March 25, 2024

Afrika Bambaataa & The Soulsonic Force - Lost Generation (1996)

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Seminal hip hop and electro outfit of Afrika Bambaataa and Soulsonic Force that recorded such tunes as "Planet Rock" and "Looking For The Perfect Beat".

There is a lot, a lot, a lot wrong with this record. After the expiration of his contract with EMI, Bambaataa finds himself releasing material as an independent, publishing with Hot Productions, Miami dance label. 

This tape consists of 13 long tracks that all last between five and eight minutes (except one randomly at three), for a total of one hour and twenty. Far too much. 
The production is essential, the bass vibrates for the electro beat, the drum is old and difficult, and this is enough to support the rap of the performer. 
The lyrics are coarse and shoddy, half of the album is all about sexual themes and bars, over music that is deleterious and unnerving. The album was born old, even the reissue of "Planet Rock" sounds cumbersome and rusty, little to do with the original song.


Tracklist

1.  Lost Generation - 4:40
2.  Bang Bang - 7:54
3.  Sex Is The Best - 5:02
4.  Who's In The House - 5:36
5.  Blowin' Up (Bring The Ruckus) - 3:02
6.  Rock Whatcha Got - 5:14
7.  Suffer - 5:48
8.  That's Not Right - 6:26
9.  Do The Wrong Thang  (Featuring - Shannon) - 7:44
10.  Planet Rock '96 - 8:12
11.  For What It's Worth - 6:31
12.  What More U Want - 6:02
13.  Ominous Isthmus - 6:45


Companies, etc.
Credits
Notes
Release: 1996
Genre:  Electronic Hip Hop, Bass Music
Length:  1:18:14

March 22, 2024

Sharon Redd - Sharon Redd (1980)

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Sharon Redd (October 19, 1945 - May 1, 1992) was an American singer from New York City. She was the half sister of Snap! singer Penny Ford.

Despite not being as recognized as other stars, Redd was able to establish herself as a Diva on the disco scene in the late 70s and early 80s.
After her third and final Prelude album, Redd slowed down and occasionally did more session work. 
She re-appeared briefly in 1991 for another solo single, but that would prove to be her final output of note. She succumbed to pneumonia complications on January 5, 1992.

Her self-titled debut balances post-disco club music with the extension of '70s soul that many referred to as urban during the '80s. 
The two lead cuts on the album, "You Got My Love" and "Can You Handle It," are easily the highlights -- a 12" featuring both songs hit number five on Billboard's club play chart. 
A young DJ and Prelude employee by the name of François Kevorkian leant his editing and mixing talents to those two songs (arguably the two greatest moments of Redd's career) and helped propel them to their high-chart placement. 
Redd proves that she's more than competent with ballads on "Leaving You Is Easier Said Than Done" and "You Stayed on My Mind," but it's on the two key tracks and the equally upbeat "Try My Love on for Size" (a surprising non-hit) where she truly shines.


Tracklist

A1.  You Got My Love - 5:52
A2.  Can You Handle It - 6:26
A3.  It's A Lie - 5:40

B1.  Try My Love On For Size - 5:06
B2.  Leaving You Is Easier Said Than Done - 3:51
B3.  Love Is Gonna Get Ya - 4:56
B4.  You Stayed On My Mind - 5:38


Companies, etc.

Credits 

Notes
Released: 1980 
Recorded at:  Bias Studios, Falls Church, VA.
Genre: Funk / Soul 
Style: Disco 
Length:  37:38

March 20, 2024

Fugees - Blunted On Reality (1994)

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Blunted on Reality is the debut studio album released by the American hip-hop group Fugees. 
The album was released in February 1994 through the Ruffhouse Records label. 

Three singles were released from the album, including ”Boof Baf”, ”Nappy Heads” and ”Vocab”.
Blunted on Reality received generally favorable reviews from music critics. In the United Kingdom the album has been certified silver by the British Phonographic Industry. 
It was followed up with the critically acclaimed second and final album, The Score in 1996. 

Blunted on Reality was written and subsequently recorded by the group in 1992. 
However, following a long dispute with their record label, the album was not released until February 1, 1994.
Most versions of the album contain eighteen tracks, with the addition of a remix of "Nappy Heads". Prior to the release of the album, "Boof Baf" was released as the album's lead single. 
Commercially, the single was unsuccessful, The album's highest-charting single is "Nappy Heads", which peaked at number 49 on the Billboard Hot 100. "Vocab" was released as the album's third and final single. However, the song was not successful on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.
The album was recorded at the House of Music Studios in West Orange, New Jersey. 
The Fugees have subsequently said that they allowed the producers to have too much control over the album's content and form.

While Blunted on Reality does not contain nearly as many overtly political lyrics as The Score, the album is still political. Wyclef Jean described the meaning of the title of the album in a 1994 interview on the topical talk show program, Lorna's Corner: 
 “When the cop is messing around with somebody for something that the person didn’t do and they try to set ‘em up, that makes me blunted on reality. 
When the government is taking money on arms…and that money could be going back to the community it makes me blunted on reality. It’s just awareness of what’s going on…that’s what blunted on reality means…It don’t mean that I smoke weed…cause I’m too paranoid as it is.”


Tracklist

1.  Introduction - 1:14
2.  Nappy Heads - 4:29
3.  Blunted Interlude - 6:49
4.  Recharge - 5:10
5.  Freestyle Interlude - 1:08
6.  Vocab - 5:02
7.  Special News Bulletin Interlude - 0:21
8.  Boof Baf - 5:09
9.  Temple - 4:03
10.  How Hard Is It? - 3:53
11.  Harlem Chit Chat Interlude - 0:50
12.  Some Seek Stardom - 3:42
13.  Giggles - 4:21
14.  Da Kid From Haiti Interlude - 1:00
15.  Refugees On The Mic - 4:58
16.  Living Like There Ain't No Tomorrow - 4:00
17.  Shouts Outs From The Block - 9:16


Companies, etc.

Credits

Notes
Released:  February 1, 1994 
Recorded:  June 1992 – June 1993 
Genre:  Hip hop 
Length:  70:50 
Producer(s):  Pras · Wyclef Jean · Khalis Bayyan · Salaam Remi · Brand X · Stephen Walker · Rashad Muhammad

March 09, 2024

Pat Metheny Group - The Falcon And The Snowman (Soundtrack) (1985)

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The Falcon and the Snowman is an album of original music for the soundtrack of the Orion Pictures film of the same title, composed and co-produced by Pat Metheny and Lyle Mays.
The music is performed by the Pat Metheny Group with occasional orchestrations for strings.

The exceptions are a male chorus featuring a young alto which bookends the album and "This Is Not America", a collaboration with David Bowie, credited as producer and co-composer, who performs lyrics for an arrangement of the theme heard in the track "Chris".

The album is a gem, although there are basically just two constantly recurring themes: the sublime 'Daulton Lee' and the chart-destined 'Chris'/'This is not America'., 'The Extent of the Lie', is another Metheny/Mays soundscape, of the type first tried out on the 'As Falls Wichita' album.
I remember seeing Metheny in interview at the time of the making of this soundtrack -- it was all recorded in England -- and this was at a time when Metheny and Mays were effectively the unofficial sales arm of New England Digital. 
 Metheny gave a superbly modest demonstration of the synclavier, using a keyboard rather than a guitar as the input vehicle. 
 It was fascinating to see the sheet music automatically generated from his doodlings. Sounds simple now, but back in 1985 this was impressive!
The film features my ideal intelligence job: you lock yourself away where no-one can reach you, and you observe many of the top-secret activities going on around the globe. 
 If only it were better paid!
Ultimately this soundtrack is better than the movie, and I still think it's the best soundtrack the PMG has recorded. I cannot help feeling that Metheny and Mays have at least a couple more monster soundtracks within them, if only they could work together on the project.


Track listing

1. "Psalm 121/Flight of the Falcon" - 4:09
2. "Daulton Lee" - 5:59
3. "Chris" - 3:21
4. "The Falcon" - 5:02
5. "This Is Not America" - 3:55
6. "Extent of the Lie" - 4:18
7. "The Level of Deception" - 5:49
8. "Capture" - 4:03
9. "Epilogue (Psalm 121)" - 2:16

All songs written by Pat Metheny & Lyle Mays except "This Is Not America", lyrics by David Bowie.


Pat Metheny Group
Pat Metheny - guitar synthesizer, acoustic & electric guitars
Lyle Mays - synthesizers, piano
Steve Rodby - acoustic bass & electric basses
Paul Wertico - drums, percussion
Pedro Aznar - voice on "Daulton Lee" and "The Falcon"

National Philharmonic Orchestra (conducted by Steve Rodby) on "Flight of the Falcon", "Extent of the Lie", "The Level of Deception" and "Capture"
Ambrosian Choir (conducted by John McCarthy) on "Psalm 121" and "Epilogue (Psalm 121)"
David Bowie - vocals and lyricist on "This Is Not America"
Producer - Pat Metheny, Lyle Mays

Notes
Recorded at Odyssey Studios, London, September 1984
Additional recording at EMI Abbey Road Studios, London and Power Station, New York City
Genre: Jazz fusion
Length: 38:23
© 1985

Label - EMI America Records