Nick Danger wrote:I became the recipient this month to a mix meant for someone else but I have really enjoyed it and I wouldn't have known it wasn't done for me. Some of the songs on the sendspace download were labeled so some of the mystery was taken away but it doesn't really make that big a difference. Label or not most of this was new to me and I wouldn't have guessed it. I liked almost all of it and there were some real standouts.
Hi again, Nick. Really glad you liked a lot of these tunes even the mix wasn't initially made for you!
(1) Done by a group called the Tube Tops this was an enjoyable slice of indie pop/rock that went down easy but wasn't really a mix standout. I like it but not as much as most of the rest.
Tube Top was a couple of the less famous guys from the Posies with a couple other not famous guys. I like their one-off album a whole heap, good late-90s indie pop.(2) The Ikettes with a great little R & B number. I have heard cuts by them before but not this one. I know they were Ike Turner's girl singers and were pretty much screwed over and underused by him. I like this a lot. I will have to investigate what albums of theirs are available.
It's a cracking track, isn't it, from a comp. of U/A (United Artists) 60s and 70s tracks. The mix of righteous soul and funky groove is spot on, I think.(3) A cover of the Temptations The Way You Do The Things You Do. Done well with a lot of feeling and energy and almost as good as the original. Good selection.
A bit of an obscure group and cut - The Underdogs were a white garage rock-type group from Detroit, and were signed to Motown, but never really got going apart from a couple of lost songs like this one, which is from a Motown obscurities comp. set. I love the mix of styles here.(4) The group sounds familiar but I can't place them or even the era. Layered production with effects, a good track that runs maybe a little long but enjoyable nonetheless. Not my ususal sort of thing but I liked it more with each play.
An Aussie group here (I'm a Melbourne boy myself, in case you didn't know), called 78 Saab, doing one of their first singles. Saw them live many times, a personal fave group who could write some great hooky tunes. Their production was never hard enough for me on record, but love the guitar tone here.(5) This is great, the Chambers Brothers with All Strung Out. Great song, I liked this a lot. I don't remember ever hearing it before but I've only had one CB album in my life. Another great selection.
Wonderful, ain't it. (6) This is right up my all-girl pop punk alley. A real highlight of the mix, I love this sort of thing. I am really curious about the reveal on this and will probably buy whatever album this is from.
Another Aussie group, Bloods, with their recent single. I love a good girl punk sound, hooky and hard, though the drummer here is a guy.(7) Familiar sounding, 80's new wavish, I don't like this as well but part of that is that it follows two outstanding cuts. Not bad but not my kind of thing.
If you can believe it this is Ed Kuepper of The Saints fame, showing a more new wavey/poppy indie side of his musical make-up. I love the flute, and the lyrics always make me smile.(8) Good funk tune, from a group I never heard of but it is a good song. It's amazing the funk jewels you can find from these obscure groups. I'm a funk fan and am always looking for stuff like this. Good one.
Oh yeah, I'm always hunting out Funk comps. for gems just like this one by The Love Experience, a little known SF outfit. Full of fire and energy.(9) Labeled as Be Bop Deluxe, I have heard these guys before but not this tune. Kind of British art rock, done well, but not a favorite. Maybe it's my American ears. Again, not bad at all but I probably wouldn't listen to an album of this.
Yep, arty/glammy/slightly progressive early 70s British rock. This is from the BBD first LP.(10) Labeled as the Whatt Four it sounds like 60's era psych rock which is not a bad thing to me. I really like this sort of thing. Well executed. They probably don't have any full albums but if they do I might have to look for it. Thanks for including this.
Not sure if they ever made a full album, this cut is from the LA edition of the Nuggets series, one of my faves from that set. That fuzz guitar is catnip for me, and the balance of pop and tough elements on this one is right up my alley.(11) Proggy instrumentation of a recent vintage I would guess. I don't listen to a lot of synth but this isn't bad. Don't know if I could do an album but this proved itself to be a grower on repeated listens.
One of the best known Aussie groups of the 80s, The Church, with one of their biggest singles from the 'Starfish' LP. Marty Willson-Piper is a guitar god in my eyes, and the whole group were terrific. (12) Another modern sounding song, more pop/rock than anything else. I also liked this one the more I heard it. I think it's the modern layered production that I don't listen to a lot that throws me more than the players or the song.
This is Cardinal, the group made up by Richard Davies and Eric Matthews, most famous for their self-titled record from '94. They got together again to release their 'Hymns' LP recently, and this track is from that album, good stuff.(13) This was labeled the Forresters who also sound like a pretty recent vintage. A good song, I like the horn accents and the general production on this. This one and the previous track (Love Like Rain?) are two I might investigate further.
The Forresters is a little known recent Aussie group, who released an album of fine country-tinged rock a couple of years ago but made few waves even Down Under. Goes down very smooth and love the feel and guitars.(14) Townes Van Zandt "Standin'." I've just gotten into TVZ the last couple of years and I keep coming across great tunes like this. His best stuff is really good but I didn't really connect with him until relatively recently. I've mostly been listening to his boots so this is a bigger band than what I've heard. Good one.
One of fave TVZ cuts.(15) This is one of the few I would have guessed, labeled or not. That distinctive voice can only be Bobby Gentry. The first few listens this sounded really close to her big hit but I came to see the individual charm of this song. It might be time to check out some of her albums.
This is a classic, I think, in every way. I'm not a fan of all Bobbie's stuff, but there is something magical in this tune that transcends time and fashion, a true gem.Thanks mixer for an enjoyable listen. I will be looking forward to the reveal and I'm sure that, once again, I will be giving Amazon some more of my money. Good job.
Cheers! Don't hesitate to drop a line if you want a follow up to something.
1. Tube Top - What You See
2. The Ikettes - I'm Just Not Ready For Love
3. The Underdogs - The Way You Do The Things You Do
4. 78 Saab - Sunshine
5. The Chambers Brothers - All Strung Out Over You
6. Bloods - Into My Arms
7. Ed Kuepper - Real Wild Life
8. The Love Experience - Are You Together For The New Day
9. Be-Bop Deluxe - Rocket Cathedrals
10. The Whatt Four - You're Wishing I Was Someone Else
11. The Church - Reptile
12. Cardinal - Love Like Rain
13. The Forresters - Outtamyhead
14. Townes Van Zandt - Standin'
15. Bobbie Gentry - Fancy