Coke Escovedo - Comin' At Ya!

This is one of those albums that I’ve only ever played one track of before.

It kind of goes without saying that that track is I Wouldn’t Change A Thing – Escovedo’s over-caffeinated version of Johnny Bristol’s YOLO anthem. A dancefloor-filling, toe-tapping, singalong, funky-latin-groove classic. A ten. More than a ten.

The rest of the album is a directionless disappointment, which has very very occasional moments of promise, but never quite focuses long enough in any direction to make an impression.

This is why you’ve probably never heard of any other Coke Escovedo tune.

Also, it has a ‘side A’ and ‘side one’. That’s neither big nor clever.

#NowPlaying
#Vinyl
#CokeEscovedo
#CominAtYa
#LatinSoul
#Music

Teena Marie - Irons In The Fire

I bought this album as a cut-out at the first Rockley Sands Soul Weekender. You Make Love Like Springtime was a massive tune on that scene at that time, as was Portuguese Love (from It Must Be Magic, which I also bought whilst I was at it).

In 1991, me and a couple of mates went to the Hammersmith Odeon to see her live, when she was touring to promote Ivory. When the show started, there was this amazing voice, but where was Teena? The voice was coming out of a very different-looking older woman in a blue-satin jump-suit and baseball cap, playing guitar. Turns out Teena had been using old photos on her record sleeves for years.

She was fucking great though.

#NowPlaying
#Vinyl
#TeenaMarie
#IronsInTheFire
#RockleySandsSoulWeekender
#Soul
#Music

Eryka Badu - Worldwide Underground

I fully intended to make a World Vegan Day post this year, but had quite a busy weekend what with one thing and another (eating alfalfa sprouts and picking through my lentils for stones), so didn’t get round to it.

Here we have Badu’s third album (and, I reckon, my favourite). Funky neo-soul, with a slew of the finest of R&B and hip-hop guests.

Powered by plants.

#NowPlaying
#Vinyl
#ErykahBadu
#WorldwideUnderground
#NeoSoul
#Soul
#WorldVeganDay
#Vegan
#Music

Bobby Womack - Someday We'll All Be Free

A recent post set me off trying to think of my top five soul albums. The top four is easy. And three out of the four are on Beverly Glen.

This isn’t going to be in anyone’s top five. It’s an album of tracks swept up from the cutting room floor after the recording of The Poet and The Poet II albums and released by Otis Smith without Womack’s consent.

Despite that, it’s not a bad album. It’s certainly better than some of the stuff he released in the next few years.

#NowPlaying
#Vinyl
#BobbyWomack
#SomedayWellAllBeFree
#BeverlyGlenMusic
#Soul
#Music

Swamp Dogg - Have You Heard This Story??

An album firmly rooted in rhythm & blues, which still displays Swamp Dogg’s usual eccentricity and bile.

#NowPlaying
#Vinyl
#SwampDogg
#HaveYouHeardThisStory
#RhythmAndBlues
#Music

Steeleye Span - Below The Salt

English folk, with a focus on the mediaeval, and everything on overdrive a bit. Gadzooks – it’s fucking great!

And...Gaudete.

#NowPlaying
#Vinyl
#SteeleyeSpan
#BelowTheSalt
#Folk
#EnglishFolk
#FolkRock
#AlanPartridge
#Music

Vin Garbutt - Little Innocents

As someone who grew up listening to punk, I truly believed that it was the only music which eschewed soppy love songs in favour of social issues. Then I discovered folk.

If I described this 1983 album to you, thematically, you’ll see what I mean. It has a cover which is the painting called The Slaughter of the Innocents which shows children being massacred by troops, and has songs about American cultural imperialism, spina bifida and the rights of the disabled, domestic violence, homelessness/alcoholism, unemployment, pollution, and civil rights.

Suck my folky dick, Conflict.

Anyway, the album ends with a big, all encompassing, song about all the wrongs of the world. Think From The Cradle To The Grave which turns everything into a pro-life argument. Fuck. Got that wrong. Haven't been that wrong about a song since I thought Abortion by Black Uhuru was pro-choice!

#NowPlaying
#Vinyl
#VinGarbutt
#LittleInnocents
#Folk
#EnglishFolk
#FolkRock
#Music

Steeleye Span - Parcel Of Rogues

An album which addresses the tension between the old and the new during industrialisation and does that by creating tension between old and new musical forms.

Someone really needed to reign in the guitarists during the recording of this. Oh, and they’ve brought the drummer back.

I’m a sucker for Hares On The Mountain, and this album contains my least favourite version yet.

#NowPlaying
#Vinyl
#SteeleyeSpan
#ParcelOfRogues
#Folk
#EnglishFolk
#FolkRock
#Music

Steeleye Span - Ten Man Mop Or Mr Reservoir Butler Rides Again

I remember, years ago, I was driving home from work in a Mitsubishi Mirage with an unnecessarily loud stereo, playing a ripped CD of Steeleye Span tunes with no track listing. It struck me that musically, the song Gower Wassail, which kicks off this album, could be NoMeansNo, with its taut stabs. Think, It's Catching Up.

I’ve pondered this now and then over the intervening years, but have never known which particular Steeleye Span tune it was. Now I know.

This has made me want to listen to NoMeansNo.

#NowPlaying
#Vinyl
#SteeleyeSpan
#TenManMopOrMrReservoirButlerRidesAgain
#Folk
#EnglishFolk
#FolkRock
#NoMeansNo
#Music

Christian Scott aTunde Adjuah - Ancestral Recall

2019 was a great year for music, and when this came out I thought it was truly amazing. I raved about it. Even in such a strong field, it stood out – it sounded so fresh and exciting.

Listening to it today, whilst it has its moments, it’s not an album I play often. And that’s because it just doesn’t sound as good as it did then. Let me think why that is. Perhaps it was just of its time (and there's nothing wrong with that.) Certainly, it all sounds a bit long-winded.

You know, in 2019, there was a tendency for albums to sprawl over four sides of 180g vinyl. If there's one thing prog-rock has taught us: more isn't necessarily more. Now, vinyl is made of oil, and oil is much more expensive. Hopefully, as a result, artists will be forced to employ a bit more economy in their work.

Maybe it’ll come into its own again in another few years.

#NowPlaying
#Vinyl
#ChristianScottaTundeAdjuah
#AncestralRecall
#Jazz
#Music

Richard Dawson - 2020

Richard Dawson is one of those people who I listen to and have no idea how they do any of it: his process, his lyrics, his playing style...none of it.

Because I've spent so much time playing the last couple of albums, I've neglected the earlier ones. I'd forgotten how good this is.

#NowPlaying
#Vinyl
#RichardDawson
#2020
#AvantGardeFolk
#Music

Rick James - Cold Blooded

Old mate Rick had become somewhat formulaic by this, his seventh album. I still find that formula quite agreeable though.

The album features guests like Smokey Robinson, Grandmaster Flash and actor Billy Dee Williams (you’ll now him when you see him).

When the album was written, James was in a relationship with actress Linda Blair, who had a termination of pregnancy without telling him. The title track sees James having a sook about that, or some might say, exorcising his demons.

Also, TIL Linda Blair's a vegan🥦✊.

#NowPlaying
#Vinyl
#RickJames
#ColdBlooded
#Funk
#LindaBlair
#Music

Steeleye Span - Please To See The King

When they recorded the first album, Steeleye Span all lived in the same house, like a proper band. This, rather predictably, ended in tears and bitter acrimony and a corporate re-structuring.

The most noticeable changes on this, the second album, are the absence of a drummer and the presence of the then emerging English folk ledge Martin Carthy, whose presence is immediately apparent.

I wouldn’t mind betting that Planxty were listening to this, pointing at the record player and exclaiming “That!”

I feel like I’m going to have to buy the next album now.

The sleeve of this album is a hessian effect. This sent me down a rabbit hole trying to remember which 90’s Scottish punk band released an album with a real hessian sleeve. Found it.

#NowPlaying
#Vinyl
#SteeleyeSpan
#PleaseToSeeTheKing
#MartinCarthy
#FolkRock
#EnglishFolk
#Folk
#Sedition
#Music

Airto - I'm Fine, How Are You?

I put this on so I could play along with Celebration Suite on children's percussion instruments with my granddaughter.

It’s not until you try to play along with it that you realise just how complex a tune it is.

#NowPlaying
#Vinyl
#Airto
#airtomoreira
#ImFineHowAreYou
#CelebrationSuite
#Brazilian
#JazzFusion
#Music

Bobby Womack - The Poet II

It’s a good indication that a record is one of your foundation tunes, if you can remember being stopped in your tracks the first time you heard it.

I was working overtime on a Saturday morning in 1984. My boss used to go home and leave me to it and I’d change the radio station from Radio 2 (which was even worse on Saturdays than the rest of the week) on to Radio London to hear Robbie Vincent. I remember standing there, completely blown away by Surprise, Surprise.

#NowPlaying
#Vinyl
#BobbyWomack
#ThePoetII
#Soul
#Music

Steeleye Span - Hark! The Village Wait

A 1970s take on English folk, with a version of The Blacksmith and Blackleg Miner.

Maddy Prior has a wonderful voice.

Their wikipedia page actually says, 'Not to be confused with Steely Dan.'

Also, shout out to the shittiest, most low-effort record sleeve ever. Jesus.

#NowPlaying
#Vinyl
#SteeleyeSpan
#HarkTheVillageWait
#Folk
#Music

John Coltrane - Both Directions At Once: The Lost Album

My favourite Coltrane playing is when he’s on the soprano saxophone, and there’s lots of it to be had here.

The fact that this recording sat in someone’s cupboard, unreleased for 40 years is just incredible, as is the fact that the record label destroyed the masters to make some room. Can you imagine?

“It’s looking a bit cluttered in here.”
“Yeah, throw those unreleased John Coltrane master tapes in the skip.”

#NowPlaying
#Vinyl
#JohnColtrane
#BothDirectionsAtOnce
#Jazz
#Music

D'Angelo - Brown Sugar

I was genuinely saddened to hear of the death of D’Angelo earlier this week. He was such a talent.

His three albums are all wonderful. He managed to cover a lot of ground within so few releases. This, his debut, was the most traditional and melodic of the three.

Rest in peace.

#NowPlaying
#Vinyl
#DAngelo
#BrownSugar
#NeoSoul
#Music

McCarthy - Banking, Violence and the Inner Life Today

We kept a bottle of champagne in our fridge for years, ready to pop it open when Thatcher died. When it finally happened, we woke up in the middle of the night in Australia, popped that fucking cork and danced around the kitchen.

This album would easily be in my all time top ten, despite it opening with a sample of Thatcher’s nasty, shrill voice, which always sets my teeth on edge.

#NowPlaying
#Vinyl
#McCarthy
#Indie
#BankingViolenceAndTheInnerLifeToday
#Music

Scott Walker + Sunn O))) - Soused

I got this in 2014 when it came out. I was the father of teenage kids at that time, and the house was sometimes like a teenagers’ doss-house. It’s all well and good being the house where the kids and their mates choose to hang out, but fucking hell, you wish they’d all fuck off somewhere else sometimes.

In order to clear the house of kids, I’d just play this.

Now they've grown up and left home, I’ve found that the empty-nester version of this is upsetting the dogs. Whilst I’ve been playing this, they’ve both had a good bark at the front door and are prowling round on high alert. I don’t know of another record that has this effect on them.

#NowPlaying
#Vinyl
#ScottWalkerandSunnO)))
#Soused
#ScottWalker
#SunnO)))
#Music

Vin Garbutt - Tossin' A Wobbler

Back in Birmingham, I used to live a short walk from one of the best folk clubs in Britain. It wasn’t until I had a bit of an English folk awakening in the early 00’s that I realised what I’d been missing and started going. Although, unfortunately, I never went to see Vin Garbutt on any of the many occasions he played there.

Then, a decade later, across the other side of the planet, in a proper old junk shop in the Riverland town of Renmark, I find a copy of this LP for a dollar.

I think Garbutt was quite popular in Australia – it seems he used to tour here quite regularly, and this album has a South Australian distributor’s sticker on the back. And I recently saw a copy of this album in the record shop near my house.

The album is a mix of songs, both pre and post- industrial revolution, and reels. It’s very good. Wish I’d gone to see him live.

#NowPlaying
#Vinyl
#VinGarbutt
#TossinAWobbler
#RedLionFolkClub
#Renmark
#Folk
#Music

Scott Walker - The Drift

Oof!

#NowPlaying
#Vinyl
#ScottWalker
#TheDrift
#Music

Miles Davis - Milestones

I’m not really sure what I can say about this album, other than it’s perhaps the quintessential hard bop album. Milestones, the tune, is one of my favourite pieces of music.

Fucking awesome.

This is a mono KPG pressing from 2013, which sounds fantastic.

#NowPlaying
#Vinyl
#MilesDavis
#Milestones
#Jazz
#Music

The Wolfe Tones - A Belt Of The Celts

I was once told a marvellous Wolfe Tones story. I don’t know if it’s true, but I hope it is.

It’s the peak of the hunger strikes and emotions are running high. The Wolfe Tones are playing a packed and politically charged gig in Waterford. Derek Warfield addresses the crowd between songs:
Derek: “Are you having a good time tonight?”
Crowd: “Yeah”
Derek: “Have we got any Brits in tonight?”
Solitary voice in the crowd: “Yes”
Derek: “Oh…um, well, we hope you have a lovely time in Waterford.”

I bought this LP in the mid-80s. It taught me that a tune doesn’t have to be punk to be angry.

Bobby Sands. Never forgotten.

#NowPlaying
#Vinyl
#TheWolfeTones
#ABeltOfTheCelts
#Irish
#Trad
#Folk
#Music

John Martyn - Solid Air

Danny Thompson, who played bass on this album—as well as lots of others—died last week.

I saw Martyn live in 1985, at one of those free festivals put on by the GLC, when they were using up all the money before being disbanded by Thatcher. I think he was a bit lost on me at the time. I was waiting for Gil Scott-Heron to come on. I wish I'd appreciated it more, but there you go. Looking at the setlist, it would've been great.

I probably don’t need to say what a fine album this is.

There's a rather good docco about Martyn made by the BBC, Johnny Too Bad, which is well worth a watch. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q0DVynJD4jE&t=4s(it's on YouTube) It might be time to give it another go.

#NowPlaying
#Vinyl
#JohnMartyn
#SolidAir
#DannyThompson
#Folk
#Music

I-Level - Minefield 12"

We recently watched the docco Record On: New Order - Power, Corruption & Lies on SBS. It’s worth a watch. Of particular interest was an interview with Arthur Baker, who mentioned that he had been working with I-Level at the time. (None of this 12" was produced by him, though.)

I used to love I-Level. I’ve got three of their singles, but this has always been my favourite.

Minefield was such a massive tune in its day. The sound of being 17 for me.

I still frequently get the B-side, Number 4 as an earworm. It's been 40-odd years now.

This 12” has the added bonus of having the best mix of their other big tune, Give Me, on it.

I used to live with a cat who would use my records as a scratching post. The sleeve of this record is evidence of that.

#NowPlaying
#Vinyl
#I-Level
#Minefield
#PostDisco
#Boogie
#NewOrder
#ArthurBaker
#Music