| |
James Brown
The Singles, Vol. 7: 1970-1972
THE SINGLES VOLUME SEVEN: 1970-1972 documents the point when James Brown chose to fire his veteran band and tap a then-unproven Cincinnati combo led by brothers/future funk legends Phelps "Catfish" Collins on guitar and and William "Bootsy" Collins on bass. The fiery new JB's helped deliver some of the Godfather of Soul's most enduring hits, including the iconic "Get Up I Feel Like Being a Sex Machine," "Super Bad," and "Hot Pants." The two-disc set collects every Brown single of the era, including multiple versions of the aforementioned classics and unusual detours like a jazzy cover of Blood, Sweat & Tears' "Spinning Wheel."
The seventh installment in Hip-O Select's ongoing reissue campaign of James Brown's complete singles covers the years 1970-1972 -- a pivotal period that found JB swapping out rebellious longtime bandmembers and bringing in bassist Bootsy Collins and his brother, guitarist Catfish. Their stint with the J.B.'s may have been brief, lasting just over a year, but it was legendary, producing the immortal singles "Get Up I Feel Like Being a Sex Machine," "Super Bad," "Get Up, Get Into It, Get Involved," and "Talking Loud and Saying Nothing," all propelled forward by Bootsy's elastic, rubber-legged bass and Catfish's skittering, complicated guitar. The Collins brothers pushed Brown into the '70s, giving him a loose, unpredictable touch that was subtly yet dramatically different from the merciless grooves documented on The Singles, Vol. 6, but that unpredictability made the Collins restless, so they bolted for their own projects after just a year, with Brown returning to that tight sound in 1971, highlighted by the hits "Escape-Ism," "Hot Pants," and "Talking Loud and Saying Nothing." These two eras are brought into sharp relief on The Singles, Vol. 7, which essentially splits into a disc of the Collins-era and a disc of post-Collins-era, despite its rigid chronological-by-release date sequencing, a flow that places "Talking Loud" as a lively coda. This sequencing -- which puts a solo J.B.'s single and a Lyn Collins side into the mix -- is as illuminating as Alan Leeds' meticulously researched liner notes and sessionography, all of which place Brown's decidedly confusing discography in order, but the pile of promo edits, reverb versions, and alternate mixes, not to mention the preservation of the original single fade ins and outs, does make this more of a history lesson than a party, with the repetition feeling didactic, not mesmerizing. Ultimately, such complaints are splitting hairs -- it's a gift to have Brown's original singles so lovingly and carefully preserved, and if The Singles, Vol. 7 does feel a bit academic, we'd be lucky if all lessons were as funky as this. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine
2 CD SET
$ 29.98
buy
|
|
 |
|
|
 |
|
The Marvelettes
Forever: The Complete Motown Albums Vol. 1 [Box] [6/23] *
The Marvelettes were Motown’s first hit girl group (they charted almost a year before the Supremes) and 'Please Mr. Postman' was the label’s first #1. Here are their first four studio LPs, their only live album, their stereo greatest-hits LP 'and' a ton of early singles and rare cuts. A 36-page booklet full of original LP artwork, rare photos and reminiscences join the hits 'Please Mr. Postman; Playboy; Don’t Mess with Bill; Beechwood 4-5789; Twistin’ Postman; Too Many Fish in the Sea; Locking Up My Heart; I’ll Keep Holding On; Strange I Know'…a crucial chapter in the Motown story!
3 CD SET
$ 39.98
buy
|
|
|
 |
|
Sly & The Family Stone
The Woodstock Experience [6/30]
With its funky psychedelic grooves and keen social consciousness, Sly’s early masterpiece was one of the definitive LPs of its era. Seven of the nine Woodstock tracks are unissued: 'Everyday People; You Can Make It if You Try; Stand', and more!
2 CD SET
ON SALE!
$ 18.98
$ 17.98
buy
|
|
|
 |
|
Ray Charles
Modern Sounds In Country And Western Music, Vol. 1 & 2 [6/2]
Millions who didn’t know that Mr. Soul was a country lover found out when these 1962 LPs became his two best sellers, reaching #1 and #2. Here are both; 'Vol. 2' makes its CD debut! Includes his hit takes on 'I Can’t Stop Loving You; You Don’t Know Me; Born to Lose; You Are My Sunshine; Careless Love; Your Cheating Heart; Take These Chains from My Heart', and 17 more.
ON SALE!
$ 18.98
$ 15.98
buy
|
|
|
 |
|
Ray Charles
A Message From The People
Arrangers: Mike Post; Quincy Jones; Sid Feller.
Ray Charles's time on ABC Records was about more than adding strings, choirs, and country tunes to his approach. By 1972's A MESSAGE FROM THE PEOPLE, he was turning out tracks full of funky soul, largely devoid of the overproduction plaguing much of his ABC discography. As was so often the case with Ray, a gospel feel mixed with R&B locomotion is the engine that drives things here, but he also uses it to transform Melanie's "What Have They Done to My Song, Ma" into a syncopated strut, and bring a Sunday Baptist church feel to the Dion hit "Abraham, Martin and John."
Joe Adams claims in his liner notes for 1972's A Message from the People that the LP was a labor of love for Ray Charles begun some 20 years before its release and that he spent years ruminating over the idea, selecting the right songs, the right musicians, even the right cover art, all leading to the finished project. This may or may not be true, but it's awfully curious that an album so long in the making sounds so thoroughly tied to its year of release, thanks to its glitzy, mildly funky arrangements by Quincy Jones, Mike Post, and Sid Feller and its covers of hits by John Denver, Melanie, Dion, and Stevie Wonder -- and that's not even taking into consideration the cover art of a Mount Rushmore of Lincoln, JFK, RFK, and MLK staring down at Ray Charles sitting on a hill, surrounded by children of all creeds and colors. That cover art does give an accurate indication of the inspirational, Up with People vibe of the album, and although Ray prevents this album from sinking into sappiness through the sheer passion of his voice and keyboard, it's still an awfully kitschy exercise, a splashy Hollywood inspirational that feels mighty hollow. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine
ON SALE!
$ 11.98
$ 9.98
buy
|
|
|
 |
|
Jackson, J.J.
The Great J.J. Jackson
J.J. Jackson, all 300 pounds of him, was indeed a great ‘60s soul man, one of Otis Redding’s rivals as a grainy, gritty vocalist and a fine songwriter to boot, and this 1966 album is the clear high point of his career, featuring the hit 'But It’s Alright' and his own version of 'Come and See Me (I’m Your Man)', which the Pretty Things borrowed for one of their best sides. Also includes 'Try Me; That Ain’t Right; You’ve Got Me Dizzy; A Change Is Gonna Come; I Dig Girls; The Stones That I Throw; Give Me Back the Love; Ain’t Too Proud to Beg; Love Is a Hurting Thing; Boogaloo Baby', and 'Let It Out'. A 'Collectors’ Choice Music' exclusive, with notes by Gene Sculatti exploring the career of this under-appreciated soul singer. Out July 14!
$ 10.98
buy
|
|
|
 |
|
Little Walter
The Complete Chess Masters: 1950-1967 [Box] [pa] *
This definitive five-disc collection brings together all of the sessions Little Walter recorded for Chess Records between 1950 and 1967. By 1950, Little Walter had already established himself for his incendiary work with Muddy Waters's electric band and his progressive approach to blues harmonica. His recordings as a solo artist for Chess allowed him to stretch out, giving full range to his genius.
MASTERS serves as a retrospective of Little Walter's career during the golden age of Chicago blues, and while his `60s material is uneven, the glorious stream of his `50s classics makes the set a treasure trove. Walter's defining cuts, including "Juke," "Mean Old World," and "My Babe," are here, of course, but what impresses is the consistency of the intensity, passion, and musicianship well into the early `60s, and the fiery playing from Walter and the session musicians that helped shape Chicago's classic blues sound.
It is no exaggeration to call Little Walter the Jimi Hendrix of the electric harp: he redefined what the instrument was and what it could do, pushing the instrument so far into the future that his music still sounds modern decades after it was recorded. Little Walter wasn't the first musician to amplify the harmonica but he arguably was the first to make the harp sound electric, twisting twitching, vibrant runs out of his instrument; nearly stealing the show from Muddy Waters on his earliest Chess recordings; and so impressing Leonard Chess that he made Muddy keep Walter as his harpist even after Waters broke up his band. Chess also made Walter into his studio's house harpist and started to release Little Walter solo records with the instrumental "Juke" in 1952. "Juke" became a smash hit and turned Little Walter into a star, making him a steady presence on the '50s R&B charts. Like Chicago blues itself, Little Walter suffered a downturn of fortunes in the '60s, his career first eclipsed by the rise of rock & roll, but his decline was assisted in no small measure by the reckless alcoholic behavior that led to his early death in 1968. However, Hip-O Select's tremendous five-disc set The Complete Chess Masters proves that Little Walter remained capable of surprises until the end -- and that he's a major artist whose legacy only seems more formidable when it's heard as a whole, as it is here.
Technically speaking, the title The Complete Chess Masters may be a bit of a misnomer. Little Walter issued the majority of his sides on Chess' sister label Checker with his full LPs appearing on Chess proper, but this is splitting hairs: Walter cut all his solo sides for Chess, often in Chess studios, cutting most during a spell in the early and mid-'50s when he was the most successful artist on the label, leapfrogging over his boss Muddy Waters with "Juke," a song cut at the tail end of a Muddy-led session. Once "Juke" hit, the sessions started coming fast and furious, with Walter entering the studio four or five times a year during the mid-'50s, churning out singles that turned into hit after hit and not just on the strength of his electrified harp. Walter was a supple, nuanced singer, the roundness of his voice standing in sharp contrast to his lacerating harp, providing an inherent tension within his records; when he sang "Mellow Down Easy," it sounded as if it were possible to ease into his funky groove, but that harp pulled you right out. Such kinetic inadvertent drama fueled his prime '50s recordings and almost everything he cut was of shockingly high quality, extending beyond the hits "Blues with a Feeling" and "My Babe" and into B-sides and forgotten sides.
This makes The Complete Chess Masters consistently absorbing listening, hampered only slightly by a rather large preponderance of alternate takes that can sometimes slow the momentum of this set. Conversely, the appearance of Walter's legacy winds up being bolstered somewhat by Chess' over-recording of him at his peak and general avoidance of him in his decline. This five-disc set might be billed as stretching from 1950 to 1967 but that's misleading: all but 15 tracks here were recorded in the '50s, a fact that winds up camouflaging just how long Walter was in dire straits. His fall from Chess' biggest star to being given charity sessions reflects the impact of rock & roll on blues sales -- not only did they wipe out crossover blues hits, but Walter couldn't adapt to the times, his electric harp too closely tied to Chicago blues. So, he wound up with only a handful of sessions in the '60s, all presented on the final stretch, none less than entertaining, none a patch on Walter at his peak. These final recordings are necessary to fill out the picture, but what remains are those '50s sessions, which defined what electric blues was and what it could do, and produced music that is still invigorating and essential -- and best appreciated here, where the true depth of Little Walter's achievement is easy to behold. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine
5 CD SET
ON SALE!
$ 79.98
$ 69.98
buy
|
|
|
 |
|
Chuck Berry
You Never Can Tell: His Complete Chess Recordings 1960-1966 [3/31] *
The second volume of complete Chuck Berry Chess masters takes us from 1960 to 1966 with 108 tracks spread across four CDs, including 18 unreleased tracks! And among those unreleased tracks are a 45-minute live concert from 1963 (red-hot versions of 'Johnny B. Goode' and 'Let It Rock'). Other highlights include original stereo versions of such hits as 'No Particular Place to Go; You Never Can Tell', and 'Nadine (Is It You?)', plus two jams with Bo Diddley, 'Chuck’s Beat' and 'Bo’s Beat'. Everything is documented inside a lavish booklet. Flat-out brilliant...you need this.
4 CD SET
ON SALE!
$ 79.98
$ 69.98
buy
|
|
|
 |
|
Ray Charles
Genius The Ultimate Ray Charles Collection [4/7] *
21 cuts that boil down a legendary career to its transcendent essence—Ray’s biggest hits for Atlantic and ABC-Paramount, all remastered from original tapes! Includes 'Hit the Road Jack; What’d I Say (Part One); Busted; I Can’t Stop Loving You; Sticks and Stones; Drown in My Own Tears; Unchain My Heart; Georgia on My Mind; I’ve Got a Woman; You Are My Sunshine; Take These Chains from My Heart; Hide Nor Hair; Let’s Go Get Stoned; You Don’t Know Me; Hallelujah I Love Her So' (live); 'Crying Time; A Fool for You; One Mint Julep; Here We Go Again; Yesterday', and 'America the Beautiful'. A deluxe, 24-page booklet accompanies.
ON SALE!
$ 18.98
$ 16.98
buy
|
|
|
 |
|
B.B. King
Live At The Bbc
This collection of live B.B. King recordings from the U.K. offers a unique opportunity to compare and contrast the legendary bluesman's concert performances from different eras. The album is dominated by tracks from a 1978 London show and a 1998 appearance in Croydon. While King's voice is noticeably raspier on the later cuts, his piercing guitar work sounds undiminished by the years. A couple of tunes each from 1991 and '89 performances round out this release, which focuses largely on B.B.'s best known songs, like "How Blue Can You Get" and "The Thrill Is Gone" (the only song here to appear in two different versions).
Universal's 2009 set Live at the BBC contains 15 highlights from live B.B. King performances the BBC aired between the years of 1978 and 1991 -- a span that at first seems pretty impressive for a single-disc set, but a close inspection reveals that this 15-track collection covers just three specific dates, with one of those (a session for Andy Kershaw's Radio 1 program) yielding just two tracks tacked onto the end. The rest is split between a five-track set from the Hammersmith Odeon in 1978 and seven cuts from a 1991 show at Croydon's Fairfield Hall, and while there are a few notable differences between the sets -- B.B.'s guitar growls in 1978 and he sings U2's "When Love Comes to Town" in 1991 during a performance that is a bit more laid-back -- the two aren't all that different in form or feel: they still capture B.B. backed by a soul-spiked big band playing songs they play every night, so they know how to deliver them with precision and not a small degree of panache. This means the performances are certainly enjoyable, but they are familiar and not too easy to distinguish from the many latter-day live B.B. King recordings that are on the market -- which means there may not be much reason to get Live at the BBC if you have one of the other live B.B. sets, but there's nothing unpleasant about this at all. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine
$ 13.98
buy
|
|
|
 |
|
Little Richard
Live At The Toronto Peace Festival 1969 (dvd)
Even with Chuck Berry, Bo Diddley, Jerry Lee Lewis and Gene Vincent to compete with, Little Richard stole the show at this historic rock ’n’ roll revival concert. Director D.A. Pennebaker captures his raw energy and the crowd’s awe as he does 'Lucille; Long Tall Sally; Rip It Up; Tutti-Frutti; Jenny, Jenny; Good Golly, Miss Molly', and more!
DVD
ON SALE!
$ 14.95
$ 11.98
buy
|
|
|
 |
|
Various Artists
The Blues Box [Box]
We think of Storyville as a jazz label, but they turn their detailed attention to blues here—you’ll take in seven CDs of crucial cuts by dozens of revered blues masters. A DVD featuring Sonny Boy Williamson, Champion Jack Dupree and more joins 'Please Help Me' Lonnie Johnson; 'Worried Life Blues' Otis Spann; 'Miss Ida' Roosevelt Sykes; 'Saturday Night Jump' Big Joe Williams; 'Diving Duck Blues' Sleepy John Estes; 'Keep Your Hands off Her' Big Bill Broonzy; 'Dusty My Broom' Elmore James; 'I’m So Alone' Memphis Slim; 'Third Degree' Eddie Boyd; 'Find My Way Home' Sonny Terry & Brownie McGhee, plus Sunnyland Slim, Jay McShann, Matt “Guitar” Murphy, Little Brother Montgomery…hours and hours of soul-stirring blues classics!
7 CD & DVD
ON SALE!
$ 79.98
$ 69.98
buy
|
|
|
 |
|
James Brown
Singles, Vol. 6: 1969-1970 [pa]
Personnel: James Razor Brown (vocals, organ); Alphonso "Country" Kellum, Eddie Setser, Jimmy Nolen, Kenny Poole, Arthur Adams (guitar); St. Clair Pinckney (flute, baritone saxophone); Jimmy McGary (alto saxophone, tenor saxophone); Pee Wee Ellis (alto saxophone, organ); Mike Andres (alto saxophone); Eldee Williams, Les Asch, Maceo Parker (tenor saxophone); Larry Dickson (baritone saxophone); Joe Dupars, Waymon Reed, Conte Candoli, Jerry Conrad, D.A. Brisbois, Marie Speziale, Richard "Kush" Griffith, Frank Brown, Paul Hubinon (trumpet); William Hinshaw, Henry Sigismonti (French horn); Paul Piller, Fred Wesley, Dick Leith (trombone); David Matthews (bass trombone, piano); Levi Rasbury (valve trombone); Frank Vincent, James Vaughn (piano); Don Randi, Timothy Hedding (organ); David Frerichs (vibraphone); Clyde Stubblefield, Ben Barrett, Earl Cyril Jr. Palmer, Jon Keliehor, John Starks, Beau Dollar Bowman (drums); Ron Selico (bongos); Carmen Jr. DeLeone (percussion).
Audio Remasterer: Seth Foster.
Liner Note Author: Alan Leeds.
Arrangers: David Matthews; Nate Jones; James Razor Brown ; H.B. Barnum; Pee Wee Ellis.
This two-disc set brings together all the singles James Brown released in 1969 and '70, one of the Godfather's most prolific and artistically fruitful periods. By '69 Brown was deep into hard funk, and had mastered the tight-knit, polyrhythmic arrangements that characterize his best tracks. It's not only that the set contains "Mother Popcorn," "Funky President," and "Talkin' Loud and Sayin' Nothin'," it's that Brown and his infallible band play with ferocious energy and consummate skill on even the loosest jam tracks. Mr. Dynamite's yelps and screeches still have the power to rearrange one's molecules. The inclusion of discarded singles from the era and hard-to-find promotional mixes make this a must for collectors as well.
The amazing, exhausting project documenting the complete singles of the late James Brown, rolls on with this stunning sixth volume. These 38 tracks follow Brown through a mere two years in his astonishing career. Of course, in 1970, Brown was still going strong on the charts and in the popular consciousness even though he had lost his Flames by that time. Maceo Parker remained with Brown as his creative partner and foil, he also employed the great Pee Wee Ellis as arranger,and his main drummer was the brilliant Clyde Stubblefield.
Fans of this series already know that Brown was an impulsive, even obsessive taskmaster when it came to documenting the ideas he and the band came up with. They recorded on the road as well as at King's studios, and on stages all over the nation. Whenever some jam came together, they recorded it -- even if it mutated itself into several other compositions. A-sides and B-sides were different depending on whether the disc was released as a promotional item or as a record for retail. All of that is painstakingly documented here, just as it was on previous volumes. Major selections on this set include the various mutations and versions of the Brown classic "Mother Popcorn." Long before the track emerged in that form it began as "You Got to Have a Mother for Me, Pt. 1" (the original prototype), and of course, "The Popcorn." Other smashes here include both parts of "Ain't It Funky Now," "Talkin' Loud and Sayin' Nothin'," "Brother Rapp," "World," "I'm Shook," his reading of "Georgia on My Mind," and the funk whomp Christmas single "It's Christmas Time," just to name a few. This is a killer collection simply for its more open, new directional approach which Brown and Ellis were developing with the band. The liners are, as has been the standard, incredibly detailed with full session and discographical information -- there's even an analysis of Stubblefield's drumming patterns -- by Alan Leeds. For anyone who has begun collecting this series, you have little choice but to continue with this excellent volume. For anyone considering it, this may be a daunting project to take in, but in many ways, it's the only way to truly appreciate the full range and depth of Brown's genius. ~ Thom Jurek
$ 29.98
buy
|
|
|
 |
|
Various Artists
The Complete Motown Singles - Volume 11B: 1971 [Box] [3/3]
New sounds were coming out of Motown in the second half of ’71, and this 120-track set brings you back to those heady days when Michael went solo, rock entered the picture and Philadelphia International threatened the dynasty. A massive 124-page booklet joins the hits, B-sides, alternate mixes and other rarities: 'Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler)' Marvin Gaye; 'Superstar' Temptations; 'MacArthur Park' Four Tops; 'Funky Rubber Band' Popcorn Wylie, and more, many of which are rare promo versions, instrumentals and the like. Limited to just 8000 copies!
ON SALE!
$ 99.98
$ 89.98
buy
|
|
|
 |
|
Hank Ballard
Nothing But Good (1952-1962) [Box] [pa]
An exhaustive five-disc survey of Detroit's legendary Hank Ballard & the Midnighters, NOTHING BUT GOOD 1952-62 offers an impressively comprehensive glimpse into the roots of postwar rhythm and blues. Originally led by Houston born guitarist Cal Green, the group began life on the Federal label under the name the Royals, before the national exposure granted them by their first hit, the colossal "Work With Me Annie," forced them to change their name to in deference to the popular vocal group the Five Royales. Green's coruscating lead work can be heard on tracks like "Finger Popping Time" and the frantic "Let `Em Roll" while Hank Ballard's impassioned vocals had an enormous influence on the musical development of James Brown, who initially modeled himself after the singer.
In rock & roll shorthand, Hank Ballard is the man who invented "the Twist," only to see Chubby Checker steal it out from under him. It is true but it's too simplistic, overlooking his earlier down-and-dirty -- very dirty -- R&B hits like "Work with Me Annie," how he twisted and expanded his Clyde McPhatter influence into a raw, gritty sound that influenced James Brown, how he and the Midnighters, the group he overtook in 1952, built a body of work that contains some of the best R&B and rock & roll of its time. Ballard embodied his time -- he worked with a vocal group, he didn't necessarily push sounds forward -- but he was a transitional figure because of his earthiness, how his voice dripped with carnality and his music had great, gritty rhythms. All this can be discerned on Rhino's excellent 2003 compilation Sexy Ways, but Bear Family's exhaustive box, Nothing But Good (1952-1962), winds up painting a fuller picture with its details, allowing a greater appreciation for his considerable talents.
That isn't to say that the five discs of Nothing But Good are nothing but good -- there's a fair amount of formative recordings and filler, not to mention novelties, and Ballard was not above attempting to get another hit by copying the last, at one time shoehorning all three of his big hits into one song. Some of this was standard practice for rockers desperate to score another hit, but Ballard enthusiastically embraced sequels and rewrites right from the beginning, cutting a series of answers to his first big hit, 1954's "Work with Me Annie." Within a year, he had "Work Baby," "Annie Had a Baby," and "Annie's Aunt Fannie," and he would repeat this pattern once Chubby Checker turned Ballard's B-side, "The Twist," into a hit. Surely, there's a streak of commercial opportunism more than a mile wide at play, but listening to disc after disc on Nothing But Good, Ballard never seems crass, he seems joyous and alive. His energy and phrasing were a clear influence on James Brown, as was the Midnighters' blend of doo wop, dance, and guitar-driven R&B, one that had strong elements of urban electric blues, best heard on the churning, grinding hit "Look at Little Sister" but elsewhere, like on "I Must Be Crazy." All this apparent comes into sharp relief due the heft of this five-disc set, a box that certainly has a few wrong turns if not necessarily slow spots, for it's all fascinating, often invigorating listening. In fact, the sheer volume of Nothing But Good works in Ballard's favor, proving that he was a tireless, infectious performer whose talents ran far deeper than conventional wisdom suggests. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine
ON SALE!
$ 162.98
$ 119.98
buy
|
|
|
 |
|
U.S. (United Soul)
U.S. Music With Funkadelic [pa]
This long-lost Funkadelic gem was recorded and mixed in 1972, but never released. By the early `70s, George Clinton and company were suffering from problems with personnel and labels, yet continued recording as a side-project called U.S. (standing for United Soul). The group included key members of Funkadelic, including Clinton and Bernie Worrell, and featured newly recruited singer, songwriter, and guitarist Gary Shider (who later became a permanent member of Parliament-Funkadelic).
The album departs from the dark, psychedelic meanderings of the band's first three albums and moves in a more song-oriented direction with an emphasis on rock guitar and grooves. Shider, in particular, shines on "Baby, I Owe You Something Good" and "Broken Heart," but the whole set serves to remind that Funkadelic were among the best (if underrated) bands of the era. The 2009 release of U.S. MUSIC gives funkateers everywhere cause to rejoice.
U.S. (United Soul) was Gary Shider's band and a part of George Clinton's Parliafunkadelicment thang before he joined the P-Funk crew full-time (that's Shider in the diaper, if you didn't know). They issued a single billed as "U.S. Music with Funkadelic" (previously released on the Music for my Mother comp) but this album sat on the shelf until 2009. U.S. was a self-contained band, but their studio material also featured various members of Funkadelic. Let's be clear: this is a full, finished album, not simply a roundup of unfinished/unused tracks. And it's a good one too! Aside from the final track, it's not nearly as hard as Funkadelic and there's lots of prominent piano. Gary Shider sings his ass off throughout as well as contributing some hot guitar playing.
"This Broken Heart" is a big production ballad with strings and piano, similar in feel to the single "I Miss My Baby." "Baby I Owe You Something Good" was a solid single, but the stand-out tracks have to be "Be What You Is" and "Rat Kiss the Cat on the Navel." "Be What You Is" is a Clinton tune that sounds something like a cross between Funkadelic's "You and Your Folks, Me and My Folks" and "Friday Night August 14." The fact that this track may be a bit derivative doesn't mean it's not great, though, with weird reverby production and some great guitar. As mentioned, "Rat Kiss the Cat on the Navel" is the most "Funkadelic" track, with its slightly ominous tone, relentless driving beat, and nasty fuzz guitar soloing. Producer Fuzzy Haskins certainly took more than a few production cues from George but shows on this tune he could get just as loopy lyrically as well. The album is a bit on the short side, but it's quality stuff. U.S. Music with Funkadelic is a solid album and an interesting missing link that's sure to please Funkadelic fans. ~ Sean Westergaard
ON SALE!
$ 19.99
$ 16.98
buy
|
|
|
 |
|
Isaac Hayes
Black Moses [Digipak]
Personnel: Isaac Hayes (vocals, piano, electric piano, organ, vibraphone); Charles Pitts (guitar); Sidney Kirk (piano); Lester Snell (electric piano); Ronald Hudson (bass); Willie Hall (drums, tambourine); Gary Jones (bongos, congas); Hot Buttered Soul (background vocals); The Bar-Kays.
Originally released on Enterprise (2-5003). Includes liner notes by Chester Higgins.
Digitally remasterd by Kirk Felton (1989, Fantasy Studios).
Personnel: Isaac Hayes (vocals, piano, electric piano, organ); Charles "Skip" Pitts (guitars); Sidney Kirk (piano); Lester Snell (electric piano); Ronald Hudson (bass guitar); Willie Hall (drums, tambourine); Gary Jones (congas, bongos).
Audio Remasterer: Bob Fisher .
Audio Remixer: Ron Capone.
Liner Note Author: Rob Bowman.
Arrangers: Dale Warren; Isaac Hayes; Johnny Allen; Pat Lewis.
The sheer tenacity -- albeit undeniably fitting -- of this double-disc set has made Black Moses (1971) one of Isaac Hayes' most revered and best-known works. The multi-instrumental singer/songwriter and producer had been a central figure in the Memphis soul music revolution of the mid-1960s. Along with Booker T. and The MG's, Hayes' wrote and performed on more Stax sides than any other single artist. By the time of this release -- his fifth overall, and first two-record set -- Hayes had firmly established himself as a progressive soul artist. His stretched out and well-developed R&B jams, as well as his husky-voiced sexy spoken "raps" became key components in his signature sound. Black Moses not only incorporates those leitmotifs, but also reaffirms Hayes abilities as an unmistakably original arranger. Although a majority of the album consists of cover material, all the scores have been reconfigured and adapted in such a fundamental way that, for some listeners, these renditions serve as definitive. This is certainly true of the extended reworkings of Jerry Butler's "Brand New Me," or Esther Phillips' "You're Love Is So Doggone Good" -- both of which are prefaced by the spoken prelude to coitus found in each respective installment of "Ike's Rap." The pair of Curtis Mayfield tunes -- "Man's Temptation" and "Need to Belong to Someone" -- are also worth noting for the layers of tastefully scored orchestration -- from both Hayes and his long-time associate Johnny Allen. The pair's efforts remain fresh and discerning, rather than the dated ersatz strings and horn sections that imitators were glutting the soul and pop charts and airwaves with in the mid-1970s. Hayes' own composition, "Good Love," recalls the upbeat and jive talkin' "Hyperbolicsyllabicsesquedalymistic" from Hot Buttered Soul (1969), adding some spicy and sexy double-entendre in the chorus. Wisely, the CD reissue also reproduced Chester Higgins' original tongue-in-cheek liner note essay giving the history and mythology of the Black Moses persona. ~ Lindsay Planer
Isaac Hayes is nothing if not ambitious, and this double-disc collection is a case in point. Released the same year as the breakthrough SHAFT soundtrack, 1971's BLACK MOSES melds Hayes's superior skills as an architect of progressive soul sounds with his talent as a song interpreter. Except for his smooth, boudoir-savvy "raps"--there are three within the set, acting as intros to songs about love and devotion--Hayes's own songwriting energies take a backseat to tunes by some of the preeminent pop songwriters of the '70s.
Clifton Davis's magnificent "Never Can Say Goodbye" is given loving--and arguably definitive--treatment here. In its rich majesty, Hayes's reading of Kris Kristofferson's "For the Good Times" provides an intriguing counterpart to Al Green's spare 1972 version of the same tune. Two Bacharach-David songs, "I'll Never Fall in Love Again" and "Close to You," sound not at all misplaced beside two Curtis Mayfield numbers. That's because Hayes (and his collaborator Johnny Allen) re-imagined the songs into new versions via lush, orchestral charts, so that each tune bears the team's stamp indelibly. Though full of covers, BLACK MOSES is an Isaac Hayes record through and through, and in its continuity and smarts, one of his finest.
ON SALE!
$ 18.98
$ 16.98
buy
|
|
|
|
|
