Fela Ransome-Kuti & The Afrika 70* – Gentleman
Fela’s fuck you to colonialism’s customs and attire. I fucking love this album cover and the title track is chefs kiss. This is the Knitting Factory repress which has mixed reviews. Sounds and plays fine to me. Finally crossed this one off my want list. I just by chance happened to be matching when I put this on.
#nowplaying #nowspinning #vinyl #records #Felakuti #afrobeat
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Delta 5– Singles and Sessions 1979-1981
I’ve been wanting some Delta 5 on wax for a long time and picked this up on my little get away. Gosh they are good. The Scottish guy who ran the store tapped the cover and said “ah brilliant” when I went to pay and then we had a nice little chat. I love a record store chat tbh.
This is the 2024 repress of the Kill Rock Stars early 2000’s CD compilation. Sometimes I find these sorts of collections to to contain unlistenable filler of outtakes. Not this though! This contains a handful of tracks, is a great pressing, and the sea green is really pretty. Also comes with a poster.
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Derrick Harriott – Reggae Disco Rockers
I picked this up from Licorice Pie in Melbourne. It’s such a beautiful record. When I bought this I walked into the middle of someone trying to scam the shop – they’d clearly switched a bunch of stickers on some jazz records and trying to buy a pile for 10 each etc. The shop commented it was odd and politely declined to sell the records. They were thrilled I was buying this and Irma Thomas though.
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Yasuaki Shimizu - Kakashi
Belated post
I had this record in my mind's eye all week to dig out for my weekend coffee and tunes. Sometimes that happens. An album just pops in my head and I have to scratch the itch.
Released in 1982 Japan it wasn't until 2017 this got a repress. It's hard to describe. Combo of jazz and electronics. A bit Enoish at points.
Yasuaki plays a huge stack of instruments on the album and as you go through the list we get to charango (i had to look that up), toys and "noises".
The title track is in my permanent collection of favourites.
This is the 2017 repress out on Swiss label We Release Whatever the Fuck We Want Records - an excellent label. Unfortunately, the repress didn't come with an obi which was an odd decision.
#YasuakiShimizu #kakashi #nowplaying #nowspinning #vinyl #records
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Terrible Truths - Self Titled
2015 Naarm / Melbourne queer post punk on Bedroom Suck Records. My favourite oz band at the time of that era. At the time it was a 3 piece - 2 girl back and forth vocals and a drummer. They were excellent.
This was sadly their only LP with a handful of 7 inches prior. They'd been kicking around for a good few years before this was released.
There was a wave of Australian post punk / Garage Rock with a particular unique Australian suburban sound between 2010 onwards. The new pub rock. Think Scott and Charlene's wedding. Although like most of that scene, there were a lot of male dominated bands. Terrible Truths bought a refreshing mix to the scene.
I was inspired to pop this on this morning after having dinner with my friend last night who is good mates with the guitarist. In true Tarntanya / Adelaide fashion there is 6 degrees of separation as I went to school with the bass player.
#nowspinning #vinyl #records #postpunk #Australianpunk #bedroomsuckrecords #terribletruths #queerpunk
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Ahmed Fakroun – كلمات حب / Mots D'amour
More belated posts catching up on…
Ahmed Fakroun is a Libyan singer/songwriter/musician. On this album he mixes traditional Arabic sounds with heavy 80’s synths. He’s got a nice 80’s mullet on the cover to boot.
The stand out track is Soleil Soleil followed by Gelty. We use to spin both quite a bit on the radio. The rest is a bit hit and miss. It’s not bad, but I remembered why I hadn’t dug it out for awhile.
I picked this repress up from Round and Round in Naarm/Melbourne around 2016.
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Tom Tom Club - Close To The Bone
A belated post from my spin last Saturday morning. I realised this was sitting in my drafts as we had to head off to a 40th. It’s that time of year because we have another one today!
This is a 1983 Japanese press with obi and all. A good find for $35 IMHO from Round and Round, Brunswick Naarm/Melbourne. Surprised it hasn't had a repress.
This morning, I spent some time in the depths of the internet about TTC and golly people are mad. I had no idea they were such a divisive band. A blog was canning this album describing it as "too much humble bubblegummy politeness". I snorted my coffee reading that.
My hot take is Tom Tom Club are great and this is an underrated album. You can hear where Le Tigre and other bands similar were inspired sound wise from some of the tracks on this. I’ve left it out to give it another spin.
#nowplaying #nowspinning #vinyl #records #tomtomclub #ClosetoTheBone
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Lou Reed – Rock n Roll Animal
I seem to be on my hundredth cold for the season. So it’s a slow Sunday here. I have not spun this in a very long time. I bought a copy of this for my friend when I was 16 from Bank Street Records (sadly no longer around – the shop I mean). The guy who owned it was an English bloke with big sideburns from memory. He was impressed I was buying this and we chatted about Lou Reed touring. I bought my own copy shortly after. It was my friend who got me into the Velvet's and Lou Reed etc. Lou is a problematic fave but I hardly go back to this stuff anymore. Putting this on reminded me of spinning records in my bedroom on my record player from my grandfather. This is more guitar solo heavy then I remember it being. White Light/White Heat still sounded great loud. It’s one of the handful of live albums I own.
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Death Grips – The Money Store
It was 2012 and I was driving home one night when I heard the track Get Got by Death Grips on a hip hop community radio show at the local station we volunteered at. Extra bonus the band featured drummer Zach Hill. I was sold! I had it on repeat for weeks after and picked up the vinyl from Clarity. That electronic Hip Hop cross over was big then – thinking POS and Clipping both of which my partner and their friends were really into at the time. We thrashed tracks from this on our radio show and party playlists. This sound seems to be having another resurgence. Or maybe it never went away. Admittedly, I have not spun the whole album for some years. I was reminded today it’s a lot in one sitting and totally surprised my partner with the blast of synth and drums when they walked in the door from the food shopping.
The art work by Sua Yoo is cool as fuck.
#nowplaying #nowspinning #vinyl #records #DeathGrips #hiphop #experimentalhiphop # ZachHill
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Lijadu Sisters - Horizon Unlimited
The 5th and final studio album from the twin duo. These Numero Group represses are stellar.
Record at Decca London studio and produced by legendary Nigerian producer Odion Iruoje this album is funky as hell and loud!! Kicks off with a bang of a political tune Orere Elejigbo - Get out! Fight! and continues the afrobeat groove for the rest of the album.
It was so good I spun it twice this evening whilst setting up my new laptop.
#nowplaying #nowspinning #vinyl #records
#LijaduSisters #HorizonUnlimited
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Héctor Lavoe - Reventó
I need a white suit, some yellow oxfords and aviators. I'm going to lay suggestively on the ground like this. Make sure my aviators sparkle. Oh and a giant egg cracked open. Yep. That's it!
I mean I gotta hand it to Héctor, it's an incredible album cover.
I have written before about going through the Fania catalogue. 1985's Revento was always on high rotation on my streaming. This is Hector's 8th studio album and whilst perhaps not regarded as his most well-known, it incorporates a lot of styles and that variety is possibly why I enjoy this one so much. Cut by Kevin Gray it's a solid sound. Does that guy ever get a holiday?
2025 is the year I'm trying to focus on making my way through my discogs want list. I finally crossed this repress off via the post this week.
#HéctorLavoe #Reventó #nowplaying #nowspinning #vinyl #records #fania #salsa #Merengue
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Diana Ross - The Boss
Last year at a house warming, my friend was pumping Diana Ross. In that same week my hairdresser salon was also spinning some Ross. Gosh it was good. It prompted me to go through her solo albums as I'd only ever considered her as a singles artist. I picked this up at Rocktherapy Records last weekend. A store I use to frequent a lot in my early uni days but not so much now. This album is probably my favourite of my back catalogue listens.
I did my best kitchen sock slides whilst dancing to this. Ru Paul would have been horrified at my lip sync.
#nowplaying #nowspinning #vinyl #records #DianaRoss #disco #soul
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Raved about by jazzers, hip-hop artists and high fashion houses alike, the septuagenarian maestro’s resurgence is a long way from his all-but-ignored 1972 debut, copies of which now sell for thousands of dollarsGuardian staff reporter (The Guardian)
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Aphex Twin - Selected Ambient Works 85-92
I was 13 when I first heard Aphex Twin. I was in my first year of high school and my friend and I had recorded Chris Cunningham's clip of Come to Daddy by Aphex Twin from Rage. We were so freaked out by it but became kind of obsessed with it. We'd put the clip on at parties and freak our friends out. I'd never heard anything like it before.
I was at the 2004 Big Day Out when he played. I couldn't get into the boiler room for the beginning. By the time I got in I must have entered during a chill moment in the set and everyone's drugs had kicked in. I remember being disappointed there were no visuals other than a screen with train doors and being utterly bored and left. Not my proudest music moment and I cringe as I write this. A bunch of my friends and partner saw that show and like to remind me how good it was.
#nowplaying #nowspinning #vinyl #records #AphexTwin #SelectedAmbientworks
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Thee Sacred Souls - Got A Story To Tell
I woke up early, did the food shopping and prepped food for work. Who is this woman? Will she stick around?
I listened to this whilst sucking on my delicious smoothie I made thinking about how much I use to hate neo soul. Now I quite like it - but only certain artists. I think it depends on the vocals. Anyway, I'm still on my Daptone tip. Sometimes you just need to start your day with some chill soul and Daptone never disappoints.
Also how good is the light!?!
#nowplaying #nowspinning #vinyl #records
#TheeSacredSouls #daptone
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Beth Orton - Weather Alive
My dad worked for the weather bureau. I grew up watching lots of live videos they used for training including Tornados and storm chasers. Admittedly I was a bit of an odd kid. This album sort of reminds me of that time.
I hadn't listened to Beth Orton since high school. However, this 2022 release is exquisite and far exceeded my expectations when it was suggested by a friend that I should listen. I first heard this on headphones lying in bed at night. The opening track was so beautiful and sad I cried. I went and bought the record that weekend. Am I selling it? Haha
Features drummer Tom Skinner from Sons of Kemet and Alabaster DePlume on saxophone. Stand out tracks include the title track, Fractals, and Haunted Satellite. The album cover glistens and the photography is stunning - a mirror placed in the sand and the photo of the reflection with the landscape around it. Simple but clever.
#nowplaying #nowspinning #vinyl #records #BethOrton #Tomskinner #AlabasterDePlume
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Nerve City - Sleepwalker EP
This is one of those "heard it in the store" and instantly drawn to it moments. I bought this from Sunshine And Grease which is no longer around. It was a little independent record store / art space that operated in Clifton Hill in Naarm/Melbourne. This was from 2010 and that jangly diy folk sound was big. Out on Sacred Bones Records this is that - a one man bedroom recording from Richmond, VA that has the it's recorded in a well from all the reverb aesthetic. But rather then being too droney it's got these great 60s guitar hooks. Admittedly, the first two tracks are the best. The whole ep sounds like a raw 60s demo 45 that's been in a dusty basement if that's your kinda jam. It's all very catchy.
After I bought this we were invited to a diy show that evening. We went cos we were on holiday. We had a great night watching bands but it did feel like we'd crashed someone's house party and us in the corner.
#nowplaying #nowspinning #vinyl #records #NerveCity #SacaradBones
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Gil Scott-Heron - Pieces of a Man
I was introduced to the music of Gil Scott-Heron via my friend's community radio show a decade or so ago. Despite a prolific back catalogue, I hadn't heard his works before. Back then he seemed way more under appreciated, even in my circle of music enthusiast friends. What a lyrical genius.
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Godspeed You! Black Emperor - G_d's Pee at State's End
LA is rioting, fascism is rising and the genocide is continuing. Time for Godspeed You! Black Emperor to have a spin.
The last God Speed album I owned was their 2000 release and I hadn't listened to a lot of post rock since then. But covid happened and it was a weird time. This album got me through weird post covid / still covid world. I'd listen to it on headphones at work, commuting, and when I was reading. I read a lot of books at that time! I find this album's build up washes over me. It's like a cleanse.
But this is not an album that benefits from vinyl and loses the momentum. This pressing is a pain in the arse spread across 2 LPs - one 12" & a 10". Of course, an anarchist group are not going to press a conventional LP. Whilst I appreciate the concept and each side being its own moment, I ought to have just bought the cd to be honest.
#nowplaying #nowspinning #vinyl #records #GodspeedYou!BlackEmperor
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Kate Bush - The Dreaming
This album reminds me of when I was 10 visiting my friend's house and her sister who was 17 at the time and an incredible soprano singer was singing the last track Get Out of My House at full volume. It was an experience and I was in awe. It's thanks to her I got to hear The Clouds, Stereolab, Pulp and Blur.
Produced entirely by herself, and despite being a commercial flop, I've since discovered it's a lot of people's favourite Kate Bush album. However, on relisten now parts of this album have not aged well. Whilst the title track The Dreaming was well intended about the destruction of country for First Nations people by colonisation - it's now cringe and an awkward listen. I went and watched the video clip. EEK. Sat in Your Lap and Get Out Of My House on the other hand still sound incredible and peak experimental Kate.
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Gang of Four - Entertainment
A classic post punk album that still sounds relevant. I only ever had CDs and finally splurged on a vinyl copy. Gosh this is so good. Those bass lines. The lyrics. Chefs kiss. I felt like Gang of Four were so underrated. I sense they might be having a revival now.
#nowplaying #nowspinning #vinyl #records #gangoffour #postpunk
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Ahaha. Thank you. That's very kind. Admittedly I only had two today spaced out lol.
It's a public holiday and long weekend here in Australia so a bit of extra time to spin records.
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Soul Jazz - Disco Reggae Rockers
We were woken at 3am ish by a giant hailstorm so it's slow Sunday morning vibes here today. If you'd met me 10 years ago and said "hey listen to this reggae disco covers album it's really good" I would have passed. This album reminds me of being on holidays. Maybe to some this is a cheesy covers album but to me it's wicked and now one of my favourite go to records to pop on. The first disc is stronger imho.
#souljazz #disco #reggae #discoreggae #nowplaying #nowspinning #vinyl #records
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Jalen Ngonda - Come Around and Love Me
I sit here and type this with my new specs on and oof everything is so sharp.
I've been on a Daptone tip of late. I passed on this release when it came out and the Aust tour. I think I was looking for something faster and funkier then although I really enjoyed the 2024 single Anyone in Love. There was a period (it's still happening) where every coffee shop and store was saturated with smooth neo soul and new chill jazz sounds. It was all getting a bit nauseating. Anyway, it's bloody cold and raining outside and this is a beautiful Saturday morning album filling the house with the warm Daptone sounds. On initial listen I hadn't appreciated how diverse and rich his voice is. The album has a very Marvin Gaye / Motown sound - as demonstrated by the cover! It also put my cats to sleep.
#JalenNgonda #nowplaying #nowspinning #vinyl #records #daptone #soul
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Joe Bataan - Mr. New York and the East Side Kids
How is the first of June already!?!
Recently I've been making my way through the Fania Records back catalogue. A gap in my music knowledge. I remembered this repress I bought years ago. What a great cover. I love the type face. I don't know why I haven't given this the attention it deserves over the years. Possibly because the opening track "My Opera" is a bold brilliant but soul crushing song about a brother taking the wrap for his sister's death over his parents for neglect and spending time in a mental health facility. How they thought that was a good album opener I do not know. My partner after hearing that track thought I'd picked a wild Sunday morning choice initially.
I'm glad I revisited it again. I would have played a second time if I wasn't going out.
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