Suite For Ma Dukes – Untitled/Fantastic (GAM Remix)
For some reason, L.A. seems to be where it’s at for me in producing quality music over the past few years; take this one from the Suite For Ma Dukes orchestra, arranged & conducted by Miguel Atwood-Ferguson, of a couple of the late great J Dilla hip-hop compositions that have been remixed by Georgia Anne Muldrow.
AlBahooky
Moondog – Symphonique #6 (Good for Goodie)
I was vaguely reminded of this again when that Neil Cowley clip was posted a few weeks ago. This is such an extraordinarily eccentric funky classical/jazz piece by the Viking of 6th Avenue.
SpottedRichard
Elvis Costello and the Brodsky Quartet – I Almost Had A Weakness
Every time that I listen to the Juliet Letters, this song leaps out at me. It does so just as much for the staccato strings as for the acerbic words – a marriage of sound and meaning that works so well, and which sounds so fresh.
Zalamanda
Esperanza Spalding – Crowned & Kissed
Gorgeous Portlander Esperanza Spaulding is out with a new album & once again enchanting me with her great bass lines & elvish voice. This hits all my buttons.
Fintan
Lulu – After the Feeling Is Gone (with The Dixie Flyers)
I always thought of Lulu as a bit of a raspy old belter – who knew she had the capability to deliver a song with the subtlety she does here? I love the thoughtful maturity of the lyric too. It all makes me think that, had she had better quality control, she might now be spoken of in the same breath as Dusty.
bishbosh
Damnation of Adam Blessing – Fingers On A Windmill
This Cleveland, Ohio group spent numerous years on a major label (United Artists), with nary a hit to show for it. And as a final insult, the label misspelled the title on the picture sleeve. Ouch! Some really cheesy hippie-dippy lyrics (“Someone killed a teardrop, made a child cry”), but an interesting example of very late period baroque psychedelia nonetheless.
SweetHomeAlabama ( … hover for extra blurb)
Please send all of your lovely earworms, with a few words to cover them (and keep them warm), to Earworm Central at earworm@tincanland.com. Thank you!
Oh dear. With the shining exception of Lulu, who I often thought was given the wrong material (suggest listen to her version of “Here Comes The Night”. It’s brilliant and so different from the equally good Them version), this week’s selection are not for me. Sorry.
The only known antidote for earworm fatigue is to send some in, Mitch
))
As I recall, I have a couple “waiting in the wings”
She’s right – and the more, as they say, the merrier… those worms could have a party…
I thought you had a couple of mine in abeyance, Zala
Indeed, Mitch. And their time will come… (quite soon, in one case). But that shouldn’t stop you sending their friends along.
Nice selection this week – it must have been difficult saving those tunes to get the right melodies put that together, though. I really liked the playlist, Zala. It’s very difficult to choose a standout because they were all very good. I can’t choose one.
I’ve heard Lulu do some lovely ballads and she does have a very versatile voice, it was a pity that she did get labelled as a shouty girl.
Wey-ey-yeh-eh-e-ell, Lulu’s reputation does seem to rest on a song called “Shout”.
But even in that song, she does some proper singing.
Being of a specific age and gender, my memories of Lulu are a little confused. She certainly had a good pair of, er, lungs but she easily slipped into the ‘showbiz’ bracket at a time when the pop world was starting to expand into more interesting areas. Yet it was on her TV show that Hendrix did his famous Cream tribute, abandoning ‘Hey Joe’. A great voice, not always wisely used. Still looks pretty good, too, and has the refreshing ability to laugh at herself (see French & Saunders).
Will listen to the songs later. I did enjoy Esperanza Spalding on Jools last week.
Suite For Ma Dukes: What a great sound/series of sounds! Like the vibe a lot. Obviously, being a bit of a pleb, I do find myself yearning for a ‘song’ to break out of it, but the vibe is good enough to carry me through!
Moondog: Very chirpy and triumphant sounding!
Elvis and co: I’ll have to listen again. I remember this album coming out but have never heard anything from it before. Funny juxtaposition of his voice and those strings. Not how I’m used to hearing him… but I think it might grow on me!
Esperanza Spalding: A bit too smooth for me. Great for this weather though! I would like to be sitting in a big back garden, Pimms perhaps in hand, with this wafting away in the background.
Damnation of Adam Blessing: What an extraordinary record! I feel it reminds me of lots of things and nothing: bit of Scott Walker on more bombastic mode, bit of Days of Pearly Spencer, bit of Windmills of My Mind (of course!)… Not sure why anyone’s fingers would be on a windmill (is it a teeny-tiny windmill?!), but fun stuff. And a definite earworm!
Regarding the “fingers on a windmill”, I sort of assumed that the lyricist didn’t know that the large things that go round on the outside of a windmill were more commonly called sails (or blades, or vanes). And by the time that he discovered that fact, he’d already written the song and the correct name(s) didn’t scan.
Maybe.
I got curious as to whom Ma Dukes is/was and did some googling and learned the whole story about her talented son J Dilla’s death from lupus and her struggle to start a foundation going for kids with the disease in his name. It’s all a very sad story. Listening to the music again it’s making lots more sense.
All tracks completely new to me and all very enjoyable.
Obviously I know E Costello but I stopped buying his records after Mighty Like A Rose. I will give the Juliet Letters a listen now.
Moondog I had heard of but hadn’t actually heard until last week.Great stuff. What album should I buy?
I’ve always liked Lulu’s voice even though I hate her politics. Came on a bit Bonnie Raitt here.
Never ‘eard of the other two but they were both compelling in utterly different ways.
Lovely flowing playlist though. I think Moondog was the standout for me.
What Moondog album to buy? This tune is on Moondog. It comes with Moondog II on one CD which doesn’t get such rave reviews as the original Moondog album. There are others. If you want a more jazzy interpretation, check out Joanna MacGregor’s Sidewalk Dances: Fourteen Moondog Pieces, as well.
Nice flow Zala
Upon hearing the Moondog tune, I thought this is similar to a tune on the Big Lebowski soundtrack – yup it’s them.
Without even listening Esperanza or Moondog were probably going to be my faves this week, and they are. I think Moondog has more staying power than Esperanza, who may be letting some of her colossal talents slip away into easy listening or jazz-lite. [Personal Gripe: I hate seeing female musicians described as "gorgeous" etc. It's demeaning. I know Fintan not to be sexist, so I'm not singling you out. I think it's become so accepted we just do it without thinking. What other type of singer automatically gets an adjective? We don't say "the tall", "the black", "the handsome". But we say "the gorgeous" as if it matters. Or as if it's a compliment to judge their music, at least in an implied way, by their looks. *shakes head]
Damnation of Adam Blessing was an interesting eyeopener. I don’t have much “baroque psychedelia” in my collection (go figure) so wasn’t sure waht to expect.
Ma Dukes is over my head and Lulu too dated sounding, I’m afraid.
I’ve come across “the hirsute”, often in relation to ZZ Top. Or Michael Bolton – who I gather to be less so these days.
My favourite was Damnation of Adam Blessing, not much of a fan of the others, but certainly a unique variety of music. I will send some more little worms to you, Zala
What got me intrigued was that the song – released mid-’71 – was several years after psychedelia – especially the baroque strings-heavy form – had it’s mini-moment come and go.
That and the harmonies and the lovably daft Dungeons and Dragons lyrics.
apparently I missed that mini-moment! Not sure if I’m a convert to the music form, but it’s a fun track, thanks for introducing me to it.
I like the Moondog but otherwise not my thing at all this week, sorry.
An orchestral extravaganza this week – really enjoyed the playlist as a whole, with Esperanza Spalding the Earworm-y stand-out for me.
@SHA – How does very late period baroque psychedelia differ from mid-late period baroque psychedelia? Or indeed early/high baroque psychedelia…? (Not being snarky – it’s a genre I know nothing about, but tend to like what I’ve heard…)