27 June 2012

Playlist: George FM 'Midweek Pocket' Wed 27 June











Listen to this show here thanks to George FM...

Bear Feet | Feelin' Lucky
Barbara Norris | Heavy Hitter (Boogie Cartel remix)
Waze & Odyssey | All I Wanna Say Is (Yeah)
Keep Schtum | I Want You For Myself (Keep Schtum edit)
Deadly Sins | Can't Live Without (Katana Kuts edit)
Deadly Sins | Stay The Night (percussive edit)
Discosocks | Slap My Bass Up
2 Guys In Venice | Freeze
DJ Leandre | Soul Juice
MFSB | Mysteries Of The World (J*Ski extended edit)
Players Union | Pick Up The Telephone
Prince | Oh Sheila (Sleazy McQueen edit) (2 Spare Astronauts remix)
Lateef Dameer & Nurthice | River On Glass
Todd Terje | Inspector Norse
Bugz In The Attic | Booty La La
Axton Frick | Take Off (Bob Gravity remix)
Lazy Jay | Float My Boat
Zinc with Ms Dynamite | Wile Out
Recloose with Joe Dukie | Dust
MJ Cole | Sincere
Llorca | My Precious Thing
Kora | Flow (Crazy P remix)
Six60 | Only To Be (P-Money Disco House remix)
P-Money with Vince Harder | Everything
Livingstone & Canosis | Peg Leg
Tricky | Murder Weapon

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









Listen to this show here thanks to George FM...

TNGHT | Bugg'N
Ed Sheeran | The A Team (ShyFX remix)
Major Lazer with Amber Coffman | Get Free
Jhelisa | Friendly Pressure (Leftside Wobble edit)
Duff Disco | Over To The Left
Ben l'Oncle Soul | Say You'll Be Mine
People Under The Stairs | Flex Off
Gene Harris | The Book Of Slim
Kid Sublime | Fruitsugar
Amp Fiddler | Soul Divine
D'Angelo | Left & Right (Sam Champ remix)
Electric Empire | Baby Your Lovin'
Natural Self | Feet Keep Moving
Anthony Hamilton v Groove Corp | Where I'm From (Hammy's Theme)
Chet Faker | No Diggity
Oneself | Fear The Labour
Erykah Badu | On & On (Quiroga remix)
The Specials | Message To You Rudy (J-Sound remix)
Marvin Gaye v Bob Marley | Healing In Vain
Rejazz | All I Need
Foreign Exchange | Sincere
The Illphonics | One Of Those Days
Sweet Stuff | Freaky To You
Guru with Erykah Badu | Plenty
Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings | Inspiration Information

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











Listen to this show here, with thanks to the good folks at George FM.

Drop Out Orchestra | West Gothic Climax
Beatfanatic | Electromagnetic Colours
Radiohead | Everything In Its Right Place
Pittsburgh Track Authority | Now's Tomorrow
Holy Ghost! | Say My Name (The Revenge edit)
Disko! Selector | Tonight (edit)
Wild Bill Ricketts | Coconut Tree
Desmond Dekker | Israelites
Sunshine Soundsystem | As Of Lately
Cypress Hill | When The Shit Goes Down
Moby | Run On
Duff Disco | Marvin (dub)
Bush | Letting The Cables Sleep (The N.O.W. remix)
D'Angelo | Spanish Joint
Icasoul with Capitol A | Givin' It Up (dub)
Wiley | I'm Skanking (The 2 Bears remix)
Nina Simone | Save Me
Sticky Fingers | Party Song (Leftside Wobble edit)
James Brown | Mind Power (Regrooved by Basement Freaks)
Al Green | Piece Of Mine (Jaylfunk remix)
Charles Wright & The Watts 103rd St Band | What Can You Bring Me?
Sonny Stitt | Slick Eddie
Hal Singer | Malcolm X
The Blackbyrds | The Blackbyrds Theme

13 June 2012

Playlist: George FM 'Midweek Pocket' Wed 13 June















Kinny & Horne | Sacred Life
DJ Center | Center's Groove (Captain Planet remix)
Mr Fresh | Jazzy Bits
Kenny Does GAP Band | Outstanding (Frankie Goes Deep edit)
Situation | Such
Santana | Aqua (Space Duke edit)
Jablonski | Soul Makossa (Leftside Wobble edit)
Phil Asher Presents Focus | Having Your Fun
Lee McDonald | We've Only Just Begun (TM Juke remix)
Harry J Allstars | Liquidator (Leftside Wobble edit)
VKTA | Don't Explain
Georg Levin | When I'm With You
Perseus | Seychelles
Jamiroquai | Cosmic Girl
Talking Heads | Once In A Lifetime (Leftside Wobble dub)
Magik Johnson | Is That All There Is?
Babestealer | Summertime
Ejeca | Use The Body
Disclosure | Carnival
Bobby Tank | Afterburn
Jersey Street | It's A Beautiful Thing
Visioneers | Come And Play In The Milky Night
Robyn vs The Cure | Close To Konichiwa Bitches

www.georgefm.co.nz 

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














Heaven Sent & Ecstasy | I'm A Lady (LeBaron edit)
Zalmac | What's In It For Me? (Cut n' Paste edit)
Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes | Reaching For The World
Marbeya | Gansta Reedflex
Sumy | Soul With Milk
Marboo | What About Love
Sylvester | I Need You (unreleased mix)
Layizon | The Ride Inside
Bohannon | Dance, Dance, Dance All Night
Garnett Mims & Trucking Co. | What It Is (Pt. 2)
Rainbow Brown | Let's Go Another Round
Crown Heights Affair | Dream World
Patrick Cowley | Get A Little (extended version)
Sipho Mabuse | Break Dance (LeBaron edit)
Jakki | Sun...Sun...Sun
Skyy | Let's Celebrate
First Choice | Love Thang (edit)
Fatback | The Girl Is Fine (Dance Version)
Pyramid Plus | Comin' At Ya

Massive shouts to the fellas at the Beat Electric site for hooking up a bunch of tracks from todays' show. Nice one. Hit 'em up.

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














Dub Asylum | Skavoovie
Sa-Ra Creative Partners with Noni Limar | I Swear
Alice Russell & Quantic with His Combo Barbaro | Look Around The Corner
Captain Planet | Get You Some (Captain Planet's Boogie remix)
Alphabet City | Trouble Trouble
Hemingway | Mellow D
Mark de Clive-Lowe with Nia Andrews | The Why?
Nu Shooz | I Can't Wait (Phil Drummond 2012 mix)
Axton Frick | Take Off (Bob Gravity remix)
Fort Romeau | SW9
Georg Levin | (I Got) Somebody New
Marvin Gaye | Grapevine (J*Star re-edit)
Darondo | Legs (Pt. 1)
Greyboy with Sharon Jones | Got To Be A Love (Paul Nice remix)
Beat Assailant | Hard Twelve (The Payout)
Snowboy & The Latin Section with James Hunter | I've Got To Learn To Mambo
Palov & Mishkin | Rata Del
Visioneers | Rocket Man (Afrolatin joint)
Beatfanatic | Cookin'
Tony Allen with Mary & Norman | Calling
Visioneers | Swahililand
Vikter Duplaix | Sensuality
Only Child with Veba | Addicted
Shaun Escoffery | Days Like This (DJ Spinna remix)

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

04 June 2012

Playlist: George FM 'Selectah' Mon 4 June --- Long Weekend All 45s Special














Flowering Inferno | Ciudad del Swing
Una Mas Trio | Nova Do Brasil
Aiff | Akwaaba
Fella Cutie | Water No Get Enemy (edit)
Dedy Dread with Mr Bird | Safarai Life
Deodato | West 42nd Street
*Lack Of Afro | A Time For Livin'
*Diazaphone | Raw Meat
*Taggy Matcher | Hypnotise
*Pig Bag | Papa's Got A Brand New Bag
The Tornadoes | Huihui
Quantic Soul Orchestra with Alice Russell | Pushin' On
Sugar Pie Desanto | Git Back
Marie "Queenie" Lyons | Fever
*Dr John | Right Place Wrong Time
*Gwen McRae | Love Insurance
*Hot Streak | Work Your Body
*Joe Tex | Big Fat Woman Bump!
*Ann Sexton | You're Losing Me
*John Edwards | How Can I
Con Funk Shun | Ffun
Cookin' On 3 Burners | Gravel Rash
The Bamboos | Tighten Up
Ben Westbeech | Hang Around
The Broken Keys | Slingshot (Pt. 1)
*Johnny Watson | I Need It
*Deloris | It's About Time
*Poets Of Funk | Ride On The Train
*Wet Willie | Soul Jones
*The Danish Jazz Maffia Big Band with Marlena Baumann | Never, Never, Never Love A Married Man
The Diversions | But Is It Funky?
Chairman Of The Board | Finders Keepers
Lee Fields and Sugarman & Co | Shot Down
*Creative Source | Who Is He?
*Foxy | Get Off Your Ass
*Jean Ellis | He Ain't Bad
*Jean Ellis | Take Time
Breakout | Planet Rock (Pt. 1)
Hypnotic Brass Ensemble | Brass In Africa
Dave & Ansil Collins | Double Barrel
*The Selector | James Bond
*The Specials | Gangsters
*Ian Dury | Spasticus Autisticus
*Tuomo | Don't Take It Hard
Son Of Dave | Low Rider
The Dynamics | Move On Up

Selections marked with a * courtesy of Jay Jeffrey.

03 June 2012

Playlist: George FM 'In The Pocket' 3 June











Only Children | Whatcha Wanna
Onur Engin | Brisk
Miguel Migs with Meshell Nedegeocello | Everybody
Bobby McFerrin | Thinking About Your Body (Groovers edit)
Boogie Culture | Lipstick
George Duke | Shine On (LNTG edit)
Rayko | Love Come Down (edit)
Ed Wizard & Disco Double Dee | So Damn Fine
Legacy | Word Up
Fat Freddy's Drop | Flashback (Jazzanova remix)
DJ Steef | You Can't Hide Your Love (edit)
Medlar | Floor
Maya Jane Coles | Not Listening
Andy Ash | Freak
Mayer Hawthorne | Um Caso Estranho
Linkwood Family | Miles Away
Debukas | Golden Mind (Pional remix)
Bear Feet | Feelin' Lucky