Friday, July 28, 2017

NEW MUSIC: ARTHUR ALEXANDER; THE DELFONICS – TELL ME THIS IS A DREAM; DIAMOND ORTIZ – BABY LOTION

ARTHUR ALEXANDER

Country/Soul pioneer’s 1972 comeback album—reissued and expanded! When The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Humble Pie, Dusty Springfield, George Jones & Johnny Paycheck, Bob Dylan, the Bee Gees and countless others cover your songs, you must be on to something. Arthur Alexander was a songwriter and song stylist, whose career took off in the early 1960s—writing and recording hits like “Anna (Go To Him)” and “You Better Move On”—some of the earliest hits recorded at Rick Hall’s Fame Studios and featuring the famed Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section. After a short break at the end of the decade, he released a self-titled,“comeback” album in 1972. Omnivore Recordings is pleased to reissue Arthur Alexander four decades later, expanded with six bonus tracks—two previously unissued. With new liner notes form Barry Hansen (better known to most as Dr. Demento), the package also features the piece he wrote for the album’s original issue. Arthur Alexander’s 12 tracks were produced by Muscle Shoals bassist Tommy Gogbill, and include a version of “Burning Love”—covered by Elvis Presley shortly after the album’s release. Alexander’s two Warner Bros. follow-up singles are also here, as well as a pair of tracks from the original sessions, unearthed and unheard until now. As Hansen wrote in the original notes, “Arthur is especially proud of the variety and versatility of his work on this album. All of it is strong medicine, and should be a fine antidote for a lot of bad scenes.” Arthur Alexander, inducted into the Alabama Music Hall Of Fame, is a music legend. Arthur Alexander is a legendary recording.

THE DELFONICS – TELL ME THIS IS A DREAM (EXPANDED AND REMASTERED)

Funky Town Grooves U.K. has an expanded edition of The Delfonics’ fourth album – their first with Major Harris in the line-up, and first without Thom Bell at the helm  Digitally remastered and expanded edition includes four bonus tracks. Tell Me This Is A Dream is the fourth album by American soul group The Delfonics, released in 1972 on the Philly Groove label. This album introduced singer Major Harris to the lineup replacing founding member Randy Cain. Lead single "Hey Love", with it's innovative and distinctive use of harmony, is often singled out as one of the group's greatest recordings. Also includes “Walk Right Up to the Sun” and has been expanded with bonus tracks: singles of non-LP side “Think It Over” (arranged by Norman Harris and Vince Montana), the rare “Delphonics” Arista single “Don’t Throw It All Away” b/w “I Don’t Care What People Say,” and the 45 version of the album’s “Baby I Miss You.”

DIAMOND ORTIZ – BABY LOTION

A set that's as smooth as the baby lotion offered by the title – warmly laidback soul, with a definite old school vibe – and a style that almost feels like lost underground work from the LA scene of the early 80s! There's a funky core to most tracks, but one that moves nice and slow, too – stepping along at a pace that's just right for the keyboard flow and slight electro touches – which also include some vocoder work that's as great as the instrumentation! Titles include "Courvoisier", "Reeki Reeki", "Freak Nasty & Classy", "I'm A Rock Yo World", and "Hennything Is Possible". (Limited to just 300 copies!)  ~ Dusty Groove


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