Music Reviews

Grayskul — “Prom Quiz” — [Rhymesayers Entertainment]

Hunter Gatherer   3/13/2005   12-inch, Hip Hop

Grayskul is three gentlemen from the Pacific Northwest: MCs Onry Ozzborn and JFK of the hip-hop collective Oldominion and Rob Castro on bass. (They also have the alter egos Reason, Fiddle Back Recluse, and Phantom Ghost El-Topo, respectively.) Produced by Mr. Hill and Fakts One.

This release is a 12″ single promo for their 1st album Deadlivers, which was released 2/15/05. Rhymesayers is the same label that brings us MF Doom and Mr. Dibbs, both recently added to the KFJC library.

The music is doomy (goth?) hip-hop with clever rhymes that go great with the heavy beats and that point out (in case you hadn’t noticed) that the world is fucked.

Three songs on this 12″ single:

Prom Quiz (radio/dirty/instrumental versions) A ‘morality rap? about the pressures that young women face in today’s culture. Sympathetic or misogynistic? You decide. Catchy sample of a whistle or something.

Cursive (radio/instro versions) Features Mr. Lif helping out with some raps about how their raps are hard to understand like cursive. There is a sped up sample, so don’t be confused. 33rpm is the right speed.

Thee Adventures (clean) Bonus track not on Deadlivers with a catchy piano sample riff.
–Hunter Gatherer

Simon, Joe – “The Power of Joe Simon” – [Spring Records]

Hunter Gatherer   3/13/2005   12-inch, Soul

Country soul baritone Joe Simon is a powerful man with a powerful voice. The Power Of Joe Simon, released in 1973, is a collection of 10 of the singles that he recorded with Spring Records.

Working with a variety of producers and wearing his special purple pants and multicolored vest, Mr. Simon sings tales of love lost and found. This is deep soul, but country influences are also always present, though stronger on some tracks than others (esp on the last two tracks).

Many of these songs will be familiar, the biggest hit on here is Gamble and Huff‘s Drowning In the Sea Of Love (R&B #3), which pops up on most Philly Soul compilations. Step by Step was a hit in the UK.

Read the text on the back of the cover for an example of some crazy slang and some ideas for back announcing.
–Hunter Gatherer

Parker,Evan and Peter Brotzmann “The Bishop’s Move” [Victo]

outlier   3/12/2005   CD, Jazz

A circular breathing round tripper, this sextet aurally pleasures you for 73m and it’s FREE ! Supergroup of two free jazz pioneers’ trios who got together in Quebec in May 2003. 2 saxes, piano-Schlippenbach, bass-William Parker and 2 drums-Hamid Drake and Paul Lytton. Schlippenbach provides the center of gravity but his chords never tie down the soloists moves. E Parker and Brotzmann set their horns on fire with relentless wailing that sometimes never stops to breathe. Dual master blowouts are a RARE event especially when backed by rhythmic GIANTS such as these.
3w: FREE YOUR ASSSSS (mind will follow)
– Outlier

Bailiff, Jessica w/the.dithering.effect s/t [Resonant] (45 rpm)

outlier   3/12/2005   10-inch, A Library

Drift and reverb drench the haunting vocals of Bailiff while echoes of spacecraft vapors fill the void. The label is well-named, waves of drone are the attendant feature on this release. A slower, hazier, Twisted Village version of Amber Asylum. Or maybe drop Kendra Smith’s vocals in on the Garbage and the Flowers (TW-Deep Funnels of Entry comp), add drone and strum, chill and serve. A very enchanting sound, not quite sirenesque, but of the earth and sky. Some sundown haze and fresh air on the ‘there’ side. Jessica Bailiff is the female half of Clear Horizon (with David Pearce of Flying Saucer Attack), no letup on this release.
3w: HER MAGIC CONTINUES
– Outlier

Swell, Steve “Slammin the Infinite” [Cadence Jazz]

outlier   3/12/2005   CD, Jazz

HARD BOP with freeish developments, Grachan Moncur (New Africa Suite w/ Roscoe Mitchell, Dave Burrell, Alan Silva and Andrew Cyrille) is my best point of reference. Swell’s compositional style is edgier than Moncur and his trombone work is more modern with a slip and slide delivery. No chatter, some reed screed and blowout ‘bone, but we are slammin the infinite here not regressing to the average. Mateen(tenor sax, alto sax ,clarinet) gives a spirited performance while Heyner-bass and Kugel-drums seriously sustain the energy delivered by the leadmen.
3w: Limitless FREE BOP
– Outlier

Sun Ra and the Myth Science Arkestra “Live in London” [Blast First]

outlier   3/12/2005   CD, Jazz

The good vibes on this recording are infectious. Sun Ra channels the world’s discord and uses the mystical powers of the Myth Science Arkestra to convert this malaise into musical merriment. Ranging from Afro Jazz chaos to spacey intoxicated big band sounds, this set captures the unorganized cohesion that was the magic of the MSA. 1-3 are astral jazz explorations while 4-6 run the old school stride and ballad routines, singing included on 5,7 and 8. Not as out there as “Concert for the Comet Kohoutek” but nobody goes home disappointed.
3w: Cosmic Party Jazz
– Outlier

Messthetics #1 “UK 78-81 DIY bands R to Si” [hyped2death]

outlier   3/12/2005   A Library, CD

Three chord punk and English power pop in roughly equal proportion. Leather jackets – Probably, but not the safety pin in the cheek stuff. Angry, jaded, anti-corporate, anti-government and definitely anti-Thatcher songs that brighten your world by telling you how depressingly awful their world is. But they don’t let their emotions get in the way of a good jolt of electric guitar and snotty vocals. Royston (3) and Seize (19) impress with some clever pop and bash respectively. Ripchords (27) and Reekie (29) are also of note. Nothing quite as enraged as Flux of Pink Indians or slick as Gang of Four but then not much is.
3w: buggered blokes bangup
– Outlier

Sun City Girls “Fresh Kill of a Cape Hunting Dog/ Def in Italy” [Eclipse]

outlier   3/12/2005   12-inch, A Library

1983-85 recordings that reinstall SCG as the grand shamen of anti-pop. 1st LP is a studio release with all the markings of SCG brilliance; a tale of cop corpse desecration, a stunning sound piece, snake-charmer guitar magic, cutup madness, mid-eastern weirdness, destroyed guitar blast and recoil…’I Told You So’ and ‘Nile Hilton Burning’ are destined KFJC classics. 2nd LP is live recordings of 1984 tour including an SF show. If I was Byron Coley I would drop in something about a cherry enema right about here.
3w: DON’T FUCK WITH
– Outlier

Valentine, Matt & Erika Elder “Ragas & Blues” [Idea] LP (33rpm)

outlier   3/12/2005   A Library

Valentine brings his anachronistic acoustic sound to the east, soaring in the winds of Erika Elder. Sundown haze, third-eye bliss…plenty of fresh air. Not as old school folk as Valentine’s recent solo release, this takes you on a subtle carpet ride over regions of underexplored sound. Music travelers journey to the exotic and enchanting mysticism of shambhalan cosmic harmony. Take a trip and never leave your living room !
3w: Hypnotic Healing Harmony
– Outlier

Gang Gang Dance “Revival of the Shittest’ [Social Registry] LP (33 rpm)

outlier   3/12/2005   A Library

More structured, shorter pieces than the musical melange of their previous release. GGD explore possibilities of ultra-drum percussion using rhythmic techniques in melodic instrument spaces. Variety of approaches to the purpose of percussive pursuits; Quaalude electro-clash, tribal sample mix, vocal musings with a residents-type march, niobe-like beats, vocals over two-note piano steps with echo-noise-beats mix, fake symphony synth and an electronics soundscape. All pieces have a distinctive signature sound that GGD have claimed as their own.
3w: Snap CRACKle POP
– Outlier