Luv'

Artist: Luv'

LP: With Luv'

Song: "You're the Greatest Lover"

[ listen ]

Today the sun was brightly shining, I didn't have to go to work, I rode the bike out to get coffee and donuts and, in case you haven't heard, the Seattle Seahawks are going to the Super Bowl! And I don't even CARE about football! This Luv' song somehow made the perfect soundtrack for a rare gem of a day like today. It's been stuck in my head for hours. If you listen to just one pop song at top volume while driving on the freeway in your car in 2014, I recommend this one. You will not be disappointed.

Sky King

Artist: Sky King

LP: Secret Sauce

Song: "Hot Mustard"

[ listen ]

Here's another album that landed in my cart at East Street Records this weekend. I almost passed it over since at first the cover reminded me of something by Cat Stevens. I figured I'd give it a listen anyway, since it featured a song called "Hot Mustard," which didn't remind me of anything by Cat Stevens. As it turns out, Sky King is amazing! Too amazing, unfortunately, for Columbia Records, the mainstream label that initially signed the band. According to Sky King's MySpace page here (click on "more" in the "General Info" section), Columbia couldn't stop fiddling with the Ann Arbor, Michigan group's followup to "Secret Sauce," their 1975 debut. Finally, with all songs for the new LP in the bag and the album on the eve of release, Sky King was told by Columbia bigwigs that their second album wouldn't be released after all and the band was fired—effective immediately. You can hear some of the songs that were meant for the group's second release, "Another Sun Is Rising," on their MySpace page here. It's a shame Sky King landed on a major label run by idiots instead of on a smaller label that might have understood, believed in, encouraged, and promotetd the incredible music they were making. There's a "Secret Sauce" album review and lots of great comments—including some from Sky King members Rick "RJ" Jacobi and Chris "Christy" Coan—on TC's Old & New Music Review blog here.

Richard Williams

Artist: Richard Williams

LP: Where Do I Go

Song: "Wouldn't You Really Rather Have Me?"

[ listen ]

It's official—records have taken over my apartment. In order to keep from appearing on national television in one of those shows where my friends show up with good intentions, a crew of cleaners and a big dump-truck in order to indiscriminately empty out my place, I've decided to take action on my own. Over the past week or so, I went through my entire soul-funk-R&B section and pulled out about 130 records to get rid of so I can make room for more interesting stuff. Another benefit of doing this sort of 'spring cleaning' is that I find lots of neat things that I'd forgotten about—like this (early '70s?) Richard Williams LP. If you'd like to get a copy for your collection, you can buy one here or here. The liner notes are included below, wherein Johnny Magnus of KMPC in Hollywood predicts that Richard Williams is on his way to the very top. Sadly, it seems he never got there, since I don't even find him listed on Wikipedia. Oh, and in case anyone's wondering, the DJ is not for sale.

 

 

 

Pedrito Altieri y su Banda de Acero

Artist: Pedrito Altieri y su Banda de Acero

LP: Pedro Altieri and His Steel Band

Song: "Irene and Judy"
[ listen ]
Song: "Colonel Boogey"
[ listen ]

I always find it sexy and excitingly international when a record features an airplane on the cover—especially when there's a cluster of handsome Caribbean men standing on the tarmac in the foreground. And after listening, I have to agree that this is one of the best steel bands in the Virgin Islands. The LP has liner notes in both Spanish and English, so I've included both sets here:

Pedrito Altieri se identifica como compositor, artista y director
de Banda de Acero, siendo a la vez el primer puertorriqueño en
tener y dirigir su propia banda de esta clase.

Es increíble como Pedrito y los miembros de su banda obtienen
notas y ritmos de esos drones de acero que ellos mismos preparan.

Este disco contiene música variada oriunda de las Islas Vírgenes,
Trinidad, Puerto Rico, Santos Domingo, etc., tales como Calypsos,
Merengues, Boleros y Guarachas, de los cuales Pedrito y sus
muchachos hacen verdaderos éxitos.

Esta banda y ha recorrido las Islas que rodeo el Mar Carribe, Estados
Unidos y Canadá habiendo sido muy aplaudida en todas partes.

Con esta grabación tanto Pedrito como los componentes de su
banda se consagran como los máximos ejecutantes de esta clase
de instrumentos y los más fieles intérpretes de la música de
las Antillas Menores.

* * * * * * *

Pedrito Altieri's Steelband of St. Croix, Virgin Islands is an
outstanding favorite of listeners and dancers throughout the
Caribbean and the United States. This band has toured the
islands that surround the Caribbean Sea, the United States
and Canada and have won many acclaim at all appearances.

Pedrito is composer, artist and director of this great band.
He is also the first Puerto Rican to own and direct
a band of this class.

All the other members of the band are natives of St. Croix, V.I.

This record consist of a variety of music from the Virgin
Islands, Trinidad, Puerto Rico and Santa Domingo.

Such numbers as Calypso, Merengues, Boleros and Guaracha,
which Pedrito and his boys play with perfection and
rhythm as never heard before.

On this recording the band is giving its best performance so
that you will agree after listening, that it is one of the
best Steelband in the Virgin Islands.