Category Archives: Rock
J.J. CALE-CLASSIC ALBUM SELECTION.
J.J. CALE-CLASSIC ALBUM SELECTION. One of the most underrated singer, songwriter and guitarists is J.J. Cale, whose career began back in the late fifties as Johnny Cale. However, it wasn’t until 1972 that J.J. Cale released his debut album Naturally. Naturally featured a track that would become synonymous with J.J. and would introduce his music …
RODION G.A.-THE LOST TAPES.
RODION G.A.-THE LOST TAPES. Rodion G.A’s The Lost Tapes is the most eagerly awaited albums of 2013. It’ll be released Strut Records on 27th May 2013. However, Rodion G.A. aren’t a new band. Quite the opposite. Instead, Rodion G.A. were formed by Rodion Rosca between 1975 and 1976. The ten tracks that comprise The Lost …
WEATHER REPORT-THE COLUMBIA ALBUMS 1971-1975.
WEATHER REPORT-THE COLUMBIA ALBUMS 1971-1975. Recently Columbia Records have been delving into their archives and releasing a series of lavish box sets. So far, there’s been box sets to suit all musical tastes. Whether it’s jazz legends like Duke Ellington or Louis Armstrong or seventies rock there’s something for everyone. Fans of jazz-fusion haven’t been …
DUKE WILLIAMS AND THE EXTREMES-MONKEY IN A SILK SUIT IS STILL A MONKEY.
DUKE WILLIAMS AND THE EXTREMES-MONKEY IN A SILK SUIT IS STILL A MONKEY. Last September, New York based record label, SpinSpinNYC, released a six track compilation entitled Nutritious Presents Duke Williams and The Extremes. SpinSpinNYC had rediscovered the music of Duke Williams and The Extremes. They wanted to share their love and belief in this …
SOUL JAZZ RECORDS PRESENTS: DEUTSCHE ELECKTRONISCHE MUZIK 2.
SOUL JAZZ RECORDS PRESENTS: DEUTSCHE ELECKTRONISCHE MUZIK 2. Sometimes, when it comes to compilations, sequels don’t quite live up the first volume in a series. Often, the first volume in a series has exhausted the supply of seminal music. So, when the eagerly awaited sequel is released, there’s often a sense of disappointment. Too often, …
MICHAELA MCCLAIN-THE STORY SO FAR.
MICHAELA MCCLAIN-THE STORY SO FAR. Recently, I came across one of the most talented singer, songwriters and musicians I’ve heard in a long time. Her name is Michaela McClain, who released her debut single Needed More in March 2012, with her sophomore single Ur Love following later in March 2012. After that, Michaela headed to …
BLUE MAGIC-MYSTIC DRAGONS.
BLUE MAGIC-MYSTIC DRAGONS. The story of Blue Magic, is far from unique. Their eponymous debut album Blue Magic, released in January 1974, reached number forty-five in the US Billboard 200 and number four in the US R&B Charts. This resulted in Blue Magic being certified gold. Blue Magic featured the million-selling Philly Soul classic Sideshow, …
AZTECA-AZTECA.
AZTECA-AZTECA. With brothers Coke and Pete Escovedo growing up Oakland in the sixties, surrounded by Latin music, it’s no surprise that they decided to form their own group, Azteca. Like Santana, Azteca were a pioneering and innovative group. Their music was a fusion of a multiplicity of musical genres and influences, including Latin and funk. …
MONTANA-I LOVE MUSIC.
MONTANA-I LOVE MUSIC. 1978 marked the start of the next chapter in the long and successful career of Vince Montana Jr. Just a few months earlier, one chapter closed and the next began. The chapter that had just finished lasted three years. It began in 1975, when Vince Montana Jr. founded The Salsoul Orchestra. Vince …
THE BEST NEW ALBUMS OF 2012-PART 2.
THE BEST NEW ALBUMS OF 2012-PART 2. The Best New Albums of 2012-Part 2, covers the period between May and June 2012. These two months proved to be good months for new music. Two veterans of music, Paul Buchanan and Eddie Levert somewhat belatedly, released debut solo albums. Then there were three truly innovative albums, …
PAUL BUCHANAN-MID AIR-DELUXE EDITION.
PAUL BUCHANAN-MID AIR-DELUXE EDITION. 2012 has been a great year for anyone who loves the music of the Blue Nile. Not only have we enjoyed deluxe reissues of the Blue Nile’s first two albums, 1984s A Walk Across the Rooftops and 1989s Hats, but Paul Buchanan released his long awaited debut album Mid Air in …
GREAT BRITISH ALBUMS.
GREAT BRITISH ALBUMS. Usually, in the run-up to Christmas, record companies find any excuse to release compilations, best of’s and box set galore. Wander through you’re local record shop, and you’ll find the umpteenth album of greatest hits from the usual suspects, including rock stars of yesteryear topping up their pension plans. Often, a similar …
TIM MAIA: WORLD PSYCHEDELIC CLASSICS 4: NOBODY CAN LIVE FOREVER: THE EXISTENTIAL SOUL OF TIM MAIA.
TIM MAIA: WORLD PSYCHEDELIC CLASSICS 4: NOBODY CAN LIVE FOREVER: THE EXISTENTIAL SOUL OF TIM MAIA. For a label looking to release a retrospective compilation of an artist’s career, things don’t always go smoothly. Pitfalls aplenty await the label. Often their persistence, never mind patience is sorely tested. Indeed from deciding to rerelease an album …
BLUE NILE-HATS.
BLUE NILE-HATS. For most groups, a gap of five years between albums would be unthinkable. It just wouldn’t happen. Either the group would be keen to get a new album released, or their record company would be pressurizing them to do so. Not the Blue Nile. In fact, the five years between their debut alum …
JOE MCALINDEN-BLEACHED HIGHLIGHTS.
JOE MCALINDEN-BLEACHED HIGHLIGHTS. In the past few years, the way people buy music has changed beyond all recognition. Long gone are the days when buying new music involved a trip to your local record store. Now record stores are disappearing on an almost daily basis, with even the large chains vanishing from high streets. Replacing …
RY COODER-ELECTION TIME.
RY COODER-ELECTION TIME. For roughly a hundred years, American music has a history of producing some of greatest protest singers in the history of music. Woody Guthrie, Joe Hill, Josh White, Pete Seeger, Burl Ives and Billie Holliday. A later generation protest singers included Bob Dylan, Phil Ochs and Joan Baez. Unlike America, British singers …
DR. JOHN-LOCKED DOWN.
DR. JOHN-LOCKED DOWN. One of the great survivors of music is Dr. John. It seems be’s been around since the dawn of rock ‘n’ roll. He was at the peak of his creativity between 1969 and 1974. During that time, Dr. John was on a roll that people thought would never end. Critically acclaimed albums …
PSYCHEMAGIK PRESENTS MAGIK CYRKLES.
PSYCHEMAGIK PRESENTS MAGIK CYRKLES. Sometimes, when you buy a compilation, the first time you play it, you’re blown away by its sheer eclecticism and totally smitten by the music. That was me, when I came across Leng Records’ latest compilation, Psychemagik Presents Magik Cyrkles. This is a double-album, compiled by the prolific UK production team …
BREAKWATER-SPLASHDOWN.
BREAKWATER-SPLASHDOWN. Imagine being one of the hottest unsigned bands in Philadelphia during the seventies and not even trying to get a deal with Gamble and Huff’s Philadelphia International Records. Not even knocking on Gamble and Huff’s door might seem strange or even, somewhat remiss. After all, Gamble and Huff were at the helm of …
WAH WAH WATSON-ELEMENTARY.
WAH WAH WATSON-ELEMENTARY. Whenever I listen to music, one thing I always do is look at which musicians play on an album. One man whose played on more sessions than the average musician has had gigs, is the one and only Wah Wah Watson, virtuoso guitarist and a man who weaves that unmistakable wah wah …
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