RECENTLY... JULY242022
UNDERWORLD/ BEAUCOUP FISH
1999 Junior Boys Own 2LP
When talk turns to "summer" albums, this one will always be close to hand for me on those long sunny days, when perhaps its just a BIT too hot out. I got promo CDs of this from an old job at CD Plus on 8th St back in the day, 99 for sure. I had no frame of reference for them really, not too up on the UK dance scene at the time (tho in the UK they would probably be considered pop/indie at the time). I was aware of them like many through Trainspotting, thought Born Slippy was a cool enough tune, and that's about it.
The thing about them for me is that for all the sequenced lines, dance-inspired architecture of the tracks and spoken word ranting of frontman Karl Hyde, is that. around this time especially, they were masters of melody, hooks that would get lodged in my head for days. The track Jumbo that opens side 2 on the record is a deceptively light pulsing house-y track with Hyde muttering about locked doors and Tetris key rings, so far so E'ed up and moving. But a couple minutes in, this glistening synth 2 note counterpoint comes in, autumnal, beautiful, adding a bittersweet emotional swell as Hyde continues a bewitching, mantra-like recitation over the hues of washed colour that run into each other, and we are in some weird, strange place. Someone talks about fishing (a sample/ piece of audio verite from somewhere). Its a gently disorienting track, and one that ends all too soon.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NVLAcKRmjt4
Anther track I really dig is the acid house banging, unrelenting Giorgio Moroder collaboration King Of Snake. Hard to tell who is responsible for what here, Moroder or the brain trust of the UW sound, Rick Smith and Darren Emerson. Again with Karl's stream of conscious-ness vocal refrains and declarations, again with the gliding synth parts and slow arc of the whole enterprise and it's hard to tell where exactly Moroder is in this one, more felt than heard, sort of a ghost haunting the corners of the melody(ies), as far as I can tell.
There is a strong alternating minimalism/maximalism to this record. That is to say they know when to blow the whole thing the fuck up, and alternately when to reduce a track to hushed tones, sweetly sung lullabies to someone/ no one. Perfect sequencing of the order of the tracks and they way it flows as a whole. Something I strive for in my own musical bleatings TBH. In fact the more over time I listen to this one, the more I realize it has heavily influenced me in trying to light and shade moods, construct it into a somewhat satisfying total thing.
A great listen it is. Other ones of theirs worth checking out are the follow up A HUNDRED DAYS OFF from 2001 (sans Darren Emerson, who had departed by this point) and 1996's SECOND TOUGHEST IN THE INFANTS, an album that seems like a straight dance record on the surface, but has deep experimental depths to it. The track BANSTYLE/ SAPPYS CURRY in particular a weirdly shape shifting monster of progressive psychedelia that sounds like nothing else.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZtxU350Ur60
OLD DIRTY BASTARD
RETURN TO THE 36 CHAMBERS/ THE DIRTY VERSION
1995 Elektra Records 2LP
Not gonna go into the myriad of details surrounding this one too much, it was a quite a chaotic and convoluted time, due to the Wu Tangs Clan's (then) recent explosion into the top of the charts and the attendant madness that went along with it. This is my fav of the post 36 Chambers Wu solo lps (GHOSTFACE's SUPREME CLIENTELE a close second).
After a long, rambling intro (in which ODB makes like a demented Vegas compere on acid setting the scene for all and sundry who may not be hip to what's going on), SHIMMY SHIMMY YA and BABY C'MON break down the door and set out the Dirty stall quick and correct. RZA's production is on point, of a piece with his work at the time, hypnotic, basically dub in its bent mirror allusions. It's pretty simple and to the point, but encrusted with deep bass and aquatic drum machines that Rick James would not run away from, eh?
Dirt's crowning glory for me is his flow, haphazard, seemingly improvised, wandering, OFF, in the best possible way. Side 2's RAW HIDE (with Method Man and Raekwon in tow) is one of THEE BEST Wu tracks, drowsy, ancient, dark. traffic light rhythms. "T-murder, which is caused, when you fuck with the positive and negative charge". Wow, I love that line so much, for many reasons. I don't have a clue what it means. Don't matter .Not a bit. Genius.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bPxXe8LCvI8
So many great tracks on this one. SNAKES is a strange one, KILLAH PRIEST/ RZA/ MASTA KILLA going off hard on this one, a rubbery bass line interacting with a jittery kick drum, very boss and droning. BROOKLYN ZOO II (TIGER CANE) is similar to that one, posse cut that gets edited to within an inch of its life. No bad thing that tho. Old Rhythm indeed. There's a sort of alchemy going on this collection of jams, which is how it feels to me. Raw jams, working the material for all its worth. PROTECT YA NECK II THE ZOO is more OG 36 Chambers style back and forth, hence the title. But it seems even more stripped back, funky, emaciated and all the better for it.
SERGE GAINSOURG
CANNABIS
1970
File this under the "reissue it now please" category. Basically a bunch of different takes on a central theme, this is beautiful stuff. The Jane Birkin starring film is a period piece very much of its time to say the least, FYI. Serge takes the Melody Nelson sound in a bit more of a baroque direction. Smoked or not, this will go down very well.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6jO43ZWdEOY
THE BAND WHOSE NAME IS A SYMBOL
BIKER SMELL
Self Released 2012/Cardinal Fuzz Vinyl And Feeding Tube tape long sold out
My friends from Ottawa ON who allow me to jam with them when I'm out there (THANKS It's always a blast!), this one and Superficial Marks were the ones I first heard from them and made me a big fan. Celestial backwoods choogle, Sun RA meets Status Quo, they're are always pretty undefinable and do their own thing, for a decade plus now. This one I've been on quite regularly of late, it just scratches the itch for that improvised boogie that gets me up and about, maybe do a little dance around the living room even. Check it and zone out/in/on!
https://thebandwhosenameisasymbol.bandcamp.com/album/biker-smell
ALICE COLTRANE
LIVE AT THE BERKELY COMMUNITY THEATRE 1972
Bootleg
Praise to the great Aquarium Drunkard for posting this one up recently. This is the business, all time great stuff here as far as I'm concerned. Absolute jaw dropping magical jams of the highest order and beyond .Check the AD post below for info and blast this loud if able. Words do not do justice, blah, blah.
WOW.
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