TRACKS OF THE WEEK 17-05-2015 - Hop Along, Terakaft, Fantasma,DJ Yoda, The Prodigy

TRACKS OF THE WEEK 17-05-2015 - Hop Along, Terakaft, Fantasma,DJ Yoda, The Prodigy

DJ Yoda Fantasma Hop Along Soundway Records Terakaft The Prodigy Tinariwen Tracks of the Week World Music Corner YO! TuneDr Raps

...five songs for Stevie G

Old Pa's Corner :-
Terakaft - Anabayou (2015)


The band are pioneers of desert blues, they are one of the most well known bands representing a style that has become famous internationally since early 2000 called Tuareg rock. 2 members used to play with Tinariwen.

Here is the track Anabayou which is spot on if you like your Desert Blues. It is from the album Alone (2015)
 
Flycasual:-

Fantasma - 'Basbizile' (2015)

This track's a real head turner. The melange of Hip Hop, electro and traditional Zulu music hitting all my musical tickle spots, making me kick my leg out like a dog getting a tummy rub. These prawns hail from South Africa and feature a quintet of popular DJ's and musicians including Jo'burg rapper and founder, Spoek Mathombo. Their trademark 'Guzu' sound can be found on the excellent album, Free Love, which was out in March.

Soundway Records....

Shell Hunter:-
DJ Yoda - '2468' (2015)

With all the Star Wars hype at the moment it only seems fitting this is my track of the week. You can rest assured it is a lot better than what the actual Yoda might come up with, what with his quirky backwards talk. In the small window I have to listen to new music, this was perfect to welcome the day to with my little squirming babe. From the new album Breakfast Of Champions, it's got a great beat, it's educational and it's got old school Nintendo Game Boy noises too! The sort of musical lift a mum needs in the morning!

SFW:-

Hop Along - The Knock (2015)


Philadelphia pop punk outfit Hop Along are new to me. Lead singer and writer Frances Quinlan’s scratchy, distinctive voice sounds like an angel who has gone off the rails, visualise Gemma Hayes mixed with Kurt Cobain?  Recorded and mixed by John Agneoll (Kurt Vile, Dinosaur Jr., Sonic Youth) this features on their recently released second album, Painted Shut. The albums pretty damn good to.

London Scouser:-

The Prodigy - 'The Day Is My Enemy' (2015)

I recently found an old compilation CD I made in which I committed a musical sin... In that I had 2 tracks by the same artist on it... Its okay though as Shellhunter has since taught me the law. The 2 tracks were 'Girls' & 'Baby's Got A Temper' by The Prodigy, after hearing them again I decided to check out their latest album. The title track immediately stood out for me with its infectious drums and the female vocals, which I recognised the voice but couldn't place her. I have since found out it was 'Tricky's' oft collaborator Martina Topley-Bird. The rest of the album has some bummers but its getting back to their best IMHO. The video I've used is of a live show in Australia so different to the album version, but equally intoxicating.

Listen or even better, subscribe to our tracks of the week playlist here...

sfw Pada 09:48 3 Komentar

Tinariwen - 'Iljaych Tareq'

Tinariwen - 'Iljaych Tareq'

Flycasual Mali Tinariwen World Music Corner

WORLD MUSIC CORNER

'The Desert Bez' and his crew

Tinariwen - 'Iljaych Tareq' (2014)

You know what it's like, you go camping, you light a bonfire, maybe have some marshmallows even though you don't like marshmallows and then one of your friends takes out a guitar. Bloody hell you think, what a mood killer as they start playing half baked covers....you'd rather listen to the mosquitoes buzzing around your ears. But then there's Tinariwen, the Desert Blues dons and that's a whole different proposition, atmospheric, entrancing, exactly what you need for an evening under the stars...even makes the marshmallows taste nice. Whilst recording their latest album, Emmaar, in the Joshua Tree Desert, the 'desert Bez' and his boys would jam around a campfire long into the night. Inside/Outside - The Joshua Tree Acoustic Sessions are the fruits of that labour, 5 striped back tracks that see the band go back to their roots, without all that production of a studio, brilliant and evocative! The offer is still open boys, come round, we can sit in my son's sandpit and sip tea late into the night!

If you like you 'Desert Blues' check out TuneDr's Desert Blues Vol.1 here....

For more World Music Corner click here, or listen/subscribe to the playlist below, tastier than marshmallows fo' sho'!

sfw Pada 02:14 2 Komentar

TRACKS OF THE WEEK - 16/02/2014 - Beck, Tinariwen, The Notwist, Bombay Bicycle Club, Boy and Bear

TRACKS OF THE WEEK - 16/02/2014 - Beck, Tinariwen, The Notwist, Bombay Bicycle Club, Boy and Bear

Beck Bombay Bicycle Club Boy and Bear The Notwist Tinariwen Tracks of the Week

Five tracks that were full of 'Gust-o' for us this week

Old Pa's Corner :-
The Notwist - Kong


Here is a track from German Indie Band The Notwist from their new album Close to the Glass (2014). I can't believe they have been going since 1989 and this is their 9th album. I never even heard of them before.

This is a great driving commercial track with one of these catchy riffs that will burn itself into your sub- conscious.

Don't you think the video is very apt with all that rain you poor guys are having at the moment.

Sorry can't stay just putting my shorts and t-shirt on, must be 25 degrees to-day and a  bright blue sky.

Flycasual:-
Tinariwen - 'Imidiwan Ahi Sigdim' (2014)

With all that perpetual rain and gales we've been having, it makes a nice change to feel that desert wind in your face, albeit through the speakers. 'Imidiwan Ahi Sigdim' is an evocative piece of Saharan Soul taken from Tinariwen's 6th album, Emmaar, released last week. To avoid the conflict in Mali, they recorded the album in a completely different desert this time, the Mojave in the US. With Jack White's producer, Vance Powell, at the helm and with a host of guests including Chilli Peppers, guitarist Vince Klinghoffer, helping out, it still has that desolate feel but adds a touch of that psychedelic American Desert Rock feel to it. Still perfect escapism, as is the atmospheric video.

Tinariwen on the web...

Sfw:-

Beck - "Love" ('2014')


I've had a hectic few weeks and have had very little "home" time.  So this one is for the missus. This version of the track, originally from John Lennon's 1970 debut album 'John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band', is taken from 'Sweetheart 2014', a forthcoming Starbucks compilation of artist performing covers of their favourite love songs.  It stands up against the original, but Lennon's version will always pip it as I had it playing when my wife walked down the aisle.

Shell Hunter:-

Boy & Bear - 'Southern Sun' (2014)

Track of the year alert! I don't know how but I just have that feeling, I can't get enough of this song at the moment. Boy & Bear are an Aussie folk-rock quintet with a couple of albums, both topping the ARIA Album Charts. Their album released last year called Harlequin Dream reached number 1 in its first week! Now you can't say fairer than that for a recommendation right? When I heard this, the chorus reminded me a bit of a song I loved by Everything But The Girl, 'I didn't know I was looking for love'. Boy and Bear have a sort of Lamb Chop, Grandaddy Americana thing going complete with mandolin and its just the sort of stuff I feel like hearing right now. Just have to imagine myself standing on the top of Ayers Rock and the feeling is complete!

London Scouser:-

Bombay Bicycle Club - 'Luna' (2014)

As soon as this started I thought it's the Knight Rider theme tune... Ok so it's not, but for a minute it almost kinda was sort of... To me anyway... But I digress, the BBC are back with another great song from their latest album 'So Long, See You Tomorrow' which this week became their first number one album. They are currently in the middle of a European tour and arrive back in the UK at the beginning of March before heading across the pond in April for a couple of months in North America. Not to worry though, they will be back in July where I will see them at Latitude 2014! The video features synchronised swimming which is always fun to watch too !!

Listen or even better, subscribe to our tracks of the week playlist here...

sfw Pada 02:46 5 Komentar

TUNEDR'S PLAYLISTS - Desert Blues Vol.1

TUNEDR'S PLAYLISTS - Desert Blues Vol.1

Ali Farka Toure Amadou and Mariam Bassekou Kouyate Bombino Boubacar Traoré Flycasual Juldeh Camara Justin Adams Ngoni Ba Robert Plant Samba Toure Tamikrest Tarit Terakaft Tinariwen TuneDr's Playlists

Desert Blues Playlist Vol.1

...she's gone and left you for that Tuareg bloke with the bigger oasis. With the incessant sun, a hanky for a hat, the desert wind in your face and mouthful of sand...it looks like you have a case of the Desert Blues.

The Desert Blues is without doubt my favourite of all the African musical genres, from the Tuareg rebel music of Tinariwen and Terakaft to the 'Ambassador of the African Blues', Ali Farka Toure. With it's laid back hypnotic rhythms, hand claps, intricate guitar playing (of which you'll be hard pushed to hear any better) and the ululations of the female backing singers, it never fails to capture my imagination. (Sometimes, if it's recorded outside you may even hear the sound of crickets joining in). It's pure atmosphere, evoking feelings of distant barren landscapes, in which you can almost feel/see the heat shimmering over the dunes. Hang on, who's that coming over that ridge over there? Why it's Omar Sharif, oh no, not another mirage.

TuneDr's Desert Blues Vol.1

(Click to listen/subscribe)

1) Tinariwen - Tenhert (2009) - Imidiwan

The Hendrix of the dunes, the Santana of the sand whatever tag Northern Mali's Tinariwen are given, these guys are the without doubt the undisputed desert heavyweights. The first Desert Blues group to enjoy commercial success and along with Ali Farka Toure the first band that really got me into the genre.

2) Bassekou Kouyate & Ngoni Ba - Kele Magni (2013) - Jama Ko

This cat can play! One of my favourite tracks off his third album, as it showcases his skills. Another musician from the musically rich Mali.

3) Samba Toure - Ago Djamba (2013) - Albala

Samba Toure is my new Malian Blues hero. The brilliant 'Ago Djamba' is taken from his third album, Albala, it's fairly sombre stuff as it recalls Mali's recent turmoil. Essential listening.

4) Robert Plant - Win My Train Fare Home (2003) - Le Festival du Desert

You can't argue with Robert Plant, he's been championing the Desert Blues for as long as I know. This track is simply sensational, it's taken from the Festival Du Desert compilation, a yearly music festival held in the outskirts of Timbuktu. Atmospheric

5) Terakaft - Awa Adounia (2012) - Kel Tamasheq

Similar to fellow Malian's Tinariwen, probably because they have two original members of that band but their sound is a lot more vibrant. 'Awa Adounia', is the stand out track of last years Kel Tamasheq.

6) Justin Adams and Juldeh Camara - Fulani Coochie Man (2009) - Tell No Lies

Justin Adams has collaborated with many African Blues artists also producing albums for Tinariwen and Robert Plant. An accomplished British guitarist, he joined up with Gambian Griot player, Juldeh Camara on 2009's, Tell No Lies album. 'Fulani Coochie Man', unmistakeably the blues, with a Gambian twist.

7) Ali Farka Toure - Ledi Coumbe (2006) - Savane

What can you say about the late great Ali Farka Toure, he's the desert don. Martin Scorsese is quoted as saying that Toure's musical tradition constitutes the "DNA of the Blues". The posthumously released Savane is a fantastic album with a plethora of tracks to choose from but I feel 'Ledi Coumbe' is African Blues magic.

8) Tartit - Ansari (2006) - Abacabok

Another Malian Desert Blues Band but with a predominately female line up. The women will normally play more traditional instruments, hand claps and sing 'call and response' type songs to the men's electric guitars. What strikes me with them is that some tracks on the Abacabok album cut into vocal jams that sound like they have and will go on for ages. It's very trancy and if you add a beat to it, you could easily thorw a few shapes to it on the dancefloor on a Saturday night.

9) Tamikrest - Achaka Achail Aynaian Daghchilan (2013) - Chatma

This is taken from the Tuareg band's latest album, Chatma. A lot more percussive and 'rockier' than their Malian counterparts but here you find them perhaps more reflective. An atmospheric track that does sound like the desert wind.

10) Boubacar Traore - Mali Denhou (2011) - Mali Denhou

Definitely something in the water in Mali, a fantastic track that sounds like it's straight out of the Mississippi Delta. I love this track, which I heard on a random sampler, it's the simple guitar with the harmonica accompaniment. Just one of those gems you probably wouldn't normally come across.

11) Amadou & Mariam - Mouna (1999) - Sou Ni Tile

The first time I heard Amadou & Mariam was on the Manu Chao produced Dimanche a Bamako, it got my attention immediately and as a result they have become one of my favourite African artists. The beautiful 'Mouna' is taken from the "the blind couple from Mali's" first international release, Sou Ni Tile.

12) Bombino - Iyat Idounia Ayashen (2011) - Agadez

Hailing from Niger, Bombino's main influences came from watching VHS tapes of Hendrix and Mark Knophler! This track is taken from his second album Agadez, with some mesmerising guitar work you won't care that it's 9 minutes long, you won't want it to end. 

Check out our other TuneDr playlists....here

sfw Pada 07:21 4 Komentar

FLYCASUAL'S Best of 2011

FLYCASUAL'S Best of 2011

Beastie Boys Best of 2011 DJ Shadow Little Dragon The Horrors Tinariwen Wild Beasts

It's always an unenviable task, trying to streamline your favourite songs into a playlist, but 5, outrageous! Oh the sleepless nights, who gets left behind?? I felt like I was the chopper pilot in the scene in Platoon where Willem Defoe's, Elias gets left behind.

Oh well, there goes Ghostpoet

Yeah, OK anyway, 2011 has been a great year for music but more so since the creation of this blog. One of the points of this blog was to find out what my friends/family were listening to and if they had any anecdotes about the songs as to why they liked them. I don't get to see them as often as I'd like to and like SFW said in his intro, "recreate the listening sessions of the past". So what better way than to conceive a blog where you can do just that!! As a result of the Guest Spots and my fellow contributors, who in turn have different tastes to mine, it has been a bumper crop! So a huge thanks to all of you!


Little Dragon - 'Ritual Union'
My favourite song, album and band/artist of the year for me, their Lo-Fi Electronica ticking all the right boxes, prompting me to get hold of their back catalogue. Ritual Union's a fabulous track (featured here), it's flavour encapsulated the summer for me, great voice and complete with synth sax break (there's not enough sax at the moment). Little Dragon's collaborations this year were exceptional too, including 'Wildfire' with SBTRKT (featured here too) and this beautiful piece, 'Scale it Back' with DJ Shadow.

Beastie Boys - 'Make Some Noise'
"oh my god just look at me grandpa been rapping' since 83". Great back to form old skool flashback from the Beasties with their silly witty rhymes and fresh beats. Trademark outstanding video too, with Hollywood cameos aplenty and if you have a spare 29:55 minutes, check the full video here....

Wild Beasts - 'Reach A Bit Further'
Fabulous vocals and melody, with happy memories of a perfect day spent on the beach with my wife and my little boy.

The Horrors - 'Still Life'
Epic retro 80's stomp fest, I can just picture a Miami Vice cut scene with a jilted Don Johnson tearing shit up around Miami. Would definitely feature on the soundtrack to the remake of The Breakfast Club.

Tinarwiren - 'Tenere Taqqim Tossam'
Unfortunately they didn't take up my offer of a cup of tea at my house (what??) when they were touring last month so I went to see them instead and I was not disappointed. Top, top tune from the desert rebel rockers, The Clash, Santana and Hendrix rolled into one (erm, if they were all Bedouins).

sfw Pada 22:00 6 Komentar

Tinariwen - 'Tenere Taqqim Tossam'

Tinariwen - 'Tenere Taqqim Tossam'

Flycasual Mali Tinariwen TV on the Radio World Music Corner

World Music Corner..

Tinariwen - 'Tenere Taqqim Tossam feat TV on the Radio' (2011)

It's packing heat!! Sun, seas of sand, hot tea.....Tinariwen and TV on the Radio share a tent and the Saharan airwaves on this amazing new track from the forthcoming album 'Tassili'. I've been a long time fan of the Malian desert blues outfit and I'm excited at the prospect of a new offering, especially with reports that Wilco are also collaborating. Their blend of desert blues is highly evocative and atmospheric, with the hypnotic guitars and trance like rhythms transporting me away. Hopefully not too far from a waiting oasis and a harem of women.......hmm ok maybe not the oasis but it's evocative nonetheless.

They are touring this summer and I just want to say that they are welcome to pop into Camberley for a cup of tea.

Click here for more World Music Corner posts 

If you like this,try this:-

Terakraft, Tamikrest, Etran Finatawa

sfw Pada 22:00 2 Komentar