The Marshall Tucker Band - Just Us (1983)

Throughout their ten years of recording and touring, the Marshall Tucker Band endured everything from grueling work/touring constraints (they released an album a year for ten years) and the loss of one of their brothers/co-founders (Tommy Caldwell passed away in 1980 due to injuries from an auto accident).
But for this ragtag group of steel-eyed Southerners, it was just another day at the office. By the time “Just Us” rolled around they were veterans of the record-making process, confident enough in their own skills to actually produce their works for the first time. This dedication and attention to detail results in some of the Marshall Tucker Band's finest compositions ever and one of their most thoroughly solid records. With the addition of Ronnie Godfrey to the band as piano player and songwriter, the group branch out into deeper blues territory ("Testify," "Wait for You") while still retaining the country and rock qualities that built them such a large fanbase.
“Just Us” is an excellent album with Toy Caldwell showing just how the guitar should be played, Doug Gray's strong lead vocals, Paul Riddle 'Mr. Automatic' on the drums, Jerry Eubanks on horns and George McCorkle on acoustic guitar. If you happen to be a Tuckerhead, you won't be disapointed.

Track listing

01.  "8:05"   (George McCorkle, Franklin Wilkie)  - 4:59  
02.  "Stay a Step Ahead"   (Toy Caldwell)  - 3:33  
03.  "Time Don't Pass by Here"   (Ronnie Godfrey)  - 3:39  
04.  "Testify Toy"   (Caldwell)  - 4:29  
05.  "Long Island Lady"   (Jerry Eubanks)  - 4:50  
06.  "A Place I've Never Been Toy"   (Caldwell)  - 3:00 
07.  "Wait for You Ronnie"   (Godfrey)  - 3:43  
08.  "When Love Begins to Fade"   (Ronnie Godfrey)  - 3:27  
09.  "Paradise"   (George McCorkle)  - 3:57 

The Marshall Tucker Band
Doug Gray - vocals
George McCorkle - acoustic guitar, electric guitar
Toy Caldwell - electric guitar, steel guitar
Jerry Eubanks - horns, keyboards, background vocals
Ronnie Godfrey - piano, background vocals
Franklin Wilkie - bass guitar, background vocals
Paul Riddle - drums, congas, percussion

Additional personnel
Jimmy Ramsey - fiddle
The A. Strings - strings
Wayne Jackson - trumpet
Roger Bisel - trombone
Producer The Marshall Tucker Band
Engineer Billy Sherrill

Notes
Recorded at Creative Arts Studio, Spartanburg, South Carolina.
Genre:  Southern Rock, Country Rock
Length:  35:29
Label:  Shout! Factory

© 1983

Teena Marie - Lady T (1980)

“Lady T” is the second album by American R&B/Soul singer Teena Marie, released by Motown's Gordy label on February 14, 1980.
For the recording of her follow-up to Wild and Peaceful, Teena Marie linked with songwriter and producer Richard Rudolph, who had just lost his wife and musical collaborator, the great Minnie Riperton, to breast cancer. “Lady T” smoothly picks up where Teena’s Rick James-produced debut left off. It’s also something like an organic extension of Riperton’s final proper album, “Minnie”, also released in 1979; Rudolph co-write one-third of the songs and brought in some of Riperton’s studio associates, including Jerry Hey's Seawind Horns.
Though Teena’s creative identity was established on the debut, Riperton’s spirit flows throughout the album. Ironically, it’s the wholly-Teena-penned “Aladdin’s Lamp” that most resembles Riperton, from the wistful, romantic lyrics to the vocal arrangement, weaving background “ba-ba-ba”s and “la-la-la”s that recall the supernatural singer's early work with Rotary Connection. It’s among a few songs here that one could easily imagine being sung by Riperton. There were only two charting singles: the minor hit “Can It Be Love,” a gentle ballad, and the Top Five club single “Behind the Groove,” a smacking disco-funk jam. Even so, some of the deeper album cuts, especially “Now That I Have You”  all dreamy, blissed-out acoustic soul  rival the best of Wild and Peaceful.
The album’s presentation, including a glamorous shot on the front and a tomboy shot on the back, strikingly contrasts with that of the mysterious debut. For those who had not caught Teena’s 1979 Soul Train performance, it must have come as a shock to see this sleeve and realize that the music was flowing out of a white body. In more ways than one, Teena had fully arrived, and she struck again in a matter of six months.

Track listing

01. "Behind The Groove"   (Marie, Richard Rudolph)  - 6:07
02. "Now That I Have You"   (Art Philips, Richard Rudolph, Claudia Talbot)  - 5:32
03. "Lonely Desire"   (Marie, Richard Rudolph, Dwayne Wedlaw)  - 4:39
04. "Aladdin's Lamp"   (Marie)  - 4:55
05. "You're All the Boogie I Need"   (Mickey Hearn, Marie)  - 5:44
06. "Can It Be Love"   (Marie, Dwayne Wedlaw)  - 4:24
07. "Young Girl in Love"   (Jill Jones, Marie)  - 3:55
08. "Why Did I Have To Fall in Love With You"   (Marie, George Sopuch)  - 4:45
09. "Too Many Colors (Tee's Interlude)"   (Marie)  - 3:10
10. "Why Can't I Get Next to You"   (Marie)  - 3:58
11. "Co-Pilot to Pilot"   (Marie)  - 4:23

Credits
Teena Marie- Acoustic Guitar, Lead and Backing Vocals
Nathan Watts, Eddie Watkins, Oscar Alston on "Behind The Groove" - Bass
Paulinho Da Costa - Percussion
Michael Boddicker - Synthesizer
Jeremy Lubbock - Fender Rhodes
Randy Waldman - Fender Rhodes, Piano, Synthesizer
Greg Hargrove, Tim May, Bob Bowles, Art Phillips - Guitar
Christopher Boehme, Paul Hines, Tony "T-Bird" Lewis - Drums
Gary Grant - Flugelhorn, Trumpet
Kim Hutchcroft - Flute, Saxophone
Jerry Hey - Flugelhorn, Trumpet
Charles Loper - Trombone
Steve Forman - Percussion
Everett Bryson - Conga, Percussion
James Stewart, Jr. - Piano
Thomas Bumpass - Trumpet, Backing Vocals
William Carroll White - Saxophone, Backing Vocals
Larry Williams - Flute, Saxophone
Ray Woodard - Saxophone, Backing Vocals
Robert Zimmitti - Cowbell, Percussion
Maya Rudolph, Dwayne Medlaw - Voices
Diahne Abbott, Brenda Lee Eager, Linda Little, Jill Jones, Bill Thedford - Backing Vocals

Art Direction – John Cabalka
Co-producer – Teena Marie
Design – Ginny Livingston
Engineer – Lewis Peters
Engineer [Assistant] – Philip Moores
Engineer [Mastering] – Jeff Sanders
Photography By – Ron Slenzak
Producer – Richard Rudolph

Notes
Released: February 14, 1980
Recorded and remixed at Conway Studios, Hollywood, CA.
Strings recorded at Evergreen Studios, Burbank, CA.
Genre:  Soul, R&B
Length:  51:15
Label:  Gordy

© 1980

The Max Demian Band - Take It To The Max (1979)

From the looks of the cover, it is going to be a generic prog album. Just the artwork: the band trapped in a mystical eyeball, crying football tears in a lizard and pyramid (not to mention goal post) desert, cried for an investigation into what this band sounds like. 1979 was a good, transitional year for music of this apparent style, so I wanted to hear more.
I mistakenly filed this band under Demian, as if that were the last name of the band's leader. But apparently, their band name is taken from a character in the book "Demian" by Hermann Hesse. So from the start, they are a critique of and take their energy from a literary work.
This is good to know before hearing any of the songs; that they are somewhat of a concept band, or perhaps even a novelty act.
Side one, Track one: “Havin Such a Good Day,” fades into an upbeat, catchy guitar hook, supported by strong, bouncy bass. Keyboards are added to parallel the melody, and the singing sounds somewhat mechanical, like Devo at first, but that is quickly abandoned and they hit their stride, sounding like Ace, or other pub rock bands. A guitar solo enters the mix early, and it follows right along with the melody, brining it home, rather than adding anything new. It is an interesting mix, where individual instruments take there turns surfacing and playing their little sections louder than the rest. And at times I feel like the song could transition cleanly into The English Beat's "Sugar & Stress." “See Me Comin’ Down” starts off like a Cars song. Short quick guitar riffs, and two melodies soldered together with guitars.
Even the vocals sound like the Cars in this song, as it is just as nasally deep and extremely catchy. It is like this is their version of “Let the Good Times Roll.” “Burnin’ Up Inside” is a smooth middle-speed rock song. Their style contains a great mix of smooth 70 pop-rock, and somewhat eccentric vocals that accompany new-wave rock. The execution of the music in this song is particularly prog at times too. There is even a brief hint of honky-tonk piano ala Werewolves of London. “Still Hosed” is a straight forward pub-rock song. Short vocal sections packaged lovingly between repetitive guitar hooks. The set up also works for the chorus as well as verse. There is a short guitar solo section toward the end to fulfill the rock song format of verse/chorus 2x, solo, verse/chorus/chorus. The rocking pace picks up right at the end in time to fade out. “High School Star” has some great staggered guitar work in the beginning, reminding me of “Jesse’s Girl.” It is also similar to the Kinks in their Celluloid Heroes era. There is a fantastic swooping bridge section that dumps you back into the catchy guitar hooks of the beginning section. The lyrics are sung in a daze, seemingly uninspired, but they add to the charm of this song. There is also a great echoey, squeaky-liquid dripping sound effect in the chorus that reminds me of some effects M.K. of the Oingo Boingo used early on.
Side two picks up the pace with “Through the Eye of a Storm:” its momentum drives right through this typical rock standard. Loud guitars, higher, somewhat shrill-like vocals, short catchy melodies, all construct the perfect power pop recipe. Track two starts out acoustically with the lengthy “Paradise.” Slowly, quietly, other instruments are introduced, including synthesized keys, which then take over by the chorus. This song, predictably, has an island rock feel to it: a sedate, laid back groove. The song’s chorus reminds me of roller skating rock that Hail Social has taken and made their own style. They add lots of synthesized elements that try to create a care free, peaceful beach, but the tone of the instruments still comes across somewhat dark. The lyrics ask if this girl will ever find paradise with the singer, and this sentiment ends the song in fade out. “Lizard Song” is a bass driven sneaky, sly song, enjoying synthesized sounds that bring up the image of a large iguana (pictured on the cover?) slinking along. The song comes across as very progressive, if just for the instrumentation and musical structure. The synthesized, harmonized vocals do not negate the prog style either.
The short 9 song album finishes with a ballad: “Hear My Song.” It is slow and piano driven. Musically it evokes the image of a dark stadium full of lighter brandishing mulleted couples.

Track listing

01.  Havin' Such A Good Day  - 3:32 
02.  See Me Comin' Down  - 3:55 
03.  Burnin' Up Inside  - 3:52 
04.  Still Hosed  - 4:40 
05.  High School Star  - 4:45 
06.  Through The Eye Of A Storm  - 3:34 
07.  Paradise  - 5:40 
08.  The Lizard Song  - 5:10 
09.  Hear My Song  - 3:37 

Credits
Vocals, Guitar – Paul Rose
Bass, Vocals – Kirt Pennebaker
Drums – Pete Siegel
Keyboards, Guitar, Vocals – Daniel Howe, Jim LeFevre
Michael Schanzer - Art Direction & Concept
Anthony Loew - Photography
Greg Speirs - Illustration
Producer – Artie Kornfeld, Frank D'Augusta

Notes
Genre:  Rock
Length:  38:18
Label:  RCA Victor Records

© 1979

Mozes And The Firstborn - Mozes And The Firstborn (2013)

Mozes and the Firstborn is een Nederlandse psychedelische garagerockband uit Eindhoven.
In 2013 tekende de band bij het hip-hop label Top Notch en bracht de single "I Got Skills" en het debuutalbum "Mozes and the Firstborn" uit, dat verscheen op 3 maart 2013.
Nadat de band in 2010 de EP I got Skills uitbracht (die eigenlijk als demo bedoeld was) wist de band al vele trouwe volgers aan zich te binden. Die keken allemaal reikhalzend uit naar het eerste volwaardige album. Niet zelden valt dit dan tegen. Feit is in elk geval wel dat deze band met een ander album komt dat velen hadden verwacht, en dat is positief bedoeld.
Het gelijknamige debuutalbum van Mozes and the Firstborn is uitgebracht door het label Top Notch. Een label dat van huis uit vooral hiphop uitbrengt. Ook de albumcover zou overigens prima passen bij een hiphop-artiest. Met hiphop heeft de muziek van Mozes and the Firstborn echter weinig van doen. Eerder moeten we het zoeken in de hoek van de lo-fi garagerock, hier en daar opgepoetst met een vleugje psychedelica.
De band die bestaat uit vier jonge twintigers brengt met hun eerste volwaardige album een veelzijdige plaat. De plaat is donkerder en ook meer ingetogen geworden dan de eerdere single 'I got Skills' misschien deed vermoeden. Lo-fi wordt met speels gemak gecombineerd met gruizige garagerock. Diezelfde garage is overigens bijna terug te horen op de verschillende nummers. De plaat is echter niet opgenomen in een garage maar in de kelder van de moeder van zanger Melle Dielesen.
Het zorgt voor een serie nummers die lekker rammelen en zich direct in je oren nestelen. Popliedjes worden daarbij afgewisseld met wat meer rammelende nummers, altijd met dat aangename rauwe randje én bijbehorende ruis op de opnamesporen.
De muziek refereert aan bands als Pavement, Dandy Warhols en de vroege Rolling Stones. Dit zorgt ervoor dat zij overal tot hun recht kunnen komen, of dat nu een kelder, een garage, een huiskamer of een poppodium is. Mozes and the Firstborn is een band die enerzijds potentiële radiosongs produceert maar anderzijds ook ingetogen, rauwe garagerock kan brengen. Het is niet direct het soort muziek dat je de dansvloer op sleurt maar één luisterbeurt is wel genoeg om zwaar verslaafd te raken aan deze plaat.
De outro van dit geslaagde album wordt gevormd door 'Heaven Reprise'. Een wat zwaarder nummer waaruit wederom blijkt dat Mozes and the Firstborn beslist geen lichtvoetig bandje is. Zwaardere en serieuze onderwerpen worden niet geschuwd."I feel the pressure everyday of working for a better pace." Ondanks deze druk heeft het hen echter niet belemmerd om een bijzonder knap en veelzijdig album af te leveren. Mozes and the Firstborn laat met hun eerste album zien dat zij het stadium van veelbelovend al voorbij zijn.   http://www.bing.com/translator/

Track listing

01.  Bloodsucker  - 3:10 
02.  Peter Jr.  - 4:04 
03.  What's Wrong Momma  - 3:06 
04.  I Got Skills  - 3:56 
05.  Seasons  - 2:58 
06.  Time's A Headache  - 3:45 
07.  Skinny Girl  - 3:09 
08.  Heaven  - 4:06 
09.  Gimme Some  - 3:23 
10.  Down With The Band  - 3:42 
11.  Party Crasher  - 4:39 

Credits
Lead Vocals – Melle Dielesen
Bass Guitar – Corto Blommaert
Drums – Raven Aartsen
Guitar – Ernst-Jan van Doorn, Melle Dielesen

Artwork By, Typography  – Wolf Aartsen
Mastered By – Hay Zeelen
Mixed By, Producer – Michel Schoots
Photography By – Nick Helderman
Written-By, Recorded By, Mixed By, Producer – Mozes And The Firstborn

Notes
Genre:  Psychedelic Rock, Garage Rock
Length:  40:06
Label:  TopNotch Records

© 2013

Robert Glasper Experiment - Black Radio (2012)

“Black Radio” is the fifth studio album by American jazz pianist/hip hop producer Robert Glasper, recorded with his electric The Experiment quartet and released February 28, 2012 by Blue Note Records.
“Black Radio”, the title of the Robert Glasper Experiment's proper Blue Note debut, is a double signifier. There's the dictionary's definition: "the device in an aircraft that records technical data during a flight, used in case of accident to discover its cause." And there's Angelika Beener's in her liner essay. She defines Black Radio as "representative of the veracity of Black music" which has been "...emulated, envied and countlessly re-imagined by the rest of the world...." With jazz as its backbone, Glasper, drummer Chris Dave, bassist Derrick Hodge, and Casey Benjamin on reeds, winds, and vocoder, cued by the inspiration of black music's illustrious cultural past, try to carve out a creative place for its future. The album is a seamless, deeply focused meld of jazz, hip-hop, adult contemporary R&B, neo-soul, even rock, with an expansive use of rhythmic and melodic invention; all of it surrounded by spacious, natural-sounding production that's smooth, never slick. The various elements yield the desired result: making the whole greater than its parts. Sa-Ra's Shafiq Husayn introduces it with "Lift Off." Erykah Badu takes the Cuban jazz classic "Afro Blue" and extends it using hip-hop rhythms and neo-soul groove wedded to her signature, jazz-tinged croon. Benjamin's airy flute and Glasper's Rhodes and piano converge in the center; Hodge's bass adds slip for the drum kit. Lalah Hathaway's gorgeous vocal on Sade's "Cherish the Day" finds the rhythm section bumping around the fringes and creating a new pocket, which she embraces while finding spaces inside the song that weren't there before. On "Always Shine," Lupe Fiasco's flow meets Bilal's emotive modern soul. The band stretches conventional 4/4 time, and the piano and synth shapeshift through the melody, adding depth and musical drama. "Gonna Be Alright" is a re-imagining of Glasper's "F.T.B." with new lyrics and a rousing, elegant vocal by Ledisi. King dreamily croons through "Move Love," as the Experiment pushes the time accents to a near breaking point. "Ah Yeah," with Musiq (Soulchild) and Chrisette Michele, is a sensual babymaker that expands the reach of contemporary jazz. The subtle yet fragmented breaks in "The Consequences of Jealousy," combined with Glasper's right-handed, upper-register chord creations, give Me'Shell Ndégeocello's vocal room to step outside the frame to fully inhabit the brooding musical simmer as an improviser. On "Why Do We Try," Stokley's (Mint Condition) breezy vocal is the bridge between Glasper's counterpoint melodies (one on each hand, with plenty of block chord improvisation), and the organ-esque timbres, popping breakbeats, and rumbling bass harmonics. The title track, with Yasiin Bey (formerly Mos Def) commences with hip-hop in the tune's head; the rhythm section charges full press to meet his rapid-fire delivery, but Glasper and Benjamin offer gentler modal grooves on the margins without blunting the impact. Bilal uses his elastic phrasing to offer an iconic reading of David Bowie's "Letter to Hermione," as the band follows and builds upon his twists and turns. A drum machine and slurred speaking voice introduce Glasper's modally strident reading of "Smells Like Teen Spirit" to close. As Benjamin sings through his vocoder, loops, blips, and sample fragments haunt the middle like ghosts. Glasper approaches the melody elliptically; but grounds the entire tune, even as the rhythm section and effects gather steam. Before long, everything converges to propel it into the stratosphere. Black Radio creates an entirely new context for popular music in its near erasure of boundaries. It is the sound of the future -- even if no one knows it yet.
The album won Best R&B Album at the 55th Grammy Awards and also received a nomination for Best R&B Performance from the album cut "Gonna Be Alright (F.T.B.)" featuring R&B singer Ledisi, in February 2013.

Track listing

01.  "Lift Off / Mic Check" (featuring Shafiq Husayn)  (S. Husayn R. Glasper)  -  3:57
02.  "Afro Blue" (featuring Erykah Badu)  (Mongo Santamaria)  - 5:13
03.  "Cherish the Day" (featuring Lalah Hathaway)  (Sade Adu, Andrew Hale, Stuart Matthewman)  - 5:53
04.  "Always Shine" (featuring Lupe Fiasco and Bilal)  (R. Glasper, W. Jaco)  - 5:22
05.  "Gonna Be Alright (F.T.B.)" (featuring Ledisi)  (R. Glasper, L. Young)  - 6:13
06.  "Move Love" (featuring KING)  (Paris Strother R. Glasper)  - 3:22
07.  "Ah Yeah" (featuring Musiq Soulchild and Chrisette Michele)  (Derrick Hodge, T. Johnson, C. M. Payne)  - 5:13
08.  "The Consequences of Jealousy" (featuring Meshell Ndegeocello)  (M. Ndegeocello R. Glasper)  - 6:12
09.  "Why Do We Try" (featuring Stokley)  (Jeffrey Allen)  - 6:32
10.  "Black Radio" (featuring Yasiin Bey)  (R. Glasper, D. Hodge, Chris E. Dave, D. Smith)  - 5:26
11.  "Letter to Hermione" (featuring Bilal)  (David Bowie)  - 4:52
12.  "Smells Like Teen Spirit"   (Kurt Cobain, Dave Grohl, Krist Novoselic)  - 7:24

iTunes bonus track
13.  "A Love Supreme"   (John Coltrane)  - 5:20

European bonus track
13.  "Fever" (featuring Hindi Zahra)  (R. Glasper, H. Zahra)  - 6:48

Japanese bonus track
13.  "Twice"   (Little Dragon)  - 5:26

Credits
The Robert Glasper Experiment:
Robert Glasper - Piano, Fender Rhodes, synthesizer
Casey Benjamin - Vocoder, flute, saxophone, synthesizer)
Derrick Hodge - Bass
Chris Dave - Drums, percussion
Jahi Sundance - Turntables
Stokley Williams - Percussion

Featured Artists
Shafiq Husayn - Vocals
Erykah Badu - Vocals
Lalah Hathaway - Vocals
Bilal - Vocals
Lupe Fiasco - Vocals
Ledisi - Vocals
KING: Anita Bias - Vocals, Amber Strother - Vocals, Paris Strother — Keyboards
Chrisette Michele - Vocals
Musiq Soulchild - Vocals, snapping
MeShell Ndegeocello - Vocals
Stokley Williams - Vocals, percussion
Yasiin Bey - Vocals
Hindi Zahra - Vocals (European bonus tracks)
Phonte - Vocals
Solange Knowles - Vocals

Production
Recorded at Treshhold, Los Angeles, CA, by Keith Lewis, assisted by Todd Bergman.
Vocals and piano for "Afro Blue" recorded by Max Ross at Systems Two, Brooklyn, NY.
Mixed by Qmillion at Flying Dread STudios, Venice, CA.
Mastering by Chris Athens at Sterling Sound, New York, NY.
Produced by Robert Glasper, except track 7 co-produced by Bryan-Michael Cox
Nicole Hegeman - Executive producer, production coordination, management
Eli Wolf - Executive producer, A&R
Vincent Bennett - Management
Gordon H. Jee - Art direction
Giuliyani - Original artwork on cover
Michael Schreiber - Photography
Jewell Green - Photography
Cognito - Photography
Angelika Beener - Liner notes

Notes
"Afro Blue" cover as performed by Mongo Santamaria.
"Cherish the Day" cover as performed by Sade.
"Gonna Be Alright (F.T.B.)" additional vocals of "F.T.B." from album In My Element as performed by Robert Glasper.
"Letter to Hermione" cover as performed by David Bowie.
"Smells Like Teen Spirit" cover as performed by Nirvana.
"A Love Supreme" cover as performed by John Coltrane.
"Twice" cover as performed by Little Dragon.

Released:  February 28, 2012
Genre:  Jazz, R&B, Soul
Length:  82:52
Label:  Blue Note Records
Producer:  Robert Glasper

© 2012

Rick James - Reflections (1984)

“Reflections” is a compilation of Rick James songs released in 1984. It was released on the Gordy Records imprint of Motown Records.
In 1984, six years after Rick James made his relatively audacious recording debut for the relatively cautious Motown, the label compiled Reflections, the punk-funk legend's first of several greatest-hits collections. Reflections includes many of James' best-known hits to date, namely "You and I," "Mary Jane," "Bustin' Out (On Funk)," "Give It to Me Baby," "Super Freak," and "Dance Wit' Me." More notably, however, it includes a trio of previously unreleased songs: "17," "Oh What a Night (4 Luv)," and "You Turn Me On," the first of which became a sizable hit. Reflections thus served its purpose as a stopgap release for 1984, the first year yet that James hadn't released a full-length: it served as a concise jumping-on point for any new fans drawn in by the previous year's chart-topping "Cold Blooded" and the pop crossover Smokey Robinson duet "Ebony Eyes," and it also served as an unnecessary but tempting teaser for diehards curious to hear a few new songs. Even so, “Reflections” became an obsolete collection years later, once it was supplanted by such better-compiled ones as Bustin' Out: The Very Best of Rick James (1994), Ultimate Collection (1997), and Anthology (2002). And that's perfectly fine because “Reflections” is an uneven sampler, picking just the cream of the crop and leaving out a lot of great songs, and it's also a skimpy one, displacing potential picks like "Love Gun" and "Big Time" with the so-so new songs and clocking in overall at a brisk ten-song running length.
This album is dedicated to Marvin Gaye & family, Jan, Nona & Frankie, May U 3 Live & Love On

Track listing

01.  "17"   (Rick James)  - 6:40 
02.  "Oh What A Night (4 Luv)"   (Rick James)  - 5:07 
03.  "You Turn Me On" Lead Vocals [Female] – Bruni Pagan   (Rick James)  - 4:44 
04.  "Fire And Desire" Vocals [Uncredited] – Teena Marie   (Rick James)  - 5:30 
05.  "Bustin' Out"    (Rick James)  - 3:55 
06.  "You And I"   (Rick James, Art Stewart)  - 3:38 
07.  "Mary Jane"   (Rick James)  - 3:58 
08.  "Dance Wit' Me"   (Rick James)  - 4:04 
09.  "Give It To Me Baby   (Rick James)  - 4:09 
10.  "Super Freak"   (Rick James, Alonzo Miller)  - 3:24 

Credits
Backing Vocals, Bass, Keyboards, Lead Vocals, Synthesizer – Rick James
Saxophone [Saxophones], Written-By – Daniel LeMelle
Backing Vocals – Process And The Doo Rags, William "Bunty" Hawkins
Backing Vocals, Strings, Synthesizer – Levi Ruffin
Bass Guitar – Jerry Livingston 
Drums, Percussion – Jerry Rainey
Guitar [Guitars] – Kenny Hawkins
Percussion – Nate "Guido" Hughes
Saxophone [Saxophones] – Bobby Militello
Synthesizer, Grand Piano – Greg Levias
Timbales – Jerry Gonzales
Trumpet, Backing Vocals – LaMorris Payne

Production
Engineer – Tom Flye
Engineer [Assistant] – Bill Waldman
Producer, Arranged By, Arranged By [Horns], Written-By – Rick James
Producer, Arranged By, Arranged By [Horns] – Daniel LeMelle
Co-producer – Art Stewart
Arranged By – Peter Cardinali
Design – Andy Engel
Art Direction – Johnny Lee
Photography By – Ron Slenzak

Companies etc
Distributed By – MCA Distributing, Inc.
Phonographic Copyright (p) – Motown Record Corporation
Published By – Stone City Music
Published By – Jobete Music Co., Inc.
Published By – Stone Diamond Music Corp.
Recorded At – Joint Recording Studio
Mixed At – Joint Recording Studio
Mastered At – Bernie Grundman Mastering
Mastered At – Sterling Sound
Mastered By – Jose Rodriques

Notes
Compilation ℗ 1984 Motown Record Corporation.
Recorded and mixed at The Joint Studio "A", Buffalo, New York
Mastered at Bernie Grundman Mastering, Hollywood, California
'17' mastered at Sterling Sound, New York City 
Management: Mary Jane Productions, 6255 Sunset Boulevard, Suite 1700, Hollywood, California 90028.; Mary Jane Productions, 2600 Main Place Tower, Buffalo, New York 14202.
Genre:  Funk, Soul
Length:  56:58
Label:  Gordy Records

© 1984

Frank Marino & Mahogany Rush - Live (1978)

Mahogany Rush is a Canadian rock band led by guitarist Frank Marino. The band had its peak of popularity in the 1970s, playing such venues as California Jam II together with bands such as Aerosmith, Ted Nugent and Heart.
The band is perhaps best known for Marino's soaring lead guitar which bears a strong resemblance to the playing of Jimi Hendrix. Long term members of the band have included bassist Paul Harwood and drummer Jimmy Ayoub, and Frank's brother Vince on guitar; Frank Marino is the sole continuous member of the band. In the late 70's and onward, the group toured as Frank Marino & Mahogany Rush and at times is referred to simply as Frank Marino at certain shows, and on a couple of albums.
The original Mahogany Rush songs are unfamiliar to me and were a real treat to get into. They are also not afraid to do some covers including Johnny B. Goode and Purple Haze. I remember that rumor about Marino where he took an overdose of acid and dreamed about Hendrix and when he came out of it, he played just like him. Besides the fact that the rumor is probably untrue, I don't see that at all. He plays like Frank Marino playing Jimi Hendrix. He's unique and not a clone! Besides, he plays a Gibson SG where Hendrix used a Fender Strat, so the sound is totally different.
This album has all that I miss about 70's music. Some would call it "self-indulgent" jamming, but that's the whole point! When I go to a concert, I want to see the guitar player do his thing. If you want to get the essence of what 70's rock was about, this is a good starting point.

Track listing

01. "Introduction"   (F. Marino)  -  1:22 
02. "The Answer"   (F. Marino)  - 4:53 
03. "Dragonfly"   (F. Marino)  - 5:11 
04. "I'm A King Bee"   (J. Moore)  - 8:44 
05. "(Excerpt "From Back Door Man"´)    W. Dixon  - 2:56
06. "A New Rock & Roll"    (F. Marino)  - 4:19 
07. "Johnny B. Goode"   (C. Berry)  - 5:17 
08. "Talkin' 'Bout A Feelin'"   (F. Marino)  - 3:57
09. "(Excerpt From "Who Do Ya Love")   (E. McDaniel)  - 1:32
10. "Electric Reflections Of War"   (F. Marino)  - 3:04
11. "The World Anthem"   (F. Marino)  - 3:38
12. "Purple Haze"   (J. Hendrix)  - 4:02 

Credits
Bass Guitar – Paul deL. Harwood
Drums, Percussion – Jim Ayoub "jimbo"
Guitar, Vocals – Frank Marino
Mastered By – George Marino, J. Messina
Mixed By – Billy "The Cutter" Szawlowski, Gordon Gibson
Artwork, Design [Album] – Bob Lemm
Engineer – Billy "The Cutter" Szawlowski, Tom Arrison
Engineer [Assistant] – Perry Cheatham, Tom Betts 
Producer, Arranged By – Frank Marino

Companies etc
Manufactured By – Columbia Records
Phonographic Copyright (p) – CBS Inc.
Copyright (c) – CBS Inc.
Mixed At – Tempo Studios

Notes
Recorded live in the Southern United States; late 1977
Genre:  Blues Rock
Length:  45:43
Label:  CBS Records

© 1978

Brown Hill - Brown Hill (2010)

De naam Brown Hill zal waarschijnlijk geen belletjes doen rinkelen bij je, maar binnen the soulscene is deze zanger al lang bekend. Hij heeft meegewerkt aan het album van Lisa Simone (de dochter van de legendarische Nina Simone) en de Amerikaanse Grammy-winnares Patti Austin vergeleek zijn stem met die van Otis Redding (Sittin' on the Dock of the Bay) en Bill Withers (Ain't No Sunshine). Niet zomaar een compliment!
Brown Hill werd 30 jaar geleden geboren als Patrick Pierau in Amsterdam-Noord, zoon van een Surinaamse vader en een Nederlandse moeder. Hij was in 1997 al te horen op het verzamelalbum No Sweat: Dutch R&B Flava - toen nog als Little Brown. Ook daarna heeft hij niet stil gezeten... Hij ging naar het conservatorium voor zanglessen, hij was bij elke open mic in Amsterdamse clubs te vinden, trad op met talloze coverbandjes, werkte mee aan projecten en hij leerde op zijn weg steeds meer mensen kennen. En dat wierp zijn vruchten af! Zo leerde Brown Michael Waters en Roni Morgan kennen en zij besloten zich over hem te ontfermen, door voor hem het ideale repertoire te ontwikkelen voor een debuutalbum: Brown Hill.
Het eerste wat me opvalt aan het album is dat het totaal niet Nederlands klinkt. Brown Hill heeft een sensuele, funky stem (met een schattig slisje) en vrijwel geen accent. Je hebt eerder het idee dat je naar een nieuwe Amerikaanse soulsensatie aan het luisteren bent. De plaat begint met de eerste single van de zanger: Ghetto Queen, een lekker swingend nummer. Wat volgt is een combinatie van up tempo-nummers en rustige ballads, allemaal hebben ze een lekkere beat. Leuk om te noemen is dat Brown Hill een groot deel van de backing vocals zelf heeft ingezongen.
Voor mensen die van rustige zwoele soul en R&B houden, is Brown Hill zeker de moeite waard. Zet de cd op tijdens een romantisch avondje en het draagt geheid bij aan een relaxte, sexy sfeer...    http://www.bing.com/translator

Track listing

01.  Ghetto Queen  (3:50)
02.  Not Looking for Somebody  (5:06)
03.  Will Ya Eva Know  (3:35)
04.  Daddy's Caddy  (3:52)
05.  Unspoken Rule  (3:25)
06.  Define Love  (2:57)
07.  When I Wuz King  (4:31)
08.  Melody in a Minor Key  (4:21)
09.  Barkin' Dawgs  (3:55)
10.  So Cool Complete  (3:15)
11.  Love in a Twine  (3:33)
12.  Beauty of a Woman Farner  (4:04)
13.  My Electric Lady  (1:51)
14.  Ghetto Queen Reprise  (1:25)

Notes
Releasedatum:  08 maart 2010 
Genre:  R&B/Soul
Length:  49:40
Label:  Stay Cool Records

© 2010

Jonny Lang - Lie To Me (1996)

Jonny Lang is of Norwegian descent and was born in Fargo, North Dakota. He started playing the guitar at the age of twelve. He got his start playing guitar for his friends on the Vallager's porch at their lake place. He would play everything from modern hits to the classics; even performing an astounding rendition of Jimi Hendrix's take on the National Anthem. After his father took him to see the Bad Medicine Blues Band, one of the few blues bands in Fargo. Lang soon started taking guitar lessons from Ted Larsen, the band's guitar player. Several months after Lang began, he joined the band, which was then renamed Kid Jonny Lang & The Big Bang.
Jonny Lang cut his debut album in Memphis when he was just 15, and, upon its release in 1996, the guitar prodigy from Minneapolis instantly became one of the leading lights of modern blues. He's a fast and flashy player whose approach rests equally on technical assurance and musical intelligence.
“Lie to Me” is his second studio album and like his peers Kenny Wayne Shepherd and Chris Duarte, Jonny Lang is a technically gifted blues guitarist, capable of spitting out accomplished licks and riffs at an astonishingly rapid rate. That doesn't necessarily mean the album has much emotional weight Lang can deliver the style, but not the substance, simply because he still needs to grow as a musician. Lang does boast an impressive array of licks and instrumental technique, but he needs something more to make “Lie to Me” a substantive record.
Sizing up a dozen songs, he gets a pleasing, razor-sharp sound out of his ax while building excitement in his lead lines thankfully, he steers clear of cliché and bombast. As a fledging singer, he acts out the lyrics of Ike Turner's age-old shuffle "Matchbox" and his own romantic ballad "Missing Your Love" with surprising poise and believability. Kudos to producer David Z for surrounding Lang with alert, first-rate sidemen and for helping select good material from Turner, Sonny Boy Williamson, Tinsley Ellis, and others.

Track listing

01.  "Lie to Me"   (Bruce McCabe/David Z)  - 4:11
02.  "Darker Side"   (McCabe)  - 5:07
03.  "Good Morning Little Schoolgirl"   (Sonny Boy Williamson)  - 4:15
04.  "Still Wonder"   (Kevin Bowe)  - 3:45
05.  "Matchbox"   (Ike Turner)  - 3:29
06.  "Back for a Taste of Your Love"   (Syl Johnson/Darryl Carter/Brenda Johnson)  - 3:32
07.  "A Quitter Never Wins"   (Tinsley Ellis/Margaret Simpson)  - 5:56
08.  "Hit the Ground Running"   (Michael Lunn/Jeff Silbar)  - 3:31
09.  "Rack 'Em Up"   (McCabe)  - 4:07
10.  "When I Come to You"   (Jonny Lang/Dennis Morgan)  - 4:58
11.  "There's Gotta Be a Change"   (Gwendolyn Collins)  - 4:11
12.  "Missing Your Love"   (Lang/Morgan)  - 3:53

Credits
Jonny Lang - vocals, lead guitar
Bruce McCabe - piano, clavinet, backing vocals
Bekka Bramlett - backing vocals
Billy Franze - rhythm guitar
Dennis Morgan - acoustic guitar
Doug Bartenfeld - rhythm guitar
Rob Stupka - drums
David Smith - bass guitar
Tom Tucker - engineer
Mark Pagliaro - Guitar Tech

Notes
Released:  January 28, 1997
Genre:  Blues Rock
Length:  50:55
Label:  A&M Records

© 1996

Carolina Chocolate Drops - Leaving Eden (2012)

“Leaving Eden” is the seventh studio album by the Carolina Chocolate Drops.
The Carolina Chocolate Drops, a contemporary string band trio who, under the watchful eye of mentor Joe Thompson, re-created the look, feel, and sound of a 19th century black North Carolina string, fiddle, and jug band ensemble, crafted their first studio recordings into perfect facsimiles of the group's influences. The Drops were always at their best on-stage, however, where the gospel stomp of those mountain rhythms and the kinetic energy the band gave off completed the feel of a living, breathing history lesson. Those old string bands could turn on a dime, and the Chocolate Drops reproduced that art, turning their live sets into a black string band revival show. The studio albums felt like they were a bit encased in glass compared to the live performances. For this outing, however, the Chocolate Drops found the perfect producer in Buddy Miller, who recorded the band live in a single room, and the result is a wonderfully immediate album that feels like a Saturday night house party complete with moonlight, dust flying from the carpet under the feet of dancers, and crickets and night bird calls out the open windows. The sound breathes, and The Drops shine. Traditional pieces like "Po' Black Sheep" become stomping revivals, born again in a new century. "Ruby, Are You Mad at Your Man?" becomes a clawhammer banjo-driven mountain blues, with Rhiannon Giddens' vocal making it seem like Janis Joplin just wandered into the party, a feat she repeats with the album's marvelous last track, "Pretty Bird" (complete with crickets in the background). The Carolina Chocolate Drops may be intent on reproducing a sound from over a century ago, but they do an amazing job of translating it into the 21st century without diminishing it. This set feels like a Saturday night throwdown under the summer stars. It almost seems timeless, perhaps because it defies time.

Track listing

01.  "Riro's House"   (Traditional; arr. Dom Flemons, Rhiannon Giddens)  - 2:02
02.  "Kerr's Negro Jig"   (Traditional; arr. Giddens)  - 1:09
03.  "Ruby, Are You Mad at Your Man?"   (Cousin Emmy)  - 3:46
04.  "Boodle-De-Bum-Bum"   (Ben Curry/Traditional; arr. Flemons)  - 4:03
05.  "Country Girl"   (Giddens, Lalenja Harrington, Adam Matta)  - 3:22
06.  "Run Mountain"   (J. E. Mainer)  - 2:01
07.  "Leaving Eden"   (Laurelyn Dossett)  - 4:36
08.  "Read 'Em John"   (Traditional; arr. Flemons)  - 1:54
09.  "Mahalla"   (Hannes Coetzee)  - 1:54
10.  "West End Blues"   (Etta Baker, Giddens)  - 3:02
11.  "Po’ Black Sheep"   (Traditional; arr. Flemons)  - 3:21
12.  "I Truly Understand That You Love Another Man"   (George Roarke)  - 2:34
13.  "No Man’s Mama"   (Lew Pollack, Jack Yellen)  - 4:00
14.  "Briggs’ Corn Shucking Jig / Camptown Hornpipe"   (Traditional; arr. Giddens)  - 2:54
15.  "Pretty Bird"   (Hazel Dickens)  - 4:04

Bonus track
16. "You Be Illin'"   (Joseph Simmons, Darryl McDaniels, Raymond White)  - 3:17

Credits
Don Flemons - snare drum, bass drum, bones, 4-string banjo, jug, quills, guitar
Rhiannon Giddens - fiddle, 5-strings gourd banjo, 5 string banjo, 5-string cello banjo
Hubby Jenkins - 5-string banjo, mandolin, guitar, bones
Adam Matta - beatbox, tambourine
Leyla McCalla - cello

Notes
Released:  February 28, 2012
Genre:  Folk, Blues, Country, Bluegrass
Length: 47:58
Label:  Nonesuch Records
Producer:  Buddy Miller

© 2012

Odia Coates - Odia Coates (1975)

Odia Coates (November 13, 1941 – May 19, 1991) was an American singer, best known for her high-profile hits with Canadian singer-songwriter Paul Anka.
The daughter of an evangelical minister, Odia Coates was born in Vicksburg, Mississippi. As a young child her family moved to Watts, California, where her father served as pastor in the Beautiful Gates Church Of God In Christ, where she sang in the church choir. She eventually became a member of the Northern California State Youth Choir, co-founded by Edwin Hawkins.
Coates is best remembered for her duet with Paul Anka, "(You're) Having My Baby", that went to No. 1 on the Hot 100 on August 24-September 7, 1974.
She had minor success as a solo artist with the Anka-penned track "You Come And You Go" and a cover of the Electric Light Orchestra song “Showdown”. Both songs come from her only self-titled solo album released in 1975 by United Artists Records with producer Rick Hall.

Track listing

01.  Showdown - 3:42 
02.  Do I Love You - 3:09 
03.  One Man Woman / One Woman Man - 2:55 
04.  Heaven And Hell - 3:47 
05.  Don't Leave Me In The Morning - 2:53 
06.  You Come And Go (feat. Paul Anka) - 3:15 
07.  The Charmer - 3:06 
08.  The Woman's Song - 4:08 
09.  I'll Just Keep On Loving You - 3:35 
10.  (I'm) Having Your Baby (feat. Paul Anka) - 2:55 
11.  Thief (In The Night) - 2:51

Credits
Arranged By – Harrison Calloway Jr, Jimmy Haskell, Johnny Harris
Producer – Rick Hall

Notes
Genre:  Funk, Soul
Length:  36:16
Label:  United Artists Records

© 1975

Baz Luhrmann Presents - Something For Everybody (1998)

If you've ever had the good fortune to see STRICLY BALLROOM, ROMEO + JULIET or MOULIN ROUGE, then you've been exposed to the pure visual and musical genius that is Baz Luhrmann. This pre-MOULIN ROUGE album covers a wonderfully wide range of music - mainly original and remixed music from Luhrmann's first two films, two of his theatrical productions for the Australian Opera (LA BOHEME & MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM), his production of HAIRCUT for the Sydney Theatre Company, and music from LAKE LOST.
Fans of STRICTLY BALLROOM will again recognize the original versions of Doris Day's classic "Perhaps, Perhaps, Perhaps" and Stanley Black's "Os Quindos De Ya Ya" as well as remixed versions of "Happy Feet," "Love Is In The Air" and Tara Morice's "Time After Time." ROMEO + JULIET lovers can hear fantastic remixed versions of "Young Hearts Run Free," "Everybody's Free," "When Doves Cry," and "Angel."
The real treat for Baz Luhrmann fans, however, are the tracks from and inspired by his works for The Sydney Theatre Company and the Australian Opera. They range from the purely operatic "Che Gelida Manina" from LA BOHEME (which has since been brought to Broadway) to the fantastically funky electronic "Aquarius/Let The Sunshine In" from HAIRCUT.
If you've ever seen and loved a Luhrmann film, you shouldn't be disappointed by this fantastic album. It celebrates the works you know and love and introduces you to this modern master's other, equally wonderful works.

Track listing

01. "Bazmark Fanfare"  - 0:15
02. "Young Hearts Run Free" (The Overture Mix)  (Feat. Kym Mazelle)  - 5:13
03. "Lovefool" (Snooper Version)  (Feat. Snooper)  - 3:08
04. "Perhaps, Perhaps, Perhaps"  (Feat. Doris Day)  - 2:33
05. "Time After Time (The S.F.E. version)  (Feat. Tara Morice)  - 3:58
06. "Che Gelida Manina (Your Tiny Hand Is Frozen)" (Feat. David Hobson / The Australian Opera and Ballet Orchestra)  - 2:45
07. "When Doves Cry (Extended Mix)"  (Feat. Quindon Tarver)  - 4:59
08. "Love Is in the Air (Fran Mix)"  (Feat. John Paul Young)  - 4:30
09. "NUTBOD (Houseboats of Kashmir Mix)"  (Feat. Christine Anu / Royce Doherty)  - 4:03
10. "Happy Feet" (High Heels Mix)  (Feat. Jack Hylton And His Orchestra)  - 2:20
11. "Angel" (7 inch Mix)  (Feat. Gavin Friday)  - 4:10
12. "Os Quindos de Yaya"  (Feat. Stanley Black)  - 1:59
13. "Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In"  (Feat. Helena Paparizou)  - 4:54
14. "Everybody's Free (To Wear Sunscreen)"  (Feat. Quindon Tarver)  - 7:10
15. "I'm Losing You"  (Feat. Lani)  - 2:56
16. "Now Until the Break of Day" (Single Version) (Feat. Christine Anu / David Hobson / Royce Doherty)  - 4:06
17. "Jupiter (from The Planets)" (Edit)  (Feat. The London Symphony Orchestra)  - 4:38

Credits
Anastasia Aspelling - vocals
Josh Abrahams - sitar, keyboards, programming
Ian Collard - harmonica
Dinah Woods - oboe
The Brett Rosenberg Problem - piano
Arranged By [Additional] – Felix Meagher
Producer [Additional Production], Remix – Josh Abrahams
Producer: Baz Luhrmann, Nellee Hooper, Snooper, Blam

Notes
Recording information: Albert Studios; Festival; Fishtank Recording Studio, Melbourne, Australia; Sing sing Studios, Melbourne, Australia.
Released:  March 24, 1998
Genre: Pop, dance, spoken word
Length: 63:37
Label:  EMI Records

© 1998

Lords Of Acid - Farstucker (2000)

“Farstucker” is the fourth studio album from Belgian electronic band Lords of Acid. It was released in 2000 on Antler-Subway Records and marks the band's full transition from the techno of their earlier work to an industrial music outfit, with use of more live instruments. This is the first Lords of Acid album to be released following the departure of founding member Nikkie Van Lierop (aka Jade 4 U), and the first featuring new vocalist Deborah Ostrega.
Lyrically, Lords of Acid maintain their trademark themes of sex, drugs and hedonism.
Opening with the explosive industrial-tinged "Scrood Bi U," the Lords of Acid return with another set that continues to push boundaries by vividly exploring themes of sexual experimentation and freedom from the monogamous norm. While continuing to deliver their messages with the same tongue-in-cheek attitude that helped put them on the electronica map in the early '90s, they also still have a knack for stretching limits to provoke, excite, and sometimes disturb, much like fellow shock artists Insane Clown Posse. While the Lords' lyrics continue to promote promiscuous sex, marijuana use, and megalomania, the group has ambitiously replaced some of its signature electronics with live instruments. There is still a good amount of programming work evident throughout Farstucker, but it is used primarily to embellish rather than drive the tracks. Also bringing a sense of freshness to the group is Belgian model-turned-singer Deb Ostrega, who was added to the lineup as a replacement for Nikkie Van Lierop (aka Jade 4U). Ostrega had previously sung with the Lords on two tours, but Farstucker marks her studio debut with the group. She fits in well, lending convincing vocals that work nicely to seduce during both slow and fast moments. Praga Khan offers up lead vocals on two tracks, but he sounds awkward and lacks the strength and security he has while controlling his massive bank of synthesizers and samplers. When Ostrega takes the lead, catchy and playful hooks reveal themselves and swirl around impressive production work. Although Farstucker explores some different musical territories with numbers like the jazzy "Take Off," the ode-to-marijuana rave anthem "Lucy's F*ck*ng Sky," and the candy pop of "I Like It" (the latter borrowing liberally from the Trio hit "Da Da Da..."), it shines on tracks like "Slave to Love," "Lover Boy/Lover Girl," and "Rover Take Over," where the Lords showcase a satisfying mix of electronica and hard rock. Updating sounds of their past with more contemporary arrangements, the Lords of Acid achieve a fun and danceable set aimed at those with a good sense of humor and an appreciation for light, catchy music.

Track listing

01.  "Scrood Bi U"   (Johansen, Khan)  - 4:42
02.  "Lover Boy/Lover Girl"   (Bev, Johansen, Khan)  - 3:14
03.  "Rover Take Over"   (Adams, Jade 4U, Khan)  - 3:37
04.  "Pain and Pleasure Concerto"   (Johansen, Khan, Kurkun)  - 1:44
05.  "Slave to Love"   (Adams, Khan)  - 3:23
06.  "Sex Bomb"   (Adams, Khan)  - 3:33
07.  "Take Off"   (Johansen, Khan)  - 1:05
08.  "Stripper"   (Adams, Khan)  - 3:36
09.  "Lucy's Fucking Sky"   (Jade 4 U, Johansen, Khan)  - 6:26
10.  "(A Treatise on the Practical Methods Whereby One Can) Worship the Lords"   (Adams, Khan)  - 3:46
11.  "A Ride with Satan's Little Helpers"   (Johansen, Khan)  - 2:34
12.  "Feed My Hungry Soul"   (Johansen, Khan)  - 4:19
13.  "I Like It"   (Bev, Johansen, Khan)  - 2:56
14.  "Surfin' Muncheez"   (DeLaLuna, Johansen, Khan)  - 1:36
15.  "Get up, Get High"   (Adams, Khan)  - 4:08
16.  "Dark Lover Rising"   (Johansen, Khan)  - 1:32
17.  "Kiss Eternal"   (Johansen, Khan)  - 4:28
18.  "Lick My Chakra"   (Johansen, Khan)  - 1:23
19 . "Glad I'm Not God!"   (Bev, Johansen, Khan)  - 3:33

Credits
Keyboards [Casios, Electrics], Vocals [Chants] – Praga Khan
Bass [Basix] – Hans X
Vocals [Sing Thing] – Deborah Ostrega
Drums [Skins Beater] – Kurt Liekens
Guitar [String Thing] – Erhan Kurkun

Production
Conductor [Sonic Assembly And Scenery] – Carl S Johansen
Design – Jammin' Joel Jordan
Design [Farstucker Costume] – Enrico Fermi
Management [Europe] – Michel Ma Bell
Management [Mylanta] – Mark Beaven
Management [North America] – Andy, Mark
Management [Tricks Ands Collections] – Al Fobette
Mastered By – Paul van der Jonkheyde
Mixed By – Carl S. Johansen, Oliver Adams
Photography – Frank Gielen
Producer – Carl. S Johansen, Oliver Adams, Praga Khan
Recorded By [Vox] – Carl S. Johansen, Peter Rave, Theo Van Rock

Notes
Genre: Industrial rock, Acid house, Techno
Lenght: 1:00:35
Producer: Lords of Acid

© 2000 Antler Subway Records

Big Head Todd And The Monsters - Midnight Radio (1991)

“Midnight Radio” is Big Head Todd & the Monsters' second indie album. The group was inspired by listening to board tapes of their live shows and decided to record their second album at concerts. Midnight Radio is not a live album as much as it is a record that captures the band in their element.
It ended up in Top Ten lists for many national publications, before the band signed a record contract. The two-track live recording created a wonderful ambience, which is much different than the band's major label debut, the gold “Sister Sweetly”. Though “Sister Sweetly” is the better sounding album, “Midnight Radio” is often considered the band's best by many Big Head Todd & the Monsters fans. Song highlites include the original version of "Bittersweet," which was re-recorded for their debut and is the band's most popular song. "Vincent of Jersey" is the one-minute solo song that opens the album.
Despite its brevity, it is one of the album's better songs. "Midnight Radio" is also a strong song, with vocals similar to Mark Knopfler and blazing guitar solos. This album prioritizes Todd Park Mohr's guitar work more than the bass or drums, but it is his skills around which the band and its songs is based. The stark recording sounds a bit tinny at times, but the material and performances make “Midnight Radio” one of the best of the jam band genre.

Track listing

01.  "Vincent of Jersey"  - 1:13
02.  "The Leaving Song"  - 4:26
03.  "Dinner with Ivan"  - 4:34
04.  "Bittersweet"  - 6:14
05.  "The Moose Song"  - 6:18
06.  "Cold Blooded"  - 1:49
07.  "Soul Children"  - 4:35
08.  "Love Betsy"  - 6:03
09.  "Midnight Radio"  - 6:01
10.  "City on Fire"  - 3:42
11.  "Monument in Green"  - 7:07
12.  "Ann Arbor Grandfather"  - 3:58
13.  "Elvis"  - 6:53
14.  "Untitled"  - 0:31

Credits
Bass, Backing Vocals – Rob Squires
Drums, Percussion, Backing Vocals – Brian Nevin
Guitar, Harmonica, Vocals – Todd Park Mohr
Artwork By [Cover Art] – Chris Mars
Producer, Engineer – Andy Torri, Big Head Todd And The Monsters, John Burris

Notes
All songs written by Todd Park Mohr
Recording Date:  March 8, 1990 - May 4, 1990
Genre : Contemporary Rock
Length:  63:16
Label:  Big Records

© 1991

Jeff Lorber - It´s A fact (1982)

“It's a Fact” is the first solo album by the jazz musician Jeff Lorber.
The more you listen to the music Jeff Lorber made in the late 70's/early 80's the more it becomes clear how close early 80'surban pop/funk and urban jazz-pop. True those genres basically emanated from the same musical source but they share a lot of things in common. In the case of Jeff Lorber himself it all worked in his favor as he was able to create music that was gentle,commerical,hard grooving and even creatively improvisational all at the same time. The only other emmediate musician who seems to have the same abilities consistantly would be someone such as Joe Sample.
This particular album has more vocals on it than the Jeff Lorber related albums,not to mention that presense of the worlds then most popular and utilized session musicians such as Nathan East,John Robinson,Paulinho DaCosta-all of whom had done work with everyone from Michael Jackson to Toto around the same time and,despite Lorber at that time being actually somewhat lower on the pecking order in terms of popularity among the fusion/rare groove players at the time these people knew exactly how to deal with Jeff Lorber's unique way with twisting melodies with his sweetly funky playing on a variety of different keyboards-everything from plain jane fender rhodes piano to more unique sounding synthesizers such as the OBX and Prophet.
That mixture of organic sound and electronic futurism shows itself most often when the tempo on the music goes up.On vocal numbers such as "Full Moon",one of the stronger tunes here honestly along with instrumental material such as "Warm Springs","The Magician" and a modernized cover of Ronnie Laws almost over covered "Always There" you'll hear a basic genuine band sound ("real instruments" as some people might say) with electric guitars,live drums and electric bass and out of nowhere Lorber will fly out of the clean sophistifunk/jazz arrangement into a wild and spacy synthesizer solos and this became part of his trademark.
This also came to fruitation on the rather bluesy oriented,but still in keeping with it's basic urban jazz ethic "Delvans" as well as the midtempo grooves "Above The Clouds" and "Tierra Verde". There are also two urban contempory ballads in the title song and "Your Love Has Got Me"-pretty strong tunes actually when you really listen to them.

Track listing

01.  "Tierra Verde"  (Kenny Gorelick, Jeff Lorber)  - 4:35
02.  "Full Moon"  (Tom Browne, Jeff Lorber, Marlon McClain)  - 4:54
03.  "Warm Springs"  (Jeff Lorber)  - 4:28
04.  "It's a Fact"  (Joseph Ericksen, Jeff Lorber)  - 4:12
05.  "The Magician"  (Kenny Gorelick, Jeff Lorber)  - 3:59
06.  "Your Love Has Got Me"  (Joseph Ericksen, Jeff Lorber)  - 4:00
07.  "Delevans"  (Jeff Lorber)  - 4:04
08.  "Always There"  (William Jeffrey, Ronnie Laws)  - 4:30
09.  "Above the Clouds"  (Jeff Lorber)  - 2:57

Main musicians
Jeff Lorber - keyboards, guitar on "Delevans"
Marlon McClain - guitars
Nathan East - electric bass guitar
John Robinson - drums

Vocalists
Greg Walker ("It's a Fact" and "Full Moon")
Arnold McCuller ("Full Moon" and "Your Love Has Got Me")
Sylvia St. James ("Your Love Has Got Me")
Lynne Davis (backing vocals)

Additional musicians
Kenny G. - soprano and tenor saxophone, flutes
Tom Browne - trumpet and flugelhorn on "Full Moon", "The Magician" and "Your Love Has Got Me"
Paulinho Da Costa - percussion
Pete Christlieb - horn contractor

Notes
Recorded: September 27, 1981, to January 10, 1982, Indigo Ranch Studios, Malibu, California
Genre: Smooth Jazz, Jazz fusion
Length: 37:40
Label:  Arista Records
Producer:  Jeff Lorber

© 1982

Los Lonely Boys - Los Lonely Boys (2004)

“Los Lonely Boys” is the eponymous debut album by the American rock trio Los Lonely Boys,
Los Lonely Boys are another entry into the rock & roll family band tree. The Garza brothers -- Henry, Jojo, and Ringo (yes, that is his real name and he is the drummer)  like the Everlys, the Louvins, the Davies (Ray and Dave), the Youngs (Malcolm and Angus), and many others, are forging a new sound from the various roots traditions in American music. Rooted in rock & roll basics such as Chuck Berry, the Beatles, and Ritchie Valens and the Latin rhythm-inspired sounds created by the Santana band, the brothers Garza, who hail from San Angelo, TX, also employ the wondrously soulful and raw Tex-Mex textures created by Doug Sahm and Freddy Fender. Los Lonely Boys' self-titled debut on the Or label was recorded at Willie Nelson's Pedernales Studio in Austin and features Nelson and Reese Wynans guesting on guitar and keyboards respectively on "La Contestacion." But there is plenty to the sound of Los Lonely Boys; their stew is one rich not only in history, but energy, songwriting craft, fine singing, and amazing playing check Henry's riffing, phrasing, and soloing on "Crazy Dreams" and one might think the ghost of Stevie Ray Vaughan is visiting Albert King's. "Dime Mi Amor," with its funky minor-key chord voicings dredged through a solid Latin rock structure with shimmering son rhythms and conjunto backbeats, is stunning in its complexity, yet is as accessible as any pop song. Driven by Henry's fluid and floral acoustic work and shot through with a soulful Tex-Mex backbeat and vocal harmonies that touch upon the originality of Cesar Rosas' and David Hidalgo's from Los Lobos as well as the Everlys, "Hollywood" is not merely a referencing of source material, but a genuine way of combining ideas to create a new sound, one that is not only inherently, but actually the Garza Bros. As evidenced by songs like "Real Emotion," "More Than Love," "Onda," "Senorita," "La Contestacion," and "Velvet Sky," Los Lonely Boys reveal that they are tied to tradition but far from stuck to it; their songs are first-rate, crafted with nuance, grace, and grit and wash over the listener like a late-summer dance party under a full moon. This glorious, dark, and steamy diamond,. rooted in innocence and raw rock & roll beauty, is most definitely a contender for debut album of the year.

Track listing

01.  "Señorita"   (Henry Garza, JoJo Garza, Ringo Garza)  - 4:10
02.  "Heaven"   (Henry Garza, JoJo Garza, Ringo Garza)  - 3:47
03.  "Crazy Dream"   (Henry Garza, JoJo Garza, Ringo Garza)  - 4:47
04.  "Dime Mi Amor"   (Henry Garza, JoJo Garza, Ringo Garza)  - 3:26
05.  "Hollywood"   (Henry Garza, JoJo Garza, Ringo Garza)  - 4:16
06.  "More Than Love"   (Henry Garza, JoJo Garza, Ringo Garza)  - 3:20
07.  "Nobody Else"   (Henry Garza, JoJo Garza, Ringo Garza, Kevin Wommack)  - 4:42
08.  "Onda"  (Henry Garza, JoJo Garza, Ringo Garza)  - 8:55
09.  "Real Emotions"  (Henry Garza, JoJo Garza, Ringo Garza, Wommack)  - 4:04
10.  "Tell Me Why"   (Henry Garza, JoJo Garza, Ringo Garza, Phil Roy)  - 3:24
11.  "Velvet Sky"   (Henry Garza, JoJo Garza, Ringo Garza, Wommack)  - 4:41
12.  "La Contestación"   (Henry Garza, JoJo Garza, Ringo Garza, Jim Tullio)  - 5:47

Credits
Guitar, Vocals – Henry Garza
Bass, Vocals – Jojo Garza
Drums, Vocals – Ringo Garza
Design – David Kampa
Engineer – Steve Chadie
Engineer [Assistant] – Shannon Potter
Mixed By, Producer – John Porter
Photography – Mathew Sturtevant
Producer - John Porter
Additional musicians
Willie Nelson - acoustic guitar ("La Contestación")
John Porter - acoustic guitar ("More Than Love", "Velvet Sky", "La Contestación")
Diego Simmons - percussion
Reese Wynans - piano, organ

Notes
Release Date: March 30, 2004
Recorded At – Pedernales Studio
Genre:  Chicano rock, Blues rock, Tex-Mex
Length: 55:19
Label:  Or Music, Epic

© 2004

The LeRoi Brothers - Open All Night (1986)

The LeRoi Brothers are an American rock band from Austin, Texas.

This Austin, TX, rock & roll band was formed in 1981 by Mike Buck (also of The Fabulous Thunderbirds), Don Leady, Steve Doerr, and Alex Napier.

One of the longest-lasting bands on the eclectic Austin scene, the original lineup consisted of drummer Mike Buck (founding member of The Fabulous Thunderbirds), guitarist Don Leady (later forming Tail Gators), guitarist Steve Doerr, and bassist Alex Napier (now a member of The Mystic Knights). Over the years, various members have included Joe Doerr (Hand of Glory), Jackie Newhouse, Sarah Brown, Evan Johns (see separate entry), and current members guitarist Rick "Caspar" Rawls and bassist Pat Collins. The core of the band has always centered around Buck's solid drumming (probably the finest drummer Texas has to offer) and Steve Doerr's rocking vocals and songwriting, while the band as a whole can capably take on anything from blues to rockabilly to cajun to country to the grungiest of garage rock & roll. Consistent winners of the Best Roots Rock Band award in the Austin Chronicle's reader's poll, the band has retained a loyal following both here and abroad

The group was a long-running Austin bar band, but achieved national success with the album Open All Night, which reached #181 on the Billboard 200 in 1987.

Track listing

01.  "So Much To Say"  (Rod Stewart / Michael d'Abo)  - 3:10 
02.  "Chain Of Love"  (Ahmet Nugetre)  - 3:30 
03.  "Pretty Girls Everywhere"  (Eugene Church / Thomas Williams / Tom Williams)  - 3:07 
04.  "Hard Luck Blues"  - 2:30 
05.  "Gusano"  - 3:18 
06.  "The Beat Don't Ever Stop"  - 2:12 
07.  "Wicked Prayer"  - 2:38 
08.  "Alligator Man"  - 3:17 
09.  "Maybe Little Baby"  - 2:20 
10.  "Hey Baby"  - 3:52 
11.  "Cindy Cindy"  (Dolores Fuller / Florence Kaye / Ben Weisman)  - 3:03 
12.  "Ballad Of The Leroi Brothers"   - 2:42 

Credits
Bass – Jackie Newhouse
Drums, Percussion – Mike Buck
Producer – Mike Buck, Steve Doerr
Vocals, Guitar – Rick "Casper" Rawls
Vocals, Guitar, Accordion, Harmonica – Steve Doerr
Engineer, Producer [Assistant] – Joe Gracey
Mastered By – Howie Weinberg

Companies etc
Copyright (c) – Profile Records, Inc.
Phonographic Copyright (p) – Profile Records, Inc.
Recorded At – Arlyn Studios
Mastered At – Masterdisk

Notes
Genre:  Pop, Rock
Length: 36:12
Label:  Profile Records

© 1986

Zita Swoon - I Paint Pictures On A Wedding Dress (1998)

Zita Swoon is a Belgian indie rock group. They entered the music scene of Antwerp in 1993, still under the name A Beatband with the EP "Jintro Travels The Word In A Skirt". The group is typical of the music scene in Antwerp, with members playing in numerous other groups. Best known member is singer Stef Kamil Carlens, who founded the group and also played in dEUS. The initial group also included Tom Pintens and Aarich Jespers.

Every song is a little piece of art on this album. They scored several hits in Belgium. Something you must have !

Essentially the same band as Moondog Jr., only now with another name and a slightly different cast, Zita Swoon has released several highly acclaimed albums since 1997. “I Paint Pictures On A Wedding Dress” is their second release under their new name, and it follows the same musical path initially taken by Moondog Jr. If you like their early work, you'll more than probably enjoy this album.

Track listing
 
01. "She = Like Meeting Jesus"   (Kamil Carlens)  - 4:00
02. "Ragdoll Blues"   (Kamil Carlens)  - 3:30
03. "Still Half My Friend?"   (Kamil Carlens)  - 4:13
04. "The Rabbit Field"   (Kamil Carlens)  - 3:07
05. "Song for a Dead Singer"   (Kamil Carlens)  - 5:18
06. "One Perfect Day"   (Aarich Jespers, Kamil Carlens, Tomas de Smet, Bjorn Eriksson)  - 5:58
07. "About the Successful Emotional Recovery of a Gal Named Maria"  (Kamil Carlens, Bjorn Eriksson)  - 3:23
08. "Our Daily Reminders"   (Kamil Carlens)  - 4:56
09. "My Bond with You and Your Planet: Disco!"   (Kamil Carlens)  - 5:17
10. "Stamina"   (Tomas de Smet, Kamil Carlens, Bjorn Eriksson)  - 4:10
11. "50 Years in Dope Jittery"   (Kamil Carlens)  - 5:26
12. "The French Trombone"   (Tomas de Smet, Kamil Carlens, Bjorn Eriksson)  - 3:06

Credits
Vocals, Piano, Guitar, Acoustic Guitar, Electric Piano [Fender Rhodes, Farfissa], Mellotron – Stef Kamil Carlens
Acoustic Guitar, Guitar [Resonator, Pedal Steel, Lapsteel, Electric], Vocals – Bjorn Eriksson
Guitar, Synthesizer [Synth Bass] – Malcolm Burn
Bass, Double Bass, Percussion, Vocals – Tomas de Smet
Drums, Percussion, Accordion – Aarich Jespers
Guitar, Vocals, Synthesizer, Sampler, Clarinet, Electric Piano [Rhodes], Piano – Tom Pintens

Production
Photography By – Bache Jespers
Producer – Zita Swoon
Producer, Programmed By – Malcolm Burn
Artwork – Aarich Jespers, Bjorn Eriksson, Stef Kamil Carlens, Tom Hautekiet
Mixed By – Bjorn Eriksson, Jo Francken, Stef Kamil Carlens, Malcolm Burn, Zita Swoon

Notes
Genre:  Alternative Pop, Indie Rock
Length:  52:24
Label:  Warner Bros. Records

© 1998

Kris Kristofferson - Border Lord (1972)

“Border Lord” is the third album by Kris Kristofferson, released in 1972 on Monument Records.

“Border Lord” was a crucial album for Kris Kristofferson. After five years of scuffling in Nashville, he had broken through in 1970-1971 largely because of a series of song hits recorded by others, though his first two albums, Kristofferson (aka Me and Bobby McGee) and The Silver Tongued Devil and I had enjoyed healthy sales, the latter even spawning a Top 40 pop hit in "Loving Her Was Easier (Than Anything I'll Ever Do Again)." But he needed to consolidate that success and even increase it, especially as a recording artist. Yet, as is so often the case, he was afforded precious little time to craft his next work. Border Lord, which, like its predecessors, was an album of all-original compositions, was in record stores only seven months after The Silver Tongued Devil and I, and it was his third such collection in 20 months. He continued to draw upon the dwindling store of songs in his trunk, using the 1967 copyright "Burden of Freedom," as well as "Somebody Nobody Knows," published in 1968, while two others, "Smokey Put the Sweat on Me" and "When She's Wrong," were published by his first publisher, Buckhorn Music, suggesting that they may have been written well before their 1972 copyright dates. New or old, the songs on Border Lord often seemed like retreads of already familiar Kristofferson themes. His interest on lowlife characters, especially fallen women, was so pervasive it practically turned the disc into a concept album. Of the ten songs, six -- "Josie," "Stagger Mountain Tragedy," "Somebody Nobody Knows," "Little Girl Lost," "Smokey Put the Sweat on Me," and "When She's Wrong" -- treated the subject of women in debased conditions, several specifically described as prostitutes. And Kristofferson tended to reuse his allusions and imagery, especially references to the Devil (already the subject of earlier songs such as "To Beat the Devil" and "The Silver-Tongued Devil and I"), who appeared in no less than five songs. The songwriter was almost, but not quite, as interested in the Lord, who was name-checked here and there, and with whose Son Kristofferson identified in the philosophical "Burden of Freedom" ("Lord, help me forgive them, they don't understand"). Among the religious and roadhouse references, the only really new subject was life on the road, which was treated in such new songs as "Border Lord" and "Gettin' By, High and Strange," an indication that this always confessional songwriter was writing about his current life as a touring musician. Though it consisted of material that was noticeably inferior by Kristofferson's standards, the album was full of poetic lines effectively performed by a road-honed singer and a touring band heavily augmented by Nashville pros; even second-rate Kristofferson was pretty good in 1972. Still, Monument Records had difficulty finding an obvious candidate for a hit single, finally settling on "Josie," which must have seemed to have some of the same qualities as "Me and Bobby McGee," but which only struggled into the lower reaches of the pop charts. With that, Border Lord proved a commercial disappointment, slowing the momentum of a career that had been accelerating over the past three years. No doubt Kristofferson and Monument would have been better advised to have waited until he had a collection of songs to match his early hits; instead, he quickly began work on yet another album, Jesus Was a Capricorn, which was out before the end of the year.

Track listing

01. "Josie" - 3:12
02. "Burden of Freedom" - 3:22
03. "Stagger Mountain Tragedy" - 2:53
04. "Border Lord" (Stephen Bruton, Donnie Fritts, Terry Paul, Kristofferson)  - 3:38
05. "Somebody Nobody Knows" - 3:36
06. "Little Girl Lost" - 3:10
07. "Smokey Put the Sweat on Me" - 3:10
08. "When She's Wrong" - 4:47
09. "Gettin' By, High and Strange" - 2:37
10. "Kiss the World Goodbye" - 3:01

All songs by Kris Kristofferson except as noted

Personnel
Kris Kristofferson - vocals, guitar
Rita Coolidge - vocals
Pete Drake - steel guitar
Donnie Fritts - keyboards, background vocals
Dennis Linde - guitar
Billy Swan - bass, background vocals
Stephen Bruton - guitar, background vocals
Kenneth A. Buttrey - drums
Jerry Carrigan - drums
Tommy Jackson - fiddle
Jerry Kennedy - guitar
Farrell Morris - percussion
Terry Paul - bass, background vocals
Jerry Shook - guitar
Benny Whitehead - background vocals
John "Bucky" Wilkin - guitar
Charlie McCoy - harmonica, keyboards

Production
Produced by Fred Foster
Engineering: Tommy Strong, Mort Thomasson, Lou Bradley
Cover design by Ed Lee
Cover art by Arnold Arnhan
Back cover photo by Marian Owen and Janet Madison

Notes
Genre:  Outlaw Country
Length:  33:27
Label:  Monument Records

© 1972