenor. Quinn was a boy soprano in an Episcopal choir and was evidently a vaudeville performer when he was a young man. His photograph is on the cover of sheet music of the 1890s."

Elizabeth Cotten

2005-03-24T12:39:00.000-05:00

Can't really say much about this one. It's pulled from Elizabeth Cotten's 1958 lp Negro Folk Songs and Tunes later retitled as Freight Train and Other North Carolina Folk Songs and Tunes on Folkways, and it's one of the most beautiful songs I've ever heard. It's been especially good to me today & I've been whistling it all over the place for a while, so I thought I'd share it here.

Elizabeth Cotten

Negro Folk Songs and Tunes (1958)
Oh Babe It Ain't No Lie

Also, for posters: if a song file is larger than 5 MB then please consider converting it to a lower bit rate but not lower than 128kbps. Nothing here should be higher than 192kbps. If you break this rule, no big deal; I'll fix it up for you.

Tin Huey

2005-03-23T16:11:00.000-05:00

hey, I'm Sophia, recent Vslam recruit. Though my main blog's The Soundkeeper, you'll likely be catching occasional updates from me here as well. Anyway, on to ze music...

Tin Huey formed in the early '70s in Akron, Ohio -- a scene that also birthed bands like Devo and the Rubber City Rebels. They're really cute -- geekish lyrics, huge melodies, gleefully messy, and obviously enjoying themselves a lot when they play. The enthusiasm of Robert Chistgau and a locally-popular cover of "I'm a Believer" got the band signed to Warner Brothers, where they released Contents Dislodged During Shipment in 1979. Despite being a pretty fun slab of offbeat new-wave pop, the record sold disappointingly and the band was dropped from Warner Brothers, leading to its subsequent break-up. (Reunited in 1999, though, to record Disinformation.)

Since I revel in all of those interesting band-connections... Chris Butler went on to form the Waitresses, record a handful of solo albums, and write "The Devil's Glitch," which, according to the Guinness Book of Records, is the longest recorded pop song (and was nominated for a Grammy in 1997). Stuart Austin worked on-and-off with Todd Rundgren. Ralph Carney played with the B-52s, Oranj Symphonette, Big Noise, and the Swollen Monkeys, as well as recording several solo albums.

Tin Huey

Contents Dislodged During Shipment (1979)
The Revelations of Dr. Modesto
Hump Day

Centro-matic, Will Johnson, South San Gabriel, Varnaline, Slobberbone, Okkervil River, Peter Schmidt

2005-03-23T01:20:00.000-05:00

will is the brains (& brawn) behind the legendary Centro-matic, the slightly less legendary (but no less great) South San Gabriel; an open band usually consisting of at least will & scott danbom (the heavenly fiddle/cello/keyboard player) with notables like anders parker (Varnaline), brent best (Slobberbone), howard draper (Okkervil River), and so forth sitting in, and a few solo albums. oh and he was the drummer for the pretty well unknown funland band, prior to all this, with local good guy peter schmidt (genius behind the Legendary Crystal Chandelier) and clark something or other from the Toadies.
following in a long tradition of super-prolific texas songwriters, will has released 15 albums since 1997's release of redo the stacks, plus half a dozen 7 inches and tapes and a few singles turning up here and there on compilations. even more amazing than his seemingly non stop songwriting is the fact that every song is great. some are so great that you swear you've heard it before. it was maybe the most difficult thing i did all day to narrow it down to these three tracks. (guess i wasn't really in a rock out sort of mood, these are all pretty down-tempo.)

Centro-matic

The Static vs. The Strings Vol. 1 (1999)
Say Something / 95 Frowns
one of my favorites from an album i always forget about (its actually a collection of home recordings and leftover songs, not an album)

Will Johnson

Murder of Tides (2002)
Re-Run Pills
listen closely and you can hear the cicadas in the background (god i love that)

South San Gabriel

The Carlton Chronicles: Not Until the Operation's Through (2005)
I Feel Too Young to Die
i just got this album, and this song struck me from the first listen

other tracks from:

Varnaline

Songs in a Nothern Key (2001)
Still Dream

Slobberbone

Everything You Thought Was Right Was Wrong Today (2000)
Trust Jesus

Okkervil River

Black Sheep Boy (2005)
Black Sheep Boy

Various Artists
[sorry no artwork available]
Observer: Scene, Heard Volume 3
Peter Schmidt - All The Umbrellas In London

*

2005-03-20T10:30:00.000-05:00

Hi! I'm back, and I've decided to invest in some hosting.

We now have 120GB bandwidth, which I assume is monthly. This means that I'll probably take songs down after 2 weeks and that unless we have a ridiculous surge in popularity, this should be sufficient.

We'll stick with Blogspot and I'll use domain forwarding unless someone's got a better idea. What would be nice, though, is if someone (maybe you, homosaur; I've heard good things) would be willing to help with a unique layout; this look is really getting to me.

Changes:
- new address will be: www.vslam.org
- to contact any of the members, try: administration@vslam.org
- hosting will be: in mp3 form, meaning none of this YSI bullshit
- posting format wil be: more strictly regulated; we (all the posters) should decide on the best method

I'm pretty happy about this; once we've got a more "professional" look and feel, things should get better around here in a multitude of ways. If you've got any suggestions at all, please comment now before everything's solidified.

Bobby Bare

2005-03-19T12:47:00.000-05:00

Ain't been a song up in a while. Zach's been gone, & we've been slacking. For shame.

Artist: Bobby Bare
Song: "The Son of Hickory Holler's Tramp"
Writer: Dallas Frazier

If Willie Nelson & Tom T. Hall wrote every country song ever, Bobby Bare sang them all.

Bare had a rough go of it as a kid. When his ma died, he ended up having to fend for himself a lot, & by the time he was fifteen, he was out on his own. Shortly thereafter, he had built his first guitar & began playing music. After a stint in the army, he ended up roommates with Willie Nelson & tried his hand at singing professionally. He became a hit in the country world, mixing in a bit of pop & folk into his act (in some ways like the Statler Brothers did, but without all the pretty harmonies).

This particular song is off his 1969 album Lincoln Park Inn, a fine piece of work of country music, to be sure. It was written by Dallas Frazier, another one of those country singers who wrote a mountain of amazing country songs that other people had hits with. However, Frazier eventually left the song-writing & country-singing business for to be a minister.

This particular song is one of those country songs about a hooker with a golden heart, one of my particular favorite themes. Always a little bit sappy right along side being a little bit biting--a dash of heartwarmin' along with their controversy. It's right up my alley. Hope ya like it!

Download it!

Autechre

2005-03-13T22:02:00.000-05:00

From the upcoming album, Untilted, this is the first great Autechre song in quite a while. I haven't listened to the new album extensively enough to state my opinion of it, nor would I judge an album that no one knows for certain is the final mix or not, but I can assure you it's already better than the busy yet dull Draft 7.30.

Autechre seems to have new gear and heading back into more of a minimal techno territory than their recent glitchy works. "LCC" is the first track off the record and a pretty good indicator of what the rest of it sounds like.

Autechre - "LCC"

Tom T. Hall

2005-03-13T20:54:00.000-05:00

Artist: Tom T. Hall
Song: "I Hope It Rains at My Funeral"
Writer: Tom T. Hall

The daunting Mr. Charlie & I agree that this is damned fine song. Tom T. Hall has that sing/speak thing going for him, which he does oh so well, & he's a cynical old man, deep down. This song & "Ballad of Forty Dollars" are two of the finest works of country cynicism ever written.

I think Charlie wants this played at his funeral. I can't say as I blame him. Personally, I don't intend to die, but I can see how if I did, I'd want this played.

Fact of the day: Tom T. Hall & Willie Nelson wrote every country song ever written.

Yeah, so I've got nothing else to add.

Download it!

Boys, Paris, Polyphonic Size, Saicos, Plagal Grind, Alastair Galbraith, Candy

2005-03-13T13:21:00.000-05:00

SONG 1
I don't think my Japanese roommate notices the blatantly racist undertones of this song, and that's probably a good thing, because I play this shit all the time. The Boys rock, hard; I'd count them among my favorite punk bands. They were essentially England's answer to the Undertones, who I like but who don't really have the same energy. This particular track's from the Punk Rock Rarities compilation of their unreleased / deleted songs. I'm not exactly sure when "Jap Junk" was recorded, but probably somewhere between '77 and '82.

Boys - Jap Junk

SONG 2
The next one: early 90's hiphop from the SF bay area, idiosyncratic and well produced. Dj Mad and Paris both have a thing for a steadily building, hectic rhythm and complement each other very well. The lyrics aren't really afrocentric as much as black panther-ish. Comparisons to Ice Cube, etc. I was originally going to post something from his 1992 The Devil Made Me Do It, but I got sidetracked. The liner notes for that album include short biographies of Huey Newton, Robert Seal, Malcolm X, Marcus Garvey, among others. Instead, here's the track that introduced me to Paris, the title track from 1994's Sleeping With The Enemy.

Paris - Sleeping With The Enemy

SONG 3
I really love the Polyphonic Size, the Belgian synthpop band. Their 1982 debut Live For Each Moment is wonderful but I'm not a huge fan of some of their subsequent releases, although they all have a few good tracks. This is from their 1988 The Overnight Day but I culled it from a decent best of collection called The Prime Story.

Polyphonic Size - Tell Me

SONG 4
This is one of the sweeter tracks by the punky garage band Los Saicos, taken from Wild Teen-Punk From Peru 1965, which I think is a collection of their 5 singles & 5 b tracks. I don't know much about these guys other than some Swell Maps / possible Los Shains connections, but this sure is a fun album.

Los Saicos - (Track 4)

SONGS 5 & 6
Alastair Galbraith is a prominent New Zealand experimental rock dude, coming around in the mid-80's to play with Plagal Grind and The Rip, the former being essentially a vehicle for his songwriting. The first track is from Plagal Grind's only release, a brilliant, grungey, dirty (but still oddly catchy) EP on Xpressway in 1989. The second's from one Alastair's solo efforts, the 1993 Morse LP on Siltbreeze.

Plagal Grind - Receivership

Alastair Galbraith - RDS

SONG 7
Finishing up with Candy's fucking excellent song Electric Nights that I was reminded of recently. Know next to nothing about these guys, either, except that they were from LA, played awesome power pop, and Gilby Clarke was in the band. Their Whatever Happened To Fun 1985 album is intensely great; I think there's a compilation out now, too.

Candy - Electric Nights

BYE
I'm heading out of town tomorrow until the next Friday so there probably won't be as many updates, but I'm sure these guys will satiate you. I'll be back then, & get excited cause I'll be posting from Laquan's Notes Of A Native Son.

And: Momus just wrote an interesting and creepily prophetic Livejournal entry about Michael Jackson; read it if you love the man half as much as I do.

Spacemen 3

2005-03-13T05:30:00.000-05:00

It's a rocked up re-recording of "Walking with Jesus" from Perfect Prescription. It's on Taking Drugs to Make Music to Take Drugs To. I took too many drugs to say much else.

This is a good song.

Spacemen 3 - "Sound of Confusion"

Terminals, Kak

2005-03-12T22:22:00.000-05:00

SONG 1
If you've been following along and know a lot of the records I've been posting from, you've probably noticed that I've got a tendency to post the most radio-friendly track I can find on the album. And I'm okay with that. Well, this time I didn't, although I came close. The Terminals were a great late-80's early-90's "punk" band hailing from New Zealand - punk being in quotes because, as you'll be able to tell from the mp3, they were more of a dark rock band than anything. Supposedly their live shows were intense, although the live album I have of theirs doesn't really reflect that. The guitarist used to be in The Clean, and several other members came from Scorched Earth Policy and Victor Dimisich Band. Don't mind the melodrama; they definitely have fun-capacity and know how to rock out, but not like The Enemy or Snapper or anything. Plenty of tracks full of great guitar hooks and a solid beat, that sort of thing. Anyway, this is the title track from their 1990 LP Uncoffined. If you'd like to hear more, there's an excellent compilation called Cul-De-Sacthat I'd recommend but it definitely focuses on their lighter side. I couldn't find album art so pretend this is it.

Terminals - Uncoffined

SONG 2
I made a reference to Kak in the Pax entry below. They're one of my favorite psych bands ever, all for their one and only 1968 LP. Eventually Kak-Ola was released, a reissue with several bonus tracks. The song I'm posting isn't wonderfully representative as most of the album is harder - and proggier at times - without ever going overboard, even with names like "Trieulogy: Golgotha, Mirage, Rain." This one's relaxed, smoothed out and pretty, but still tight. It's also the longest thing I've ever posted here and probably ever will post here at 5:55.

Kak - Lemonaide Kid

NOT A SONG

Also: my girlfriend just told me about this, which is nuts but believably so.

Artimus Pyle

2005-03-12T14:23:00.000-05:00

I'm suddenly in a mood to hear ugly things.

Artist: Artimus Pyle
Song: "Rape the Beast"

I know nothing about this band except that they're awesome live. Saw them last year sometime with the inestimable Scott at the Dixie. I don't even know who wrote the song, nor the names of the band members. They are, however, named after the wild man of Lynyrd Skynyrd, but I'll forgive them. They certainly looked like wild Southerners, with their big ass beards & long hair.

It's nice, ugly thrash metal. Something to complement all the sweet stuff I will likely be putting up.

Download it!

Pax, Pierre Bensusan

2005-03-10T21:46:00.001-05:00

SONG 1
ALBUM COVER
Oh, holy shit. This is my dream record, kind of. As good at what they do as Kak, without the bonus pretentiousness & a little more Sabbath/Dust-y. There's even fucking cowbell, and you have to admit you love cowbell.
Purportedly one of Peru's first hard rock bands, May God And Your Will Land Your Love Miles Away From Evil was recorded in 1970 by the same guy who brought us Los Shains. The last track is totally bizarre but doesn't come off as Lothar-y. I am not posting that track. Precise, stoned and solid guitar psych. ENJOY IT.

Pax - Pig Pen Boogie

SONG 2
This Pierre Bensusan, although wanky (but not as wanky as most virtuoso types) is a totally ridiculous Algerian guitarist. This is from his 2000 album Intuite, and it is very very pretty.

Pierre Bensusan - So Long Michael

The Statler Brothers

2005-03-10T14:22:00.000-05:00

Just a heads up: I'm probably gonna end up putting up a lot of country on this thing.

Artist: The Statler Brothers
Song: "Do You Know You Are My Sunshine?"
Writer: Don & Harold Reid

This might well be my favorite song. It's sweet, pretty, & energetic. The only part I think is kinda off is the end, when they drag out "sunshine," but I can get past that. Also, the intro makes my ears tingle.

The song title/chorus is a pun, sorta. The original "You Are My Sunshine" was written by Louisiana governor Jimmie Davis, who also sang his resignation speech. If I should ever find a copy of that speech, I promise, I will post it here. Also, I wish I had "You Are My Sunshine" to offer you, but I can't seem to find a copy of that, either. Oh well, perhaps later.

The Statler Brothers, incidentally, are a recently retired group of country boys who won more awards for their music than just about any other in country music (that might be dated information, though). They've got that whole harmony thing going for them, & Harold Reid's deep, deep voice is one of the finest things known to man.

Anyway, Download it!

PS Let me know if that link fails. I think I might have messed up copying it.

Jacobites, Roosevelt Graves, MSHB, Washington Phillips

2005-03-10T10:40:00.002-05:00

SONG 1
You probably know / know of the Swell Maps, 70's English "post-punk" experimental rockout stuff. I'm pretty indifferent toward them, but so many good things came out of the band that they're hard to ignore. The bassist, Jowe Head, put out some (dud) solo stuff and played with the Television Personalities, Epic Soundtracks (yes, that's a person) joined Crime & The City Solution, and Nikki Sudden - the lead vocalist and guitarist - went on to form the Jacobites & play with people like Rowland S Howard. The Jacobites made (give or take) ten albums between '84 and '98 and with the exception of the last one, the ones I've heard have been real good. This track comes from their sophomore release Robbespierre's Velvet Basement; if you're discouraged by the feeling of affectation in this track, I'd recommend their Ragged School album instead.

Jacobites - Son Of A French Nobleman

SONG 2
The Goodbye, Babylon box set is the most lovingly constructed, glorious collections I've seen, including Alan Lomax's and Harry Smith's compilations. Six discs of amazing Lord-related material from the early-mid 20th century. One of the few people I knew before getting the set was (Blind) Roosevelt Graves, so I was pretty pleased to find one of his best recordings on the first disc. Buy this box set; you won't regret it.

Roosevelt Graves & Brother - Woke Up This Morning (With My Mind On Jesus)

SONGS 3 & 4 & 5
"In order to clearly discern good intentions, there is a necessity to transmit an accurate knowledge."
Maher Shalal Hash Baz are one of my favorite bands. Their releases aren't at all consistent but they've covered enough wonder-ground for me to embrace them as a favorite; I've listened to their records more than anything else in the last year and they instill a feeling of peace, beauty and complacency that no other non-classical music gives me. MSHB is led by Tori Kudo, with a backing band including his wife Reiko. Reiko's had some fairly nice solo albums but I'm not sure about her presence in other bands. Tori Kudo, on the other hand, has been all over the fucking place since the late 70's. Examples: Guys 'n' Dolls, Sweet Inspirations, Taco, A-Musik, Che-Shizu, Noise, Cock C'Nell, and some appearances on Nagisa Ni Te albums. For more on Tori, read this interview, by far the most informative, detailed and interesting thing I've read about him. The first and second MSHB tracks are two of the most-accessible songs from their most-accessible release, Blues Du Jour, which is no exception to the scattered, short-songed setup of the rest of their albums. The third comes from the intensely long Return Visit To Rock Mass.

Maher Shalal Hash Baz - Good Morning & Peter Says

Maher Shalal Hash Baz - Please Mr. Glory

SONG 6
Relistening to the first couple discs of Goodbye, Babylon today reminded me of my favorite Washington Phillips track. He's definitely got a feeling about him that nobody else has; I'll let you decide for yourself. I pulled this from Preachin' The Gospel: Holy Blues, a collection of songs from 1927-53. I love this song.

Washington Phillips - Denomination Blues, Part I

Danny Boy & The Serious Party Gods

2005-03-08T21:00:00.000-05:00

This early 80's gem is both a slam and a homage to the San Francisco gay scene. Definitely a play on Frank and Moon Unit Zappa's "Valley Girl," which was very popular at the time. It's amazing how many of the bars given props in this song still exist. It's also amazing how many of the drugs mentioned in this song go by different names now-a-days.

This copy seems to cut off at the end, but originals of this single are almost impossible to find. I saw one on Ebay recently, but it sold for over $150!!! Enjoy it, because it is indeed: FABULOUS!!!

Danny Boy & The Serious Party Gods - Castro Boy

The Klezmer Conservatory Band

2005-03-08T15:12:00.000-05:00

First, I would like to reiterate Zach's sentiment that if you're interested in anything I post that's gone by the wayside because of YouSendIt's policies, comment or email me & I'll see what I can do.

Artist: The Klezmer Conservatory Band
Song: "Rumania, Rumania"/"Remenye, Remenye"
Writer: Aaron Lebedoff/Lebedeff

As far as I can tell, Lebedoff (also found as "Lebedeff") wrote or performed a musical called "If I Only Could" way back in the day, which had one hit song, all in Yiddish, called "Bei Mir Bist Du Schoen," which Lebedoff didn't himself write. He's a Jewish composer & his stage antics influenced Danny Kaye, amongst others.

Klezmer, by the way, is Jewish folk music, basically. Most modern klezmer bands throw in a lot of other influences, fo course, especially jazz & pop & whatnot. Most of the songs are sung in Yiddish, if they have singing at all. It's very much dance music.

The Klezmer Conservatory Band is a group of musicians of various backgrounds who come together to make the klezmer that they love so much. Pretty standard stuff, for a band, yeah? It was started by Hankus Netsky, whose family had a long history of klezmer musicians. Most of the band's work seems to be old klezmer tunes (as opposed to new compositions), though I am not familiar with everything they've done.

This song was the first tune I ever heard by them, & thus, the first klezmer tune I ever fell in love with. It is an appropriate coincidence that I always used to think of that scene in The Inspector General where Danny Kaye is dancing around to some "Romanian folk song" when I heard this (that is, I wished I could dance like that to this song).

The song itself is very snappy, catchy, & kinda cheesy in some ways, but that's what I love about it.

Anyway, without further ado:

Download it!

Marie Queenie Lyons, Margie Alexander, Kevin Coyne, Slapp Happy, Trinity

2005-03-08T13:08:00.000-05:00

SONGS 1 & 2
I recently got a compilation of 70's funked-out soul called I'm A Good Woman Vol 3. Problem is, it's so great that it was hard to narrow it down to two songs to share here; when you've got Betty Davis, Anna King, Marva Whitney and the Pips to compete with, you have to be especially awesome. But after careful deliberation I think my two favorites are Marie Queenie Lyons' "Your Key Don't Fit It Anymore" and Margie Alexander's "It Can't Last Forever. So uh, here they are, two funky-soul gems circa 1970. If you like the Marie Queenie Lyons track, she put out a wonderful album called Soul Fever you should look into.

Marie Queenie Lyons - Your Key Don't Fit It Anymore & Margie Alexander - It Can't Last Forever

SONG 3
Kevin Coyne is one of those rare people for me where, during my first time hearing them, I admit defeat and realize they're going to be dominating my ears for a while. Since then, I've bought more albums of his & regretted fewer of them than any other band. Kevin Coyne died in early December of '04, leaving behind more than thirty solo albums and several books and paintings, along with his work with the Dandelion band Siren, countless musicians in Germany (ex: Dagmar Krause) and later, sometimes more unlikely collaborations (ex: Jeffrey Lewis). He and his music both mean a lot to me. This track is hardly his best but it's one of my favorites from the last five years; Sugar Candy Taxi was released in 1999 and Coyne referred to it as his "most honest record in years." You'll notice that this track is totally acoustic so if it feels bare to you, don't lose hope. Even if you don't like it, I'd recommend buying his amazing '73 release, Marjory Razorblade or his Peel Sessions.

Kevin Coyne - I'm Into Your Game

SONG 4
Speaking of Dagmar Krause, this next track comes from her early 70's German band Slapp Happy. They were unique in their expertise of blending psychedelic and "avant-garde" leanings with melodic pop and offering a lot of variety on their albums. This song comes from their album Acnalbasac Noom (not Casablanca Moon), originally recorded in '73, which might as well be thought of as a collection thanks to all of the extra tracks. It was also backed by Faust again and produced by Uwe Nettlebeck. It's definitely heavily influenced by their poppier side, which probably had to do with Polydor telling them to sell better - but they wouldn't even release this album until 7 years later. They really are fantastic and I'd recommend any of their albums, including more collaborations with Faust and Henry Cow.

Slapp Happy - Charlie N Charlie

UPDATE: here's another Slapp Happy song from the same album that deserves just as much to be here: Slapp Happy - The Drum

SONG 5
One more: I got this one off of a compilation called, plainly, Joe Gibbs Productions. Joe Gibbs is a prolific reggae producer, churning out hit after hit from early rocksteady to later dancehall. He worked with countless people and bands, for example The Heptones, Nicky Thomas, Dennis Brown, Culture, and his own band The Professionals. He's often credited with the production of the "first" rocksteady song, "Hold Them" by Roy Shirley. Anyway, this track's from '77, Trinity's biggest hit with him dj-ing over a dub copped from Dennis Brown's "Money In My Pocket."

Trinity - Three Piece Suit

- - - - -

The version of "Outside My Door" by Can I had planned on sharing will have to wait, I guess.
You might notice I stopped bolding artist names because it's decidedly lame. I'm still doing that "SONG 1" thing, though - what's the deal with that?
That's all for today; hope you like it all.

Rodan, Upsilon Acrux, Hella

2005-03-08T04:30:00.000-05:00

Song #1

Rodan isn't so much obscure as ignored. It's easy to namecheck general favorites Slint on your top 50 list, but Rodan was simply a better band. There's no doubt that you'll find similarities between the fellow Kentuckians' projects, but it would be hard not to be influenced by Slint to some degree in 1991 if you live in the same town. "Gauge" is probably my favorite track on their only proper release, Rusty, with much more interplay between the band's vocalists than all of the other tracks. It's too bad Rodan didn't hang together long enough to make more records, but Rusty is alright on it's own.

Please tell me if you ever see a proper copy of this around, because I sure couldn't find it the last time I was in Louisville.

Rodan - "Gauge"

Song #2

Upsilon Acrux's heavily video game influenced 2004 album Volucris Avis Dirae-Arum was one of my favorite releases last year. Without falling into nostaligia, Upsilon Acrux genuinely do sound like early 90's era video game music and not by electronic bleeping and blooping or retro sound chips. Their songs actually hearken back to that sort of Japanese composition technique of repeated and similar melodies that was popular due to the limitations of NES sound. It's no coincidence that the themes from Rygar and Castlevania stick in your head after all these years, because they are obviously very catchy and unique. Just listen to this and you'll understand what I'm talking about.

Upsilon Acrux - "Night of the Goblin"

Song #3
Hella are similar in some ways to Upsilon Acrux, but instead of playing tight and melodic, Hella play fast and loose, in sometimes a such a haphazard way that it keeps them from being pegged as gimmicky math-rock. Hella are actually more like a version of Lighning Bolt for dorks. It's not as noisy but probably twice as strange. Their 2004 effort The Devil Isn't Red is just a damn fun record to take a walk to.

Hella - "Top Twenty Notes"

Awesome Animal Ambulance

2005-03-07T22:21:00.000-05:00

I've had Awesome Animal Ambulance's mini-album for a while now and I still know next to nothing about it except that it's on Aurora Seven records. The whole thing's pretty fun & allitera-tastic but this track is just about the cutest thing I've ever heard.

Awesome Animal Ambulance - Count On Us

Stew, Paper Garden, Naked Raygun, Laxmikant Pyarelal

2005-03-07T12:11:00.000-05:00

SONG 1:
Terribly rude to waiters,
Overtips like Sinatra,
Quite fond of Stiv Bators,
She drops acid and goes to the opera,
Her cat has a personal chef
Her dog wears a dead mink sweater
Her rabbit won't pose for Hef
She wears leather, whatever, the weather

Stew - Giselle

A few weeks ago I caught wind of the Negro Problem and bought their Welcome Black album from the local wimped-out record store / head shop combination. It's totally amazing, and I needed more, so I got Post-Minstrel Syndrome and Stew's The Naked Dutch Painter. Stew is the mastermind behind everything the Negro Problem does, give or take; he's one of those idiosyncratic West Coasters who flex their creative opinions lucidly in interviews and who think of music as a collaborative snapshot of all its elements: songwriting, instrumentals, lyrics, production. His ameliorative synthesist style works really well on all of the albums he made and there's certainly no shortage of his loving pop craftmanship.

Let me get something straight: I grew up listening to They Might Be Giants, from age 5 to 13. My only real musical exposure until I was 13 was them, extreme classical obviouses (Mozart, Beethoven, Wagner), and Smashmouth. Oh shit, right? Well, it was a perfect soundtrack to early childhood, and although I see TMBG as a contrived, whiney ironic joke now, I can still respect their songwriting ability. That's to say, if you look past the godawful vocals and Whoa Silly! sound effects, they could really write a good song. Stew's music does the same for me, but without all of the terrible aspects, and without coming across as maladroit or pretentious.

Anyway, try the track, it's great.

SONG 2
The Paper Garden - traces of the Small Faces, obviously big chunks of the Beatles, and something playful and different. The whole album has an odd feeling of detached dissonance which feels out of place in a such a warm, energetic psychedelic pop band, but works extremely well. It could also just be that my speakers suck. I'd recommend buying the album as most of it's great, but here's the first track from Paper Garden's 1969 self-titled album.

Paper Garden - Gypsy Wine

SONG 3
Naked Raygun are one of my favorite bands, & I haven't heard an album or bootleg of theirs that I haven't loved, which is pretty unusual for a band's live recordings. Anyway, this version of "Coldbringer" is a little more energetic and faster than the version on Jettison, and the crowd gives it even more life (especially toward the end). I'm not sure if the album I got this from (Free Shit) is a collection of earlier live material or if it was recorded and released in 2001. It's a total adrenaline rush and if it really is from '01, they've lost nothing since they quit in '92.

Naked Raygun - Coldbringer

SONG 4
This one comes from Laxmikant Pyarelal's 1966 bollywood album Pyar Kiye Ja. Can't give much of an introduction for this one since I'd have absolutely no idea what I'm talking about, but suffice it to say that it's a shitload of fun. If you'd like more information on Laxmikant, read this.

Laxmikant Pyarelal - Dil Hamne De Diya

Professor Longhair

2005-03-07T11:33:00.000-05:00

Hi, I'm Billy. Zach has been kind enough to let me get in on this thing. Hope you like what I put up here.

Artist: Professor Longhair
Song: "Mardi Gras in New Orleans"/"Go to the Mardi Gras"
Writer: Roy Byrd (aka Professor Longhair)

There are quite a few versions of this song out there, for starters. The earliest recording of it was in 1949. Generally, I have no idea which version of the song I am listening to, beyond what the mp3 says (in other words, I can't tell which album the song is off of, or if it is from some rare 45 from the '40s, or if it was spun wholecloth from the Internet & has nothing to do with Fess at all), because all of my Professor Longhair is downloaded. Local record shops should keep better stock of Fess CDs, but alackaday, I have as yet not lucked into one.

That said, I think my favorite version of this song that I have heard is the one I have that is labelled "Mardi Gras in New Orleans (Looser Version)." It is about 3 minutes long, starts with that piano intro that made me love Fess in the first place, & then rolls into the whole whistling thing that makes my spine tingle. When Fess gets around to singin', well, it's the icing on the cake. His voice is that low moan of a voice that I only wish I could imitate properly, when I sing this as it pops into my head (usually at random points, or any time Mardi Gras or Zulu is brought up).

This song is sometimes hailed as Professor Longhair's signature song, though a few of his other tunes might well vie for that same position, & according to Wikipedia, it is still the theme for Mardi Gras in New Orleans today. It certainly gets played down here during Carnival a few times. However, I don't think it is possible I could get tired of this song.

This song is a fuckin' celebration. It's the sorta thing that makes ya wanna dance in the streets (say, during Mardi Gras). It makes you wanna shake & jump & tap & step & sing. It makes ya feel good, like the way ya do when you're out on the streets during the Gras, lemme tell ya (assuming you aren't a useless curmudgeon, that is).

Basically, any version you come across should inspire your ear drums. The delicious piano, the jumpin' whistling, the crazy moan of Fess's voice, the rhythm that is simply to die for. It's damned near the best thing since sliced pickles, make no mistake.

Download it!

Homosexuals, X-Clan

2005-03-06T19:08:00.000-05:00

INTRODUCTION & SONG 1:
So, to start things out on a relatively known & solid note, here's the "title track" of this thing, if you will, or just an amazing song, if you won't.

Homosexuals - Vociferous Slam

HELP ME:
If anybody knows a better storage method, paid or unpaid, please let me know at the absurdly-long justwhatdoyoumeanbyantichrist@yahoo.com. Yousendit.com has unlimited storage but automatically deletes files after 7 days, so I apologize if you ever miss the boat - always feel free to comment or email me if you're interested in a specific song.

INTRODUCTION #2:
Sorry in advance for any clumsy inelegance in here, and doubly sorry for the apologetic tone that comes with it. Bear in mind that my seventeen-year-old speculation is hardly the most informed around, so if there are any factual problems then please comment. In any case, this is about the music, right? Right!, right!

SONG 2

By the way: vaaaainglorious! This is protected, by the red, the black, and the green, at the crossroads, with the key, siss-yyy!

X-Clan - A.D.A.M.

X-Clan are the messengers of a black underclass organization called Blackwatch. Apparently their materialization was a result of the Yusef Hawkins murder in 1989. This track's from their 1992 sophomore album Xodus. There were slight lineup changes for this album & their sound is a little more evolved and the samples work much better (no flagrant Paid In Full copping in this one). It's also just as intensely afrocentric without seeming like a caricature. The backing comes from Grover Washington Jr's "Mister Magic," and although it clashes sometimes with Brother J's lyrical style, the end result is still fucking great. Don't believe me, wait until the last verse. If it seems a little excessive, well, that's because it is, but it's still good old honest, talented Brother J and Professor X going at it over well-produced beats.