22
Apr
2003
· This Tuesday brings a new collaboration of jazz and funk masters, all bowing down to the P-Funk manifesto as The Clinton Administration. The new CD, One Nation Under a Re-Groove, also launches Magnatude Records, a new groove, funk, and jam boutique label through Magna Carta.
From a stellar résumé of seasoned professionals led by James Brown drummer Clyde Stubblefield, the results are steamy, playful, and strokin', with material selected from throughout George Clinton's Parliament/Funkadelic years. Other musicians on this magic-carpet ride include legendary guitarist Phil Upchurch, turntable and sound manipulator DJ Logic, saxophonist Skerik of Les Claypool's Frog Brigade, and Rollins Band bassist Melvin Gibbs. Highlights include the throbbing cover of "Cosmic Slop," the cinematic squiggle of "Chocolate City," and the keyboard-heavy pant of "Hit It & Quit It," with each instrumental track broken down, jazzed up, and built back up one funky brick at a time. Also look for the Epic Legacy label to issue a new retrospective, Six Degrees of P-Funk: The Best of George Clinton & His Funk Family, next month.
· Also from the funky side of the neighborhood comes the news of an upcoming Jimi Hendrix tribute album featuring Earth, Wind & Fire's take on "Voodoo Chile," Musiq's spin on "Are You Experienced?" and Chaka Khan's flight of "Little Wing" with Kid Rock guitarist Kenny Olson. The all-new collection, entitled Power of Soul, is due later this year on the MCA Records label and also features George Clinton, Bootsy Collins, Carlos Santana, and Seal.
· In the funky but wacko white-bread department comes the release of Confessions of a Dangerous Singer, the debut album from television maverick Chuck Barris. Released last week on the Domo Records label, the creator of The Gong Show, The Dating Game, and The Newlywed Game covers a strange brew of material, including Bob Dylan's "Don't Think Twice," the standards "The Sunny Side of the Street" and "Mr. Sandman," and his own "Palisades Park" - a hit in 1962 by singer Freddy Cannon.
· My pick of the week is the Watchers' To the Rooftops, a sizzling-hot debut from former members of Hex and Assembly Line People, drenched in the no-wave guitar chords of Gang of Four and slippery-wet grind of the Talking Heads' Remain in Light era. Angular and sweaty, the Chicago band whips up a cubic frenzy, an undeniable rock 'n' roll tent revival of twitching riffs and beats. Found on the Gern Blandsten Records imprint, the CD is electric, alive, and loose, climbing into convulsing summersaults and sharp, athletic grooves.
Television Alert:
The Tonight Show with Jay Leno features Fleetwood Mac both this evening and Thursday night, and Lou Reed on Friday; The Late Show with David Letterman hosts The Folksmen on Thursday, Lisa Marie Presley on Friday, and Wilco & The Minus Five on Tuesday; Late Night with Conan O'Brien features The White Stripes all this week as the house band; Last Call with Carson Daly sits down with Pete Yorn on Friday overnight and Little Steven on Tuesday overnight; and Saturday Night Live's musical guest this weekend is Queen Latifah & Ms. Dynamite.
New Releases Coming Tuesday, April 29:
... and like the winds, young grasshopper, are subject to change
Trey Anastasio - Plasma (Elektra) two-CD live set from the Phish founder featuring a cover of Bob Marley's "Small Axe"
Black Box Recorder - Passionoia (One Little Indian)
Bluebottle Kiss - Revenge Is Slow (In Music We Trust) excellent shimmering pop from Australia, reminiscent of Frank Bango and the Afghan Whigs
Byrds - Byrd Parts 2 (Raven) 28 rare tracks from 1962 to 1986
Chimaira - The Impossibility of Season (Roadrunner)
City of Ghosts - original motion picture soundtrack (Lakeshore) featuring Cambodian and French selections from the 1960s
Howie Day - Howie Day's Madrigals (Epic) EP with bonus DVD
Elliott - Song in the Air (Revelation) swirling, pulsating, atmospheric rock from Louisville, Kentucky, now featuring a string quartet assembled by Christian Frederickson of Rachel's
Fingertight - In the Name of Progress (Columbia)
The Fugs - The Fugs Final CD: Part 1 (Artemis)
Go Kart Go - Flying (House Cat)
Martin L. Gore - Counterfeit2 (Mute/Reprise) all-covers album with the Depeche Mode songwriter's electronic twist
The Heatseekers - In Praise of (Ohev Records)
The Influents - Some of the Young (Adeline)
James Last - Songs from the Heart (Eagle)
Eric Leeds - Now & Again (Liquid 8) new jazz album from the Prince saxophonist
Lil' Mo - Meet the Girl Next Door (Elektra) with guest Eve
Lynch Mob - REvolution (Cleopatra) George Lynch's re-working of thirteen Dokken classics
Mono - One Step More & You Die (Arena Rock) tender ambient wanderings from Japan
The Party of Helicopters - Please Believe It (Velocette)
Papa M - Two (Drag City) new seven-inch single from David Pajo of Zwan
The Pretty Things - SF Sorrow at Abbey Road (Snapper) DVD release of this 1998 performance of the 1967 rock opera, with guest guitarist David Gilmour of Pink Floyd
Revis - Places For Breathing (Epic)
Sam Shaber - Eighty Numbered Streets (SMG) smart new album from this female New York City singer-songwriter and winner of the John Lennon Songwriting Competition
$ign of 4 - Dancing With St. Peter (Track Record) new from UFO's Phil Moog
Southern Gentlemen - Double Your Pleasure (Leviathan) hot and sweaty new blues rock from guitar wizard David T. Chastain and company
Spacek - Vintage Hi-Tech (K7) second album from the trio dubbed the "Radiohead of soul"
Starvations - Get Well Soon (Gold Standard Laboratory) featuring cover art by Dame Darcy
Sticky Fingaz - Decade (Riviera) new from the former Onyx frontman
Tangerine Dream - Mota Atma (United States of Distribution) all new
various artists - The Acoustic Coffee House Presents: A Female Tribute to Creed (Reverberations)
various artists - Underground Screams (Asian Man) 26-track compilation culled from 600 worldwide demos
various artists - Wayne Kramer Presents: Beyond Cyberpunk (North Star Media) rarities from Mudhoney, Pere Ubu, Richard Hell & The Voidoids, and Dee Dee Ramone
· Also from the funky side of the neighborhood comes the news of an upcoming Jimi Hendrix tribute album featuring Earth, Wind & Fire's take on "Voodoo Chile," Musiq's spin on "Are You Experienced?" and Chaka Khan's flight of "Little Wing" with Kid Rock guitarist Kenny Olson. The all-new collection, entitled Power of Soul, is due later this year on the MCA Records label and also features George Clinton, Bootsy Collins, Carlos Santana, and Seal.
· In the funky but wacko white-bread department comes the release of Confessions of a Dangerous Singer, the debut album from television maverick Chuck Barris. Released last week on the Domo Records label, the creator of The Gong Show, The Dating Game, and The Newlywed Game covers a strange brew of material, including Bob Dylan's "Don't Think Twice," the standards "The Sunny Side of the Street" and "Mr. Sandman," and his own "Palisades Park" - a hit in 1962 by singer Freddy Cannon.
· My pick of the week is the Watchers' To the Rooftops, a sizzling-hot debut from former members of Hex and Assembly Line People, drenched in the no-wave guitar chords of Gang of Four and slippery-wet grind of the Talking Heads' Remain in Light era. Angular and sweaty, the Chicago band whips up a cubic frenzy, an undeniable rock 'n' roll tent revival of twitching riffs and beats. Found on the Gern Blandsten Records imprint, the CD is electric, alive, and loose, climbing into convulsing summersaults and sharp, athletic grooves.
Television Alert:
The Tonight Show with Jay Leno features Fleetwood Mac both this evening and Thursday night, and Lou Reed on Friday; The Late Show with David Letterman hosts The Folksmen on Thursday, Lisa Marie Presley on Friday, and Wilco & The Minus Five on Tuesday; Late Night with Conan O'Brien features The White Stripes all this week as the house band; Last Call with Carson Daly sits down with Pete Yorn on Friday overnight and Little Steven on Tuesday overnight; and Saturday Night Live's musical guest this weekend is Queen Latifah & Ms. Dynamite.
New Releases Coming Tuesday, April 29:
... and like the winds, young grasshopper, are subject to change
Trey Anastasio - Plasma (Elektra) two-CD live set from the Phish founder featuring a cover of Bob Marley's "Small Axe"
Black Box Recorder - Passionoia (One Little Indian)
Bluebottle Kiss - Revenge Is Slow (In Music We Trust) excellent shimmering pop from Australia, reminiscent of Frank Bango and the Afghan Whigs
Byrds - Byrd Parts 2 (Raven) 28 rare tracks from 1962 to 1986
Chimaira - The Impossibility of Season (Roadrunner)
City of Ghosts - original motion picture soundtrack (Lakeshore) featuring Cambodian and French selections from the 1960s
Howie Day - Howie Day's Madrigals (Epic) EP with bonus DVD
Elliott - Song in the Air (Revelation) swirling, pulsating, atmospheric rock from Louisville, Kentucky, now featuring a string quartet assembled by Christian Frederickson of Rachel's
Fingertight - In the Name of Progress (Columbia)
The Fugs - The Fugs Final CD: Part 1 (Artemis)
Go Kart Go - Flying (House Cat)
Martin L. Gore - Counterfeit2 (Mute/Reprise) all-covers album with the Depeche Mode songwriter's electronic twist
The Heatseekers - In Praise of (Ohev Records)
The Influents - Some of the Young (Adeline)
James Last - Songs from the Heart (Eagle)
Eric Leeds - Now & Again (Liquid 8) new jazz album from the Prince saxophonist
Lil' Mo - Meet the Girl Next Door (Elektra) with guest Eve
Lynch Mob - REvolution (Cleopatra) George Lynch's re-working of thirteen Dokken classics
Mono - One Step More & You Die (Arena Rock) tender ambient wanderings from Japan
The Party of Helicopters - Please Believe It (Velocette)
Papa M - Two (Drag City) new seven-inch single from David Pajo of Zwan
The Pretty Things - SF Sorrow at Abbey Road (Snapper) DVD release of this 1998 performance of the 1967 rock opera, with guest guitarist David Gilmour of Pink Floyd
Revis - Places For Breathing (Epic)
Sam Shaber - Eighty Numbered Streets (SMG) smart new album from this female New York City singer-songwriter and winner of the John Lennon Songwriting Competition
$ign of 4 - Dancing With St. Peter (Track Record) new from UFO's Phil Moog
Southern Gentlemen - Double Your Pleasure (Leviathan) hot and sweaty new blues rock from guitar wizard David T. Chastain and company
Spacek - Vintage Hi-Tech (K7) second album from the trio dubbed the "Radiohead of soul"
Starvations - Get Well Soon (Gold Standard Laboratory) featuring cover art by Dame Darcy
Sticky Fingaz - Decade (Riviera) new from the former Onyx frontman
Tangerine Dream - Mota Atma (United States of Distribution) all new
various artists - The Acoustic Coffee House Presents: A Female Tribute to Creed (Reverberations)
various artists - Underground Screams (Asian Man) 26-track compilation culled from 600 worldwide demos
various artists - Wayne Kramer Presents: Beyond Cyberpunk (North Star Media) rarities from Mudhoney, Pere Ubu, Richard Hell & The Voidoids, and Dee Dee Ramone
