NEW RELEASES - SID TOURE, SIBA, THE NEWCOMERS

SIDI TOURE - ALAFIA

Stunning sounds from Sidi Toure – an artist who's been making music for quite a few years now, but seems to get better and better with each new release! This set's got a wonderful sense of flow right from the start – a warm blend of Sidi's guitar and vocals with additional lead guitar from Kalil Toure, N'Goni from Abdoulaye Kone, and these basslines that percolate strongly throughout – adding an additional stringed sense of rhythm to the tracks, as Toure and other singers soar out forward on the vocals. The presentation has a positive feel, but without any commercial overtones – and definitely shakes free of any Mali cliches you might have from other overwrought recordings. Titles include "Mali", "Boro Gana", "Ay Hora", "Ay Takamba", "L'Eau", "Waayey", and "Gandyey".  ~ Dusty Groove

SIBA – AVANTE

Sublime sounds from Siba – a contemporary Brazilian artist, but one who comes across with all the charm of the 70s MPB generation! Instrumentation on the set is relatively spare, but very inventive – guitar lines and viola from Siba – mixed with quartet instrumentation that includes vibes and keyboards, plus a tuba instead of the usual bass – which makes for a very cool sound that's all bumpy and gritty on the bottom! Siba's lead vocals are wonderfully warm – a slight rasp that adds a lot of personality to the lyrics – and which provides a deeply personal contrast with some of the more creative instrumental flourishes. Great stuff – one of those contemporary Brazilian albums that goes way beyond the boundaries of knowledge or culture – and which can grab you up instantly without warning. Titles include "Brisa", "Ariana", "Qasida", "Um Verso Preso", "Mute", "Canoa Furada", "Bravura E Brilho", and "A Bagaceira". ~ Dusty Groove

THE NEWCOMERS – MANNISH BOYS: THE STAX, VOLT & TRUTH RECORDINGS 1968-74

A long overdue collection of the Stax, Truth and Volt singles by The Newcomers – a largely under-appreciated sweet soul group from Memphis! While the Stax empire had broken so much stylistic and commercial ground on a number of levels in the preceding years, the sweeter vocal group style was never really an area in which Stax found much surefooted ground – especially at the very end of the 60s and into the 70s, when the label's finances were getting too shaky to break newer groups in a big way. The Newcomers are wonderful, though, and this set of rare singles, unreleased tracks and demos is a terrific introduction! Includes "Girl, This Boy Loves You", "Open Up Your Heart (Let Me In)", "You Put The Sunshine Back In My World", "Still A Boy In My Heart", "Humpty Dumpty", "Reaching The Age", "Betcha Can't Guess Who", "The Whole World's A Picture Show", "Mannish Boy" and other great singles – some previously unissued – plus a handful of lost demos with finished feel, which are really just as great as their rare singles! ~ Dusty Groove