Janelle Monae - 2023 - The Age of Pleasure

Janelle Monae - 2023 - The Age of Pleasure @320

"Float" was the right lead single for the first Janelle Monáe album in five years. The horns of Seun Kuti & Egypt 80 play a fanfare for the uncommon Monáe, who self-exalts with prancing bars and buoyant hooks, recounting a personal transformation through the shedding of all insecurities and inhibitions, and enumerating their effortless attainment of sensual, psychological, and material gratification. The song is powered by Nigerian woodwinds and brass and Kingston-to-Atlanta rhythms that are roughly equal parts rocksteady and trap. One thing "Float" doesn't have in common with the rest of the album is its four-minute duration. The other songs average half that length, and though many whip by in a flash, they're parts of a flowing sequence that could be billed as a suite like Monáe's Metropolis saga. There's no science fiction in The Age of Pleasure. Dedicated to those "around the diaspora and those seeking to join us," its delights are earthly in a way that echoes Monáe's listed track-by-track inspirations, which most pertinently acknowledge those finding communality and liberation in bashment parties, ballroom culture, and ATL strip clubs. (Objects such as "the weathered copy of Doggystyle framed in my cousin Myron's clogged bathroom" are cited too.)

 In addition to the Afrobeat element often brought in by Egypt 80, and appearances from a mix of legends and up-and-comers, The Age of Pleasure is threaded with interpolations and samples of numerous reggae classics. It still sounds just like a Wondaland production -- soulful, left-of-center pop that is ornate and tasteful, brimming with ideas from subtly dazzling vocal arrangements to crafty song transitions. The material follows through on the title, celebrating an ideal for sybaritic living whether alone, with a partner, or with partners. "Water Slide" opens with one of the boldest statements a person could make about themself and appropriately contains sumptuous all-Monáe harmonies in the chorus. "Only Have Eyes 42" is polyamorous lovers' rock tricked out with strings and laser FX that convey a mix of romance and haywire hormones. In this context, the one-on-one songs -- the steady-bobbing "Lipstick Lover," the more heated "Paid in Pleasure," and the soft Brazilian touch of "A Dry Red" -- are charmingly quaint, even when explicit. There's joy in every moment. It's no coincidence that Monáe chose Pride Month and Black Music Month -- ten days before Juneteenth, to be precise -- to release a multicultural album of unrepressed spirit built for playing in the sunshine. (AllMusic)

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Well

 Hi all, 

Things have not gone as expected, this break was not planned at all, something just happened and we need to act on it, things with my in-laws. 

Still have no idea when we will be back at home and I can start posting again. Maybe by next weekend, I just don't know and with only the phone, I am sort of stuck. 

Well the site is going nowhere, Concha is taking a break from the site as well and not at home. Andy will be leaving on vacation very soon. 

So I have been thinking about the site and holidays, with that in mind. Next year we will just close the blog for a couple of months during July and August. There is plenty on material in the site archives to keep you entertained, so makes sense to me, give us all a break and maybe time to make new plans for here, and home made comps. With the site closed next year then the comments will be turned off, but you can drop us an email. I will reply. There would be no re posts made if we are closed. 

Enjoy your holidays this year. Hope it not too hot!!

Reb

2018 - Elvis Costello - Look Now (Deluxe Edition)

2018 - Elvis Costello - Look Now (Deluxe Edition) @320

Elvis Costello had already taken a few steps from the "angry young man" persona that dominated his first two albums by the time he began work on 1982's Imperial Bedroom, but that was the disc where his evolution from brash upsetter to gifted pop craftsman began in earnest. In 2017, Costello staged a concert tour in which he re-imagined the songs from that LP, and while that may or may not have put those tunes and their style back into his mind, 2018's Look Now certainly is an extension of the mature and literate pop songwriting that he first fully embraced in that material. Look Now often feels like a cross between Imperial Bedroom and Painted from Memory, Costello's 1998 collaboration with Burt Bacharach, and not just because Bacharach co-wrote three tracks with Costello. (Another pop tunesmith in the classic tradition, Carole King, also helped compose one of the tunes, "Burnt Sugar Is So Bitter.") 

Look Now isn't rock & roll so much as it's pop that blends the craft of classic Brill Building tunes of the '60s with the narrative maturity of classic Broadway musicals and the sort of ballads that were once the purview of classic jazz vocalists. If you're the sort of Costello fan who lives in hope that he's going to make another This Year's Model or Blood & Chocolate someday, Look Now will not be your cup of tea. But if you're in the mood for a set of world-class songs dealing with grown-up themes and performed with nuance and a master's touch, you could hardly do better. 

As a vocalist, Costello's phrasing and ability to inhabit a character has rarely been more assured, so much so that he sings a few songs from the point of view of a female protagonist and makes them work (including "He's Given Me Things" and "Unwanted Number," the latter written for the film Grace of My Heart). The arrangements are artful and evocative, with subtle applications of strings and backing vocalists and pianist Steve Nieve once again reminding us why he's been one of Costello's most valued musical partners since the late '70s. And while there are just enough sharp angles in "Under Lime" and "Mr. & Mrs. Hush" to remind us this is indeed Elvis Costello, Look Now is the work of a man with enough talent to take his muse in any direction he pleases and give us something memorable. In 1978, the Arrogant Young Mr. Costello famously said, "I'm not going to be around to witness my artistic decline," and 40 years on, Look Now proves he's still living up to that claim.*AllMusic)

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CosmasMix 200

Here's my latest mighty 200th mix with all new and newly re-released indie gems that have been coming out this past month. This month I have 60 tracks for your listening pleasure. Exclusively new (and newly reissued) indie releases from mid June to mid July 2026, featuring: Air Belgrade, Neil Brogan, Ducks Ltd., Salt Lake Alley, The Laughing Chimes, My Raining Stars, Airhockey, Attic Ocean, Oubliette, Perfect Angel, Sailor Honeymoon, shiny happy records, Soft Science, Soft Vein, Waves Crashing, Castlebeat, Soft Kill, Deceits, Sweeping Promises, Soft Palms, The Linda Lindas, Mo Dotti, The Heavenly Bodes, LUFT, Pixies, A Certain Ratio, Boy Harsher, White Flowers, Pye Corner Audio, Andy Bell & Masal, Tycho, Bonobo, Gnoomes, Panda Bear & Sonic Boom, Whirr, Interpol, Dinosaur Jr., Alabama Shakes, The Reds, Pinks & Purples, Josie, Stephen Morris & Ian Curtis, Bronski Beat, The Pale Fountains, Velocity Girl, Suede, The Waterboys, Gary Numan, Follytechnic Music Library, Wet Leg, Wavves x Say Anything, Conscious Pilot, La Sécurité, Office Dog, Lauren Lakis, Turnover, The Meeting Places, The Young Sinclairs, Unwed Sailor, and Zoon

1986 - Lee Perry - Battle of Armagideon

 1986 - Lee Perry - Battle of Armagideon @320

Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry & The Upsetters’ Battle Of Armagideon stands as one of the most essential statements in Perry’s vast catalogue, capturing his singular approach to rhythm, sound and studio manipulation at full force. As a producer and mixer, Perry reshaped reggae by treating the desk as an instrument, twisting performances into hypnotic, otherworldly forms that continue to influence generations of producers.

Anchored by the confrontational ‘I Am A Madman’, the album leans into Perry’s self-mythologising persona while balancing it with sharp grooves and a restless sense of experimentation. Tracks like ‘Introducing Myself’ and ‘Drum Song’ underline his instinct for both directness and disruption, pairing memorable motifs with unexpected sonic turns.

Widely regarded as a late-career high point, Battle Of Armagideon was praised by The Spin Alternative Record Guide as Perry’s finest work of the decade. It also sits comfortably alongside his broader legacy as a pioneer of dub, whose collaborations helped shape the sound of artists ranging from Bob Marley and the Wailers to The Clash and the Beastie Boys. (Norman Records)

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1990 - Lee Perry - From The Secret Laboratory

1990 - Lee Perry - From The Secret Laboratory @320

Like their first meeting (Time Boom X de Devil Dead), the second collaboration between Lee "Scratch" Perry and his acolyte, Adrian Sherwood, is a perfect mixture of Perry's manic toasting and singing and the sinuous beat supplied by the Sherwood-led Dub Syndicate and the Roots Radics. Money and attacks on capitalism (specifically the World Bank) fuel Perry's ire on this disc, but just when the going gets heavy, Scratch pulls out a tribute to cartoon detective Inspector Gadget, as well as a great cover of Leroy Sibbles' "Party Time." As with their earlier release, Perry and Sherwood work well together, perhaps due to Sherwood's fondness for psychedelicizing his dub mixes and Perry's preference for flat-out weirdness. In any event, this collaboration between pupil and teacher is one of the better releases from this portion of Perry's long musical journey. (AllMusic)

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Posts from me

 I am sorry but I didn't return home as planned, yesterday things got altered a long story!!

I should be back at home by the following weekend, so will start posting stuff then, one per day only at the start as I will need to catch up with the net. And now it's not one week to catch up on but two. By the end of next week I should have caught up and will increase the number of posts per day. 

Sometimes things don't turn out as planned and things have to be altered. Andy is still posting and has some scheduled for while he's on holiday in August. 

My break was not planned, things happened with my in laws and got changed as things do sometimes. 

Reb

1987 - Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry & Dub Syndicate -Time Boom X De Devil Dead

1987 - Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry & Dub Syndicate
 -Time Boom X De Devil Dead @320

01. Lee "Scratch" Perry, Dub Syndicate - S.D.I

02. Lee "Scratch" Perry, Dub Syndicate - Blinkers

03. Lee "Scratch" Perry, Dub Syndicate - Jungle

04. Lee "Scratch" Perry, Dub Syndicate - De Devil Dead

05. Lee "Scratch" Perry, Dub Syndicate - Music & Science Lovers

06. Lee "Scratch" Perry, Dub Syndicate - Kiss the Champion

07. Lee "Scratch" Perry, Dub Syndicate - Allergic to Lies

08. Lee "Scratch" Perry, Dub Syndicate - Time Conquer

09. Lee Perry And The Full Experience - Disco Devil - 12" Version

10. Lee "Scratch" Perry, Dub Syndicate - Jungle (China Wall)

11. Lee "Scratch" Perry, Dub Syndicate - Jungle (Big Hot Plate)

12. Lee "Scratch" Perry, Dub Syndicate - Jungle (Disco Plate)

13. Lee "Scratch" Perry, Dub Syndicate - Night Train

For those familiar with the work of British dubmeister and producer extraordinaire Adrian Sherwood, the thought of he and Scratch working together sets off fits of near-Pavlovian salivating. This collaboration is excellent, and Perry and Sherwood (both of whom traffic in an idiosyncratic sound and approach to production) sound perfectly suited as collaborators. What helps considerably is the effectiveness of Sherwood's band the Dub Syndicate, who rock a little harder than the Upsetters and create edgier, more brittle soundscapes for Perry to romp through and Sherwood to produce (although it should be noted that Perry had a hand in the production too). Perry's toasting and singing are not as manic as on Battle of Armagideon, but he delivers the goods on tracks like "S.D.I" and "Allergic to Lies." (AllMusic)

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Private Vibes

 Hi some people are having problems posting on the Google private vibes sites. 

So I am thinking about looking at moving it to become a forum site instead, will be looking at the options and pro's and con's of this. Once home next week. It will mean the 100 limit will be dead that one plus. But will take time to look at the options. 

Any one in private vibes just continue to use the site as you have been doing. If you are having problems posting then please let me know!!

If anyone knows a good forum site then please drop me a link in the comments, so I can check it out. 

Reb

Various Artists

The Many Faces Of Santana

[3cds]

(2017)

 

320

If you like what you see, look for the link in the comments. 

 

2019 - The Best of Townes Van Zandt

2019 - The Best of Townes Van Zandt (Flac)

Townes Van Zandt was an influential American singer-songwriter known for his profound storytelling and emotional depth in music. Born into a Texas family with a background in oil and cattle ranching, his life took a challenging turn during adolescence when he faced mental health struggles, leading to various treatments. Despite these difficulties, he developed a passion for music, drawing inspiration from artists like Lightnin' Hopkins and Bob Dylan. Van Zandt began performing in the 1960s, crafting songs that often depicted the lives of drifters and working-class individuals, and he gained recognition for his unique voice and poignant lyrics.

Over his career, Van Zandt released several albums, including notable works such as *Our Mother the Mountain* and *The Late Great Townes Van Zandt*, the latter featuring some of his most famous songs like "Pancho and Lefty." His music, characterized by a blend of country, folk, and blues, resonated with both critics and fellow musicians, leading to covers by artists like Willie Nelson and Emmylou Harris. Despite facing personal challenges, including a struggle with alcohol, Van Zandt's legacy endures, highlighted by posthumous releases and a film about his life after his unexpected death in 1997. His work continues to inspire and influence generations of musicians within the Americana and country music genres. (EBSCO)

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Various Artists

The Many Faces Of Jimi Hendrix

[3cds]

(2017)

 

320

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2017 - Nona Hendryx & Gary Lucas - The World of Captain Beefheart

2017 - Nona Hendryx & Gary Lucas -
The World of Captain Beefheart (Flac)

Of all the music world's Venn Diagrams, I would have expected there to be no overlap between that of LaBelle and Captain Beefheart, but here is this album, a lone dot on that curious netherworld. 

Some background: Captain Beefheart was the psudonym for Don Van Vliet, a wild painter, blues howler, compatriot of Frank Zappa, brutal abuser of his (perhaps because of his abuse) ridiculously tight Magic Band of which Gary Lucas is a survivor and continuer of the curious music he made with the Captain who stopped recording in 1980 and left this dull world a decade later. The key document is TROUT MASK REPLICA.

Nona Hendryx was a member of Labelle, the genre-shifting girl-group turned woman-power trio of the 60s-70s most notably responsible for "Lady Marmalade."  Their work is worth seeking out.

Gary Lucas has made a career out of restaging his late taskmaster's music in small rock groups and large scale orchestras, and in one of those forms Nona Hendryx was enlisted, one guesses as a novelty. A long celebrated R&B and jazz vocalist, Ms. Hendryx's versatile gift is an oddly weird fit for this music.

Beefheart's plaintive soul croon "I'm Glad", a doo wop number off his first LP SAFE AS MILK is rendered in luxurious velvet by Ms. Hendryx and when I heard it, I was like oh, of course. Her graceful reading of "My Head Is My Only House When it Rains" reveals the river of song that flows beneath troll Beffheart's bridge.

Even the beatnik proto-rapism of Beefheart's "Sun Zoom Spark" makes sense in their hands. The Captain's cocksure swagger is only strengthened coming out of Ms. Hendryx's mouth. She growls, commands, come-ons. "When it Blows It Stacks" is rendedred in a Zeppelin gone disco (something I wish had happened) wide strokes. It is glorious and lethal. 

Nona Hendryx is a natch for Beefheart's boho blues shtick since she is an actual blues singer. The affectations of CB's "Sure 'Nuff 'N Yes I Do" are rendered here with actual authority. Also, Captain Beefheart had a notorious wide vocal range stretching several octaves. So does Nona, but with a sharpshooters accuracy for the pitches in between. 

The beauty of this record is that it is still difficult listening. Much of Nona Hendryx's career has been involved with getting the party started, whereas this one could clear the room. (See the oddball The Smithsonian Institute Blues" or "Suction Prints")  But then there are fabulous amalgams like the tilted reggae reading of "Her Eyes Are a Blue Million Miles" twisted enough to play on latenight college radio (if that still exists) yet groovy enough to be piped in at brunch (I know brunch still exists). I have a number of friends who hate Captain Beefheart, for myriad reasons. Here's hoping I can get them lost in his groove, licking the wild marmalade off his toast. (OutsideLeft.com)

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Various Artists

The Many Faces of Chuck Berry

[3cds]

(2017)

 

320

If you like what you see, look for the link in the comments. 

 

Comments & News

 Hi comments have been turned off for at least a few weeks. 

I have a couple of names for invites to private vibes , but the the next intake I think will be in three months and not two. There are not many I plan to invite, right now and with the comments off, will be a while before I get 20 names. 

It's holiday time so posts will be when and if they appear, right now there will be nothing at all, things have happened and I am unable to post, as not at home. And not sure when I will be back, a long story. 

Concha & Andy are due on vacation soon as well. So with the comments off makes more sense to me, Maybe they will be opened again but right now I don't really know. 

Who ever it was that put their email address on a comment, why did you send it, invites to private vibes is from a list of names that I will post, and after the last, it won't be by email address' in the comments but via email from people I invite to email the site address so I can verify the email is active first. You will then be send one invite, you mess it up or it doesn't work then you will have to wait for the next opportunity to join.

Reb

Various Artists

The Many Faces Of Elvis

[3cds]

(2015)

 

320

If you like what you see, look for the link in the comments. 

 

Various Artists

The Many Faces Of The Cure

[3cds]

(2016)

 

320

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Various Artists

Vaultage 80

[A Vinyl Chapter]

(1980)

 

320

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Beth Hart - 2022 - A Tribute To Led Zeppelin

Beth Hart - 2022 - A Tribute To Led Zeppelin @320

Grammy nominated vocal powerhouse Beth Hart takes on one of her most weighty ventures with her new release, A Tribute To Led Zeppelin, out February 25 via Provogue/Mascot Label Group. Hart doesn’t attempt to channel Robert Plant—she conveys her badass self in service to some of Led Zeppelin’s most popular songs.

The record came to fruition when producer Rob Cavallo (Green Day, Linkin Park, My Chemical Romance) was in the midst of producing Hart’s last album, War In My Mind (2019) when she spontaneously sang a version of “Whole Lotta Love” in the recording session. Cavallo later asked Hart about doing a whole record. Beth said, “I’m not doing this whole album. To do Zeppelin, you’ve got to be pissed off to hit that right. I can’t go there; I’ve worked years to put my rage away.” Hart tapped into enough anger as a result of the pandemic and contacted her manager. She said, “Have Rob and Doug send me all the music because I am ready to do this.”

If there is any female vocalist who can do a nine-song set of Led Zeppelin, it is Beth Hart. It takes courage to tackle one of the most legendary bands of all time, and Beth has more than her fair share. Which is in part why so many love her. She bares her all and nails many of these tracks with the heart of a warrior, the voice of a generation.

At the helm of A Tribute To Led Zeppelin is producer Rob Cavallo and engineer Doug McKean (Goo Goo Dolls, Adam Lambert, Gerard Way). The top-tier musicians include Cavallo on guitar along with Tim Pierce (Bon Jovi, Bruce Springsteen, Tina Turner), bassist Chris Chaney (Rob Zombie, Jane’s Addiction, Slash), keyboardist Jamie Muhoberac (Bob Dylan, Iggy Pop, Rolling Stones), drummer Dorian Crozier (Celine Dion, Miley Cyrus, Joe Cocker) and Matt Laug (Alanis Morissette, Alice Cooper), with orchestral arrangements by David Campbell (Muse, Aerosmith, Beyoncé).

The album blasts off with “Whole Lotta Love” and it’s Beth’s spotlight from the first note. This mighty vocalist brings attitude with a capital A to the song. Powerful and guttural, she wrangles this track in a way you might expect. For Zeppelin fans, the orchestration might take some getting used to but it’s an honest take on a ground-breaking song. The psychedelia takes on even darker shadows than the original with the use of strings. Killer drumming and bass anchor this song in the way it was intended. Beth is on the edge here, so much so as to make the hair on your arms stand on end. (Rock & Blues Muse)

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Various Artists

The Many Faces Of Joy Division

[3cds]

(2015)

 

320

If you like what you see, look for the link in the comments.