The Mothership Connection - Parliament[1 CD, Amazon US] Mothership Connecton was the album that put P-Funk on the map. It was an all or nothing project for George Clinton and Parliament-Funkadelic. Mr. Clinton invested a large sum of money, into this conceptual project, luckily it was very successful. This album contains hit after hit of classic funk material. An eclectic blend of funk, jazz, blues and gospel are all rolled into this album. The title track is classic funk. Listen to the drum virtuosity of Jerome Brailey and you will understand why he was and still is one of the best drummers in music. The choral vocals, tight horns and booming bass playing of Bootsy Collins make this and album that must be heard. -- Orlando Bryant [...][...]2002, oct 30; 22:25:
In Search of Schrodinger's Cat: Quantum Physics and Reality - John Gribbin
[1 book, Amazon US]
Part history book and part remedial physics text for those who lost interest when the equations started getting unintuitive, In Search of Schrödinger's Cat explains quantum physics in a way that's not only clear, but also enjoyable.
Gribbin opens with the subjects that most physics professors have just started to examine at the end of the semester: The mysterious character of light, the valence concept in Nils Bohr's atomic model, radioactive decay, and the physics of life-defining DNA all get clear, comprehensive, and witty coverage. This book reveals the beauty and mystery that underlies everything in the universe.
Does this book claim to explain quantum physics without math? No. Math is too central to physics to be bypassed. But if you can do basic algebra, you can understand the equations in In Search of Schrödinger's Cat. Gribbin is the physics teacher everyone should have in high school or college: kind without being a pushover, knowledgeable without being condescending, and clearly expressive without being boring. Gribbin's book belongs on the shelf of every pre-calculus student. It also deserves a place in the library of everyone who was scared away from advanced physics prematurely.
2002, oct 30; 22:25:
Bossa Mundo - Various Artists - Wave Music[1 CD, Amazon US]
A friend of mine lent this album to me today, and I was so impressed by it that I wanted to share with everyone how incredible this CD is. This CD isn't mixed, there's a disclaimer on the back that all the tracks have been "edited" except for one, and the longest track is only six minutes long, but this CD still plays gorgeously. You can tell that each track is special just from the first few seconds. There's a wide range of percussion-based tracks on this CD, some a little more on the minimalistic side, and some that border on full-blown disco. Some songs calm you, some songs can't help but make you get out of your chair and dance. The FK & Eric Kupper mix of Tom & Joyce's classic "Vai Minha Tristeza" is an absolutely *perfect* song. The vocals are clean and inviting, and the disco funk acid jazz overtones just push it over the top. Equally as energetic and groovy is the MAW mix of Yasushi Ide's "Plein Soleil". This song is infectious in ways you can't even understand until you hear its carefully crafted music and sweet vocals blend into a sound that's as close to bliss as you can get. Kyoto Jazz Massive's "Nacer Do Sol" makes me long to chill on the beach watching a perfect sunset. All of the other tracks on the album are excellent, too, and my only complaint is that I wish a lot of these songs were longer... they come to an end just when you feel like you could get lost in them forever. For anyone big on percussion, world house, or just looking for something different from the flood of boring mix CDs on the market, I think you'll find a hidden gem here that strikes the right chord with you. -- A music fan from the West Coast, USA for Amazon.com
[...]2002, oct 30; 08:12:
In this expansive history of electronic music, Shapiro (The Rough Guide to Drum `n' Bass) chronicles the creative moment of generating sound through sampling, mixing, and manipulation. Written by musicians and aficionados, the articles assembled here form a fascinating account of innovators from John Cage to Miles Davis, thoroughly exploring this sprawling genre and its musical offshoots. Densely packed and meticulously detailed, the book makes some startling geographic and stylistic leaps in an effort to trace the comprehensive history of electronic music. Through interviews, vivid pictures, and crisp commentary, it illustrates how electronic music is now at work in the majority of today's musical styles. This work, a tie-in to Iara Lee's 1998 film of the same name, explores in greater detail some of the same ground covered in J.M. Kelly's The Rough Guide to Techno Music (2000). An essential tool for anyone interested in this music, whether mildly or deeply. -- Caroline Dadas
[with contributions from David Toop, Peter Shapiro, Kodwo Eshun, ... and interviews with Arthur Baker, Derrick May, Holger Czukay, etc ... ] [...]
2002, oct 28; 22:42:
Mr Scruff - Keep it Unreal [1 CD, Amazon US]
I first heard of Scruff on MTV with his jazz-sampling 'Get A Move On' and tracked him down immediatly. From the very Massive Attackesque instrumental numbers to the truly bizarre nautical 'Fish' & 'Shanty Town', there are no fillers on the album. He is undeservedly very obscure, so I doubt he'll ever amount to much. However he knocks Massive Attack's, Groove Armada'a, Air's, Orbital's and Underworld's new albums into a cocked hat. Possibly simultaneously. Sean for Amazon.com
2002, oct 28; 22:30:
Mastercuts - Bar Life [1 CD, Amazon US]
1. The Boss - James Brown
2. No Diggity - Blackstreet feat. Dr. Dre
3. Pusherman - Curtis Mayfield
4. Our time is coming - Masters at work feat. Roy Ayers
5. Promised Land - Joe Smooth
6. Where's your head at? - Basement Jaxx
7. Prix Choc (Manessah's Real Cloudy Mix) - Etienne De Crecy
8. Song 2Wo - Earl Zinger
9. Trip to your heart - Sly & The Family Stone
10. E=MC2 - Big Audio Dynamite
11. Throw - Paperclip People
12. Strings of life - Rythim is Rythim
Disc: 2
1. The adventurers of Grandmaster Flash on the wheels of steel - Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five
2. Rapture - Blondie
3. Mr Big Stuff - Lyn Collins
4. Battle of Bongo Hill - the Herbaliser
5. The essence (Joe Claussell Sacred Opus Mix) - Herbie Hancock
6. Days like this (DJ Spinna & Ticklah Mix) - Shaun Escoffery
7. Shrimp - Mr Scruff
8. One nation under groove - Funkadelic
9. King of the beats - Mantronix
10. Take a rest - Gang Starr
11. I believe in miracles - Jackson sisters
12. Cross the tracks (We better go back) - Maceo & The Macks
13. Geno - Dexy's Midnight runners
[...]2002, oct 28; 22:00:
Journey to the End of the Night - by Louis-Ferdinand D. Celine, [1 book, Amazon US] When it was published in 1932, this then-shocking and revolutionary first fiction redefined the art of the novel with its black humor, its nihilism, and its irreverent, explosive writing style, and made Louis-Ferdinand Celine one of France's--and literature's--most important 20th-Century writers. The picaresque adventures of Bardamu, the sarcastic and brilliant antihero of Journey to the End of the Night move from the battlefields of World War I (complete with buffoonish officers and cowardly soldiers), to French West Africa, the United States, and back to France in a style of prose that's lyrical, hallucinatory, and hilariously scathing toward nearly everybody and everything. Yet, beneath it all one can detect a gentle core of idealism. -- [...]2002, oct 28; 21:58:
The Pyrotechnic Insanitarium: American Culture on the Brink [1 book, Amazon US]
Like many essays on pop culture of contemporary America, Dery's collection is an everything-including-the-kitchen-sink view of the end of the millenium (including comparisons of the Warren Report to Finnegan's Wake, and the author's fascination with the Edvard Munch painting The Scream). Occasionally, Dery's ruminations on our Nike-obsessed, Jim Carrey-imitating, X-Files-paranoid culture are hilarious; at other times, they definitely are not. But his point is well taken, that as we approach the next century, the U.S. is more of a culturally aware, and thus more culturally consuming, country than ever before. The author's previous take on cyberspace, Escape Velocity, seeps in here as well: the information age pushes the bits and pieces of pop culture further in our faces every day. The title is an old term used to promote New York's Coney Island amusement park, and a more appropriate monicker for 1990s culture can't be found. With no war to distract us as in previous decades, the culture itself has become a focal point for societal anxiety, and Dery's insights into the whys of this upheaval are most illuminating. -- [...]2002, oct 28; 21:35:
Charlie Chaplin - Modern Times [1 VHS, Amazon US]
Charlie Chaplin is in glorious form in this legendary satire of the mechanized world. As a factory worker driven bonkers by the soulless momentum of work, Chaplin executes a series of slapstick routines around machines, including a memorable encounter with an automatic feeding apparatus. [...]2002, oct 28; 21:35:
Innovator - Derrick May [1 CD, Amazon US] Disc: 1
1. "rest"
2. Strings Of The Strings Of Life
3. Another Chaos Beyond Chaos
4. Freestyle
5. Feel Surreal Begins
6. Beyond Kaos
7. Another "rest"
8. The Dance
9. A Little Spaced Out
10. Daymares
11. It Is What It Is
12. Beyond The Dance (Cult Mix)
13. Original Feel Surreal
14. r-Theme
Disc: 2
1. To Be Or Not To Be
2. Icon (Montage Mix)
3. Montage
4. A Relic Mix
5. Kaotic Harmony
6. More Phantom
7. Salsa Life
8. Nude Photo
9. The Beginning
10. Another Relic From the Relic
11. Drama
12. "Strings"- The Original Mix
13. Wiggin-Juan Atkins Mix -- [...]2002, Oct 28; 20:55:
Sun Ra, Space is the Place - [1 book, Amazon US]
Born Herman Poole Blount in Alabama in 1914, he reinvented himself in the 1950s as Sun Ra, the great surrealist of jazz whose free-form performances with his Arkestra amply justified the description "space music." His mystical beliefs were equally avant-garde; Yale professor John Szwed sympathetically explains some fairly far-out notions as "driven by a hunger for totality that only music could express." Szwed recovers the biographical facts Sun Ra was often at pains to obscure, without losing sight of the overriding role imagination played in this visionary life. -- [...]2002, Oct 28; 20:34:
Foundation of Dub - King Tubby & The Aggrovators [2 CD, Amazon US] Around 1969 Kingston-based producers started to issue singles with instrumental "versions" on the flipside of vocal releases, which were actually the basic riddim tracks. To these "versions" one could add further instrumentation or deejay accompaniment. Within a year the inclusion of instrumental versions on the flipside was common practice among the majority of Jamaica's producers. 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. But it was pioneering sound engineer and sound system operator Osbourne Ruddock who did more than any other to popularize and develop the sound. He explored the possibilities of sound from his small studio, located at the back of his home, at 18 Drumilly Avenue, Kingston 11.
The mid to late seventies were the golden years for dub music. It was the time when the style peaked in both terms of popularity and creativity, with the fierce competition among Jamaica's producers pushing its boundaries to new limits. And of these producers, none proved more succesfull or prolific than Bunny 'Striker' Lee. Christened Edward O'Sullivan Lee, Bunny was born in Kingston on August 23rd, 1940. He started out as a record promoter and by the mid-sixties he found himself working days as a filling clerk, while nights were spent plugging disc for Duke Reid, Prince Buster, Coxsonne Dodd and Leslie Kong. By the close of 1967, Bunny launched his own Lee label, on which he issued a series of popular singles by artists such as Glen Adams, Roy Shirley, Ken Parker and The Uniques. In 1969 his production of Max Romeo's 'Wet Dream' became a UK top ten hit. After visiting a dance, featuring Ruddy Redwood's Supreme Ruler of Sound set, who pioneered the use of dub techniques, he began releasing singles with 'version' on its flip. By the mid seventies Bunny was head and shoulder above his nearest rival in term of sales, with a roster of artists that included such luminaries as Johnny Clarke, Delroy Wilson, John Holt, Linval Thompson, Horace Andy, Jackie Edwards, Cornell Campbell and Owen Gray.
His collaboration with King Tubby led to the release of some fine dub albums, with regular players including Chinna Smith, Carly barrett, Santa Davies, Sly & Robbie, George Fulwood, Ansel collins, Bobby Kalphat, Tommmy McCook, Bobby Ellis, Jackie Mittoo and Touter Harvey.
The twenty eight tracks on this double cd set date from the period 1975-1977 and feature the aforementioned musicians. Most of the dubs found here are instrumental versions of the more familiar mid-seventies riddims. On disc one you will find riddims such as 'Darker Shade Of Black', 'Rough Rebel', 'I Am The Greatest', 'Baby Why', 'I Need A Roof', 'True Believer In Love' and 'Mean Girl'. The second disc includes renderings of 'If You Love Me', 'Long Long Dreadlocks', 'Ten To One', 'Love Uprising', 'A Serious Thing' and 'Man To Man'. The riddims were recorded at Channel One studio and mixed at King Tubby's studio.
For a superb showcase of mid-seventies dub, do check out this double cd !
-- Teacher & Mr. T.
[...]
2002, Oct 27; 21:14:
Hip Hop America - George Nelson[1 book, Amazon US] Although it's been part of the cultural soundscape for over 25 years, hip-hop has been the focus of very few books. And when those books do pop up, they tend to be either overtly scholarly, as if the writer in question has just landed on some alien planet, or a bit too much like a fanzine. If there's anyone qualified to write a solid, informative, and entertaining tome on the culture, politics, and business of hip-hop, it's Nelson George. A veteran journalist, George is one of the smartest and most observant chroniclers of African American pop culture. Much as he broke down and illuminated R&B with his acclaimed book The Death of Rhythm and Blues, George now tackles hip-hop with the clarity of a reporter and the enthusiasm of a fan--which is fitting, because George is both. A Brooklyn native, he began writing about rap back in the late 1970s, when the beats and the lifestyle were not only foreign to most white folks, they were still underground in the black communities. Hip Hop America is filled with George's memories of the scene's nascent years, and it tells the story of rap both as an art form and a cultural and economic force--from the old Bronx nightclub the Fever to the age of Puffy. Highlighting both the major players and some of the forces behind the scenes, George gives rap a historical perspective without coming off as too intellectual. All of which makes Hip Hop America a worthwhile addition to any fan's collection. --Amy Linden or amazon.com
-- [...]2002, Oct 27; 21:07:
A Century of Design: Design Pioneers of the 20th Century - Penny Sparke[1 book, Amazon US] Focusing on the unique history of design during the 20th centur jy, this book is as beautiful to look at as it is exciting to read. It contains more than 580 color photographs covering a wide spectrum of objects -- from furniture, glass, ceramics, and metalware to industrial products and household appliances. Penny did a book on Sottsass too. -- [...]2002, Oct 27; 20:57:
At last in paperback: the first full-scale history of modern black music from "the best black artier writing about black music in America" --Newsweek
A heartfelt, knowledgeable indictment of the American system of compromise, particularly as it operates in the entertainment industry...[It] is mountain high and river, deep expressed with loving urgency. --The New York Times Book Review.
Albert Goldman - Freakshow: Misadventures In The Counterculture, 1959-1971[1 book, Amazon US] This collection includes over a decade's worth of Albert Goldman's critical writings, and reads like a travel guide to a modern Inferno. Albert Goldman was the author of controversial music biographies, and this book includes his essays on Aretha Franklin, Elvis Presley and many more. Albert Goldman is also the author of the 1978 book on disco music. -- [...]2002, Oct 26; 13:32:
Sylvester - Do Ya Wanna Funk[1 cd, Amazon US]
This cd which is released on the Canadian label Unidisc was originally released (on L.P.) on the Megatone label in 1982. Electronic synthesizer master Patrick Cowley (who died in the early 80's) was an innovator in this hi-nrg electronic sound (as was Giorgio Moroder in the 70's) and both Sylvester and Cowley make the perfect combination. Sylvester with his gospel high searing vocals and Cowley's melodic synthesizers. This cd includes all the hits (Do you wanna Funk, Don't Stop and Be with You) plus the remix versions, some of which were only available as import 12" records from Europe. The sound quality is nothing less than superb. If you enjoyed hi-nrg music from the 80's such as Miquel Brown, Hazel Dean, The Flirtations, Bobby O, Lime, etc. then you'll love this disc. Highly Recommended! -- barrycrist for Amazon.com -- [...]2002, Oct 26; 13:32:
Body & Soul vol. 4 - Various Artists [1 cd, Amazon US]
1. Fade - Solu Music feat. Kimblee
2. What A Surprise - Cooly's Hot Box
3. Give It Up - Rain, a Lil' Louis Painting
4. Father - Kenny Bobien
5. Earth Is The Place - Nathan Harris
6. Flying Saucer - United Future Organization
7. Conquistador - GU Essentials Pt. 3
8. Star Suite - Mondo Grosso feat. Monday Michiru
9. Slavery Days - 3 Generations Walking
10. Keep On Movin' - Frankie Knuckles feat. Nicki Richards
11. Finally - KOT feat. Julie McKnight
12. Stay - Calyn
-- [...]2002, Oct 26; 1:18:
Bill Laswell - Panthalassa: The Music Of Miles Davis 1969-1974 [1 cd, Amazon US] There are more tributes to Miles Davis's acoustic jazz groups of the 1950s and 1960s than one can easily count. But there are precious few explorations of his outlaw electric jazz period, dating from 1969 to 1974. Himself a studio outlaw of sorts, bassist and producer Bill Laswell goes a good distance rectifying the lack of attention paid to Davis's growling, funky electric period. He remixes and "translates" the dramatic slowness of In a Silent Way and smoothes over the abrasive jump cuts and edits that have made On the Corner a blazing listen for over 25 years. Laswell builds ambient-dub spreads on Davis's electro-fusion architecture, and he makes heavy funk out of the Davis band's mix of low-end bassiness and high-end soprano sax and electric piano. Look out for more paeans to the previously maligned electric period in Miles Davis's career. --Andrew Bartlett
-- [...]2002, Oct 25; 23:58:
The Trouser Press Guide to '90s Rock: The All-New Fifth Edition of the Trouser Press Record Guide [1 book, Amazon US] You won't find Mariah Carey or Whitney Houston in The Trouser Press Guide to '90s Rock, but you will find thoughtful, informative entries on P. J. Harvey, Sugar, Ani DiFranco, and many other talented, vital artists. Best of all, Ira Robbins, founder of the original Trouser Press magazine eschews the callow "more alternative than thou" attitude that sinks so much criticism of new music. The entries have an edge, but when they're smart-ass, which they often are, they are also intelligent. This is an indispensable addition to the bookshelf of every fan of alternative music.
2002, Oct 25; 23:58:
The Mojo Collection - The Mojo Collection: The Greatest Albums of All Time[1 book, Amazon US] From the first commercially issued vinyl LP--The Voice of Frank Sinatra (1946)--to key recordings of the late 1990s by the likes of Beck, Lauryn Hill, and Madonna, this astonishing book presents over six hundred of the most enduring and important albums ever recorded. MOJO--the U.K.'s leading rock magazine--has commissioned over forty of the country's most respected music journalists to select these albums and reassess their significance and place them in the pantheon of popular music. In each instance the journalist has created new and original reviews, interviewing many of the people involved in the recording--artists, engineers, producers, and songwriters--and offering fresh insight into why these albums remain classics. In addition, The MOJO Collection features extended essays on selected genres: "The Easy Life"--lounging and collecting the music it spawned; "The Single Life"--reggae, the music that didn't believe in the album; "100 Great Soundtracks"--music to watch flms by; "100 Great Compilations"--the best of the best ofs. Offering a unique history of the evolution of the LP, The MOJO Collection is an essential purchase for anyone who loves music. -- [...]2002, Oct 25; 23:58:
Serge Gainsbourg - Percussion [1 CD, Amazon US]
Serge Gainsbourg went tribal on his 1964 release, which prominently features a throbbing Afro-Caribbean rhythm, a dynamic female choir, and -- as its title suggests -- lots of percussion. The best songs are usually those that fuse precisely those three characteristics, although a couple of slower, more straightforward jazz tracks are sprinkled throughout the album. -- pootamadre for amazon.com
[...]2002, Oct 25; 23:44:
Hotel Costes - Various Artists[1 CD, Amazon US]
I have all of the costes cds, and I think this one edges out La Suite by a narrow margin as the best cd in the series. He once again chooses an eclectic mix of songs, and the mixing between tracks is superb. M. Pompougnac is definitely the most talented DJ of this genre right now, if not the most talented period. In moments of coital euphoria my girlfriend has been known to scream "Stephane!" by mistake, but I don't mind one bit. I'm thinking the same thing. -- A music fan for amazon.com
[...]2002, Oct 25; 23:42:
Stephen Bayley - General Knowledge[1 CD, Amazon US]
Stephen Bayley came to prominence as director of the Victoria & Albert Museum's Boilerhouse project in the 1980s with his famed design exhibitions on the Ford Sierra and the Coca-Cola bottle. Since then, Bayley has written countless articles and several books. General Knowledge brings together his collected writings, spanning his entire career. Covering a wide range of subjects such as art, taste, cars, design, commerce, food, culture, and the human condition, these witty pieces reveal the unpredictable and often polemical nature of Bayley's views. General knowledge includes a lively and personal introduction by Bayley himself, where he reflects on these essays with a fresh contemporary perspective.
[...]2002, Oct 24; 19:52:
Studio One Scorcher Instrumentals - Various Artists [1 CD, Amazon US]
1. Coconut Rock - The Skatalites
2. Cedric Im Brooks
3. Shockers Rock - Tommy McCook, Richard Ace And The Skatalites
4. Ringo Rock - The Soul Vendors
5. Jericho Skank - Jackie Mittoo and Ernest Ranglin
6. The People Skanking - The New Establishment
7. Money Generator - Karl Bryan and The Afrokats
8. Afrikaan Beat - Lester Sterling
9. Heavy Rock - Sound Dimension
10. In Cold Blood - Sugar Belly
11. Heavenless - Don Drummond
12. Bugaloo - Soul Bros
13. Red Blood - Vin Gordon
14. Push Pull - Pablove Black
15. Sidewalk Doctor - Jackie Mittoo and Brentford Rockers
16. Namibia - Liberation Group
17. Last Call - Brentford Road All Stars
18. Still Calling - Soul Defenders
19. Black Up - Karl Bryan and Count Ossie
The fifth Soul Jazz Studio One release after Rockers, Roots, DJs and Studio One Soul is Studio One Instrumentals.
Studio One instrumentals are the foundation of Reggae. These rhythm tracks became the basis for all Dancehall as countless artists and producers re-versioned these classic Studio One instrumentals.
This release features Jamaica's finest ever musicians Don Drummond, Tommy McCook, Jackie Mittoo, Cedric Brooks, Vin Gordon, Lester Sterling all the key players in the legendary Studio One house-bands: The Skatalites, The Sound Dimension, The Soul Bros, Brentford Rockers and The Soul Defenders.
This release features classic and super-rare instrumentals from Studio One: Ska, Funk, Roots, Rocksteady, Reggae from the 1960s to the 1980s.
Studio One is the Motown of jamaican Reggae. This release contains sleevenotes by Noel Hawkes (Dub Vendor), is compiled by Mark Ainley, features exclusive photos and special DVD sampler.
[...]
2002, Oct 23; 22:35:
Masters - Brigitte Bardot [1 CD, Amazon US]
1. Madrague
2. L'appareil A Sous
3. Les Amis De La Musique
4. Je Me Donne A Qui Me Plai
5. Invitango
6. C'est Rigolo
7. Faite Pour Dormir
8. Moi Je Joue
9. Une Histoire De Plage
10. Ca Pourrait Changer
11. A La Fin De L' Ete
12. Maria Ninguen
13. Je Danse Donc Je Suis [I Dance, Therefore I Am]
14. Ciel De Lit
15. Les Omnibus
16. Ah! Les P'tites Femmes
[...]2002, Oct 23; 21:44:
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
[...]2002, Oct 23; 20:32:
Velvet Underground & Nico - Velvet Underground [1 CD, Amazon US]
When the Velvets recorded this debut, they were best known as the protégés of Andy Warhol (who designed the sleeve), and as a grating, combustive live band. Fueled by drummer Moe Tucker's no-nonsense wham and John Cale's howling viola, some of the straight-up rock & roll and arty noise extravaganzas here bear that out. But before Lou Reed was singing about sadomasochism and drug deals and writing lyrics inspired by his favorite poets, he was a pop songwriter, and this album has some of his prettiest tunes, mostly sung by Nico, the German dark angel who left the band after this disc. Even the sordid rockers are underscored by graceful pop tricks, like the two-chord flutter at the center of the classic "Heroin." --Douglas Wolk [...]2002, Oct 23; 20:22:
Megatron Man - Patrick Cowley[1 CD, Amazon US]
1. Megatron Man
2. Thank God for Music
3. Menergy
4. Get a Little
5. Lift Off
6. I Wanna Take You Home
7. Sea Hunt
8. Teen Planet
9. If You Feel It
10. Megatron Man '87
11. Megatron Man [Radio Edit]
[...]2002, Oct 22; 23:40:
Since its release in 1994, 'Media Virus' has become Douglas Rushkoff's most influential and most popular book.
Rushkoff skillfully dissects such 'memes' as the O.J. Simpson trial, the Rodney King beating tape, and the pervasive influence of MTV editing. He finds Queer sexuality in 'Ren & Stimpy', social agendas with John Morgenthaler's 'Smart Drugs' campaign, and closes the book with an insightful and rare interview with the influential musician, raver, and performance artist Genesis P-Orridge (Throbbing Gristle, Psychic TV, Pigface, Thee Majesty).
Much of what Rushkoff has written has become de facto teaching within university media courses, and Rushkoff's insights have been clarified and commented upon by many other social theorists and cyberpunks. This is a valuable book because its accessible easy to read style makes it a good introduction to a field that many find foreboding, difficult or complex. Rushkoff is careful to include case-studies and examples such as detailed semiotic analysis of 'The Simpsons', and to provide the relevant historical and industry contexts. The book's influence can be seen by the prevalence of Madison Avenue techniques subsequent to the book's publication, and the popularity of mutant media. -- alex.burns@disinfo.net for amazon.com
see also: Marshall McLuhan, memes
2002, Oct 20; 21:36:
Snobbery: The American Version - Joseph Epstein [1 book, Amazon US] Noted essayist and former American Scholar editor Epstein, having enlightened us on ambition (Ambition: The Secret Passion), now turns to its companion, snobbery. The topic is ripe with promise, but Epstein's observations are less revelatory than entertaining. Underneath their pretentious exteriors, he writes, snobs are insecure people who have latched onto arbitrary measures of status to prove they're worthier than those around them. It's natural fallout, he says, in a world where complete fairness is nonexistent. The best antidote to snobbery, Epstein suggests, is to treat people the same, regardless of their circumstances, and to value things for their intrinsic worth rather than their cachet. Epstein shares his own snobbish tendencies and biases at the outset. From childhood, he writes, his snob radar was fully operational, and by his senior year in high school he was already "an impressively cunning statustician." Epstein goes on to deal with a range of past and present pretensions relating to class, work, democracy, possessions, parenting, college, clubs and intellectualism. In one delicious instance, he describes an American reaction to visiting royalty. "Princess Diana, not long before she died, visited Northwestern University, where I teach," he writes. "The spectacle of the university president, a smallish man in glasses, following the Princess about the campus, yapping away, reminded one of nothing so much as that of a Chihuahua attempting to mount an Afghan hound." The chapter on name-dropping is particularly sharp, citing a variety of ways people exploit connections to well-known individuals for social profit. Epstein has a wickedly wonderful sense of humor and keen observational skills, both on display in the firsthand anecdotes scattered throughout this essayistic assemblage. [...]2002, Oct 19; 09:44:
The Machine Age in America 1918-1941 - Richard Guy Wilson, Dianne H. Pilgrim, Dickran Tashjian, Dickaran Tashjian[1 book, Amazon US] The Brooklyn Museum of Art presents a reprint of the catalogue to its benchmark 1986 exhibit The Machine Age in America: 1918-1941 by scholars Richard Guy Wilson, Dianne H. Pilgrim and Dickran Tashjian. Following on the culture-crit assertion that "the machine in all its many manifestations was the defining force in America during the years between the two great wars," the authors trace the era's aesthetic qualities in Buicks, Frank Lloyd Wright houses, Oskar J. Hansen's Ayn Randian sculpture Winged Figures of the Republic on the Hoover Dam, Berenice Abbott's photographs of steamships, Electrolux vacuum cleaners, Russell Wright's seminal flatware and furniture designs, Joseph Stella's vivid abstractions of the Brooklyn Bridge, and a host of other art works and utilitarian objects. Pop and material culture lovers will swoon over the 410 illustrations (55 in full color) and the erudite essays. [ more ...]2002, Oct 18; 14:51:
The Best Of SugarHill Gang: Rapper's Delight [1 CD, Amazon US]
It's not quite the first rap record, or the best, but Rapper's Delight--15 glorious minutes of the bass line from Chic's "Good Times," with a New Jersey crew spieling goofy routines about Superman and bad food on top--is one king hell of a party-starter. After that, they could have filled the rest of the disc with crowd noise and gotten away with it, but the Sugarhill Gang had a bunch of other party-jam hits, notably the almost-as-indelible "Apache" and "8th Wonder." Those songs show up here too, along with some entertaining non-hits and "Showdown," their rap-off with the Furious Five. What they're saying isn't really the point; the point is to move the crowd, and they're still hip-hop's greatest entertainers. --Douglas Wolk
[more ...]2002, Oct 18; 14:51:
Essential Mix: Classic Edition - Grandmaster Flash [1 CD, Amazon US] 1. I Can't Wait - Nu Shooz
2. I Found Lovin' - Fatback Band
3. Before I Let Go - Maze Featuring Frankie Beverly
4. We Got The Funk - Positive Force
5. Rapture - Blondie
6. Last Night A DJ Saved My Life - Indeep
7. Cavern - Liquid Liquid
8. I'll Do Anything For You - Denroy Mrogan
9. Bra - Cymande
10. Walking On Sunshine - Rockers Revenge
11. Rock Your World - Weeks & Co.
12. Love Is The Message - MFSB Featuring The Three Degrees
13. Give It Up Or Turnit A Loose - James Brown
14. It's Just Begun - Jimmy Castor Bunch
15. You're The One For Me - D Train
16. Planet Rock - Afrika Bambaataa & The Soul Sonic Force
[more ...]2002, Oct 18; 09:57:
El Baile Aleman - Senor Coconut Y Su Conjunto [1 CD, Amazon US]
First, I must confess that tropical music isn't my cup of tea, after this, I want to state that the work that made Sr. Coconut left me fascinated! The way he give the felling, own from tropical music, to the electronic originals, is so warm [I dare to say 'organic'] so you can forget that are made from sampled instruments. The traditional marimbas and güiros run beautifully through almost all the tracks; the vocal work of this guy (Argenis Brito) is well done, and even less robotic and more close to a conventional 'charanguero' singer. -- Nestor Gonzalez Vargas for Amazon.com [more ...]2002, Oct 18; 09:52:
Kraftwerk: Man, Machine and Music - Pascal Bussy, Mick Fish [1 book, Amazon US] A German band invented the sound of humans and machines making love. Formed by Ralf Hutter and Florian Schneider in 1970, Dusseldorf's Kraftwerk ("power plant") pioneered electronic dance music before Madonna got her first training bra and trusted technology (i.e., the drum machine) before the personal computer. These studies are the first in America to document Kraftwerk's impact. Barr, music commentator for The Face and Dazed & Confused, argues that the German foursome (Wolfgang Fl r joined in 1973, Karl Bartos in 1975) was the first band since the Beatles to revolutionize popular culture with what started as a backbeat. To prove this, the book opens with Kraftwerk's rapturous comeback at Tribal Gathering '97--an all-night electro-hop in the English countryside. The same summer, bands influenced by Kraftwerk finally gained popular acceptance and achieved buzz bin status on MTV. After careful consideration of the band's avant-garde mentors, Barr makes another convincing case: in 1977, David Bowie's Low and Stanley Kubrick's A Clockwork Orange set the stage for Kraftwerk's first masterstroke, Trans-Europe Express. Barr must love to dance, because his narrative rises and falls like the best dance singles. Bussy, founder of an avant-garde record label, covers the same milestones with a more cerebral style and with one great advantage: Hutter, Schneider, Fl r, and Bartos--notorious for their silence--granted Bussy interviews. The result: more specific explanations of artistic philosophies, recording processes, and the creative differences that caused Fl r and Bartos to quit in the mid-1980s. Both titles are essential for popular music collections. -- Heather McCormack, "Library Journal" [more ...]2002, Oct 18; 09:15:
The Freshest Kids - A History of the B-Boy [1 DVD, Amazon US]
Breaking... Born at Kool D.J. Herc's House parties in the early '70s, catapulted to a worldwide phenomenon in the '80s, and now experiencing its latest gravity-defying incarnation as a thriving underground movement, "The Freshest Kids" brings to you the illest B-Boying this planet has ever witnessed. Over two hours of hardcore breaking gives you an all-access pass to the underground world of B-Boys spanning the last 25+ years. See and hear the early history via rare archival footage and exclusive interviews with The Nigga Twins, Spy (the man with 1000 moves), Rock Steady Crew icons Crazy Legs and Ken Swift, The New York City Breakers, Mr. Wiggles, Styelements and the world's most innovative B-boys of the next generation along with hip-hop legends Kool D.J. Herc, Afrika Bambaataa, KRS-One, Mos Def and many more as they come together to reveal for the first time the most comprehensive history of B-Boying, its evolution and its place within hip-hop culture and beyond. These are The Freshest Kids and this is their story! -- [more ...]2002, Oct 17; 22:27:
Trust - Hal Hartley [1 VHS, Amazon US] A much-loved cult favorite often overlooked by the mainstream, Trust is a hip, witty film that stretches the definition of a "romantic comedy." Hal Hartley's quirky, minimalist masterpiece--miles ahead of such later attempts as Amateur and Henry Fool--comes from the same school of offbeat character studies that launched better-known directors Jonathan Demme (Married to the Mob, Silence of the Lambs) and Whit Stillman (Metropolitan, The Last Days of Disco). Trust, like more conventional romances, tells the story of a blossoming relationship between two souls who are lost without each other--but the resemblance to ordinary love stories ends there. Matthew Slaughter (The Opposite of Sex's Martin Donovan) is a lovable, overeducated misanthrope (he always carries a hand grenade, as he says, "just in case..."). He's matched brilliantly with spoiled ex-cheerleader Maria Coughlin (Adrienne Shelly), a pregnant high-school dropout going through a full-blown existential crisis, largely because her allowance is being cut off. As their lives intersect, they are united by their bitter cynicism--twin pessimists condemned by their dysfunctional families and the shallow suburbanites around them ... and, despite their best efforts, destined for true romance. If you never thought brutally dry humor could be laugh-out-loud funny, then this is one movie you need to see. --Grant Balfour
[more ...]2002, Oct 17; 13:18:
Robert Mapplethorpe - Black Book [1 book, Amazon US] In his lifetime, Mapplethorpe did not need government assistance; he became a millionaire by selling his photographs in the marketplace. Jesse Helms, however, did bring Mapplethorpe his current fame. -- Tyler Cowen [more ...]2002, Oct 17; 09:27:
Tyler Cowen - In Praise of Commercial Culture [1 book, Amazon US]
"In Praise of Commercial Culture" is Cowen's attempt to demonstrate that capitalism and economic growth promote, rather than squelch, individual creativity through artistic expression. In it, he provides a detailed history of the origin and development of markets for literature, painting, sculpture, and music. Throughout the book, he focuses on both pecuniary and non-pecuniary incentives that markets create for individuals to challenge prevailing artistic sentiments -- Michael D. Mallinger for Amazon.com [more ...]2002, Oct 16; 22:27:
Quills - Philip Kaufman [1 DVD, Amazon US]
THE MARQUIS DE SADE has been many things to many people, but the fact remains that he wrote for one person only: himself. It's this very monomania that gives his works their coldly granitic fascination, page after page of mechanized sexual debasement hewn out like so many identical slabs of stone, and it's also why he can disturb the most open-minded reader. Quills, the new movie loosely (very loosely) based upon the latter years of de Sade's life, seeks to rehabilitate his image into that of Brave Soldier in the Noble Battle against Hypocrisy. This not only flattens and dulls the film's subject, it also makes for one hell of a hypocritical movie in its own right. -- Bruce Reid [personally I enjoyed the movie very much :-)]
[more ...]2002, Oct 16; 14:52:
Stonewall - Martin Duberman [1 book, Amazon US]
As a straight female raised in the bible belt, my level of education about the Gay Rights movement was at best minimal. We learned about Women's Rights and Civil Rights in school, but never Gay Rights. Anyway, I became very interested in Gay Literature earlier this year, and was often confused by references to Stonewall and other historical events/places/people.
Mr. Duberman's book, which, to be honest, I picked because it was the only book of its type available at the bookstore here in my small Texas town, was interesting and a fast, entertaining read. I especially liked the way Duberman followed a small group of people over a long period of time. Learning about an historical event through the eyes of people who were actually there gave me a far better understanding than a bland, general history might have. -- acrobaticcat for Amazon.com
[more ...]2002, Oct 16; 14:42:
Public Sex: The Culture of Radical Sex - Pat Califia [1 book, Amazon US]
Among the beacons of sex radicalism--alongside Susie Bright, Carol Queen, Kate Bornstein, and very few others--Pat Califia has been writing angry, sex-positive essays and politically charged erotica since the late 1970s. The bulk of her many nonfiction pieces is collected in this reprint of a book first published in 1994, providing a lively, informal history of the sex wars of the '80s and '90s--from the absurd, puritanical Meese Commission Report to the antiporn feminists to the unexamined attitudes behind the popular Re/Search book Modern Primitives. The chief apologist for the S/M community and one of the strongest voices in the anticensorship fight, Califia is at her best when the subject is closest to home. Her peevish reflections on the stupidity and political shortsightedness of anti-S/M feminists and lesbians are a joy to read; you can hear the swish of her whip and the stamp of her boot heel. With its excellent introduction, this book should be on the shelf of every feminist, every lesbian, every sexual adventurer, and anyone who hopes to understand sexual politics in America. --Regina Marler [more ...]2002, Oct 16; 14:39:
Asia Bondage - Steven Speliotis [1 book, Amazon US]
Several dozen Asian women -- well-educated, independent, liberated, experimentally-minded, and familiar with the stereotype of the submissive Asian female -- volunteered to participate in this highly- stylized fine art. In these photographic images by a non-Asian male, they appear elegantly nude and often intricately bound, often not just participating consensually but actually controlling the scenario, and thus the imagery, while ostensibly surrendering all power to another. These images are * a collaborative form of body art * exemplify the traditional values of classic creative studio photography -- formal exploration, spatial drama, nuanced lighting, concern with chiaroscuro, attention to textural detail These unusual partnerships succeed, the photos a microcosm in which they move through and past stereotypes into a zone of unexpected freedom and mutual empowerment. With an introduction by A.D. Coleman.
[SM ...]2002, Oct 16; 14:18:
Everything But The Girl - Back to Mine - Various Artists[1 CD, Amazon US]
1. Friends and Enemies - DJ Cam
2. All Alone (No One To Be With) - Slick Rick
3. Bayou - Deadly Avenger
4. Stars All Seem To Weep - Beth Orton
5. Flow - Model 500 (G-Funk mix)
6. Cascades Of Colour - The Ananda Project feat. Gaelle Adisson (Wamdue Black mix)
7. Do It Now - Dubtribe Sound System
8. Wonderful Life - Carl Craig
9. To Cry About - Mary Margaret O'Hara
10. Silent Treatment - The Roots
11. Funky For You (Spacehopper Mix) - Deadbeats
12. Someday We'll All Be Free - Donny Hathaway
2002, Oct 16; 14:10:
Groove Armada
- Back to Mine - Various Artists[1 CD, Amazon US]
1. Description of a fool (Groove Armada's acoustic mix) - Tribe Called Quest
2. Playing your game baby - Barry White
3. Piano grand - Tony D
4. Stanway's revenge - Sidewinder (2)
5. Snappiness (instrumental) - BBG
6. Encounters - Ray Mang
7. Sound of music - Dayton
8. Your song (Tim Love mix) - Groove Armada
9. Next type of motion - Roots Manuva
10. Light my fire - Al Green
11. I Should've Known Better - Mica Paris
12. Destination (Beach Towel Mix) - Schmoov
13. 'Tall Stories - Chaser (Lars from Mars mix)
14. Pharoahs - Tears for Fears
Prior to the breakthrough success of their second album, Vertigo, Groove Armada (Tom Findlay and Andy Cato) were better known as successful club DJs, plying their trade in clubs the length and breadth of England, from Tangled in Manchester to the End in London. For their first mix CD they eschew uptempo dance-floor tunes in favor of a far more laid-back repertoire--think "At the River" rather than "If Everybody Looked the Same." It's an eclectic mixture of classic and modern--from Barry White to Tears for Fears, stopping at all stations along the way. Unlike many of these kinds of compilations, there's not a duff track on here, and standouts like Al Green's "Light My Fire" and Tony D's "Piano Grand" make the cherry on top. Vertigo was justifiably lauded as the Best Chill-Out Album at the U.K.'s Ministry Magazine Awards in 1999; Back to Mine is a worthy heir to the throne. --Helen Marquis
2002, Oct 16; 13;16:
Among the flood of formulaic chill-out compilations, the Back to Mine series continues to surf stylishly, head and shoulders above the competition. Eleven albums in and it's the turn of veteran dance luminaries New Order to demolish any semblance of the genre's remaining restraints. Throwing continuity to the wind, they wantonly reflect the broad gamut of taste you might expect from one of the most influential acts of the past two decades. Kicking off with the psyche-blues of Captain Beefheart's raucous "Big Eyed Beans", before skipping from Can to Cat Stevens and Missy Elliot to Mantronix, it's an absurdly eclectic and joyously eccentric free-form sonic rumble. Alongside contemporary tracks, such as the Doves "M62 Song", come moments of spine-tingling genius, such as Joey Beltram's mesmerising techno classic "Energy Flash" and Roxy Music's mock-sinister ode to an inflatable lady "In Every Dream Home a Heartache". There's even something for collectors with Patrick Cowley's extremely rare mix of the Donna Summer classic "I Feel Love". Chill-out and Peter Hook were never going to comfortably coexist, so kick off the slippers and get ready for an evening of emotive and enduring music. --Christopher Barrett
01.
Captain Beefheart and the Magic Band 'Big Eyed Beans From Venus'
A sci-fiblues freak out from the variable genius Van Vliet with spine tingling slide additions from Zoot Horn Rollo. Quite obviously the inspiration behind 'Confusion'
02.
Primal Scream 'Higher Than the Sun' A bit from the Orb's compressed pop mix and the stratospheric end bit from Weatherall's dub symphony with the metronomic Jah Wobble providing an unwavering backbone. Who could miss the similarities between this and Bizarre Love Triangle?
03. Missy Elliot 'The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly)' Timbaland's twitchy rhythms versus the cranky observations of the lady in the inflatable space suit. This was massive on the Joy Division tour bus.
04. The
Velvet Underground 'Venus in Furs'
The sleazy cool reflected in the distance between Peter Hook's
feet when he used to wear those leather trousers is perfectly encapsulated in Lou Reed's pervily sublime steal of a famous mucky book and the sound of John Cale sawing a cello in half. Which somehow perfectly leads us beneath a motorway bridge near NorthendenŠ.
05. Doves 'M62 Song' You can hear the trucks and cars on this dark lullaby recorded in the dead of night. And the mic is passed to a feller in a sparkly jacket and greasy hairŠ.
06. Roxy Music 'In Every Dream Home a Heartache' Simultaneously sinister and hilarious this love song for an inflatable lady friend was the kind of thing that the responsible young citizens that went on to make up New Order would twist their impressionable minds with.
07. Cat
Stevens 'Was Dog a Doughnut?' A peak time classic at Jellybean's Funhouse when New Order first alighted in electro land NY. Chick Corea is playing keyboards on this. On paper it might seem ridiculous, in reality it is perfect.
08. Mantronix 'Bassline' Before narrow-mindedness set up a fence between house and hip-hop, this was the kind of record that filled the floor with ease at the Hacienda. Lyrically it's all but irrelevant, but its frantic edits and undeniable energy still make it special.
09. The
Groundhogs 'Cherry Red' A psychotic energy flash from a much misunderstood abstract blues band who, while their contemporaries sang of pixies and hobbits, traversed the same idiosyncratic route as Joy Division did almost ten years later. Peter Hook would probably tell you that Tony McPhee says more about his life than JG Ballard.
10. Joey
Beltram 'Energy Flash' Downright demonic, during the creation of this mix, shards of this devilish techno masterpiece appeared to replay in other rooms in the building for no good reason. Also features the word 'Ecstasy' which, though now ridiculous, at the time had a certain frisson.
11. Donna Summer 'I Feel Love (Patrick Cowley mix)' Edited down from its original 15-minute glory in order to keep it burning here, this record still sounds incredible in any form. What could they have been thinking/drinking in Munich back then?
12. Can 'Mushroom'
Krautrock underpinned by the inspirational drumming of Jaki Liebezeit who appears to have studied under James Brown while the rest of the band kept busy sellotaping bits of dark Velvet to Stockhausen's arty pants. And Explosions as a bonus- what more could you need in any piece of music?
13. Rhythim is Rhythim 'The Dance' Almost 15 years old and still peerless in all it's skeletal glory. Let's leave some intellectuals to draw a line between this and something off Power Corruption and Lies.
14. Giorgio Vs Talla 2XLC 'E=MC2'
Acknowledged on more than one occasion by Bernard Sumner as a transitional influence on the fledgling New Order, this celebration of machine music is the only place to end.
2002, Oct 16; 13;16:
Moving - Bugge Wesseltoft [1 CD, Amazon US]
If you're a pure jazz aficionado then Bugge Wesseltoft's "New Conception of Jazz" series (of which this is the second) is likely to set off some serious warning bells and... once inside the album, you're unlikely to feel much happier. But, if you're into creative "chill out" tracks then you're in for a treat. Much closer to "Café del Mar" than John Coltrane, "Moving" is in fact a richly textured mix of electronic back-beats, atmospheric sampling and some excellent virtuoso playing. Is it real jazz?... who cares: better to sit back, relax and let Bugge & his Norwegian pals carry you along through another highly enjoyable set of laid back grooves. -- nicjaytee for Amazon.com [more ...]2002, Oct 15; 23;16:
Good Times Skank - Various Artists - compiled by Joey Jay[1 CD, Amazon US]
From the same compilers as Good Times vol.1 and, Norman and Joey Jay
1. Better must come - Wilson, Delroy
2. False leaders - Davis, Ronnie
3. Leggo beast dub - Isaacs, Gregory
4. Talk about love - Kelly, Pat (1)
5. I can't wait too long - Levy, Barrington
6. Give thanks and praise - Brown, Barry
7. African dub - Silvertones
8. Yim mas gan - Abyssinians
9. People make the world go round - Chosen Few (1)
10. Ruffer version - Aggrovators
11. Blazing fire - Morgan, Derrick
12. Save us Jah - Buckley, Vernon
13. After all - Holt, John
14. Serious version - King Tubby
15. Concentration - Brown, Dennis
16. All we need is love - Ellis, Alton
17. Wailing of black people - Velvet Shadows
18. Alien aborts - Roots Radics
19. Crowded city - Messengers (3)
20. Stop the war now - Parkes, Lloyd
21. Rock me in dub - Thompson Allstars
2002, Oct 14; 22:243:
Shivers - David Cronenberg [1 DVD, Amazon US]
His first feature, Shivers, is a highly effective little movie about a strain of parasitical beasties that look like diseased penises and, after infesting inside someone, give them maniacal and uncontrollable sexual appetites, spreading their disease exponentially (also note the STD-like terrors of Rabid and The Fly). The AIDS parallel is obvious, but Shivers was made in 1975, long before AIDS was the cause célèbre in Hollywood. -- Daniel Kraus in http://www.gadfly.org/lastweek/arhighcronen.html[more ...]2002, Oct 15; 08:25:
Body Modification - Mike Featherstone [1 book, Amazon US] In an age where anti-flesh puritanism seems to be waning, and yet still persists in subtle manifestations, more and more extreme stimuli both physical and conceptual - may be necessary to re-establish our relationship with our bodies. The vicious and relentless suppression of bodily awareness that is our inheritance from Pauline Christianity will not just fade away if we ask nicely. It seems that the growing popularity in the West of body modification practices, and physical forms of S/M sexuality, is indicative of the what may be necessary to reclaim our flesh and provoke ourselves into a deeper body-consciousness. And, as we shall see, our cultural myths, the imagery and conceptions that our artists generate, may also have become equally extreme in their treatment of the flesh, of necessity. -- http://www.uncarved.demon.co.uk/2012/psycho.html2002, Oct 14; 21:29:
Nuggets: Original Artyfacts from the First Psychedelic Era, 1965-1968 [4 CD, Amazon US]
That the most famous garage-rock record of all time, the Kingsmen's "Louie Louie," is buried on the last CD of this four-disc box is very much in keeping with the spirit of the (often) one-hit wonders that people Nuggets. Here, "Louie Louie" is just another great song. An elaboration on the 1972 double LP, which is included in its original sequence, this set piles on dozens more great moments of inspiration, guts, chutzpah, and sometimes sheer commercial calculation. How else to explain the advice "Look at yourself" from the likes of the Strawberry Alarm Clock, whose idea of mind expansion seems limited to putting together two very vaguely related nouns--"Incense and Peppermints"--so their swinging Farfisa-led track will have something, anything, for verbal content? There's loads of such wisdom on display here, prefab and otherwise, usually delivered as rabidly as possible. (Try the Remains' "Don't Look Back," Mouse and the Traps' "Maid of Sugar--Maid of Spice," or the Music Machine's "Talk Talk," which was actually a hit.) And remember: "The sky is falling / The ocean is calling / The world ... is spinning 'round ... and 'round." For sure. --Rickey Wright
2002, Oct 14; 21:19:
The Cramps - Bad Music for Bad People [1 CD, Amazon US]
This album was my introduction to The Cramps, and it highlights the best of their early (and best) albums on I.R.S. Records, from the days when that was the most happening punk/new wave label. The Cramps successfully mix rockabilly, surf trash, punk, country and garage into an outta sight 60's B-horror movie sound that opens the ears,boggles the mind, and gets you to jump around the room, insane and highly recommended. -- John Spokus for Amazon.com
2002, Oct 8; 19:19:
Amusing Ourselves to Death: Public Discourse in the Age of Show Business - Neil Postman
[1 book, Amazon US]
Neil Postman's book 'Amusing Ourselves To Death' is an excellent look at the world today (more accurately in 1985). He explains that there is no need to fear George Orwell's vision of 1984, but rather to fear an older title of Aldous Huxley's Brave New World. One which takes away freedom, the latter giving you all the freedom you want. Funny and witty, Postman gives a top rate analysis of the current media (second to McLuhan). I dont see this book as a prediction of any sort, but rather observing the direction the media of print and television is headed. Television has been given so much authority that it does not matter whats on it, so much that its on. Postman declares that television has the power to do away with books by the sheer hypnotic power that television has over print. And this, by being in a trance and reclining in our sofas to and forgetting about the world (and what the GOVT is doing) is just as fatal as the government getting involved in every aspect of our lives. This book is a nice read with some profoundness to it which will change your perspective on 1984, television and the way you live. -- mygotta for Amazon.com
2002, Oct 8; 19:19:
The Meme Machine - Susan Blackmore, Richard Dawkins [1 book, Amazon US]
Showing greater courage and intellectual chutzpah than I have ever aspired to, she deploys her memetic forces in a brave--do not think foolhardy until you have read it--assault on the deepest questions of all: What is a self? What am I? Where am I? ... Any theory deserves to be given its best shot, and that is what Susan Blackmore has given the theory of the meme -- Richard Dawkins
2002, Oct 12; 12:53:
Novamix 01-Full Spectrum - Various Artists - mixed by DJ Gilb'r [1 CD, Amazon US]
1. Fragile Space
2. Romeo's Fate [I: Cube Remix] - Mark Bell
3. Lo Tek
4. Prá Manhá [New Sector Movements Mix] - Da Lata
5. Misérables
6. Family Tree [I: Cube Remix] - I:Cube
7. Voodance - Julien Jabre
8. Don't Change [Main Mix]
9. Secret Agent [Chateau Flight Remix] - Pnau
10. Move Me [the Extended Sun Mix] - Mood II Swing
11. Ghost Hunter [Stacey Pullen Mix] - Juryman
12. Taureau - Eddy Louiss
2002, Oct 12; 12:05:
Danny Tenaglia - Choice, a Collection of Classics [1 CD, Amazon US] (to be announced)
1. Cat Stevens - Was Dog A Doughnut
2. Imagination - Changes
3. Kris Coleman - Shine
4. Jus Friends - As One
5. Trilogy - Love Me Forever Or Love Me Not
6. Fierce Ruling Diva - You Gotta Believe
7. Vicky Martin - Not Gonna Do It
8. Mr. Lee - I Can't Forget
9. Nomad - I Wanna Give You Devotion
10. Christian Falk - Make It Right
11. Blaze Project - Elevation
12. Two Tons O' Fun - Just Us
CD 2
1. Cloud One - Atmosphere
2. Mission Control - Outta Limits
3. Tony Cook - On The Floor
4. Hugh Masekela - Don't Go Lose It Baby
5. Sylvia Stryplin - Give Me Your Love
6. Adeva - Independent Woman
7. Loni Clark - Rushin'
8. Frankie Knuckles - The Whistle Song
9. Alicia Meyers - I Wanna Thank You
10. Uno Mas - Por Favor
11. Jomanda - Make My Body Rock
2002, Oct 12; 11:54:
Another Late Night - Various Artists - Howie B[1 CD, Amazon US]
1. Truth What Is It? - The Undisputed
2. Love's Theme - Love Unlimited Orchestra
3. Twilight - Maze feat.Frankie Beverly
4. I Changed My Mind - Quannum feat.Lyrics Born & The Poet Of Rhythm (Rattlesnake Mix by Stereo Mcs)
5. Uplink - Stratus
6. Mirage - Santana
7. Walking In Rhythm - The Blackbyrds
8. Summer Hot - Curtis Mayfield
9. Contrazoom - Spacer
10. Respiration - Black Star
11. Work The Angles - Dialated Peoples
12. Expresso - Gong
13. Under The Boardwalk - Howie B
14. Violet's Don't Be Blue - Herbie Mann
2002, Oct 12; 11:53:
Another Late Night - Various Artists - Rae & Christian [1 CD, Amazon US]
. Heavy Worker - Trendsetter
2. Copenhagen Claimin' Respect - The Boulevard Connection
3. Come On - Joshua
4. Put That On My Moma - Riton
5. Introlude - Dubble D
6. 100 Million Ways - Nash
7. Straight No Filter (Only Child Remix) - Fumi
8. Take Ya Time - Zum
9. Four - Capoeira Twins (Mr Scruff Remix)
10. I Pink I'm Going Squeezy - Bushy vs Sonic Boo
11. Roll Call - Pablo
12. All The Way Down - Esther Phillips
13. Got To Be Me - H20
14. Strudel Strut - Aromadozeski Therapy
15. Samba - Faze Action (Rae & Christian Remix)
16. Flashlight - Rae & Christian
17. Mary Jane - Rick James
18. California Dreamin' - Jose Feliciano
2002, Oct 12; 11:51:
Another Late Night - Various Artists - Fila Brazilia [1 CD, Amazon US]
. The Persuaders Theme - John Barry
2. Firefly - Homelife
3. Hero Theme - Infesticons
4. Bucket Bottom - Prince Alla
5. Get a Move On - Mr.Scruff
6. T Plays it Cool - Marvin Gaye
7. Regiment - Brian Eno
8. It's Not Too Beautiful - The Beta Band
9. Rodney Yates - David Holmes
10. Nature Boy - Fila Brazillia
11. Nuclear Symphony - Unforscene
12. Les Nuits - Nightmares on Wax
13. Blue Skies - Outside
14. Suspended - Kelis
15. Prelude & Fugue in C minor - The Swingle Sisters
2002, Oct 12; 11:46:
Another Late Night - Various Artists - Tommy Guerrero [1 CD, Amazon US]
Fifth installment in the popular series. Compiled by the renowned beat specialist & all round skate culture dude Tommy Guerrero. As is befits a man of Tom's stature his musical pickings are nothing less than ripe. There's plenty of soul in here from the likes of Bill Withers & Rufus Thomas as well as true-born blues (Muddy Waters) & funk (Main Ingredient). As is traditional, the host contributes a track (a cover of 'Come Together', exclusive to this release) & there's a spoken word piece, handled remarkably by none other than Sir Patrick Moore. Slipcase. 17 tracks. 2002. Azuli.
1. Can't Get Up If You Can't Get Down - Port Authority
2. Tomcat - Muddy Waters
3. Slippin' Into Darkness - Ramsey Lewis
4. Taboo - Santana
5. Funky - Chemical Brothers
6. Same Brown Earth - Latin Players
7. I'm Her Daddy - Bill Withers
8. Funkiest Man Alive - Rufus Thomas
9. Euphrates - Main Ingredient
10. One More Time - Cymande
11. Web - Hampton Hawes
12. Viva Tirado - El Chicano
13. Is It Because I'm Black - Syl Johnson
14. Vitamin C - Can
15. Summer Song - Ronnie Foster
16. Come Together - Tommy Guerro
2002, Oct 12; 11:41:
Another Late Night - Various Artists - Zero 7 [1 CD, Amazon US]
1. Sunrays - Yesterday's New Quintet
2. Real Eyes - Quasimoto
3. Witness - Roots Manuva
4. Jealousy - Slum Village
5. Channel 1 Suite - Cinematic Orchestra
6. Christine Bonilla - Joy Zipper
7. Ghost Ship in a Storm - Jim O'Rourke
8. 93 Til Infinity - Souls of Mischief
9. Pra Manha - Da Lata
10. Bonnie & Clyde - Serge Gainsbourg (Herbert's Fred & Ginger Mix)
11. Happiness - Shawn Lee
12. You Can't Turn Me Away - Sylvia Striplin
13. Loving You, Holding You - Don Blackman
14. Cool Out - Leroy Hutson
15. Truth & Rights - Zero 7
16. People Make the World Go Round - The Stylistics
2002, Oct 12; 11:40:
Another Late Night - Various Artists - Groove Armada [1 CD, Amazon US]
1. Fly Me To The Moon - Groove Armada
2. Lovin' Me - BRS
3. Work It Out - SG4 Project (Underwater Trumpet Mix)
4. Java Jam - Tom Love Lee
5. Breathe - Open Door
6. Tonight - Kleeer
7. Ya Playin' Yaself - Jeru The Damaja (Acapella)
8. The Memory - Roy Ayers
9. Muria - Metro Area 4
10. Raise The Dead - Kimbu Kimra (Love from San Francisco Dub)
11. Standing In The Rain - Don Ray
12. Don't Cry - It's Only Rhythm - Grace Jones
13. Strawberry Letter 23 - Shuggie Otis
14. Truth N Time - Al Green
15. Let It Go - Rae & Christian feat The Pharcyde (Groove Armada Country House Remix)
16. Can You Feel It - Mr Fingers
17. Day Dreaming - Aretha Franklin
18. Feel The Vibe - Loose Ends
2002, Oct 11; 20:52:
The Seductive Art of Japanese Bondage - Midori[1 book, Amazon US]
From ornately decorative to excruciatingly stringent, Japanese rope bondage is an art which has developed over centuries of martial and erotic practice. Now, accomplished Japanese-born pro-domme and bondage practitioner Midori shows step by step how to achieve beautiful and exciting Japanese bondage on a variety of genders and body types. Each chapter starts with a spectacular, tasteful full-color photo of the finished bondage pose - harnesses, hogties, standing and bent-over poses, and more - then goes back and explains with text and line art how each rope and knot is placed to achieve the final result. Readers can use the detailed instructions to experiment safely and erotically with their own partners - or simply enjoy viewing the pictures of Midori`s expertise. [SM ...]2002, Oct 6; 22:53:
Scientist Rids The World Of The Curse Of The Evil Vampires - Scientist
[1 CD, Amazon US]
Second generation Jamaican dub mixer and a rival to Prince Jammy. Notable for his theme albums (with lurid cover art) on which he would meet and vanquish protagonists from off-world regions: ie Scientist Meets The Space Invaders, Scientist Encounters Pac Man. Such meetings, derived from the rivalry of the sound clash, are central to the mythology of dub. For origins, seek out King Tubby Meets The Upsetter At The Grass Roots Of Dub -- David Toop --
[more Scientist...]2002, Oct 6; 08:37:
Sister Funk - Various Artists [1 CD, Amazon US]
Compiled by Ian Wright who co-founded the Deep Funk Club. As the popularity of the now legendary night soared Ian concentrated on the remixing and re-editing of his 45's for 'Keb's Deep Funk' and 'Funk Spectrum' compilations. He is now one of the most influential collectors on the funk scene. This 20 track collection features mostly 60's funky soul divas including, Monica, Inell Young, Joyce Dunn, Barbara Lynn, Ruth Brown and more. Standard jewel case.
Ian Wright started collecting 45's in the late 80's. The next few years were spent feverishly buying funk 45's before teaming up with Keb Darge for the launch of his deep funk club in 1995. As the popularity of the bald one's now legendary night soared, Ian concentrated on remixing & re-editing his 45's for Keb's deep funk & funk spectrum compilations. Last year saw the release of his own 'Natural Funk Killa's' compilation which is already the biggest seller on the Soul Patrol label.
[more funk ...]
2002, Oct 5; 21:29:
Soft Machine - Vols 1 and 2[1 CD, Amazon US]
These albums were originally issued in the late '60's and were not extremely well known even then. But as a serious music freak of the time, I always rated these along with my top five albums of the time. So you know where I'm coming from, the others were Electric Ladyland (Hendrix), After Bathing at Baxter's (Jefferson Airplane), Live Dead and Anthem of the Sun (Grateful Dead). I consider Pet Sounds, Sgt. Pepper and Satanic Majesties to be precursors of the others and therefore in a different category. I guess they called the category "acid rock." These albums are more loosely associated than the others with that category, but I always thought the comparison a valid one. -- David K. Bell [more rock ...]2002, Oct 5; 21:19:
King Sunny Ade - Juju[1 CD, Amazon US]
Quite possibly the most beautiful and influential West African record ever released internationally, Juju Music remains a revelation. With a phalanx of electric guitars that functions like a percussion section, and talking drums that sound like a gossipy Greek chorus, Nigerian juju star King Sunny Ade and His African Beats, all 20 of them, proved that African music could be as complex, dramatic, and symphonic as any European ensemble. Some thanks must go to French producer Martin Meissonier, who took the basic elements of Ade's sound--unison guitars, Yoruban drumming, seamless song medleys, and self-reflexive lyrics--and added a diverse assortment of Jamaican production techniques to heighten, deepen, and psychedelicize a sound that, with Ade's deliciously sweet vocals and the haunting strains of Demala Adepoju's Hawaiian steel guitar, was plenty wild to begin with. A masterpiece. --Richard Gehr
2002, Oct 5; 11:23:
The CD is a brilliant mix of soul, jazz, house, and touches of Afro-centric rhythms -- crafted in a swirling mix that dips back 30 years into the history of soul, yet still points the way towards a richly positive future -- sounding a heck of a lot more "real" than just about anyone else we can think of on the market today, and showing Everett as a burgeoning soul genius -- on a par with D'Angelo, Norman Harris, Donnie Hathway, and, dare we say it, Marvin Gaye.
Peven Everett, an eclectic multi faceted celebrated jazz and soul artist was born in Harvey, Illinois on June 2, 1975 At the age of 17, Berkley gave Peven a full scholarship right out of High School for music.
Starting in 1993, Peven produced songs on small independent deep house labels:
Gabriel - Large Records
Watch Them Come - Undaground Therapy
Enchantment - Prescription
Don't You Dare Stop Lovin' - Dusttraxx/Nite Life Collective
Someday - Peacefrog
He is a producer, writer, vocalist, performer and a multi-instrumentalist playing professionally 11 instruments including the guitar, keys, drums, bass, trombone, flute, saxophone as well as being the renowned trumpeter who recorded several, including the key single, cuts on Curtis Lundy’s latest album. Alongside his musicianship he is an exquisite vocalist and unreal dancer.
Having performed with the likes of Betty Carter, Winton and Branford Marsalis at spots like Smalls in NYC and all over Chicago and representing the dance community at this years Winter Music Conference, Peven as an independent artist is getting the press interested with features in various publications and a clip on Chicago’s Channel 7 during a performance for the Raggae Fest in July 2001.
Beyond his collaborative efforts on timeless cuts like “Gabrielle” and “Watch Them Come” Peven’s solo stylings are phenomenal - performing live vocals with his acoustic guitar as a solo act or alongside his band, Séance Divine.
At the present time he has got material out on his own imprint, Studio Confessions, which features many monikers such as Muchalo (Barry White infused deepness), Samba Kid (Latin soul jams), Mogul (eclectic jazz) and Satellite Sound bringing forth the hip hop excursion.
In early 2002 Diaspora Recordings will put out the highly acclaimed singles “Run Around” and “Good Lovin” which has thus far been promoted by LA’s Garth Trinidad (Chocolate City), London’s Gilles Peterson (Worldwide), Louie Vega, Marques Wyatt and other world renowned DJs.
At 26 Peven is creative beyond imagination, ready and a genius - and we take that word seriously – he has been dubbed a combination of Prince/Herbie Hancock/Stevie Wonder for the 21st century.
Like many essays on pop culture of contemporary America, Dery's collection is an everything-including-the-kitchen-sink view of the end of the millenium (including comparisons of the Warren Report to Finnegan's Wake, and the author's fascination with the Edvard Munch painting The Scream). Occasionally, Dery's ruminations on our Nike-obsessed, Jim Carrey-imitating, X-Files-paranoid culture are hilarious; at other times, they definitely are not. But his point is well taken, that as we approach the next century, the U.S. is more of a culturally aware, and thus more culturally consuming, country than ever before. The author's previous take on cyberspace, Escape Velocity, seeps in here as well: the information age pushes the bits and pieces of pop culture further in our faces every day. The title is an old term used to promote New York's Coney Island amusement park, and a more appropriate monicker for 1990s culture can't be found. With no war to distract us as in previous decades, the culture itself has become a focal point for societal anxiety, and Dery's insights into the whys of this upheaval are most illuminating. -- [...]
