Hidden Gems #4

Eddie Floyd, Big Bird

Eddie Floyd was a big soul star in the 1960's, you might recognise a song of his called Knock On Wood he also recorded on the legendary Stax Label.

This is one of my favourite songs of all time, its amazing. I used to play this occasionally in my dj sets and I think more people asked what this song was than when I played bands like the Arcade Fire for the first time. Everything about this song is great, the opening bars with the guitar and horn, the funk guitar verse. Its pretty fuggin' good. I cant really do it justice describing it, just have a listen.

MP3: Big Bird

Atlantic Gold

If you have £5 burning a hole in your pocket check out the Atlantic Gold Compilation soul tunes and also some choice rarities, there are some interesting choices of mix for some of the tracks which gives them a rawer and more funky edge. I love the cut of Sam and Dave's Soul Man on this cd, the funk guitar lick jumps out at you and my god its good.


MP3: Sam and Dave: Soul man
MP3: Betty Wright: Clean Up Woman

Junior Boys

Touring currently with Hot Chip, Junior Boys new album So This Is Goodbye is a fantastic dance album. It has a 80's infulenced pop sound ala Human League or OMD but with a modern dance style. Its not quite as good as The Warning and is lacking a bit of personality but its well worth a listen.

MP3: In the Morning

Legend Of A Mind

If you, like me is a fan of crazy 60s and 70's drug fueled Psyc-rock you have to check out the compliation "A legend of a mind an underground anthology." This album is jam packed full of crazy funk fueled electro nuggets, its pretty much impossible to pick out a few highlights from this album because every song is pretty different but also fantastic!

There are a few gems by well known bands like the Moody Blues and Thin Lizzy but the majority are bands which I am not familar with and have great fun listening too.

I'll post a couple of mp3's to check out, the first one is Theme Song-en route-Theme song by the Keef Hartley Band. This song is crazy, its starts off really quietly and folkish then kicks off, when I say kicks off I mean it, its like Ron Burgundy on acid.

The second is Question by the Moody Blues which is an amazing song, I wasnt too keen on the Moody Blues before but this song has really opened my eyes, the song is amazing, the middle section drags on but I love the opening and end of this song its outrageously funky.

I will stop gushing over this album now, hope you enjoy the tracks.

MP3: Theme Song-en route-Theme song: Keef Hartley Band
MP3: Question: Moody Blues

Buy it

Sparklehorse

Sparklehorse (a.k.a multi-instramentalist Mark Linkous) returned recently with his first album in five years with a variety of guests, most interesting to note is Danger Mouse who produces a couple of songs on the album. Its a fantastic dreamy affair, with my personal highlight being the Danger mouse produced album opener Dont take my sunshine away which has an interesting electro sound.

A must for fans of the Eels and The Flaming Lips.

MP3: Dont take my sunshine away.

Hidden Gems #3

Red Krayola's album God Bless the Krayola and All Who Sail With It from 1968 is one of the earliest Post Punk albums I have heard. This album is pretty mixed but there are some fantastic gems on here, one being this track Dairymaid's Lament which wouldnt be too out of place if it was released by a modern post punk band.

MP3:

Dairymaid's Lament

The Mai Shi/ Rapider The Horse Power split ep

Ive recently got into the Mai Shi, its quite challenging music to listen to so its pretty luckly the songs are only two minutes long each their latest release is a split album with Rapider the Horse Power entitled Dont Ignore the Potential.

The Mai Shi's part of the album is pretty unpredictable and quite exhausting but also pretty amazing, its a party of non-stop guitars, crazy bleeps and claps. I think if I played some of this at my dj sets people would either go crazy or be very scared. I love it!

The Rapider the horse power half takes more of a straight math rock approach, a highlight from this section would be "The Real Party" with mixes woops and guitars with glorious effect.

If you are very patient you can buy it here

MP3:

The Mai Shi: Heart Beeps
This song sounds like a theme from the craziest kids tv show ever.

Rapider The Horse Power: The Real Party

Hidden Gems #2

This weeks hidden gem is the band Yellow Magic Orchestra, this Japanese band were part of the electronica movement in the late 70's following on work by groups like Kraftwerk in the early 70's. I stumbled across an old video of them performing Tighten up on Soul Train and went straight out and bought a few albums from my local record shop. Here is the video, the sound quality of this one is pretty poor, sorry.

The albums are quite mixed but there are flashes of brilliance on each one, albums I would recommend for a beginner would be Techodelic and Yellow Magic Orchestra. I have posted a couple of tracks from each album to wet your appetite.

MP3: Key from Technodelic

MP3: La Femme Chinoise from Yellow Magic Orchestra

The Russian Futurists

One man pop production machine Matthew Adam Hart (no relation) aka the Russian Futurists has remained underground for a few years but the recent release of a collection of the best tracks on his last four albums "Me, myself and rye" should work to change that. The Russian Futurists music blends electronica, indie and pop together to make a catchy and exciting sound. Comparions can be made to artists such as the Postal Service and the Flaming Lips. His new album has recieved rave reviews across the board and I strongly suggest you seek out this album which makes these cold days seem that little bit warmer.

Buy it!

MP3: Paul Simon

The Thermals

If you are a fan of spunky indie punk The Thermals are the band for you. Their new album The Body, The Blood, The Machine out on Sub Pop is produced by Fugazi drummer Brendan Canty and the infulence of Fugazi is evident throughout the albums 10 track duration. One of the standout tracks on the album is A pillar of Salt which also featured on the recent Sub Pop sampler Terminal Sales Vol 2 This Delicious, which is well worth checking out if you are new to the label with tracks from bands like CSS, Band Of Horses, Comets on Fire and Mudhoney.

Buy the album

MP3: A pillar of salt

New Hold Steady Album

The new album by The Hold Steady "Boys and Girls in America" is being streamed on Vagrant, its an amazing album. A true lesson to Brandon Flowers, how to sound like Springsteen.

Listen here