I'm Bringin' Home Good News
Well, poop. One of them rotten stinkin' rat-bastard trustafundians (def: one of those white suburban rastafarian types) probably ganked that last copy of Lee "Scratch" Perry's Dub-Triptych that I've been eyeballin' over the past month, assuming that it would be there forever and ever until it finally, happily went home with me. Knew I shoulda stowed it away when I had the freakin' chance. But at nearly 20 clams retail even with my discount I didn't see it in my immediate future... that is, not until I got my promotion, and this weekend I was in a mood to celebrate. Celebrate on a budget, sure. But man, that bites. Hope you're enjoying that gloriously remastered "Blackboard Jungle Dub" wherever you are out there, ya lil' dredlocked pipsqueak.
But that didn't stop the party. Nosiree, Robert. I still managed to spurge, flashing my crisp new fifty dollar bill at the cash register like a high roller as I picked up a few new things... NEW things, I would like to point out for those of you who by now have forever marked me an inveterate cheapskate (have no fear -- I promise not to let all this new loot go to my head).
I finally get to sink my talons into at least one of the new series of Merle Haggard and the Strangers re-releases of his earlier, meatier 60's period albums -- in this case the the two-in-one Mama Tried/Pride In What I Am, which were originally released to 1968 and 1969, respectively. A fairly even mixture of covers and original material from a real outlaw of country music, a man who was actually in Folsom Prison right around the time when Johnny Cash was writing the song (which is covered here as well). And Haggard's own work is just as moving. Lyrics like "I turned twenty-one in prison doing life without parole" still have the power to stir and provoke as anything Cash has come up with in his most fecund creative period.
Natalia Lafourcade's self-titled solo album. A 2003 Grammy winner, according to the little sticker on the cover, but I'm just finally coming around to it now (toldja how far behind I was). A lot poppier, more danceable, and techno-driven than her more rockin' outing with her band Natalia Y La Forquetina, I've heard many comparisons to a Mexican Nelly Furtado and yeah, I can see it definitely. But I think I'm liking the actual songcraft of these compositions even better than that admittedly quite good first Furtado album, plus Miss Lafourcade's voice is just so delightfully enjoyable. We need more "edgy" young pop divas like her out on the market, and I imagine her all-español vocals (which I happily prefer) is one of the few things that must be keeping her from getting a lot more US mainstream airplay.
Lamp Fall, The brand spankin' new one from Senegalese singer/songwriter Chiekh Lô, a former protege and label-mate with Youssou N'Dour puts out his first solo release in 6 years as of last Tuesday. Slapping a contemporary Brazilian/reggae/soul-spin on the Afro-Carribean danceable rhythm traditionally known as Mbalax in Senegal, he even has former Famous Flame sax player Pee Wee Ellis on a track or two, which can raise several an album's stock instantly as far as I'm concerned. Dense, intricate playing, and righteously cheerful. Just what I need right now, as a matter of fact.
On top of the new purchases, Tracy gifted me with the two latest Roy Hargrove releases, both coming out simultaneously May 2nd...
One of which, Distractions, has his returning with his funky Rh Factor band for a funk-fueled, neo-soulish outing with some guest vocalists like Erykah Badu, Q-Tip, and D'Angelo to name a few...
And the other being Nothing Serious with his Roy Hargrove Quintet, returing to his original acoustic bop style, with a touch of swing and salsa to give it just the sweetest tang.
And if things weren't as swell as it is, Amazon sent me a package! Well I uh, ordered it, natch.
Jean-Luc Godard's Band Of Outsiders on DVD, something that came by me highly recommended. You know, I don't think I've seen a Godard film since 2001's Éloge de L'amour (In Praise Of Love) when it came out in the theaters, I think. I was in New York City during a scorching hot summer and I decided to retreat from the heat by ducking into the deliciously air-conditioned Angelika to see this, and promptly zonked out in the theater seat about halfway through. I think I few days later I came back to see it again with some friends and passed out again right around the same point in the film, so needless to say I missed quite a bit of the gorgeous visuals. But the dialogue really played with my head while I had weird heat-induced fever dreams of French people and... um, some kind of romantic existentialism? Or whatever the heck was going on in that picture. Not like I was awake for it or anything.
So anyway. Yeah, I'm good for while. For however long awhile can last.
But that didn't stop the party. Nosiree, Robert. I still managed to spurge, flashing my crisp new fifty dollar bill at the cash register like a high roller as I picked up a few new things... NEW things, I would like to point out for those of you who by now have forever marked me an inveterate cheapskate (have no fear -- I promise not to let all this new loot go to my head).
I finally get to sink my talons into at least one of the new series of Merle Haggard and the Strangers re-releases of his earlier, meatier 60's period albums -- in this case the the two-in-one Mama Tried/Pride In What I Am, which were originally released to 1968 and 1969, respectively. A fairly even mixture of covers and original material from a real outlaw of country music, a man who was actually in Folsom Prison right around the time when Johnny Cash was writing the song (which is covered here as well). And Haggard's own work is just as moving. Lyrics like "I turned twenty-one in prison doing life without parole" still have the power to stir and provoke as anything Cash has come up with in his most fecund creative period.
Natalia Lafourcade's self-titled solo album. A 2003 Grammy winner, according to the little sticker on the cover, but I'm just finally coming around to it now (toldja how far behind I was). A lot poppier, more danceable, and techno-driven than her more rockin' outing with her band Natalia Y La Forquetina, I've heard many comparisons to a Mexican Nelly Furtado and yeah, I can see it definitely. But I think I'm liking the actual songcraft of these compositions even better than that admittedly quite good first Furtado album, plus Miss Lafourcade's voice is just so delightfully enjoyable. We need more "edgy" young pop divas like her out on the market, and I imagine her all-español vocals (which I happily prefer) is one of the few things that must be keeping her from getting a lot more US mainstream airplay.
Lamp Fall, The brand spankin' new one from Senegalese singer/songwriter Chiekh Lô, a former protege and label-mate with Youssou N'Dour puts out his first solo release in 6 years as of last Tuesday. Slapping a contemporary Brazilian/reggae/soul-spin on the Afro-Carribean danceable rhythm traditionally known as Mbalax in Senegal, he even has former Famous Flame sax player Pee Wee Ellis on a track or two, which can raise several an album's stock instantly as far as I'm concerned. Dense, intricate playing, and righteously cheerful. Just what I need right now, as a matter of fact.
On top of the new purchases, Tracy gifted me with the two latest Roy Hargrove releases, both coming out simultaneously May 2nd...
One of which, Distractions, has his returning with his funky Rh Factor band for a funk-fueled, neo-soulish outing with some guest vocalists like Erykah Badu, Q-Tip, and D'Angelo to name a few...
And the other being Nothing Serious with his Roy Hargrove Quintet, returing to his original acoustic bop style, with a touch of swing and salsa to give it just the sweetest tang.
And if things weren't as swell as it is, Amazon sent me a package! Well I uh, ordered it, natch.
Jean-Luc Godard's Band Of Outsiders on DVD, something that came by me highly recommended. You know, I don't think I've seen a Godard film since 2001's Éloge de L'amour (In Praise Of Love) when it came out in the theaters, I think. I was in New York City during a scorching hot summer and I decided to retreat from the heat by ducking into the deliciously air-conditioned Angelika to see this, and promptly zonked out in the theater seat about halfway through. I think I few days later I came back to see it again with some friends and passed out again right around the same point in the film, so needless to say I missed quite a bit of the gorgeous visuals. But the dialogue really played with my head while I had weird heat-induced fever dreams of French people and... um, some kind of romantic existentialism? Or whatever the heck was going on in that picture. Not like I was awake for it or anything.
So anyway. Yeah, I'm good for while. For however long awhile can last.
posted by Melissa at 10:30 AM
2 Comments:
Good God but I miss electronically talking to you. I hope you enjoyed the Godard. I also hope I was the one who recommended it, lest my presumption embarrass the holy hell out of me...
Yes, the reference was toward yourself, sir. I do miss getting these wonderful little recommendations. You know how critically un-hip I am!
God, I just hope you're well.
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