Monday's Long Song

 

1986 saw the birth of one of the most innovative rock combos of the 80s. Jane's Addiction were one of the first bands to break down the rigid boundaries between heavy metal and rock with a confusing mixture of brute riffs, hypnotically aggressive rhythms and approaches foreign to the style (punk, folk). Not to forget Farrell's high-pitched eunuch roar. In those days, by the way, the first stereotyped thinkers spoke of "alternative rock" and a few years later of "Grunge". In 1990 Jane's Addiction released their masterpiece Ritual de lo Habitul for me their most complex work. The album is filled with ideas and influences of earlier decades and formed to a new and heavy sound. From early progressive rock over to blues fragments and a bit of funk made this album extraordinary. And not only because of it's cover.  America's guardians of morals do not find the image of a naked sculpture of Farrell at all demure. In accordance with the band's wishes, the censored version comes with a white envelope with the words of the First Commandment written on it.

Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version)

Jane's Addiction - Three Days

Blood And Butter

 

Many different newspaper release on Friday their recommendations of new albums. Last Friday a few of them agreed by naming Caroline Polacheck's album Desire, I want to turn into you as a top release. This made me curious not knowing if it is just the hype of the month. Polacheck is a singer/songwriter from Brooklyn, New York, and active since more than a decade. To be honest, her name is new to me and I can't remember listening to any song by her or her bands. Polacheck has an extraordinary voice and she is able to write songs that fit to this voice. Blood and Butter is a piece of light-footed synthy pop with a reluctant guitar and a catchy rhythm. The whole album is very nice but certainly not the one that will reach higher rankings in year end lists. 

No One Is Smarter Than History

Many of the regular visitors on this small piece or internet will know that I have  huge affinity to David Holmes, an Irish musician, producer and DJ. For me he creates sounds that fit to my ears and his mixes were more than worth to listen. A few months ago he released a single that is more over the average in this genre than many others I listened to the last weeks. A catchy song that doesn't get out of your head if you listen to it the first time. A song that could appear in many year end lists. 

 

It wasn't intended to make a little series after I released a post when Trugoy The Dove passed away too soon. But after this news I turned the last days into hip hop of the late 80's. Another band that made groundbreaking music were the Beastie Boys. If their first album Licensed To Ill was just a party album when they started to experiment with samples they learned quickly to do it in a glorious way. Paul's Boutique was an aural experience for me and showed how to include old music of every kind of genre into a very new sound. And finally the video clip of Sabotage is still one of the best from this era.

UDS

 

After yesterday's post I listened to some more records from that time and rediscovered a band I didn't listen for ages. Urban Dance Squad were a band formed in Utrecht during a jam-session on a festival in the Netherlands in the late 80's. They released their first album Mental For The Floss in 1989 and grabbed me with their unique mix of various genres. Urban Dance Squad's music encompassed funk, soul, heavy metal, hip hop, reggae, jazz and ska. They were close to the level the Beastie Boys or Red Hot Chili Peppers had in the United States but sadly didn't got the critical acclaim they should have. Listening to them after decades I have to admit that they did some very good songs and were ahead of their time.

Urban Dance Squad - Deeper Shade Of Soul

Urban Dance Squad - No Kids (Acoustic Version)

David Jude Jolicoeur RIP

 

It was in 1989 when rap/hip-hop everyone talked about. Most people I knew talked about the so called gangster rap where boys from the hood and the the inner circle were going to get critical and chart access. It was also the time when De La Soul appeared on the scene with an album that changed a lot in listening to new African-American music. When the most artists in hip-hop tried to show us their bad habits De La Soul showed us the very different way. They came to my ears with their very own sound filled with samples from heavy bands like Led Zeppelin over Steely Dan to country to James Brown and funk. An album that opened my ears for something new and different. Trugoy/Jolicouer was the forming member of this fantastic and groundbreaking band and died last weekend much too early at the age of 54. Three Feet High And Rising is their legacy and still an album that works still after three decades.

Rest easy Trugoy

De La Soul - The Magic Number

De La Soul - Me Myself And I

De La Soul - This is a Recording 4 Living in a Fulltime Era

Monday's Long Song

 

During the weekend I rediscovered an EP from 2016 that I had almost forgot. Bahia is by Leeds based DJ and producer Joe Morris. He is one of those who brought me a couple of fantastic Balearic inspired songs and remixes. Always able to play songs inspired by the sun and the Ibiza feeling with good guitars, great flow and perfect arrangements. A true sound to relax.

Joe Morris - Stars Over Benirras

Joe Morris - Bahia