Will Calhoun - Native Lands 2005

Drummer Will Calhoun's Native Lands is a rather ambitious effort and quite successful. The personnel changes on each selection, ranging from a quintet with tenor-saxophonist Pharoah Sanders and trumpeter Wallace Roney to several duets, solo pieces for Will Calhoun on a variety of instruments, and even a 30-second statement on drums from two-year old Tateich Calhoun. The leader wrote the majority of the selections yet does not dominate, and his many illustrious sidemen have opportunities to stretch out. The post is post-bop jazz, sometimes looking towards Africa, always rhythmically interesting, and never dull or meandering. The accompanying DVD is part travelogue, part documentary of the record dates, and also holds one's interest. Recommended. AMG.

listen here

Daniel Lanois - Shine 2003

Thirty seconds into "I Love You," the first track off of Shine, Daniel Lanois' warm, watery guitar signature is already unmistakable, even before his voice entwines ecstatically with Emmylou Harris'. Shine is the third Lanois album to appear under his own name, and his first in a decade. What is immediately startling about Shine is how spare it is. There is a plethora of sounds and textures to be sure, but they are suspended in space, looking not outside to communicate but toward the heart as a mirror, as if to make certain that the music played is not necessarily accurate but is true. Folk, country, blues, psychedelia, and atmosphere are wound together into an inseparable knot. Lanois played almost all of the instruments here, with the exception of drums, handled by Brian Blade and occasionally his brother, Brady. Other musicians, such as longtime musical collaborator Malcolm Burn and bassistDarryl Johnson, make appearances. Beginning with "I Love You," with its acceptance and pleading need (lent great credence by Harris' singing) and on into "Falling at Your Feet," a duet co-written withU2's Bono during the All That You Can't Leave Behind sessions, to the third track, "As Tears Go By," with a sampled guitar line by blues guitar legend Charley Patton, it is clear that Lanois is writing from a place more vulnerable, more spiritually conscious, and yet more strident than ever before. WhereAcadie was full of warmth and intimacy, it felt like a collection of songs that had been assembled from many sessions. For the Beauty of Wynona, with all of its experimentation and poetic songwriting, was a far more unified project, but it was reliant on its wide-ranging sonic attack to support those adventurous words and melodies. Here, everything is balanced; the scope is small, close, and textured by pedal steel guitars, very organic percussion, and Lanois' voice way up front. On the instrumentals, such as "Transmitter," "Matador," "Space Kay," and the closer, "JJ Leaves La," the same whispering feel is evident. The songs on Shine feel like confessions, prayers even, not only to a superior being, but to lovers, full of brokenness and the willingness to learn and heal; they are wrapped in the soil of North America, from Montreal to Mexico; they feel rooted in not only the earth, but in spirituality and a willingness to open to the forces of the heart itself. The instrumentals create a sense of movement through time and space to anchor the intent of the vocal tracks. His instincts are nearly perfect: When the weight of a particular series of songs begins to move the listener too far in one direction, an instrumental or two appears, allowing one to drift in its ambience for a short time. After a pair of instrumentals ("Matador" and "Space Kay"), "Slow Giving" and "Fire" are hymns to unseen angels who may indeed represent living characters or those who've passed after imparting some gift. ClearlyLanois' protagonist relies on them heavily in the dark times with a lyricism that is sophisticated, literate, poetic, and soulful. That's a rare combination. The album closes with the pedal steel tune "JJ Leaves LA." The steel guitar was Lanois' first instrument, and its gentility and sweetness are tempered only by its pervasive melancholy, leaving the listener with a sense of bittersweet longing and a sense that some kind of story has been told, a series of snapshots have been shown that reveal something, postcards have been sent and arrived unexpectedly, and the only way to unravel the mystery is play the record again. AMG. 

listen here

Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band - Ice Cream For Crow 1982

With yet one final Magic Band lineup in place, featuring Richard Snyder on bass and Cliff Martinez on drums alongside returning vets Jeff Moris Tepper and Gary Lucas, Beefheart put the final touch on his recording career to date with Ice Cream for Crow. It's a last entertaining blast of wigginess from one of the few truly independent artists in late 20th century pop music, with humor, skill, and style all still intact (as even the song titles like "Semi-Multicoloured Caucasian" and "Cardboard Cutout Sundown" show). With the Magic Band turning out more choppy rhythms, unexpected guitar lines, and outré arrangements, Captain Beefheart lets everything run wild as always, with successful results. Sometimes he sounds less like the blues shouter of lore and more of a spoken word artist with an attitude, thus the stuttering flow of "The Host the Ghost the Most Holy." "Hey Garland, I Dig Your Tweed Coat" is even more entertainingly outrageous, Beefheart's addictive if near impenetrable ramble about tobacco juice and straw hats and more backed by an insanely great arrangement. Magic Bandmembers each get chances to shine one way or another -- "Evening Bell" in particular demonstrates why Lucas went on to later solo renown, a complex, suddenly shifting solo instrumental that sits somewhere between background music and head-scratching "how did he do that?" intrigue. AMG.

listen here

Googie & Tom Coppola - Shine The Light of Love 1980

Favorite Recordings proudly presents this new official album reissue of Shine the Light of Love by Googie & Tom Coppola: A beautiful soaring soul album sublimely produced with a sweet LA groove!

Thomas Wilkinson Coppola (aka Tom Coppola) is a pianist and arranger, known for being a principal member of the funky prog-jazz group Air (not to be confused with the French duo). He began working as a musician in Manhattan in the 1960s, where he met Carolyn Brooks (aka Googie Coppola). If they only released one self-titled album with Air in 1970, and Shine the Light of Love as a duo in 1980, these two amazing talents have collaborated with artists such as Herbie Mann, Lenny White, Flora Purim, Ray Barreto or Jeremy Steig to name just a few.

Shine the Light of Love was also released in 1980 on Columbia, after the couple left Air to become born-again Christian. A real lack of promotion from the label caused the record to disappear, however it was, in many ways, years ahead of their contemporaries. Googie's vocals are an absolute delight - with a Minnie Riperton-esque sort of feeling - and the overall album's got some nice jazzy touches and a sublime, sophisticated approach to the overall sound, while never falling into commercial.

An underrated masterpiece that definitely deserved more attention, which is why Favorite Recordings is deeply honored today to present it in a fully remastered version, housed in a fine gatefold sleeve including original notes.

listen here

The Fleshtones - Roman Gods 1982

In the 1980s, of the dozens of bands who were mining the sounds of '60s garage rock for inspiration, few were smarter or wittier about it than the Fleshtones; lots of folks might have sounded more like the Knaves or the Remains or whatever band they chose to embrace as a sonic template, but Peter Zaremba, Keith Streng, and their partners in Super Rock were able to communicate heart, soul, and actual thought instead of a mere awestruck nostalgia. The Fleshtones could also rock pretty hard, and were willing to mix up their influences a bit (not many nuevo garage bands would pick Lee Dorsey as the source of their album's sole cover tune). There's never been a real substitute for seeing the Fleshtones live (not even their live album quite fills the quota), but Roman Gods does a fine job of getting their ideas down on plastic with muscle, enthusiasm, and creative thinking, and it boasts several of their best songs, including the hard-charging "R-I-G-H-T-S," the moody "Shadow Line," the rollicking "I've Gotta Change My Life" (good advice!), and the title cut, easily the finest Kingsmen tune ever written by some guys from New York 20 years after "Louie Louie" was a hit. It's cool, it's not dumb, and it sounds great at a party -- Roman Gods is everything you've ever wanted in a garage revival album, and more! AMG.

listen here

Ami Koita - Songs Of Praise 1994

Koita sings the ancient songs of her native Mali in an Afro-pop style, with remarkable vocal dexterity. Rarely is danceable music so affecting and spiritual, and Koita devotes herself to her music totally. The liner notes indicate this disc combines two previous albums on a single disc, but there is no indication of what those earlier albums were called. AMG. 

listen here

Baby Consuelo (born Bernadete Dinorah de Carvalho Cidade July 18, 1952) (also known as Baby do Brasil) is a Brazilian performer, singer and composer.

Although she is known for her energetic performances and compositions in pop, Baby has also composed for the samba and MPB scene. Early in her career she was a member of Novos Baianos, and was at once married to Brazilian guitarist and bandmate Pepeu Gomes. Her 1985 album, "Sem Pecado e Sem Juízo" sold more than 1 million copies.

listen here

Brett Nelson - Buffalo Jump Art & Crafts 2010

Songwriter Brett Nelson has worked in a variety of musical mediums (Built to Spill) - as a frontman and supporting musician in indie rock, folk and country bands and working as a solo artist. In 2010, he completed his debut full-length album Buffalo Jump Art & Crafts in his home studio while working to produce an EP for folk duo Autumn in the Oak Tree.

listen here

Black Moses - Emperor Deb 2001

Debut album from former Thee Hypnotics frontman Jim Jones, this is sleazy stoner rock with a hefty dose of 60s and 70s soul, an essential for any worshippers at the altar of garage rock. 

listen here

Nana Grizol - Love It Love It 2008

Theo Hilton's rock sextet from Athens, GA, Nana Grizol is a fresh and frisky, if somewhat ramshackle, outfit that hasn't really gotten out of the garage yet on its debut album, Love It Love It. The childlike artwork on the album cover, credited to one "Sam Phillips," hints at the D.I.Y. feel of a band that sounds like its members learned to play their instruments about six months ago; they are still in the first flush of excitement at being musicians and being in a band, but matters of cohesion, much less arrangement, escape them completely. They just bash away excitedly, coming up with rudimentary chord structures to support Hilton's lyric-filled songs. The singer's words tumble out of his mouth in an adenoidal rush occasionally reminiscent of Jonathan Richman or Black 47's Larry Kirwan, full of odd observations and ingenuously expressed feelings. The result is a debut that's engaging and amusing in the manner of a small child, the kind who might have drawn the cartoons on the cover. AMG.

listen here

The Immortal Lee County Killers - These Bones Will Rise To Love You Again 2005

The third incarnation of the Immortal Lee County Killers sounds a bit less frantic but every bit as committed on 2005's These Bones Will Rise to Love You Again. The muscular punk-infused clamor of the group's first two albums has been turned down a few notches, and keyboards have added some additional layers of groove on several tunes, and as a result These Bones Will Rise is rooted more in traditional rock and R&B structures than in the past, with a soulful vibe permeating these sessions. Don't fret, there's still plenty of sweat and energy to be found here, Chetley Weise's guitar still cuts deep, and most importantly this band still lives and dies for their vision of the blues. "Boom Boom" is a telling homage to the power of Skip James, "Airliner" invokes the name and works of Stevie Wonderlike a magic talisman (and who's to argue with that?), and the title "Blues" just about says it all in its tale of pain and menace. And while some fans will wonder about the slow drift of "Lights Down Low" or "Wide as the Sky," the truth is Weise has added new angles to his music without throwing away the passion and force that made it memorable in the first place. Strong stuff. AMG.

listen here

Langhorne Slim - When The Sun's Gone Down 2005

It would be easy to mistake Langhorne Slim for yet another neo-folkie with a song to sing if it were not for the shear exuberance of his performance style on When the Sun's Gone Down. His strained, high, and always intense vocals provide the first clue that this guy isn't another New England singer/songwriter on the make. He kicks off with the energetic, upbeat "In the Midnight," a little ditty accompanied by a frantic drumbeat and a jaunty banjo. Slim's also joined by a group of singers who add odds and ends that can loosely be described as "background vocals." They shout and soar, creating yet another odd texture to these fun, offbeat songs. The acoustic arrangements remind one a bit of late-'60s folk-rock, the kind that groups like the Incredible String Band made in Britain. "Sisterhood" begins with an atmospheric organ before dropping into a banjo-guitar-bass and percussion setup that unrolls like a psychedelic Sunday afternoon. Even on a simple song like "I Ain't Proud" Slim twists and turns and spits out each lyric like they really -- honest to God -- mean something. Some listeners, addicted to a more straightforward folk aesthetic, might find Slim a bit over the top. If folk is to have any future, however, artists will have to move in new, provocative ways like Slim does onWhen the Sun's Gone Down. AMG.

listen here

Mr. Airplane Man - C'mon DJ 2003

You've got to hand it to Jeffrey Evans. Aside from all the music he's made over the years, he's credited with introducing the White Stripes to Sympathy for the Record Industry (and, hence, to the world). Then he did the same for Mr. Airplane Man. Although the Boston duo's first effort was self-released, Sympathy would handle their subsequent recordings. Granted, MAM would stand out in any crowd, even without the assistance of an Evans, a Long Gone John, or the late Mark Sandman (Morphine), who became a fan after hearing them on the streets in 1998. And, to be sure, there are other duos who've been around as long, like the Stripes, but MAM features two women: Margaret Garrett (guitar, vocals) and Tara McManus (drums), and yet they sound nothing like such female duos as the Softies. Their punk-blues hybrid has more in common with the garagey sounds Detroit trio the Gories were laying down in the '90s. Then there's their name, which confuses the issue altogether, but it's really just a tribute to Howlin' Wolf, who once drafted a ditty called "Mr. Airplane Man."

It was, in fact, a shared obsession with Wolf (aka Chester Burnett) that inspired the band's formation. After living on opposite coasts for some time, the friends reunited in Boston in 1995, where they locked themselves up in a basement for a year and absorbed the sounds of the Delta blues as much as any two people can. With that, they hit the streets, honing their chops by playing for rent on the sidewalks of Cambridge -- Garrett with an electric guitar and battery-powered amp and McManus with her trusty five-gallon drum. Sandman wasn't the only Bostonian to take notice. In 1999, they were voted Best New Local Act by readers of the Boston Phoenix. Then they went on tour with Sandman, who helped record their first album, which was released that year and led to more touring. While in Memphis, a chance encounter in a local diner would result in their next release. Garrett had recently become converted to the musical gospel ofMonsieur Evans' '68 Comeback. By coincidence, they met a gent who knew the man, and he arranged for an introduction. The Boston crew hit it off with the Memphis gang and an alliance was formed. They continued on to New Orleans for a gig and, upon their return, M. Evans was set to do some recording. Their first Sympathy release was the single, "Johnny Johnny," which was followed by a full-length in March of 2001. Red Lite was like a history of MAM as it included the Stooges' "I Wanna Be Your Dog," a set list staple since their days in Central Square, along with other longtime favorites like Jessie May Hemphill's "Black Cat Bone."  Next, they hit the road with the White Stripes and opened for the Strokes, as well as local acts DMZ and the Lyres, both featuring the legendary Jeff "Monoman" Conolly.Recorded in Detroit with Jim Diamond (the White Stripes) and mixed in Memphis with Doug Easley and Greg "Oblivian" Cartwright, Moanin' was released in September of 2002, and it's where MAM really hit their stride. Highlights of the well-received platter, which -- like the band -- took its name from a Wolf classic, included the haunting spiritual, "Jesus on the Mainline" and the blissful girl group pop of "Not Livin' at All" (penned after repeated listens to the Lyres' "Help You Ann"). Mr. Airplane Man then took their show across the country, during which time they tried out new material set for inclusion on their next recording. AMG.

listen here

Louis Mhlanga - Song For Nomsa 1998

One of the first to blend Earth, Wind & Fire-like funk and R&B with the traditional dance rhythms of Zimbabwe, Louis Mhlanga continues to be one of Africa's most in-demand session musicians. His melodic guitar plucking has been featured on albums by such African musicians as King Sunny Ade, Hugh Masakela, Ray Phiri, Busi Mhlongo, Sipho "Hotstix" Mabuse, Caiphus Semenya, Letta Mbuli, Vusi Mahlasala, and the Soweto String Quartet. During a brief period in the mid-'80s when he temporarily resided in London, Mhlanga worked with Paul Weller and Afro-Caribbean artists includingDennis Brown and Julian Bahula. Recent collaborators include jazz-pop vocalist Al Jarreau and steel pan player Andy Narrell. Accepting an invitation to work at King Sunny Ade's recording studio in Lagos, Mhlanga learned the craft of record producing. Among the many albums that he's overseen are several by Thomas Mapfumo.

In addition to performing with his band, Musik Ye Africa, featuring drummer Jethro Shasha and bassist Jimi Indi, Mhlanga has increasingly worked with Vusi Mahlasala, a Dylanesque singer/songwriter that he met while working on a show, The Devil and the Saint, with poet Lesego Rampolokeng. Their first album together, Crush the Corn, released in 1997, was followed by Live at the Bassline, recorded during a concert in Johannesburg in 1999. Mhlanga has based his operations in South Africa since the late 1980s. He serves as administrative manager of the Ethnomusicology Trust. AMG.

listen here

The Legendary Shack Shakers - Believe 2004

As the opening track, "Agony Wagon," shuffles out of the starting blocks like some sort of hillbilly klezmer chestnut, complete with violin and clarinet, you can't help but wonder if the Legendary Shack Shakers have done a 180 for their second album, 2004's Believe. Further research confirms this isn't quite the case, but Believe does find this band of hot-wired Nashville maniacs adding a few more flavors to their usual gumbo of country, blues, rockabilly, and punk. Fiddles and horns add seasoning to a few tracks, the group musters up a shade more technical finesse than they did on their blasting debut,Cockadoodledon't, and the graceful waltz-time "The Pony to Bet On" suggests this band might actually have some subtlety lurking deep down inside of them. But for the most part Believe shows the Shack Shakers's instincts remain mercifully unchanged -- they're here to kick ass and get wild, and man oh man, are they good at it. The blues-shot swagger of "All My Life to Kill," the ominous thunder of "Where's the Devil When You Need Him?," and the swampy hipshake of "Piss and Vinegar" all capture this band in high-impact mode, and if anything they're stronger and more swingin' than on their debut.Believe is a high-octane shot of energy and attitude that confirms the promise of the Legendary Shack Shakers' debut, and proves this is one revved-up live band who know how to make their sweat and shakin' signify on tape -- these guys are the best thing to happen to Dixie-fried dementia sinceSouthern Culture on the Skids. AMG.

listen here