If you only buy one book during Jazz Fest, make it Up Front and Center: New Orleans Music at the End of the 20th Century.
Jay Mazza takes readers back to the last decades of the 20th century with passion and deep appreciation for an important period in New Orleans music. His tale is chock full of scintillating stories about the musicians, clubs, and festivals that defined an era.
While the heyday of world music on LP may be long past, there have been enough recent appearances of new global sounds on vinyl to make one hope they represent the beginnings of a sustained trend. One such record is by the Ghanaian kologo player and vocalist known as Bola; his Volume 7 is a forceful and organic blend of the traditional and the contemporary.
Of course it needs to be said that the digital age has swung the doors wide open on a massive outpouring of previously unavailable music from all over the world, giving the casual listener access to a disparate selection of sounds that in prior eras would’ve only been heard by pure accident, if at all. The proliferation of blogs hosting MP3s is viewed by many with jaundiced eyes, but if done conscientiously these websites can exist not as an exercise in freeloading but instead as an educational resource, a platform for communication and most importantly as an instigator of further possibilities.
One such is example is Brian Shimkovitz’s Awesome Tapes from Africa. Way back in 2006, his website began exposing listeners to a steady stream of mostly cassette sourced obscurities obtained largely through his travels to the African continent. By this point, it would take even the most determined listener many months to appropriately absorb the content on his site, but it doesn’t seem to be Shimkovitz’s intention that his visitors hear everything; instead, hopefully a visitor will be captivated by just one discovery from an array of choices that would’ve not crossed their path otherwise. And as testament to those further possibilities mentioned above, Awesome Tapes has begun releasing records, the first being La Grande Cantatrice Malienne Vol. 3 by Malian musician Nâ Hawa Doumbia, and the second being the subject of this review.
“I have to be honest, for the longest time the only album I owned on vinyl was the Bangles’ Different Light.”
“They are my favorite band of all time, still. I was so influenced and inspired by them as a kid. I was so enthralled with a sexy, all girl group. They were rock and roll to me! Not to mention, they were LIKE me. Their existence and success made me feel as though my dreams were even more achievable.
I grew up listening to my dad’s vinyl. He had a TON of records—the Stones, Cream, the Yardbirds, the Beatles, CSNY…we would listen at the house, and I would take them into my room and play them on my Shaun Cassidy record player with the multi-colored blinking lights. I would hold concerts for all my stuffed animals on my bed while lip-synching to the Beatles’ singles into the end of a 9 iron sticking out of my dresser. Gosh, I wish I had video of that. Actually, no I don’t. Anyway, this is where my love and passion for music and songwriting began. I guess I kinda owe it all to my dad. He’s in the building business, but he loves music.
I can’t mention vinyl without mentioning Grimey’s in Nashville. Mike Grimes knows more about music and its history than anybody I’ve ever met. That dude can tell you how Robbie Robertson got his start and everybody he’s played with in his entire career, as well as every band anybody has ever played in with him has played in. Sorry for that atrocious run-on sentence!!! Anyway, hopefully you get the point. He is a master, and he built that store from the ground up. I love that dude and go to Grimey’s every time I’m in town.
Burger Records continue there trend of wonderful releases with the announcement of a limited tape from Nashville’s The Sufis.
Their track “Wake Up” (featured here) is a wonderfully mysterious summer song, full of tremolo vocal and delight. The backward guitar / flute at the 1:20 mark is a particularly great point. Out in late June, this will see a vinyl release in the UK through Ample Play Records too. —James
With the impending change of seasons looming in the air, it’s hard not to think about the summer months that will soon be upon us. With summer comes warmer weather, and, of course, an all-new array of artists and bands making their way to Merriweather Post Pavilion in Columbia, Md.
Kicking off the Merriweather summer concert series is the third annual Sweetlife Food and Music Festival, taking place this Saturday, April 28th.
Sweetlife is sponsored by Sweetgreen, a Washington, DC-based restaurant chain that uses healthy, organic foods from local farms in its restaurants. The festival, a celebration of music, food, and eco-consciousness, will feature a wide variety of artists performing on two stages. Among the musicians set to perform are The Shins, fun., Kid Cudi, Avicii, Fitz and the Tanstrums, The Delta Spirit, Explosions in the Sky, and A$AP Rocky.
Of all the bands to climb the U.K. charts during the heyday of the “Britpop” phenomenon, Pulp may have aged the best.
Unlike some of their peers, they never got popular enough in the U.S. to be irritating. They went on hiatus in 2001, but their fan base grew larger in their absence. Packed with cultural satire and memorable hooks, albums like Different Class (1995) seemed only to resonate more over time.
Pulp reformed last year to play a series of live shows in Europe, then gradually began adding U.S. dates, including two appearances at Coachella – their first in California since 1996. It was hardly a surprise when tickets for last Thursday’s show at the Fox Theater in Pomona sold out within minutes. By 5p.m. Thursday, people were already lined up in front of the theater, anxious to see the group perform outside of a festival setting.
Let’s face it, most of what you find on the internet is junk. Its accessibility has allowed anyone to post just about anything they want, and unfortunately, a lot of that stuff is just awful. On the other hand, what makes the internet so great is that in the midst of all that garbage, it has always managed to discover and support some seriously talented people.
One of these very people is “web-born” songbird, Kina Grannis. After entering a YouTube contest, the Los Angeles based singer-songwriter walked away with a video spot during the Super Bowl and a record deal. In spite of opting for self-release, she has become one of YouTube’s most subscribed-to artists and gathered more than 90 million cumulative views.
Currently on tour, Grannis will be hitting Chicago’s Park West next Tuesday, 4/1. If you want to see what all the well-deserved hype is about, grab all of the details about the upcoming show below.
Power dream-pop duo, Magic Wands, have reason to celebrate. A few years in the making, Tuesday, April 24, will see the release of their magical debut album, Aloha Moon.
The ten-song collection is a cosmic dance through the universe where the voices echo, the keyboards shimmer and the guitars splash like giant waves on an island in space. Dubbing their music “lovewave,” and with an insatiable appetite for all things eighties, Chris and Dexy Valentine corral influences as seemingly different as Madonna and Fun Boy Three, and make it work in a big way.
Tomorrow night, April 24, Magic Wands will mark the release with a special gig at The Satellite in Los Angeles. Special guests include Antoine Debarge and the Hills, Blue Jungle, Magic Wands & The Sister Ruby Band with guest DJ’s Carlos Rossi and Travis Keller.
It’s our weekly Twitter #MusicMonday recap of the brand new tracks from last week that the folks in the press offices want you to be hearing. We post, you download.
Best Coast – The Only Place
Jesca Hoop – Born To
Those Mockingbirds – The Difference Between Love + Addiction
Attaque – The End
Milkman – Tiger Lily
Visions of Trees – Turn 2 U (Plant Plants Remix)
Adrian Krygowski – Hope For Us
Bigg Jus – Black Roses
Phoebe Jean – Day Is Gone
Fixers – Crystals
TVD SINGLE OF THE WEEK:
The Kill Van Kulls – Impossible Man
Mornin Old Sport – Katie
The Leg – Bake Yourself Silly
Emily Jane White – Black Silk
Hot Panda – Future Markets
Dana Buoy – So Lucky
Enemies! – Summer Of Legs
The Spinto Band – Take It
Lioness – The Night
River Seven – You Changed The Rules
Suckers – Chinese Braille
25 more FREE TRACKS after the jump!
Greeting From Coachella Valley, California!
Back for a second week of desert fun at the almighty Coachella! My return to Indio last Friday was marked by three things: rain, great bands, and old friends. It was the first time in 13 years that desert skies produced wet grounds for festival goers. By all accounts the weather was a treat for the old school Goldenvoice crew working the long weekend.
As most of you will be at your favorite Record Store Day destination flipping through cool bins of vinyl, those of us back in Indio will be blazin to this year’s mind bending assortment of bands in 100 plus degree heat! I’ll be focused on enjoying Saturday’s thick line up. Let’s set if off with Zeds Dead in the dance tent and move to punk heroes The Buzzcocks, then bake to the indie sounds of Laura Marling, St. Vincent, Shins, and Bon Iver. Maybe I’ll even catch a Squeeze tune or two? The crowning moment of the weekend will likely be Radiohead’s return to Coachella. When they last played Coachella eight years ago I was rocking my Les Paul (guitar pick literally melting in my hand!) with festival openers Thelonious Monster. Wow, now there’s a Coachella moment!
So, here’s my 2nd of a 2 part Coachella playlist. Again, I’m sure there are tons more of these all over internet and Spotify. I approached this playlist as a parents guide to the festival—for music fans with roots but who might not be as hip as festival organizer Paul T.
Coachella! Yep, it’s a LA tradition, a Cali G thang, so let’s keep the party going! Long live Coachella!!
Buy a record this weekend for Record Store Day too, ok?
The Idelic Hit of the Week: Madeon – Icarus
Tomorrow, Los Feliz’s latest and greatest record shop High-Fidelity will be hosting an all day, all ages party in celebration of our favorite holiday….Record Store Day! The store will have special extended hours, from 10am to midnight.
If you haven’t stopped by the shop, High Fidelity has a great curated selection of rare vinyl and new releases, and for you gearheads, an assortment of high end, hi-fi vintage audio gear. To give you an idea of the sonic quality resounding through this establishment: the house sound system just so happens to be J.J. Cale’s vintage speakers, powered by the warm fuzzy glow of tube amps.
Festivities begin at 4pm, with highlights including sets from local DJs and bands. Headlining the event is the not-to-be-missed electric soul rock ‘n’ roll-out Alexandra & The Starlight Band! Full line up after the jump.
TVD heartily endorses America Hearts at the Black Cat Monday night, 4/23. AH’s Jess Matthews joins us with the skinny on the band’s Singles Club.
“When Sub Pop announced their singles club in 1988, they turned the concept of a flirtatious gathering of former, would-be prom kings and queens into an aesthetic experience for solitary, record-collecting nerds in need of a dose of 7-inch inspiration.
“Hey loser. Wanna find some action? Tired of being left out? Here at SUB POP we’ve just started a special club for lonely record collectors like yourself: THE SUB POP SINGLES CLUB.”
—Single Club’s ad
But those were different times. In 1988, Roy Orbison died and Adele was born. The savings and loan crisis—a quaint financial meltdown—had not yet helped create the early ’90s recession, youth angst, and taste for flannel. But these early glimpses of American decline fostered demand for a new musical direction, one that was unintentionally laid out in those early singles club releases by Nirvana, Sonic Youth, and Fugazi.
Come tomorrow, Seattle will once again find itself in the throes of Record Store Day, subjected to the motley hordes of hungry vinylvores swarming over limited edition releases and autographed LPs, loving every minute of it.
Whether you’re an RSD pro with a set gameplan or someone who only recently learned the term “vinyl” refers to something other than a terrible material to make pants with, do yourself a favor and take a glance at what some of our local record-slingers have in store for their beloved patrons.
In Celebration of Record Store Day, Blues troubador Eric Hughes will be bringing his saucy sound to Spin Street. Also billed, the Memphis Dawls and their southern folk sounds will be filling the atmosphere.
The Eric Hughes Band have been serving up authentic Memphis blues for over 11 years. Known for their expert musicianship and their amazing showmanship, The Eric Hughes band are sure to put on a damn fine show.
What’s up Memphians? You all know what today is, so I hope you’re celebrating—that’s right, it’s the 40th anniversary of Apollo 16 landing on the moon!
In this week’s The Line Up, we’re spotlighting some fantastic out-of-this-world live music for you to get spacey to.
Today, Friday, (4/20) will launch things out of the atmosphere with some great music all over town. Funk aficionados and deep space experts Galactic will be serving up funky jazz numbers all night at Minglewood Hall with help from Living Colour’s Corey Glover. Also rocking out will be Corey Henry with help from Lightnin’ Malcolm.
