Tuesday Heartbreak

Title refers to the Stevie Wonder song that I was just exposed to the other night, thanks to the vinyl game. It continues tonight!

Foreigner's Agent Provocateur was up first for me. I thought, "is today a good day for Foreigner?" and that was quickly followed with, "don't be an idjit. EVERYDAY is Foreigner day." Side hip thrusts for Agent Provocateur! 

Here is Steven, looking slightly disheveled with this new 7" from Ceschi with Count On It.

I had a huge change up with Redd Foxx's You Gotta Wash Your Ass. Timeless.

Steven got Push Button Objects' 360 Degrees Remix from Prefuse 73. I actually have this too. Go us! 

I got Paquito D'Rivera next, with Live At Keystone Korner. He is a Cuban saxophonist that I have never listened to until now. Very good, but I wasn't in a bebop jazz mood today, so I didn't listen to the whole thing. Most of it though! I will save it for a later date.

Steven got real lucky with this next 12", Cyne-Running Water. It has remixes by Four Tet and Floyd the Locsmif, two artists I enjoy very much. 

The Spinners were up next for me with Yesterday Today & Tomorrow. I was definitely not in the mood to hear sappy love songs (80's love ballads by Foreigner, yes) so I had very little patience with this. Although I enjoy Honey, I'm in Love With You and You're Throwing A Good Love Away, I think I can trade this album. It's driving me crazy that I can't remember who sampled the beginning of You're Throwing A Good Love Away, it's right on the tip of my tongue...grr! I will probably wake up in the middle of the night, in a cold sweat, shouting it. Don't worry, I will make an edit.

3 record LP up next for Steven, DJ Shortee-The Dreamer from Bomb Hip Hop Records.

A 45 was next for me, Creedence Clearwater Revival with Bad Moon Rising and Lodi on the flip. Is there ever a time that this song isn't amazing?  

Since Steven got caught up with his 3 LP, I got to go hunting again. The Persuasions-Street Corner Symphony. This was one of my first records I bought and I haven't listened to it in years. The cover of The Man in Me is so excellent. I found out today that Frank Zappa was responsible for their first album being recorded. Reason why Frank Zappa is cool #183. Love this cover photo, which is by Ron St. Claire, who I can't find a single thing about on the world wide internets. Damn.

Finally, Steven's hip hop vinyl was done, so he got to move on to some amazing jazz. He lucked out with Les McCann & Eddie Harris with Swiss Movement.

I got a rare 10" next, Boss Hog-Girl+ EP. Boss Hog is Jon Spencer and his super sexy wife, Cristina Martinez. This came in a crate of practically near mint records I bought all at once. There are a ton of things in there that I plan on selling on ebay. This is one of them, although, it was pretty good. 

One of my favorite hip hop/electronic artists is Steven's next pick, Alias w/ Marcus Archer-Unseen Sights. 

I got some more jazz with Dave Brubeck and Jay & Kai at Newport. There is a damn sweet photo on the back that I just had to scan. After some diddling in PS, it's now a new banner for my site. Thank you Mr. Brubeck! 

I just want to see the photos those cameras took. man. The caption under the photo says, "The First Camera Quartet".

Steven got to get funky before he went to bed with Charles Earland-Black Talk!

My last pick was the soulful Esther Phillips with Performance. INCREDIBLE! I actually listened to it twice, and I'll probably listen to it a third time before I put it back. I really hope I have more Esther Phillips in my collection. 

sunday kind of love

Vinyl love. Maybe not the best kind of love, but a damn good kind. Our vinyl hunt continues on a Sunday evening.

Steven got real creative with my first hunt, picking crate 1, record 1, which led me to Johnny Cash-Bitter Tears. I forgot how weird the song White Girl was, and how Cash imitating an Native American chant sounds a bit like Bing Crosby attempting the same. However, still a fine record for a Sunday afternoon.

My first hunt for Steven sent him to a more hip hop response, landing him with Y Society's Travel At Your Own Pace. Y Society is made of Insight and Damu the Fudgemunk.Speaking of white girls in my last pick, on my second hunt, there is the whitest of white girls on the cover, Wes Montgomery's California Dreaming, Verve, 1966. I really enjoy Wes's interpretation of California Dreaming, and on the second side, there is some wonderful improv. Montgomery and Green are probably my two favorite jazz guitarists, so this was a nice listen.Speaking of improv, for Steven's next pick, he got the Argentine experimental noise trio, Reynolds with Deportation Symphony. This is written on the back of the release, "On March 9th 2003 we were denied entry into the United Kingdom. This piece was conceived during the six hours of detention preceding the deportation. We made this music playing only photocopies of the papers given to us by the UK Immigration Services. We are very sad that because of absurd politics, the British people was denied to enjoy our music. However, spiritually we did play in UK. Music can never be deported." Notice how Steven threw in a copy of Cormac McCarthy's Suttree to even up our pictures content. Next up for me was a 45 of Stevie Wonder with You Are the Sunshine of My Life with Tuesday Heartbreak on the flip. I swear I just happened to be wearing this obnoxiously yellow shirt.This next pick for Steven proves that he has much more eccentric records than me. An alias of Otto Von Shirach, DocNuke.com with Petroleum G-String. Check it out, it comes with a latex glove! This was released on Beta Bodega Records, which is the mother label of Botanica Del Jibaro. Have fun with that Steven, but not too much fun.Up next for me is another 1966 release, Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass with What Now My Love. Although this record is good, I have quite a bit of ol' Herb and this will make it's way across the ocean to Steven's collection. Steven's final pick for the night was another hip hop goodie, the 1986 album, Just-Ice-Back to the Old School. Not just a clever name, DMX has definitely been served a big heaping of Just-Ice lately here in the desert. My final pick for the night was The Beatles-Hey Jude 45 (Revolution on the flip), in the original Apple sleeve! Added bonus, conveniently placed cleavage hole.

saturday vinyl hunting

Here we are again, vinyl hunting in our own rooms. Sure, we're not going to be adding to our collection or nerding it out with fellow diggers, but this way is a lot cheaper and it's fun finding something you thought you didn't have. And you, yes you there, can nerd out with us. Just send me a picture of how your vinyl is stored and we'll get you hunting in no time! Share your results, make us jealous!

Steven's first rummage brought him to this fine release from Diplo back in '05, Hollertronix #3. I don't have it in my collection, but I damn near should. I have slacked on my Diplo vinyl, just barely being able to pick up the I Like Turtles mix. 

Steven made me go digging in my 45s, about a quarter of which are promos from my time spent working in record stores. Interpol-The Heinrich Maneuver with Mammoth Instrumental on the flip side. This is from the '07 album, Our Love to Admire. I'm not the biggest Interpol fan, but if you are and want to purchase this (or trade!), then send me an email or leave a comment with contact info. 

Steven made a nice transition with his second find, the dubby '08 release, Skream-Midnight Request Line.

One of my favorite trumpeters, Hugh Masekela was up next for me. A '67 release, Hugh Masekela's Latest. Side 2 was much more enjoyable to me, for it had more instrumentals, although it was a bit samba-ish. 

One of my favorite current LA artists is Steven's 3rd find. The extremely talented Aloe Blacc with Dance For Life from Stones Throw. I'm pretty sure I have this somewhere, but, if I don't, I need it.

Hot Chocolate - Man on Man is probably the most ambiguously gay title I've ever heard, regardless, it was the next thing I listened to. I now want "Heaven Is In the Back Seat of My Cadillac" on a shirt. And I want it now. 

Steven also got a chance to get his groove on with the 1988 12" T La Rock-Flow With the New Style.

 A 12" was also up next for me with the Canadian hip hop duo, Swollen Members with Lady Venom. I think I had plans for this instrumental at one point in time, but I don't anymore. This goes in the "to trade" stack. Or, like I said above, you can let me know if you are interested in it.

Steven's next pick was also from a Canadian hip hop duo, Bending Mouth with The E.P.. Thesis Sahib and Self Help make up Bending Mouth and this EP was released on Vulgar Records back in '04.

I really lucked out with the 5th album Steven sent me hunting for. George Benson with Body Talk. It was arranged and conducted by Pee Wee Ellis of James Brown fame. Earl Klugh is the other guitarist and everything all together makes this a great album. Also, if you know my photography, you know I love the cover! A weird little fact is that Pee Wee Ellis now resides in the county of Somerset, just like Steven! See, this game is fun :) 

Steven wasn't as lucky with his next pick, Lenny White with Venusian Summer. Apparently, he wasn't too fond of it. Time to trade!

Luck was with me again when Steven made me go find Ray Bryant's Me and the Blues, from 1974. This is a double vinyl and has beautiful instrumentals of your favorite blues songs. Quite a moving pianist. His rendition of Angel Eyes almost brought me to tears and deserved a second listen. 

Up next for Steven is a 12" from Shockout, a sublabel of a label I have been fond of for years, Tigerbeat 6. Tracks are versions of Buckle Up by Wayne Lonesome made by The Bug and Kid606. Makes me want to go dig up some of my Kid606. 

And since my double LP from above has been playing for a looong time, Steven is up with his next pick, Fred Wesley and the Horny Horns with A Blow For Me, A Toot For You. So, not only was it a bit weird that Pee Wee Ellis now lives in Somerset, but Steven goes and randomly picks out another JB allstar. Are our hunting patterns not so random afterall? Strange.

we cheer each other up

A long time aural appreciating friend and I have gone hunting in our record collections. Now, we have never been in each other's rooms (him living in Britland and me living in the desert), so we have sent each other pictures of the lay out of our record collections. Here is his room (I do not condone the act of stacking vinyl vertically, but he is space challenged, so I will let it slide, THIS ONCE):Here is my bedroom, and then I have some vinyl that has migrated to the office/studio/guest room:

We have designated numbers to the stacks/crates and we tell each other what to go hunting for. For example, Steven will tell me to go to Crate 5, 12 records in from the left. 

Steven's first hunt landed him with TTC - Danser EP from Big Dada, nice!!

My first hunt landed me with the classic vinyl that you should be able to find in any good record store, Bob Dylan's Greatest Hits. 

Now the deal is we have to listen to at least 1 track from each side, if not the whole record. I started the process of trying to hone my vinyl collection awhile ago and have been extremely unsuccessful. This lil' game of ours should help that out. Now, although this is a Greatest Hits, the vinyl is mint, and let's face it, I think this is kind of a must have vinyl, if you don't have all, ALL, of his albums on vinyl. I, unfortunately, do not.

Steven's second hunt brought him to Greenhouse Effect VS. Radiohead vinyl. It's pretty. Anyone know what Blueprint has been up to lately? 

My second efforts uncovered my second favorite female vocalist, Rickie Lee Jones and her self titled album. Probably her most popular song, Chuck E.'s In Love starts off the album and continues in greatness all the way through. This album is definitely not leaving my collection.

Steven had to open up his 3rd pick, a 12" from Evolver-State of the Union from the label, Botanica Del Jibaro. 

My 3rd pick was a perfect choice to end this week with, the late, great J Dilla and his Shining Instrumentals double LP. Rest In Power Dilla, we miss you. If you haven't downloaded it yet, make sure to get the Suite For Ma Dukes EP from Carlos Nino and Miguel Atwood-Ferguson on iTunes. All proceeds go to Ma Dukes, and it is quite beautiful. 

Up next for Steven, is the 3 LP Hello Everything from Squarepusher. Lucky bastard.

I had quite a change up in the 4th round, TSOL's Change Today? LP. The copy I have is near mint, including the lyric sheet insert. I listened to the whole album and enjoyed it thoroughly, despite the drastic change up. I am not sure, but I hope I have some more TSOL. This album isn't going anywhere, unless it's for a pretty penny. Make that a lot of pretty pennies.

After Steven had much enjoyment from his long playing Squarepusher album, he got another dose of electronica from North Manchester Bedroom Allstars. Here's what forcedexposure.com has to say about this release, "Third 12" release by the NMB Allstars crew. The North Manchester Bedroom Allstars is a transient association of humans who own bedrooms in North Manchester. The bedroom is often the site for unequalled creativity and experimentation in sound, graphics of metaphysical nature. The output of NMB is not controlled by format, media or time. Thunderous, oppressive, heavy, scrawling and terrifyingly dark electronics. It's not that they are secretive, they just want to be left alone!" 

My 5th pick was an interesting one, a hippy delicacy from Palo Alto, 1975. Christening for Listening-A Soundtrack for Every Body. A paragraph on the back states, "Christening for Listening is unique in that it is original music composed in a style suggested intuitively by the plants' own biorhythms, and is particularly sensitive and applicable to the needs of these serence green neighbors. Our recent research involving GSR polygraphs and Kirlian photography demonstrated "that the most consistent, significant degree of positive affective response was found to relate to music that was in harmony with plants' slower tempo of movement." Put less scientifically, the plant dug this music-and it showed up dramatically in the measurements." 

"ABOUT THE COVER: This is a Kirlian photograph of a leaf, taken by a process that produces pictures shot in total darkness, without using a lens. It shows the electromagnetic energy field, or body, that surrounds and permeates the physical body of all living things. This technique can be used as a diagnosed aid in determining the physical or emotional state of the subject-in this case, the response of the total body to music." The first side is very minimal with only a Rhodes. The second side gets a bit funkier with the addition of an electric guitar, bass, some flutes and on one track, horns and drums. The first side reminded me a lot of the artist Eluvium. The second side was quite decent. I'm actually going to keep this interesting find.

My 6th choice is the incredible, one and only, Ella Fitzgerald singing the Gershwin Song Book. I mentioned earlier that Rickie Lee is my 2nd favorite female vocalist, well, Ella is the first. Lovely that I am listening to them both today, and by random odds.