JULY PLAYLIST

1.  Yusef Lateef – “Psychicemotus” (1965)

Most hipsters were still a couple of years away from psyching everything in sight but by 1965 saxophonist and flautist Lateef had been expanding minds for years with his Eastern infused jazz. I’ve only recently scratched the surface (there’s much digging to be done in Lateef’s vast catalogue) but the few albums I’ve got - Eastern Sounds (1961), Psychicemotus (1965) and Yusef Lateef’ Detroit (1968) - are all different but all great. This track, with its bamboo flutes and sparse complex rhythms, is Moondogtastic.  

2.  The Turtles – “Outside Chance” (1966)

Saturday mornings always begin with Brian Matthew’s Sounds of the 60s show on Radio 2. Yesterday he played this fantastic folk-punker.

3.  Dick Wagner and the Frosts – “Sunshine” (1967)

Debut single from Detroit area rockers Michigan rockers The Frost was a suitably groovy and thinly veiled ode to the lysergic stuff. 

4.  Bobby Womack – “Tried and Convicted” (1968)

Bobby was due to play in Walthamstow this weekend but he got the call from soul heaven so went there instead. Bit of an extreme measure to avoid E17; we might not have a 110th Street but we do have a Hoe Street.

5.  James Brown – “Just Enough Room For Storage” (1971)

The instrumental album by the James Brown Band, Sho Is Funky Down Here, is more of a surprise than one might expect. There’s a funky jazz groove on the title track but what makes the record an oddity is all tracks are co-written credited to James Brown and Dave Matthews. JB never one to give credit (and royalties) lightly, it has to be assumed the vast majority of the work was by arranger Matthews, and that certainly comes across with acid rock guitar leads unlike anything else associated with Brown.

6.  Clydie King – “’Bout Love” (1972)

Although Clydie King is one of countless singers to never really “make it” – earning her crust in the shadows as a backing singer – she’s one of the more unlikely examples. Her vocals on ’65-’66 singles for Imperial – “Missin’ My Baby”, “If You Were A Man”, “Soft And Gentle Ways” etc – are knee-tremblingly  gorgeous and she looked stunning. Her recording career stretched back to 1956 but Clydie had to wait until 1972 to cut Direct Me, the first of only two solo albums, which included the rather pertinent “Ain’t My Stuff Good Enough?” and this glittery stomper.

7.  Billy Swan – “Don’t Be Cruel” (1975)

The new Country Funk II compilation is every bit as good as the first volume. A swampy mix of late 60s and early 70s countrified soul and funk opens with Billy Swan taking “Don’t Be Cruel” at a stoned alligator pace but accompanied by a dope breakbeat. Yes, I’ve just typed dope breakbeat without really knowing what one is. Dig that crazy rhythm. Groovy. Wicked. Whatever.

8.  The Jetset – “Wednesday Girl” (1984)

The Jetset were South London’s maraca shaking, striped hipster wearing, Jetsetmobile driving version of The Monkees as you can see here on Spanish TV.

9.  St. Paul and the Broken Bones – “I’m Torn Up” (2014)

Paul Janeway might look like Alan Carr but, thank the Lord, sounds more like an overwrought James Carr. Alabama born, he and his Broken Bones mixed their debut, Half The City, in Muscle Shoals and not only does Janeway’s possess an amazing voice there appears to be a genuine understanding and love of soul music in the groove. The majority of these new/old soul combos leave me cold but for the most part Half The City positively smoulders.  

10.  Manic Street Preachers – “Europa Geht Durch Mich” (2014)

Futurology isn’t the masterpiece some have claimed but it’s still very good and easily the best Twelfth Album Of A Career a band has ever made.

DYLAN'S GOSPEL by THE BROTHERS AND SISTERS (1969)

As per most months, I was handing over a sizable chunk of my hard-earned to the Sounds Of The Universe record emporium in Soho the other day, when I became aware of a belting gospel song being played in the shop.  “There are many here among us, who feel life is but a joke”, I found myself singing along to a familiar song. This is cool, I thought, but couldn’t immediately place it. “What is this, pray tell, dear storekeeper?”  I enquired. Swiftly into my eager outstretched hand was placed a new heavyweight vinyl reissue of Dylan’s Gospel by The Brothers and Sisters. Oh yeah, of course, “All Along The Watchtower”. Originally released, I was told, in 1969 on Ode Records and produced by Lou Adler; all ten tracks are gospel versions of Bob Dylan songs. “Please place this on my pile forthwith”. And so he did.

For Bobcats with a penchant for big voices in little churches this truly is heaven sent. Adler collected together all the best backing singers in LA and recorded them in a specially set-up studio. He did a remarkably job as the production is fantastic; with a small rhythm section of bass, drums, organ and piano these sound pure backwater church not Hollywood studio at all. A quick squizz down the list of brothers and sisters in this choir reveals some familiar names: Merry Clayton, Clydie King, Gloria Jones, Patrice Holloway, Billy Storm and many more.

Nobody Sings Dylan Like Dylan, they say, and it’s true but I bet he was knocked out when he heard the treatment his songs were given here. I can’t pick favourites here, it’s all magnificent beatific Bobness.

Dylan’s Gospel by The Brothers And Sisters is out now on Light In The Attic Records. Here's a short film about the album.  

MAY PLAYLIST

Ten favourites for the merry month of May.

1.  Mahalia Jackson – “I’m On My Way” (1958)

Barbara Dane’s version was the big R&B club hit a while back but Jackson’s vocal on this and the rest of her Live at the Newport Festival performance is on another plane.

2.  The Rivingtons – “Old Time Love” (1962)

We have The Rivingtons’ “Papa-Oom-Mow-Mow” and “The Bird’s The Word” to thank/blame for giving us The Trashmen’s “Surfin’ Bird” but this honking, big voiced doo-wop stomper is their finest moment.

3.  Lee Hazlewood and Duane Eddy with his Orchestra – “The Girl On Death Row” (1960)

The first single issued under Hazlewood’s name and such an eerie record.  Written for a film which had its title changed on release to Why Must I Die?

4.  The Supremes – “A Breathing Taking Guy” (1963)

If you’re looking for a salacious Motown book Mark Ribowsky’s gossipy The Supremes: A Saga of Motown Dreams, Success and Betrayal should satisfy. Which Supreme had to be talked out of installing a mirror on their bedroom ceiling by Berry Gordy?  

5.  Clydie King – “Missin’ My Baby” (1965)

If Clydie’s unbelievably sexy voice doesn’t melt you then you must have a heart of stone.

6.  Little Richard – “Get Down With It” (1967)

An irresistible thumping R&B shouter from the shy and retiring Mr. Penniman.  

7.  Orchestra Harlow – “Freak Off” (1967)

Reminds me of a Latin Boogaloo version of “The Work Song”, which doesn’t sound like a hugely enticing prospect I’ll grant you, but this is worth hearing.

8.  Bob Dylan – “If Dogs Run Free” (1970)

I’ve been playing all Bob Dylan’s studio albums in order, one per day. It’s been interesting to hear them in that way – through all the peaks and troughs. Most I know like the back of my hand but the lesser played ones have thrown up some interesting moments (and some excruciating ones) like this crazy beat poetry jazz number on New Morning.

9.  Billy Paul – “Magic Carpet Ride” (1971)

An suitably uplifting soul-jazz workout of the Steppenwolf single. The full-length version on Going East is the one to get.     

10.  Paul Messis – “I Hate The World Around Me” (2013)

Much dirty water has flowed since I last heard and enjoyed an album of such authentic angsty teen-garage punk as Messis’s Case Closed. Out now on State Records. 

JULY PLAYLIST

Picked for the complete record rather than the lyrics; I’ve just used them to save conjuring up the usual twaddle. One thing though, I read yesterday that it’s rumoured Clydie King was a secret wife of Bob Dylan and they had two kids. Jolly. Good on ya Bobby.

1. Arthur “Big Boy” Crudup – “I’m Gonna Dig Myself A Hole” (1951)
“I might dig myself a hole/ Move my baby down in the ground/ You know when I come up/ There won't be no wars around”.

2. Butch Baker – “The Fat Man” (1966)
“When Fat Man hit Soulville, he was driving his Fatmobile”.

3. Otis Redding – “I’m Sick Y’All” (1966)
“Lord, I’m tired of it, honey/ Rain is cold, children/ Burnin’ my side, y’all/ Standing on the outside/ Water in my shoes, children”.

4. Clydie King – “Soft and Gentle Ways” (1966)
“Don’t use your misty eyes because I won’t fall again, I’ve seen those tears before”.

5. Merle Haggard – “Things Aren’t Funny Anymore” (1974)
“Maybe we laughed too soon/ Things aren't funny anymore”.

6. Dexy’s Midnight Runners – “There There My Dear” (1980)
“Let me try to explain, though you’d never see in a million years/ Keep quoting Cabaret, Berlin, Burroughs, J.G. Ballard, Duchamp, Beauvoir, Kerouac, Kierkegaard, Michael Rennie”.

7. Lloyd Cole and the Commotions – “2CV” (1984)
“We were never close if the truth were told/ All we ever shared was a taste in clothes”.

8. The Flaming Lips – “Ego Tripping At The Gates Of Hell” (2002)
“I was waiting on a moment, but the moment never came/ All the billion other moments, were just slipping all away”.

9. MGMT – “Time To Pretend” (2008)
“Let's make some music, make some money, find some models for wives/ I'll move to Paris, shoot some heroin, and fuck with the stars/ You man the island and the cocaine and the elegant cars”.

10. The School – “I Want You Back” (2010)
“Once upon a time I thought everything would turn out fine, just like lines in books”.

FEBRUARY PLAYLIST

A selection of tunes the neighbours have been treated to the last couple of weeks.

1. Floyd Tillman – “Drivin’ Nails In My Coffin” (1949)
Let’s share the thoughts of William Burroughs from his book Queer: “Now there was nothing but this awful Oklahoma honky-tonk music, like the bellowing of an anxious cow: “You’re Drivin’ Nails In My Coffin” – “It Wasn’t God Made Honky Tonk Angels” – “Your Cheatin’ Heart””. Not a fan then Bill.

2. Oscar McLollie and his Honey Jumpers – “Wiggle Toe” (1954)
If you went to the hop in 1954 you can bet there was some ridiculous dance to this swingin’ humdinger.

3. The Valadiers – “I Found A Love” (1963)
Quiz question: Who were the first white group signed to Motown? Answer: The Valadiers. A sprightly doo-woppish 45 recorded in ’61.

4. Jimmy Rushing – “My Bucket’s Got A Hole In It” (1963)
Mr Five by Five they called him. Five feet high and five feet wide, he made his name hollering for Count Basie and could swing with the best of them as shown on this big band treatment of the old Hank Williams tune.

5. Clydie King – “The Thrill Is Gone” (1965)
Not the BB King song but a truly stunning Spectoresque weak-at-the-knees soul heartbreaker. I’ve said it before but if there’s a more gorgeous voice than King’s out there I’ve yet to hear it. Don’t forget “Missin’ My Baby” either. Or “My Love Grows Deeper”. Or “If You Were My Man”. Or, Christ, near nuff all of them.

6. The Kinks – “Two Sisters” (1967)
Once met a bloke in a San Diego bar who was raving about the time he met Ray Davies and how he’d been a fan since the beginning. “Oh yeah, what was the first record you bought?” I asked. “The first one, Schoolboys In Disgrace” he said, all chuffed like. Quite what he would have made of Something Else from nine years earlier I can’t imagine.

7. Pearls Before Swine – “Uncle John” (1967)
Much of One Nation Underground comprises of off-kilter psychedelic folk sung with Tom Rapp’s prominent lisp (that’s tempted you). “Uncle John” is delivered with more gusto in a Highway 61 Revisited meets the 13th Floor Elevators kinda way.

8. MC5 – “Baby Won’t Ya” (1971)
The magnificent MC5 out-Face the Faces, out-roll the Stones and out-boogie Bolan in five and half minutes of sheer exuberant joy. As you can see from the profile picture I managed to meet bassist Michael Davis the other night at the Dirty Water Club and spent about half an hour chatting away (see picture above - that's Davis on the left!). Wonderfully open chap with an impressively level attitude. Top man.

9. Sandy Denny – “It’ll Take A Long Time” (1972)
I’ve never got on with those supposed classic Fairport Convention albums but thought I’d try Denny’s acclaimed solo stuff. Still don’t dig it. Her voice grates on me; it’s a shame because musically it’s quite beautiful in places. “It’ll Take A Long Time” is a good case in point, had Ronnie Lane sung it, it’d be almost perfect.

10. Todd Snider – “Iron Mike’s Main Man’s Last Request” (2004)
On a LP (East Nashville Skyline) that’s chockablock with clever/intelligent/amusing lines, none catch the ear quite like “You’re still the champion and everybody knows you are/ Come on Iron Mike, let’s take the Porsche to the titty bar”.