The Raconteurs - Broken Boy Soldiers 2006

It's hard to call the Raconteurs a genuine supergroup since there's only one true rock star in the quartet: the White Stripes' eccentric mastermind Jack White. Sometime between the recording of the Stripes' 2003 breakthrough Elephant and its willfully difficult 2005 follow-up, Get Behind Me Satan, White teamed up with fellow Detroit singer/songwriter Brendan Benson to write some tunes, eventually drafting the rhythm section of Cincinnati garage rockers the Greenhornes as support. Lasting just ten tracks, their debut, Broken Boy Soldiers, doesn't feel hasty, but it doesn't exactly feel carefully considered, either. It sounds exactly as what it is: a busman's holiday for two prodigiously gifted pop songwriters where they get to indulge in temptations that their regular gig doesn't afford. For Benson, he gets to rock harder than he does on his meticulously crafted solo albums; for White, he gets to shed the self-imposed restrictions of the White Stripes and delve into the psychedelic art pop he's hinted at on Elephant and Satan. Both Benson and White are indebted to '60s guitar pop, particularly the pop experiments of the mid-'60s -- in its deliberately dark blues-rock, Elephant resembled a modern-day variation of the Stones' Aftermath, while Benson has drawn deeply from Rubber Soul and Revolver, not to mention the Kinks or any number of other '60s pop acts -- so they make good, even natural, collaborators, with Brendan's classicist tendencies nicely balancing Jack's gleeful freak-outs. 
Appropriately, Broken Boy Soldiers does sound like the work of a band, with traded lead vocals and layers of harmonies, and no deliberate emphasis on one singer over the other. Even if there's a seemingly conscious effort to give Brendan Benson and Jack White equal space on this brief album, White can't help but overshadow his partner: as good as Benson is, White's a far more dynamic, innovative, and compelling presence -- there's a reason why he's a star. But he does willingly embrace the teamwork of a band here, dressing up Benson's songs with weird flourishes, and playing some great guitar along the way. If the Raconteurs don't rock nearly as hard as the White Stripes -- there's a reckless freedom in Jack's careening performances when he's supported only by Meg White -- they do have some subtle sonic textures that the Stripes lack, and a tougher backbone than Benson's albums, which makes them their own distinctive entity. And they're a band that has their own identity -- it may be somewhat stuck in the '60s, but they're not monochromatic, showcasing instead a variety of sounds, ranging from sparely ominous single "Steady, as She Goes" and the propulsive pop of "Hands" to the churning Eastern psychedelia of "Intimate Secretary" and the grandiose menace of the title track to the slow blues burn of "Blue Veins." These songs, and the five other cuts on this album, prove that the Raconteurs are nothing less than a first-rate power pop band -- but they're nothing more, either. They may not rewrite the rules of pop on Broken Boy Soldiers, but they don't try to: they simply lie back and deliver ten good, colorful pop songs, so classic in style and concise in form that the album itself is barely over in 30 minutes. It's brief and even a little slight, but it's almost as much fun to listen to as it must have been to make. AMG.

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The Pharaohs - In The Basement 1996

The Pharaohs only managed one release during their short lifetime, 1971's masterful Awakening. But when the San Francisco-based jazz-funk reissue label Luv N Haight reissued Awakening in 1996, they also came out with a brand-new CD of mostly previously unreleased material called In the Basement. Most of this album was recorded live in 1972, after the already enormous 11-piece band had grown to include four more players, including a sixth drummer. The live tracks are fascinating, because where Awakening sounds like an earthier and more Afrocentric version of Earth, Wind & Fire (which several members of the Pharaohs would go on to found in 1973), the much loopier and more jazz-oriented tracks here sound more like Sun Ra jamming with the P-Funk All Stars. The 11-minute take on the Stylistics' "People Make the World Go Round" is absolutely indescribable, a mix of otherworldly horns and psychedelic guitars over a non-stop African-style groove. Other highlights include the all-rhythm "Drum Suite," a hypnotic blend of organic polyrhythms and chanting, and a stunning cover of Al Green's "Love and Happiness" that's the only studio track here. Not quite as wonderful as Awakening, In the Basement nonetheless makes one wish that the Pharaohs had lasted longer, just to see what would have happened next. AMG.

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Amon Düül - Airs On A Shoe String 1986

Even with only five tracks, Airs on a Shoestring is one of the best avenues to investigate Amon Düül's sometimes irritable, sometimes unlistenable brand of fragmented rock and jazz fusion. Two of the tracks, "Hymn for the Hardcore" and the humorous "Olaf (Where's My $20,000?)" represent the band's musical sloppiness the best, but, at the same time, offer a foreshadowing into Amon Düül II's Krautrock prominence. The jams are unraveled and fountain-like, while the guitar rhythms are half-built, melding into the thrashing of the drums and cymbals. The lyrics, often indecipherable, are drowned out by clashes of percussion and the splattering of guitar improvisation anyway, but there is still some positive energy felt within the rawness of the music. Airs on a Shoestring may be brief, but this, in itself, is welcoming, and it's much easier to find than most of their albums. AMG.

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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.

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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. 

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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. 

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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.

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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.

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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. 

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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.

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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.

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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.

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