Well it's Sunday and here's a hodge-podge of things that
have been rattling around in my brain this weekend:
INFO: Some time ago there was a discussion about the
Grand Central catalog, and I put together a discography
that was complete except for one release, GC-105.
Well, that gap in the discog has been driving me crazy,
so yesterday I called Fat Cat Records, who runs the
label. They told me that GC-105 was intended to be a
release by The Pharcyde, but it only made it to the
promo stage before Go! Discs picked it up and
distributed it under their aegis. (I'm guessing this
is the "Runnin'" EP, since there's a Rae & Christian
mix on that one. But don't quote me on that.) So the
discography is complete as is. If anyone needs a copy,
e-mail me privately.
*********
INFO: I'm continuing to update my Wall of Sound
discography with each new release. You can find it at
the acid jazz web site. The latest release (AFAIK) is
the Propellorheads' "Dive EP." This is a four-track
electro-breakbeat stomper which I would recommend if
you're a fan of Mekon or the Chemical Brothers. Other
releases in the Wall of Sound pipeline include:
Singles
-------
V/A - "Wall of Pussey" EP
Agent Provocateur - "Red Tape"
(Mekon/Depth Charge Mixes)
The Wiseguys - "We Keep On/The Sound You Hear"
Albums
------
Hustlers of Culture - MANY STYLES lp
V/A - A WALL OF PUSSEY
(Wall of Sound/Pusseyfoot soundclash)
The Wiseguys - EXECUTIVE SUITE
Mekon - WELCOME TO TACKLETOWN
V/A - GIVE 'EM ENOUGH DOPE 3
On another Wall of Sound-related note, I finally found
a copy of _Jazid_ magazine at my local Tower Records.
This was the Dec/Jan issue, and if you can still find
one, it has a great article on the Wall of Sound crew.
Big thumbs up to Acid Jazz Publications for a great
magazine!
*********
MINI-REVIEWS: Here are a few new items I've snagged:
The Duke of Harringay - "Alroy Road Tracks" (Spymania)
There's been a lot of buzz about this artist and now I
can hear why. Tom Jenkinson (aka Squarepusher) pushes
drum & bass squarely into the jazz court on this five-
track EP. Imagine real live instruments improvising
along with punishingly fast drum programming and you're
starting to get the picture. Unlike other "jazzy
jungle" releases that seem to simply overlay the beats
onto a jazzy vibe, this one really integrates the two.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED...one of the most unique records
I've heard in a while. And after you've heard it,
you're gonna want *everything* Jenkinson has done.
Here's what I know about:
- Squarepusher - Conumber EP (Spymania)
- DJ Food - "Scratch Yer Head" (Squarepusher Mix)
- V/A - Dragon Disc 1 (Worm Interface, WI 003)
- V/A - Dragon Disc 2 (Worm Interface, WI 004)
Also, there's much more to come via Rephlex and Warp
Records.
James Hardway - "Cool Jazz Motherf**ker EP" (Substance)
The title of this should probably be "Cool Jungle
Motherf**ker," as that's the primary rhythm situation
here. But there are also elements of jazz, techno, and
worldbeat thrown into the stew on this four-tracker. I
don't know much about Hardway, but I've heard it may be
a pseudonym for David Harrow (of Technova and
Bloodsugar). Sounds reasonable to me.
Courtney Pine - "I've Known Rivers" Remixes (Antilles)
This is a domestic (US) 2x12" promo release, which
features two 4 Hero Mixes and three Pressure Drop
mixes, more than any other format I've seen so far.
If you've only got the domestic CD of MODERN-DAY JAZZ
STORIES, this is an essential add-on.
Solo feat. J.T. - "Pressure" (Mo' Wax Excursions)
This is, I believe, the last of the hip hop Excursions
series and once again it's drum & bass time. The
rather ordinary title track gets a much more energetic
workout by Peshay on the flip side. Overall, though,
I'd have to say the whole Excursions series has been
pretty disappointing compared to the excellent output
on the main Mo' Wax label. :-(
Ron Levy's Wild Kingdom - ZIM ZAM ZOOM (Bullseye Blues)
The CD notes proclaim this to be the first-ever "acid
blues" record, and they may be right. The Hammond B-3
is in full effect on this rousing selection of five
originals and three cover tunes, including "C.C.
Rider." The band includes Idris Muhammad and Melvin
Sparks, so you know this isn't just a marketing
gimmick.
*********
QUESTION: It looks like the Italian IRMA label is now
being distributed in the U.S. at domestic prices. The
ITALIAN JUICE compilation is already out, with more to
come, I presume. Can anyone give me a quickie review
of this compilation or recommend any of the other IRMA
releases?
*********
FREEBIE: Last week I got a promo cassette in the mail
featuring three tracks from the new album by Bass is
Base. It's not my cuppa, but if you're into smooth
jazz/pop with vocals, and want to check this out, send
me an e-mail and it's yours. First come, first served.
*********
Well that's all for now. Keep those a-j posts coming!
-- Mark Turner mturner@netcom.com