Friday, March 29, 2013

Chuck Brooks : Behind Closed Doors

The name Chuck Brooks first showed up as composer for The Bar-Kays songs in the early 70s and First Choice material, later he worked with Joe Wilson, Ann Peebles, Little Milton, but never really got in the spotlight himself. One of his own rare songs, Behind Closed Doors, became quite popular in the northern funk soul revival with compilations like Superfly Soul in 2003.
 

Betty Wright : Clean Up Women

Bessie Regina Norris, better known by her stage name, Betty Wright (born 1953), is a Miami-based soul singer-songwriter, who won fame in the 1970s with hits such as "Clean Up Woman" and "Tonight Is the Night". A pioneering singer-songwriter and entrepreneur, she remains one of the few black female musicians to have a gold record on her own vanity label. She is adept at using the whistle register.

 

Barbara King : What I Did In The Street

Released in 1978 on Alwa, re-issued on Fryers and Jazzman who are used to dealing with tracks that fall under the radar for all kinds of reasons, but this legendary Sister Funk cut out of sunny Florida is almost unique in that it missed its chance to shine twice. Originally recorded as a hard-nosed James Brown inspired funk number, then again years later as a more open disco-soul inspired dance floor cut that fits in with the current trend of the new funky Northern sound. To say the 45 of the original version is rare is putting it mildly, you have more chance of finding a hen’s tooth in rocking horse shit on the 29th of February. The ONE time it’s ever appeared on eBay (badly listed) was around 2005, it finally sold to a very quiet stealthy London collector who will remain unnamed. The later version has popped up a few times however, yet routinely commands a $500 price tag. So I think you can safely say there is at least $2500 worth of o.g action on this killer double sider 45.

 

Monday, March 4, 2013

Electric Guest : This Head I Hold

Electric Guest is a Los Angeles-based band formed in 2005. The group comprises Asa Taccone and Matthew "Cornbread" Compton. On April 24, 2012, the band released their debut album, Mondo. Electric Guest has received a great number of accolades in their young career. They garnered attention in late 2011 and early 2012, earning them a month's long residency at the Echo in Silverlake, California. They performed their single “This Head I Hold” on an April 2012 taping of the Late Show with David Letterman and have made major international festival appearances. Their album Mondo hit the Billboard charts upon its release, reaching No. 11 on the Heatseekers Albums chart and No. 49 on the Independent Albums chart. Their lead single, "This Head I Hold", reached No. 30 on the Billboard Alternative Songs chart. Brian Burton (a.k.a. Danger Mouse) produced Electric Guest's debut album Mondo after a year of exchanging advice and music with Asa Taccone, who happened to be a friends' younger brother. Taccone then moved to Los Angeles by taking the room Burton was moving out of. Their relationship continued, and ultimately blossomed into their collaboration on Mondo.