Curtis Baker & The Bravehearts - "Fried Fish ’n’ Collard Greens" (2:40)
The Native Yinzer - "The Hip Strip" (2:33)
Review: The fourth edition in Original Gravity's Down In The Basement series, which gathers instrumental soul and swing cuts onto worthy 7" slabs, resounding the fervent 1960s decadal gap in which mod reigned supreme. With juleps flowing and kneecaps knocking, Abramo & Nestor bring newfangled electric pianistic swing with 'Dig It!', while a twinned "hit it!" injunction is heard from Floyd James & The GTs on the reissued 'Work That Thang'; James' voice is tubed and speed-delayed to terrific effect, achieving a sprung intonation. Curtis Baker brassifies the bonanza with the lively 'Fried Fish 'n' Collard Greens', while The Native Yinzer's exiting excitation 'The Hip Strip' quilts our ears with a mnemic, down-feathery Hammond-breaks bit.
Review: Reissued by Before I Die after being singled out as a choice cut from a recent Swedish library music compilation, 'UFO' is a cosmic funk jam by one lesser-cited duo known as Falk & Klou. This being their only collaboration, the fused efforts of Carl Johan Fogelklou and Fredrik Segerfalk make for an otherworldly experience, with lasery sound FX and a strange narration complementing this toothy electro-funk oddball. The remix by Andi Henley (Ruf Kutz) on the A-side cements the track's importance.
Review: Keyboardist Hilton Felton's 'The Power Of Love (It's In My Heart)' has never been available on standalone 7", until now. It has been newly remastered for the occasion and finds the talented Felton at his best as he lays down his signature mellow grooves. For proof look no further than the groovy soul of 'The Power Of Love (It's In My Heart)' has Angela Winbush as a youth on vocals and features great musical depth, while s 'The Power Of Love (It's In My Heart)', which has never been released as a single, and 'Spreading Fever (Part 1)' is as smooth as they come with its silky and seductive lead sax.
Review: The mighty DFA label has always come at dance music from a rock and indie perspective and for that reason has always brought plenty of new ideas to the dancefloor. Fernando Pulichino has long been at the heart of the operation with his fusion of rock, funk, and electronic beats and here he is again with more of the same. 'I Got, She's Got' is a raw, energetic track, while the remix offers clarity and rich arpeggios. 'She's Playing With Fire' with saxophone by Gustavo Buchiniz, meanwhile, adds another explosive element meaning that all three tracks deliver pure club-ready firepower.
Review: The Flaming Lips' The John Peel Session of October 17, 1996, marked a pivotal moment in the trajectory of the Flaming Lips. Just before their rise to international prominence, the session captured their essence through four tracks that showcased their eclectic blend of neo-psychedelia, experimental rock, and indie influences. Peel, renowned for his astute ear for new talent, played a crucial role in introducing the band's unique sound to a broader audience. The session serves as an audio bookmark to their innovative approach and the impact of Peel's support in propelling them towards global recognition.
Review: Originally released in 1972, Frank Foster's The Loud Minority album was one of the legendary tenor saxophonist's most accessible and commercially successful albums. The album's many qualities were best exemplified by the title track, an effortlessly vibrant and effusive number that cannily mixed jazz-funk style solos and elements of modal, fusion and big-band jazz. This 7" single marks the epic, 14-minute piece's first appearance on a single, albeit heavily edited and split into two distinctive parts. The first (side A) is positive, cheery, undeniably funky, and underpinned with some killer drum-breaks. In contrast, the second is an exceedingly energetic and occasionally discordant affair, as Foster and his accomplices trade solos and build towards a breathless conclusion.
The Planets: Mars: Bringer Of War/Venus: Bringer Of Peace/Mercury: The Winged Messenger/Jupiter: Bringer Of Jollity/Saturn: Bringer Of Old Age/Uranus: The Magician/Neptune: The Mystic (12:44)
Review: Jazz has always been as much about great collaborations as anything else and that is very much the case with the modern scene. Proving that is Flock, a new coming together of five talented musicians Bex Burch from Vula Viel, Maisha's Al MacSween, Sarathy Korwar, Dan "Danalogue" Leavers and Collocutor's Tamar Osborn. They got together for the first time in March 2020 for a Boiler Room show and some memorable streams during lockdown. Strut Records were listening in and managed to get them in the studio together to try something fresh. The resulting improvised sounds focus on "breathing and listening to each other", explains Bex Burch. It makes for a wild, innovative ride.
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