Iranian pop.

Recently, I was wandering around the archives of the Los Angeles Times, and gladly discovered the newspaper published an article about the resurrection of Iranian pop, through the examples of Googoosh and Kourosh Yaghmaei, and thanks to labels like Finders Keepers and Now-Again.

Unfortunately, only the outside world (meaning excluding Iran) is able to listen to those releases ; you have to realize that Googoosh stopped singing in 1979, when the Iranian Revolution chased the Shah and replaced him with a religious regime. She resumed performing only after she moved to the USA in 2000. 

Kourosh is another example of wasted talent ; after the Revolution, he lived a bit in Canada, but eventually returned to Iran, thus suffering from the numerous restrictions on music playing.

Long story short, the story of Iranian pop music is an interesting yet unfinished one and guys like Andy Vottel and Egon made it available to us. Even the hypish Vogue Magazine praised the release of the Kourosh boxset. 

Lucky us.

Edit : I forgot to talk about another record, because I didn't know it at the time, and discovered it only a week ago. This record is a compilation album released by Vampisoul, accurately titled "Rangarang : Pre-Revolutionary Iranian Pop". No opinion about it yet, as I haven't been able to fully listen to it, but once again, a good news about the current spread of Iranian music.

D is really back.

A few posts ago, I blogged about D'Angelo doing a little tour with few buzz around it, twelve years after his last album and last tour. And of course when it comes to D, people got suspicious. Can't blame them...

Anyway, it really looks like the nu soul icon is really getting back in shape and with new songs ! A couple of videos from his latest concert in Stockholm has surfaced in the recent hours, and... well, judge by yourself, but I think D is really proving the world his ability to bring the heat. After such uncertainty about D'Angelo's capacity to come back, these videos act like a proof : even a bit fatter than before, D'Angelo is still an incredible performer and (possibly) songwriter/musician. 

Good news. 

 

And just in case you don't know (or remember)...

 

And just as if it wasn't enough good news for today, Common tweeted today about an hypothetical Soulquarians (minus J Dilla) reunion... oh boy.

sample flips.

I really dig the "10 Favorite Sample Flips" series that EgotripLand initiated, for two reasons : first, it's a good way of learning about the influences of a famous producer/DJ/beatmaker ; second, it's pretty convenient to take a music history lesson. 

The latest episode of the series invited A-Trak, one of the most brilliant DJ's on Earth, in every aspect of the DJ'ing game. He's an absolute god at scratching, knows how to rock a crowd live, and crafts powerful dance anthems and remixes for the benefit of the world. 

The former scratch wonderkid displays a full range of influences, that goes from club music to the rawest hip-hop stuff. Scroll down to the bottom of the page, and listen to one of the best Dilla song. Ever. 

Previous episodes feature Jake One, DJ Spinna, Large Professor, Da Beatminerz, J-Rocc, Evidence, Prince Paul, K-Def... in a word : legends. 

the weirdo is back.

Sébastien Tellier is back with a new album, following "Sexuality". The new opus is called "My God Is Blue". So, expect a blue galore in the next appareances of the guy. And judging by the first song, it's gonna be Gainsbourgish. 

Here's the tracklist :
01 - Pépito Bleu
02 - The Colour Of Your Mind
03 - Sedulous
04 - Cochon Ville
05 - Magical Hurricane
06 - Russian Attractions
07 - Mayday
08 - Draw Your World
09 - My Poseidon
10 - Against The Law
11 - My God Is Blue
12 - Yes It's Possible

Now wait. No said date. 

behind the scenes : Black Star.

Do you remember being attracted to this cover artwork, the first time you saw it ? Strangely enough, on the same day, August 25th of 1998, "The Miseducation Of Lauryn Hill" was released, with the same artwork style : a wooden background, lots of hot colours (red, yellow, orange) and carved-styled faces. 

The "Black Star" cover is Brent Rollins' work. And the designer goes all over the story of the making of. From metal to wood, from magazine to record, Brent Rollins tells everything. 

Do The Dilla.

Not long after Jay Dee passed away, it became impossible to count the tributes to the great beatmaker and producer. I guess a lot of people realized the impact that Jay Dee had had on the music game. 

If lots of beatmakers still pledge their allegiance to Jay Dee, it is rather surprising to see another tribute surfacing on the web, six years after his death. 

"Do The Dilla" is an announced tribute, with an international (but mainly European) casting of beatmakers. It is not yet available, but expect Dilla-styled beats, of course. The press release is quite explicit about the goals of the initiator and contributors. And for those who can make it to Lausanne on Feb 11th, don't miss the tribute party. Dilla lives.

Edit : "Do The Dilla" is now available for download. And it's free. 

restless Jeff.

This guy is my hero. A restless touring DJ, hip hop genre pioneer, and still an activist from his hometown of Philly. 

Recently, he launched a few interesting media contents : 

- his live set in Fukuoka, Japan (always a great moment, like his Do-Over mixes) ; 

- a video called "A Musical Journey", showing footages of his Asian tour (always a great moment... personal experience) ;

- the audio of his 1986 live set at the Union Square with the Fresh Prince (always a great moment... not a personal experience...).

Enjoy this bridging experience between the past and today. 

soleil rare 19 - another version.

Baby Huey - California Dreamin'. 

Baby Huey did one of the best albums of all time. Timeless. Funky, soulful, mellow... artfull. 

"California Dreamin'" is originally a song by The Mamas & The Papas, released in 1965. Here, instead of singing, Baby Huey and his band just adapted the musical part, with an unbelievable and unusual soul flute, funky horns and keys. So good. Sadly, "The Living Legend" is a posthumous and only Huey's release, because of Baby Huey's excesses of alcohol, drugs and food. 

MFSB - Freddie's Dead. 

Curtis Mayfield produced Baby Huey's only effort, and wrote the hit "Freddie's Dead", here played by Philadelphia's own band, MFSB. Once again, don't expect vocals, as MFSB is generally an instrumental-only band. This allows them to look deep into experimentations. MFSB makes it an extensive song with a few horn solos, without corrupting Curtis Mayfield's spirit. Funky enough. 

 Otis Redding - Satisfaction (Show 3, Set 1). 

Otis Redding's early death is probably the most tragic event in the history of soul music. Feeling his energy on stage through 40 year-old records is simply of prodigy. A true performer and entertainer, Otis' talent is mostly known thanks to the super hit "(Sittin' On) The Dock Of The Bay", which is a pity. Because, even if the song is a beautiful one, it doesn't display the sweat and moves that Otis was able to provide. 

With this cover of the Stones' "Satisfaction", you can feel what the man was about. Dope. 

The Watts 103Rd Street Rhythm Band - Papa's Got A Brand New Bag. 

In 1968, The Watts 103Rd Street Rhythm Band (damn, what a band name...) finally got their final line-up, just one year before splitting... however, even with a tumultuous story, the band managed to craft a few hits, including "Express Yourself". 

With the album "Together", they gained even more fame. Their cover of James Brown's "Papa's Got A Brand New Bag" sounds almost like the original ; no innovation here, but a different voice and feeling. 

Paul Mauriat - La Vie En Rose. 

I gotta confess : for some reason, I collect Paul Mauriat's records. And it looks like a bottomless pit, and endless quest. 

Yeah, it is cheesy. But it definitely has a French feeling. A French gift to the world !

And yeah, here again, the song is simply an instrumental. Piaf's "La Vie En Rose" doesn't have the same vibe under Mauriat's direction, but still, I kinda like it. And I don't know why. Get charmed. 

Carte Blanche - Lettre A France. 

DJ Mehdi would have been 35 today. And his death is still a tragedy for music. I simply don't know how or who will feel the void that he left. 

On one of his last efforts as Carte Blanche (alongside Riton), Mehdi released this interpretation of Michel Polnareff's mega hit "Lettre A France". Saturated. Yet elegant. You can even picture Mehdi playing with the faders and the knobs of his mixer while listening to the track. 

Too short. 

Alain Bashung - Nights In White Satin. 

I already wrote quite a few lines about Alain Bashung on this blog. And I might keep on doing it. Until very recently, I didn't know he had made covers of English songs. Moody Blues' "Nights In White Satin" being an anthem of the late 1960's, it's a pleasure to listen such a giant covering it. With a gentle help from an acoustic guitar, Bashung offers all his sensitivity in just one song. 

Aretha Franklin - You're All I Need To Get By (Take 2). 

Oh, come on... the queen Aretha singing some Marvin Gaye. Aretha doing both Marvin and Tammi... good Lord. Wow, you gotta be thankful forever when you hear such a song. The covering is just perfect, and it sounds just like Aretha's voice was made for singing this song. Plain and simple. So she hired a bass player, a drummer, took the piano and did it. Boy, I could spend days listening to Aretha Franklin. 

The final cut is a bit strange as it sounds like a simple rehearsal for her, but don't complain. 

J*Davey - Smells Like Teen Spirit. 

Yes, this is an internet find, so I don't know if it's featured on a proper record. Whatever... The first time I heard about J*Davey, I think it was thanks to Okayplayer. I found the duo very talented, out of limit, unstoppable. Then I kinda lost their track, to find it again with their impressive cover of Nirvana's "Smells Like Teen Spirit" (one of the best songs of all time according to Rolling Stone magazine). 

I haven't felt such a level of production in a long time, and the voice is sexy but distant. It's like and erotic theme, only with a rock'n'soul (I don't think the genre has ever been labelled) flavor. Let's just say... wow. 

tears of joy.

I should let you read the announcement of Light In The Attic about the release of this compilation album by Wendy Rene. Because it says it all. Because it sounds so promising : thanks to the restless label, you'll be able to hear Wendy's powerful voice right in the middle, in "glorious mono" ; you'll feel Wendy(s charisma and you'll shiver. 

Because I've been waiting for it ever since I realized how insane was the sample behind Wu-Tang Clan's "Tearz", the release of this compilation is great news. 

It's crisis time, folks. Be happy.  

By the way, it'll be released on January, 30th. 

don't call it a comeback.

It's been a long time, I shouldn't have left you...

And here you go with a new interview of a record collector, by Dust & Grooves.

This time, it's Markey Funk's turn, a record lover and DJ from Belarus, now settled in Jerusalem. The funny thing is that Markey Funk can talk about Soviet bootlegs, cover art and Jew music in the same sentence. As always on Dust & Grooves, the guy is an absolute aficionado, so make this interview a must-read.