Thursday, August 27, 2009

All the Bad Cats in the Bad Hats: The Sounds of Blaxploitation


I can’t say that I’m a huge fan of 70s blaxploitation films, but I’ve been a fan of the music from those movies ever since I heard the soundtrack to Superfly (still my favorite soundtrack album, fwiw). So here’s 17 cuts from different blaxploitation films – admittedly, some of the movies aren't quite blaxploitation flicks, at least in the narrowest sense of the genre, but all of the songs are from movie soundtracks. (Btw, the comments section for each mp3 notes the movie the song came from.)


Down And Out In New York City James Brown
Make A Resolution The Impressions
Getting It On Leroy Hutson
Love Doctor Millie Jackson
Blowin' Your Mind Smith & Co.
Harlem By Day (Instr.) Galt MacDermot
Coffy Is the Color Roy Ayers
Sweetback's Theme Earth Wind & Fire
T Plays It Cool Marvin Gaye
Give Me Your Love (Love Song) Curtis Mayfield
They Call Me Mister Tibbs Quincy Jones
What The World Knows [Vocal by The Hues Corporation) Gene Page
One Gun Salute Donald Byrd
Are You Man Enough? The Four Tops
I Choose You Willie Hutch
Blue Crib Isaac Hayes
Across 110th Street Bobby Womack & Peace

Thursday, August 20, 2009

America is Waiting for Byrne and Eno


Okay, I know David Byrne toured this summer performing "the songs of David Byrne and Brian Eno". But I promise - scout's honor(*) - that I actually came up with the idea of putting together a mixtape featuring stuff from Eno's three albums with the Talking Heads, their collaboration album, Byrne's Catherine Wheel, and Eno's mid 70s solo stuff even before Everything That Happens Will Happen Today came out last year. I just didn't get around to actually making the comps til recently. So, believe me or not, here are a couple of Byrne and Eno mixtapes.


Disc One

America Is Waiting Brian Eno & David Byrne
Air Talking Heads
Heaven Talking Heads
Eggs In A Briar Patch David Byrne
Mea Culpa Brian Eno & David Byrne
Double Groove (Unfinished Outtake) Talking Heads
Strange Overtones David Byrne & Brian Eno
Two Soldiers David Byrne
Through Hollow Lands Brian Eno
Two Against Three Brian Eno & David Byrne
Defiant Brian Eno & David Byrne
The Good Thing Talking Heads
I Feel My Stuff David Byrne & Brian Eno
Adé David Byrne
Listening Wind Talking Heads


Disc Two

I Zimbra Talking Heads
His Wife Refused David Byrne
Pitch To Voltage Brian Eno & David Byrne
Mountain Of Needles Brian Eno & David Byrne
The Big Ship Brian Eno
My Big Nurse David Byrne & Brian Eno
I'm Not In Love Talking Heads
Number 8 Mix Brian Eno & David Byrne
Combat David Byrne
Right Start (Unfinished Outtake) Talking Heads
Light Bath David Byrne
Moonlight In Glory Brian Eno & David Byrne
Stay Hungry Talking Heads
Words With The Shaman Brian Eno & David Byrne
The River David Byrne & Brian Eno

Thursday, August 13, 2009

Blame It On The Bossa Nova


In the movie “Next Stop Wonderland” (which has a great soundtrack, btw), a Brazilian man tells the main character (played by Hope Davis) that there is “a little of Brazil in you” – “See, you are sad and happy. You don't smile but you are content. You are sad and happy at the same time. In Brazil we have a term for that - it's 'Saudade'. It's like ... melancholic, nostalgic; it's very Bossanova.” I always kinda liked that idea, even if I have no clue whether it’s accurate (and I really don’t want to find out. :) Anyway, just in time to enjoy one last summer caipirinha (or two or three), here’s a compilation of Brazilian music.


O Telefone Tocou Novamente Jorge Ben
Use Your Head Money Mark
The Carimbæo Nação Zumbi
Pais Tropical Gal Costa
Que Negra e Essa Trio Mocoto
Numbers Smoke City
Mama Africa Chico Cesar
O Pato (The Duck) Coleman Hawkins
Once I Loved Shirley Horn
Baião Atemporal Gilberto Gil & Caetano Veloso
Sunshine Barato The Mosquitos
This Is Not A Tango The Juju Orchestra
Caçada Chico Buarque
Samba Sem Nenhum Problema Marcio Local
Una Mujer Seu Jorge
Bicho Do Mato Walter Wanderly
Claustrofobia Martinho Da Silva
Água De Beber Antônio Carlos Jobim

Thursday, August 6, 2009

Me and Maria McKee


Ah, remember the 1980s when people thought rootsy bands could take over the world. Well, at least sell a bunch of records. I still remember how much hype Lone Justice got, in part because of their great live shows. Their two albums didn't quite live up to the hype, though (imho) Maria McKee's first two solo albums certainly did. They still didn't sell too many copies, but at least the Dixie Chicks made her some money by covering "Am I The Only One". So here's a comp of McKee's early solo work and her days with Lone Justice. (And yes, I know the title of the comp is kinda lame, but oh well. :)


East of Eden
Drugstore Cowboy
Show Me Heaven
Precious Time
I've Forgotten What it Was in You (That Put The Need in Me)
Sweet, Sweet Baby (I'm Falling)
This World Is Not My Home
Can't Pull the Wool Down Over the Little Lamb's Eyes
Soap, Soup, and Salvation
Why Wasn't I More Grateful (When Life Was Sweet)
Panic Beach
Only Once
After The Flood
I Found Love
My Girlhood Among the Outlaws
Rattlesnake Mama
You Are the Light
To Miss Someone
Am I the Only One (Who's Ever Felt This Way?)
Shelter
Has He Got a Friend For Me?