Harlem River Drive- S/T (1971)- ****
(Legendary for a reason!)
Letta Mbulu- Letta (1970)- ***
(South African singer with an amazing set of pipes, backed by Wilton Felder, Joe Sample and Hugh Masakela, who also produced. When she keeps to her native tongue and sounds, she is really effective. But the few songs in English lose their bite and she sounds like a Vegas pop singer.)
Irma Thomas- Love Is The Foundation (2020)- ****
(Arguably her best, 60 years after the fact, and still not streaming or on CD. But you can grab it HERE for the next 7 days. You're welcome.)
Spanky Wilson- Doin' It (1969)-****
(Oh yeah!)
Claudia Lennear- Phew (1973)- ***1/2
(Side Two saves this record with five Allen Toussaint songs, which he sings backing vocals on, as well as having a rhythm section of Chuck Rainey and Jim Keltner and Spooner Oldham on keys. Though Jim Dickinson and Ry Cooder are all over Side One, it just doesn't cut it.)
The Bluerunners- Honey Slides (2005)- ****
(One of my favorite albums out of New Orleans just got a 20th anniversary vinyl release, though a few songs were cut from the CD for space and fidelity. Record sounds pretty great. Here are two.)
Bobby Boyd Congress- S/T (1971)- ***1/2
(Another obscurity, an American band who had a following in France. This record is all over the place and that's not a bad thing. Sly & The Family Stone, Chicago when they veered off into free jazz territory, Sun Ra, Mothers' Finest. Lotsa fun. And if you act now, you can get an original vinyl copy for $1500!)
The Junipers- The Solid & The Hollow (2026)- ***
Mott The Hoople- The Hoople (Sal's Version, 1974/2024)- ****
(Removed
both "Trudi's Song"- yes, I know it's about Ian's wife, but it's not
very good- and "Through The Looking Glass," because the b-side "Rest In
Peace" is a better ballad than both. And I added the two last singles
"Foxy Foxy" and "Saturday Gigs," because they belong!)
Marva Whitney- It's My Thing (1969)- ***1/2
Cheap Trick- All Shook Up (1980)- ***1/2
Scream- Still Screaming (1983)- ***
(One more from Jesse Malin's Top Ten hardcore list, I was unaware of this band but they were produced by Ian MacKaye of Fugazi. Not as fast or hard as I expected, but I dug it...once.)
David Bowie- Aladdin Sane (1973)- ****
Cro-Mags- The Age Of Quarrel (1986)- ****
(Jesse Malin doesn't mention this record until midway, but we did both agree on #1, which I'll get to. "The Age Of Quarrel" is my #2.)
7 comments:
That Bluerunner's lp is fantastic. Springsteen was a fan and the tour he was on at that time also featured songs from that album being played at the concert site before E Street took the stage. They just could never develop a following outside of Lafayette. They used to regroup every year for Festival International and Jazz fest, but I didn't see their name on either bill this year.
Fun fact about Bruce.
Wow, I haven't played that Bluerunners album in a long time. Will have to pull it out and give it a spin.
We saw Irma at FQF last week and she was absolutely wonderful. We've been listening to Love is the Foundation since we got home.
To all readers- If you don't have the vinyl, go download Love Is The Foundation immediately. As much great stuff as Irma has done, it really is her best work. Not a weak track.
That Irma lp is from the 4 lp set that Newvelle records did of modern NO music. Also had lps by Jon Cleary, Little Freddie King and Ellis Marsalis (released posthumously). The Cleary lp is also now on the streams, but I don't bleiev the other 2 have ever made it. That Ellis lp is simply marvelous and worth the effort to find it (piano and vibraphone courtesy of his son, Jason).
All four artists had a two year deal with Newvelle, after which, they could do whatever they wanted with the record. Cleary is the only one who went forward and released it on CD and to streaming. This was my original review-
https://burnwoodtonite.blogspot.com/2021/01/the-newvelle-new-orleans-collection-or.html
I thought Irma released her's, too but I stand corrected. Cleary switched out the lp cover when he re-released his lp (now features a painting he did versus the b&w photo of his face). Freddie actually had a follow up lp on Newvelle, which might be his last release - he's still alive but due to a bicycle accident, he lost feeling in his hands and legs and no longer can play the guitar. He did perform at JF this weekend, but his band employed two other guitarists and he just sang. Poor guy has had a really bad string of luck between the accident and in the midst of possibly having to move from his 20 year rental house.
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