I've been a huge fan of Alice Russell for some time. First found out about Alice and her music through discovering the Tru Thoughts record label and the The Quantic Soul Orchestra's album - Pushin On which featured Alice on the majority of tracks. Alice also released three solo albums on the Tru Thoughts label up until 2006.
Since then Alice has left the Tru Thoughts label and release another long player "Pot of Gold" on Six Degrees record label. The clip below is a live performance of "Let Us Be Loving" off the Pot of Gold album.
To find out more info about Alice Russell or purchase releases go to http://www.alicerussell.com/showscreen.php?site_id=46&screentype=site&screenid=46
Enjoy
The Average Music Fan
Saturday, October 31, 2009
Thursday, October 29, 2009
Unexpected Vinyl Trip - Gloria Gaynor & Lou Rawls
Was back up in Sydney the weekend before last and had a bit of an opportunity to have a bit of a snoop around a couple of Opportunity Shops. I was really after a leopard/tiger print beach towel to on sell but to no avail. Fortunately the trip was not a complete waste as I found a couple of $1 gems in the vinyl section. I was flicking through the mainly classical vinyl on offer and came across the following albums
Gloria Gaynor – I’ve Got You
This was the second album released by Gloria who has gone on to release 20 studio albums with the latest released in 2008. Gloria is best known for her smash hit “I Will Survive” which is still going strong as there is a 30th Anniversary I Will Survive Cd being released this year.
Gloria has a sensational voice that stands out over the funk backing band that lay down some funky baselines and horn segments. I’m not 100% sure if there are any breaks/samples used from this album but there is enough to ammunition to keep any budding DJ/producer happy. My stand out track is the opener “Let’s Make a Deal”. Well worth picking up if you come across this album.
The second album I came across was
Lou Rawls – When You Hear Lou, You’ve Heard It All
I had been after this album for some time and only put of purchasing it as something else would be cheaper and I’d put it off until my next record store visit. So imagine my surprise when I’m rifling through Opp shops offering and come across a near mint copy of this album for $1, sensational.
The album is a bit slower with more R&B ballads than up tempo funk offerings from offer artists around this period. Lou’s baritone voice steals the show and it’s easy to get swept away to his crooning. At time he reminds me of Bill Withers who also released some delightful R&B tracks. The youtube link below is a live version of the opening track off the album “Lady Love”. This live version shows an older Lou, but the only other clip of a young Lou is of dodgy quality. Another great album that I recommend picking up.
If you enjoy these post please spread the word or the link.
Cheers
Average Music Fan
Gloria Gaynor – I’ve Got You
This was the second album released by Gloria who has gone on to release 20 studio albums with the latest released in 2008. Gloria is best known for her smash hit “I Will Survive” which is still going strong as there is a 30th Anniversary I Will Survive Cd being released this year.
Gloria has a sensational voice that stands out over the funk backing band that lay down some funky baselines and horn segments. I’m not 100% sure if there are any breaks/samples used from this album but there is enough to ammunition to keep any budding DJ/producer happy. My stand out track is the opener “Let’s Make a Deal”. Well worth picking up if you come across this album.
The second album I came across was
Lou Rawls – When You Hear Lou, You’ve Heard It All
I had been after this album for some time and only put of purchasing it as something else would be cheaper and I’d put it off until my next record store visit. So imagine my surprise when I’m rifling through Opp shops offering and come across a near mint copy of this album for $1, sensational.
The album is a bit slower with more R&B ballads than up tempo funk offerings from offer artists around this period. Lou’s baritone voice steals the show and it’s easy to get swept away to his crooning. At time he reminds me of Bill Withers who also released some delightful R&B tracks. The youtube link below is a live version of the opening track off the album “Lady Love”. This live version shows an older Lou, but the only other clip of a young Lou is of dodgy quality. Another great album that I recommend picking up.
If you enjoy these post please spread the word or the link.
Cheers
Average Music Fan
Monday, October 26, 2009
J.Period & K’Naan presents The Messengers
J.Period & K’Naan presents The Messengers
To be honest I’d never heard of K’Naan before coming across this mixtape trilogy that he’s released with J.Period, and to be even more honest it’s mostly because of J.Period’s name on this project that I allocated some of my download quota on this free mixtape. First off I downloaded their Fela Kuti mixtape. I was introduced to Fela’s music last year and was blown away with the whole afro beat style. I’m a sucker for horns and combine this with the African chants, it just blew my head off.
On my first listen of the Messengers mixtape I felt Fela Kuti was dominating the musical soundscape and K’Naan wasn’t really coming through with his raps and stepping up to the plate. However this mixtape is a grower. There is some really standout tracks that both showcase K’Naan’s lyrically ability and mixed with Kela’s instrumentals deliver some spine chilling results. Tracks such as “Ololufe Mi” which talks about needing a high profile collaboration to get some air play or using auto tune to create a hit for the radio or “Got My Dreams” which sees K’Naan flow effortlessly over a Fela horn riff with Biggie dropping in on the cut. The mixtape is intertwined with snippets describing Fela’s rise as an African political figure and how K’Naan has been influenced by his music.
This formula is copied on both the Bob Marley Tribute and Bob Dylan Tribute, which once again delivers some memorable moments. Stand out track on the Bob Marley Tribute are “Fatima/Stir It Up” where K’Naan tells a heartfelt story about Fatima, a childhood love interest left behind in Somalia who falls victim to the troubles back in his homeland. My favourite track on the Bob Dylan Tribute is the opening track “Introduction to Bob Dylan” where J.Period has given Bob’s harmonica a nice backing beat with cuts in the background while K’Naan tells the listener about his Somalian roots, poetry and discovering Bob Dylan’s music. This opening track prepares the listener for another remarkable collaboration that makes you feel like all three musicians are in the room at the same time.
If you’re sick of the commercial hip hop on the airwaves at the moment, looking for something different, a fan of any of the artist’s above or just after something a bit unique then I highly recommend downloading this trilogy, you will be amazed.
To Download the mixtape follow this link - http://www.okayplayer.com/news/J.Period-x-KNaan-The-Messengers-Deluxe-Edition-Extended-Mixtape-%2B-Bonus-Tracks-%2B-Selected-12-S.html - Scroll down the page to find the download link.
Video - The making of the Messengers
K'Naan & J Period - The Messengers Mixtape from Mark Valino on Vimeo.
Got My Dreams (Messenger Remix)
Sunday, October 25, 2009
The Average Music Fan
Welcome to the Average Music Fan blog
My aim with this blog is to provide an average music fan's perspective on music. Personally I have a varied taste in music, but my backbone is hip hop. My love for hip hop culture has seen my music taste branch out into jazz, funk & soul, swing, blues, dance etc to either find samples, breaks or just broaden my musical knowledge and collection.
Vinyl is my love but as I'm unable to acquire my whole collection on vinyl I also collect Cd's and download authorised free mixtapes off the internet. With this blog I wish to show an average music fans weekly buying/download habits and rely why thoughts back to the music public.
Hopefully people are able to get something out of my posts and discover an artist or album they didn't know about or a mixtape on the net that may open another musical outlet to them.
My aim with this blog is to provide an average music fan's perspective on music. Personally I have a varied taste in music, but my backbone is hip hop. My love for hip hop culture has seen my music taste branch out into jazz, funk & soul, swing, blues, dance etc to either find samples, breaks or just broaden my musical knowledge and collection.
Vinyl is my love but as I'm unable to acquire my whole collection on vinyl I also collect Cd's and download authorised free mixtapes off the internet. With this blog I wish to show an average music fans weekly buying/download habits and rely why thoughts back to the music public.
Hopefully people are able to get something out of my posts and discover an artist or album they didn't know about or a mixtape on the net that may open another musical outlet to them.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)