Two superb covers of the classic Marvin Gaye tune, 'sexual healing'.
First off is the Hot 8 Brass Band from New Orleans laying down some fine horns and soulful singing that gets your hair standing on end.
Download 01_sexual_healing.mp3
Second is Hot Chip's wonderfully electronic take.
Download 09_sexual_healing.mp3
Back in August '05 I posted the original of this tune and I gotta say that Dan Black does a pretty interesting job on covering this classic.
Born in London but based in Paris Dan Black is unsigned and has just released this as a white label.
As said by Mr. Black himself:
"I knew what kind of music I wanted make, but at first I found it hard
to get these conflicting desires to blend well outside of my head. I’d
been making these weird remix/mashups for my occasional Djing, so I
thought, I’ll take the method I’ve been using for that but use it for
song writing instead. The very first thing I tried was HYPNTZ.”
And from the offical blurb:
"Fusing the ubiquitous beat from “Umbrella” with heavily chopped-up
samples from the film soundtrack of John Carpenter’s “Starman”, Dan
audaciously decided to cover one of the holiest scriptures of hip hop:
“Hypnotize”. By bending Biggie’s brutal, braggadocio, mouth-twisting
flow over his own aching, passionate melody, almost miraculously, he
transformed the ultimate rap brag into a deeply heartfelt, bittersweet
epic."
It really is infectious. Lovin' it.
Much thanks to Lifenotes and Erik Rico for providing this excellent version of James Brown's 'Make It Funky' in celebration of the godfather's birthday yesterday.
Erik Rico is an outstanding artist that has spent the last ten years exploring and developing his creativity and talent in music and beyond with his current album, 'Journey Back To Me' featuring his soulful voice and definitive beats. To top all that he is a super nice bloke.
From his label, Lifenotes.
Born into a diverse family of creative artists, Erik started his
professional career 10 years ago as a self contained artist/producer on
Sony's Columbia Records after being discovered by American Idol's Randy
Jackson, then V.P. of Columbia Records. Randy quickly signed Erik to a
multi album solo artist deal. Prior to Jackson's introduction to Erik
via a songwriting demo, he had only briefly been producing, writing and
arranging for independent hip hop and soul acts on the east coast.
However, after only two years of being immersed in the confinements of
the world of corporate music, Erik felt his creativity could be better
expressed elsewhere. He broke his contract with Sony, and headed back
east and then to Europe in search of musical freedom.
It wasn't
long until Erik returned to California in pursuit of his musical career
as an independent producer/artist where he was tapped to do his first
major label production, coupled with various multimedia projects
encompassing network and TV shows, feature films for the Showtime
network, PBS as well as a two year stint as sound designer for famed
photographer David LaChapelle. Erik is currently working on several projects to be released on Lifenotes Music.
buy 'journey back to me': Amazon (US), Clickgroove (UK)
Today is Willie Nelson's 75th birthday. In Texas he is an icon (see Texas Monthly magazine's current issue and hear KUT's hour long inteview, with Nelson biographer, Joe Nick Patoski, along with rare footage here) and he lives just outside Austin on his ranch. Thankfully I got to see him play a few years ago in his hometown and it was a privilege. Throughout his years Willie has had his ups and down with IRS problems, houses destroyed by fire and whatnot but he continues to have an amazing attitude to life and all that surrounds him. He was a founder of Farm Aid (along with Neil Young and John Mellencamp) back in the 80s as he saw that so many family owned farms were going under and started BioWillie to "to help eliminate America's dependence on foreign oil, put the American family farmer back to work and clean up the environment." Way back when he realized that he was a terrible drunk and so Willie became a proponent of weed since then he has appeared on radio shows, benefits to support its benefits and the need for legality which I am sure didn't help his case when his tour bus was famously pulled over and busted with a significant stash of 1 1/2 lbs of weed and mushrooms (at the time he was 73 and the other passengers were 75, 59, 54, and 50-what a trip!).
Apart from all of the great stuff above of course is that Wilie Nelson continues to endure as a master songwriter who has written timeless classics such as 'Crazy' (made famous by Patsy Cline) and was a part of the country supergroup, The Highwaymen, along with Johnny Cash, Kris Kristofferson and Waylon Jennings. The only dubious thing really, in my mind, that he has done has got to be his reggae crossover album, Countryman, which leaves a lot to be desire but we can forgive him for that one faux pas after so many great choices that he has made to this day.Each year he also
throws the July 4th celebration with nothing but a good show so if
you're planning on being in Selma, TX check out this years event
details here).
So Willie, happy birthday sir. Keep on doing what you are doing as it must be right with so many people taking a dance, a smoke or raising a glass in your honour on this day.
Cheers
Download 09_blue_eyes_crying_in_the_rain.mp3
Another great compilation arrived this week. More MPM Sounds from Melting Pot Music.
From the liner notes by Olski.
"If you have a rough idea what MPM is about you will not be suprised to hear some soul, some funk and some jazz here. And some afro-beat and rock too. We are old school like that and we still consider this beautiful mash-up of styles and attitudes a long lost relative of hip-hop."
I am gonna dedicate this post to a person unknown who sent me a great email that just made my day.
I hope you enjoy these tunes as much as all the others. Merci.
Artist: Kutiman
Tune: No Groove Where I Come From
Any fans of Fema and Femi Kuti out there? Thought so-get your teeth into this afro-beat gem from Kutiman, a one-man orchestra, who plays out of Tel Aviv, Israel.
The last minute of this song is probably one of the joyous and triumphant melodies that I have ever come across.
Download 05_no_groove_where_i_come_from.mp3
Artist: Lefties Soul Connection
Tune: Organ Donor (Hawkeye Hyphy Edit)
You may know this tune from DJ Shadow's 'Entroducing' album back in 1996.
The Lefties Soul Connection are best described on their site as such "deep funk, raw soul, gritty hammond, chicken guitar, breakbeat drums, gutbucket bass'. Hailing from Holland these guys are playing up a storm with their live shows and are signed to MDM. This cover of Organ Donor is just pure massive.
Download 11_organ_donor_hawkeye_hyphy_edit.mp3
Buy More MPM Sounds here: Europe / USA
Cheers,
Cubik
So a few weeks back I posted two tunes for my Dad.One was by John Prine and the other was by Dan Reeder. I then got the Dan Reeder album and I really like it. Turns out he is on the same label as John Prine, the excellent Oh Boy Records.
Anyho-I wanted to post another tune to bring some attention to this guy-its great to see musicians like Dan creating some great music that flys in the face of the formulaic mish-mash that we can be faced with if we are not careful.
The tune here is the amazing cover of "Whiter Shade of Pale'. He does a great job of deliverying a careful and sensitive tune that lays praise to a classic.
Download 16_a_whiter_shade_of_pale.mp3 Cheers, Cubik
Two Three tunes here for you from Basement Soul Music: A Detonation By The Unabombers.
I usually don't post more than two tunes from a compilation but I just reckon that as about 60-70% of my visitors will not have heard of the crew that delivers this one I want to get more than usual out from it.
Um, Um! From the rockin' compilation brought to you by the superb crew at Electric Chair in Manchester. Here is the deal with the Manchester sound that I have eluded to before when mentioning Aim, Grand Central, etc. The term that can be used is Northern Sulphuric Soul, and really that is....."music with feeling, encompassing diva disco, future spaced freaky hip hop/ r'n'b, afro, Detroit techno, mashups, house with a feeling, decadent 2-step, bad breaks and dancehall shenanigns."
So many of the crews from Manchester are consistently bringing a sound to us that just isn't really found elsewhere. Keep it up.
Artist: Leo Elstob
Tune: How High
Man, this tune to me brings back many great memories of listening to Digs and Woosh at the Sir Henry's Weekenders with that sweet style of house music that just gets you
swaying all groovy like. This tune has got to go out to Fio'. :-)
Download 03_how_high.mp3
Artist: Frank De Jo Jo Featuring Terri Pace
Tune: Turn Off The Lights
A too sexy tune with a low and slinky bassline that will have shivers running up and down your spine.
Combine that with lines like "Daddy, when you talk that talk, I feel like a lady. Yes, oh baby, let me walk that walk. Turn off the lights." and you are hooked.
This tune really defies definition....think future disco, with an old-school funk beat, slightly speeded up miami bass along with a tacky porn soundtrack and you might come close.
Download 01_turn_off_the_lights.mp3
Now, to finish you off.
Artist: Donna Summer
Tune: I Feel Love (Patrick Cowley Mega Mix Edit)
Yes, most of us have heard the Donna Summer classic 'I Feel Love'. If you haven't, shame on you!
Well, how about this MegaMix from Patrick Cowley with his 11:20 version (I see that if you Google it there were 15:43 versions of it also.). And man does he take this track and blow it up with a pure, unadulterated sonic assault that is masterfully produced.
Download 11_i_feel_love_patrick_cowley_mega_mix_edit.mp3
When in Manchester go to the Electric Chair club and you just won't be disappointed.
My longest post yet?
Cheers,
Cubik
Well sort of!
Two great covers of classic Michael Jackson tunes for y'all here.
Rock With You by Jazztronik.
I have no idea where I got this tune and to be honest I can't recall ever hearing it before but as I worked in my garden today with my iPod on shuffle it came on and it (excuse the pun) rocked me.
At first, after reading the title, I was unsure if it was a cover or not but then you start to hear subtle elements of the original. In true Jazztronic style we are delivered a wonderfully spaced out future funk trip with a slow and steady 808, some of the most melodic 303 and amazing piano play that is will have you melting.
Sweet.
Download 12_rock_with_you.mp3
Billy Jean by Shinehead off the excellent Rewind
compilation on Ubiquity Records. Shinehead brings us a wonderful roots
reggae version of the Jackson classic that is simple yet refined. :-)
Download 10_billy_jean_michael_jackson_by_shinehead.mp3
Get the 7" vinyl from Fat City.
Cheers,
Cubik
Artist: Greyhound
Tune: Move On Up
Source: PartyKeller compilation
What a feat it is to take a classic soul song, brought to us by the great Curtis Mayfied, and to do a reagge cover that just takes the tune to a new level.
Greyhound, covering Move On Up live, has managed to do just that without really making any changes.
The sweet bassline keeps us movin' and groovin' while the reggae riff sucks us deeper into these uplifting lyrics that can't help but please.
What I wouldn't give to see this live show.
Download 14_move_on_up.m4a
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