the AWESOME SOUND program - September 27, 2009...

(the AWESOME SOUND program broadcasts live on WXOU.ORG sunday nights 9:30pm - midnight.)

DOWNLOAD THIS WEEK'S EPISODE OF AWESOME SOUND - PART 1

and...

DOWNLOAD THIS WEEK'S EPISODE OF AWESOME SOUND - PART 2

You've got a secret appointment with sound...

the AWESOME SOUND program - September 20, 2009...

(the AWESOME SOUND program broadcasts live on WXOU.ORG sunday nights 9:30pm - midnight.)

DOWNLOAD THIS WEEK'S EPISODE OF AWESOME SOUND - PART 1

and...

DOWNLOAD THIS WEEK'S EPISODE OF AWESOME SOUND - PART 2

Morder dem sound down thru da ground...

vinyl show & tell vol. 11 - the WANTED "Here to Stay / In the Midnight Hour"

I went a little crazy with mid 60's garage compilations after reading the excellent history of Greg Shaw and Bomp Records, spending more than should've been alotted at the Bomp website. One fortunate purchase was a few volumes of the series Highs in the Mid Sixties, an anthology of all the best local garage/psychobilly/acid/psych/surf/punk rock bands you've never heard of. Pretty much every suburban region that was fertile with Stones and Animals rip-offs are given their own album or albums, the best being Wisconsin/Minnesota, Texas, and our fair state of Michigan. I made sure to show my mom this record when it first came in the mail, hoping she might recognize at least one band name or venue title with little sucess, leaving me saddened not only that I had missed such a great local scene but that she had as well.

The Wanted were not featured on these records but certainly would have been in good company. "Here to Stay" is a moody tune about lost teenage love and the regret this young man feels for being duped by some metro-Detroit Jezebel. I'm hard pressed to think of any other adjective than "cool" to describe the overall sound here, easily distinguishing itself from the excess of garage rock blues rave-ups a la The Yardbirds. Much more surf than soul. Hazy organ leads, melancholy vocal delivery, haunting chorus, and a perfectly placed fuzz guitar bridge add up to one helluva Detroit rock gem. On the B-side, the guys do a bang-up cover job on one of the biggest songs in the garage repetoire, "In the Midnight Hour" by Wilson Pickett. Both were originally recorded at Detroit Sound, 12730 E. Warren in Detroit, date unknown.

9 out of 10 on the "Rep Ya' City" scale...

CAN - "Mushroom"

in the zone...

Luiz Bonfa demonstrates Brazilian percussion with a guitar...

i'm tempted to say that Mr. Bonfa is my favorite guitar player, ever...

the AWESOME SOUND program - September 13, 2009...

(the AWESOME SOUND program broadcasts live on WXOU.ORG sunday nights 9:30pm - midnight.)

broadcaster's note: due to a computer recording malfunction halfway thru this week's episode, only the first hour or so of the Awesome Sound program could be salvaged. 

DOWNLOAD THIS WEEK'S EPISODE OF AWESOME SOUND (or at least what's left of it...)

Always dreaming up some new racket...

Playing with Commercial Power...

vinyl show & tell vol. 10 - the EMPERORS "Karate" (1966)

Sometimes a small stuffy room is the best way to record loud music. If you only have two/four tracks to capture the performance of a six piece band, they're gonna have to be close to one another anyway. Pack em in, flip the tape, and let em jam...No edits.

"Karate" is among the rowdiest 1960's soul that almost thinks it's funk, defying an origin of Pennslyvania with a New Orleans beat, running it down in a most respectable manner. The drums tumble back & forth on themselves while the bass just keeps thumpin, all of which is made cohesive with some Hammond organ and shout-sing. The same ingredients grace the B side ("I've Got to Have Her") with a slower pace and romantic intentions.

Mala was a short-lived branch of Bell Records whose roster included an assortment of garage rock, northern soul, and pop. After this minor 1966 hit, The Emporers signed to Brunswick to release a small string of singles that never rivaled the success of "Karate". Bell and Mala were eventually absorbed by Columbia in the late sixties and this fantastic little combo was soon forgotten.

8 out of 10 on the "Can't Stop Movin" scale...

Totally rad reissue over @ Dusty Groove dude...

8 Bit Trip

Pretty mind blowing stop motion, plus gotta love all the NES references and homages.