• Electronic,  Funk,  Indie,  R&B,  Soul

    Bringing Quirky Back: Alan Wilkis

    New Thinking. New Alan Wilkis.

    Falling on the right side of fine line between contrived and convincing, Brooklyn-based multi-instrumentalist Alan Wilkis brings an indie sensibility to the electro-pop sound of the 80’s with a huge dollop of soul on his solo debut Babies Dream Big. From ABBA to Zappa the entire lexicon of pop is well represented and feels so, so good. Among the 10 cuts you’d be hard pressed to find a moment that is not crafted with the utmost respect for it’s influences which range from the Stevie Wonder-esque funk of “It’s Been Great” to the 50’s Motown of the tender “I Wanna Know” with nods to Prince, ELO and Nintendo along the way. This is a must-have for all fans of all things 80’s. Don’t just take my word for it, check out my favorite track “It’s Been Great” below and hop aboard yourself.

    Alan WilkisIt’s Been Great (MP3)

    Buy Babies Dream Big: CDBaby | iTunes

    Links: on Last.fm | on MySpace

  • Old School,  R&B

    Everybody all aboard

    The Gap Band. Venice Beach 1983. Charlie Wilson dancing in the surf in a Speedo.

    Yep, Spring is in the air.

    [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zTo7BXlqcHs]

  • R&B

    Shuggie Otis – a psyche-funky-soulful classic

    One of the categories I forgot to include on my Year in Music post was “Best Aged Album Discovered This Year”. Undoubtedly, it was 1974’s Inspiration Information by Shuggie Otis. Some buddies on my defunct Prince forum recommended Shuggie as sort of a “Prince 1.0”; or Prince, rather, as Shuggie 2.0.

    • He released his first album in his teens.
    • He played all of the instruments and sang.
    • He wrote his own music.
    • His music is a combination of funk, R&B, pop, and psychedelic soul…

    One of the standout tracks on this record, “Strawberry Letter 23”, was later covered by the Brothers Johnson, who turned it into one of the top R&B tracks of 1977. Almost thirty-four years after its original release, the album sounds fresh and ahead of its time.

    David Byrne reissued it in 2001 on his Luaka Bop label. Stylistically, the songs are all over the map. The two I give you here are a short blast of Innervisions-era funk (“Ice Cold Daydream”) and an electronic instrumental slow jam (“Pling!”). But you need to hear the whole thing, especially the finale, the 12 minute plus trippy soul/funk suite “Freedom Flight”.

    BUY Inspiration Information on Shuggie Otis - World Psychedelic Classics 2: California Soul - Inspiration Information

  • Funk,  R&B

    P-Funk: Um, Yeah, I’ll Have Some of What They’re Having

    I have one of these sweet little Apple Airport Express gizmos that allows me to play my iTunes on any stereo inside or outside my house. So when it was time to string up the Christmas lights this past weekend, my 4 year old girl and I fired up the iTunes, set it to shuffle, and took to the front yard with wild holiday abandon.

    What I didn’t realize was that earlier in the day I had filtered my iTunes to show me only “parliament”. So what ensued was 90 minutes of the P-Funk discography on shuffle. Okay, no one – not my 4-year old or my passing neighbors – realized the intensity of this Spontaneous P-Funk Christmas Light Hanging Ceremony, but I sure funked out in delight for an hour and a half.

    It made me rediscover some of the gems of their catalog, including some tunes that jumped out at me for their uncharacteristic qualities. Like this song. This isn’t the P-Funk your ears expect. You hear it, and you’re wondering what it is you’re listening to. A mellow, otherworldly, fantasy-like rhythm; Peter Chase’s melodic, bird-like whistling solos. What a cool little P-Funk nugget.

    ParliamentI Just Got Back (from the Fantasy, Ahead of Our Time in the Four Lands of Ellet) [mp3]

    Buy: Up for the Down Stroke (1974)

  • R&B,  Soul

    Bringing Soul Back To Its Roots

    Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings

    100 Days, 100 Nights by Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings could very well have been recorded and released in 1965. This record absolutely drips in the southern fried soul of the ‘good ol’ days’, though this record will undoubtedly (albeit criminally) be compared to more recent outings from Amy Winehouse. The fact that these ladies share a backing band is where that comparison should end. Where Amy is a profitable facsimile of soul, Sharon is soul, pure and simple. Hell, even their record label is kickin’ it old-school and releasing 7” singles and refers to their roster as a “stable”.

    The lead off track “100 Days, 100 Nights” finds Sharon in full-on vamp mode bemoaning the whereabouts of her man. And when she slows it down to a bluesy half time bridge you feel it. Elsewhere on the record you can find Sharon echoing Aretha (“Nobody’s Baby”), Otis (“Humble Me”, “Tell Me”) and Carla Thomas (“When The Other Foot Drops, Uncle”). And it needs to be said that The Dap-Kings stand as a modern day equivalent to Booker T. & the M.G.’s or The JB’s. The full record does not drop until the end of the month, but here’s one to tide ya’ll over.

    Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings100 Days, 100 Nights (MP3)

    Buy / Pre-Order: 100 Days, 100 Nights
    Link: Official Site | MySpace

  • R&B,  Soul

    Second Listen: Dreaming…

    Alice Smith

    There’s just something about Alice Smith. I’ll admit it, I dug this one out of the pile of CD’s marked “Must Listen To Again” and I’m kicking myself for having slept on it for so long. With comparisons ranging from Patty LaBelle to Fiona Apple to Billie Holiday the one common factor is the presence of soul. There is something so honest in her phrasing and delivery, no smoke, no mirrors. It’s almost as if you are sitting in the corner of the vocal booth, just soaking in every corner of her four-octave voice. I’ve packed this post with two of my favorite tracks. Here’s just a little lyrical taste of “Dream”…

    When I wake up in the morning time
    I like to see you sleeping by my side
    I think about the nights we had before
    Wanna give you this and more
    Let you know I truly adore you

    I’ll tell ya, she had me at “Let you know I truly adore you”. I’m a fan, give a listen and you will be too.

    Alice SmithDream (MP3)

    Alice SmithSecrets (MP3)

    Buy: For Lovers, Dreamers & Me | Alice Smith - For Lovers, Dreamers & Me

    Links: Official Site | MySpace

  • Prince,  R&B

    31 Positions On 21 Night Stands…

    21 Nights

    21 Nights of Prince and the question stands… will he play the same set every night? Will we get 21 identical sets? Add 21 after shows with 21 versions of “Footprints”, “Stratus” and “Crazy”?

    What do you guys and gals want (or not want) to hear?

    It looks like the whole UK shebang was kicked off with “Purple Rain” and after hearing the 7/7/07 show I have to say that it’s beginning to really sound like he wants to ‘get it out of the way’ as opposed to the celebration that it was as recent as the Musicology tour and the spectacular (albeit abbreviated) Super Bowl performance.

    Booking a 21 night stand is a pretty risky proposal for just about any artist. But Prince has the catalog, hits and all, to back it up – provided he does not do the unimaginable and leave his song book at home. It’s time to show and prove Prince, don’t you wanna come…

    Link: Official Site

  • Funk,  Pop,  R&B

    Crazy Wonderful Indeed

    Amerie - Because I Love It

    It’d be easy to pass Amerie Mi Marie Rogers by as just another Beyoncé clone to be filed neatly before Ciara and Rihanna in the record industry’s attempt to strike gold more than once (as displayed perfectly by the latter’s more than 2 month stint atop the UK charts with her infectious “Umbrella”). It’s not that easy though, and Amerie is far from another clone.

    With everything from the acid-jazz breaks of “Hate2LoveU” to the classic 80’s new-wave funk of “Some Like It” and “Crazy Wonderful”, Amerie delivers 13 tracks of pure funk. It may be a heady comparison but the overall record hearkens back to Sign O’ The Times era Prince. Covering ground from multiple styles while creating a cohesive album that really just makes you want to shake your behind and fall in love all at the same time.

    While this record is not out in the states until August 21st, the UK crowd has had this record since May where it reached number 17 on the UK Album charts. Here’s a taste of what we’re in store for… check out “Crazy Wonderful” and pick up Because I Love It when it hits stores, or pick up the UK import which includes her 2005 breakthrough tune “1Thing”.

    Amerie – Crazy Wonderful (MP3)

    Buy: Because I Love It

    Links: Official Site | MySpace

  • R&B,  Soul

    Soul II Soul Sunday

    I’ve been reading up on the latest happenings of Jazzie B. and Soul II Soul. It’s good to see that Jazzie is still going strong as a DJ around London. I really enjoyed the club / R&B groove of their first two U.S. releases, Keep on Movin’ and Vol. II: 1990 – A New Decade. Here’s the biggest hit from Vol. II…

    Soul II Soul – Get a Life (mp3)

    Buy Vol. II: 1990 – A New Decade.

    Check out the videos for: Keep on Movin’ | Back to Life | Get a Life

    Catch up with Soul II Soul at their Official Site.