Caetano Veloso
Caetano Veloso

Second volume of Jamaican doo wop & R&B records taken from the late 50s and early 60s. These records represent a period in which soundsystems were just starting to dominate the island, with Duke Reid and Sir Coxsone stepping up their rivalry by beginning to make and release their own records rather than rely on US imports for use in their dances. Many of these records are definitely more-or-less imitations of the American records, as the uniquely Jamaican ska sound was yet to take hold - however many of the future stars of ska, rocksteady and reggae were beginning to cut their teeth in the industry on these records, incl. Prince Buster, Derrick Harriott and more, and provide a unique view into the fledgling independent record industry culture in Jamaica that would prove to be unbelievably prolific and unparalleled for an island of it's size.

Le troisième album de Beak>, puissant et agressif sans renier le côté krautrock des premiers albums. L'album >>> est sorti le 21 septembre sur Invada Records/Temporary Residence. Écrit en 2018 et, pour la plupart, écrit et enregistré en direct dans les studios Invada, le groupe continue à forger son propre chemin à travers son propre genre d'étrangeté.2022 Re-press on transparent blue marble vinyl, includes digital download card.

Nico Gomez, a Belgian orchestra leader of Dutch roots, has long been a favourite with Latin fans, record diggers, DJs, and collectors alike. His blend of bossanova, latin jazz, and easy listening always turns up a few choice nuggets and surprises; what is perhaps most remarkable is that it was recorded in Europe.Back in 2013, Mr Bongo re-issued Nico Gomez's sought-after 'Ritual' album from 1971, and now we follow it up with another jewel from his catalogue his 1972 album 'Soul Of Samba'. For this re-issue, we have opted to present it with the cover art originally used on the Trio Records version released in Japan. In the Netherlands and Belgium, the album was released with different cover art under the title 'Bossa Nova’, on Omega International and International Bestseller Company records, respectively. We loved the beautiful psychedelic design of the Japanese version and wanted to use it for this re-issue.'Soul Of Samba' features several euro-bossa-jazz favourites such as the catchy 'Rio'; which was a firm DJ choice cut at jazz dance nights, including Brighton's 'Jazz Rooms' in the 90s. It also featured in Rainer Trüby's classic ‘Glücklich' compilation series which explored European-Brazilian-inspired music. The beguiling ‘Aquarela', with its engaging latin shuffle, entices feet to the dancefloor and is not one to miss. 'Agua’ has a lazy-quirky latin-funk feel with breathy-stoned vocals floating in the background. The album additionally features numerous breezy latin, Brazilian, and easy listening joints, some of which are ripe for sampling.

When asked about the inspiration for their new album, recorded in the hills of Topanga Canyon, the members of Denver-based Dragondeer, all describe a similarly surreal scene. Each mined solace from the bucolic, unfamiliar surroundings, which, according to bassist Casey Sidwell was, “somehow soothing and creepy all at once.” From the opening soul-dirge title track of If You Got the Blues, the debut full length album from Dragondeer, the effect of the atmosphere is prominent. This spacious, blues epic comes out of the gate with a whisper that has as much place on the Sandlot soundtrack as it does in an LA afterhours bar. “It's a love song,” says frontman Eric Halborg of the title track, “a song that I felt gut punched in such a good way each time we played it back during the sessions.” It has all the familiarity of a love song but is delivered with an earnestness and honesty that makes it, by virtue, singular. Blasting into the aptly titled “Amarillo Bump,” which starts like CCR’s “Run Through the Jungle”, the album begins to flex the diversity that it displays throughout its course. The integrity of the musicians, with a total lack of cynicism, makes the music heart wrenching and entirely believable. The confident restraint of the rhythm section, featuring Sidwell and Carl Sorensen (drums), slinks through the album with the virtuosity of old hands and remains committed to authentically interpreting the music that this album draws its inspiration from. String savant, Cole Rudy, provides the texture this record hangs its sonic hat on. Switching gears between sinister, ethereal, funky, and down home, evident in his work on songs like “Won’t Back Down” and “Same Train”. Out front, the chronically smooth voice of Eric Halborg ties the album together with occasional help from his blistering blues harp. The anthemic “Broadway Avenue” showcases his penchant for melding a beach attitude with the griminess of the blues. Listened to as a whole, the album plays like a blend of stoner ethos, Dr. Hook-esque country-funk, and psychonaut blues. So it stands to reason that the band would find the far-flung isolation of west LA County an appropriate muse. “I slept and woke up outdoors every morning to perfect weather overlooking the canyon,” recalls Rudy. “I would take runs above the house through the low clouds on the trails and it seemed like I was on another planet.” Perhaps the biggest influence on the album, however, was esteemed producer, Mark Howard, whose resume reads like a record nerd’s inventory list. Bob Dylan, Tom Waits, REM, Neil Young, Lucinda Williams are just a few among a bevy of legendary recording artists he has called clients. Halborg notes, succinctly, “Mark Howard is a master who has worked with masters.” His mastery is on obvious display across “If You’ve Got the Blues,” with a deft use of space, and a supreme talent for finding the performance. American music, with the blues in particular, has been interpreted, replicated, and regurgitated in almost every conceivable fashion, which makes it all the more compelling when a new unique incarnation comes along. Culled from the vestiges of some of the most important bands Colorado has ever produced, Dragondeer has conjured a singular and neoteric sound that both nods to the past and eschews fears of modern influence. They draw from all corners of the American sound including the vicious edges of Elmore James, the hypnotic repetition of Junior Kimbrough, the wailing harmonica of Sonny Boy Williamson, and the smooth psychedelia of Taj Mahal. Paired with pieces of Sly Stone, Captain Beefheart, the longform leanings of the hippie revolution a la The Grateful Dead, and the agony of American soul music, these influences have helped Dragondeer carve a niche at a crossroads of music that has remained largely unexplored. “If You’ve Got the Blues” is a testament to Dragondeer’s songwriting, musicianship, and purity. It’s also a personal manifesto for the band, whose belief in a shared human experience and desire to connect with everyone, gives the record an empathetic slant that’s almost entirely un-echoed in this self-serving, narcissistic modern landscape. “It's about sticking by your loved ones and being there for 'em when they need it; rising up your tribe,” says Halborg. “We try to do that for each other and those around us so it felt right to name the record in honor of that notion.” Every bit as compelling as it is contemplative, and frenetic as it is mollifying, this is a band, and an album, that explores the American experience with eyes to both ends of the spectrum of the human heart.