Sunday 16 March 2014

69. 'Ten' more Soul compilations I love

Again I 'cheat' by including a number of series- how could I have missed these from my top ten?

1. Just keep on dancing-Chess Northern Soul (Kent CDKEND 138)

2. Birth of Soul Series (Vol. 1-4 )- Kent Records- Vol.2 is my favourite but massive soft spot for Vol.3

4. Tamla Motown Big Hits & Hard to find classics (Vol. 1-4)- Vol. 1 is the one to get but all are excellent

5. Richard Searling presents a Cellarful of Soul (JAZZFM Jazzfmcd 11)

6. The Golden Torch Story (Goldmine GSCD61)

7. Up all night (Charly CPCD 8216)

9. Rare Collectable and Soulful Vols. 1 & 2 - Slight preference for vol. 2

10. Peter Young Present Soul Cellar (Jazzfm JAZZFM2CD6)- Dear PY- Thank you!

Sunday 9 March 2014

68. A biography in ten albums- parts 7 & 8

7. Cardinal- Cardinal (Flydaddy /Dedicated 1995)

My copy of the original 1995 Dedicated version of 'Cardinal'
As I said in my post about the Impressions albums, listening to the radio became a significant lifeline for me while I was based in Suffolk for five months in early 1996. The main radio show I became attached to was Mark Radcliffe and Marc Riley’s (aka the Boy Lard) night-times how between 10pm-12am, although I had been listening to this show since early 1995. It was a major help during a difficult period. I begun to appreciate ‘Indie’ music such as Super Furry Animals and Teenage Fanclub (amongst many others) through this show. However it was one track that Mark played during this period that really affected me. This was Richard Davies’ ‘Sign up maybe for being’
Richard Davies – Sign up maybe for being – uploaded by sbritt
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0FVU6S7nQsA
When I first heard this my reaction was ‘I didn’t know they made them like this still!’ Mark Radcliffe played this track regularly, much to my delight. I got the album this track was from ‘There’s never been a crowd like this’ in HMV the next Saturday I was in Ipswich. It took me a while to get the album but it became a favourite.

I found out that Richard had been in two groups before issuing this album –an Australian group called the Moles and Cardinal with Eric Matthews. I was familiar with Eric Matthews track ‘Fanfare’ though Mark Radcliffe and Marc Riley. Between mid 1996-1997, I worked in a trainee Librarian post and it was a very happy time of my life. It finally felt as though things were coming together after several false starts after I had finished my degree. I managed to get a copy of ‘Cardinal’ in early 1997 from the Virgin megastore on the corner of Oxford Street. When I got home that evening I went to listen to the CD in my brother’s room as I did not have a CD player in my room. I recall not being impressed by the yellow cover of the actual CD! I will be honest I did not get the album the first time I heard it (but I played it again immediately). I must have persevered in listening to it. I recall that the first time I became aware how deeply it had affected me was a few months later on a long drive with my aunt when a line from ‘Big Mink’ – ‘I meet you on the ferry and you could read my mind’ kept going through my subconscious.

The album is not very long- about half an hour or so (Richard Davies does not do long albums but each moment on them counts- a reason I respect him). It has ten tracks. Richard Davies wrote seven of the songs, with one song being co-written with Eric Matthews and Bob Fay, the albums one instrumental being credited to both Davies and Matthews and ‘Dream figure’ being written by Eric Matthews. Richard wrote some of these songs in a flat on Abbey Road, while he was temporarily based in London with the Moles. He recorded early versions of the songs that became ‘If you believe in Christmas trees’ and ‘You’ve lost me there’ (along with an early version of ‘Sign up maybe for being’) when the group did a Peel session. I tracked down this Peel session to the British Library sound archive and listened to it several times in around 2000 (thanks to their staff for their assistance!). It was interesting that even performed without orchestral backing and with very different lyrics, that the songs were still strong.

‘Cardinal’ has a certain reputation/respect on the Indie music scene for the lush orchestral arrangements of the tracks courtesy of Matthews, a classically trained musician and Davies’ melodic song writing. This was in contrast to Grunge which was prevalent at the time the album was issued. This has led to the album being labelled ‘Orch-pop’ – a label neither Davies or Matthews feels entirely happy with.

I also managed to track down the rare EP Cardinal recorded with Bob Fay called ‘Toy Bell’. This was recorded some time before the album. This includes an earlier non-orchestrated version of ‘Big Mink’ which I actually slightly prefer. The other tracks are a lot more harder and guitar orientated than the tracks on the album, more in the style of the tracks on The Moles second album ‘Instinct’ (the title track of which is a Davies/Matthews/Fay) recording. I got that album too in 1998 along with Davies second solo album ‘Telegraph’.

Cardinal – Big Mink (album version)- uploaded by sbritt
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VIT3-ka0qdk

I do not know at what point this became my favourite album. All I know is that it had been by the time it was reissued in 2005 for some time. Perhaps it is because this is something made by people of almost my generation and was something contemporary. I had not entirely missed the party. It is hard to pick a favourite track but this may be it.
Cardinal- You’ve lost me there- uploaded by sbritt
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xl_vV8Zv7IQ

I was very excited by the reissue of this album in 2005, so much so I brought it twice. It contained demos of the songs on the album, some of the Toy Bell EP and some unreleased tracks. I even corresponded with Marc Riley about the re-issue and he played a track for me on air. My favourite track on the reissue not on the original album is the gorgeous demo of Richard and Eric performing ‘Say the words impossible’. This is quite different from the version that was a B-Side of their one single (yes I have this too!). At this time I was settling into the job which I am still in after ten years and the reissue began a significant twelve month period. It was interesting to note that in the reviews of the re-issue, several critics mentioned that it was Davies’ songwriting that was what made the album.

I became aware Davies and Matthews were working together again in around 2008. I managed to hear some of the demos on their myspace page (remember myspace?). They did not disappoint. In late 2011 I found out Cardinal were issuing a follow up to ‘Cardinal’ called ‘Hymns’ (after only 18 years!). Along with the issuing of the Smile Sessions and rediscovering George Harrison this has been one of the great joys of the last three years of my life, at a time when I have had much to deal with. In my humble opinion it is a worthy successor to ‘Cardinal’.

8. Curtis Mayfield – Back to the world


My copy of Curtis Mayfield 'Back to the world'

The last entry was highly autobiographical. This is almost the opposite. I have no idea when this album came into my life or where I acquired it. All I know is that out of all Curtis Mayfield’s many magnificent solo albums of the early seventies this is the one that means most to me.

‘Back to the world’ is almost a song for song reflection on Marvin Gaye’s ‘What’s going on’ as it is also largely told from the point of view of a returning African American GI, has songs about environmental destruction (Future shock), the harm war and militarism does to children (if I was only a child again) and the hope and release of religious faith (Future song).

The title track concerns a returning Vietnam veteran reflecting on the horrors of the war and his limited prospects in civilian life (people don’t give a damn). The line ‘Do you think that God could ever forgive this life we live?’ always brings a lump to my throat not out of any religious sensibility but as a statement of lost grace and suffering.

Curtis Mayfield- Back to the world- uploaded by daidai dai
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mjex19ORwzQ

Most of the tracks on this album are over five minutes long allowing Curtis and his band to explore the lyrics and create sonic landscapes reflecting the state of mind of the central figure.

The central track is ‘Right on for the darkness’ another reflection by Mayfield on the divisions within US society (along the lines of ‘(Don’t worry) If there’s a hell below, we’re all going to go) and how the more economically/socially marginalised sections of the African American community were getting further left behind at the end of the civil rights movement.

Curtis Mayfield – Right on for the darkness uploaded by SeeSickNYC http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iq6nZ5BR8QE&feature=kp

I have read a biography of Curtis Mayfield which describe the final track ‘Keep on trippin’ as a song about a lost love. But listening to the lyrics point to something far darker. The lines ‘Don’t know what you’ve been smoking, but I’m sitting here still hoping tripping will bring you back to me’ seem to specifically point to a loved one’s concern for a drug addict (the Vietnam veteran who is the central figure of the album?)

Curtis Mayfield – keep on tripping- uploaded by Zio Giu- NB the photo is of Isaac Hayes! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JBNsLIIX7y0

The lyrics also refer to social marginalization and being ‘nailed to the cross’. I always feel that the ‘chilled out’ vibe of the music is created to deliberately contrast with the horrifying situation described in the music. It is not meant to relax the listener but portray a state of complete paralysis and detachment from reality. In this it is akin to Sly Stone’s ‘There’s a riot goin’ on’ album which uses a similar ‘so laid back, I’m horizontal (i.e. dead)’ vibe to portray the horror of drug addiction. It manages to be anti-drug (as Curtis was in all his music – check out ‘Stone Junkie’) while extending compassion to the addict and showing what circumstances have driven them to drugs.

I have written an earlier blog post about how much Curtis Mayfield and his music means to me. There is a humanity, humility and concern in his music which is rarely matched by other artists. It is a joy to know this album sold over one million copies. Sometimes the good guys do win

Tuesday 4 March 2014

67. 'Ten' Soul Compilations I recommend

In answer to a recent question here are ten soul compilations I recommend. Note I will be cheating!

1. A change is gonna come (Kent CDKEND 270)- great comp of Soul tracks about civil rights movement

2. A soldiers sad story/Does anybody know I'm here? (KentCDKEND 226/ CDKEND 245)- Two heartbreaking compilations of soul tracks about the effect of the Vietnam war on the African American Community

3.Dave Godin's Deep Soul Treasures Vols. 1-4. Magnificent stuff. If I had to recommend one I would recommend Vol. 3

4. New York Soul Serenade (Kent CDKEND 149)- sophisticated stuff- features a Dionne Warwick production...

5. Gettin' to me (CDKEND181)-named for great 'lost' Ben E. King track that kicks it off

6.Northern Soul's Classiest rarities Vol.1 (Kent CDKEND 192) although I love Vol. 2 as well

7.Okeh - a Northern Soul Obsession vol. 1 (Kent CDKEND 132)

8. Movers and Soothers-(Goldmine GSCD81)- not necessarily Northern Soul but a compilation that means a lot to me.

9. Wigan Casino Story - (Goldmine GSCD51)- Great, great compilation featuring that all important 3 before 8 -may no longer be in print (sorry!).

10. A Cellarful of Motown Vol.1, although I love Vol. 2 as well.

There are at least five compilations I am really sad I could not include and is purely down to my personal taste. I may return to this topic!

Sunday 2 March 2014

66. A biography in ten albums -parts 5 & 6

5.Stevie Wonder – Innervisions
My copy of Stevie Wonder's 'Innervisions'

I first heard Stevie Wonder’s ‘Innervisions’ at my aunt’s house in Kent in around 1992, along with the Isley Brothers’ ‘3 and 3’ album (and The Who’s ‘Tommy’ while we are about it!). I had been a fan of Stevie’s 60’s Motown work (which of course mainly focused on singles) and wanted to hear his acclaimed 1970’s albums. I listened to this incessantly at University.

Some facts that put this album in context. Stevie was 23 when he released this album- it was his 16th album. He had been a recording artist for 13 years and had been having major his for ten years by the time he had recorded this album. Just think about that for a moment! The maturity shown in this album both in terms of musical experimentation with its mixing of Jazz and synthesisers (courtesy of pioneering act Tonto’s expanding headband’) and lyrical themes is astonishing (mind you Stevie had been doing this since he was 21 with ‘Music of my mind’)

I love footage of I have seen of Stevie recording ‘living for the city’ with Tonto’s expanding headband working the synthesiser’s in the background- they can’t help grooving along! Sadly I could not find this so enjoy this

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=99gNYaz6YaM
Stevie Wonder 'Living for the City' Uploaded by Freya0815007

This album was part of a run of (in my humble opinion) essential albums from Stevie in the 1970’s. I have all of them in my music collection and I could have easily picked any other of these albums. Why did I choose this one? I love ‘Talking book’ and ‘Fulfillingness’ First Finale’ almost as much and they are just as good. Well, this was the first Stevie Wonder solo album I became familiar with. It will always have a special place in my heart because of this.

My favourite moment on this album is the bridge between ‘Living for the city’ and ‘Golden lady’. The two songs, which are very different (one an acclaimed denunciation of racism in the USA, the other a gloriously euphoric Black pride anthem as a love song. The mournful ‘Oh no!,Oh no!’ ‘Living for the city’ (sung for the ill-fated young man at the centre of the song) fade out and a few sad piano chords play. Then the tune turns joyous and the son ‘Golden lady’ kicks in.

 If I had to choose a favourite track ‘Golden lady’ would be it. This song proves the point that the ‘Personal is political’. This is no mere love song, it is a song of pride in all African American women and their strength.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cf31Lt4I9S8
Stevie Wonder 'Golden lady' uploaded by emilwonders

Indeed I love the sequencing of this album. The elegiac ‘All in love is fair’ merges into the infectious Latin beats of ‘Don’t you worry about a thing’- I love Stevie’s conversation at the beginning of this track into the parting denunciation ‘He’s misstra know-it-all’ I also love the cover art which takes Stevie’s physical blindness and turns it on his head. His damaged eyes become able to see things that ‘sighted’ people cannot. The artwork is actually a very accurate portrayal of what Stevie’s eyes actually look like. Stevie Wonder is one of the most important musical acts in my life and this album started this relationship.

6. The Impressions- This is my country/Young Mod’s forgotten story
My copy of the 1996 reissue of The Impressions 'This is my country/Young Mod's forgotten story'

This may be a bit of a cheat, but I am including both albums under this entry as they have been issued as a single CD since they were reissued in 1996. They were recorded by The Impressions in 1968/ 1969 towards the end of Curtis Mayfield’s period with them. I first became aware of these album when they were reissued on CD in early 1996. I was working in a house in Suffolk for five months. I had to spend a large part of the day by myself so listened to the radio a lot. Brian Matthews played the title track from ‘This is my country’ on the radio one morning. I was determined to get the CD the next time I was in Ipswich which I did. I actually brought quite a few CDs in this period which have been important to me ever since (more of which anon).

The two albums reflect on the horrific events of 1968 and the assassinations of Martin Luther King and Bobby Kennedy (They don’t know’) and the rise of Black consciousness (‘Mighty, mighty (spade & Whitey)). Songs such as ‘Choice of colours’ on ‘The Young mods’ forgotten story’ continue Curtis Mayfield’s career long concern with self-empowerment and self-respect within the African American community. ‘This is my country’ is a still heartbreakingly relevant declaration that African-Americans have a stake in US society which too often they are denied.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z_esbRoOeR0
The Impressions 'This is my country' uploaded by ForestasGampas

But there are also tender love songs such as ‘Gone away’ and the ‘The Girl I find’ (which Curtis would revisit on his last heroic album ‘New world order. Curtis would produce versions of ‘Love’s happening’ and ‘Stay close to me’ from ‘This is my country’ for the group the Five Stairsteps (a group I would fall in love with when I got an anthology of their early recordings the following year).

I must admit a soft spot for ‘Seven years’ from ‘The Young Mod’s forgotten story’ because of its skilful interplay of Curtis, Fred and Sam’s voices. It is an unnervingly mature song about a marriage gone sour from a 26 year old.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=--wgHJfGCns
Impressions -Seven years - uploaded by Robert Miles

I refer above to the fact that I love soul music because it regularly recognises that the personal is political and that romantic/intimate relationships do not exist in a vacuum but exist in a set of social/political/economic and racial circumstances. These albums love songs reflect this.

I saw The Impressions live twice in the last two years featuring Fred Cash and Sam Gooden, with Reggie Torian singing lead (It says something about Reggie that though he has some big shoes to fill to replace the still missed Curtis he does a magnificent job. It was one of the great experiences of my life. I actually managed to get Sam and Fred to autograph my CD afterwards. I will not forget the slightly strange look Fred gave Sam when he signed. The group sang ‘This is my country’ and ‘Choice of colours’ in the concert, acknowledging the importance of the two albums they came from to a UK audience.