Won't You Try.
Brinsley Schwarz - Country Girl
Nice easy going Band-ish wailing from Nick Lowe & Co to kick things off. This was the first song I heard by B.S. and it still gives me some type of aural goosebumps.
Henske, Judy - High Flying Bird
I'm not the biggest fan of Judy, but like the previous song this was the first of hers that I ever heard and continues to be my favorite despite the higher adulation given to her freaky record made with then-husband Jerry Yester.
Stray - Only What You Make It
Standard fair from the UK hard torn blooze boogle bashers. Real deal working class bloke head banger shit. I have a soft spot for absolutely retarded chunk riffs and this one keeps 'em coming.
Blackfoot - It's Alright
Recently unearthed(I swear I'll never use that term again) Zambian 'fuzz' rock from an unknown year. late 70s most likely. These guys are much more groovin' than brothers-in-arms, The Witch & Amazan. I listened to this track about 100 times before getting to the rest of the album. A turnaround south African take on the Stones' take on Black American Country music. Simply fantastic.
Java Street Musicians - Hai Cium Dong (kroncong batawi)
From a Library Of Congress CD I checked from the Downtown LA library. I'm enamored with southeast asian vocal styles, but whenever i hear a hybrid of European instrumentation & Asian chord phrasing I'm absolutely smitten. I used to think I could only dream up a sound like this.
Boards Of Canada - Open The Light
A stalwart from my high school days. A perfect example of Boards' ability to attempt an audio recreation of a slowly developing polaroid picture & never quite getting ultimate clarity. They always evoke hidden spaces for me.
Universal Energy-Disco Energy (I)
Gaudy mustard synth background disco stuff from Germany no less. Late-night helicopter-ride-through-the-Black-Forest stuff here. It ends up fitting in with Italo stuff on some level, even if it lacks some bpms.
Black Sabbath -Junior's Eyes
Hot time slow-burner from later era Ozzy Sabbath. For all of the bands following their formula, I've yet to hear one take this groove over for themselves. Must be a sign.
Nolan Strong & The Diablos -Mind Over Matter
Motor City falsetto belter who could take Frankie Valli any day. My father always pointed out to me how white people could never get the falsetto thing down & right now I can't think of anyone to refute that claim.
The Moles-Already In Black
Darker tune from Richard Davies' Moles(mark II). Conjuring some early Floyd grunge riffage that could have been the set up for an entire album side, if they'd been a different band.
Matata -Gettin' Together
Groovy-groovy 70s Kenyan Funk recorded in the UK. This one is especially drippy, complete with-out-of-tune horns & incredible vocal ululations that make gag if I attempt in anyway.
Opal -Soul Giver
Just wish I could have been around to see these people do this in person. They still are an ultimate primer for the 90s space rock boom, shoegazer craze, & 00s shoegazer/space rock croom. Unfortunately, their share of followers end up taking away some of their thunder. Some consider their lone LP, SST's crowning moment.
Jefferson Airplane-Won't You Try / Saturday Afternoon
A huge influence on Mr. Roback's previously mentioned band. The Airplane had a veritably perfect combo of elements stacked on top of one another. Sex on record.
Asha Boshle & Pancham(aka R.D. Burnham)-Duniya Mein
It wasn't until a few years ago that I learned that MANY of Sun City Girls' records were COVER VERSIONS of 'ethnic' songs. I was slow on that one, & to make it even more confusing, they renamed the songs whatever they damn well pleased. Their version of this cut is on the '330,003 Crossdressers From Beyond The Rg Veda' triple LP which I heard first. Once getting jived to this track written by Bollywood Master Composer, R.D. Burman, it only helped me appreciate the SCGs genius even more. Anyway, this is from a Bollywood Soundtrack & it is awesome.
Izanzaren -Anmal
Closing things out is a popular 70s Moroccan group from the mountainous Berber area. Hardcore political commentary set to trad mountain road music. Not dissimilar in spirit and instrumentation(banjo/fiddle) to American mountain music.
