LETTERS From CAMP Rehoboth |
CAMP Sound |
by Blair Fraipont |
Artist: El Guincho Album: Alegranza Label: Young Turks
El Guincho is Pablo Diaz-Reixa, a Barcelonan who samples from a wide-range of international music to create a lively, danceable disc. The key to this album's success is in its repetitive grooves. When it begins to unnerve the listener, one must remind themself that Alegranza is meant for movement. The sources of these grooves give this disc an edge over any similar act namely for Diaz-Reixa's choice of non-Anglophone samples. Seeking out these is just as rewarding: the track "Antillas" filches an addictive sample of Kenyan guitar from a duo named Oriango and Kipchamba while the opener unearths a lovely choral segment from the allegedly legendary Cuban doo-wop group, Los Zafiros. What is frustrating is the length of the samples: 2-3 seconds each. These are all looped seemingly ad-infinitum until the next groove takes off. Artist: Jorge Ben Album: Jorge Ben Label: Dusty Groove Originally released in 1969 in Brazil, Jorge Ben has finally been reissued by Dusty Groove for American consumption. Jorge Ben is as rhythmically powerful a guitarist and vocalist as Caetano Veloso is genteel and seemingly poetic. Ben took the serenity of samba and gave it concrete finish with this recording. His acoustic work here is more rockish than limp, yet in no way panders to American or British 60's rock and roll. The more psychedelic tracks such as "Descobri Que Sou Um Anjo" are strangely beautiful while tracks such as "Pais Tropical," "Domingas" and "Barbarella" are as catchy as hell. Race is one of Ben's themes that play pivotal roles in songs such as "Take It Easy My Brother Charles" and "Criola." Sample lyric: "Black is the sum of all the colors/You black women are colorful by nature." Artist: Dinosaur Jr. Album: Farm Label: Jagjaguwar I don't know why I skipped 2007's Beyond. I read how wonderful the reunion of original bassist Lou Barlow was and ignored seeing Dinosaur Jr. until a month ago. The show recharged my love for J. Mascis' guitar playing. It was probably one of the loudest shows I've ever attended where the vocals are muffled and only the solos come shining through. Farm is much like seeing them live: loud, charging guitars with face-melting soloing. The music is renewed from the tepid albums released in the 90s. Granted, not much has changed to Dinosaur Jr.'s sound except that it is more taut and focused. Even J's laconic words haven't changed much, so what gives? The reason could be J's love for hugging saint Amma. Recording the album quickly may be why too. Either way, Farm has given this once great band another chance. Artist: Franco & Le TPok Jazz Album: Francophonic: A Retrospective: Vol. 1: 1953-1980. Label: Sterns Music By the twentieth time of playing this double disc retrospective over the course of two months, I still wanted more. I could listen to each track and hear something I missed before. The equivalent is listening to Parker or Monk. The joy of hearing "In Walked Bud" time and time again is that there doesn't seem to be any ceiling. There isn't any ceiling because Monk has broken through and the listener is transported to another level. Francophonic does just this. Franco was one of the Congo's greatest soukous musicians and bandleaders. After listening, you may believe, as I do, that he is one of Africa's greatest musicians. Unlike his rival and recording mate, singer Tabu Ley Rochereau, Franco's music is rougher; his guitar cuts across each track rather than glide as is typical with most soukous, or rumba. Do yourself a favor and seek this out while it still lasts. |
LETTERS From CAMP Rehoboth, Vol. 19, No. 09 July 17, 2009 |