January 2007

Tuesday, January 30, 2007

Edwin Starr - 1970 - War & Peace

A Classic Motown Psychedelic soul album with one of the best singles ever "War"

In 1970, Motown producer Norman Whitfield was producing The Temptations' LP " Psychedelic Shack". When the LP was released, it contained the song " War". College students all over the country began to write to Motown about releasing the song as a single. This is during the time when young college students began to protest about the war in Vietnam. Motown decided not release the song on the Temps because of other plans they had for the group at that time.
So Norman Whitfield asked Edwin Starr would he like to record the song. Edwin agreed because he hadn't recorded anything in over six months and was ready to get back into the studio. The song was released in the summer of 1970 and became an instant million seller. Edwin would go on to win a Grammy in 1971 for " War" for best R&B Male Vocal Performance.

War & Peace' is by no means a psychedelic soul album but a mixture of classic Motown uptempo songs in the same vein as his two sixties classic albums 'Soul Master' and '25 Miles'.
The music itself speaks volumes and 'War & Peace' whilst featuring the 'new' sound of Motown at the end of the sixties still managers to capture the excitement of his output during the sixties. 'War' became an anthem in 1970 and whilst many believe the song was an anti Vietnam song, Edwin is on record as saying that the song was about the war in the university campus within the USA at the time, yet that said, the follow up to that ferocious call and reply plea 'Stop The War' DID have all the ingredients of an anti Vietnam plea, yet who could argue wit the man himself.
Uptempo goodies are a plenty as he takes on the Johnny Bristol song 'I Can't Escape Your Memory' which he talks about on the aforementioned audio interview, but for many it will be his classic northern soul outing 'Time/Running Back and Forth' that many will rate as his best ever recordings and both are featured here. Cover versions of other Motown classics are included especially 'California Soul' and 'At (Last) I Found A Love' (also covered by Marvin Gaye) and his rendition of the BJ Thomas hit 'Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head' is actually soulful and a pleasure to listen too.


Download Link
edwin_starr__1970__war___peace.rar

Thursday, January 25, 2007

Funkadelic - 1971 - Maggot Brain

One of the masterpieces of Psychedelic soul- funk - rock.
It contains one of the best guitar's solo ever made!

According to legend, George Clinton, out of his mind on Orange Sunshine, told Eddie Hazel to play the first half of the song like his mother had just died, and then the second half as if he had found out she was alive. The result was the 10-minute guitar solo for which Hazel is most fondly remembered by many music critics and fans. Though several other musicians began the track playing, Clinton soon realized the power of Hazel's solo and faded them out so that the focus would be on Hazel's guitar. The entire track was recorded in one take.
In March 2005, Q magazine placed "Maggot Brain" at number 71 in its list of the 100 Greatest Guitar Tracks, which I personal think is not fair as it should be at least at top 20!

Maggot Brain is a 1971 album by the American funk band Funkadelic. It was released on Westbound Records. The music swings through psychedelia, hard rock, gospel and soul music, with tremendous variation between each track.In 2003, the album was ranked number 486 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 500 greatest albums of all time

Track listing
1. "Maggot Brain" (George Clinton, Eddie Hazel) – 10:20
2. "Can You Get To That" (Clinton, Ernie Harris) – 2:50
3. "Hit It And Quit It" (Clinton, Billy Bass Nelson, Garry Shider) – 3:50
4. "You And Your Folks, Me And My Folks" (Clinton, Judie Jones, B. Worrell) 3.36
5. "Super Stupid" (Clinton, Hazel, Nelson, Tawl Ross) – 3:57
6. "Back In Our Minds" (Fuzzy Haskins) – 2:38
7. "Wars Of Armageddon" (Clinton, Tiki Fulwood, Ross, Worrell) – 9:42

Line up
Lead Guitar: Eddie Hazel
Rhythm Guitar: Tawl Ross
Keyboards: Bernie Worrell
Bass: Billy Nelson
Drums: Tiki Fulwood
Vocals: Parliament, Gary Shider, Bernie Worrell, Tawl Ross

What can I say, everyone should own this album. "Maggot Brain" may be Eddie's finest moment ever. The lyrics are particulary poignant and clever, especially "Can You Get To That" and "You And Your Folks...". Bernie really becomes a dominant force on this album, with his organ adding texture to the acid/R&B guitar stew. Did I mention the beautiful singing? No Funkadelic album would be complete without a freakout song, and "Wars of Armageddon" fits the bill here. It sounds like they pulled out a sound effects album and got funky with it. "Maggot Brain" was written when George asked Eddie to think of the saddest thing he could, to imagine his mother dying. George faded out the rest of the band when Eddie played this, because they weren't playing as well as Eddie, and the result was excellent. The album is Funkadelic at its best in that it's impossible to predict. It starts with a psychedelic solo guitar piece, moves on to a gospel-inflected soul-stirrer, continues with a hard-rock organ-driven tune, swings toward a politically charged soul-gospel piece, soars with one of the first heavy metal tunes in history, moves back into the political realm with a touch of taste and a horn influence, and concludes with a freakout as bizarre as anything ever recorded. This kind of heavy eclecticism would be seen on several of the next Funkadelic albums, but this one is my favorite.
"Maggot Brain" is the greatest instrumental the band ever recorded, owing everything to the genius of Eddie Hazel, who makes listening to the piece an exhausting, terryifying and exhilarating experience. "Can You Get To That", yet another rewrite of a Parliaments song, starts off with acoustic guitars, giving more of an emphasis to Bernie and his organ, with some of the best singing and lyrics on the album. "Hit It & Quit It" is a Worrell showpiece, featuring his vocals and dominated by that heavy organ sound. Hazel's solo at the end is excellent. "You And Your Folks..." is a sequel of sorts to "I Got A Thing...", with impassioned lyrics about the poor and the irresistable 'yeah, yeah, yeah' chant. "Super Stupid" is a high-powered Hazel metal tune, with a still-tasteful if over-the-edge swooping solo. "Back In Our Minds" settles the whole angry stew down, with Environmedian J.W. Jackson playing jew's harp. He would open for Funkadelic on many occasions, doing a stand-up routine. Just when everything has settled down, they finish it with the utterly bizarre "Wars of...", a song that has a great Hazel jam, a ton of sound effects, commentary on urban society, lyrics that include 'more power to the peter, more power to the pussy, more pussy to the peter', and much, much more. Buy this album now if you don't own it!

Download Link @256 +covers
Funkadelic_-_maggot_brain_1971.rar

Saturday, January 20, 2007

The Temptations - 1970 - Psychedelic Shack

Well, what do we have here?

1. The best black group of all time (for sure)

2. the best black producer of all time (maybe)

3. the best black lyricist of all time (maybe)

4.The best black record company(for sure)

But do we have the best Psychedelic Soul Record of all time?

i need your help. please tell me your opinion.

Side one
"Psychedelic Shack" – 3:51
"You Make Your Own Heaven and Hell Right Here on Earth" – 2:46
"Hum Along and Dance" – 3:53
"Take a Stroll Thru Your Mind" – 8:37

Side two
"It's Summer" – 2:36
War" – 3:11
"You Need Love Like I Do (Don't You)" – 3:58
"Friendship Train" – 7:49

Psychedelic Shack is a 1970 album by The Temptations for the Gordy (Motown) label, which represents the Temptations' full-blown submergence into psychedelia. Completely written by Norman Whitfield and Barrett Strong and produced by Whitfield, Psychedelic Shack almost completely abandoned the "Motown Sound" formula for this LP; hard rock guitars, synthesizer sound effects, multitracked drums, sampling, and stereo-shifting vocals giving most of the album's songs a harder, less traditional feel than the Temptations' previous work.

Psychedelic Shack was the final album completed before the third incarnation of The Temptations (Dennis Edwards, Paul Williams, Eddie Kendricks, Melvin Franklin, and Otis Williams) broke apart.

Like most Temptations albums from the group's "psychedelic period", producer Norman Whitfield held full creative control over Psychedelic Shack. The only freedom afforded the Temptations themselves for this album was the occasional opportunity for Kendricks to arrange the vocal harmonies. The album cover, a collage/illustration by Hermon Weems, places photographs of the Temptations in a depiction of a psychedelic shack: an establishment in urban neighborhoods where people could go to "enhance their minds" through art, music, and mind-altering drugs.

Name Chart (1970) Peak position
Psychedelic Shack U.S. Billboard Pop Albums 24
Psychedelic Shack U.S. Top R&B Albums 1
Psychedelic Shack U.S. Billlboard Pop Singles 7
Psychedelic Shack U.S. Billboard R&B Singles 2

Download Link :
temptations_-_1970_-_psychedelic_shack.rar

Tuesday, January 16, 2007

The Undisputed Truth - 1972 - Face to Face With The Truth

You asked for more of this great psych - soul group and here's their second album.

Always a bit further out than the Temptations, this album is a leap forward from the self -titled debut of the previous year. Features a nine minute plus version of Marvin's "Whats Goin On". Psychedelic funk for fans of Sly and Funkadelic/Parliament.

Tracks

1. You Make Your Own Heaven and Hell Right Here on Earth (7:00)
2. What It Is? (4:58)
3.Ungena Za Ulimwengu (Unite the World) Friendship Train (8:54)
4. Superstar (Remember How You Got Where You Are) (3:10)
5. Take Me in Your Arms and Love Me (4:04)

6.Don't Let Him Take Your Love from Me (5:26)
7. What's Going On (9:24)

Crafted by Norman Whitfield, Motown's most adventurous producer of the time, it employed the funk-psychedelic guitars and ominous, socially aware lyrics that were also characteristic of his work with the Temptations during the period. He wrote most of their material (sometimes in association with Barrett Strong), and used their sessions as a laboratory to devise funk rhythms and psychedelic guitar effects.

As another vehicle for the talents of producer Norman Whitfield, soul trio The Undisputed Truth never quite enjoyed the same success as his other notable musical charges, The Temptations. With hits like "Ball of Confusion" and "Cloud Nine" The Temptations pointed the way to soul music's future in the late 1960s and early 70s. Their other great hit of the era, "Papa Was A Rolling Stone", was originally recorded by the lesser known group, before getting its definitive reworking with The Temps.
Released in 1972, the spirit of the age is very evident on this record. The conscious lyrics, the psychedelic riffs and dark and brooding funk rhythms- it's a world away from the assembly line pop of Motown's golden era. Joe Harris's heavy baritone is rich and clear, making "You Make Your Own Heaven And Hell Right Here On Earth" a compelling lesson in the era's political realities.
Like Rotary Connection they may have been a little ahead of their time, and perhaps a little way out for many. That said, most of the tracks have stood up well to the passing of the decades. (Apart from the baffling inclusion of a funk-light cover of "Take Me In Your Arms & Love Me.") There's even an introspective and mellow version of Marvin Gaye's "Whats Going On" that, despite the risks, works well.
The Undisputed Truth offered Norman a space to experiment in, exploring ideas he would later refine with his more mainstream projects. And, although theres nothing quite as good here as the bands earlier hit "Smiling Faces Sometimes", this album offers a fascinating insight into the mind of one of soul's most adventurous producers.

Download Link

undisputed_truth__1972__face_to_face_with_the_truth.rar

Saturday, January 13, 2007

Cane and Able - 1972 - Cane and Able

If you find Undisputed Truth great you will adore this one.

Fisrt album of those funky legends. The music shifts between psyche rock flavours, trippy guitar arrangements, hot brass arrangements and strong funky grooves.

A must to all Funk – Soul – Psych lovers!

Ultra-rare album of this cult group from the Paris funky scene of the 70's! An absolutely killer funk album full of wah-wah and fuzzed guitars, deep soul vocals, hot basselines, wild afro percussion, and a really spaced out production. Essential !!!

Tracks
1) Girl You Move Me 8.30 2) Starchild 5.15 3) Who's Gonna Take The Weight 5.25
4) Don't Knock My Love 7.42 5) Green Grass 3.32 6) Toe Hold 3.30 7) Found A Child 4.28

Styles : European Grooves, Blue-eyed soul funk / Psychedelic funk
Media : LP
Label : akt - epic
Press : EPC 64797
Year : 1972
Country : France

Staff : french thompson (lead vocals,arrangements), blinky bostic (conga,timbale), garland edwards (guitar), norris ridguard (trumpet,valve,trombone), pee wee carter (drums), george alford (trumpet,vocal), doc brown (bass), billy ellis (alto & tenor sax), tony lytle & hasan tayratira (help)

A fantastic bit of tripped out funk! Cane & Able were one of the many groups that came out of the collective surrounding the Lafayette Afro-Rock Band in the early 70s -- and like that group, Cane & Able draw on a wide range of influences to create a heavy funky sound. The album mixes the African influences used by the LARB with more of a hard soul vocal approach, with some cuts sounding a bit like material from Atlantic albums of the late 60s, but handled with more of a fuzzy edge. Includes a great funky reading of Wilson Pickett's "Don't Knock My Love", a cover of "Who's Gonna Take The Weight", and the long tripped-out groover "Girl You Move Me"!

Download Link @ 320

cane___able_-_cane___able_-1973__great_rare_stuff_____.rar

Wednesday, January 10, 2007

Blo - Chapter 1 / Phase II / Step Three

BLO - 1972 - Chapter 1

01 Preacher Man
02 Time To Face The Sun
03 Beware
04 We Gonna Have A Party
05 Don't
06 Chant To Mother Earth
07 We Are Out Together
08 Miss Sagitt (instrumental)

This band from Nigeria became very famous among collectors worldwide. Perhaps this is the most sought after album from Africa. The 3 members, Berkely Jones, Laolu Akintobi and Mike Odumosu created the name BLO from B for Berkely, L for Laolu and O for Odumosu. 2 members toured with Ginger Baker in 1972 and BLO supported Osibisa on tour in Nigeria. At that time BLO was voted as the best band in Nigeria.

BLO - 1974 - Phase II

01 Blo
02 It's Gonna Be A Good Day
03 Native Doctor
04 Do It, You'll Like It
05 Don't Take Her Away (From Me)
06 Whole Lot Of Shit
07 Atide

Second LP with guitarist Berkely Ike Jones, Mike "Gbenga" Odumosu and Laolu "Akins" Akintobi.
Great Afro Funk and Afro Psych album.

BLO - 1975 - Step Three

01 Mind Talk
02 Rhythm Of Coils
03 Hypocrisy
04 Gotta Get Has Me Better Head
05 Hot Chase
06 Don't Sweater The Form Under Me

3rd album of BLO (Berkely, Laolu, O'Wright), definitively afro funk. On this album, Mike Odumosu was replaced by Biddy O'Wright. This album is the best album of this group, more funky than the two debut albums and less disco than the fourth and the fifth album. This album was recorded in 1975 at Decca Studios Lagos, Nigeria. Every tracks are winners like "Mind Talk", "Gotta Get Has Me Better Head"

~~~~~~~~~

Blo fused the Afrobeat rhythms of their native Nigeria with the mind-expanding psychedelia and funk of late-'60s Western rock to forge a wholly original sound embracing the full spectrum of black music. The roots of the group lay in the Clusters, already one of the most popular Nigerian highlife acts of the mid-'60s even prior to a stint as the support band for the Sierra Leonean pop superstar Geraldo Pino, once dubbed "the West African James Brown." In 1970, guitarist Berkely "Ike" Jones, bassist Mike "Gbenga" Odumosu, and drummer Laolu "Akins" Akintobi left the Clusters to join Afrocollection with twin sisters Kehinde and Taiwo Lijadu (featured a decade later on the British television show The Tube), moving away from their highlife roots to explore a more pronounced Afro-Rock approach. While performing at the Lagos club Batakuto, Afrocollection jammed with Ginger Baker, the renowned drummer from the British blues-rock supergroup Cream; in late 1971, the members of Afrocollection joined Baker in forming the jazz-rock ensemble Salt, making their live debut the following year alongside the legendary Fela Kuti. Despite a series of well-received live appearances throughout Western Europe and North America, the Salt project proved short-lived, and in late 1972, Jones, Odumosu, and Akintobi formed Blo, touring relentlessly in the months to come, prior to recording their EMI Nigeria label debut Blo: Chapter One. The 3 members, Berkely Jones, Laolu Akintobi and Mike Odumosu created the name BLO from B for Berkely, L for Laolu and O for Odumosu. Drawing equally on the pioneering Afrobeat of Fela and Tony Allen as well as the American psych-rock of bands like the Grateful Dead and the Byrds, the record failed to live up to EMI's commercial expectations, and after signing to Afrodisia, Blo resurfaced in 1975 with Phase 2, pushing further into funk and R&B territory. Grand Funk Railroad and the Isley Brothers were the primary influences on the trio's third LP, Phase 3, but as lackluster sales continued to dog the group, Blo faced greater corporate pressure to reflect contemporary musical trends — specifically, disco, a shift culminating with 1980's Bulky Backside, recorded in London. Blo dissolved following the 1982 release of Back in Time; the retrospective Phases 1972-1982 appeared on the Afro Strut label in 2001.
~Jason Ankeny, All Music Guide

Monday, January 8, 2007

The Undisputed Truth - 1971 - The Undisputed Truth

This is a fine album of Psychedelic Soul

Just listen the thrilling hit “smiling faces sometimes”
the guitars and jamming in “ball of Confusion” the covers of famous “aquarius” and “I heard it through the grapevine” and finally “like a rolling stone”.

The year was 1970 and the man behind this project was famous Motown producer Norman Whitfield.

Side 1
1. You got the love I need – 2.57
2. Save my love for a rainy day - 04:00
3. California Soul - 03:55
4. Aquarius - 02:39
5. Ball of confusion - 10:30

Side 2
6. Smiling faces sometimes
7. We've got a way out love -02:55
8. Since I've lost you - 03:20
9. Ain't no sun since you've been gone - 02:42
10. I heard it through the grapevine- 02:51
11. Like a rolling stone - 06:35

Norman Whitfield was responsible for the radical change in The Temptations' sound. He brought in some adventure and innovation to Motown. The idea with the Undisputed Truth was problably to try out new stuff and experiment. At least you get this feeling when you look at the sleeves of Cosmic Truth and Higher Than High. The members of the group are not listed, only the studio musicians.
Undisputed Truth has always been regarded as some sort of forever-and-ever warm up band, and not as a real group. Even if Norman saved his goodies for The Temptations to record, it's not fair to put the Undisputed Truth off as guinea-pigs. All three members had voices that cannot be neglected. Calvin's and Joyce's harmonies were like two singing birds around Harris' great lead. In fact, Temptation's monster hit Papa Was A Rolling Stone was first recorded by the Undisputed Truth. But their version never reached the same commercial success as Temptation's Grammy award winning version
The debut album The Undisputed Truth was released in 1971. A soulful record with Motown feeling. They enjoyed a top 3 R&B hit with Smiling Faces Sometimes. A piece of psychedelic soul from Whitfield and his writing partner Barrett Strong. This was their biggest hit and nothing of later material could match this success.
Joe Harris served as main lead singer, with Billie Rae Calvin and Brenda Joyce, formerly of The Delicates, on additional leads and background vocals

The group, in my opinion, got more interesting as time went on. The original trio broke up in the mid-seventies and a new line-up was formed, based around original member Joe Harris. The new people coming in was Taka Boom (sister of Chaka Khan), Virginia McDonald, Tyrone "Lil Ty" Barkley and Calvin "Dhaakk" Stephenson. Whitfield kept on toying with their sound and they underwent a dramatic change in image and sound, resulting in a range from psychedelic soul and funk to black rock. They got dirtier and nastier and shocked the fans with the clear Funkadelic influences on their releases from the second half of the 70's. Painted faces and white afros became their special trademark.


The group's music and unususal costuming (large Afros and white makeup) typified the then-popular trend of "psychedelic soul". A number of their singles became minor hits, and many of them were also songs for Whitfield's main act The Temptations, among them "You Make Your Own Heaven and Hell Right Here on Earth" and "Papa Was a Rollin' Stone". Their single Top 40 hit in the United States was the ominous "Smiling Faces Sometimes", also originally recorded by The Temptations, which hit #3 on the US pop charts in 1971.
The Undisputed Truth, along with Rose Royce and Willie Hutch, followed Whitfield during his exodus from Motown to set up Whitfield Records in 1975. At this time, Calvin and Joyce left the group, and Harris was joined by new members Virginia "V" McDonald, Tyrone"Big Ty" Douglas, Tyrone "Lil Ty" Barkley, and Calvin "Dhaak" Stephenson. The group's costuming and style changed as well, becoming even more unusual and Funkadelic-influenced. However, the group had little success at the new label, and faded into obscurity after two more albums, although they charted in the UK in 1977 (#43) with the disco single "You + Me = Love" from the album Method to the Madness

Download link
undisputed_truth_-_1971_-_the_undisputed_truth.rar