Posts

Psychedelic Aliens :: Psycho African Beat

Psychedelic AliensPosted on

Speaking of western Africa...here's a set I've been sitting on since December---Psychedelic Aliens, Psycho African Beat. A funky, early 70s, Ghanaian psych-soul collection culled from a mish-mash of tracks destined to labor in indefinite obscurity prior to the entry of the Academy Records gang. Released at the tail end of 2010, the collection gathers up eight tracks sounding something like a garage-rock inflected Meters as filtered through Fela's transistor radio. Dig.

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So Be It :: Revisiting Pump Up The Volume

Pump Up The VolumePosted on

(Welcome to latest edition of A Soundtrack Enthusiast. Our latest entry comes courtesy of our friend John Gleason, of Roadside Graves, as he reflects on the music that framed 1990's Pump Up The Volume.)
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The only tape my father ever cracked in half was the soundtrack to Pump . . .

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Bibio :: Mind Bokeh

BibioPosted on

After listening to Stephen Wilkinson’s album teaser a few months back---every track crammed and cut up into a two-minute psychedelic loop-a-thon---I anticipated a version of Ambivalence Avenue that was far more vivid, bouncy and song-oriented. It was an exciting taster of a preview that stoked fires and excitement in fans, and especially this writer. Not only because it sounded so promising but also because Ambivalence . . .

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Som Imaginario :: (Self-Titled)

Som Imaginario TropicaliaPosted on

This was Som Imaginario's (Imaginary Sound) debut album from 1970; a Brazilian band that often backed the great Milton Nascimento just as Os Mutantes had backed Gilberto Gil and Caetano Veloso on their early albums. In fact, this album could be seen as the perfect companion piece to Os Mutantes' 1969 masterpiece, A Divina Comedia Ou Ando Meio Desligado.

The band's name is very fitting as Som Imaginario is an invigorating blend of folk, soul, psychedelia, brit influenced pop, rock and traditional Brazilian homeland . . .

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Ivory Coast Soul :: Afrofunk in Abidjan from 1972 to 1982

Ivory Coast SoulPosted on

With little fanfare from the mainstream, African music of the 60s, 70s (and to a lesser extent, the 80s-present) has seen a massive resurgence of late. From its wide influence on contemporary artists (some of whom have been accused of everything from gross appropriation to blatant ripoff) to the vast collection of compilations and reissues, it would appear that we have entered a period of unrivaled access to music that even a decade ago was mainly the provenance of crate-diggers and archivists.

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West African Cosmos :: Afro Dige

West African CosmosPosted on

Last week I caught a screening of The Upsetter, the new Lee "Scratch" Perry documentary, at the Downtown Independent theater. For Perry fans, hell, for anyone interested in the genesis of reggae and dub, the doc comes highly recommended. Later that night when I got home I went digging through the stacks for some Upsetters stuff to throw on, and by chance happened upon a totally unrelated LP---West African . . .

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Todd Rundgren :: Hello It’s Me (The Midnight Special, 1973)

Todd RundgrenPosted on

Watching this 1973 performance of Todd Rundgren guesting on The Midnight Special I am immediately struck by two things: a) what a great fucking song this really is, and b) wondering what early '70s middle America must have thought when greeted by this superfreak after flicking on their televisions after dinner. Rundgren could, and did, do it all---and went way avant/out there on the very next LP, but the man knew his chops and could pen a hell of a pop song. Rundgren . . .

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AD Presents :: Smith Westerns, Thursday, New Orleans

Aquarium Drunkard Presents Smith WesternsPosted on

Night two of Aquarium Drunkard's New Orleans Jazz Fest shows continue Thursday with Smith Westerns at One Eyed Jacks. We have three pairs tickets for AD readers. If looking to go, leave a comment below with your name and and an email address we can reach you at. Winners notified Tuesday night; tickets held at will-call. Bass Drum Of Death and

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Jeremy Taylor :: A Reggae Interpretation Of Kind Of Blue

Jeremy Taylor Miles Davis Reggae/DubPosted on

In 2009 Secret Stash Records dusted off this collection via a vinyl-only release. From the label: "In the spring of 1981 a group of reggae studio musicians from Jamaica gathered in New York City under the direction of Jeremy Taylor, a music professor at NYU at that time. The result was Reggae Interpretation of Kind of Blue". As fate would have it, several weeks after directing the sessions, Taylor passed away in his Paris hotel room while on a speaking tour . . .

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AD Presents :: Jon Spencer Blues Explosion, New Orleans

Aquarium Drunkard Presents Jon Spencer Blues ExplosionPosted on

I'm jumping on an airplane bright and early Wednesday morning to fly into New Orleans for the first of Aquarium Drunkard's three Jazz Fest shows this week. We're kicking off Wednesday night with the unfuckablewith Jon Spencer Blues Explosion at One Eyed Jacks. We have three pairs of tickets to the rock show for the Aquarium Drunkard faithful. To enter for a pair leave a comment below with your name, a valid email we can reach you and you . . .

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SIRIUS/XMU :: Aquarium Drunkard Show

SIRIUSPosted on

Our weekly two hour show on SIRIUS/XMU, channel 26 (SIRIUS), and channel 43 (XM), can now be heard twice, every Friday — Noon EST with an encore broadcast at Midnight EST.

SIRIUS 187: Jean Michel Bernard - Generique Stephane ++ The Broadway Hush - Tonight You Belong To Me ++ Megafaun - The Fade ++ My Morning Jacket - Steam Engine ++ Fleet Foxes - Sun Giant ++ Futurebirds - Wild Heart ++ Cotton Jones - Gone The Bells (demo version) ++ Silver Jews - People ++ Jana Hunter - A Bright-Ass Light ++ Violent . . .

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AD Presents :: The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart (New Orleans)

Aquarium Drunkard Presents The Pains of Being Pure at HeartPosted on

AD is back in New Orleans April 7th with The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart at One Eyed Jacks. Twin Shadow supports. We have three pairs of tickets to giveaway to AD readers. Hit us up in the comments for a pair with your name and an email address we can reach you at. First three to comment get the tickets---pick them up at will-call night of the show. Buy tickets . . .

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Eddie Ray :: You Got Me/You Got Me (Demo)

Eddie Ray Numero GroupPosted on

While the satisfaction of happening upon a track from a long forgotten artist, with a song barely heard through the ages, has in part been sated by various reissue labels around the globe, so seldom is a picture painted. A single track by a single artist is no more than that---no fragments of a previous composition, no full albums of sleepers and gems. These snapshots, thrilling in their uncovering and dazzling in their quality, will often lack context. They are not Motown lifers, suddenly stepping into the limelight with a charted past of backing vocals or minor hits, even . . .

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