Hey Everyone,

Its that time of year and the radio station I DJ for, Dandelion Radio, is holding their Festive 50 celebration. Stop by Dandelion Radio before December comes and vote for your 3 favorite tracks that came out in 2009. We'll tally the votes and the top 50 tunes get the countdown treatment and broadcast all to great fun and merriment.

VOTE NOW!

My love of Chicago's Numero Group Label was fairly solidified before they went & found the secret Wichita, KS soul scene of the mid to late 60's. I live in Kansas and had never heard about the soul scene in Wichita until this release came out. It's a wonderful collection based around the Smart Brothers and the Neal Brothers and the Smart's Palace club and restaurant they ran and played in. There are some crazy good soul sides on this release, especially by Baby Neal & The Smart Brothers. The compilation also includes other related acts like Fred Williams & The Jewel Band & Theron & Darrell. The liner notes recount the Smart Brothers tearing up the club night after night, playing the sax behind their back, jumping from table to table and just plain belting out a lungful of soul.

Here's my 3 favorite cuts from Eccentric Soul: Smart's Palace. They'll put you on the floor.

Baby Neal & The Smart Brothers - I've Got a Funny Feeling (1966)

Baby Neal & The Smart Brothers - I'm Not Ashamed (1965)

Fred Williams & The Jewels Band - Tell Her (1969)

Buy this amazing album over at the Numero Group. I recommend the 2LP.

Hey everyone,

So its been awhile since I uploaded anything. But forget that and listen to this. Mississippi Records and Canary Records just released a vinyl only compilation called String of Pearls: A Collection of International 78's. On it is an 1946 release by Shalom Katz entitled Eil Malei Rachmim. It's breathtakingly powerful. According to the liner notes, Shalom was a Holocaust survivor and had been slated for execution. While digging his own grave, he supposedly sang this song and it stirred the guards so much that they postponed his execution. He was able to survive the war beyond that and emigrated to the USA following the war.

I know old 78rpm Jewish folk tunes are not the rage these days, but you have to hear this.

Shalom Katz - Eil Malei Rachmim [1946]

UPDATE: Smeg Pole from The Scrotum Poles has asked me to pull down a couple of these songs. I hope to continue sharing the rest and will update again in a few days.

The Scrotum Poles were a punk band from Dundee, Scotland and they had one real release, a 5 song EP called Revelation that came out in 1980 and its just about perfect.

Check it out here - [Closed Link] The Scrotum Poles - Revelation EP

Tracklisting:
1. Why Don't You Come Out Tonight?
2. Night Train
3. Pick The Cat's Eyes Out
4. Helicopter Honeymoon
5. Radio Tay

Its about as simple and wonderful as pop-punk can get at that time period.

Enjoy.

Hey everyone,

I caught Alabama band, Thomas Function, the other night at the Replay Lounge here in Lawrence and had a blast. They have a relatively new 7" out on Fat Possum Records called Belly of the Beast. Its a wonderful little pop diddy that reminds me of older perfected Poster Children. Check it out.

They also just started a very long European tour and I'm sure they'd love you to come out to a show if you live on that side of the pond.

Thomas Function - Belly of the Beast (MP3)

I've completely fallen in love with older gospel from the post war period that more or less is categorized as sanctified blues and soul and this love stems entirely from discovering the gospel compilations on Mississippi Records. MR only does vinyl and is a current obsession of mine.

Now last year, they released the LP, Life Is a Problem and I flipped my lid over it. It was probably my favorite release of all last year.

And here's why -
The Crumb Brothers - Seat In the Kingdom [MP3]
(This song is unf__king-believable. The lead vocalist is a 10yr old boy named Sugar and he will devastate you)

Other stand outs on the LP included

Elder Charles Beck - Rock & Roll Sermon 1 & 2 [MP3]
Rev. Lonnie Farris - A Night in the House Of Prayer [MP3]
Tom Dutson - Lil' School Song [MP3]
and for a very limited 1st Pressing, MR included a 7" Bonus with the LP that was
George 'Bongo' Coleman - This Old World is in a Terrible Condition [MP3]

THEN THIS YEAR, MR put out a followup LP, Oh Graveyard, You Can't Hold Me Always. And it was just as mind-blowingly wonderful as the 1st LP. This music will make you feel unlike anything else.

From OGYCHMA -
Mosby Family Singers - Eternal Life [MP3]
Laura Rivers - That's Alright [MP3]
James Carter & The Mighty Stars - You Don't Know [MP3]
Silver Quintette - Sinner's Crossroads [MP3]

Even if you've never enjoyed gospel, please give this music a listen. It's so worth it and next week I'll upload that awesome face-melting grindcore I've been listening to.