December CD: SOUL INVESTIGATOR

compiled by dj meezly

My interest in classic R&B originated back in the '90s, admittedly from catching samples off the Beastie Boys. Though I’ve picked up a few token best of albums by the likes of James Brown, Curtis Mayfield and Sly & the FS, my knowledge of the genre remains thin at best. Thanks in part to the soul revival trend some years ago, I became inspired to explore more outside of my comfort zone (ie. just sticking to Amy Winehouse). From then on I’ve discovered many great old-yet-new sounding - and new-yet-old sounding - gems. Compiling this mix CD has given me the chance to learn more about the music I’ve grown to truly love. And what better way to tie it all together than with our most favourite and most universal theme – L-O-V-E (or just plain ol' gettin' it on!).

1. “I Was Made To Love Her” (1970)
Theron & Darrell
Eccentric Soul : Smart's Palace, 2009

The music club, Smart’s Palace, was at the heart of the Kansas soul scene from 1963 – 1975 and owner Dick Smart also ran the Solo label. This song was one of Solo’s best-selling singles, thanks to the catchy lyrics. “A screwdriver was made to screw screws, a toolbox for a carpenter to use” was all local jocks needed to hear to add the 45 to their rotations. With their career on the rise, the duo inked a deal with Isaac Hayes. Then soon afterwards Stax went bankrupt, leaving Theron & Darrell in the lurch, waiting outside the Memphis studio everyday until someone clued them in. After a few tough years, Theron was institutionalized with mental illness and never fully recovered while Darrell Buckner was able to adapt by transitioning into a disco DJ.

2. “I Don't Want Your Love” (1970)
Barbara Howard,
Sister Funk 2: The Sound of the Unknown Soul Sisters, 2007

About a decade ago, collector and DJ, Ian Wright, drew on his phenomenal hoard of rare funk 45s to compile the first Sister Funk collection of obscure female-driven gems. Sadly that first now sought-after compilation has been long discontinued, and this second compilation seems to be heading towards the same fate. But let's talk about the music! They say funk is man’s music, but this femme funk track, with the barnstormin’ bassline, is a force to be reckoned with. Theron & Darrell may sing about lovin’ a woman, but Barbara Howard wants nothin’ to do with a man’s love. Interestingly, "I Don't Want Your Love" was actually written by her then-boyfriend and later husband, Steve Reece. Howard herself was part of the Midwest Funk scene of the 1960’s.

3. “Take Me" (1971)
The Fabulous Souls,
Peanut Butter Wolf's Jukebox 45's, 2002

Peanut Butter Wolf (aka Chris Manak) is a DJ, producer and founder of indie hiphop label, Stones Throw Records. This totally obscure funk song was rediscovered by Stones Throw, re-released as a 12” and became part of this 2002 compilation album.

Ira Raibon was an influential figure behind the "Indiana Funk" sound. When he was leading the Fabulous Souls, he released two versions of “Take Me” – one version out of Los Angeles, another version out of Indianapolis. This stumped historians and archivists who couldn’t quite figure out the connection between the two distant funk meccas. If you’re curious about the backstory on how this almost forgotten song got rediscovered, check it out here.

Good to see that Raibon is still makin’ music.

4. “If This Is Love (I'd Rather Be Lonely)” (1967)
Eddie Spencer
Jamaica To Toronto: Soul Funk & Reggae 1967-1974, 2006

Yes it is hard to believe, folks, but there really exists some good classic Canadian soul! In the 1960’s, the finest ska, rocksteady, and reggae recording artists from the West Indies traveled to Canada: Jackie Mittoo, Johnnie Osbourne, Wayne McGhie, Lloyd Delpratt, The Mighty Pope, Noel Ellis, Jo-Jo Bennett, and many more. Arriving in their new Canadian home, these talented singers, songwriters, musicians, and performers hit the studio and captured some of the hardest tunes this side of Kingston.

The J to T compilation, lovingly put together by DJ/ Canadian music historian, Sipreano, and Light In The Attic, truly encapsulates this moment in musical history. It’s filled with strong American soul influences from that period, but done with a style that's a bit dirtier and fuzzier, with some traces of Jamaican production style. This particular track was a #1 Top Chart Hit.

More info about the album.

5. If This Ain't Love (Don't Know What Is)
Nicole Willis and The Soul Investigators
Keep Reachin’ Up, 2005

How did Brooklyn-born soul vocalist Nicole Willis team up with the Finnish funk collective The Soul Investigators? And who woulda thought that Finland was a soul mecca?

While researching the liner notes for this compilation, I discovered that Willis is married to Finnish retro-groove king Jimi Tenor, who also contributes to this album (he does the horn arrangements and plays flute on this track). Willis herself has worked with Curtis Mayfield, The Brand New Heavies, Dee-lite and Mo' Wax, while the Soul Investigators have crafted two previous full-lengths and a handful of 45s. This super smooth retro album was a big hit in Europe, and less so in North America. Perhaps it has to do with its high production values, and though there’s nothing too rough or raunchy, it’s still finely crafted music at its best.

More info about about the music.

6. "Karina"
Menahan Street Band
Make The Road By Walking, 2008

I first experienced the music of the Menahan Street Band live (along with DJs Schwa and Cucumbah) when they opened for Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings in Montreal early last year. These five young, talented musicians are also members of the Dap-Kings, El Michels Affair (also featured in this CD), Antibalas and the Budos Band. The unifying factor is musician/producer Thomas Brenneck (Sharon Jones & the D-Ks, Budos Band, Amy Winehouse) who brought them together to record in the bedroom of his Menahan St. apartment in Bushwick, Brooklyn, hence their name.

Reaching beyond the funk-soul-afrobeat influences of their other projects into the more sublime realms of Mulatu Astatke, the Menahan Street Band creates a new instrumental soul sound that is distinct and lush. Their debut album, Make the Road by Walking, is marked by quirky arrangements, featuring vibes, horns, piano, organ, percussion and even a strange bling sound that Brenneck creates by tuning and plucking the strings of his guitar on the wrong side of the bridge.

7. "Getcho Soul Togetha (Part Two)"
Breakestra
Peanut Butter Wolf's Jukebox 45's

Another funky track from the same Stones Throw Records compilation album (the other was track 3's "Take Me"). Breakestra is a ten-piece funk "orchestra" from Los Angeles formed by Miles Tackett in 1996. Unsurprisingly, their style is much influenced by late 60's and early 70's soul and funk music. After releasing several EPs and two full-length albums of mostly covers and sample-filled breaks, Breakestra put out Hit the Floor in 2005 on Ubiquity Records, which included all-original recordings fusing elements of hip hop, funk, and soul.

8. “Love Addict” (1970)
Honey & The Bees
Sister Funk 2, 2007

A minor, but talented, Philadelphia female soul quartet previously known as The Yums-Yums. In 1970, they changed their name to Honey & The Bees and went over to Josie (best known as the home of the Meters' first three albums) knocking out some relatively little-known records with the aid of musicians who played on classic 1970s Gamble-Huff productions. Though the Supremes are an obvious point of comparison, Honey & The Bees had far better production values than the vast majority of girl group aspirants of the same era.

Honey & the Bees spent years on the club circuit, opening for bigger soul acts in Philadelphia and throughout the East Coast before disbanding in 1973. Group member Gwen Oliver married Fred Wesley of the JB’s, whom she met when Honey & the Bees opened for James Brown in 1971. Eventually their headstrong, take-no-b.s. attitude came into conflict with Brown's own strangle-hold control over his players and he had Wesley remove the group off tour.

9. “Do You Love Me (Like You Say You Do)”
Lee Fields & The Expressions
My World, 2008

When I first heard this song, I could’ve sworn it was from the late 60’s or early 70’s. They’ve even emulated the analog production sound from that time period. In fact, the album “My World” was released just last year, and though it may be considered throwback music, Lee Fields has actually been kickin’ around since 1969, when he cut his first 45. Having been with small labels throughout the 70s, he recorded an album in 1979 (Let’s Talk It Over) before disappearing for most of the 80s. Now that he’s with Truth & Soul, Fields may finally get some of the overdue recognition he deserves.

More info about the artist and a pitchfork review.

10. “Tell Me”
Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings
100 Days, 100 Nights, 2007

After the demise of the Desco label Gabriel Roth teamed up with Neal Sugarman to create an indie funk and soul label, Daptone Records. In addition to Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings, Daptone has recorded and released the music of notable artistis, such as Amy Winehouse, The Sugarman Three, The Budos Band, The Poets of Rhythm, The Mighty Imperials, and Lee Fields.
But the core of their music is the Dap-Kings while soul singer Lee Fields often sings with the Sugarman 3 and flautist Daisy Sugarman. They’re like one big happy family!

Daptone also built their own studios in Brooklyn where they’ve recorded most of their releases. Their distinctive sound is a product of the studio acoustics, recording only on analog tape (no digital), and mixing by Gabriel Roth. The Dap-Kings also perform on Amy Winehouse's album, Back to Black (itself recorded at the Daptone recording studio), and the band toured with her in 2007.

I don’t know about you but this song is really rockin’ and the entire album is just excellent. SJ & The DKs are also a great act to catch live.

11. “Tell Her” (1969)
Fred Williams & The Jewels Band
Eccentric Soul : Smart's Palace

Fred Williams, as a concert promoter for Dick Smart at his increasingly popular club Smart’s Palace, had the enviable position of working with the best musicians in Wichita, Kansas. The Jewels Band made a stellar combo, and “Tell Her” set the bar extremely high for Smart’s fledgling label, Solo Records.

This is one of my favourite songs of the compilation, as the deep sad longing of the vocals and evocative guitar work expresses to me personally what my idea of soul is about.

12. A Perfect Kind of Love
Nicole Willis and The Soul Investigators
Keep Reachin’ Up, 2005

Yes, another song from Nicole Willis and TSI. This is such a sweet and positive song, it just had to be included, just to offset the melancholy of “Tell Her”. So hope you guys don’t hate me for this. They are also another reason why I decided to name my first mix CD after them!

13. “I’ll Be Around” (1972)
The Spinners
Dead Presidents soundtrack

This is probably the only song in my compilation that has that classic Motown sound from the 70’s, though it was recorded after the group signed up with Atlantic. The Spinners is a Detroit-based soul vocal group who’ve been active since 1961.

“I’ll Be Around” is their first top ten hit, but it was actually the B-side of their first Atlantic single, "How Could I Let You Get Away". Radio airplay for the B-side led Atlantic to flip the single over, with "I'll Be Around" hitting #3 and "How Could I Let You Get Away" reaching #89. "I'll Be Around", sung by Bobby Smith, was also The Spinners' 1st million- selling hit single.

I thought this would follow well after “A Perfect Kind of Love” since it shares its idealistic optimism about love and romance.

14. “Put It On The Line” (1975)
Lyn Collins
James Brown's Funky People, 1988

Ok, let’s get back to reality here, people! There is no perfect kind of love, or a guy who’ll stick around through thick and thin, let alone “be man enough” to give his woman the security she needs. And boy, does Lyn Collins “put it on the line”!

Not surprisingly, James Brown had exhausted his group, which was formed in the 60’s, and by 1970 they had all moved on. The only two left were James and Bobby Byrd (singer, piano, songwriter). This double album was put out in 1972 and is funk-packed from start to end featuring such superstar players as Maceo Parker (horns), Fred Wesley (horns), Bootsy Collins (bass) and Lyn Collins (vocals). James Brown is not the featured vocalist on any of the tracks, but he writes every song, sings backup and plays the organ.

Lyn Collins was Brown's ''funky soul siren" and one of the most sampled female singers of all time. Nicknamed the "Female Preacher," Lyn Collins was discovered in the early '70s along with Bootsy and Catfish Collins by James Brown, who was making the transition to the hardest funk phase of his career.

15. “Broadway Sam”
Iceberg Slim
Reflections, 1976

My husband is a fan of genre fiction, including the black pulp stories of Chester Himes and Donald Goines, and the pimp chronicles of Iceberg Slim. At 18, Iceberg Slim was initiated into 'the life' in Chicago. Incarcerated several times for pimping along with several other crimes, he wrote 'Pimp' while in prison, which subsequently sold over 6 million copies. When I heard that Slim made a spoken-word recording set to groovy instrumentals by the Red Holloway Quartet, I got it for hubs as a gift. 'Reflections' is made up of graphic, semi-autobiographical tales of life on the mean streets.

Some info about Iceberg Slim.

16. “You’re Doing It With Her” (1969)
Rhetta Hughes
Sister Funk 2: The Sound of the Unknown Soul Sisters, 2007

Of the twenty songs featured in the Sister Funk Volume 2, this one is apparently the least rare, expensive or hard to find, according to Wright’s liner notes. Ironically, I could not find much web info about this sweet soul number by one time Chicago soul diva, Rhetta Hughes.

Hughes seemed ready to move into the spotlight in 1969 when her funky cover of the Doors’ “Light My Fire” made the R&B Top 40. But she never sustained any momentum. The next single “Angel Man” flopped, and Hughes was soon back on the supper club circuit, opening for such comedians as Bill Cosby. The wiki also lists her as an actress who has appeared in Sweet Sweetback's Baadasssss Song, The Wiz, as well as an episode of Law & Order.

The song “You’re Doing It With Her” is also in the Relight My Fire album. I like how the Sister Funk liner notes just has this to say about the song itself:

You’ll soon notice that two common themes seem to crop up with female soul vocals - “You’re doing it with her” or “I did it with your man”. This song obviously fits into the former category.

17. “Behind The Blue Curtains”
El Michels Affair
Sounding Out the City, 2005

Another excellent track from the Truth & Soul compilation, Fallin’ Off the Wheel. Some of the members are also from the funk outfit, The Might Imperials (which you’ll get to hear in track 20). Known initially for their “cinematic soul” sound, El Michels Affair have also collaborated with the Wu-Tang Clan and have put out an album of instrumental covers of Wu-Tang classics (I have it, and it’s awesome).

Read more about them here.

18. "Mr. Fortune" (1970)
The Hitch-hikers
Jamaica To Toronto: Soul Funk & Reggae 1967-1974, 2006

This hard-chargin’ funk-soul number, written by Wayne McGhie and sung by The Mighty Pope, is my favourite song in the Jamaica To Toronto compilation, and arguably the best song in this mix. Unfortunately, the band never found success and encountered occasional racist ignorance, and even violence, while touring Ontario and Quebec. In 1970 The Hitch-hikers released their self-titled debut LP on the Paragon label with Canadian country icon and notorious owner Jack Boswell.

With no industry or much promotional support, the record performed poorly. After a series of line-up changes with The Hitch-Hikers, the band released one more single, "Mr. Fortune" on Toronto’s Heart label. The single didn't go anywhere, and after playing around Toronto for a few years, and one tour of Quebec, the group broke up when McGhie left after a disagreement with Pope and Blair.

More info about The Mighty Pope.

19. "If I’m In Luck I Might Get Picked Up"
Betty Davis
This Is It!, 1973

This one sticks out a little from the mix, but I’m including it as I don’t think I’ll have another opportunity to include a Betty Davis track in future compilations. And wow. This powerhouse funk number from the former wife of Miles Davis makes James Brown look like friar tuck, it’s so sexed up and dirty!

Between 1973 and 1975, Davis only recorded 3 studio albums in her short-lived career, but the potent mix of raunchy, mischievous music established her as a singular figure during that period. Her performances brimmed with such wild licentiousness that her brother once dubbed her as the “Mae West of the music industry”, but also provoked religious groups to demonstrate at her concerts. She was definitely way ahead of her time and later became a big influence on Macy Gray and Missy Elliot.

Poignantly, her career stalled when she was overcome with chronic depression following the death of her father in the late ‘70’s, and she abruptly withdrew from public.

20. “Never Found A Girl feat. Joseph Henry”
The Mighty Imperials
Thunder Chicken, 2006

Davis helps to segue into some down home dirty New Orleans funk and The Mighty Imperials continue the tradition of The Meters with the organ/guitar/bass/drums combo as a vehicle for deep ‘70s funk. All four members of the band were apparently sixteen (with the exception of gospel singer Joseph Henry, who was the only one old enough to buy smokes) when they recorded Thunder Chicken at Desco Records studios in 1999.

A single, "Kick the Blanket/Toothpick", came out that year, but after Desco folded, the album sat on the shelves. Two years later, a bootlegged version was issued illegally in the UK, but in 2004, Daptone took hold of the record and released it officially. Sadly, if predictably, the members of the Mighty Imperials had already dispersed during the intervening limbo: splitting to attend university or playing in other bands like the Dap-Kings, Antibalas, El Michels Affair. But the album still received positive critical response.

As a reviewer wrote: in a time when so much music is the result of session musicians tweaked with Pro Tools, it is truly a shocking waste that such an uninhibited, talented group was stifled by red tape. But if you’ve read through these liner notes, you see that the story of The Might Imperials is not that uncommon. This compilation, in some ways, is like a treasure trove of what might have been.

21. “Super Good” (1970)
Myra Barnes (Vicki Anderson)
James Brown's Funky People, 1988

Myra Barnes has recorded singles under her birth name as well as stage name, Vicki Anderson, and is acknowledged by James Brown in his autobiography as the best singer he had ever worked with. Although best known for her performances with the James Brown Revue, she has also released some stellar singles, her most famous being the 1970 feminist anthem 'Message From The Soul Sisters' (still a floor filler 35 years later). She followed this up with the even more funky 'Supergood' - in answer to the James Brown song 'Superbad'.

What better way than to have Myra Barnes finish things off, as this whole journey has been, like, super good! Here in Quebec, we would also say “super bon”!

From Leslieville to Wales

Jam Master Jam presents

From Leslieville to Wales: Following the long tail across the pond from my local record shop

1. One Too Many, Luke Doucet – Veal frontman, Luke Doucet’s 2001 solo album, Aloha Manitoba, was the first official release of Six Shooter Records, a label and management company whose office is just down the street from my house in Leslieville, a happening in hood in East Toronto. One Too Many is from 2005’s Broken (and other rogue states) and if you’re in the mood for just the right amount of twang, this is the album for you. Luke’s married to a fellow Six Shooterite, Melissa McClelland, who guests on Broken and is a great songstress in her own right.
*sad note – since I began work on this CD, Six Shooter has shut their
Leslieville doors and moved to Toronto’s West end. I will miss their
backlot barbeques.

2. The Spinster’s Almanac, Christine Fellows – So many great Six Shooterites to choose from (seriously – check them out at sixshooterrecords.com) but I chose Christine because this song makes me smile everytime I hear it. I defy you not to do the same.

3. Sold, Dan Mangan – Follow Six Shooterites Jenn Grant or Elliot Brood on tour across Canada and you may find them gigging with
Vancouver’s Dan Mangan. I found him by searching “robot” on iTunes but that’s another story. This song can be found on both his recent release, Nice, Nice, Very Nice, and his earlier Roboteering EP.

4. Lucklucky, Veda Hille – Veda backs Dan on a few of the songs on Roboteering (the same songs also appear on Nice, Nice, Very Nice).
Lucklucky makes me want to march in place and throw my hands in the air with musical theatre-style abandon. Veda’s also a member of Duplex!, a self-described “indie rock band for small people and their minders.” Shaun Brodie is Duplex!’s trumpet player.

5. There Are Maybe Ten or Twelve, A.C. Newman – Shaun Brodie is also AC Newman’s trumpet player. A.C. Newman, when not busy putting out solo albums, is putting them out with The New Pornographers (a
band who made, if I recall correctly, DJ Schwa’s desert island list).

6. People Got a Lotta Nerve, Neko Case – When not busy putting out solo albums, Neko is putting them out with The New Pornographers.

7. Eyes on the Prize, M. Ward – Among the many guest artists on Neko’s Cyclone is M. Ward. The quiet Eyes on the Prize is from his 2006 album, Post War. Volume One, the album he released with Zooey Deschanel as She & Him is a fun frolic.

8. Girls, Eleni Mandell – Becky Stark is the real link here. She’s toured with She & Him. Becky also guest vocalled on the Decemberists’ Hazards of Love and sings in the trio, The Living Sisters, with Inara George and Eleni Mandell. Frankly, I find Eleni more enjoyable than Becky so here she is.

9. Engine Driver, The Decemberists – See above.

10. With a Gun, The Minus 5 –. Scott McCaughey’s collective most frequently stars R.E.M.’s Peter Buck; 2006’s self-titled album boasted many guests including The Decemberists’ Colin Meloy and Wilco’s Jeff
Tweedy.

11. You are my Face, Wilco – You may have heard this song in a Volkswagen commercial, but don’t hold that against it.

12. I Don’t Want To Die (in the Hospital), Conor Oberst – Conor, of Bright Eyes fame, spent some time touring this summer with Wilco. What a gig that would’ve been. In 1993, Conor, with his brother, founded
Saddle Creek Records, in Omaha, Nebraska, of all places.

13. Lovers Need Lawyers, The Good Life – The Good Life’s frontman (also Cursive’s frontman), Tim Kasher, grew up with Conor Oberst; The Good Life’s albums, including Album of The Year, on which Lovers Need Lawyers appears, are released by Saddle Creek Records.

14. Carpetbaggers, Jenny Lewis – I’m more a fan of Jenny’s solo albums than those she did with Rilo Kiley, whose 2002 album, The Execution of All Things, was released on Saddle Creek Records. Let’s hear it for middle America. You can also hear Jenny on Album of the Year. Word on the internet chatrooms is that Tim Kasher is the “Tim” she names in You Are What You Love, which many of you heard on Rocket’s first disc in this club. Carpetbaggers stars Elvis Costello
and appears on her second solo album, Acid Tongue. And who says child stars can’t find longevity (Troop Beverly Hills, anyone?)?

15. What’s So Funny ‘Bout Peace Love and Understanding – Stephen Colbert, Elvis Costello, Feist, Toby Keith and John Legend – This version of this classic Elvis Costello song is from Stephen Colbert’s 2008 Christmas special. What a motley crew. With Elvis dressed as a bear for this song, which explains the “roar.”

16. Working Together, Gonzales – Gonzales and Feist are label mates over at Arts + Crafts. If you’re not tempted to play this song at your office status meetings, then you must work alone.

17. You Throw Parties, We Throw Knives, Los Campesinos! – Like Six Shooter or Saddle Creek, it’s so hard to just pick a couple artists to showcase. How Los Campesinos! found their way from Wales to Toronto’s
Arts + Crafts is beyond me. But I’m glad they did.

Mercurial: Songs from the 2009 British Mercury Music Prize

Chosen by Dr Pepper

Welcome to the liner notes for October, 2009 CD of the Month. The CD before you contains a selection of songs from the 12 artists nominated for the Mercury Music Prize, a British music prize which traditionally recognises quality recordings from independent and alternative musicians from genres as diffuse as pop, rock, indie, jazz, soul and folk.

You can find out more about the Prize, here, including a list of previous winners.

I know at least one DJ who's CD, on arrival, would not play. If this is also a problem for you, I apologise. I've posted a temporary link to mp3s with each part of the liner note here - they will be up for a limited time only, so be quick!

Find choons here (sorry, gone!)

1. Sweet Billy Pilgrim - Here it Begins

I know very little about this band I'm afraid, and after a quick listen on Spotify, I was left pretty disappointed! Not necessarily the way to start a CD of the Month! But luckily this little intro was a lovely introduction to the album and a mystical piece in its own right.


2. Glasvegas - It's my own cheating heart that makes me cry

You could listen to this and stop. If you did that of course, you would miss some other cracking tunes, but this, for me, is the band par excellence on the CD. Glasvegas are a 4-piece from Glasgow in Scotland and one listen to the lead singer's vocals will make you think watching Trainspotting was easy! With a painful, beautiful, raw and strong Glaswegian accent, it takes a certain dialect to turn the word "f***ing" into the word "f'ung" - listen out for it in relation to his "mis'us" about halfway into the track. Anyway, amongst many tracks on their self-titled debut album, this is one of my favourites, crescendoing into a magical aura about his painful, cheating heart towards the backend of the song, it's a brilliant, heart-rendering anthemic masterpiece.


3. The Horrors - Who Can Say?

The Horrors were new to me, but one listen had me hooked. A harder sound than Glasvegas and no Scottish accent here. Who Can Say? seems to hark back to an earlier sounds - perhaps the late 80s with its synthetic rock combo and dead-pan style lyrics. This was easily to my mind their stand out track, a racy, demanding tour de force, complete with spoken vocals laid over the top reminiscent of some of James's heavier tracks.


4. Florence and the Machine - Rabbit Heart (Raise it up)

It takes a big woman to follow up that rocking start. And luckily Florence, or Flo, kindly delivers in spades. You might already be familiar with their work, and if you are, you will know this song. If you don't, welcome. If you like this track, the rest of the album will also deliver in style. Tender, fragile lyrics backed up with poppy, catchy tunes serves to deliver an immediate and demanding listen, one you will soon find yourself impulsively re-listening too. Crazy lyrics too: who is the lamb and who is the knife is brilliantly laid to bare.


5. La Roux - Amour Love

La Roux has crazy ginger hair, crazy vocals and crazy lyrics. Rumour has it she is made from two parts flour, two parts milk and two parts butter. Choosing which track to choose from her album was tricky, all being brilliant synthetic dance-pop numbers, immediately cacthy and quirky (in equal parts). Apologies here for the minute long gap at the end of this track. Purely unintentional on my part.


6. Friendly Fires - Paris

Friendly Fires are probably one of the most hyped bands in the UK this year and whether the album is as good as the groupies will tell you is a matter of opinion. To my mind, think of a hybrid, almost-identical version of Bloc Party. Luckily, that's no bad thing, and Paris is a fine example of their work. Sweeping lyrics driven by an uptempo indie rock beat will soon have you dreaming of eloping to Paris to drink claret and eat brie with your lover!


7. Kasabian - Fire

Kasabian have been on the British, if not international, music scene for a few years now, producing antemic indie numbers for a while. But Fire and the album from which it was nominated updates their sound, with more complex lyrics and aspiring tracks. Worthy of a listen for sure.


8. Led Bib - Sweet Chilli

Led Bib provided the biggest challenge of this album - segwaying some crazy jazz-funk into the middle of an essentially modern pop album. Luckily the strength of their sound made this problem slightly easier, and Sweet Chilli, is an arresting example of their work. It isn't an easy listen and has taken me a while to get used to, but one which I am now revelling in. Kat, my partner, thought she had heard this track before, so maybe it's actually a cover, I don't know. Anyway, enjoy.


9. Speech Debelle - Go then, bye

Speech Debelle's debut album Speech Therapy was the winner of this year's Mercury Music Prize. Hailing from London, the album is full of demanding rap lyrics about social deprivation and problems of growing up in the poor inner-city, tackling the usual themes of drugs, gangs, love and so forth. Go then, bye is one of the more accessible tracks - no bad thing - for its a welcome change to the indie, rock and pop which dominate this year's list.


10. Bat for Lashes - Daniel

Another artist as hyped as friendly fires and it's going to take me a few more listens of her album too find out why. Luckily, Daniel, is a moving melodic introduction, and delivers the goods to match the quality found elsewhere on this cd.


11. Lisa Hannigan - Ocean and a Rock

Stripping it back to minimalist folk songs, Lisa Hannigan's work features delicate tunes, a fragile voice and simple guitars - and repeat listening helps to get you into the more gentle pace of her work. Not revolutionary in my opinion, but good, this approach is exemplified by Ocean and a Rock, a simple, romantic little ditty.


12. The Invisible - London Girl

I know little about The Invisible, but I like what I have heard. Within a listen of this track, you'll find yourself merrily dancing along to the infectitious lyrics and rhythm of London Girl, a catching ode to that London Girl you've once met and taken a shine to.


13. Glasvegas - Geraldine

We weren't going to wrap up this album without a return to the fine work of Glasvegas. How many bands do you know who have written an ode to the wondrous works of social workers determined to keep crack addicts of the smack? That's right: one - Glasvegas. And they do it in style with this, the flagship track from their first album. To set the context: the track they would play for their encore, so merry middle-class folk can sing along in anthemic bliss about all those tough times on meths. Don't ask me, but it works.

Rocket's Big Gay Anthem CD, featuring DJ DoubleStuffed

DJs - here's the playlist; fullsome liner notes coming shortly:

1) Madonna - Vogue (Sticky + Sweet Tour)
2) Bette Midler - To Deserve You (Extended Remix)
3) Kim English - Unspeakable Joy
4) Donna Summer - I Will Go On With You
5) Whitney Houston - It's Not Right, But It's Okay (Thunderpuss MIx)
6) Deborah Cox - Absolutely Not (Hex Hector Mix)
7) Lara Fabian - I Will Love Again
8) Celine Dion - I'm Alive (Johnny Rocks World Anthem Remix)
9) Agnes - Release Me (Cahill Club Edit)
10)Bonus, Madonna featuring Gogol Bordello - La Isla La Bonita (Sticky + Sweet Tour)

cd #25: a night at the opera

As the first DJ each year, I feel a little pressure to start the year off with a real crowd pleaser. Well, this year I’ve decided to ignore expectations and give you all a little of something that pleases me: opera music. I know opera isn’t for everybody, so I struggled deciding whether to aim at the non-opera fans with really popular music, or to aim at the serious fans and go with obscure music. Based on the what I know about this club, I went for the former.

This is a compilation in two acts. In each act, we start with classic arias, move on to more pop opera arias, and then conclude with some powerful choruses. To make things interesting, I didn’t use the same composer more than once (with one notable exception). And, although it’s not noted on the CD cover, each aria is from a different singer. So put on your best outfit, pour yourself a fine glass of wine, and sit back and enjoy a night at the opera with DJ Pants.

Act I:

1. Puccini / Tosca / E Lucevan Le Stelle

The hardest part of making this album was choosing which Puccini aria to include. With La Boheme, Madame Butterfly, Turandot and Tosca in his repertoire, Puccini can’t be beat. I chose this one because it packs a lot of emotion into just a few minutes… and it’s Placido Domingo, who you might have heard of.

2. Delibes / Lakmé / Viens, Mallika, les lianes en fleurs

Lakmé is not a well-known opera, but this duet is very popular. We’ve got Dame Joan Sutherland singing here. In case there is any doubt, this is a love song. It’s arrestingly beautiful.

3. Bizet / Les Pêcheurs de Perles / Au Fond du Temple Saint

Bizet is better known for Carmen, but I wanted to go for something a little less popular. Don’t get me wrong – this is still an opera favourite. David Byrne did a very nice version of this song a few years ago. This duet involves two fishermen committing their friendship to each other, and not busting each other up over a girl they both used to love.

4. Lalo / Le Roi D’Ys / Puisq’On Ne Peut Fléchir

Classic late 1800’s French opera. It doesn’t carry the weight of a lot of Italian opera, but it’s still awfully nice to listen to.

5. Thomas / Mignon / Elle ne croyait pas dans sa candeur

Ditto.

6. Bellini / Norma / Deh! Non volerli vittime

Norma is a well-known and well-regarded opera, but I still think it is under-appreciated. I listened to Norma a lot while I was working on my PhD. It has several beautiful arias and some great choruses. It’s a brilliant opera, and if I could see one opera at La Scala, it would be this one. This is the finale of the opera, moving from the sublety of Maria Callas’ singing on to a resounding chorus. It’s going to make me cry if I keep writing about it, so I’ll stop.

7. Verdi / Il Trovatore / Vedi! Le fosche notturne spoglie

Verdi is another Italian opera legend. There is a lot to choose from when you’re thinking of Verdi. He has, most notably, written some brilliant choruses. It was hard to choose, but after the drama of the last song I figured we needed something a bit more upbeat. This song reminds me of my father, which likely means we used to have an Il Trovatore record when I was a kid.

8. Gounod / Faust / Deposons les armes

A classic chorus. We saw Faust in Ottawa a few years ago. I didn’t know a lot of the music, but I sure sat up when the chorus started belting this one out.

Act II:

9. Mozart / Die Zauberflöte / Der Hölle Rache
I debated a lot over this one. In addition to Norma, I listened to El Nozze del Figaro (the Marriage of Figaro) a lot while I was writing my PhD dissertation. My wife almost walked down the aisle to Voi Che Sapate, until we decided to go for a Carla Bruni song instead. Anyway, this is Mozart. Apparently he does more than opera. I chose this aria because I think it highlights what non-opera people think of when they think of opera. In retrospect, I kind of wish I had chosen Voi Che Sapate. If you want a replacement, I can email you.

10. Catalini / La Wally / Ebben? Ne andro lontana

Catalini was an Italian composer, and I’m not going to lie to you – he was a bit of a one-hit wonder. But it’s a very nice hit. The character singing this one is about to leave her home forever. You can feel the weight of the situation.

11. Gluck / Orfeo Ed Euridice / Che Farò Senza Euridice?

We’re going back in time and place a bit to Austrian in the 1700’s. Nevertheless, it’s similar to French opera, but with a lovely Austrian musical touch. I kind of wish she would start belting it out in this aria, but that wasn’t really the style at the time.

12. Charpentier / Louise / Depuis le jour

Another beautiful French aria. It’s a little flowery for me, but perhaps that’s what we need before we get to the final choruses.

13. Saint-Saëns / Samson et Dalila / Mon Coeur S’Ouvre À Ta Voix

The brilliant thing about opera is that if you listen well, you really don’t need a translation (unless you have a heart of hard, cold stone). I imagine you might not need me to tell you that she’s starting off with “My heart opens itself to your voice, like the flowers open to the kisses of the dawn!”

14. Offenbach / Les Contes D’Hoffman / Les oiseaux dans la charmill

I suppose the vocal styling of the soprano here might be a bit of a turn-off for some. I’ve just realized that Offenbach composed an operetta called La Belle Hélène. Considering I’m married to a belle Hélène, perhaps I could have found something from that one. But this is a classic.

15. Gilbert & Sullivan / HMS Pinafore / For He Is An Englishman

Although it doesn’t really fit with the rest of this mix, I have to give a nod to Gilbert & Sullivan. After all, Bart Simpson’s last request before dying was to hear the entire score of HMS Pinafore. Sideshow Bob’s rendition of “For He Is An Englishman” was unforgettable.

16. Wagner / Tannhauser / Begluckt darf nun dich, o Heimat, ich schauen

Wagner, as you may know, is rather intense. Tannhauser is more palatable than the Ring Cycle, but you can still get a a sense of the Wagnerian drama in this chorus. Tannhauser was famously a complete disaster when it premiered in Paris in 1861. There were some politics involved, but the performance had to be stopped part way through and Wagner fled France. I love it.

17. Puccini / Turandot / Non piangere Liu… Ah! Per l’ultima volta!

I really tried to have each composer appear only once, but I had to make an exception for Puccini, especially since he composed Turandot. My wife and I saw Turandot at the Budapest Opera House, and it was one of the most memorable nights of my life. The opera house in Budapest is spectacular, and Turandot contains one of the most beautiful arias out there – Nessun Dorma was Luciano Pavarotti’s favourite. Anyway, this selection is the finale of act one, and it is one of the most emotional choruses in opera. I won’t bother with the whole story, but Turandot is a princess and a prince has just declared himself a suitor for her love. Everybody thinks he’s nuts because if he doesn’t answer three riddles he will be beheaded (if you want to know how that turns out go see the opera). The hair stands on the back of my neck every time I hear this chorus. We walked out of the opera house that night and went straight to a nearby café and ordered champagne. We’ve been opera lovers ever since.

CD # 23: Not ABBA

The reason: As the Swedish outcast in a club of UK and Canada residents I figured I might aswell make my alienation a bit useful.

The mix: The compilation is called Not ABBA not because I have anything against ABBA (quite the contrary), but to emphasize that I have tried to avoid what Swedish music I think you may have already heard. That means no ABBA, nor Ace of Base, Roxette, The Hives, The Soundtrack of Our Lives, The Cardigans, Europe, Army of Lovers, Robyn or that song by Peter Bjorn & John. You may have picked up some of what's on this CD anyway (The Knife?) but hopefully most of it is new to you. And good to you!

The plays:

1.
Merit Hemmingson
Mandom mod och morske män
(Trollskog - mer svensk folkmusik på beat, 1972)

Keyboard/piano/moog/organ player and singer Merit Hemmingson made herself a name in the sixties and seventies through a couple of records of contemporary interpretations of traditional Swedish folk music (thus the undertitle of the album, "Swedish folk music on beat"). This track (the title translates to "Manhood courage and brave men", but this recording is fortunately instrumental, as the lyrics consist of patriotic rubbish) opens said album and I found it suitable for a starter her aswell.

2.
Jenny Wilson
Summer Time - the Roughest Time
(Love and Youth, 2005)

Jenny Wilson was the singer of Swedish independent band First Floor Power before she made her much appreciated solo debut with Love and Youth in 2005. Second album Hardships was just released, receiving similar praise. As often as being talked of because of her music, though, Wilson has, together with amongst others Frida Hyvönen (of track 7), become a poster girl for a sort of "old lady"-fashion, often wearing fifties dresses and huge accessories.

3.
John Holm
Sången till Larry
(Lagt kort ligger, 1974)

Seventies again, and prog rocker John Holm. Notably, the term "prog rock" doesn’t mean the same thing in Sweden as in the rest of the world. Whereas British bands like King Crimson and Yes were musically progressive, in Sweden it’s more about being politically progressive (or at least being released on an independent label) and the prog scene also nicknamed itself "the music movement". "The song for Larry", about an old friend in decay, is a typical example of the kind of social realistic lyrics the prog scene heralded.

4.
Doris
Grey Rain of Sweden
(Did You Give the World Some Love Today, Baby?, 1970)

Doris Svensson sang in several bands in the sixties, before releasning her solo debut in 1970. Doris is a fine example of an artist of that time who was not at all related to "the music movement". She only released one solo album, and was long forgotten, until the album was re-released in the nineties, when it regained a cult following. Doris herself now works as a nurse in Göteborg, the same town in which this compilation was put together.

5.
Silverbullit
Run
(Arclight, 2004)

Silverbullit, another band from Göteborg, is possibly Sweden's best live act. Singer Simon Ohlsson was once arrested after a concert because the police was convinced he was on drugs (which he wasn't). On another occasion, after jumping into the audience, guards threw him out of the venue and the band continued without him. Third album Arclight was ranked by Swedish critics as the best Swedish album in 2004, but sadly the band still hasn’t broken through to the masses. Tell your friends.

6.

Jan Johansson

Gånglek från Älvdalen
(Jazz på svenska, 1963)

Pianist Jan Johansson tragically died in a car accident at 37. Before that he composed the theme for the 1969 TV series about Pippi Longstocking, and recorded a bunch of albums called things like "Jazz in Russian" or "Jazz in Swedish", interpreting folk songs from different parts of the world. The Swedish one is probably one of the albums owned by most Swedes, and most people could tell this is a Johansson recording from hearing just a couple of seconds of it. On a side note, Johansson's two sons now play in metal bands Stratovarius and Hammerfall respectively.

7.

Frida Hyvönen

Once I Was a Serene Teenaged Child

(Until Death Comes, 2005)

Frida Hyvönen made her debut in 2005 with the album from which this song is picked. Being from Northern Sweden ("Norrland"), she is part of a scene that includes bands like Sahara Hotnights and The Wannadies, and has also worked with David Sandström (of track 15). Third album Silence Is Wild was released last year and apart from that Hyvönen has also composed and recorded music for other art forms, such as a dance performance and a photo book.

8.
The Knife

Silent Shout

(Silent Shout, 2006)

The Knife is probably the entry in this collection you are most likely to have already heard. If not the band themselves, maybe the José González cover of their song "Heartbeats", which is the one from that Sony commercial with the bouncing balls. Siblings Karin and Olof Dreijer are of the most celebrated Swedish artists of the noughties, but also the most reluctant. They never show their faces in pictures, and wear masks when playing live. Fourth album Silent Shout was inspired by graphic novel Black Hole by Charles Burns. Almost as bizarre as that is the music video for the title track, directed by Andreas Nilsson, guitar player in Silverbullit (of track 5). Look it up.

9.
bob hund

Rundgång, gräslök, fågelsång

(bob hund, 1993)

Another contender for best Swedish live band (with the singer not arrested, but diagnosed as suicidal after having jumped up and down on the stage during a concert, causing severe knee damage, which the doctor summed up as "the patient jumping five metres [sic!] up in the air, without drugs"), bob hund recently released their eighth album. They are one of my favourite bands of all times and this song (the title meaning "[Audio] feedback, chive, bird song") is one of my favourite songs of all times, adapting Swedish summer into a little over two minutes of pop music. Nuff said.

10.
Pugh

Love, Love, Love

(Ja, dä ä dä!, 1969)

Pugh Rogefeldt's debut album Ja, dä ä dä! ("Yes, it is!") is often mentioned as the first rock album in Swedish (even if this track ironically has an English title). Pugh never made another album close to being as good as this one, but new artists keep naming him as one of their great influences because of it. The drums were played by Jan Carlsson, one half of prog duo Hansson & Karlsson (who famously almost recorded an album with Jimi Hendrix), and bass player was Georg "Jojje" Wadenius, who later joined Blood Sweat & Tears. In 1998, the drum intro was sampled by DJ Shadow for "Mutual Slump".

11.
Lena Nyman
Ett bloss för moster Lillie
(Bloss, 1997)

Lena Nyman is an actress, probably best known abroad for her parts in Ingmar Bergman's Oscar winning Autumn Sonata and Vilgot Sjöman's infamous I Am Curious (Yellow). Nyman has also released a couple of records though, two of them consisting of musical interpretations of Swedish poets Karin Boye and Bodil Malmsten respectively. This track ("A puff for aunt Lillie") derives from a poem by the latter, about a deceased woman who "passed away in socks with seams / and eternal rock 'n' roll dreams".

12.
Komeda
If
(The Genius of Komeda, 1996)

Komeda took their name from Polish composer Krzysztof Komeda (whom you may remember from last year's effort Original Soundtrack) and were part of the Swedish indie scene in the nineties. However, as arty as they may be, they were also famous for having their music appear in quite a few commercials. Second album The Genius of Komeda is the Swedish equivalent of Moby's Play, in that sense.

13.
Samla mammas manna
Tärningen
(Måltid, 1973)

Samla mammas manna ("Collect mother's manna") was a band from the Swedish prog scene (see track 3) that actually played more of progressive rock in the international sense. Long, equilibristic and often instrumental songs, inspired by Frank Zappa and (as a lot of these guys, as you may note) Swedish folk music, made them one of few prog rock bands that also has a following abroad. Like, they're huge in Japan. "Tärningen" means "The dice" but I have no idea why that’s the name of the tune.

14.
Hoola Bandoola Band

Vävare-Lasse

(Garanterat individuell, 1971)

Last entry in the prog section is Hoola Bandoola Band, a seven-piece band who were among the most prominent bands within "the music movement". "Vävare-Lasse", from their first album, is a morality about free-spirit weaver (!) Lasse, who is dragged from his loom to go work for the king. Politically naive as it may be, the music rocks (I love the saxophone!).

15.
David Sandström
Rock in Motion
(The Dominant Need of the Needy Soul Is to Be Needed, 2004)

David Sandström played the drums in Refused, front band of the Swedish hardcore scene in the nineties. The same year as they disbanded (1998) he released his solo debut, but it was with his ridiculously long-titled second and third albums he really became a name in his own right. One of the most beautiful text messages I have ever received was from a friend from the same Northern city as Sandström, reading as follows: "The night train towards the north is at it's best early in the morning, when you're the only one awake, listening to David Sandström, watching pine moors, bogs and occasional villages swish past the window. That I love!"

16.
[ingenting]

Lisa sa

(Mycket väsen för ingenting, 2006)

[ingenting] translates to [nothing] and their second album from which this song is picked to "Much ado about nothing". Sharing producer with Frida Hyvönen (of track 7), a third album is on the way, possibly paving the way for actually being known as more than "that band with the square brackets in the title". The beautiful "Lisa sa" is obviously a hommage to The Velvet Underground's "Stephanie Says".

17.
Veronica Maggio

Ballad om vintern
(Vatten & bröd, 2006)

Veronica Maggio is an odd example of an artist that is played on Swedish radio all the time, but still ranks as credible by the critics. One reason are her inspiring lyrics, another that she actually is great. "Ballad om vintern" (which I think you can figure out the translation of yourselves) was the end track of her debut album and completes the mini-theme of the Swedish seasons within this collection. As Doris on track 4, Maggio uses the word "grey" to describe the Swedish winter. Fair enough, I guess.

18.
Nicolai Dunger
Black Hole Sun
(Eventide, 1997)

Productive singer-songwriter Nicolai Dunger has released 13 albums since 1996. Few of them sound alike, ranging from the strings on Eventide to country-ish Soul Rush, or, well, more traditional singer-songwriter stuff. Dunger has worked with Bonnie 'Prince' Billy, Ebbot Lundberg of The Soundtrack of Our Lives and Nina Persson of The Cardigans. In my book, his best use of outside influence is however this cover of Soundgarden's 1994 hit "Black Hole Sun". Strings by The Tämmel Quartet and vocals by Dunger, not Antony Hegarty.

19.

Tired Tape Machine

Life Is a Joke
(Hälsningar från skogen, 2009)

My CD of the Month last year was a selection of music for the motion pictures. Had beautiful Swedish documentary Hälsningar från skogen (a.k.a. Greetings from the Woods) been released a year ago, this track would have been included. "Life Is a Joke" closes the film, played over mesmerizing pictures of old people dancing in a club house in the small village where the film takes place. The soundtrack is outstanding, and all of the tracks could have made it to this collection. If you like it, good luck in trying to find it, or I could fix you up with an additional CD.

20.
Monica Zetterlund/Bill Evans
Om natten
(Waltz for Debby, 1964)

In 1963, singer and actress Monica Zetterlund recorded a Swedish version of Bill Evans' "Waltz for Debby" (called "Monicas vals"). The recording reached Evans himself, who was so enchanted by Zetterlund's interpretation he wrote her and asked if they couldn't make a record together. They could, combining jazz standards and (once again!) traditional Swedish folk songs, arranged by Evans. "Om natten" ("In the night") closes the album and is to me a perfect way of ending also this score of Swedish music. a-funk wishes you a good night.

Heavy - It's not like it sounds

It's not like it sounds.

It took me a while to find the precise tone for this one. I knew I wanted to do a compilation of heavy music but I didn't want to fall into the trap of cliché loud dinosaur rock, or just obnoxious noise (I really wanted to stay away from bands that were just trying too hard to be heavy). As another criteria, I didn't want to abandon good hooks and melody. Even if this CD is supposed to be an antidote to pop rock, I still like a tasty tune as much as the next person. As well, it might be March but we can all still use a pick me up and I didn't want it to be a drag (man). So I've avoided all the 'bummer' songs that lurk in the deep end of the heavy category. So here it is -- loud, catchy, and oh so heavy, in the nicest of ways - a CD to start the blood pumping, get your dander up, and your brain a rattlin'.

Sincerely,
DJ Cucumbah

1) Leave Home - The Chemical Brothers

Not only did they have the coolest name in so called 'electronica' but they also had some of the heaviest and funkiest sounds. From the album Exit Planet Dust (which is a great ride from beginning to end and still feels fresh), The Chemical Brothers start us off with a little musical Redbull.

2) 23 Ghosts III - Nine Inch Nails

It seems like you can't grab a quiet drink at your local titty bar without being treated to the pounding hammering brutality of Nine Inch Nails. This is off a recent project that has front man Mr. Reznor doing it all in a home studio and releasing the album himself on the Internet without a major record label. Reports are, he's enjoying the freedom. Music that just may inspire a more intellectual and thoughtful kind of pole dance (less grind, more mind).

3) Hoist That Rag - Tom Waits

Tom Waits has always has a low growl of a voice but on this one it sounds like he's gargling gravel. The awesome Cuban inspired guitar tracks by Marc Ribot are intensely beautiful, giving this heavy tune a pleasant contrasty center.

4) Romantic Rights - Death From Above 1979

The Canadian duo that, as they rocketed to stardom, suddenly broke up. Post-post punk pop. Noisy enough to be cool but enough of a song to keep it on the play list, angry but approachable enough for the masses. I haven't bothered to listen to the lyrics - I will assume there is a woman involved.

5) Violent Pornography - System of a Down

I just love this song; it's like three songs in one. It's kind of a slick, semi-psychotic public service announcement. And like an abusive relationship, the sweet melodic chorus makes you forget all about the bad times. I tried to 'get into' the bands other music but have had no luck so far.

6) Sophisticated Bitch - Public enemy

Being raised on heavy guitar rock in a distinctly non-urban setting I was hesitant when it came to my first exposure to 'rap music'. Then I got my hands on a copy of Yo! Bum Rush the Show and I was hooked - I realized that rap could be my friend.

7) Will You Smile Again For Me - ...and You Will Know Us By the Trail of Dead

I saw ...and You Will Know Us By the Trail of Dead's name on a poster and was curious. Turns out they aren't a death cult and even though they have a pretty heavy sound they usually package it up with some very catchy tunes (sometimes even a Beatles influence can be detected). I also have a love of both the bombastic and epic which they seem to share. We saw them play here in Montreal and the band appeared to be having a split personality crisis - a battle of the two front men pulling them in opposite directions.

8) Southern Pacific - Neil Young

Best train song ever? Mr. Young can be a very noisy guy when he puts his mind to it and here he shows how to drop into a groove and literally chug along the track. We saw him recently, and although I went in the spirit of, 'let's see this old rock legend so we can say we saw him', he totally blew the roof off the place.

9) Pork-U-Pine - Jeff Beck

Unlike most (all) wanky old guitar heroes Jeff Beck has continued to improvise and evolve. He has produced a couple albums over the last ten years that are pretty relevant for an old dude (he played with The Yardbirds for Christ sakes). This track really makes Clapton look like the boring fart he is.

10) Break - Saul Williams

We saw Saul Williams last year and he really puts on an angry energetic show. Full disclosure - this album was produced by Trent Reznor - you may detect strains of NIN.

11) Greyhound, Part 1 - Jon Spencer Remix (Moby)

I first heard this years ago when I was doing music supervision on a film and was looking for cool soundtrack ideas and it stuck in my head. It does have that 'Moby' sound. Although I saw him play a film party at The Sundance Film Festival's parasitic alternative The Slamdance Film Festival, before he became a mega artist and it was very fast, very punky and very loud - the vodka was free and I don't remember the rest. Jon Spencer is no slouch either but I like the bigger wall of sound of this track better than his usual sound - this is just heavier.

12) Feel Good Hit Of The Summer - Queens of the Stone Age

A friend of mine took me to see Queens of the Stone Age for my fortieth birthday. There was so much young man testosterone in the room, I went bald and damaged my hearing.

13) Jazz Is The Teacher - James 'Blood' Ulmer

In the 80' when James 'Blood' Ulmer released Black Rock he was playing jazz festivals with a stack of marshal guitar amps behind him. A lot of middle aged, soft-spoken jazz fans didn't know what the fuck was going on. Nowadays, he seems to have stopped 'experimenting' and started doing a lot of more traditional blues stuff, which is too bad because he was really a maverick for a few years there.

14) Welcome To Estonia - Tanel Padar & The Sun

When we were living in Estonia a few years ago we walked by a city park filled with college aged Estonian kids who were all bouncing and rocking to a DJ set up in a gazebo. This was the song they were grooving to - it sounded familiar but yet not. Someone has to represent northern metal on this disk - it might as well be sung in Estonian and borrow from James Brown. And if there ever was a heavy country, it's Estonia. Heavy skies, heavy stone fortresses, heavy food.

15) Stop - Al Kooper/Michael Bloomfield/Steve Stills

Maybe this isn't so 'heavy' in the traditional sense but I have always thought this was one of the best guitar solos ever. Deeply groovy maybe? Verging on heavy if you fire up a blunt beforehand.

16) The Dam - Philip Glass

This really is the 'seriously heavy shit'. Part of a piece written about the Itaipu dam project in Brazil, the title says it all. What can be heavier than a hydroelectric dam? They cause tectonic plates to sag. Glass manages to get all 'uplifty' as he goes along but it is a great mix of awe and dread. In addition, this is a mega dose of bombast - I put this on the stereo when I am feeling that life is too subtle and nuanced.

17) Miss Alissa - The Eagles of Death Metal

They've got a heavy name but The Eagles of Death Metal are all fun and games. As well, it is always sound policy to end on an upswing.