In The Pocket: June 2012

27 June 2012

Playlist: George FM 'Midweek Pocket' Wed 27 June

25 June 2012

Review: Bobby Womack 'The Bravest Man In The Universe'

BOBBY WOMACK
The Bravest Man In The Universe
[XL]

Bobby Womack has really lived. In a fifty-year singing, song-writing and guitar-playing career, he's seen soaring highs - working with Ray Charles, Aretha Franklin, Elvis Presley, Sly & The Family Stone, Janis Joplin, among others; the success of songs like Across 110th Street, Lookin' For A Love, Woman's Gotta Have It - and terrible lows, inlcuding the loss of one infant son and tragic suicide of another, aged only twenty-one; his own prolonged drug addiction issues; and the furore created when he took up with and married former mentor Sam Cooke's still-grieving wife only a month after Cooke was gunned down. (To say nothing of almost being shot by Cooke's widow after she found Bobby in bed with Sam's daughter some time later.) So, it's only natural that Womack is capable of conjuring up some of the most emotive, heart-wrenching and plain believeable vocal performances of the past few decades. What's a little surprising is just how alive and vital Womack sounds here, on an album orchestrated by Damon Albarn (Gorillaz, Blur) and Richard Russell (XL label boss and the man behind Gil Scott-Heron's triumphant exclamation mark of an album, I'm New Here). While much of the instrumental backing on The Bravest Man In The Universe seems similar to that found on Scott-Heron's final album - the influence of the xx, James Blake and post-dubstep in general, apparent - it's not at all overwhelming. Womack's rugged, craggy voice imparts everything we need to know about a man who may not be as famous as some of his peers, but is undoubtedly one of the most enduring of them all. Ultimately, though a thoroughly worthwhile and enjoyable listen, there are too few moments which rise above being merely very good. The Bravest Man In The Universe is an ambitious project, which takes Womack well out of his comfort zone, in a musical sense. While that's admirable, the best moment here is essentially just Womack with a guitar. You can draw your own conclusions from that.

3 stars from 5

Have a listen to Murry Sweetpants and myself chatting about this album on Murry's Breakfast Show on Radio Ponsonby.

Playlist: George FM 'In The Pocket' Sun 24 June

20 June 2012

Playlist: George FM 'Midweek Pocket' Wed 20 June

19 June 2012

Review: Visioneers 'Hipology'

MARC MAC Presents THE VISIONEERS
Hipology
[BBE]

Jazzy. Seldom has a word been used so carelessly and flippantly in labelling a style or sound of music. It remains one of my least favoured descriptive words when it comes to music which isn't jazz. Don't get me started on 'jazzy hip hop'. That's a phrase I've seen used to describe Marc Mac's style previously, particularly with his Visioneers project - who have just released their new album, Hipology. I scorn the term 'jazzy hip hop', because in reality what Mac is doing - is was has always - is approaching hip hop music as someone who has the chops, knowledge and respect to delve into the roots of the sound, referencing the music and lifestyles which formed its basis. Jazz was one of those musics. Mac lived it. And the Visioneers, as he has stated in the past, is about taking jazz music and putting it back in the hands of the hip hoppers. Mac hints at this with the album title, and confirms it with the accompanying website: Hipology is "...a collage or montage of elements, events, music and fashion that make up an individual's personal interpretation of Hip Hop culture." The Visioneers also utilise real live players, with Mac stressing there was "not a sampler in sight" during the recording process. It's this sort of attention to detail which reaps real rewards, as is the case here. Hipology is a gorgeously lush listen, with real warmth and genuine soul seeping through every groove. While there are a handful of vocal tracks, featuring Baron, TRAC, John Robinson, Jimetta and Notes To Self, it's the instrumentals which take Hipology from good to great. Propers to Luke Parkhouse, who once again shares much of the music-making and songwriting responsibilities with Mac, as the playing is immaculate, and the arrangements - including electric covers of Shaft In Africa (Addis), Funky Fanfare, Swahililand and Apache - outstanding. From his early days with Dego as 4hero and now as the Visioneers, Marc Mac has (perhaps not so quietly) been amassing a body of work which must surely mark him as one of his generation's most vital artists.

4 and 1/2 stars from 5

17 June 2012

Playlist: George FM 'In The Pocket' Sun 17 June

13 June 2012

Playlist: George FM 'Midweek Pocket' Wed 13 June

Live: Saturdays at Longroom

Just a reminder, folks ;)

BEVAN KEYS and NYNTEE

Soulful Funky House Music and More
Saturday nights from 7pm (or, just after the rugby, this weekend...)

LONGROOM
www.longroom.co.nz

10 June 2012

Playlist: George FM 'In The Pocket' Sun 10 June

08 June 2012

Share: Talking Heads 'Once In A Lifetime' (Leftside Wobble Dub)

Back once again with that slow disco rework behaviour - courtesy of London's own Leftside Wobble. Here he smooths out and dubs up the classic Talking Heads track Once In A Lifetime. Choice. Not that I'm a man of few words or anything, but I think I'll let the informative links and perhaps even the tune speak for itself. Enjoy.

Talking Heads - Once In A Lifetime (Leftside Wobble Dub) Brixton Jamm Remaster by Leftside Wobble

06 June 2012

Playlist: George FM 'In The Pocket' Wed 6 June

05 June 2012

Review: Santigold 'Master Of My Make Believe'

SANTIGOLD
Master Of My Make Believe
[Atlantic]

"Look at these 'fros / look at these clothes / look at this dough / look at this gold / lookin' evil / look at me / look at these hoes / these bitches ain't fuckin' wit' me, killer!" -- Look At These Hoes

Four years in the making, with only eleven tracks and less than 40min in length, the new album from Santigold, aka Santi White, has been getting critics' backs up all over. Why? It's not immediate enough. There's nothing to compare with her massive breakout hits L.E.S. Artistes or The Creator from her 2008 self-titled debut. It's too short, too safe, too boring. Santi's time has come and gone, as the likes of Nicki Minaj, Lady Gaga and of course M.I.A. incorporate seemingly disparate genres into their great heaving pop music beasts. Really? Really. And what do I think? Well, I think the weight of expectation has caused some serious short-sightedness from my fellow scribes, as Master Of My Make Believe is every bit as strong an album as Santogold - if not better. Really. Yes, it is short. No, it's not necessarily immediately pleasing. While the tracks Big Mouth, Disparate Youth, Freak Like Me and Look At These Hoes are cracking songs (and there are others), they're not going to scale the pop chart heights of the singles from her debut. And yes, times have changed, and pop music does now embrace the kind of collage-like stylistic approach which made Santigold's 2008 breakthrough so exciting. However. This is still the equal of that record. Really. Santigold continues to spread her wings stylistically, avoiding the draw of easily digestible choruses or a descent into four-on-the-floor beat making. As you'd expect, there's a grab-bag of dancehall, Afro, Latin and many other rhythms present throughout, while guitars nestle against layers of synths and Santi's versatile voice. Sure, she's never going to win any kind of literary awards, but that was never the point - her first album wasn't lyrically incredible either. No matter. As much as she may lay claim to hate modern dance and pop, that is essentially what she is making - refreshingly new and challenging pop music. Really.

3 and 1/2 stars from 5