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Music Reviews

Show: New reviews | Artists beginning with: A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z 0-9 | Compilations

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Dub Plates From The Elephant House Vol 3 / G Corp & The Mighty Tree G Corp & The Mighty Tree - Dub Plates From The Elephant House Vol 3
Endulge
The Birmingham collective hook up with some of the city's finest reggae musicians - Moses and Jaffa from the excellent Crucial music plus Conrad Kelly (Steel Pulse/UB40) aka the Mighty Tree who set down a mighty rhythm structure for the GCorp team to weave in their dub magic. You also get a limited edition cookbook with original recipes for classic West Indian food plus original artwork by Ninety. Absolutely ******* brilliant, the queue starts here for Volume 4!

Graham Radley, 09/07
Gadjologie / Gadjologie Gadjologie - Gadjologie
Milan Records
Oh this is very tasty, recorded ‘live’ in the studio, the French gypsy jazzers like to use their two guitars, violin and double bass to take us from chilled to punky with accomplished playing and freedom of spirit. Take a listen to their take on Frank Zappa’s ‘Blessed Relief’ with a guest accordion player adding that extra something. Excellent.

Graham Radley, 07/08
From The Corner To The Block / Galactic Galactic - From The Corner To The Block
Anti Records
Back in the day there were so many funk bands that it would be impossible to mention all of them here. While some have faded away, very few have picked up the torch. Unknown to many however, Galactic has been jamming for quite a while now. Their fifth studio album contains their usual brand of high octane New Orleans funk. In addition, they have invited an eclectic assortment of some of today’s hottest mc’s. “Think Back” featuring Chali 2na from Jurassic 5 is some serious funky swamp music. The title track “From The Corner From The Block” is hip hop with plenty of gumbo mixed in, thanks to Juvenile and the Soul Rebels Brass Band. Ladybug Mecca also stops by to assist on the mid-tempo Tina Marie inspired “Square Biz”. All in all another great effort by Galactic. Perhaps maybe they will finally receive the recognition they rightfully deserve.

Reg Dancy, 04/08
Flapjacks From The Sky / Gandalf Murphy & The Slambovian Circus Of Dreams Gandalf Murphy & The Slambovian Circus Of Dreams - Flapjacks From The Sky
High Noon Records
Formed in 1998 in Sleepy Hollow, New York, Gandalf Murphy and The Slambovian Circus of Dreams have a lot going on within their music each track goes off in a different direction. The info describes them as Hillbilly-Floyd, folk-pop, alt-country roots-rock and surreal Americana and that goes a long way to getting the feel of the band across. This double CD could maybe do with a bit of trimming down but overall well worth a trip to their planet.

Graham Radley, 04/07
Gathering / Gary Marks Gary Marks - Gathering
Kindred Spirits
Originally released in 1973 Gary Marks' 'Gathering' gets a welcome reissue by Kindred Spirits. Gary has a gentle yet mesmerizing quality to his voice and together with his band, featuring amongst others guitarist John Scofield and David Samuels on vibes, he delivers a stunning collection of folk-jazz compositions. 'Sailing', a tranquil piece, the blissful 'We Free', the funky fusion instrumental title track and 'Him Sometimes', a superb modal outing are all exceptional but this album is a pleasure to listen to from beginning to end.

Andy Allen, 03/07
Everything Must Change / Georg Levin Georg Levin - Everything Must Change
BBE Records
Georg Levin’s second solo project follows up his critically acclaimed debut “Can’t Hold Back”. “Everything Must Change” provides more of that soulful flavor, this time with some pop rhythms mixed in for good measure. The selections here contain the right balance of electronic beats and live instrumentation that allows you to enjoy repeated listens. The disc starts off with “Need To Understand”, a pleasing mid-tempo tune that starts out as a boogie tune and then shifts into a laidback groove. The title track is a funky synth laden number with strings that harkens back to the danceable beats of the eighties. Georg is joined by Clara Hill on the upbeat disco flavored “The Better Life”. “Time to Reenact” gives an indication of a Georg Levin live set. The song is carried through with a funky rhythm guitar and live drums and proves that Georg can work seamlessly either in the studio or on the stage. While Georg’s voice isn’t overpowering, they’re tailor made for his compositions. Overall, “Everything Must Change” sparkles with good vibes and slick production. Not a bad song on the album, you can easily add this to the track list of your next party or groove to it during an afternoon drive. You’ll be glad you did.

Reg Dancy, 04/10
Kings Ballad / Georgia Anne Muldrow Georgia Anne Muldrow - Kings Ballad
Ubiquity Records
 It’s safe to say that no one has released more albums in the last year than Georgia Anne Muldrow. While most of those releases have been uneven at best, her latest, “Kings Ballad” is without a doubt the best of the bunch. With “Kings Ballad”, Georgia has created an album that is as close to a mainstream project as anything she has ever done. That’s not to say she has watered down her sound, far from it. She’s simply modeled fourteen funky tunes in her image and reveals yet another layer of her immense talents. The first single “Doobie Down”, highlighted with a funky groove and a wicked electric guitar riff, “R.I.P.” is a moving tribute to Michael Jackson that captures the love we all had for him long before he became the King of pop. The eighties inspired “Summer Love” is a synth laden G-funk flavored joint that pairs her with her mate, Dudley Perkins. The two play the roles of young lovers feeling each other out in hope of a promising relationship.  “Live” is a sweet lullaby about following your heart and pursuing your dreams. Overall this is a solid record and certainly her most satisfying since “Olesi; Fragments of Earth”. While we wait for that one signature record that encapsulates all of her talents, you’ll no doubt enjoy this one in the meantime.

Reg Dancy, 07/10
The Latin Kick / Gerardo Frisina Gerardo Frisina - The Latin Kick
Schema Records
Gerardo Frinsina is proving a very busy man at the moment, having just released the excellent Congrat single on Afro Art and now his third album "The Latin Kick" drops on Schema. This man never seems to let the tempo drop with another fine selection of dancefloor bombs over the full album. Jazz is very much the foundation here with just the right amount of fusion between Jazz, Latin and Brazilian over Frisina's tip top beats. It's amazing how much energy you get when listening, so be careful, we don't want any more road-rage on the roads. A stunning follow up to his previous, already classic albums: "Ad lib" and "Hi Note".

Simon Harrison, 11/05
Anthology [Messages] / Gil Scott-Heron & Brian Jackson Gil Scott-Heron & Brian Jackson - Anthology [Messages]
Soul Brother Records
Gil Scott-Heron along with his long time musical partner Brian Jackson have committed to vinyl some of the most important politically and socially conscious music ever recorded. This compilation focuses on the period between 1973 and 1980 and includes tracks from 7 albums. The timeless classic, "The Bottle"; kicks off proceedings before moving into the uplifting "It's Your World", "Johannesburg" and the haunting "Winter In America", a track I have never tired of since first hearing it 16 years ago when I was just starting out on this crazy collecting journey. "Angel Dust", "Shut Um Down", "Alien (Hold On To Your Dreams)" along with "The Liberation (Red, Black & Green)" and a storming live version of "Home Is Where The Hatred Is" are all here. However, I'm currently hammering the tracks taken from the 1977 album "Bridges", mainly because I've never heard them before. "Delta Man (Where I'm Coming From)" and "We Almost Lost Detroit" are amazing low slung gritty grooves but even better is "Racetrack In France" which starts with a happy clappy rhythm and blues intro before slipping into a driving synth bass lead electro groove. Pure perfection!

Andy Allen, 09/05
Banda Larga Cordel / Gilberto Gil Gilberto Gil - Banda Larga Cordel
Warner
Brazil’s ex Minister of Culture is back now concentrating on his music and it’s a joy to have him back. His laid back vocals are given a wide range of musical settings to wow us with, from the  beats of ‘Le Renaissance Africaine’  to the simplicity of an acoustic guitar on ‘Outros Viram’. Magic.

Graham Radley, 11/08
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