Wednesday, November 12, 2014

NEW RELEASES: CHELSEA WILSON – I HOPE YOU’LL BE VERY HAPPY WITHOUT ME; JESSE JAMES – I LOST MY BABY ON FACEBOOK; BUGGE WESSELTOFT / HENRIK SCHWARZ / DAN BERGLUND - TRIALOGUE

CHELSEA WILSON – I HOPE YOU’LL BE VERY HAPPY WITHOUT ME

A smashing soul sensation from Australia – and a great debut from Chelsea Wilson, a singer who's a lot more than just another female vocalist with a deep funk combo! Instead, Wilson's got a proud, bold soul vision right from the start – a groove that starts with classic funk, but which also comes together with a more far-reaching approach too – that special kind of real soul starpower we first heard in the work of Amy Winehouse, but without any of the train wreck sort of vibe either – a quality that may well have Wilson breaking big on our shores in coming years. Yet even if she doesn't, this sweet debut is more than enough of a legacy – very well done throughout, with tracks that include "One Day At A Time", "Bitterness", "Closer", "Hit Em Like Ali", "Through With Lovin You", and "I Hope You'll Be Very Happy Without Me".  ~ Dusty Groove

JESSE JAMES – I LOST MY BABY ON FACEBOOK

The great Jesse James keeps on going – with a sound that's every bit as the old days, even though he's updated his lyrics to include the world of Facebook! James is part of a great deep soul underground – an artist who was a soul singer back in the 60s, but who's moved into more of a bluesy vibe over the decades – but in a style that still has plenty of southern soul in the mix, like some of the excellent 80s material on the Malaco label. The album's issued on the tiny Gunsmoke label, but has a great sound that rivals the bigger indies – as well as a hell of a lot of charm, as you might guess from the cover. Titles include "Can I Still Be Your Friend", "You're All In My Dreams", "Hate Will Destroy The World", "Why Do U Have 2 Lie", "It Doesn't Seem Like Xmas 2 Me", and "I Lost My Baby On Facebook". ~ Dusty Groove

BUGGE WESSELTOFT / HENRIK SCHWARZ / DAN BERGLUND - TRIALOGUE


Really spare, really beautiful sounds from the great Bugge Wesseltoft – working here on acoustic piano, alongside electronics from Henrik Schwarz and bass from Dan Berglund – a trio setting that's every bit as moody as Bugge's solo music on his own! The sound shapes are very murky at points, and more promintent at others – especially when Schwarz comes to the forefront – and the mix of analogue and electric keys almost takes us back to the best late 70s years of the German Sky Records scene – which might well make these guys a 21st Century equivalent of the Cluster team of Roedelius and Moebius! Yet the whole thing also has that wonderfully mature Wessletoft sense of a subtle melody – gentle sentiment that's never overdone, but which warms things up in surprising ways. Titles include "Take A Quick Break", "Valiant", "Headbanger Polka", "Movement Seventeen", and "This Is My Day".  ~ Dusty Groove


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