Give the Drummer Some's
Favorite Downloads from the MP3 Blogosphere
Surely it's some anal completest thing, but I've always favored albums over singles. I've got nothing against the little records with the big holes, but the physical object of the LP—with copious liner notes, larger cover art, and, of course, extra tracks—has always held the greater appeal for me. (Readers of a certain generation will remember the exquisite utility of gatefold covers for removing stems and seeds.) But in the digital dollar bins of music-sharing blogs where it's all just zeros and ones anyway, what's the big diff? In my case at least, it seems old music hoarding habits are hard to break.
Since its inception, Mining the Audio Motherlode has reflected this preference by focusing almost exclusively on blogs spinning at 33⅓ rpm. But over the weeks and months it's been bugging me that a veritable tsunami of superlative singles has received short shrift in these pages. In this week's post and in sporadic future installments your faithful Miner intends to address the disparity by training the old illuminated helmet on some tasty helpings of smaller platters. To wit...
Seven inches to heaven...
Denver Duke & Jeffrey Null ~ "When We Meet Up Yonder" / "Lonesome for Mother"
(Blogs: Hillbilly-Researcher)
A Lovely Couple...of Cowboys
Info is sketchy on this duo of Tennessee-born warblers that came to minor prominence through their recording of a number of mid-'50s Hank Williams tribute songs. Duke, who early on was billed as the "The man with a woman's voice, has apparently been performing for quite some time using the stage moniker Johnny Eagle Feather.
Pure Heart Travelers ~ "Call the Angels" (sic)
(Blog: Bap-Tizum)
Satan: "Look Man, Why Don't You Be Cool?
OK, this is a full LP and not single, but only two killer tracks, "Chilly Wind" and "Satin Is Riding" are provided at Ben Hall's breathtaking gospel blog Bap-Tizum. And yes, there's gotta be a special green room in hell for gospel groups that misspell "Satan" on the record jacket.
Vyckoss Ekondo ~ "Dibenga" / "Mbea"
(Blog: Sea Never Dry)
The Gift of Gabon
"Vyckoss Ekondo grew up in Libreville and started his musical career at the Lycee Leon M'ba (M'ba was Gabon's first president; the second and current president is Omar Bongo, the world's longest serving ruler, excluding monarchies). After further studies in Canada, Vyckoss returned to Gabon and became a well-known television presenter, hosting the popular 'Sunday Idol' show, a launching pad for many young bands. He also composed soundtracks and in the 1980s started a musical troupe, combining traditional dance and initiation rhythms." (Commentary by Pieter, at Sea Never Dry)
De Kalafe e A Turma~ "Guerra" / "Mundo Quadrado"
(Blog: Trackfinder Brazil)
Such Watch!
"De Kalafe ou Denisse De Kalafe as she is known now in Latin America, was born in Ponta Grossa, Paraná State (Brazil). She started her career on the second half of the 1960s, with the group the Turma. They released a single, now rare, with the Brazilian psychedelic rock songs "Guerra" and "Mundo Quadrado," both composed by Arnaldo Saccomani, who later became a respected producer in Brazil. "Guerra" was a local hit in São Paulo. After the second single, which contained the cover "Bang Bang" from Sony and Cher, the band quit. De Kalafe never liked wearing shoes and used to perform bare footed, which didn’t please the audience those times. She was also known by her independent spirit and activism. Her songs were hippie style and anti-militarist right during the Vietnam War. After not being classified for a Song Festival by the end of the 1960’s, she moved to Guadalajara, Mexico, and there she became known as Denisse De Kalafe, and she is now among the superstars in Latin America, while in Brazil she is completely unknown." (Commentary by Trackfinder Brazil)
Sammy Harris ~ "King Zulu" / "Fatso"
(Blog: Wired for Sound)
One of the Great Duet Recordings of any Genre, Ever
"It probably didn't help matters that Harris only made this one record, but if you're going to make just one, you should make it count. "King Zulu" and "Fatso" are pure fun. There is a strong Louis Jordan and Amos Milburn influence working here. (Who cares if the brass are a little out of tune?) It was recorded at ACA [Audio Corporation of America in Houston] in 1950 and probably released around September of that year. The record itself is a high quality flexible vinyl pressing by Gold Star/Research Craft." (Commentary by Wired by Sound)
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Okay, spill: what's the trick with the double lp sleeve?
Posted by: FBI_AGENT | June 08, 2011 at 05:35 PM
@FBI-AGENT
Read the fifth paragraph here
Posted by: Doug Schulkind | June 08, 2011 at 06:17 PM
Only here would one find a Bobb Trimble pun. :-)
Posted by: Holly | June 27, 2011 at 08:04 PM