As a companion to Dan’s open thread Tuesday, which I still need to dig through and fully suss out, and as a way to liven up a dreary Friday, I am going to use this space to tip you off to three (well, four, actually) records that I’ve been listening to in the spaces between Mets games recently. Hey, the best time to flout the “music-recommendation posts get low pageviews” maxim is the hours before the weekend begins, right? Israeli funk, recently excavated ’90s indie, and UK R & B after the jump!
Various artists, Soul Messages From Dimona
This compilation from the tireless archivists at the Numero Group collects music made between 1975 and 1981 by a group of American expatriates living in Dimona, Israel, and it’s pretty fantastic, melding together gospel, funk, and soul with lyrics that apparently contain precepts of Black Hebrew culture. The Tonistics’ “Holding On” sounds like a lost Jackson 5 song that was shelved because it got a little too freaky; I also like the Soul Messengers’ “Our Lord And Savior,” which makes the “Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye” melody the backbone for a fiery funk spiritual. [Numero Group]
Air Miami, Fourteen Songs/Sixteen Songs
My adoration for the band Unrest has been chronicled here in the past, and I’ve spent the past few weeks catching up with the two CDs of demos from Mark Robinson and Bridget Cross’ follow-up project Air Miami. The band’s sole album, Me. Me. Me., has been in my springtime rotation since its release in 1995, and these early versions of that album’s songs (as well as the chiming “Airplane Rider” and a few new-to-me tracks) serve as a fine gateway to Me. Me. Me.’s fully realized takes. (The Sound Of Indie has an MP3 of one of the demos.) [Teen Beat]
Estelle, Shine
The new full-length by this UK singer meshes the best things about the other two records discussed in this space into a breezy, summery R & B album that inspired me to tell my listening companion “I like this, it’s really nice, you know?” about 10 times during my first listen to it earlier this week. And hey, the wholesale lifting of the melody from George Michael’s “Faith” on “No Substitute Love” shows that at least her influences are in the right place. [MySpace]
Airplane Rider… Go! Classic.
I’m in the midst of an Otis Redding phase.
I like that Estelle album too. I keep promising myself to listen to it more…if only I could somehow pry my fingers away from the latest Portishead.
That Rocklahoma piece has me tuned in to the Arena Rock channel on Music Choice, the cable TV music service. They just played Kix. I’m a happy camper.
I finally got my hands on the Matt & Kim album and I’m happily bopping my way to work, at work and away from work to this CD.
The new NIN is alright too. But not as fun.
@Maura, so you heard Maybe It’s Reno yet? Stupid band name, but it’s essentially a Bridget led Unrest album, so yay.
Did I ever mention I learned of Unrest’s breakup via a post card from Bridget? I wrote her a letter for shits and grins in 94 and well, timing was funky, I guess.
@Captain Wrong: Yes! I really like it. It reminds me in a lot of spots of Look Blue Go Purple.
I forgot about Air Miami.
I think I’ll have to seek this out.
I hate to start this but…
I took a road trip and made myself listen to all three of the Dueling Divas’ albums (Madge, Le Mariah & Jan Jan the dancin’ robot). Somehow between the redundant electrobeats, I discovered that Jan’s album is not as bad as everyone said it was. In fact, i found it WAY more listenable that the other two. Go figure.