Café Surreàl

A Rose By Any Other Name...

2009-06-11T16:28:00.002-04:00

Sorry I haven't posted in nearly a month, folks. Been trying to scramble and make up for lost time. I've missed deadlines for MTV, Def Jux and even this upcoming Drake collaboration so I had to put the blog on pause for a second.

I think I'll stick my neck out today and post a record from the litigation-happy DeWolfe, who have released an excellent selection of film and television music in the late 60s through early 80s, and even today. This piece from 1976 features composers Staker, Natal and Thomas and can be classified as what I call "mood music". Atmospheric selections such as "Green Dew" (which I sampled for "Moondust" late last year) and "Troubled Water" really make this an LP to add to the collection. If you can find the occasional eBay posting for this record then you'll find that it won't cost you anymore than $10 to $15 USD. Notice I said "occasional": good music, evidently, is hard to come by. (download)

In The Nick Of Time

2009-05-17T15:55:00.001-04:00

Today's offering is 1976's Distinctive Themes/Race To Achievement, helmed by the legendary Nick Ingman. Some soft music, some pulsating themes, but overall a solid LP from the KPM library. This record also happens to be the source LP for Jay-Z's "Stick 2 The Script" as well as my own instrumental for "Pineapple Gumdrop" off of the upcoming "Dream, Extinguished" LP. I won't tell you which songs, though. You'll have to find out for yourself! (download)

It's A Small, Small World

2009-04-15T20:48:00.005-04:00

Today's entry is from the beloved Bruton Music label. Released in 1985, this LP is typical fare for mid- to late-80's library music (cheesy, disco-esque and moog moog moog). It has a few flaws, but stand-out tracks like "Corporation Of Stature" and "The Nation's Pride" more than make up for it. Brian Bennett and Ray Russell share composing duties.

It's fairly difficult to track this record down. But that's what I'm here for. On a side note, this place used to be bustlin'! The profile page says 13,000 views for cryin' out loud. I know I've been MIA for a while (I was in love, jack) but unfortunately the disclaimer still stands: downloads are available for three weeks only. However, I'm a softie; if the traffic picks up, I'll start taking repost requests again. (download)

Space for Basse...?

2009-03-02T00:11:00.008-05:00

Yes, yes, YES.

Holy crap, this LP has the illest music on it. Raymond Guiot helms this library record from Telemusic that focuses on the bass cello. I just made a sick beat from it that you will hear from later on in the year, probably the next few weeks (shhhhhh...).

You could cop it from eBay for $100 but whoops! You took too long, jack; someone already copped it. Whatever shall you do? (download)

What You Want Me To Do? I'm Sorry!

2008-07-21T14:05:00.003-04:00

I'm back.

[cocky Jay-Z laugh]Eheheheheh.[/cocky Jay-Z laugh].

M&M&M

2008-04-23T01:59:00.009-04:00

Guess who's back? It's me, snitches.

Finally got things squared away so we're back in business. Today's post comes from 1975's live recording of the legendary "3 M Concert" from Cherry Hill, New Jersey's Latin Casino. The three M's, of course, are Margie Joseph, Blue Magic and Major Harris. The performance gave birth to a 2-LP vinyl record released the year following the concert, which of course can be found floating around on eBay somewhere. It was the live version of Major Harris's "I Got Over Love" from this record, and not the studio version on Jealousy from the same year, that Just Blaze used to create "I Really Mean It" for the Diplomats. Peep the original demo version of "I Really Mean It" -- originally titled "Don't Go", apparently -- on Just's blog.

Enjoy! Check out how Major shouts out Philadelphia producer Ron "Have Mercy" Kersey, who unfortunately passed away in 2005. (download)

Ape Shit

2008-04-12T01:59:00.006-04:00

Now that I am somewhat over the initial shock, anger and disappointment of my f**kin' car being stolen, I suppose I can get back to sharing more music. Don't have a lot of time for commentary today, but fellow DJ Premier ~~stans~~ fans will know that today's entry is the source of the fiiiiiiiyah collaboration between GangStarr and M.O.P., courtesy of the Blade soundtrack from '98. Peep track 12 from this Jimmy Webb-helmed score from the 1973 motion picture The Naked Ape if you don't believe me. (download)

Right On, Time

2008-04-07T02:06:00.004-04:00

I hope everyone thoroughly enjoyed the albums I posted a few days ago. Today's post has been brought to you by two of the 5th Dimension's former singers, husband and wife Marilyn and Billy. After much success with the 5th Dimension in the early 70s, the pair left the group in 1975 to establish their own careers, releasing this joint album in the process.

This album from 1976 features the popular cut "Nothing Can Stop Me", which has been sampled ad nauseum on the mixtape/underground rap circuit. Less notably, but certainly just as deservedly, the song was also sampled by Jaheim on his debut single "Could It Be" from 2001. Nice.

The lights are going out in this place real soon. You've been warned. (download)

Please...

2008-03-31T14:39:00.000-04:00

...send your prayers toward singer Nancy Wilson today, as she is currently being treated for a collapsed lung. While she is expected to recover just fine, I still would like to send some positive energy her way; as most people who know me know, I am a huge fan of her work and believe she is one of the greatest vocalists of our time. Please keep her in your prayers.

This Little Lite Of Mine

2008-03-30T21:39:00.005-04:00

Peep the ill EP from this Bay Area-based collective, originally released in the mid-70s and reissued in 2000 by Ubiquity Records. If you're a fan of Roy Ayers-esque jazz like I am, you'll dig this. (download)

Promises, Promises

2008-03-22T20:48:00.006-04:00

Here's another one from the only-copped-it-'cause-a-producer-I-looked-up-to-flipped-something-from-it-that-was-dope-as-fuck files. The Heatmakerz borrowed a tune for Juelz's "One Day I Smile" a few years back, and I copped it the following year when I finally tracked it down. I had just begun to sample a few years prior, and was still going through that phase where I'd buy records that have already been flipped. These days it takes a lot for me to knowingly cop something that someone has already run through. It's almost akin to being young and trying to mack at girls, not minding the sloppy seconds at first -- even seeking them out, in this case -- 'cause that's how you get your game up, but after a while you start wanting your own chicks, yafeelme?

Blah blah blah, anyway the debut record from the UK-based Delegation is a dope LP and y'all should check it out. Holla at a eBay when you see him in the streets. And speaking of Juelz, does ANYONE know the sample used on "Crack" from the Final Destination mixtape? It's been bugging me for years; sorry Madlib. (download)

Riddle Me This

2008-03-18T17:48:00.004-04:00

No one likes Afrobeat and funky 90's R&B? Y'all some bums. j/k

Bloodstone's 1974 offering. Give it a listen. (download)

Sista, Sista

2008-03-13T02:01:00.001-04:00

I've been on a 90's R&B kick all last week, shout-out to my girl Nately.

A good friend of mine has a bad habit of using hyperbole in almost everything he's describing. When he recommends a restaurant, for example, he'll go overboard and be like "yo fam it's got the best food I ever had in my life, you'll love it". Then I'll go there and the food may actually be decent, or sometimes not at all, but either way I'll feel a tad let down for it not being nearly as enthralling as he makes it out to be.

I tend to scold him sometimes for going overboard with that, but this time I've gotta take a cue for him and say this: the album to your right is by far the best, I wanna say the definitive 90's girl-group R&B album. Yep, I said it. And the craziest thing is that it was never released. Like my instrumental album Dream, Extinguished, it was shelved at the last minute; in their case, due to internal conflict not only within the group but between the label.

Missy Elliott, of whom I used to be a huge fan, spearheaded the Sista quartet during the Jodeci craze of the early 90's. Penning not only the songs for this album, but ghostwriting a few joints for Jodeci and Mary J. Blige as well (word has it she and Timbaland may have helped with some of What's the 411?), Missy got her start in this group, often dubbed as the "female Jodeci", before launching her super-successful solo career in '96. The other three members of Sista disappeared off of the face of the earth once the group dissolved with the rest of the Swing Mob/Bassment crew (Ginuwine, Playa, Tweet, Timbaland & Magoo), who broke from the camp amidst DeVante's shenanigans and started their own careers.

Every. Joint. On. This. Album. Knocks. I hate to use hyperbole but this is truly (to me) the best female R&B album of the 90's. There's only a very small handful of albums I can play front to back without skipping tracks, and this is one of them. I guess it makes it even better that the album unfolds as a sort of story as it progresses, from the Sista clan meeting DeVante for the first time (who sucks his teeth an uncomfortable amount of times throughout the LP) to finding love at the end. For vintage Timbaland beats (he didn't produce the entire thing, though) and early Missy raps (she's been doin' that "my booty go ba-boomp-a-boomp-boomp" stuff for ages, as you can clearly hear), look no further than this lost gem from 1994.

It sucks this album never saw a proper release, but say hey: that's what I'm here for. (download)

Re-Up Gang, Part One

2008-03-10T19:34:00.002-04:00

I got it for cheap, word to Pusha T and M. Diddy.

Is there anything I've uploaded previously that you'd like for me to make available again? If so, drop a line in this post.

I'll tell ya this: y'all slept on those Lupin III soundtracks HARD. Easily the best collection of music I've ever heard in all of my 24 years of existence.

In The Face Of Danger

2008-03-10T19:04:00.005-04:00

Today's post is another one of those records that I inherited back in my non-sampling days, only to discover its value -- both music-wise and money-wise -- years down the road. At roughly $10-$15 on average, this record is worth every penny, especially if you're into afrobeat. I fell in love with "de rhythms", if you will, ultimately slowing down "Amebo" for the loopy "Danny, Why Hasn't..." on the still un-released Dream, Extinguished album. Short and sweet -- three tracks per side -- Danger leaves you wanting more, as it did for me, forcing me to track down more of the sisters' music, in particular 1984's Double Trouble.

Enjoy! And good luck tracking down any of their albums...much like my music, it's extremely hard to come by unless you know where to look... (download)

Words To The Wise

2008-03-09T19:16:00.004-04:00

Ah, Miss Safka.

Most of y'all won't really dig this, but I urge you to check it out anyway. Peep "Summer Weaving", for example, and see if you hear anything familiar. (download)

Time 4 Sum Action

2008-03-01T20:24:00.005-05:00

I almost forgot how many of these records I had. And by far, one of my favorite ones in the bunch. 1967's Impact & Action, y'all. (download)

Fragile Rock

2008-02-28T14:38:00.000-05:00

All better!

Thanks to everyone for the get-well-soons and tips for fighting this nasty cold I had. In the end, it took a few gallons of orange juice, a whole box of green tea and seventeen sips of Robitussin to get over it. Meh.

Today's post is brought to you by an oft-overlooked singer from the same era -- and songwriting team, for that matter -- that brought you Control and N.E. Heartbreak. The career of Detroit's Cherrelle will probably be remembered best by her duets with Alexander O'Neal, specifically "Saturday Love" (you know the chorus: "Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Sat-ur-daaaaaaaaaaaay...") Cherrelle had moderate success in the '80s, with all of her LPs released during that time selling at least gold (remember when people sold 500,000 copies of their album?).

Unfortunately, Cherrelle -- whose cousin Pebbles would later create and manage TLC -- never really attained the same amount of success of her peers; some believe it had a little bit to do with her live performances, which some say would've been so much better if only Cherrelle knew how to dance as well as her choreographed counterparts at the time. Others say she's been on a decline since leaving the Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis camp in the early '90s. Being that as it may, she still put out some great music, with her latest album being released in 1999.

This is one of the few records in my stash that I actually didn't buy; I got it from my mama's collection when I first started pillaging record stores around 2001-2002, and even then didn't actually use it until four or so years later when I flipped "Stay With Me" for Dream, Interrupted's "I'm Not Ready". Fragile would sit in my bin until a year or so later, when I decided to blow the dust off of "I Need You Now" to create "Hurt No More", which made its way onto the never-ever-ever-ever released instrumental album, Dream, Extinguished.

But more than making beats, albums like this remind me a lot of my childhood, when life was carefree and R&B music was still actually of quality. Good luck finding any songs these days that don't reference "humps", "grinding", or "poppin' that coochie". Yeesh. Get a room! Fragile isn't very expensive; cop it from your local mom-and-pop or on eBay for a couple of bones. (download)

All Betts Are Off...or, How I Learned To Stop Worrying And Love The Bomb

2008-02-22T15:39:00.005-05:00

60 dollars on eBay? Oh, word? Get it while the getting is good, folks.

Does anyone -- for the love of God -- know the quickest way to diffuse a cold/flu/whatever it is that I have? Besides a bullet to the head, of course. I tried that. (download)

Perfect Timing

2008-02-18T20:02:00.009-05:00

Thanks for sliding me that, err, Marilyn Monroe link, Cosmo. Couldn't have come at a better time! Looks like I've found my newest screensaver.

Speaking of great timing, enjoy this library record from French composers Roger Bourdin and Yan Tregger, released in 1980. In the meantime, let's see if I can put my new screensaver(s) to good use (nudge, nudge, wink). Tim, Fritz and Mr. Anonymous, I see ya! Thanks for supporting the site guys. (download)

Big Mama

2008-02-16T20:36:00.003-05:00

Blah blah blah, blah blah blah blah. Don't really feel like typing much today, no one really reads it anyway. Enjoy! (download)

Drop Bombs Like...

2008-02-12T15:11:00.001-05:00

After receiving numerous requests for this album, I decided "what the hell" and pulled this gem out from the crates. Hard to believe that this underrated record from 1980 fetches a whopping $120 on (import) compact disc since going out of print several years ago. I was fortunate enough to find it on vinyl when I first starting using samples in '02, and even then I was surprised that it cost me like $18 at the time (methinks the dealer cheated me 'cause the vinyl can still be found on eBay for under $10, if you know where to look). Even though I've always been a fan of fusion jazz, the main reason I picked this record up is 'cause one of my heroes chopped the hell out of the track "Shinto" for "Discipline". After owning this album for like four years I finally went ahead and flipped the beautiful "All I Want" for a super-super rough version of "You're On My Mind", which made its way onto the Dream, Interrupted album and has since been fleshed out into a better quality version that none of youse will ever hear.

This album didn't get too many positive reviews when it first came out, but f**k that...if you're into mellow grooves and albums with kimono-rockin' honeys on the front, Odori -- which is supposedly Japanese for "dance" -- is for you. Get it before it's gone...as much as I don't want to, I stick to the 21-day window pretty well. (download)

Funkin' Around

2008-02-10T22:47:00.000-05:00

I'm back from hiatus...between working on this new album, gawking at LOLcat pictures on teh internets and working on this new album I have been tied the f**k up, yo. Don't have time to type too much but I should have this place back up and running real soon. Today's offering -- featuring "How Do You View You" that was used for Threat's "Lettin' Niggas Know" from 1995's Friday Soundtrack -- is from one of the best bands of all time, Funkadelic. No hyperbole-o. (download)

Dramatic

2008-01-23T11:10:00.000-05:00

I've been working for the past two weeks, and them jokers have been mailing my check to the wrong address the whole time. Drama.

Speaking of Drama, enjoy # 1168 from the KPM Library while I go raise a ruckus about my mon-ay. (download)

Full Course Meal

2008-01-20T09:03:00.000-05:00

There aren't too many places where you'll find this LP, released in 1983 under Victor/Invitation Records. Just like the Lupin III soundtracks I was gonna post last month, "Full Course" is pretty hard to come by. Which sucks, because the music on all of these LPs -- helmed by the great Yuji Ohno and his fusion jazz outfit the Explosion Band -- are flippin' fantastic. Good luck...the last time I spotted one was on eBay. (download)

Hello, My Pretty

2008-01-19T13:44:00.000-05:00

Remember If? I posted their Double Diamond LP a while back but you probably missed it. Well, now here's your chance for redemption: check out their seventh studio album from 1974 and kick yourself in the groin for not checking for them sooner. Then, get some ice for that groin because that shit probably hurt. (download)

'Bye, Polar(is)

2008-01-18T20:33:00.001-05:00

It's almost funny, somedays I could give a shit about the lack of responses and other days I'm frustrated. Thus, today's selection -- 1967's Polaris from the De Wolfe library -- has been brought to you by my quasi-bipolar-esque tendencies. (download)

Up, Up & Away

2008-01-17T08:58:00.000-05:00

If you're not up on Ferry & Teich', you're either in a coma or dead. Here's 1958's "Blast Off" from ABC Records. Now 'scuse me while I go file my taxes. Pea, what up? (download)

Sounds Like A Love Song...

2008-01-15T22:46:00.000-05:00

...to me. Enjoy, kiddies! I'll have this place back up and running before you know it, trust. Good god, did you see Paul's new blog? Amazing. (download)

Twist and Shout

2008-01-09T07:36:00.000-05:00

Two wonderful albums. The same unimaginative name. Both released in 1976. Which one should I post?

Oh, if you're wonderin' why I'm Shout-ing, I'd like to inform you all that I am no longer umemployed. Day jobs suck, but I gotta eat!

Happy Happy, Joy Joy

2008-01-04T00:30:00.000-05:00

Are y'all still out there?

It's been quiet 'round these parts lately...hmm...I'll just assume you all are still hung over from New Year's. I'll save the mini-paragraph for another time, when people are actually visiting this place again. Without further ado, here's 1970's Happy Novelties. Shout-out to Paul and his new blog! (download)

Fancy Miss Nancy

2007-12-30T22:39:00.000-05:00

Oh, sweet Nancy. How I love you...!

Nancy breathes so much life into all of her songs, it's entrancing. She can take an old favorite like "Moon River" and truly make it her own. The three-time Grammy winner got her start filling in as a back-up singer for Irene Reid (who I will post more on later), eventually landing a deal with Capitol Records that has spanned over 40 years.

Mesmerized by her voice, class and, umm, Charm, I borrowed a riff from the aforementioned song upon stumbling on this record years ago, transforming it into "The Last Laugh". Sweet Nancy ranks on my top ten list of favorite artists of all time, along with the Sylvers and Esther Phillips, among others. Here's to the wonderful woman who released this gem in 1963. (download)

Fantasy Land

2007-12-28T08:17:00.000-05:00

Usuaully when one hears the word "Fantasia", they either think of the 1940 Disney film re-released in the early 70's to profit from the psychadelia-lovin', LSD-trippin' college crowd, or the 2004 American Idol winner who made some song about wanting a "hood boy". Yikes! Good luck with that, 'Tasia.

Very seldom do people discuss the greatness that is this 1979 record from the Bruton music library. The track "Discovery" alone -- previously released as "Solstice" on Bennett's Voyage LP and sampled by Nas -- makes this album worth the purchase. It isn't a difficult record to come by; I believe you can still catch it on CD&LP for 69 euros.

By the way, what the hell is a "hood boy" anyway? (download)

Da Plane, Boss, Da Plane

2007-12-27T14:55:00.000-05:00

I'm still pounding the pavement looking for employment, so I'll have to keep it short today. Do you know how tough it is to find a job these days? Yeeesh. Wish me luck folks! (download)

Donny & Danny

2007-12-26T19:37:00.000-05:00

No homo, of course.

Don't be fooled by the cover: despite the Osmonds' penchant for churning out the bubblegummiest of bubblegum pop back in the early 70's, this record is actually pretty enjoyable.

The then-16-year-old Osmond was still in the process of establishing himself as an artist in his own right, hence the attempt at making "grown-up" songs. There are quite a few gems on this LP; particularly the tear-jerking "I'm Dyin'", which I gave the Danny! treatment a few years back for the instrumental that would become "So All Alone". Other tracks, like "If Someone Ever Breaks Your Heart", are more light-hearted, yet sappy as hell. Interestingly, "Sixteen Candles", a track covered by the Jackson Five three years earlier, turns up here, as does "I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry", which was also covered by Al Green a year before.

Donny was released in 1974 under MGM Records who, in conjunction with Pride Records, also released the first three records of one of my favorite bands of all time, the Sylvers (more to come on them later).

Enjoy! I'm just now listening to this again for the first time in two years, maybe I'll find some other goodies... (download)

I Got The (Blues)

2007-12-25T14:57:00.000-05:00

Word on the street is that this 1982 selection from the KPM 1000 series, one of the few to not feature the legendary "green sleeve", is quite rare and fetches upward $60 on eBay.

Merry Christmas! (download)

Water Under The Bridge

2007-12-23T21:18:00.000-05:00

Thank you.

I truly appreciate everyone who, over the course of the last few days, offered not only appreciation of my blog, but kind words in the wake of me losing my job. A little encouragement goes a loooooooooooooong way, you have no idea. Thanks to everyone, seriously. I have been making strides to find employment but you know what? Maybe I need the time off anyway to work on my music. Maybe I'm going to win the lottery tomorrow. Maybe they'll finally cancel Mind Of Mencia, my grandmother won't buy me socks again for Christmas, or Hilary Duff will return my stalker-esque voicemail messages. My point is anything can happen, so it's best to stay positive and keep moving forward without being too hard on myself.

Shout-out to Reza, AMP, Cosmo, OtO, Sir Funklicious, Soulman & Lafayette; please visit their respective blogs for more out-of-this-world music. Without further ado, here's 1977's Water Show from the Montparnasse music library. (download)

Half Empty

2007-12-19T13:38:00.000-05:00

That's how I'm looking at the glass these days, half empty. My job decided to let me go and -- because I've never had any prior incidents and was an exceptional employee -- gave me the lamest, contrived excuse as to why they were firing me. Streaming music? Really? You guys could've came up with a better excuse than that.

Oh well, I know when I'm not wanted. As a result of being recently unemployed, I've been out of commission for the past week but I'll try to keep the place up the best I can. Today's selection from the crates comes from Vicki Sue Robinson's Half & Half, released in 1977 on RCA Records. This record was one of the first ones I bought when I first started using samples in my beats; I swiped it from the record store for like three dollars. Of course, I only picked it up because two of my favorite producers had already run through it, using Half & Half to make two of the hottest joints that year, "Free" and "My Problem (Jealousy)". Check out what this underrated disco queen, who sadly passed away in 2000, has to offer on her third album. In the meantime, let's see if I can bounce back and turn the beat around. (download)

Live Life To The Fullest

2007-12-13T02:11:00.000-05:00

This post is dedicated to Pimp C, Ike Turner, Donda West and everyone else who left this world in 2007. Live your life as if today were your last day folks, and enjoy everything, because you never know when it's your time to go.

Today's post is, fittingly, 1972's Life Is For Living, another gem from the KPM Music Library. On a side note, I didn't realize I had like 114 KPM records in the stash yo. So many beats, so little time...I guess I better get started. (download)

Miss Cleo

2007-12-12T02:03:00.001-05:00

It's late and I'm ~~horny~~ hungry. Here's the 1978 offering from Clementine Dankworth, better known to the world as the lovely Cleo Laine. I...umm, my friend was quite fond of this record back in 2005 and used a few songs from this album for tracks of his own, with "Mind's Made Up" being the only one to have been released. Get it before it's gone. (download)

Come On, Come On Do The Locomotion With Me

2007-12-11T20:07:00.000-05:00

I could give an insightful dissertation about where I found this record, what sample I used to make a beat from this a year or so back, and more background information about talented composer Hervé Roy, but in the words of Andre 3000:

"Y'all don't hear me / You just wanna dance..." - "Hey Ya" (download)

Guess Who's On Third...

2007-12-10T11:34:00.000-05:00

Which one shall I post? Hmmmmmmm....

I've been ripping a lot of stuff lately, so leave me some feedback and let me know which of these three Lupin III television soundtracks you'd rather see posted here. I'm listening!

On Your Marc...Get Set...

2007-12-09T22:47:00.001-05:00

...go.

I never would've heard of Marc Hannibal if my idol DJ Premier hadn't sampled from his 1976 eponymous record from Phillips Recordings. After learning that he had used "Forever Is A Long, Long Time" for Detroit MC Royce the 5'9"'s "Boom", I tracked down the record like them dudes that were always looking for Carmen Sandiego. I was thrilled when I finally copped the LP for a modest $20 back in 2004; peep the ill ass cover with Marc straight ice-grillin' the camera while coppin' a squat next to Dumbo's mama.

Like many students that mimic their hero I listened to this record front and back before deciding to sample the swooning "When I Wake Up In The Morning" back in 2005 for an instrumental titled "Yesterday" that was intended to be on my sophomore album, but was never released (I didn't think it "fit" with the rest of the joints). Nonetheless I kept the record in the stash, ecstatic that I had gotten my hands on a record that was apparently good enough for one of my favorite producers of all time.

As for the actual music, well...I'll be honest, though a lot of the production is rich and lush, I think Marc Hannibal is a mediocre singer with cheesy lyrics. Sorry, dude. I'm sure he's a cool cat in real life, though. The former Harlem Globetrotter would put out a second LP four years later titled Night Times which you can more than likely find on eBay for a little less than $20. I have yet to cop it but, quite frankly, I'm in no rush. (download)

** EDIT ** Password: smoff

Fresh Prints Of Bel Air

2007-12-07T00:38:00.000-05:00

Don't really feel like typing much today, maybe some other time. Enjoy the music nonetheless: 1982's Bel Air from the de Wolfe library by the magnificent Alan Parker. (download)

Patch Things Up

2007-12-06T15:59:00.002-05:00

My next selection comes from the french music library label Patchwork. Composers Claude Perraudin and Teddy Lasry both had previous entries in the Patchwork catalogue (Perraudin's Voices with the Monday Singers and Lasry's Tutti Fluti, volumes 14 and 22 respectively) prior to 1976's Vol. 24: Racing. The primarily synthy record gives off that late 70's moog/electronic sound that was emerging at the time; "Monte Carlo Rallye" is trippy and groovy while tracks like "Chamonix" are pretty laid-back. While you're enjoying this, I'll see if I can't dig up some other Patchwork gems I have in the stash like the aforementioned Voices or 1977's Flutissimo. Holla at PopSike if you're trying to track Racing down. (download)

Marc My Words

2007-12-05T16:31:00.001-05:00

Coming soon. No bullsh*t.

A1 - And The Grass Won't Pay No Mind (4:10)
A2 - Until It's Time For You To Go (2:34)
A3 - When The Wind Blows In Chicago (3:44)
A4 - Days (2:30)
A5 - Four Winds & The Seven Seas (2:40)
B1 - When I Wake Up In The Morning (2:25)
B2 - If She Should Come To You (2:40)
B3 - Forever Is A Long, Long Time (2:40)
B4 - Their Hearts Were Full Of Spring (2:50)
B5 - Why Can't I Walk Away (2:28)

I'm on the way to Portman's Music to buy a new stylus for my record player, I'm long overdue for one. Peace!

** EDIT ** The vinyl rip is now available HERE.

Prime Time

2007-12-04T07:15:00.000-05:00

Italian bass guitarist Toni Campo released this gem on Impress Records in 1976. Born Antonio Campo, he also contributed to a number of other library records for Bosworth and Amphonic in the 70's as a session player. Ranging from the jazzy "Two-Way Street" to the melancholic "Here & Now", there are plenty of good tunes on this record to keep you guys interested. I -- uhh, my friend (heh heh) picked this up a while back and sampled "Vice-Versa" for a song for a local R&B singer damn near three years ago (Has it really been that long? Yikes), but it sounds so primitive compared to my -- err, his later work that I don't think anyone would care to hear it. Maybe I'll post a snippet some day...? Very well. Here's a sneak peek of the "All Night Long" instrumental, all the way from 2004...I wonder if she ever did anything with that beat...?

Ever since I snagged this record I've been trying to locate Campo's "Slowly" LP that he released on Munich-based Sonoton Records, in addition to the contributions he made on various library records for the German label. In the meantime, see if you can't find this bad boy on eBay somewhere...good luck. Oh, and shout-out to Soulbrotha and Lafayette over at 4BB, Cosmo at APS and OtO over at SdzOf! These guys have been holdin' me down for a while...thanks to all of y'all. Be sure to check out their respective sites for some dope music! (download)

Anonymity

2007-12-03T13:47:00.001-05:00

It's only fitting that I post this next record. Apparently I've been getting a lot of love lately on my foray into the blog world: I noticed my page/profile views have been climbing at an alarming pace. 7,000+ views/visits within a month...but only 6 total comments? Yeesh. Love Anonymous, indeed. I'll probably threaten to discontinue this blog about as much as I threaten to retire from music.

Anyway, as for Love Anonymous: I love this record. I hate this record. I love it because there are a lot of nice grooves on this LP: "Modern Day Woman" and "Be Real", to name a couple. Love Anonymous was released in 1977 through Isaac Hayes' Hot Buttered Soul imprint over at ABC Records. I remember like it was yesterday when I first bought it: back in late 2001, right around the time I really started making sample-based beats (up until then I played everything on my keyboard, à la Patrice Rushen), I used to ravage those dollar bins at the record store! Anything I could do to get my hands on as many records as possible ('cause back then I was broke). I don't even think I actually listened to Love Anonymous until the summer of 2002 'cause I was so busy with classes at the time. But when I did I fell in love with the soulful sounds and after I got all of my equipment a year or so later I made three beats within two weeks, thanks to the aforementioned "Modern Day Woman", "Can't Nobody Love Me (Like You Do)", and "It's A Terrible Thing To Waste Your Love".

Which brings me to why I hate this record. When a certain somebody emerged from hip-hop's underground around the same time everyone wanted to start making their little comparisons. By the time my first album came out, dude had already released songs that sampled the same tracks I did. And you probably know the rest. I remember being so pissed at all the finger-pointing that I traded Love Anonymous to a friend for a Stevie Wonder record (can't remember which one it was) back in '04, only to sheepishly re-purchase it from another dollar bin not even a year later. Good music, after all, is good music.

Which brings me back to why I love the record: the incident inspired me to dig just a little deeper for more obscure joints so that way people couldn't say sh*t. Don't get me wrong, this record will always have a place in my heart; the songs on here are soul music at its best. Click HERE to find it on eBay; sucks that they're charging upward $12 for the record considering I paid a buck for it, but...meh. (download)

Mahagon-y

2007-12-01T20:59:00.000-05:00

One listen to this self-titled album from Czechoslovakian jazz-rock outfit Mahagon, and the first thing to pop into your head is: "this is on some other sh*t." At least that's the first thing that I thought. It's not that left-field, per sé...but any album that opens up with a near-deafening scream has got to have some interesting material, no?

Fortunately, Mahagon doesn't disappoint. Formed in 1973, this band was bubbling a little bit on the Czech scene before releasing their first album in 1978. Mahagon would later disband in 1980 after releasing a not-as-good-but-still-enjoyable follow-up titled Slunečnice pro Vincenta van Gogha the same year, which I may post sometime in the near future. I -- err, I mean my friend (heh heh) was digging the smooth grooves so much that he sampled one of Mahagon's stand-out tracks, the heavenly "More Klidu", for an instrumental titled "Sky's The Limit". It sounds nice, but it needs more cowbell, not klidu. What's a "klidu", anyway? Probably not a whole lot. Get it? "Kli-do?" Yuk yuk yuk!

Anyway! You came for records, not lame jokes. Neither Mahagon's debut nor their second and final album are that hard to come by; after coming across Mahagon in a record store I was able to cop their other record off of eBay for a little over $20. However, if you've been really really reading my blog entries and not just skimmin' through 'em, you may have noticed that everything good always comes out in the end. (download)

Pyrymyd Schemes

2007-11-27T23:05:00.000-05:00

Good luck finding any background information on this group. Music whiz that I am, and even I don't know much about Pyrymyd except that they're a funk/rock outfit from the early 80's that released this rare gem at the turn of the decade. A quick search on Google rarely returns any additional info; I don't even know the names of any of the band memebers.

What I do know, though, is that you'll want to check this groovy dish out. Stand-out tracks include "I'm Yours Forever" and "Mr. Music Man". I also know that most retail outlets no longer carry this album, so you'll have a tough time tracking one down. (download)

Scoop It Up

2007-11-23T09:51:00.001-05:00

Hope everyone had a happy Thanksgiving! If you celebrate it, that is. If not, I hope everyone had a happy...Thursday. Meh.

I've got almost six dozen TeleMusic LP's in the stash, maybe I'll post them all one day. Maybe you can send me naked photos of yourself. Today I'm feelin' a little generous though (blame it on the cranberry sauce). Friday's entry is 1976's Mondial Scoop, helmed by the great Michel Gonet. A lot of the LP's content is easy listening, but tracks such as "Red Sunset" are just plain gorgeous. So gorgeous, in fact, that I -- err, my friend sampled a tune for the instrumental "Home...?". Mondial Scoop is the second in a series of three successive LP's that Gonet produced for TeleMusic (TV News and Phasing News, Volume 1 being the other two). As for Scoop, well, GrooveCollector is selling a copy for a few euros but I'm sure you'll be able to find it someplace else. LOLZ! (download)

Intriguing

2007-11-20T22:25:00.001-05:00

Guess who's bizz-ack...sorry about the hiatus folks, just got caught up with final exams. Final exams suck.

Anyway, my next entry comes from the famed KPM 1000 series of library music. KPM 1084, Mediterranean Intrigue & Martenot, was released in 1971 and composers Neil Ardley and John Leach pretty much do their thing. Not as exciting as the some of the many other KPM 1000 records (like 1980's Technology and Movement or 1974's Jingles, both of which I may post someday), but its jazzy flutes and pianos make for an enjoyable listen; you'll find a few electronic-esque tracks on here as well, such as Leach's "Allegro for Martenot". Neil Ardley also collaborated with composers Don Rendell and Ian Carr for Greek Variations & Other Aegean Exercises (Columbia, 1969), another flute/piano-driven jazz sandwich. Haven't turned one up on eBay, but HipWax may still have a copy for a decent price. (download)

(Double) Diamonds Are Forever

2007-11-02T14:26:00.000-04:00

I friggin' love If. Anyone who knows me knows this. If you're a fan of prog rock, you should definitely check them out. If tends to incorporate jazz elements in their songs, so I guess they'd fall under the "jazz rock" category as well. I'll more than likely be posting more albums from this British band in the future.

By the time 1973's Double Diamond was released, founder/saxist/flutist Dick Morrissey had scrapped the original line-up and enlisted all new members. As a result, reactions on the album were mixed and a lot of people didn't care for their new direction. Whatever! I, for one, enjoy the record; I even have a, ahem, close friend (LOL) that incorporated one of the songs from Double Diamond into an instrumental called "The Chute". From bouncy to laid-back to quirky, this record may not be the best entry in If's discography but it certainly is worth a listen. Good luck getting your hands on it, but you can click HERE to try finding it on eBay. (download)

Summer Dreamin'

2007-11-01T15:38:00.000-04:00

This is my first blog post. It took me forever to start one, seeing how I hate the word "blog". Blog. It makes my head hurt. I hate the word "blog" almost as much as I hate "Mind Of Mencia", potato salad, and MySpace rappers. I mean, I like blogs and everything...just not the word "blog". Still with me? Good.

Anyway, you like music? Me too. The LP shown above, Summer Dreams, was released by Italian composer Carlo Savina in 1979. If you're lucky, you may be able to track down a copy...I found one in mint condition on eBay with a starting bid of $50. Quick! Bid on it HERE before it's too late...or not. (download)