the first post

Welcome to my new music blog. Updates will probably be an album once a week (although since this is the first post, I'm posting five albums today so the blog doesn't look so bare), so bookmark and check back (and no promises for how long I will keep up this blog--so again, check back and get stuff while you can). Hope you enjoy...



Bruno Spoerri - late 1960s to 1970s - Glückskugel
Bruno Spoerri was a Swedish musician who worked primarily in the field of composing library music, music for sponsored films, and commercial jingles. This record collects rare work of his from the late 1960s to the 1970s. The music is funky, experimental, and extremely hip (I just wish it was longer).



Various Artists - 1949-1976 - Life is a Problem
A compilation of raw electric-guitar-based gospel recorded between 1949 and 1976 (with most of the songs centering around the 1950s). Features Rev. Utah Smith, Rev. Lonnie Farris, Sister O.M Terrill and many lesser known artists. (Reverend Utah Smith, probably the most "well-known"... yes, I realize how ironic that statement is... of the artists on this compilation, made a name for himself by rocking out with his congregation, hammering out 12-bar blues on his electric guitar while supposedly swinging about on ropes from the church rafters with a pair of angel wings on his back... That itself should be recommendation alone.)



Andrew Hill - 1963 - Smokestack
Depending on who you ask, a good deal of Andrew Hill's jazz can be far too heady and eggheaded for its own good, instead sounding more like intellectual exercises than, well, music... Depending on the record I might tend to agree, but not with Smokestack (and several other Hill records which are favorites of mine). If you're not familiar with Hill's work, I think this is a fine introduction. Hill is of course on piano, Roy Haynes is on drums, and the two upright dueling/complimenting basses are played by Richard Davis and Eddie Khan.



Half Japanese - 1984 - Sing No Evil
Although not my favorite Half Japanese record, really, I admit this is probably the best introduction to Half Japanese (if namely for its short length... other records might be overwhelming for the uninitiated... I guess, if you are unfamiliar with Half Japanese, you should probably read their biography on Allmusic or something: http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:a9fqxqw5ldhe~T1).

Half Japanese is one of my favorite bands, and I guess the one thing that I would add is that conventional opinion would state that Jad Fair can not sing. I disagree. The proof is in the pudding; take for instance the first song, "Firecracker Firecracker", which just happens to be one of the best songs of all time, at least in my opinion. Jad gives 200% (or more) when he sings, he gives it so much enthusiasm and heart, and the way he sells those lyrics, you can tell it comes from somewhere deep down that is very honest. So yeah, I say Jad can sing--I think he's one of the best singers, if not of just music in general, than at least punk.



Fela Kuti & The Afrika 70 - 1977 - Sorrow Tears and Blood
Prime afro-beat record inspired by the February 18, 1977, raid by a thousand Nigerian army men on Fela Kuti and his communal compound, the Kalakuta Republic. In keeping with the format upheld on the majority of Fela's LPs, this record contains a pair of extended works, featuring one title per LP side. More introspective and seething than some of Fela's more lively and funkier albums, it's a nice change of pace among most of his albums from the '70s. Plus you just can't beat the sound of that electric bass and those drums that start off "Colonial Mentality".