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- MP3: Lee Fields & the Expressions – These Moments
- The Sound Stylistics – The Taking of Peckham 343
Production does a lot for the music we listen to. Just think about it for a moment–some sort of production must have, at one point or another, generated an effect upon every single vibration that has ever passed through any set of speakers worldwide. Period. Whether the result can be found in the artist’s instrument selection, microphones, choosing between analog or digital recording methods, editing, or in your speakers themselves–everything is produced somehow. I can even casually identify the names of a few prominent artforms that bank entirely on the ability to digitally interpret sound–electro, IDM, krautrock, chiptune, D&B/jungle–things like these would be nothing without audio editing. Furthermore, the manner in which an album is produced can occasionally transform otherwise inadequate sound into a critically lauded Pitchfork 8.7 (ahem, the xx?). Just sayin’.
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01. MP3: Syl Johnson – Different Strokes
02. MP3: Syl Johnson – Come On Sock It To Me (streaming only)
It’s not unusual for friends and acquaintances to ask us how a person should start “getting into” soul music. The general situation looks to be something like this: Soul, though it hasn’t suffered any loss in sheer memorability, has become a somewhat obscure taste among young people of our day. Most everyone still appreciates a hard-hitting 4×4 soul anthem–their dad’s old Otis Redding tapes, James Brown’s cathartic screech–the problem is that few have actually bothered to delve into music made by equally meritable, yet less popular artists of modern and classic eras alike. So how exactly do you go about entering the world of soul?
Obviously, getting caught up in the genre is just as simple as it is for any other type of music–recommendations, criticism, radio, the internet, and ideally: shows. That’s why we cheerfully advise you to attend Numero Group’s Eccentric Soul Revue when it winds its way down to the 9:30 Club tomorrow, Tues Nov 10th (one of only five tour dates). The Vinyl District is also giving away free tickets and swag.
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- MP3: Ron Buford – Deep Soul Pt. 1
- MP3: Annakonda – Wheedle’s Groove
- MP3: Black on White Affair – Auld Lang Syne
Funk ain’t what it used to be.
In their early days, funk scenes compiled as fast as trash in city wastebaskets. Each town had a somewhat distinct and independent scene, the fruits of which were destined to remain either in the caring hands of obsessed collectors or in the unexplored depths of record store bargain bins. As of late, many local funk bands boast more success based on their novelty value in hotel bars than their artistic credibility–a damn shame seeing as both soul and funk offer musical insights untouched by more popular genres. Granted, it’s difficult to look at a 6-piece funk outfit, wacky vocalist and all, as an artistic statement. Plenty of patrons even fail to make sense of the message when it’s easy: “Get Funky.”
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