Tuesday, 04 March 2008
Sweet vandalism...
Speaking of Mr JB... who could be considered as the legatee of James Brown's sound of nowadays?
Maybe I'm wrong, but I really believe that The Sweet Vandals could fit the (hot) pants, to say the least...
Listen to their rough, live-sounding, yet edge-cuttin' grooves, including the "One" beat introduced by the Godfather : ain't it funky now??? They even allow themselves to cover Papa's got a brand new Bag, got balls, uh?
Every tune on this album establishes itself as a funk classic, which one could swear it's coming from the late 60's...
Yes, Mr James Brown is dead, but hey, don't worry : the legacy is here, no doubt about it...
The Sweet Vandals, The Sweet Vandals (Funkorama Records)
Here is a short sample : The Sweet Vandals, You're Gettin' It :
17:50 Posted in Sounds of today | Permalink | Comments (0)
Monday, 03 March 2008
Mr Chuck's homage to Mr JB
"To sample James Brown you gotta have dignity. To sample James Brown you gotta have integrity (...) To sample James Brown you gotta throw your shoulder back and hold your head up high and make your community proud". With this exerpt begins the last song of Chuck D's last masterpiece, Tribb to JB.
It's more than obvious that James Brown, the Godfather of Soul, was also the Godfather of Rap, as thousands of hip-hop "producaz" found their inspiration -or their lack of inspiration- by crate diggin' into James Brown discography. And among them, the (in)famous Bomb Squad was one of the greatest user of JB's samples : think Public Enemy, think (even more obviously) Son of Bazerk.
So, one year after the Soul Brother Number One, the Hardest Working Man in Show Business's death, Mr Chuck D and his mate from his own label, Slamjamz Records, pays his tribute to his mentor with this album of JB's classics cover versions. Chuck D's rappin, with Kyle Jason's singing, along with The BaNNed (the live group with Public Enemy on stage), Crew Grrl Order, Professor Griff, the Impossibulls, and a bunch of real live horns join themselves for this rather dangerous exercise. And the results is beyond all expectancies!
The outro, a live version of King Heroin, is performed on BB King Club's stage by some young girl called Automn, and I defy any of you not to have your tears to your eyes while listening to her rendition.
This album's definitely a must-have, so run into it quick!
Chuck D and Slamjamz Artist Revue, Tribb to JB, Slamjamz Records.
18:20 Posted in Sounds of today | Permalink | Comments (0)
The Heavy : a heavy load of dirt!
Ever imagined Curtis Mayfield singing along with the Stooges? Or let's, say, Tom Waits jamming with Marvin Gaye? Well, probably not... Anyway that's really what comes to one's mind when listening to The Heavy's first album, Great Vengeance and the Furious Five.
A blend of soul, funk, gritty garage rock, sung by chamelon-voiced singer Swaby, on a music score really really dirty, in fact this lo-fi sound beeing part of their musical signature. After many years looking for a label, and beeing refused by majors because of their rough sound, finally the clever guys at Ninja Tune had the guts to sign them, and brought them to the light, for our great delight.
You better hurry and discover this incredible band from Bath, UK, that will break all your stereotypes about music genres!
The Heavy, Great Vengeance and the Furious Five, Ninja Tune.
17:10 Posted in Sounds of today | Permalink | Comments (0)
Thursday, 31 January 2008
The 1001 nights of Sharon Jones
So here it is, Sharon Jones and her infamous Dap Kings are back. Sit back and relax, close your eyes... shazam! You're back in 1963! The production could be Spector's, well, except it's in stereo though!
Of course, one can feel the huge influence of Mr James Brown and all his singing ladies (When the other foot drops, Let them knock). But also, think Tina Turner. Think John Barry (Tell me).Think Burt Bacharach. Not enough? Hey, why are you still in frontof your laptop instead of running out to the next record store and buy the album??? This album, 100 days, 100 nights is definetely a must-have, I mean it.
Among all the latest soul revival divas(let's say Amy Winehouse, Nicole Willis, Corinne Bailey Rae), Sharon Jones got her own sit , no doubt about it!
Sharon Jones & the Dap Kings, 100 Days 100 Nights.
14:59 Posted in Sounds of today | Permalink | Comments (0)
Friday, 25 January 2008
Back to the scene of the crime
Hey check it out, the one, the great, the only Bettye LaVette, a/k/a the real soul survivor sister, is back with a brand new album, The Scene of the Crime.
Following her 2005 huge comeback with Joe Henri-produced album Own hell to raise, Bettye LaVette turns back to the front of the scene with a bunch of guys that know how to do their thang, the Drive-by Truckers. Those backside musicians fit perfectly to the rough voice of Ms. Lavette, with their garage-band rough sound.
Pretty good album actually, even if one could regret it lacks one or two potential hits : you listen to the whole album and feel like you're alone at night in an old Chevy in the rain, but there's nothing that really smacks you in the face anyway...
The album worth the buying anyway, but don't forget to hear other stuff from her. For instance, take a look at her cover of this great song of true-genious Fiona Apple :
09:55 Posted in Sounds of today | Permalink | Comments (0)
Wednesday, 14 February 2007
Nicole Willis : back to old school!
The French blog Cultures Eclectiques just wrote a note about one of the latest wonders in soul music : Nicole Willis and the Soul Investigators. Such a great record, sounding like the Motown/Stax sound from the '60s.
Hurry up and listen!
The link on Cultures Eclectiques : Nicole Willis, le son de Detroit
09:59 Posted in Sounds of today | Permalink | Comments (0)
Thursday, 19 October 2006
Alright, steal!
Last post was about Lily Allen's music, this new one is about... music she stole! Some incredibly well-documented trainspotter named Musiclikedirt found out from the attic all the records Lily and her producer sampled. You can find them here, and even download the tunes on mp3!
16:50 Posted in Sounds of today | Permalink | Comments (0)
Friday, 13 October 2006
I love Lily Allen!
I love Lily. Hey don't tell my mum, 'cause she probably would have an heart attack, hearing the lady talking about "gak" and anyway, as Lily says in one of her songs, "it's not gonna happen... not in a million year!". Unlucky me!
More seriously, I discovered Lily Allen recently, on a French TV Show called Taratata, where artists come and sing live, and I happened to be really really impressed! This [very] young girl is so talented!
Her music is a blend of pop, ska, rocksteady, and at first, you could go wrong and say it sounds just mainstream pop, until you hear the lyrics! Lily Allen writes the lyrics herself, and they are so mature and smart.
So many things have already been told about her, that she is the daugther of British actor Keith Allen, that her mother collaborated to Rip, Rig + Panic, the first band of Neneh Cherry, that she happened to get known thru Myspace, about her two first singles Smile and LDN, which hitted the charts in the UK, but the only thing to do is go fast and discover the whole album, every songs is beautiful!
Btw, did I mention Lily is soooo cute? No??? It's a shame, because she is. Love you, Lily...
Lily Allen Alright, still , Regal
15:20 Posted in Sounds of today | Permalink | Comments (0)
Wednesday, 02 November 2005
Alicia Keys : a goddess, no more, no less...
Yeah, I know... When it comes to Alicia Keys, many of you cats look condescending : too commercial... May I just ask if you consider Ray Charles or Aretha Franklin to be too commercial as well? Anyway, I must admit I wasn't a real Alicia Keys fan so far : the lady's got a great voice, but for me it was just one among the R&B divas crowd...
Then I discovered this Unplugged album, and it was like a smack on my face : Alicia Keys is definitely a real soul singer, and she really knows how to move the crowd. She sings with lots of warmth and sincerity, and that takes her definitely out of the R&B divas I've just mentioned... The arrangements are great, her voice is so full of heart and soul, and the duet with Adam Levine from Maroon 5 on the cover version of Wild Horses is just brilliant actually.
Sit back and relax to listen to this great moment of soul music... and try to forgive the hip-hop-style "Uh" that kind of make me sick...
22:50 Posted in Sounds of today | Permalink | Comments (0)
Thursday, 11 August 2005
God made him fuuunky....
Ce type est sans doute le responsable des rythmes les plus funky depuis James Brown himself, rien de moins...
Outre ses apparitions diverses, sa production personnelle se retrouve essentiellement sous trois différentes identités :
Quantic, Quantic Soul Orchestra, à qui va sans doute ma préférence, et Limp Twins.
C'est assurément sous l'étiquette Quantic Soul Orchestra que Will Holland nous délivre ses sons les plus typés funk 70s.
Ses deux albums sous ce nom, Stampede et Pushin'on, sont absolument indispensables.
Ne pas oublier non plus, l'excellent remix de Got to be your love, de Greyboy avec la chanteuse Sharon Jones en featuring : le son des divas du Godfather à s'y méprendre!
J'aime aussi particulièrement le duo avec le rappeur Ohmega Watts, qui fait automatiquement bouger la tête...
Et vous, quelle facette des multiples talents du bonhomme préférez-vous?
Quelques petits extraits, pour la bonne bouche :
Pushin'on :
Raw Ingredients :
Got to be your love :
18:00 Posted in Sounds of today | Permalink | Comments (0)
Friday, 24 June 2005
Du bon son gratos de chez Solesides !
On y retrouve des perles de tous ceux pré-cités, ainsi que quelques vidéos!
Que du bon, donc.
Je reparlerai un jour en détail de Lyrics Born, plus particulièrement, car de toute la bande, c'est assurément mon chouchou...
Et vous, quel est le vôtre?
[edit] : je ne résiste pas au plaisir de vous faire découvrir un ch'tit morceau de Lyrics Born, pour le plaisir des zoreilles... :
www.Solesides.com
www.Quannum.com
11:00 Posted in Sounds of today | Permalink | Comments (2)
Monday, 06 June 2005
Patrice-Nile
Je me suis demandé quelques instants si cet album devait figurer dans un blog consacré surtout à la soul, mais j'avoue que je ne me suis pas posé trop longtemps de questions d'étiquetage, tellement cet album est une tuerie, quelle que soit la case dans laquelle on voudrait le ranger...
Je découvre à vrai dire cet artiste, qui mêle de funk ses compos souvent teintées de ragga ou de reggae, voire de rockststeady bien roots... Pour situer, ça sonne parfois un peu comme du Finley Quaye...
Chaque morceau de l'album est une perle, avec au départ de petites mélodies qui restent vrillées dans l'esprit, et qui dévoilent la subtilité de leurs arrangements au fil des écoutes...
Précipitez-vous pour découvrir le sieur Patrice, moi, de mon côté, je vais me ruer vers ses précédents opus!
17:00 Posted in Sounds of today | Permalink | Comments (0)
Wednesday, 01 June 2005
Motown Remixed
Après Verve, puis Atlantic, c'est au tour du label Motown de confier le soin à une brochette de remixeurs prestigieux le soin de dépoussiérer le catalogue maison.
C'est plutôt bon, même si je ne suis pas sûr que tous les remixes apportent vraiment un plus par rapport aux versions originales...
16:00 Posted in Sounds of today | Permalink | Comments (0)