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Diggin in the Digital crates: Cinemascope edition · by Sach O
High/Def.
Yessir, I’m back with a New Edition like the New Jack Swing revival. This time, the spotlight goes on two underrated albums from the grand masters of 70’s soul, both which were recently sampled on Jay-Z’s “American Gangster” album. On the lighter side of things, we’ve got two compilations from bubblegum groups favored by Quentin Tarentino and we cap it all off with an absolutely essential Reggae album.
Kick your shoes off and get your groove on.
There’s not much I can write about Marvin Gaye that hasn’t already said: a visionary musician, an incredibly gifted singer and a brilliant songwriter, Marvin revolutionized music so much in his lifetime that it’s almost become cliché. While most historians hold up his socially-conscious “What’s Going on” as his masterpiece and point to his earlier Motown work as the peak of his songwriting, I’ve always been a fan of his later material for its intimate and personal qualities. “I want You”, his first album after a mid 70’s hiatus and his first calculated foray into a disco-inflected sound is one of those records that’s been thoroughly digested into popular culture via sampling (most recently for Jay’s American Dreamin’), use in film (Jim Jarmusch knows what’s up) and its general inspiration to future generations (R Kelly’s gonzo sexuality wouldn’t exist without Marvin’s smoothness). An undisputed bedroom classic.
This is a 2CD version (shoutout to Drizzle for the link) including the remastered original album and a set of interesting alternate takes. Downloaders be warned: this is a big file.
Continuing my series of “American Gangster” related sample sources, this underrated Curtis Mayfield album was the soundtrack to a prison movie about a child molester (ayo!) on the way out and the inner conflict of his confidant torn between snitching on him and letting him scar young girls. Doesn’t sound like a feel good flick and it tanked at the box office taking the accompanying Mayfield piece down with it. Since then, it’s been mined ad nauseum by various beatdiggers leading up to Just Blaze’s bombastic album-closer for Jay’s project. While none of the tracks have the immediate catchiness displayed on Superfly, it compensates by use of richer orchestration and more complex disco influenced rhythms. A Definite must-have for any fan of 70’s soul if only to hear Curtis singer “motherfucker” on the opening track.
Oh, and cop it here, the other blog links google turned up were bad vinyl rips with mad skipping: this is the real deal CDQ.
The Sweet – The Sweet (plus Fox on the Run single)
While black America was combining freakiness and social commentary into a soulful blend, the Brits were…umm…putting on eyeliner and dressing up like effeminate Sci-fi villains. But for all its theatricality and unavoidable cheesiness, Glitter rock did make for some good songs on occasion not unlike today’s XXXXL tee wearing, white glasses rocking, youtube video making dance-rappers. Of course, like said dance rappers, the genre requires a certain devotion to the sound of the era (big guitars rather than 808’s in this case) and you can live a full meaningful life without ever giving a listen. On the other hand, if you DO decide to get drunk and party like an extra in Wayne’s World, start with the Sweet: combining the absolute dumbest pop hits ever written (Little Willy, Wig Wam Bam) and some genuinely hard rocking numbers (Man from Mecca, New York Connection), the London bubblegummers epitomize the pop/hardcore duality early 70’s pre-punk rock.
Honey Cone – A selection of Soulful Wax
Besides, let’s be fair, there was as much prefab music going on in America as there was out in Britain. Just look at Honey Cone, a Holland-Dozier-Holland produced girl group that while blessed with dope singing voices, didn’t exactly put out the most profound material. Tracks like “V.I.P”, “Want Ads”, “Stick Up” and “One Monkey don’t stop no show” are simple metaphors for love comparing the universal human dilemma with the subject matter in the song title, usually in the form of a big sing-along hook. For all of their simplicity however, Honey Cone’s voice serves as the perfect high-powered complement to HDH’s then rock-influenced soul and they occasionally recorded more insightful songs such as the Church-questioning “Sunday Morning People” and the single-father anthem “Are you man enough, strong enough”.
This compilation features 17 hand-picked tracks from their Hot Wax anthology “Soulful Sugar”. I focused on the funkier numbers and kept the ballads down to a minimum, but if that’s your thing, by all means check out a more complete selection of the group’s work.
The Congos – Heart of the Congos
Praised on the interwebs as one of the best full length albums Lee “Scratch” Perry ever produced, The Congos’ sole collaboration with the mad genius is one of those records whose brilliance is so immediate and so obvious that it requires no context or prior knowledge to appreciate. A deep collection of tribal rhythms, dub bass, Boboshanti spirituality and pop flair combined into a series of pro-black anthems, Heart of The Congos is required listening. Trust me on this one: no matter how little or how much you know about dub, give this a listen.
Comments for "Diggin in the Digital crates: Cinemascope edition"
Great selection of music as always. Just when I’m thinking of leaving the ipod in the drawer, another batch of quality tunes from the Ohword. And I dig the commentary, but are you intentionally trying to sound like Patrick Bateman?
— zoose Nov 5, 04:47 PM
THANKS, for the Marvin Gaye link. I didn’t know a 2-CD re-mastered version existed!
I didn’t know Mayfield did another soundtrack. COol
— Vee Nov 5, 05:03 PM
“are you intentionally trying to sound like Patrick Bateman?”
No but I love the idea and reserve the right to do so at any time in the near or distant future. Batemanblog.com holla!
— Sach Nov 5, 05:25 PM
Cheers for this – worth checking out Leon Ware’s Musical Massage too. Apparently Marvin heard him doing the record and got him to give up the tracks for the I Want You album… plus it’s got Minnie Riperton on it too.
— Una Stubbs Nov 6, 03:43 PM