GLENN
UNDERGROUND – BLACK RESURRECTION
A double
CD set of timeless, soulful house from Chicago legend Glenn Underground – who
is as deft as ever at laying down diverse sounds that blend cosmic keys and
earthy production, jazzy rhythms and soulful beats, and occasional dreamy
vocals. It's a mix of recent grooves and remixed versions of older cuts, which
is makes it all the more of a strong testament to his continuing top tier
status – it's fresh and vital here and now alll the way through! Includes
"Deep Within", "Star Gate", "Mental Black Resurrection",
"Soul Heights", "Look Inside", "My Little Ebony",
"Play Play Play", "Sessions Of the Soul", "Spiritually
Speaking", "Out Of Mind".
~ Dusty Groove
BLUNDETTO –
WORLD OF
The world
of Blundetto is a mighty groovy one – filled with dubby rhythms, funky touches,
and some of the sharpest underground production around! This album's a real
standout in a world of kicked-back rhythms – never too sleepy, never too sloppy
– and always thoughtfully done with this undercurrent of careful composition
that comes across in this very subtle way. So while the beats snake out slowly,
and the basslines echo a Kingston vibe, there's also these richer currents in
the songs that come through beautifully – and resonate a lot stronger than
usual for this kind of set. The core Blundetto sound is augmented by an array
of guests – including Shawn Lee, Akale Horns, John Milk, Pupajim, Biga Ranx,
Marina, and others – and titles include "Work", "Hands For
Silver", "Last Broken Bones", "Move Me",
"Matanza", "Only One Stand", and "Seed Balls". ~
Dusty Groove
J.B. SMITH
– NO MORE GOOD TIME IN THE WORLD FOR ME
Really
unique material from JB Smith – recorded at a time when the singer was serving
a life sentence at the Ramsey State Farm in Texas – and mostly unissued over
the years, save for a few tracks that previously appeared on a Takoma Records
collection in the 60s! Smith sings here in a variant of blues that's clearly
steeped in the tradition of the work song – no surprise, given the hard labor
he was doing at the time – but which also takes off in a much richer mode, too
– one that almost presents the evolution of the earlier form into blues
throughout the course of the CD, with spoken passages that illustrate Smith's
feelings and intent. The material was all recorded by Bruce Jackson, who also
took some accompanying photos – and is brought back beautifully here from tapes
in the Library Of Congress. Titles include "Poor Boy Number Two",
"They Can't Do That", "I Heard The Reports Of A Pistol",
"Ever Since I Been A Man Full Grown", "Tried By Fire",
"The Major Special", and "No Payday Here". ~ Dusty Groove
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