Recommendations - SEPTEMBER 2009

TANIA MARIA

Recently I found myself in an empty bar having a drink. I quite enjoyed it. The bloke behind the bar was doing a lot of cleaning and was playing a mix CD thing, possibly the bar’s ipod. Anyway, Come With Me Now by Tania Maria started playing and I realised I’d not heard it for about 20 years. I bought the LP the next time I saw it. The I noticed that Tani is doing her rabbit impression on the front cover.

SEX WORLD

Not sure if this is an old bootleg, a made up record, or real record or what. It’s interesting though, mainly because of the curious electronics on it. The main theme has quite clearly been lifted from an old VHS copy of the film, which gives it this ghostly, worn out kind of funky sound which seems quite appropriate. Actually, I think it’s a bootleg. Of course it is.

ELLA FITZGERALD SINGING MATCHMAKER MATCHMAKER

Could she be singing about the famous chocolate sticks which come in mint, orange or just plain. I doubt it somehow. That aside, this is a wondrous gently singing thing that sort of gets me feeling a bit soppy. And it’s from a funny Ella Fitzgerald record I bought from a nice bloke in Bristol, in an old market. I bought a magic roundabout jigsaw at the same time. Well about ten minutes later. Also worth noting is the poor photo of Ella, where she does look a touch draggy, Which reminds me

THIS I MARC FUNNY RECORD

Yes, dating from about 1980 but with a distinctly earlier sound. I like this because the music is all simple and subtle and quiet. It’s also quite slow which seems to suit my brain pattern at the moment. Nice public sculpture on the front too.

TROUBLEMAN

Bought a British Tamla original pressing of this on line for £4.50, which I thought was a real bargain, I know it doesn’t have the flappy bit that comes with the American copy, but it sounds incredible. And it is incredible. The bloke I bought it from said it had water damage. I think he was an idiot, because there isn’t any.

A BOLLYWOOD SPORTS ALBUM

Recently I have put together a Bollywood compilation for Demon. I did it with my mate Joel. As a result I have ended up listening to these kinds of records a bit, and wish to write about this most unusual slice of Anglo Indian madness. It’s a Bollywood film set in London. And it’s all about cricket. As a result I have come up with this all new musical equation: Bollywood + Bob Willis = Reggae.

THIS ALBUM WITH NUMBERS ON

It’s called Four Notes In Search Of A Tune and I’m still in search of a tune on the record. I think this is some sort of science based musical lark, but I really don’t know. Lovely cover though. And quite good unexpected things going on some of the time.

GIRL ON THE BEACH

A few weeks ago I was lucky enough to get James Clarke onto my radio show. He’s a most entertaining character. And this is an exceptional record he made back in the late 60s for KPM, that came out as a normal commercial album. It is very beautiful in many ways and it’s a shame we can’t see just how lovely the girl on the front cover is. Maybe she’s a bit of a moose close up.

THE COLONEL ELLIOT RECORD

Over the weekend of July 20th lots of people got excited about the moon landing anniversary. Forty years and that. I got really excited and was lucky enough to play at a silent space disco where everyone wears headphones and dances in silence. I had to get out all my space records, and this is one of them.

DISCO GOLD

Over the last few weeks I have read Love Will Save The Day, that book all about the birth of disco. The I realised I had one of the records mentioned, this superbly mixed DJ album. Tom Moulton was the man behind it, and it seems like he was the monster at extending records into long 12” extravaganzas. It’s a great record and has a killer tune on it by Curtis Mayfield but I cant remember the name of it. What I really like about this record is it look very bad, but is actually very good. It also has a list inside it of all the famous DJs and nightclubs it was sent to at the time, which is quite interesting.

AMERICA GIOVANI

There are two of these America Giovanni records, and I only have one of them, and it’s number 2. It’s a library album where the Italians are trying to pretend they are cool American musicians, which is a bit daft really considering they are pretty good when they are pretending to be themselves.

OPERATION SAN PIETRO

A few years a go I found a bizarre Italian Ice Cream compilation with a couple of track from this soundtrack on it. I have now bought the actual soundtrack and the best bit is the novelty sleeve which has little peep holes in it so you can see all the Swingle Singers and put a names and faces to all the la la las. Nice to see Michel Legrand’s sister getting in on the act too.

THIS TERRIBLE JIMMY SAVILLE RECORD

Now then now then, this is rubbish. But I still keep listening, And still keep playing it to my three year old and anyone else who comes around. One for the great celebrity record dustbin in my house.

ANNETTE'S PAJAMA PARTY

There's something quite reliable about an Annete soundtrack, Whether she’s having a party in bed or on the beach, they are all relentlessly happy, upbeat and teeny bit manic. I find this a wonderful record to hoover to, and the noise of the hoover actually seems to improve the sound.

THUNDERBALL

A few weeks ago a mint stereo copy of this album sold for close to £200. Apparently the early stereo Bond albums are very desirable and I suppose stereo was rare in the very early 60s. Anyway, I started listening to it again and noticed 1) the sexy swimming costume on the front and 2) how superb it is as an album in many ways. I have listened again and again in fact.