I’m still stuck on South Africa. In fact I’m going back to Cape Town for five weeks work ! I don’t know what Zola is saying here, but if I play it in the morning I spend the rest of the day making approximate noises in the same rhythm. From the 2006 township film Tsotsi. - magicman
One of my musical highlights this year was hearing the Polish trumpeter Tomasz Stanko, one of my all-time favourite artists, performing some of the music of his original mentor, the film composer Krzysztof Komeda. This song, ‘The Cats’, was one of the highlights; this version comes from the Lontano album, where Stanko is backed by the equally fabulous Marcin Wasilewski Trio. European jazz of the highest order.
- Abahachi
I’ve been listening to a lot of dub reggae recently and I recall John Peel playing this quite a lot and me thinking “but that’s Up Town Top Ranking! Can one do this?” I love the conflict between the different elements in this one and, I admit, still find it impossible not to start singing “see mi in a ‘alter back” etc. - severin
Covers usually add to or rearrange the original. This one strips out all of R.E.M.’s original mistakes so we can properly meet the damaged narrator. - tin
I heard the hype last year, gave them a couple of listens, filed it away under “more clever-clever Brooklyn stuff that I don’t have enough time to get into”. But if we were redoing last year’s Festive ‘Spill, this would now make my top 2 (and the rather wonderful cover by Solange Knowles that brings out its R&B soul). - barbryn
I went to a friend’s wedding last week, and put together a little video of it for her. I used ‘Amazing’ as part of the soundtrack, so now it’s well and truly lodged in my auditory passage. (They walked out of the church to the theme from StarWars, for real!) - GlassHalfEmpty
Magic, tell me that you will be in Capetown in early November! I’m there (well, touching distance) for a wedding.
And the Capetown girls dey sing and shout, doo dah doo dah
@ ghe – I can see how a couple would pick Amazing for a wedding ceremony. Kandi, from the One Eskimo album, was one of my Festive Spill Top 3 picks last year. The mix on this linked youtube isn’t the same as the album, but any excuse to highlight the lovely, touching piece of animation …
@ tin – I’m a GLP fan, going back to my brother insisting I tape-copy his LP of Grant Lee Buffalo debut Fuzzy on release. Your description of this version of So.Central Rain is spot on. I have a lovely version of the same song by Hem somewhere, if anyone is interested.
@ ‘Hach – your jazz recommendations continue to get under my skin. (That’s a good thing, btw!) As evidence, I hit repeat about three times in a row this morning with the Marcin Wasilewski Trio version of Prince’s Diamonds & Pearls, whilst waiting for my car’s new brake pads to be fitted. Soothed the pain of the bill no end!
The other earworms are primed to play, but I’ve got to go out again now.
Severin: Well of course you’re right, it is ‘Uptown Top Rankin’ and not only can one do this, they all do it. ‘Natty Dread Time’ started out in the 60′s as Alton Ellis’s ‘I’m still in love with you girl’; his sister Hortense did a version where she changed it to ‘boy’ and then they released a duet with them both singing their versions. Marcia Aitken then did a follow up version followed by Junior Roots et al. The original was released on a 7″ single, which I have, and as was typical then, the B side had just the instrumental ‘riddim’, it became common for artists to co-opt these and use them for their own songs; B sides were referred to as ‘versions’, version evolved into dub around 1972. This happened because sound engineers started playing with ‘versions’ and adding sound effects and echo and reverb. King Tubby was a pioneer in this and he also worked with Duke Reid who ran the Trojan sound system, Tubby provided Trojan with dozens of dub plates which became extremely popular at sound system yard dances. As a result of this, Trojan which had evolved into a major label, accumulated a huge archive of dub which they’ve released in recent years as Trojan Box Sets, they’re 3 CD, 50 cut compilations that Amazon has for approx 6-8 quid each, great value! I have quite a few, they’re an excellent series for early reggae, dub, rocksteady, dancehall etc. and have good ‘liner notes’.
Aba: Nice cut, I particularly liked the rhythm section or more specifically the subdued use of the bass drum, nice piano and trumpet.
Tinny: Not familiar with the original but the cover is a nice cut, real earworm material.
Magic: Much as I tried I couldn’t relate to Zola, I couldn’t find the song in there. Enjoy your trip.
Magic – haven’t finished your Spillstake artwork and cd yet – but it’s getting there.
emil me: shanewantsbeer at yahoo dot co dot uk
with where you want it sent (and when if you are away.. and don’t want it laying about on a post mat.. could still take 5 weeks.. you never know with me)
I must get some more Zola – got ‘Zingu 7′ from an Africa Swim comp and it’s ace..
barbryn – i like that track, but find them hard work. Got the
Dirty Projectors + Bjork thing too… and that is kind of … (drifts of into a sea of worthiness but lacks a gripping tune or two… oh well)
more to follow…..
The Grant Lee Phillips is simply wonderful, and I loved ‘Natty Dread Time’.
Sorry barbryn, but your Dirty Projectors song was the only one I don’t like out of this week’s selection.
Quite like Kattorno, although before it finished I wanted to rip off the mask to reveal Masqualero. Good to have a reason to put Sorcerer on again, which I haven’t heard in a while.
Err- not that I’m saying Kattorno is a rip-off of Masqualero, it’s quite different. But Stanko’s playing in particular and some of the riffs reminded me of the earlier track. All good.
If anything it would be the opposite, as Krzysztof Komeda’s Astigmatic album, on which Kattorna first appeared, was released in 1966. But I think you’re absolutely right about the resemblances; one of the reasons I like Stanko (both solo and back when he played with Komeda) is the similarity to mid-60s Miles and Shorter, in both structure and harmony. My one complaint would be that he’s sometimes too composed and organised these days, whereas with Miles, Komeda and some of Stanko’s earlier stuff (e.g. Balladyna with Dave Holland and Edward Vesala) it’s much looser and closer to the edge of chaos…
True, it is quite mannered, which is why I was longing for the edge of Masqualero, especially when Hancock just hammers the same slightly atonal chord over and over again.
Just listened to the original Kattorna, which I think I prefer because it has more energy and tension/release than the Stanko performance.
I like the way Wasilewski gets into a nice EST or Jarrett-like groove near the middle of the later version, but it sort of fizzles out slightly.
Particularly love the Grant Lee Phillips – one of my favourite REM songs, they do their own stripped-down live version (bonus track on the reissued version of Document) – though I think Hem’s cover is even better.
That which we call Up Town Top Ranking by any other name would sound as sweet.
Haven’t heard Dirty Projectors with Bjork, but can see it working.
Just leaping in to point out that I was referring to my reaction over thirty years ago. And yes, the Trojan compilations are rather wonderful. I have one or two on my IPod and when the tracks pop up on the random shuffle it’s always a breath of fresh air.
ah – for stevesm4 read “severin” for the rest of eternity.
@williamsbach – who knows ? I only operate a few weeks in advance…I am in Cape Town now, until August 24th….
@abahachi – this is a new world for me, and one which I will be investigating – very nice cut indeed. Atmospheric and musical.
@gawnforren – have you read Lloyd Bradley’s (?) book about reggae ? You know your stuff young sir and put it very succinctly. Sorry you didn’t get into Zola, but there you go ! I think it’s called kwaito, it’s like township hip hop, but if you don’t like hip hop in the first place I guess that would be quite a few bridges to cross…
@severin – choooooooon !
@tin – haven’t got any GLP and very little REM, not my favourite genre I suppose, but I always like it when it’s on ! Makes me miss america – no no tin – no – makes me feel nostagic for america, cripes.
@barbryn – I bought Bitte Orca last summer and swooned for it I’m afraid – I’m a sucker for original artrock, and this IS truly special. If you’re in the wrong mood it’s irritating as f8ck, but if ur feeling receptive it’s genius. Sometimes it’s too bloodymindedly offbeat. Would love to see them live I think : best backing vocals of last year !! Bjork is a good call – sometimes genius sometimes shut the feck up. Depends on yer mood huh ?
@glasshalfempty – that’s nice. never heard before. reminds me of er wossname fella with the beard Ray LaMontagne. A little like David Gray too. White soul ?
Laters…
Magic, yes I’ve read Lloyd Bradley’s book, I think it’s just about the best all-purpose book on the subject out there, I don’t own it, I got it from the library but I keep telling myself I should get it.
I’ve got tons of township jive on LP’s and CD’s but much of it is quite a few years old. Have you seen Jeremy Marre’s film ‘The Rhythm of Resistance’ that was one of my early influences and a friend of mine sent a cassette of the soundtrack to Paul Simon which supposedly got him off on his Graceland period. I have it on LP and DVD, A couple more LPs, The Heartbeat of Soweto: ‘In the Townships- Dudu Pukwana’ and ‘The indestructable beat of Soweto’, all good, all interesting. Enjoy your stay there, bring pictures.
Zola and One Eskimo for me this week. Both new to me and I will be seeking out more stuff by both. Thanks.
Once again, I liked most of these. The Zola and Queen Tiney especially. I liked the REM cover, but I wouldn’t say there were any problems with the original, myself.