New label Kith & Kin comes storming out of the gate with a downright dazzling compilation of fresh cosmic American sounds, featuring stellar work from many of the scene’s leading lights and upcoming talents. It’s […]
Month: July 2018
Bomboclat! Island Soak 8 :: Jamaican Vintage (A Mixtape)
It’s July, which means it’s time to check in with the third largest of the four Greater Antilles. Enter Bomboclat! Island Soak, Volume 8 – another batch of seasoned sides from the private collection of […]
The Lagniappe Sessions :: Sam Evian
Lagniappe (la ·gniappe) noun ‘lan-ˌyap,’ — 1. An extra or unexpected gift or benefit. 2. Something given or obtained as a gratuity or bonus. Celestial Shore veteran Sam Owens returned last month via, You, Forever – his second […]
Jerry Rubin :: From Yippie to Yuppie
As we approach the 50th anniversary of the 1968 Chicago Democratic convention, where hippies, Black Panthers, the MC5, and many others clashed spectacularly with The Man, few figures seem more worthy of reexamination than Jerry […]
Lafayette Afro Rock Band :: Soul Makossa
To become one of the best American funk bands of the 1970s, the Lafayette Afro Rock Band had to leave the country. After forming on Long Island in 1970, the group surveyed the landscape: Funkadelic had released their self-titled […]
Catching Up With :: Phil Cook
Wherever he ends up musically, from his work with Hiss Golden Messenger to sitting down with gospel legends the Blind Boys of Alabama , guitarist Phil Cook seems to be smiling. But it’s on his solo albums, including 2011’s Hungry Mother Blues […]
Etuk Ubong :: Black Debtors
Etuk Ubong was born and raised in Lagos, but you don’t need me to tell you that; “Black Debtors,” his latest single, is built on a truncated rhythm so thick it feels like Fela Kuti’s “Open and […]
SIRIUS/XMU :: Aquarium Drunkard Show (7pm PST, Channel 35)
Tonight, my guest is Yosuke Kitazawa, discussing Light In The Attic Records upcoming Japanese reissue series — a series that kicked off last year with the compilation “Even A Tree Can Shed Tears” and picks up next month with a […]
Casual Water / Summer Crate Mixtape
Floated this medley of selections from our summer crate over to our friends at Reverberation Radio last week as part of their ongoing guest mix series. Lots of dub. Lots of reverb. Laisse rouler. King Tubby & […]
Strange Stars :: David Bowie, Pop Music, And The Decade Sci-Fi Exploded
Six days before he died in a car crash in 1977, Marc Bolan of T. Rex published a review of George Lucas’ new film Star Wars in his weekly column for Record Mirror. Praising the space opera […]
Unusual Sounds: The Hidden History of Library Music
Last month saw the release of artist and filmmaker David Hollander’s book Unusual Sounds: The Hidden History of Library Music , via Anthology Editions. A comprehensive must-read for those who relish and celebrate the expansive, often subrosa, world of Library Music, the work […]
The Lagniappe Sessions :: Rosali
Lagniappe (la ·gniappe) noun ‘lan-ˌyap,’ — 1. An extra or unexpected gift or benefit. 2. Something given or obtained as a gratuity or bonus. Yup, we’re big fans of Rosali Middleman’s new album Trouble Anyway. Cut with an arsenal […]
Sonya Spence :: In the Dark
Sonya Spence’s “I Love You So” — a slice of downbeat reggae soul from 1978 – comes across so fragile and dreamlike, it feels as if it might drift away at any moment; either taking […]
Bandcamping :: Summer 2018
More buried treasure to check out. As a digital institution it’s hard to beat Bandcamp. It’s ridiculously easy to use, it puts money directly into artists’ (and labels’) pockets and there’s a seemingly endless amount […]
SIRIUS/XMU :: Aquarium Drunkard Show (7pm PST, Channel 35)
Our weekly two hour show on SIRIUS/XMU , channel 35, can now be heard every Wednesday at 7pm PST with an encore broadcasts on-demand via the SIRIUS/XM app. SIRIUS 528: Richard Swift – Dressed Up For […]