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Friday, October 26

a fallish selection from the world around

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The Darbuki Kings
Doumtekastan
: Taking you listeners on “a journey through the back alleys of Central Asia, conjuring images of belly dancers, snake charmers and mysteries unknown, The Darbuki Kings (Robin Adnan Anders and Antonio Albarran) bring you to a place of both mystery and romance.”~(Massive Music America) Doumtekastan is a mosaic of instrumental music made with tabla, timbales and darbouka, sitar and Laouto…aka “home therapy kit in a box.” ~ (Robin
comments / tracks of interest: which track will fit into your mix??? they’re all so good!


Leni Stern
Africa
: Distinguished guitarist, Leni Stern brings together Western and African music on Africa. African in it’s strong percussion and asymmetrical indigenous sounds of instrumentalists and singers from Mali and Senegal, the sound is “too Western” for my deficient tastes. Although, I do appreciate her efforts for, “wanting people to hear what Africa sounds like.” “ Africa deserves our respect,” she says, “not just our mercy. And out of respect for the music, I felt compelled to record the album in Africa.”
comments / tracks of interest:
#1: engaging intro, beautiful vocals
#2: fancy guitar abilities w/ strings & English lyrics
*#9: very sweet
#12: story about children soldiers#13: short instrumental


Putumayo Presents
Gypsy Groove
“Gypsies, or Roma as they prefer to be called, have had a fascinating history. After leaving the Indus Valley more than 1,000 years ago, they migrated first to the Middle East and Eastern Europe and then to the rest of the world, building their reputations as master musicians and entertainers.” ~ (Putumayo) Here, we hear examples of hip-modern influences through familiar artists such as Balkan Beat Box and…well, that is the only band that I recognize. A portion of sales of this album will be donated to the Roma Education Fund, who supports policies and programs providing quality education to Gypsy children
comments / tracks of interest:
#1: upbeat rhythms & clapping & other hocketing sounds
#2: instrumental
#3: begins w/ singing then gently transforms into a smooth rap
#4: swinging clarinet
#5: mechanical soul instrumental by BBB
#6: Uzbekistan pop
#7: “Slovenian Madonna”
*#10: traditional Roma song done gypsy-tango-klezmer-punk #11: club culture & oriental flavors


Sergio & Odair Assad
Jardim abandonado
Like their sister, Brazilian Lotus musician Badi Assad, Sergio & Odair are skilled guitarists. In this abandoned garden, the brothers play gentle duos, affluent in Assad emotionalism. They perform originals, and covers of Antonio Carlos Jobim, and even Gershwin!
comments / tracks of interest:
(listed in order of appreciation)#’s 11, 1, 7, 13, 9, & 14

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Friday, October 19

new post from the World Music Genre

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Adama
Delicate Dragon
Afro-British singer songwriter/UK kung fu champion, (Adama) is now an ‘English girl in New York.’ Her style reminds me of Sade w/ synthesized electronic adaptations to the music and vocals. I define it as a pop album discussing her personal struggles in love, destruction, and desire. The beauty of this designer record décor, created high expectations, and I am reminded yet again…”you can’t judge a book by looking at the cover.”
comments / tracks of interest:
#1: Middle Eastern violin riffs make this track interesting
#6: tricky rhythms#7: nice harmony in vocals & synth sounds


Various Artists
Israel
Putumayo has selected non-controversial songs popular within the boundaries of the Jewish state, and to keep things P.C., even included a Palestinian performer. Artists’ profiles tell of various interesting lives growing up in Israel.
Putumayo has selected non-controversial songs popular within the boundaries of the Jewish state, and to keep things P.C., even included a Palestinian performer. Artists’ profiles tell of various interesting lives growing up in Israel.
comments / tracks of interest:
#1: a popular singer of Tunisian heritage
#2: kinda guitar jazzy?
#3: a song about high expectations for a fleeting reality
#4: duet w/ Gidi Gov & accordion
#5: a plea for peace and understanding
#7: a funked up traditional song sung in Yemeni
#9: one of Israel’s most beloved singer-songwriters#11: the Palestinian singer, quite lovely

Rough Guide/W.M.N.
Latino Nuevo
: “This album includes many of the exciting and innovative Latin bands around today, offering a real insight into Latin music of the twenty-first century. A good number of these artists are self-produced and on independent labels, so there is an emphasis on discovery and exposure, and even through many of them have operated outside the mainstream o f European and American pop they have picked up the influences-jazz, folk, rock, soul and funk and combined them with their own.”-Rough Guide
comments / tracks of interest:
#3: Afro-Caribbean & contemporary pop
#4: house, Afro-beat, & salsa
#5: tables incorporate an Asian element
#6: Yoruba chants, Bata drums, & rap
#7: Latin ska
#8: good for dancing
#9: pan-African jam
#12: hip-hop w/ a variety of Caribbean styles
#13: Puerto Rican rap#14: represents Aztec Culture

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Monday, October 15

New Electronic Muzak reviewed: 10/12

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It's been awhile, but I finally got a free weekend to add some good electronic in the booth. Running the gamut here from dub/reggae, rock-based, dance, and industrial electronic music. Enjoy!

DATE: 9/20/07
ARTIST: Fat Freddy’s Drop
TITLE: Based on a True Story
GENRE: Reggae/Electronic
GRADE: B+
REVIEW: Feddy’s fuse skanking urban Pacific roots, soul, dub, jazz and electronica into hypnotic and thunderous grooves. Most tracks have a slow start and give a reggae/dub vibe.
RECOMMENDED TRACKS:
2 – reggae flavor
4 – chilled soulful groove
7 – more poppy and party
FCC: clean
REVIEWER: Markus Lowe

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DATE: 10/11/07
ARTIST: Marsmobil
TITLE: Minx
LABEL: G-Stone
GENRE: Electronic/Alt
GRADE: A
REVIEW: Inspired by the trashy analog sound aesthetics of the 60’s and 70’s, Marsmobil merges Retro and Future, Space-Pop and Burt Barcarach-like orchestrations.
RECOMMENDED TRACKS:
1 – floaty & psychedelic w/bluesy riffs
3 – haunting minimalist trip-hop flavor
4 – bossa chill
5 – rolling chill in outer space, French vocal
*6 – epic mellow rocker, fuses distorted guitar, sitar/asian sounds w/a 60’s garage rock sound
*7 – stripped-down, beat oriented & reverberated sound
9 – bouncey dance w/lounge vocals
10 – creepy instrumental
FCC: clean
REVIEWER: Markus Lowe

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DATE: 9/20/07
ARTIST: Digitalism
TITLE: Idealism
GENRE: Electronic/Dance
GRADE: A+
REVIEW: Grade A electro/dance. Try any of them!
RECOMMENDED TRACKS:
*7 – electro rocker with a Killers feel to it
*3 – breakbeat rock
2 – fat electric goodness
*9 – dance/rock with distorted vocals
4 – slow bounce
12 – mellow breaks
FCC: clean
REVIEWER: Markus Lowe

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DATE: 10/12/07
ARTIST: Jenny Dalton
TITLE: Carbon Lily Remixes
GENRE: Electronica/Dance
GRADE: B
REVIEW: On Carbon Lily, Jenny Dalton teams up with DJs and producers from the US, England, Germany, and Greece to reinvent songs from her debut album as dark, heavy, and seductive club remixes.
RECOMMENDED TRACKS:
*2 – dark dubby slow-mo house
3 – hard electro
4 – ambient/downtempo
*6 – spacey progressive dance w/a tribal touch
8, 9 – downtempo/ambient, more vocal-piano based
*7 – ambient tribal electronica
FCC: clean
REVIEWER: Markus Lowe

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DATE: 10/12/07
ARTIST: San Serac
TITLE: Professional
GENRE: Electronic/Dance
GRADE: B+
REVIEW: see front, pretty right on
RECOMMENDED TRACKS:
*2 – could be the soundtrack to an NES game
5 – blockbuster intro & chorus with a laid-back groove in between
*7 – solid
9 – mellow dance w/guitar flares, like the end of a movie
11 – electro/tribal bounce
12 – driving electro-dance, lounge feel w/horns too
FCC: 3 & 13 (shit)
REVIEWER: Markus Lowe

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DATE: 10/12/07
ARTIST: KMFDM
TITLE: Tohuvabohu (To-Hoo-Vuh-Bo-Hoo)
GENRE: Industrial/Metal
GRADE: B
REVIEW: The same since ’84. Surely you have heard of these industrial/metal junkies by now…
RECOMMENDED TRACKS:
*2 – Lords of Acid feel, sexy vocal w/menacing up-tempo electronics and epic sounding chorus
3 – hard industrial
4 – driving industrial metal thrasher
5 – ditto, but more old school metal, German lyrics
6 – female riot vocals, energized industrial
7 – groovy German industrial dance
FCC: 9 (shit), no comment on the German lyrics…
REVIEWER: Markus Lowe

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Sunday, October 14

CD Reviews -- Cathi 10/14/07

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Carlton, Larry & Robben Ford – “Live in Tokyo” (335 Records) A-

Two guitar virtuosos…Carlton with immense history as a jazz player with blues overtones, and Ford, with wicked electric chops that slip away into jazz. They put together a largely instrumental tour de force of originals. Easily discernable with separate sounds, they meld together in a pleasing way – a guitar player’s disc for sure.

Nelson, Tracy – “You’ll Never Be a Stranger at My Door” (Memphis Rec) B

Old Texas singer moving back from a blues approach to a more country-roots disc. Known as a blues shouter more than a melodious singer, Nelson can push hard, and here, amply uses her rough vibrato to pull out some old country favorites. Very nice band with some good female backups…don’t really like her voice (personal preference).

Price, Toni – “Talk Memphis” (Antones) B+

An Austin regular corrals a large posse of REALLY good musicians from the area and puts out a nice collection of blues. Her voice doesn’t move me that much, but oh the musicianship—Dave Grissom, Derek O’Brien, Johnny Moeller, George Rains, Marcia Ball – all blues solid musicians and excellent session players

Stoltz, Brian – “Up All Night” (Long Overdue Rec.) B

A guitarist that leans heavily on funk grooves. ..lots of sizzling effects and some serious SRV cooties. Uses wah wah, sustain, and does a dern good impression of a drunk bar crowd delight. Used to play with Nevilles, the Meters, and digs New Orleans funk. Seems like he would be more exciting in person. Here he blasts out on two discs and surprises with an interesting interpretation of “Ring of Fire.” Otherwise, I’d need a couple of drinks.

Thornton, Billy Bob – “Beautiful Door” (Universal/New Door) C

Billy Bob can afford some wicked players and he sure gots em here. Graham Nash for backups, Brad Davis on guitar, Leland Sklar on Bass—whew. The music is really something special, but the songs (originals by Thornton) are a bit too campy and political to ring the bell. Still, he does have an interesting take on things, and there may be an audience for this. Liked Sling Blade better. .

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Saturday, October 13

music from the global genre

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Kiran Ahluwalia's new album is called, Wanderlust,
“If yearning had a musical form it would be ghazals, the Indian and Pakistani sung poetry about unrequited love. If longing was a genre, it would be fado, the melancholic Portuguese song form also based in poetry. Singer Kiran Ahluwalia—a musical wanderer who was born in India, raised in Canada, and now lives in New York City—unites the two on her latest recording, Wanderlust. As always she has been poring over poetry—ancient and modern—in search of compelling words which she can set to music, continuing her reputation as one of the few people in the Western hemisphere composing new music for ghazals. The latest album draws on fado, Saharan African blues, jazz, and more demonstrating Kiran’s continual journey to bring her unique

comments / tracks of interest:

*#2: Punjabi folk song

#5: w/ tables & accordion

#6: sweet ghazal, slow tempo

#7: another Punjabi

*#8: haunting musicality



Think Global releases Women of Africa
Presenting familiar names, like Sally Nyolo and her music from the Cameroon, and Gigi who performs a song from her latest release Salam, and the infamous Miriam Makeba serves us “Pata Pata” (sung in Xhosa). Women of Africa represent, and money from sales from this album help ensure that everyone’s rights are fulfilled and protected.

comments / tracks of interest:

#1: subtle horse hoof rhythms

#2: led by violin, soaring female vocals soon follow

#3: an experiment for an Ethiopian Diva

#7: funky rhythm w/ strong vocals

#10: bubbling percussive elements

#11: heart felt

#12: the popular PATA PATA!



Let's be roughly guided through Latin Funk!
Here the Rough Guide compilers have done what they do best…re-earth some of the finest within a genre…this time around we go Latin Funk! Antibalas, Nortec Collective, Ozomatli, and (my personal favorite) Los Amigos Invisibles, are back in the firehouse again! (And I am happy to have them). Get ready to shake shake shake those hips!

comments / tracks of interest:

#1: somewhat of a spooky sound, appropriate for Halloween!

#2: congas w/ funky guitar line and clapping and more!

#3: an Antibalas song w/ lyrics!

#5: pretty cool ya’ll

*#6: WOOHOO!

#7: Spam

#8: African influences, deep female vocals

#10: Spanish rap twisted through guitar samples and back up vocals

#11: a collection of samples from Tijuana

#12: THE ROOSTER!

#13: Cumbia, hip hop, & flamenco guitar

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Monday, October 1

Cathi's Reviews -10/1/07

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Cale, J.J. – “Rewind” (Crazy Mama Music) A

Like Dylan, when J.J. Cale goes into the studio, he just starts playing the songs he has and records until he gets tired. Then he selects the ones he thinks go together and puts out an album. This disc is a collection of the ones that weren’t previously released from those efforts. It’s classic Cale...groovin’, easy beats and gruff, restrained vocals and sometimes with a little country flavor. Good for all mixes...you can’t argue with JJ’s beats...tasteful and satisfying.

Rush, Bobby – “Raw” (Deep Rush Music) A-

Here is a surprise disc from a tried-and-true electric blues player. Rush, first famous on the southern chitlin circuit and now a large and popular name in the blues, is usually backed by a full band complete with horns. Think he decided to follow the lead of other electric blues players and put out an acoustic collection. This is great because it showcases Rush’s talents uncovered by sidemen. He’s good! This disc, mostly medium tempo numbers, (and all original tunes but for 1, 2, and 4) is good for most mixes. Liked it!

posted by Cathi N @ 9:30:00 AM   0 comments

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