Charlie Sexton - Cruel And Gentle Things 2005

It's been a decade since Charlie Sexton issued the sprawling, ambitious Under the Wishing Tree. ButSexton has been anything but idle. He's produced recordings by Lucinda Williams, Edie Brickell, Los Super Seven, Shannon McNally, and Double Trouble.
He also played guitar in Bob Dylan's studio and road bands for over three years. Cruel and Gentle Things is only the fourth album issued underSexton's own name. It was recorded, in many sessions over a number of years, whenever he got a break from his other occupational duties. It is a close and intimate affair that finds the songwriter and producer playing nearly everything over ten songs. There are a few guests who appear -- mainly bassist George Reiff and drummer J.J. Johnson, but overall this is truly a solo affair. The set opens with "Gospel," a slippery, languid acoustic blues testament to faith in times of trouble. The sheer skeletal beauty of the track is striking, and Sexton's vocal is full of a relaxed conviction that gets right at the heart of the lyric. Daniel Lanois would kill to have written this. Rock & roll enters on "Burn," a, dreamy and seductive nocturnal groove that stands in sharp contrast to the sheer lost-love desolation in its lyrics with a killer backing vocal by McNally. The rootsy country-folk stroll of "I Do the Same for You," with its lap steel and layered acoustic guitars, inspires with its gritty sense of dedication. "Once in a While," though another broken love song about moving on after a breakup, is bright bouncy pop fueled by a simple bassline and a layer of guitars. Dobro, ringing electrics, and skittering drums envelope the other instruments in a buoyant swirl around the singer. They seem to give him the courage to step out and state his willingness and truth. "Dillingham Lane" was written with Steve Earleand features Sexton's brother Will on backing vocals. A droning, open-tuned guitar piece, it narrates a look back to the street the pair grew up on. There's no romance in the lyric -- simply a statement of what was, looking at it as it informs the present. Ultimately, Cruel and Gentle Things is a series of postcards from various places and people in the songwriter's life. It comes across as an interior kind of travel record, one that charts, exposes, lays bare, and celebrates the years as the revelations of everyday life, lived in space and time but not bound by them. It is easily the finest and most poetic and musically realized record in Sexton's catalog. AMG.

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Slow Poke - Redemption 2000

Many bop snobs would have us believe that all avant-garde jazz is nothing more than mindless, directionless noise. But it's foolish to make sweeping generalizations about any musical idiom. While there's nothing wrong with atonal free jazz, some of it is brilliant, listeners need to realize that not all avant-garde jazz is atonal. Avant-garde jazz can, in fact, be very melodic. A perfect example isRedemption by Slow Poke, an East Coast quartet that includes tenor and soprano saxophonistMichael Blake, bassist Tony Scherr, drummer Kenny Wollesen, and a guitarist who simply goes by Tronzo. If Cecil Taylor, Charles Gayle, and Anthony Braxton are extremely avant-garde, Slow Poke is only mildly avant-garde. This diverse, generally impressive CD takes an inside/outside approach -- a lot more inside than outside -- and all of the tunes have discernible melodies. Much to its credit, Slow Poke as eclectic as it is musical; everything from North African and Middle Eastern music to blues, funk, and rock has influenced this 1998 session. Meanwhile, Slow Poke puts its interpretive powers to work on imaginative versions of Johnny Cash's "Redemption," Nirvana's "Been a Son," and the Rolling Stones' "Shine a Light," all of which lend themselves nicely to jazz makeovers. While many other jazz artists are content to inundate us with the same old Tin Pan Alley standards, Slow Poke realizes that rock and country songs can, in fact, be relevant to jazz. Redemption falls short of innovative, but it has a probing, adventurous spirit that was missing from many of the jazz recordings of the late '90s. AMG.

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Tony Allen & Afrobeat 2000 - N.E.P.A 1985

Never Expect Power Always (aka N.E.P.A.) is largely a biting criticism and mocking of the Nigerian Electrical Power Authority, rife with corruption and poor service. It starts out with the title track, with a definite Afro-beat punch and a tighter arrangement than would normally be expected from Fela. Electro-claps stand as part of the percussion line, adding to a more modern look at what Afro-beat was becoming. This is followed by an even further modernized piece of Afro-beat, as the title track is given a dub mix. "When One Road Close" has a similar pace, and is similarly followed by a dub remix, complete with the necessary space-effects reverb. This is the peak of electronic Afro-beat, before it returned to some degree of its original James Brown-inspired roots. If you didn't pick the album up the first time around, this is a good time to get it. AMG.

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Jon Anderson - Angels Embrace 1995

While many Jon Anderson fans knew he had it in him to do something very light and airy and perhaps even without vocals (Olias of Sunhillow essentially led the way), the fact that it's something this light and airy is likely to come as a bit of a shock. Anderson presents the listener with a soundscape made up of long, sustained notes and drifting chords, a construction in which the few melodies present take minutes to work through -- there's far more in common with the Hearts of Space catalog here than with much of Anderson's prior work, though the Vangelis influence is to be felt, too (especially on the quarter-hour "New Eire Land"). Another surprise is the mainly instrumental nature of the album --Anderson takes very few vocals. Daughters Deborah and Jade pitch in along the way without much incident. On the whole, Angels Embrace sounds something like a lost Jon & Vangelis album, or Brian Eno in a frothy mood, and just like good background music for meditation, spiritual navel-gazing, and general situations where the alpha waves need a decent boost. AMG.

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Prince - Around the World in a Day 1985

Purple Rain made Prince sound like he could do anything, but it still didn't prepare even his most fervent fans for the insular psychedelia of Around the World in a Day. Prince had made his interior world sound fascinating and utopian on Purple Rain, but Around the World in a Day is filled with cryptic religious imagery, bizarre mysticism, and confounding metaphors which were drenched in heavily processed guitars, shimmering keyboards, grandiose strings, and layers of vocals. As an album, the record is a bit impenetrable, requiring great demands of the listener, but individual songs do shine through: "Raspberry Beret" is a brilliant piece of neo-psychedelia with an indelible chorus, "Pop Life" is a snide swipe at stardom that emphasizes Prince's outsider status, "Condition of the Heart" is a fine ballad, "America" is a good funk jam, "Paisley Park" is heavy and slightly frightening guitar psychedelia, while the title track is a sunny, kaleidoscopic pastiche of Magical Mystery Tour. The problem is, only a handful of the songs have much substance outside of their detailed production and intoxicating performances, and the album has a creepy sense of paranoia that is eventually its undoing. AMG.

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Fishbone - The Psychotic Friends Nuttwerx 2000

Regrouping with an approximately half-new lineup, Fishbone returned in 2000 on Hollywood Records with their first album of new material since 1996's Chim Chim's Badass Revenge. Sporting a full title of Fishbone and the Familyhood Nextperience Presents: The Psychotic Friends Nuttwerx, the record presents a bevy of guest performers, from funk legends George Clinton and Rick James to Gwen Stefani, lead singer of fellow California ska aficionados No Doubt, to legendary underground comedian Blowfly, to -- of all people -- Donny Osmond; there's also an assortment of fellow pioneers in the fusion of hard alternative rock with funk, including Perry Farrell of Jane's Addiction, H.R. of Bad Brains, and the instrumental portion of the Red Hot Chili Peppers. Still and all, it's definitelyFishbone's show, and thanks to the band's most memorable and focused batch of songs in quite some time -- even not counting the covers of Sly & the Family Stone's "Everybody Is a Star" and the Temptations' "Shakey Ground" -- it's an often formidable show at that. The record concentrates most heavily on the funk and ska sides of the Fishbone sound, lending a sunny, good-humored vibe throughout; plus, with a total playing time of 45 minutes, the album's eclectic grooves are kept from meandering or growing stale. Refocused and re-energized, The Psychotic Friends Nuttwerx is far and away Fishbone's best album in nearly a decade. AMG.

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Mtume - Juicy Fruit 1982

Mtume (pronounced em-tu-may) was a funk and soul group that rose to prominence during the early 1980s and had several R&B hits during its career. Its founder, former percussionist James Mtume, previously played and toured with jazz legend Miles Davis in the early 1970s. Other members of the group included Reggie Lucas and Tawatha Agee. Mtume have also gained recognition after having its hit single "Juicy Fruit" extensively sampled by many hip-hop artists, most notably by the Notorious B.I.G. in the 1994 hit song 'Juicy'; the song was also featured in the video game Grand Theft Auto: Vice City. The song 'C.O.D. (I'll Deliver)' from their album You, Me, and He was featured in the video game Grand Theft Auto IV. During the start of the group's career, they recorded three albums on the independent label Third Street Records: Kawaida (1973); Alkebu-Lan (1975); and Rebirth Cycle (1977). However, not finding pop or R&B chart success, they signed to major label Epic Records in 1978, releasing the albums Kiss This World Goodbye (1978), and In Search of the Rainbow Seekers (1980), which found modest success on the R&B chart. Their 1982 album Juicy Fruit, however, provided Mtume with its biggest hit, when the title song reached number one for eight weeks on the U.S. R&B chart in 1983, and was certified gold by the RIAA, despite shying just off the top 40 on the Billboard Hot 100 at 45, making the album and the single arguably the group's most famous and recognizable recording work.

Mtume's 1984 album You, Me, and He also proved to be a success with the title song reaching number 2 on the R&B chart. Their final R&B Top Ten hit was 'Breathless' (1986) from their final album Theater of the Mind. Mtume continued recording with Epic Records until the late 1980s. Group member Tawatha Agee subsequently went solo in 1987.

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Nathaniel Mayer - Why Don't you Give it To Me 2007

Fans of both Nathaniel Mayer's doo wop days and his funk conversion were in for a bit of a surprise when the singer returned to action with 2004's I Just Want to Be Held album. Gone were the sweet/exhilarating tones of yore, replaced by a rasp that only hinted at his previous full-throated soulfulness. The brass-filled, musically eclectic set sounded great, but wasn't the best backdrop for the artist. Why Don't You Give It to Me?, though, suits Mayer to a T. The production is gawdawful and the sound subpar, so much so that the entire album feels like it was taken off a (deteriorated) tape recording of a 40-year-old live show, except Mayer was a totally different artist back then. Yet the very rawness of the sound and the rough feel of the atmosphere that the producers worked hard to create perfectly complement Mayer's vocals, as do the fabulous blues-based arrangements. In a way, the album almost erases the singer's actual past, reinventing Mayer as a blues legend and muddying the waters between yesterday and today. It's an inspired concept, and Mayer and his backing band (three of whom double as producers), led by Black Keys guitarist Dan Auerbach, pull it off brilliantly. Sliding from incendiary Delta blues -- the sensationally smoldering title track -- to the psychedelic-drenched jam of the phenomenal "Doin' It," where Mayer struts back out his funkiest stuff, the group rides across the blues spectrum with abandon. Virtually the entire set was co-written with the bandmembers, whose own talents are showcased as sublimely as Mayer's own. Each song has something to recommend it, be it the sultry late-'60s British blues beautifully delivered on the singalong "Please Don't Drop the Bomb" or the blistering R&B of "White Dress." The set's sole cover, of reggae star Delroy Wilson's "Dancing Mood," is a definite surprise, and initially sounds terribly out of place with its syncopated rhythm and Western guitar, until Auerbach shifts into surf style and brings it back to the blissful blues. However, Mayer saves his best performance (and his piano skills) for his one independently written composition, "Why Don't You Show Me," a truly showstopping number. The album captures all the excitement of the singer's live performances, while never actually leaving the studio, with a group of tracks that already sound like classics -- a stunning achievement from all involved. AMG. Thanks to ChrisGoesRock.

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Crystal Fighters - Star of Love 2010

Adhering to the rule that any self-respecting bunch of indie disco kids must come equipped with a rather incredulous backstory, Anglo-Spanish five-piece Crystal Fighters' debut album, Star of Love, was apparently influenced by an unfinished, existential opera manuscript found in the home of female vocalist Laure Stockley's insane late grandfather. While this unlikely source of inspiration is sure to get them a few more column inches, the band's self-produced release through their own Zirkulo label is interesting enough on its own, without the need for any madcap tales. Combining traditional Basque instrumentation (txalaparta, danbolin, txistu) with a schizophrenic barrage of sounds, it's a unique take on the electro-clash genre which certainly differentiates them from their fellow Crystal-monikered counterparts. This everything but the kitchen sink approach works wonders on the euphoric nu-rave of "Xtatic Truth," which provides the first real glimpse of Sebastian Pringle's "acquired taste" Latin parody vocals, and the arms-in-the-air flamenco trance of closer "Follow." But occasionally, it feels like the band is more concerned with showcasing their genre-hopping tastes than in creating anything listenable. "I Love London," a shout-out to the less celebrated corners of the capital, is a messy, grime-fueled slab of hipster nonsense, "I Do This Everyday" misguidedly attempts to revive the nu-metal scene with an ear-shattering mix of shrieking guitars, ambient bleeps, and yelping vocals, while "Swallow" starts out nicely as a blissful chill-out ballad before the ubiquitous, wobbly basslines drop to kickstart a turgid slice of dubstep. But when the album calms down, it's a treat. "Plage," a charming tale of young love set against a backdrop of calypso guitars and Afro-beat rhythms, recalls Vampire Weekend at their finest, "Champion Sound" is a gorgeous, summery slice of Balearic-tinged dancehall based on Basque folk piece "Sagar Dantza," while "At Home" combines lullaby-esque synths with enchanting folk-pop melodies to produce the best kids TV theme that never was. Star of Love could never be accused of being boring, but from its tale of inception to its constant attempts at kookiness, it all feels a little too calculated. However, there's enough potential here to suggest that if they stop trying so hard, they could be a force to be reckoned with. AMG.

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Charlelie Couture - Solo Girl 1988

CharlElie Couture, defining himself as a polymorphic artist, is one it wouldn't be fair to reduce to his sole recordings since he also was a writer, a painter, a drawer, and a photographer. Yet, since he was spotted by Chris Blackwell in 1980, Couture has released a large number of records, showcasing a personal kind of pop/rock, with a touch of synth pop at times, and displaying a wide array of atmospheres, crafted lyrics, and a quite singular voice. Considering records, as an object, as a complete work of art, he was found at each and every stage of their making, using his versatile skills from production to sleeve design. Open-minded, Couture has traveled a lot and settled down in New York City in 2004 after some '90s Australian and Chicagoan experiences.
Born Charles-Élie Couture in Nancy on February 26, 1956, he graduated from Nancy's Art School, already capable of handling various artistic activities, including writing, painting, photography, and composition. He had got some of his works exposed at the early age of 15, and by the time he had finished his formation, he had created an artists-trust called "Local à Louer" and written an essay on classical and pop culture crossovers. As a musician, he started recording and releasing self-produced material in 1978, with 12 Chansons Dans la Sciure. He got help for his next record, 1979's Le Pêcheur, but it wasn't until 1980 that he found a recording contract, being spotted by no less than Island Records' Chris Blackwell himself, seduced byCharlElie's uncommon vocal texture and intriguing accent, and making Couture the first-ever French artist to sign to his legendary label. The first born of that newfound collaboration was 1981's classicPoêmes Rock, encountering critical praise and a warm public welcome, thanks, among other qualities, to the hit single "Comme un Avion Sans Ailes." All along the '80s, he went on recording studio and live works at an impressive pace, including the soundtracks to Tchao Pantin (featuring his good friendColuche) and La Salle de Bain (featuring his brother Tom Novembre). In 1990 and 1991, he alternatively recorded two LPs in Australia (Melbourne Aussie and Victoria Spirit), before returning home with new influences, particularly in the painting field, and, focusing on multiple activities, released a bunch of less successful recordings. In 1997, he got to Chicago to record an heavily blues-influenced LP, Casque Nu, and decided to settle down in New York City in 2004, from where he released two records: 2004's Double Vue and 2006's New Yor-Coeur). AMG.

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The Peanut Butter Conspiracy - Spreading From The Ashes 2005

With 26 tracks from 1966 and 1967, this CD acts as a comprehensive supplement to the Peanut Butter Conspiracy's more widely circulated recordings for Columbia and Challenge. While seven of these recordings found official release in 1966 and 1967 on the Vault label, the rest were previously unissued. Too, it has seven cuts (both released and unreleased) by the Ashes, the group from whichthe Peanut Butter Conspiracy evolved, though most of this material was done in the early days of the era in which they were going under the Peanut Butter Conspiracy billing. Because a lot of this was done in the group's formative days, much of it's a little (and sometimes a lot) more folk-rock-oriented than the more psychedelic output on their Columbia albums. That's particularly true of the sides done by the Ashes, with Spencer Dryden (just before his Jefferson Airplane days) on drums. Like the Peanut Butter Conspiracy's more widely known work, however, the music here is a second-division (though not downright second-rate) and sometimes derivative mixture of folk-rock, psychedelia, and California pop/rock, though often a bit rawer than their more familiar stuff. There are some nice tunes here, like the 1966 Ashes single "Is There Anything I Can Do," a lost folk-rock gem co-written by Jackie DeShannon; "Dark On You Now," another moody Ashes folk-rocker that the band would remake on the first Peanut Butter Conspiracy album; and "Free," which like some of their other more bittersweet tunes is a little reminiscent of the very early Jefferson Airplane with a heavier pop flavor. The 20-page booklet has Alec Palao's usual ace detective work on filling in the obscure history of the band, with lots of quotes from interviews with some of the members. AMG.

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Grey Reverend - Of The Days 2011

Grey Reverend is the solo project of songwriter L.D. Brown. He began the project in 2005 while living in Philadelphia P.A, focusing on guitar and voice as a primary means of expression. Raised on a variety of musical genres, L.D. began playing the saxophone at age 9, but didn’t discover his main instrument, the guitar, until the age of 22… L.D’s first years in Philadelphia as a writer were spent performing and recording with other artist such as Steve Gunn, Jack Rose, Chris Powell, and Cynthia G Mason. L.D was also studying music theory on his own and learning from his mentor, the legendary guitarist Pat Martino.

A sea change occurred in L.D’s approach to the guitar when he was diagnosed with a neurological disorder called Focal Dystonia, which limited the use of both of his hands and temporary sidelined his career… Determined to find a way to keep playing, “Grey Reverend” was born out of a desire to write his own music from simple song formula while maintaining a textural complexity which he found to be lacking at the time in contemporary acoustic music. In 2006 L.D. moved to New York City, where he currently lives, and spent most of his early time there writing songs and performing them for Rats and People in the subways. “It was a good experience”…

Signed to Ninja Tune/Motion Audio Records in 2009, and with two LPs “Of The Days” 2011, and “A Hero’s Lie” 2013, Grey Reverend has toured the United States, U.K and Europe in support of these releases. Grey Reverend’s music has been showcased on MTV, ABC ,NBC, HBO ,BBC and other networks worldwide, and has been featured on NPR’s All Things Considered…

Besides currently working as a guitarist and vocalist with “The Cinematic Orchestra” UK, L.D. has collaborated with a wide range of artist around the world. Bonobo, Fink, Lou Rhodes of Lamb, Cynthia G. Mason, members of Wilco, Tortoise, as well as many others… He claims that music is a means of connecting with the rest of the world…

In describing Grey Reverend’s sound, David Garland of WNYC radio in New York put it eloquently when he said “As Grey Reverend, LD Brown makes compelling songs with reverence for the grey, undefined areas of style, and without concern for standard musical, or social expectations.”
A modern bluesman…

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