Posts from 2005

G. Love & Special Sauce

Monday, February 7th, 2005 by Paul Irish

hip-hop blues // blues rock

Over the past decade, these Philly hipsters have made a solid name for themselves. They put together some home-cooked sloppy blues sound with hip-hop flavor and soulful harmonica solos and basslines. They also give a chill good-crowd kind of show, check their tour. I’m sure you’ve already enjoyed their hits “My Baby’s Got Sauce” and “Cold Beverage”, but I’m gonna drop a couple of excellent songs on you a bit more laid-back and cooled-down.
Drop it out into a saucepan, bubble gum, double yum. Big man, get it done.

G. Love & Special Sauce – Love
G. Love & Special Sauce – This Aint Livin’
buy this cd

Howlin’ Wolf

Thursday, February 3rd, 2005 by Paul Irish

1960’s chicago blues // soul jazz

Mr. Chester Arthur Burnett was born in 1910 in West Point, Mississippi. He has a sound that matches his name and matches his frame. He amassed an impressive stature of 6’3″ 300lbs and vocal power to match. This track screamed at me from the very satisfying Chicago Soul record from Soul Jazz records, the label putting out the excellent reggae compilations from Studio One Recordings. Very solid CD, great tracks from such soul and blues icons as Etta James, Bo Diddley, Buddy Guy and Fontella Bass.
A scorching coarse-throated blues track that gets your heart pumping quick.

Howlin Wolf – Evil
buy this cd

Tom McRae

Monday, January 31st, 2005 by Paul Irish

acoustic rock // singer-songwriter

Brit Tom McRae has a way with music. Critics lauded his 2001 self-titled release and it earned him a Mercury prize nomination. Many suggest comparisions to Nick Drake and early Dylan aren’t such a stretch. It’s his warm and homey while intimately gloomy mood that creates such a stir. His blisteringly bare vocals create a vocal line that slowly wraps around you like a smile. His quiet guitar strumming provides the pillow for your wondering head to crash down on.
It’s the soundtrack to your 3am drive away from that girl you can’t not like.

Tom McRae – Draw Down The Stars
buy this cd

Bill Frisell

Wednesday, January 26th, 2005 by Paul Irish

world jazz // african // country celtic

It opens like a treasure box, curious colors squiriming around inside. Slowly, they transform into a steed mounting the orange horizon. The African moon rises slowly, placing you in a trance and absolving you into an addictive chant. Bill Frisell has been creating songs melding together an assortment of world flavors for years. This track, “Baba Drame” from his 2003 album, The Intercontinentals, amalgamates seemingly disparate world genres. An african rhythm guitar and percussion start off the song, however a country violin pairs with the guitar for a solid harmony that feels mistakably celtic.
A beatiful sample of the world’s sound in a palatable package.

Bill Frisell – Baba Drame
buy this cd

DJ /Rupture

Monday, January 24th, 2005 by Paul Irish

afro-spanish pop // minimalist electro-ragga

Despite the absolute frigid temperatures this morning, my ride to work was warm because I had the sizzling island flavor of this tune to keep me moving. What at first intrigued my ears as odd spanish rap, soon matured its sonic sound as a dubbed-out dance track where you choose your level of involvement. You can let it be the backdrop for your utterly fascinating conversation of say, folksonomies; or conversely, you can crank it up, clap your hands, and make the other drivers on the road wish they had the CD, too.
A squeeky clean tropical production of deliciously organic sounds.

DJ /Rupture – Musquito (club foot remix)
Rupture (Jace Clayton)’s blog
buy this cd

Louis Prima

Thursday, January 20th, 2005 by Paul Irish

vocal swing // jump blues

I know you wanna snap your fingers. You want a swingin’ song to snap to, that’s what you want. Let me help you out. Mister Louis Prima wrote some of the hottest, swingingest songs ever. “Sing, Sing, Sing” and “Jump, Jive, An’ Wail” anyone? In fact, all of his best songs have the same darling piece of punctuation in the title. So, to keep with consistency, here’s another — “Hey, Boy! Hey, Girl!” is a cute little back-and-forth lovey swing tune you’re bound to enjoy.
Grab your wingtips, your girlie and get cute with this song.

Louis Prima – Hey, Boy! Hey, Girl! (With Keely Smith)
buy this cd

The Dining Rooms

Wednesday, January 19th, 2005 by Paul Irish

jazzy bossanova // afrobeat // cinematic downtempo

You know you’re doing something right in music when you attract the remixing talents of Quantic, Soulstance, the Bedroom Rockers, the Cinematic Orchestra, and Four Tet. This Milanese duo has been putting out fairly solid albums since 1999 providing the perfect sonic groundwork for some involved and exquisite remix action. And I believe that’s exactly where their work really shines — drop these (long, but) groovy, soulful tracks and taste it for yourself.
Get into bed with a hot bass, smooth marimba, and sweet saxes.

The Dining Rooms – La Citta Nuda (Soulpatrol Afrolicious Mix)
The Dining Rooms – Fluxus (The Cinematic Orchestra World Goes Round Mix)
buy this cd

The Chemical Brothers

Monday, January 17th, 2005 by Paul Irish

big beat // funky electronica

This powerful duo debuted originally with the name “The Dust Brothers”, but an American group with the same name (later well-known for the Fight Club soundtrack) pressed some litigation and forced a change. Though mildly bitter, the british Chemical Brothers carried on, releasing their first album appropriately named Exit Planet Dust. Now, ten years later, the two release Push The Button, a break-rocking record exploring their trademark dance-rock-rap mix. Though “Galvanize” has gotten the first-single attention, it’s the sophisticated dance track “The Boxer” that rocks this record. Hard.
Sorry Fatboy, they’ve come a longer way, baby.

The Chemical Brothers – The Boxer (Feat. Tim Burgess)
buy this cd

DJ Shadow

Thursday, January 13th, 2005 by Paul Irish

heavy hip-hop // turntablism

This man is nothing new to you, and rightfully so. He’s musician of absolute talent, a dj doing justice for the two letters in front of his name. Ever since his debut Entroducing, he’s blown his listeners’ minds. He rocks out on some wild beats ‘n vinyl, here kicking the shit hott with lyricist Roots Manuva. While you’re dropping this song, be sure to drop by John Book’s ultimate DJ Shadow Sample page, it’s got every single sample documented — ridiculous. (The URL changes regularly, peep this to stay updated.) More bass.
The perfect heavy-hitting rhythm to get your git-buzy weekend bumpin’.

DJ Shadow – GDMFSOB (UNKLE Uncensored mix feat. Roots Manuva)

Carla Bruni

Monday, January 10th, 2005 by Paul Irish

french acoustic // chanson Française

Miss Carla Bruni is one of the world’s most photographed models. She’s widely regarded as the top Italian model in the world, as well as one of the most financially successful. Being beyond the definition of beauty was apparently not enough for Carla, so she decided to try her (gorgeous) hand at music. She took after her idols Serge Gainsbourg and Joni Mitchell and crafted a quiet record of delicate songs, although not her in native tongue — rather, in French. The result is a intimate album with a lonely and wistful tone.
Listen to a supermodel sing on her own terms.

Carla Bruni – Raphaël
Carla Bruni – Tout Le Monde