With influences by: Sharon Jones, Lee Fields, The Mohawks, The Dap-Kings, Bobby Byrd, Fontella Bass, The Beginning of the End, Daptone, Jazzman, Funk 45, Keb Darge, Shadow, Madame Jo-Jos, Timmion, Tim Buckley, Stevie Wonder, BGP, Soulfire, K7, Roy Ayers, Grand Slam Magazine, Jazz Cafe, London, Texas.
Keb Darge Presents
The New Mastersounds
BBE Records
A British based funk band and strong contender for the, 'everything funky' award. Here we see some strong instrumental tracks with what sound like a pot and pan arrangement backing drum beats that'll have you flippin' your eggs, or moving your legs, which ever. I'd say they definitely like it heavy on the drums and let's face it, who doesn't? I guess when you have a producer and ultimate funk fiend like Keb Darge behind you, a floor shaker of an album is the only way. But it's not just about the drums, there's everything from steamy Hammond organ, sweaty vocals, flute vibes, a horn section tighter than a fist full of dollars and super funky guitar. With the addition of a few vocal tracks it really makes the album complete and me, proud to be British, especially with 'Bondo Samba', what a tune! A cover of John Barry's' James Bond theme tune, fast, furious and huge bass line, thank you New Mastersounds. And I'm not leaving without a mention for 'The Rooster', another favourite of Naldertown, all we can say is. Give us more!
I first came across Guidance in my deep house days. They produced quality records then and still produce a nice range of quality, varied music. Like quite a few house labels, they seem to have ventured into the downbeat or mutated jazz, or just taking new directions with the basis of what they already had. And this is what I have in front of me. You want it all, it's here, and I'm getting electronic dub pulsating the bass drum in my ear, the sampled chant of the Rastaman, lost in spacey rhythms calling for his brothers and sisters. Flip to side c and you have two jazzy downbeat corkers. The first, using a De Niro sample from 'Taxi Driver' , works perfectly in to the blend of a hugely deep, melodic smoking tune and builds up to some dramatic piano loops. This brings me to my personal favourite, 'Get Misunderstood', some French guy babbles to introduce you, to one of the most stringy and emotive tracks on the album, this almost leads you into thinking the general idea is going to be chilled. Oh No! Side D and we're picking up with a tune, very much like deep house, but a nice steady hip hop beat takes control. Actually while it's in my head, Paper Records, Crazy Penis (silly name) released an album not to dissimilar from this. Maybe I'll cover it. If you know the album I'm talking about, you'll love this. If you don't know either, you need to. So anyway, it's all picking up and still very dramatic. There's a very cinematic groove with the samples they select, incredibly creative, they seem to be giving everything a go, all in an up tempo down tempo way. So you want side E and F, or a surprise and we all like surprises and I can't really write an essay so in a nutshell, buy this, it really is worth every penny.
The fifth album from Detript's Jack and Meg White. Steers a different course from previous albums, but a gives welcome change with influences from classic R&B and soul. Not the rock monster that was 'Elephant', 'Get Behind Me Satan' has a new acoustic haunting emphasis.
First album release and still handing over quality funk. The British funk scene is seemingly growing larger by the months and years and new bands like Speedometer, Newmaster Sounds, really are at the top of todays retrospective outputs and keeping alive a music that was perhaps thought to be lost. you want it funky ? you want it soulful ? you'll get it raw and you'll get it here.
Hmmm, buying it ? Bit limited but search and and use the force. They come, they go, which makes our job hard. There are many 7" & 10" releases by Speedometer, which are available from http://www.blowithardrecords.com/homepage.htm
This eponymous debut was recorded when Tim Buckley was the tender age of nineteen, having just been discovered by Elektra Records whilst playing the folk-rock circuits of L.A, with his (then) current bands 'The Bohemians' and 'The Harlequin three'. The album is, for the most part, a collection of poetic folk/rock songs. Many of the songs are quite stiffly structured, perhaps down to the Lyrics, which where co-written by Poet friend Larry Becket and have a distinctly medieval feel to them. Sounding somewhere between the musings of a teenager discovering his first love and the tales of a knight as he tries to coax down his lady from the tower above. While the lyrics are touching, it's his voice that will knock you for six. It's so hard to believe that such a powerful and emotive vocal could come from one so young. I would imagine that those who heard this album at the time of its release, must have realised that what they were witnessing, was the beginnings of something unlike anything which had preceded it, or for that matter, has ever come close to it since. 'Strange Street Affair Under Blue', 'Song Slowly Song', 'Grief In My Soul' and 'Understand Your Man' are the stand-out tracks on this impacting debut. Which along with second album 'Hello Goodbye' makes up the first stage of the many, very different musical incarnations of Tim Buckley which were to follow.
'Look at the Fool' was to be the final album that Tim Buckley recorded before he died in 1975. The album is slightly similar in style to 'Greetings From L.A', though somewhat toned down, with less raunchy funk and more of a latin, soul feel. The album flows nicely, far more consistent than it's predecessor, but it seems to lack the intensity of most of his other albums. Every track is heavily laden with female backing singers, which at points are pretty cheesy, watering down and detracting from Tim's vocals and not doing the songs much justice. There are exceptions though, title track 'Look At The Fool' is excellent, a smooth, deeply soulful ballad on which the vocals really shine, which along with the passionate 'Who Could Deny You', stands out above rest.
