Today’s Track: The ORB – “Daze”

February 29, 2020 — Leave a comment

A track for you to vibe out to under the little fluffy clouds? It’s time for your new post!

Pictured: Alex Paterson (Programming) and Michael Rendall (Effects) (Photo Credit: http://www.theorb.com)

It’s quite the sunny Stoke day for me – which gives us the perfect excuse to stream the latest track from one of Britian’s most established Chillout acts – The Orb, an ambient electronic house duo originally set up by Alex Paterson and The KLF’s Jimmy Caulty in 1988 – which is now comprised of Paterson and Michael Rendall. The Orb are best known for their 1991 classic “Little Fluffy Clouds”, which led to the duo becoming known for their following inside drug-induced clubs where their fans would “wind down” by listening to their neo-psychedelic remixes of Dub and Chill sequences. Their new LP record, “Abolition Of The Royal Familia” is currently slated for release on March 27th via the Cooking Vinyl label – with the title seeming like one of the obscure science fiction references which The Orb have become very synonymous for, in their long career since the late 1980’s. The new LP, their sixteenth studio album release overall, features guest appearances from the likes of Roger Eno, Nick Burton (former rotating member of The Orb), Andy Cain, Gaudi, Violetta Vicci and more – who will all be bringing their talents in a collaborative effort with the British humor and the witty sample-based elements of The Orb’s old-school psych-funk sensibilities. The most vital of which, however, is… Leika The Dog! Let’s watch her go on a cosmic canine trip to the moon and back in the music video for “Daze (Missing & Messed Up Mix)” below.

Fairly low production vales aside – the video for “Daze (Missing and Messed Up Mix)” elicits a few decent chuckles out of me, and I feel like the single is reasonably good as well. I particularly enjoyed the opening, as a sample-led blast of vocals, drowned in echoed reverberation, proudly exclaims: “A soul sound sensation”, before a swirling strobe of Balearic synths take control of the melodic hook, leading to a slightly down-tempo affair of genre-blurring composition, as a soulful refrain leads the vocal part: “You’ve been missing for days/missing..”, a simple line which is given a little more depth through an unashamedly 70’s disco element, as a vintage sample adds enough ooh’s and wooh’s to also craft a dance-able pop rhythm. The track also contains a light hop-hop element under a 90’s ambience glaze, which is created from a subtle strings arrangement and a modulated Conga drum sound. It mostly sounds like an eclectic and meticulously engineered affair of The Orb doing their classic dub-psychedelia twang best. It’s business as normal for The Orb, with an uptempo groove put together by a jam-packed sample part, which reminds me of the nostalgic adventure sound of The Avalanches “Since I Left You”. However, I don’t think it’s engineered in as much detail and in a peculiar sense, I don’t feel it really goes anywhere else, the soulful melodies are consistent but lacking in a vigorous quality to push it forwards slightly more than it’s been presented, as I feel the vocal refrain gets a little too repetitious for it’s own good. This is more the style of track that I would sit down and have on during a long train journey, rather than before a big night-out, as it does have an upbeat, traditional Chillout pop texture, but it doesn’t veer so much into free-spirited dance territory. Although I do think the track is missing another element of sound to give the overall sound a touch more excitement and just a little bit more oomph, I think the track does what it sets out to do very adequately. The slight infliction of wit is a twinkling highlight and it’s very engaging how the sound mixes elements of hip-hop, dub, ambient house, psychedelic soul and good, old-fashioned pop without losing much of it’s cohesive structure. A likeable little anthem.

Pictured: Alex Paterson and Michael Rendall enjoying a garden day… in the bushes! (Orb-approved press shot)

You can also read my thoughts on The Orb’s 90’s classic “Little Fluffy Clouds” here: https://onetrackatatime.home.blog/2020/02/18/todays-track-the-orb-little-fluffy-clouds/

Pictured: Cover Artwork for “Abolition Of The Royal Familia” (Available on 27th March, 2020) (via Cooking Vinyl)

Thank you or reading this post! I’m writing a new installment of my weekly Scuzz Sundays series on the blog tomorrow – a weekly thowback to the late 90’s and early-mid 00’s punk or emo rock anthems of old that you might remember seeing on the defunct Scuzz TV Freeview music video channel. It will be a mainstream chart hit from a band who, as a running joke in their music videos, use their previous singles during the introductions of their videos! If you really liked what you just read, why not follow the blog to get notified when each new post is up and like the Facebook page here?: https://www.facebook.com/OneTrackAtATime/https://www.facebook.com/OneTrackAtATime/

Today’s Track: The Melodians – “I Will Get Along Without You”

February 17, 2020 — Leave a comment

I won’t get along without your likes, follows and support! It’s time for your new post!

Pictured: Tony Brevett (Vocals), Brent Dowe (Vocals), Trevor McNaughton (Vocals) (Photo Credit: Darren Farnsworth)

Good evening to you, I’m Jacob Braybrooke, writing about your daily track on the blog, as promised! It’s a wet, frosty and in most places, icy, February where I’m situated in the UK, with my local area of Stoke-On-Trent being hit by snow storms especially. As they say, Jack Frost’s been nipping at my toes. So, rather than moan about the weather, I thought it would be the perfect opportunity to whisk you away to a bright, sunshine-glazed destination to start off your week, and I’m going to do so with an old Jamaican Rocksteady classic from 1967. A little known fact is that “I Will Get Along Without You”, by classic Jamaican vocal trio The Melodians, is actually a reworked cover of a song published by Milton Kellem all of the way back in 1951, originally titled: “Gonna Get Along Without Ya Now”. There have been many versions since, with The Melodians being credited for influencing the likes of UB40 and She & Him to produce their own versions in more recent times. Formed by Tony Brevett, Brent Dowe and Trevor McNaughton, The Melodians went on to receive the coveted “Iconic Award” from the Jamaica Reggae Industry Association (JaRIA) in 2017, although the trio had a few line-up changes and different producers over the years, with Bramwell Brown, Renford Cogle and Vin joining the ranks later on. Cogle was involved from the off, writing and arranging material for the vocalists. I discovered “I Will Get Along Without You” through the “This Is Trojan: Rock Steady” compilation album, released in April 2018, where the individual tracks are comfortably sitting on the system of my student radio station’s playout software. Let’s hear the track below!

The track immediately begins with a Vintage Jazz sound, which gets created by a nestled solo from trumpets courtesy of backing group The Supersonics. The vocals sink in: “You had a heart that I used to share/And then you went away, girl/Now you come back, telling me to forgive you/But I won’t change my mind”, Brevett takes the lead as he sends his ex-girlfriend packing: “I’ve found someone who loves me more than you do/And she will never, break my heart”, with Dowe and McNaughton tweeting and whistling in perfect harmony. Brevett continues to play up the lyrical theme of joyful break-up from a romantic partner: “So don’t you ever try to change my mind/Cause’ I won’t take you back”, with Dowe and McNaughton adding: “You gotta tell her one more time”, over a light, hazy and sun-dripped acoustic guitar riff and the effortlessly smooth use of Vibraphones and Saxophones. Simplicity is key, with minimalist production work and a jaunty, swayable dance beat which reminds me of the undeniable influence that classic Jamaican music has carved into the pop sensibilities of today, even if it isn’t noticed at once. The brass instrumentation is the musical stand-out, as it adds the signature groove which carries the slow-paced harmonies along. The lyrics are fairly interesting, with a slight implication that the narrator may have cheated on his ex-partner, who cheated on him prior to this, which adds a darker tone to contrast the light-hearted quality of the traditional Dub sound. By using elements of Ska, Jazz and Soul – The Melodians have created a thoroughly enjoyable classic which holds up on it’s own two feet decades after it was originally released. It precisely hits the sweet spot of the traditional Reggae sound on the head!

Pictured: Cover Artwork for “This Is Trojan: Rock Steady) (Compilation Album Box-Set) (April 2018)

Thank you for reading this post! Make sure that you check back with the blog tomorrow, as I’ll be back with an in-depth look at another old classic! However, this time – it’s a classic ambient dance anthem, released in 1991, by a London-formed dance group who collaborated with Pink Floyd’s David Gilmour on their tenth studio album, released in 2010! They’re also set to play this year’s All Points East Festival at Victoria Park in London this May! If you really liked what you just read, why not follow the blog to get notified when each new post is up and like the Facebook page here?: https://www.facebook.com/OneTrackAtATime/https://www.facebook.com/OneTrackAtATime/

Today’s Track: The Specials – “A Message To You, Rudy”

February 6, 2020 — Leave a comment

Give it a listen and you might find something Special about it! It’s time for a new post!

Pictured: Lynval Golding (Lead Guitar), Horace Panter (Bass Guitar), Terry Hall (Vocals), Jerry Dammers (Keyboard), Silverton Hutchinson (Drums), Roddy Radiation (Lead Guitar) and Neville Staple (Vocals, Percussion) in the cover artwork for “The Specials” (1979) (Original Line-Up)

It’s Thursday and I’m sitting at my desk, accompanied by a bright array of sunshine outside of my window in Stoke-On-Trent, as the nights are getting longer and the cold frost is momentarily disappearing. It seems like a great day to listen to a little bit of 2-tone or ska, so I thought it would be a perfect opportunity for me, Jacob Braybrooke, to write about the 1979 track, “A Message To You, Rudy” by underrated British band The Specials, although it was originally performed as a slow Jamaican Rocksteady ballad by Dandy Livingstone back in 1967. Interestingly, the trombone parts of the original track were recorded by Cuban Jazz icon Rico Rodriquez, who also recorded the trombone parts for The Specials’ cover version of the track, which reached the #10 spot of the UK Singles Chart in 1967. Let’s bob our heads along to the track below.

A band who have become iconic for challenging the political and social barriers surrounding their native country of the UK, The Specials manage to recreate a classic Rocksteady track by conveying upbeat Ska tones and a 2-step Dub rhythm, infused by punk’s attitude and energy, to create a fairly safe but love-able new take on a vintage Jamaican classic. The lyrics remain unchanged, as then-vocalist Terry Hall croons: “Stop your messing around/Better think of your future”, which is layered above Rodriquez’s euphoric trombone and a light drum pattern which bounces along to the beat of the vocal harmonies. There is also the use of a Harmonica at the beginning, as the instrumentation gets established to have a highly organic heart. Hall continues on: “Rudy, a message to you Rudy”, as a Trumpet solo unfurls with the pure Ska sound and the old-school Rocksteady center. The original version was an ode to the youth of Kingston in the late 60’s, and it seems like The Specials’ cover version has been morphed to address a wider British audience, but it doesn’t seem to miss it’s roots with it’s bass-led impact. Overall, it’s still a very uplifting ska number which, although not wholly original, feels distanced enough from the original track to say something new. There’s no wonder it’s still used in films and TV shows fairly regularly.

Pictured: A LEGO recreation of the “A Message To You Rudy” music video (Photo Credit: Musical Brick) (2018)

Thank you for reading this post! As always, I’ll be back tomorrow and I will be celebrating the release of La Roux’s “Supervision” album with an in-depth overview of the latest single to be released from the album, “Automatic Driver”! If you’ve read the blog before, you’ll know that I’m very, very excited for the release of this one, as it’s been six years since the release of her previous LP record, 2014’s “Trouble In Paradise”! If you really liked what you just read, why not follow the blog to get notified when every new daily post is up and why not like the Facebook page here?: https://www.facebook.com/OneTrackAtATime/

Today’s Track: Hi Grade Hi-Fi (feat. Kes D’ Jordan) – “Turn Up The Heat”

January 23, 2020 — Leave a comment

We should turn down the fog and turn up the heat in the UK! Time for your new post!

Pictured: Hi-Grade Hi-Fi performing a live set at the Soundsystem Culture Festival (2019) (Credit: Stalingrad O’ Neill)

Jacob Braybrooke here! Here’s an up-tempo Reggae jive that I played on my most recent radio show, which comes courtesy of underground Birmingham dub-plate group High Grade Hi-Fi, a band who describe their sound as a “Reggae Sound System like no other”, as they cohesively incorporate the different elements across old-school Dub-plate production techniques with the raw sound of Jamaican carnival and the beat-driven influences of Ska. I have previously covered “Warrior, a more politically infused hip-hop track, on the blog. Have a listen to “Turn Up The Heat” below, a more breezy and feel-good ska track, which also features the vocal talents of Kes D’ Jordan.

“Turn Up The Heat” is, comparatively, very different to “Warrior” – with a lighter emphasis on the hip-hop and a heavier focus on the influences of Disco and a warmer, more light-hearted tone. Jordan quips: “Turn up the heat/rock to the beat/living in a moment”, over the top of a golden line of sun-dripped synth pad beats and a vintage, dub-tinged kick drum beat. Jordan sings: “got to be ready/for anything that comes your way” as the underlying Ska tone welcomes a new mix of beach-glazed guitar riffs and honeyed two-step bass guitar melodies. Jordan puts the cherry on top of the cake, as: “you’ve been frozen in time” and “free the shackles from your regimented life/it’s a sterile component” ushers in a chorus of trumpets and more jazz-oriented instrumentation which kicks the pacing up to another notch, resulting in a more kinetic and slightly old-school rocksteady-tinged, effect of sequencing. The dub-plate melodies are very rhythmic and the lyrics have a very upbeat and positive message of leaving your worries behind and enjoying yourself, which is very relevant in today’s digitally-connected society. The lyrics encourage you to, for example, enjoy a swift jive to a track at a gig rather than spend the whole 3-4 minutes filming clips of it for your social media accounts. Turn up your stereo to this!

Pictured: Still image from the music video for “Doggies Dem (feat. Juggernaut”)” (November 2019)

For the purposes of making a comparison between “Turn Up The Heat” and their brilliant track “Warrior”, why not read my thoughts on “Warrior” down below?: https://onetrackatatime.home.blog/2019/11/13/todays-track-hi-grade-hi-fi-feat-richie-culture-warrior/

Pictured: Behind-the-scenes image of High Grade Hi-Fi filming the “Warrior” music video (June 2019)

Thank you for reading this post! As usual, I’ll be back tomorrow with a look at a track, released in support of their third LP released in 2016, from an Australian electronic pop duo who are comprised between one member of Pnau and one member of The Sleepy Jackson! If you really liked what you just read, why not follow the blog to get notified when every new daily post is up and why not like the Facebook page here?: https://www.facebook.com/OneTrackAtATime/

Today’s Track: The Techniques – “Queen Majesty”

January 20, 2020 — Leave a comment

Here’s a ticket to a sunny paradise on Blue Monday! Tell me now, how does that feel?

Pictured: Cover Art for “Winston Riley’s Rock Steady & Early Reggae 1968-1969” (2017) (available at Bandcamp.com)

Good evening (or night, in my case) to you, Jacob Braybrooke here, as usual, it’s been one of the busiest days of my life today, but I’m glad that I’ve finally made it to my desk to write to you about today’s musing, which is going to be a quick overview of the classic Rocksteady track “Queen Majesty” by The Techniques, released back in 1967 on the “3-Prong Push Out” compilation. This track can also be found on the “This Is Trojan: Rock Steady” compilation album, along with many other vintage Jamaican tracks from the likes of The Ethiopians, The Three Tops and The Melodians.

I specifically picked this track as it’s “Blue Monday” – which is known as the gloomiest day of the year, but I didn’t want to go down the straightforward New Order route, even if their 1986 classic is an absolute foot-tapping tune! “Queen Majesty” is a track which I picked as a way of transporting you to a blissful Jamaican paradise on a cold January day – which is an effect created by the track in perfect harmony! The vocals, mostly from the core lineup of Winstron Riley, Slim Smith, Franklyn White and Frederick Waite, are highly satisfying as the group of vocalists croon: “Queen majesty/may I speak to thee?”, although there is a darker tone to contrast the hopeful melodies of the light, upbeat drum melodies which shimmers along to the vocal rhythm of the track. The racial slur, “True, I agree, I’m not of your society/I’m not a king, just a minstrel” evokes a more somber feeling, which blends with the contrasting hopefulness and melancholy of the love-laden line: “As long as you love me/And it won’t be so hard/as long as I see love in your eyes”, as it becomes apparent that the male protagonist is leaving the community of his lover behind, but hopes to keep a long-distance relationship going. I may be reading far too much into the lyrics, but that’s the subtle beauty of the track. A will to keep going, but a power to move on!

Pictured: Full Track Listing for the “This Is Trojan: Rock Steady” compilation LP (CD Outer Casing) (April 2018)

Thank you for reading this post! As usual, I’ll be back tomorrow, with a look at the new track from a Spanish indie rock band, which is currently on the B-list of the BBC Radio 6Music playlist, who changed their name of “Deers” in 2014 following a legal dispute with an existing band who are called “The Dears”! Oh dear… If you really liked what you just read, why not follow the blog to get notified when every new daily post is up and why not like the Facebook page here?: https://www.facebook.com/OneTrackAtATime/

Today’s Track: Khruangbin (feat. Leon Bridges) – “Texas Sun”

January 6, 2020 — 3 Comments

Don’t you worry, Summer will be here again in no time! It’s time for your new musing!

Pictured: Khruangbin (Laura Lee, Mark Speer & Donald “DJ” Johnson) and Leon Bridges in a photoshoot (2019)

As per usual, Jacob Braybrooke here! Two texas powerhouses from the indie scene in the US, world-inspired neo-soul band Khruangbin and contemporary Jazz vocalist Leon Bridges, have recently announced a new collaboration from both artists. “Texas Sun” is the title of the EP and it’s set to release on February 7th on the Dead Oceans label. Drawing from the long history of Thai music over the 60’s, “Texas Sun” is also set to be released in partnership with Columbia Records and Night Time Stories. In a statement to the press, Laura Lee, the frontwoman of Khruangbin, said on the record: “We try not to have too much of an intention, because it gets in the way of what the music wants to do,” before elaborating: “If you just let the music do what it’s supposed to do, it will reveal itself. We tried to take that same approach with Leon. For us, it was opening up our world to have another person in it. But all of it feels like Texas to me.”. The title track of the EP has been released to drum up a bit of hype, which was recorded after the two acts undertook a joint tour together, following Khruangbin opening for Leon Bridges for his tour in 2018. They’re the best of friends!

The title of the track, “Texas Sun” does sound a bit like a low-rate Country folk song with a wild addiction to cheese overload. To a certain extent, it is. But, make no mistake, this is a vibrant and sun-dripped trip through a wide diversity of neo-soul, Jamaican dub-esque melodies, with Bridges adding the expected Jazz twist to Khruangbin’s original and unique sound. Bridges compliments: “Say you wanna hit the highway/While the engine roars/Well come on, roll with me till the sun goes down/That Texas sun”, following it up with: ” When I’m far from home/And them cold winds blow/Stuck out somewhere with folks I don’t know/’Cause you keep me nice and you keep me warm/Wanna feel you on me” and delivering a swift ending to the track with the post-chorus: “Take a ride with me baby/You by my side/How does it sound/You and I”, as the luscious soundscape of colourful bass melodies and the rhythmic crescendo section fades out, which leaves a lasting impression of progressive jazz influences and instrumental psych-funk chords. It’s an easy and accessible track to listen to, helped by a relaxing backbeat climax and flamenco string arrangements, paired with Briges’ rusty vocals. At the end of the day, us Brits won’t be complaining about the weather after this plays on the radio on a tantalizingly hot day!

Pictured: Cover Artwork for “Texas Sun” (EP) (Available on 7th February, 2020)

Thank you for reading this post! I’ll be back tomorrow, as usual, with a look at a 90’s Murder Ballad from a world-famous icon who famously writes his material on a Typewriter, joined on a track by an Australian pop queen who played the legends slot at last year’s Glastonbury festival! If you really liked what you just read, why not follow the blog to get notified when every new daily post is up and why not like the Facebook page here?: https://www.facebook.com/OneTrackAtATime/

Today’s Track: Khruangbin – “Christmas Time Is Here”

December 13, 2019 — 3 Comments

It’s not here yet, but we’ve only got 12 days to go! It’s time for your festive Friday post!

Pictured: Laura Lee (Bass Guitar), Mark Speer (Lead Guitar) and Donald “DJ” Johnson (Drums, Percussion)

One day removed from a, let’s say, very eventful snap General Election poll in the UK, it seems like a very weird day for the nation where we’re all very slowly getting back to grips with reality and slowly beginning to resume our normal lives, but there are still loads of current affairs events happening in the background that can be difficult to escape from in the 24/7 and social media society we’re living in today. What better chance, then, than to sit down with a hot mug of cocoa, coffee or tea and listen to some chilled soul/world vibes from Khruangbin? A band from Houston, Texas who manage to blend elements of classic Soul, Neo-Psychedelia and Jamaican Dub/Rocksteady to create a very unique and earthly sound. A track that I really enjoy listening to from this band is “Maria Tambien”, an almost entirely instrumental funk rhythm that feels like a journey through several different West African countries at a frantic pace. I’m Jacob Braybrooke and I’m giving a listen of a festive offering from the band, “Christmas Time Is Here”, a single released in time for last year’s festive season.

“Christmas Time Is Here” is a very interesting and curiously appealing mix of classically composed ambient sweetness, organic instrumentation and a slow-paced funk groove which calls back to old-school soul and psychedelic lo-fi rock. It’s a cover version of a classic track written by Vince Guaraldi for “A Charlie Brown Christmas”, a TV film starring the Peanuts Gang released in 1965. There have been countless covers since, from the likes of Chicago, Jars Of Clay and Sam Sparro. However, it’s a testament to the unique sound of Khruangbin how they manage to adapt the original format and make it sound original to them. This cover is almost an instrumental jam session by the US trio, with a beat-driven style which encompasses the Jazz roots of the original track and marries it with a luscious acoustic direction. It evokes a hypnotic effect as a result, which is created by the gentle guitar chords and the quiet vocal arrangements, along with a natural simplicity to the lyrics. It is composed beautifully and it’s an effort that helps with relaxation at this hectic time of year. Overall, it’s a track which manages to pull genres from a Magician’s hat and the band successfully mixes them together with a sound that is ultimately vintage, classic and laidback, with a broad roughness and an edge that makes it sound fresh and inspired.

Pictured: Khruangbin performing a live set at the “Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival” (April 2019)

Thank you for reading this post! Tomorrow, I’ll be taking a break from the alternative Christmas vibes to shine a spotlight on a new R&B/Soul artist from Ireland who used to work as a dealer in Poker and got her name from a Pizza menu! If you really liked what you just read, why not follow the blog to get notified when every new daily post is up and why not like the Facebook page here?: https://www.facebook.com/OneTrackAtATime/