Your Eyes- Ian Hunter
Reva's House- Los Lobos
Love Sunshine, Blue Sky- Lee "Scratch" Perry
A Brand New Me- Aretha Franklin
It's The Music That Makes me- Southern Culture On The Skids
When I'm With You- The London Souls
Everything You're Breathing For- The Parlor Mob
Your Eyes- Ian Hunter
The iPod surprised the hell out of me with this one. At first, I thought it was one of those lost Stones songs that popped up a few years ago. Then I recognized the voice as Ian Hunter. I caved and looked at the screen. This is a bonus track from "Shrunken Heads." If I had ever heard it before, I'd have remembered it. What a rocker!
Reva's House- Los Lobos
One of the greatest hooks in rock and roll, courtesy of a baritone sax.
Love Sunshine, Blue Sky- Lee "Scratch" Perry
I discovered this track soon after getting through that fantastic "King Scratch" box. This is from the "Jamaican E.T." album. It's basically Perry messin' around with The Temptations' "I Wish It Would Rain" and it made me very happy this week.
A Brand New Me- Aretha Franklin
I once read that Aretha's "Young, Gifted & Black" was Daryl Hall's favorite album of all time. It's a great one, for sure. Love the horns on this track.
It's The Music That Makes Me- Southern Culture On The Skids
Still have SCOTS in the system. This one from Mary could have crossed over. It should have been a hit.
When I'm With You- The London Souls
Everything You're Breathing For- The Parlor Mob
Some of what follows is from a 2011 post:
In 2007, a friend at a major label suggested I check out a New
York quartet called The London Souls. He sent me their album which they
recorded with the producers Ray Bardani and Leo Sacks and I couldn't believe my ears. What I
heard was the perfect combination of hit singles, musicianship and live
energy. Think of the Jimi Hendrix Experience, with Beatlesque harmonies,
and the funk and soul of Sly & The Family Stone.
My next move was to see them live. And I did. It was, at least for those
45 minutes, life-altering. They were kids. No longer a quartet, but a
power trio--Tash, Kyoshi and Chris-- with an African-American lead
singer/lead guitar player, sporting a big Afro and a bigger Gretsch
guitar, a skinny Asian kid on bass, and a skinnier white kid also with
an Afro, behind the drum kit, looking a little too much like Mitch
Mitchell. AND...they all sang. What had knocked my socks off on record,
happened right before my very eyes. The London Souls brought me back to
the Fillmore, 1969, even though I had never been to the Fillmore in
1969.
I waited for what seemed like an eternity for this record to drop. It never did. The band decided not to release the record, opting instead to make a new record, this time as a trio. That record, the "official," Ethan Johns-produced London Souls debut finally hit digitally in 2011. It was nothing like the original Bardani/Sacks record.
That same night The London Souls knocked me out with their live set, another band on the bill, did the same for different reasons. The Parlor Mob were larger than life, like watching Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath and Deep Purple on a small stage before they all took off for the arenas.
I thought for sure these two bands would end up playing Madison Square Garden and collecting gold records for a living. It never happened.
If you are still reading, bless you.
I have never been able to share the tracks from the unreleased London Souls record, though I wish I could. I promised I wouldn't. They've released some great tracks since, like the one I am sharing here. But nothing was like that initial recording. As for The Parlor Mob, their debut, 2008's "And You Were A Crow" didn't quite slay me the way their live set did, but some tracks, including the one here, still get heavy rotation.
8 comments:
If you are still reading, bless you. hahaha
Two excellent albums from the London Souls, then they disappeared. Too bad. They each released solo albums, so I assume they're done a band. Never heard of Parlor Mob, I'll do a search.
Thanks for the London Souls, I'll look forward to hearing that mojo!
And I"m just glad to hear another music fan refer to iTunes/iPod. I feared I was the only one left! I listen to it daily (along with playing vinyl, cds, and tapes)
About 10 years ago my best friend who lives in New Jersey was raving about the Parlor Mob. He would go see them play in bars and clubs in NJ. I gave them about 5 seconds of my time and promptly dismissed them and forgot all about them until this post. Perhaps I should give them a second listen.
Only saw the London Soul once and that is when they opened up for the Black Crowes and Tedesci Trucks back in 2013. They were pretty good and was looking forward to seeing them take off which never happened.
Speaking of the Crowes, just returned from a trip to Dublin. We saw them open up their European tour there and have to say, had a really good time despite my reservations about the reunion of the Robinson brothers.
The London Souls had tremendous promise. I have a good set from the 2014 Peach Festival that was released by Munck Music.
What ifs....
I saw the Magic Numbers early on at Joe's Pub and their show was SO great, I and my guest were floating on air. It was like seeing Talking Heads at CBGBs or...or something. They were the future of rock n roll. And then they weren't. It ain't easy.
OMG, @michael glitz - the Magic Numbers !! Their song "Love Me Like You" blew my MIND when I first heard it... oh man. They had a show scheduled for Center Stage in Atlanta right after that record came out... I was beside myself with excitement when I got a ticket.
Then they ... cancelled, day of the show. I don't recall if someone got sick, van broke down, etc... never got to see them. That was ... it.
Oh how awful, A Walk In The Woods. In terms of recorded music, they peaked early, I think. But maybe they're still killer live. Joe's Pub is a TINY place so that certainly added to the appeal. It was sold out and I was standing stage left halfway back sort of against a wall (there's a modest rise and a second level with great views) so about 15 feet from the stage. So intimate and so fun. I don't think I have a great/heartbreaking cancelled show story, though too many acts to list of the "why didn't I go see them?" variety. But this happened. I was in a daze after the show, truly floating, almost afraid to say something to my friend in case he didn't feel the same. We said nothing till we were outside and I finally tentatively said "Gee, that was good" and he took the cue and raved, as thrilled as me. We're two or three blocks away and he mentions casually that at the end lead singer Romeo Stodart had said, they would go backstage and then come back if anyone wanted to hang out. "I guess you weren't interested?" he said. Wha!!?? I hadn't heard that AT ALL! (I was distracted by the cute person who had been standing in front of me, who if he'd chatted at the end instead of bolting would have been the only way the night might have gone even better.) We stood on the street for a minute and debated going back but felt the moment had passed and the show was so damn good we didn't want to mess with the memory. So hanging out with the band? A lost opportunity!
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