1971 music
Related: music - 1971 - 1970s music
Histoire De Melody Nelson - Serge Gainsbourg [Amazon.com] [FR] [DE] [UK]
Northern Soul coined
Soul record guru Dave Godin actually first coined the phrase 'Northern Soul' sometime around 1971 when writing his column in Blues and Soul magazine.
Punk Coined
That was also the Creem issue where Dave Marsh coined the phrase "punk rock" in a column about seeing a Question Mark & The Mysterians club gig... something was definitely in American's drinking water that month.First dub recording
In 1971 the first real dub recordings began to appear, with The Hippy Boys' "Voo Doo" - the version to Little Roy's "Hard Fighter", which was mixed by Lynford Anderson a.k.a. Andy Capp - now widely acknowledged to be the first recording in the genre.Dance music
CDs
- Pieces of a Man (1971) - Gil Scott-Heron [CD, Amazon US]
[FR] [DE] [UK]
1. Revolution Will Not Be Televised 2. Save the Children 3. Lady Day and John Coltrane 4. Home Is Where the Hatred Is 5. When You Are Who You Are 6. I Think I'll Call It Morning 7. Pieces of a Man 8. Sign of the Ages 9. Or Down You'll Fall 10. Needle's Eye 11. Prisoner [...] - Histoire De Melody Nelson - Serge Gainsbourg [1 CD, Amazon US] [FR] [DE] [UK]
Track Listings 1. Melody 2. Ballade De Melody Nelson 3. Valse De Melody 4. Ah! Melody 5. L'Hotel Particulier 6. En Melody 7. Cargo Culte
1998 reissue on Mercury of his 1971 album for the label that has a strong Velvet Underground feel to it throughout. A 20 bit digital remaster, it features the original cover art & all seven of the original tracks. Digipak. 1998 Mercury release. amazon editorial
I'd heard his name a million times before over the years, but was unfamiliar with his work. I happened upon this album and thinking it would be a quirky 70's novelty item, I purchased it. I was transfixed! I don't speak a word of French, so I have only the slightest clue whats going on here, but this music and his delivery transcends language. I find it ultimately pointless to try and describe music, but think of the coolest 70's porn music imaginable, add strings and in some parts a choir, and then add a lecherous and deep narration over the top and you start to get an idea. And along the way you'll hear some of the most beautiful "melodies" that you've ever thought possible. If you've ever swooned to Scott Walker, or been hypnotized by a particularly lush film soundtrack, then you will ADORE this. If you've never purchased Serge before, START HERE. You'll fall for Melody Nelson, too. -- James Baker for amazon.com [...] - Tago Mago - Can [1 CD, Amazon US]
Coming out with standard pre-Pavement material up until Aumgn, with nice rants courtesy of then lead singer Kenji Damo Suzuki and neatly syncopated beats that would even have Beyoncé go "woo" Can susbsequently indulge into the unavoidable "bruitiste" wank till the gentler transe of Bring me Coffee or Tea Please puts an end to the pain. Erm...let's say it's a taste to be asserted but never understood neither explained. This LP will win early adopters a seat in the supercilious community of curled lips while those too honest to fake complete adoration will retain the Tago out of the Mago. -- Tigersushi [...] - There's a Riot Goin' On - Sly & The Family Stone [1 CD, Amazon US]
Tracklisting: 1. Luv N' Haight 2. Just Like a Baby 3. Poet 4. Family Affair 5. Africa Talks to You "The Asphalt Jungle" 6. Brave and Strong 7. (You Caught Me) Smilin' 8. Time 9. Spaced Cowboy 10. Runnin' Away 11. Thank You for Talkin' to Me Africa
Certain albums both define a specific point in time and yet manage to be timeless. Such an album is There's A Riot Going On. After a few records of sexy, sunny, but never cavalier funk/pop, the twisted genius of Sly Stone turned dark, moody, reflective, angry, but no less funky for the contemplation. Stone created an album that spoke not only to the turmoil gripping America in 1971, but also to the chaos whirling around his increasingly druggy personal life. This is an album of dangerous beauty, where even the hit ("Family Affair") is guarded and haunting. --Amy Linden [...] -
Fela Kuti - Open and Close/Afrodisiac [1 CD, Amazon US]
I first heard the track "Open and Close" on WKCR (NYC/Columbia U.) on their late night soul, funk, and afro-beat program Night Train. I was just getting into Fela, and I was completely blown away by this particular track, which I still think contains some of Fela's best vocal work. Unfortunately, the album of the same name was only available on a fairly rare import reissue.
Now Open and Close appears together with the enormously funky album Afrodisiac (I don't remember what it formerly appeared with)[it was released in 1973], and the pairing combines to make what is probably my favorite Fela disc. The horns are bright and fiery, the grooves are tight, and they range from super fast funk to molasses-slow grinds. -- joshua-one for amazon.com [...]