Funk

Today’s Track: Little Dragon – “Hold On”

April 11, 2020 — Leave a comment

Dragons would make good accountants… The economies of Scale! It’s new post time!

It’s just another Gothenburg morning for this Swedish electronic funk band, but it’s just another Saturday morning for me – Jacob Braybrooke – because I’m writing about your daily post on the blog! It’s my day-to-day pleasure to give you an in-depth look at a different track every day! Little Dragon were formed in 1996 when they attended music “jams” at an after-school club in high school, with frontwoman Yukimi Nagano meeting Fredrick Wallin and Erick Bodin, deciding on their name due to the “little tantrums” that Nagano would stress over during their sessions. She’s a perfectionist! So far, Little Dragon have six LP records under their belt, with “Nabuma Rubberband” from 2014, their fourth album, being considered their best, receiving a Best Dance/Electronic Album nomination at the 57th Annual Grammy Awards in 2015. The quartet are back with “Same Me, New Us”, pairing up with the Ninja Tune label this time for it’s release, which was on March 27th. The new album explores more soul and disco elements than the group have previously. Let’s listen to “Hold On” below…

It doesn’t quite veer into cosmic-themed territory, but “Hold On”, the leading single of the new album, is still a celestrial groover based on a disco-tinged rhythm. Lyrically, the track explores the qualities of having an evolving life that’s worth living. This is conveyed through a pulsating keyboard riff and a mid-tempo drum groove. Among a wealth of calm synthesizer framework, Nagano croons: “Hold on/Where you gone?/Where you going?” over a sleek melody of 70’s dancefloor pop. She continues: “Baby stay/time has changed us so in every way/Beyond our dreams and more/the stars are not aligned”, a vocal hook of reconciliation glazed in an R&B smoothness. She later adds: “Hold on, before you go/One thing that you should know/I never meant to hurt you so/I wish you happiness, joy and good fortune, boy”, before a short interlude paves the way for a luminous keyboard riff that sounds timeless yet contemporary, but looks to the Saturday Night Fever of the 70’s for an added punch of inspiration. The feet-on-the-floor soundscape is dance-able and relaxing, but it feels a bit sophisticated in extra measure. The key sound changes throughout the song and it’s diverse, which acts as a fun teaser for the core theme of shift in the album. The sound is very clean and polished and I think it would be a good fit for a daytime radio station because it feels accessible, but it isn’t too generic. Although the track delivers the key beats of the album to good effect, I feel the modern electro-pop sensibilities can feel a little bit half-baked or undercooked, with the track being a soulful blend in alternative pop, electronica and disco-funk, but never feeling entirely cohesive. It’s decent though, and I think that comparisons to The Knife shall be made.

  • Pictured: Yukimi Nagano (Lead Vocals/Percussion), Fredrick Wallin (Bass Guitar/Synths), Håkan Wirenstrand (Keyboard/Mixing) and Erik Bodin (Drums/Cowbell) (2020) (via Rolling Stone)

Don’t forget to catch up with my WWE WrestleMania 36 Weekend Special if you missed out – Friday’s post, “El Santo: The Silver Masked Avenger” by The Nick Atoms, is here: https://onetrackatatime.home.blog/2020/04/03/wwe-wrestlemania-36-weekend-special-the-nick-atoms-el-santo-the-silver-masked-avenger/. Saturday’s post on Bruce Springsteen’s “The Wrestler”, is here: https://onetrackatatime.home.blog/2020/04/04/wwe-wrestlemania-36-weekend-special-bruce-springsteen-the-wrestler/. The weekend’s final post on “The Legend Of Chavo Guerrero” by The Mountain Goats can be perused here: https://onetrackatatime.home.blog/2020/04/05/wwe-wrestlemania-36-weekend-special-the-mountain-goats-the-legend-of-chavo-guerrero/!

  • Pictured: Cover Artwork for “New Me, Same Us” (Released on 27th March, 2020) (via Ninja Tune Records)

Thank you very much for reading this post! I hope that you stay safe and that you enjoyed reading it, as well as discovering some cool music in the process! Don’t forget to check back with the blog tomorrow – Yes, it’s Easter Sunday – but it’s also going to be time for your first new Scuzz Sundays post in two whole weeks! We’re almost there! 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

Today’s Track: Chicano Batman – “Color My Life”

March 12, 2020 — 2 Comments

This Batman is nowhere near as bad as that awful DC’s Suicide Squad film and it’s a lot more reflective in quality of The Dark Knight instead! It’s time for a new blog post!

  • Pictured: Bardo Martinez (Lead Vocals/Keyboard/Rhythm Guitar), Carlos Arévalo (Lead Guitar), Eduardo Arenas (Bass Guitar/Backing Vocals) and Gabriel Villa (Drums/Percussion) (2019) (Official press shot via ATO Records)

I wonder how Superman would respond to this DC-related tomfoolery! It’s Thursday afternoon and you’re reading the words of me, Jacob Braybrooke, as I’m typing my musing about your daily track on the blog because it’s my day-to-day pleasure to so so! Chicano Batman are a Psychedelic Rock band from California who certainly don’t take themselves very seriously at all! A fun fact: They once starred in a TV commercial for Johnnie Walker’s Scotch Whiskey in 2018! The 4-piece group, who my friend introduced me to during our weekly playlist meeting for our student radio station last week – formed in 2008 through bonding over their shared love for Brazilian music from the 1960’s, a Jazz-Punk root which blends with the styles of Tropicalia, Dub, Progressive Soul and Electronic Indie Rock to form the basis of their sound. The band are gearing up for the release of their fourth album, “Invisible People”, which comes out on May 1st via ATO Records. Let them Color your Life with their new single below!

“Color My Life” is painted by a quirky video with a sunny palm background which, for me, gives off shades of the 90’s Hip-Hop parody “Windowlicker” video created by Aphex Twin and Chris Cunningham which was released back in 1999! Lead vocalist Bardo Martinez skates around the shoals, in front of lots of slightly disturbing camera close-ups, crooning: “Are you a lucid dream?/That’s what it seems/I’m not really sure if it’s real”, above a chilled psychedelic groove created by a sublime Conga drum beat and a lush Kookaburra melody – sounding accidentally precursored by the melody of Men At Work’s Down Under – which paves the way for a Reggae sound, leading up to a distorting, tripped-out bass guitar riff, before Martinez continues: “Are you a lucid dream?/Or just a beam of light/Shining on me?”, as the melodies settle into a harmonic pace again, before Martinez stutters: “With the feels I’m on”, as the rhythm takes a more soulful, R&B-infused turn, before the glitched-out haze of electro-tropicalia echoes the sentiment of Martinez’ highly reverberated Falsetto once again: “You’ve got to color my life/You’ve got to fill in my thoughts”, as the constant breezy underlayer crashes to an abrupt halt. The band match idyllic scenes of the Pacific coast with their eccentric sense of humor, matched by the cinematography, costume design and shot layout. It’s a well-produced video, and I think the song’s really good as well! There’s a subtle Australian psychedelia influence, as the track doesn’t sound miles away from the likes of Tame Impala – with the volume turned up to eleven, but it sounds closer to the frenzied sequencing effects of Pond. There’s also call-backs to 80’s Latino pop and the care-free songwriting shares the vibes of early 70’s Ska music. Chicano Batman have an awful band name, and they play that to their advantage by having fun with their ideas and going hell-for-leather with it all, ending up with a varied sound which takes elements from different genres for inspiration, but it doesn’t sound too close to one or the other as to sound very much like another existing band or solo artist. It’s quite out-there, but that’s what makes it work. I’ve only heard this one single so far – but I’m looking forward to hearing more from them!

  • Pictured: Chicano Batman playing a live Tiny Desk Concert for NPR Music on YouTube (2017)

Thank you for reading this post! As always, I hope you enjoyed it! I’ll be back tomorrow to introduce you to another comedic act – a novelty tribute band who are led by an Elvis Presley impersonator and who were publically endorsed by Robert Plant, who claimed that he preferred their cover of his own band’s track to the original version released in 1969! 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

Today’s Track: Caribou – “Never Come Back”

February 28, 2020 — Leave a comment

Suddenly… Dan Snaith has a brand new Caribou LP out! It’s time for your Friday post!

  • Pictured: Cover Artwork for “Never Come Back” (2019)
  • Pictured: Cover Artwork for “Suddenly” (2020)

It’s Friday, which means it’s the end of the week, but it also signals the release of a dozen new albums and singles, with Caribou’s “Suddenly” taking the spotlight on the blog this week! In case you’re unaware, Caribou is an electronic project set up by Canadian composer Dan Snaith, who also writes and records material as Daphni and Manitoba. It’s been a long time since we’ve heard from him, with 2014’s “Our Love” becoming a beloved LP record in the years since. “Suddenly”, released today on City Slang Records and Merge Records, is a photo album of a record where Snaith analyses the events in his life which surround him, such as his daughter being born in a Car on the way to the hospital. The album also deals with loss and memory, in the form of carefully textured soundscapes. I’ve recently been introduced to Snaith’s work with the release of “Home”, the lead single of the album, as Snaith has drummed up enough interest with me for me to own a physical copy for my record collection, which I’ve only just started. Let’s have a listen to the track “Never Come Back” below.

A sophisticated and enthralling track which veers into slightly commercial territory, but it confidently manages not to lose the vocally emotive trademark of Caribou’s sound, “Never Look Back” is a synthetic dance-pop delight that doesn’t miss a step in it’s stabbing EDM strobes and it’s uptempo pacing. With a sultry tone, Snaith repeats: “And you never come back to”, in sequenced timing with a consistent House trance, which is layered over the top of a 90’s-esque keyboard loop. The melodic stricture keeps stuttering, but Snaith adds the sound of a happy-go-lucky Cowbell and an unrelenting drum machine chord, which kicks into full-throttle mode near the end of the track. Before proceedings get too repetitious, Snaith refrains: “I can never forget it/Promise me you don’t regret it/You and I were together/even though we both knew better”, as the pop-filled rhythm begins to settle into a slower pace, before Snaith quickly pushes the makeshift-disco sound to the center of attention again. The track does sound a little poppier by his typical standards, but I feel that Snaith manages to cross over to a casual audience, who might be seeing him at festivals this summer, fairly wisely because he manages to effectively control the chaos by letting it sound familiar to his existing fans, while adding a crowd-pleasing, throwback dance sound to his existing repertoire. The single also translates the cohesive themes of the album, as the sultry vocal hook is kept consistent to contrast the breakneck changes of tempo and rhythm. It’s an ace track from an album which is set to deliver on it’s hype.

  • Pictured: Dan Snaith recording in his home studio
  • Pictured: Dan Snaith in a photshoot for a Q&A interview feature (2014) (Photo Credit: Stereogum)

I’ve previously covered a few of Caribou’s other singles taken from the new record on the blog! Click here to read my thoughts on my discovery of “Home” (https://onetrackatatime.home.blog/2019/10/28/todays-track-caribou-home/) and click here to read my thoughts on “You and I” (https://onetrackatatime.home.blog/2019/12/09/todays-track-caribou-you-i/)

  • Pictured: Dan Snaith pictured in front of a mural to accompany the announcement of “Suddenly” (2020) (via PR)

Thank you for reading this post! It’s almost time for another weekly Scuzz Sundays post, but, before then – make sure that you check back with the blog tomorrow, where I’ll be writing an in-depth review, for you, on the new single from a legendary British electronic dance duo who are known for producing Dub and Chillout anthems which have been described by Alex Paterson as “ambient house for the E generation”! 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

Today’s Track: Yirim Seck – (feat. Adra Boo) – “2 Scoops”

February 4, 2020 — Leave a comment

It has nothing to do with the famed Gladiators contestant! It’s time for your new post!

  • Pictured: Yirim Seck in a still image of the music video for “(We Call It) Murder” (September 2016)

Good night to you, it’s a late-night one for me today! So busy, but it’s my duty to write about a different song on the blog every single day! Jacob Braybrooke writing, as promised, and I’m here to write a glowing review for the track “2 Scoops” by Seattle-based rapper Yirim Seck, which features guest vocals from the amazing Adra Boo. It’s an album track taken from the latest Yirim Seck LP release, “Hear Me Out Too [Seckond Edition]”, a spiritual successor to his debut album, “Hear Me Out” released way back in 2009. Yirim Seck is a wordsmith MC who I’ve only recently discovered and I spent the whole of last weekend streaming most of his discography after hearing “Clicks” on KEXP’s Song Of The Day podcast. He usually leads a very outspoken, policially charged and street poet sound, but “2 Scoops” sees him explore a much more romantic style of lyricism and composition. Let’s give “2 Scoops” a listen below.

11 views on YouTube and counting! HOW? Call me an angry little nerd, but it deserves a lot more recognition than that because this is simply an absolutely wonderful little tune. Seck implements elements of Jazz and Soul with the use of saxophone samples and a wistful piano melody. Seck begins: “The modern grove/the good game with nice clothes/the execute and principles”, as he begins to tell the story of a random date where Ice Cream is heavily featured. He describes the encounter: “Start conversation/name, age, occupation/had to tone down the lingo/so as not to be abravise” before he whispered in her ear: “Meet me by that ice cream stand/I’ll buy you two scoops”, before the feminine vocals of Adra Boo chime in: “I keep replaying back to where you said hi/Wondering in my mind if you’re that guy/Trying to make me your favourite flavour” over a sugar-sweet line of twinkling keyboard notes and an intersecting Trip Hop beat. Seck makes me laugh at the point where he recites: “As always, I leave a trip for the Ice Cream man” before hitting the shore of the beach with his date. Seck says: “like my ice cream, I hope she doesn’t melt away so soon”. The whole experience seemed a bit sketchy to the girl, but Boo later expresses the genuine emotions of having a nice time chilling out with Seck: “I can’t say that you hadn’t made an impression/You’re clear with your tongue, no need for a second passion”, before she croons: “So I don’t see why I wouldn’t let you walk with me/Moving and Chilling with me/You’re a cool breeze just like this Ice Cream/So let’s see what this could be”, followed by another verse as the soft piano melodies fizzles out to the tune of a glitched-out synth line. In case you hadn’t figured it out yet, I LOVE THIS SONG SO DAMN MUCH! I love how Seck tells a witty anecdote and a genuine expression of love in the form of beautifally layered street poetry and the result is a bright, colourful summertime rap bop which allows us to see a diffrent side to Seck’s talents – while seeming very genuine and heartfelt at every turn. I love how I can easily tell that every single lyric is coming from the bottom of his heart and the jazz-tinged instrumentation feels very inspired as a result. It’s a nice and accessible tune that anybody can listen to and enjoy with very little challenge, although it is quietly experimental and doesn’t sound corporate or commercially-oriented at all. It’s simply just excellent hip-hop music. Like a melting Ice Cream, this is a treat to savour!

  • Pictured: Yirim Seck performing “Crush On You” in a “Stories About Home” video for Seattle Times (2019)

I recently covered a different song by Yirim Seck, “Crush On You”, a tonally different story of moving on from a long-term relationship and his local community becoming a playground for the rich, of which you can still read my thoughts on here: https://onetrackatatime.home.blog/2020/01/25/todays-track-yirim-seck-crush-on-you/

  • Pictured: Cover Artwork for “Hear Me Out Too [Seckond Edition]” (Released in November 2019)

Thank you for reading this post! I hope you enjoyed reading the post as much as I enjoyed discovering this wonderful piece of music! As always, I’ll be back tomorrow with an in-depth look at an interesting house tune from a German electronic dance music producer who went on an iconic album tour with LCD Soundsystem and created a highly acclaimed remix for one of The Knife’s track “Marble House” in 2006! 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/

Christmas Eve Special: Aphex Twin – “XMAS EVET_10 (Thanaton3 Mix)”

December 24, 2019 — 1 Comment

Merry XMAS EVE T_10 to you too! I know you’re a bit shy, Richard! I hope your card came! For everybody else, it’s finally time for a truly special Christmas Eve blog post!

  • Pictured: Cover Artwork for “Syro” (2014)

Only the most hardcore of Aphex fans will get the Druqks reference above! I have already expressed just how much love, admiration and respect that I have for Richard D. James, otherwise known under his main pseudonym of Aphex Twin, SO many times on the blog and on social media. So, I’m not going to hammer over you with the details again. But, if you’re new to the blog – just to give you a hint, I spent a whopping total of over 95 hours listening to his material over the year of 2019. That’s not even half of it, as it doesn’t count his releases under many other pseudonyms like AFX, Polygon Window, GAK, The Tuss and others. I’m Jacob Braybrooke, I’m a nerd for Aphex Twin and this Christmas Eve on the blog, I’m covering “XMAS_EVET10 [120] (thanaton3 mix)” from Syro. I think it’s as much of a Christmas song as Die Hard is a Christmas film. I mean, it does have ‘XMAS-EVE’ in the title, so I think that’ll do for me!

I’ve been planning to write about this exact track for XMAS_EVE for about 4 months now. It’s very difficult to really explain which genre it is and how it sounds as the track is over 10 minutes long and there is just SO much to it. I should probably start by telling you that it’s been taken from Richard’s big comeback LP record following 2011’s “Druqks”, “Syro”, which was released in September 2014. On the record, Richard explores a more sonic direction and a deep-house style of production. It sounds very futuristic and complex, which is very different to his iconic 90’s releases. It’s lost it’s experimental value, as gone are the wacky melodies and the jabs at the music industry, which are instead replaced by a style of production where every single beat has been mechanically engineered to such a perfected degree. It’s entirely Meticulous and you’re going to have to give it a lot of time and work before you properly start to take different pieces from it. However, that’s a great compliment, as it is just such a fantastic record that will reward you in heaps and it’s going to stay in your Psyche for a long time, as it continues to unfold while you keep persevering with it. “XMAS_EVET10” is an ambient track, although it does have modulated vocals from Richard’s children. It’s still a little bit festive in the first few minutes, as it evokes a feeling of warmth and comfort. The childhood excitement of Christmas Day morning. As the track progresses, the Vaporwave-influenced bassline stutters and keeps replacing elements with alternating synth riffs and several hand-programmed, analogue mutations. There’s a quiet melodic energy and a 00’s IDM feel to the funky acid house rhythm. It’s deep techno done best by the legendary electronic maverick, with a sound that replaces a fading sense of familiarity with a strange sense of discovery. It’s very lush and it’s been layered very intelligently, with Richard tinkering away at the different computer-controlled beats to a near-endless level. The result is a gorgeous track that manages to justify a 10 minute long duration. How many other tracks can you think of that manage such a feat? Part of why Richard is such a hero to me is that even though the musical landscape around him changed unrecognisably in the years that he decided to seemingly retire the Aphex Twin moniker, he made his comeback with interwoven soundscapes that still manage to absolutely enthrall and captivate. I wholeheartedly feel that, as a student, I should be raving to more of this rather than the accepted dose of generic S Club 7 and One Direction that I’m being offered at my university events and I wish that more of my peers would understand where I’m coming from with that strong opinion. Now, that is my true Christmas wish!

  • Pictured: Richard D. James in a photshoot for a rare interview with MTV (October 1996)

You can also read my in-depth thoughts on 2001’s “Vordhosbn” here: https://onetrackatatime.home.blog/2019/09/24/todays-track-aphex-twin-vordhosbn/

  • Pictured: Richard D. James on a poster for a live performance at Hallum University, Sheffield, England (1993)

Thank you very much for reading this post! I’ll be back in the proper festive spirit tomorrow, of course, for a Quick post (It’s my Christmas as well, you know!) on a legendary Christmas classic from a former Beatle bassist who is currently scheduled to be headlining The Main Stage on the Saturday night at Glastonbury in June 2020! 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: Dropkick Murphy’s -“The Season’s Upon Us”

December 23, 2019 — 1 Comment

It is indeed on this Eve to Christmas Eve, Tis’ the time for yet another festive new post!

  • Pictured: Ken Casey (Lead Vocals, Bass Guitar), Matt Kelly (Bodhran), Al Barr (Backing Vocals), James Lynch (Lead Guitar), Tim Brennan (Accordion, Mandolin, Tin Whistle), Scruffy Wallace (Bagpipes) and Mark Geanakakis (Drums)

Released in January 2013 on their eighth overall LP record, “Signed and Sealed In Blood” contains the festive single “The Season’s Upon Us”, with the track seemingly arriving a month late to the Christmas party, although it’s accompanying music video was released on YouTube in November 2012, it comes from Dropkick Murphy’s, a Celtic Punk band formed in Boston in ’96, a group who became pioneers within the small fandom community of the niche genre, releasing a consecutive string of five well-loved albums for the Hellcat Records label between ’98 and ’05, significantly expanding the success perimeters of the label, before later signing for Born & Bred, their current record label. I’m Jacob Braybrooke and it’s been my mission, over the last month, to find you some alternative festive tracks to consider adding to your Christmas dinner-making playlists for your Kitchen this year! Today’s festive track on One Track At A Time is “The Season’s Upon Us” – by Celtic rockers, Dropkick Murphy’s.

“The Season’s Upon Us” is yet another fun addition to the alternative festive canon that we’ve been covering on the blog throughout the recent weeks. This is a track that just happens to come courtesy from the pioneering spirit of Dropkick Murphy’s. It’s full of anecdotal wit, chant-led chorus sections and the distinctive Celtic sound which the group have become revered for. The lyrics, often bouncy and quirky, have an offbeat down-tempo style, as conveyed through the lead performance of Ken Casey, who leads exclaims with: “Some families are messed up while others are fine/If you think yours is crazy, well you should see mine” and “The table’s set, we raise a toast/The Father, Son, and the Holy Ghost/I’m so glad this day only comes once a year” over a horn arrangement, composition from an accordian and an interlaced Caelic expression. I’m sure that more than a fair few can relate to the lyrics and the track is oddly very ambitious, as it boldly mixes an organic musical dexterity with a folk-based sense of comedic relief that can be hit-or-miss to stick the landing correctly upon. But, on the track, the band manage to do it with a brash confidence in their path! So, where’s that Brandy and Eggnog? I’ve got a stonking hangover to relief!

  • Pictured: Cover Artwork for “Signed And Sealed In Blood” (January 2013) (LP Record)

Thank you for reading this post! I’ll be back tomorrow, as usual, for an in-depth look at a Christmas track that’s as much of a Christmas song as “Die Hard” is a christmas film, as it’s time for our second foray into the mind of electronic maverick Richard D. James! 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/

Today’s Track: Fun Lovin’ Criminals – “Scooby Snacks”

November 29, 2019 — Leave a comment

SCOOOBY-DOOOBY-D…OHHHH! It’s time to kick off your weekend with a Friday post!

    Despite the familiar title, it turns out the song is actually linked to a form of drug/medication created by Valium and it has nothing to do with a certain sleuthing cartoon dog and his team of ghost-busting chums that we all know from a long-running TV series created by The Hanna Barbera Company. I guess that’s one mystery solved! Instead, “Scooby Snacks” is a track written and recorded by Fun’ Lovin Criminals, which also includes a sample taken from Quentin Tarantio films, namely “Pulp Fiction” (1994) and “Reservoir Dogs” (1992). It’s an eclectic mix of intriguing styles, as it fuses together elements of Hip-Hop, Blues, Alternative Rock, Post-Punk, R&B and Jazz-Funk. The track didn’t receive much commercial attention when it was first released in August 1996, reaching the #22 spot on the UK Singles Chart, but it was later reissued, along with a cover of 10cc’s hit track “I’m Not In Love”, leading to the track faring a little bit better, reaching #12 on the UK Singles Chart in June 1997. It was taken from the group’s debut LP record, “Come Find Yourself” and it remains to be the group’s biggest and most famous hit, from a commercial standpoint. I first heard the track on the second or third disc of a “100 Hits… Alternative” compilation album, which I can remember buying from a HMV. It was very nifty for my radio work.

    This is a track that will take you a few listens to really sink into your psyche, as almost the entirety of the multiple verses are delivered in a soft-rap style. This creates an undeniable stoner rock effect, which feels reminiscent, both in texture and stylistic convention, to the Quentin Tarantino films which it’s sampled composition was inspired by. Huey Morgan, the lead vocalist, raps “Runnin’ around, robbin’ banks” while “All wacked off the Scooby Snacks” over a rhythmic funk melody created by Brian Leiser and a two-step drum rhythm created by Frank Benbini, with the three having great chemistry as a band, with no member outshining the other on this particular track. It’s a rare feat, for many bands, to have this ability to work off the effects of each other, but Fun Lovin’ Criminals manage it with good execution. The track plays off it’s wacky lyricism with a thumping set of slide guitar chords and a well-paced sequence of alternative rock-based sections. I feel the main vocal hook does falter the overall experience a little bit, but the psychedelic elements are captured in good shape. It sounds very 00’s, but the intended tongue-in-cheek spirit and the blues vibes are also groovy. Overall, the track succeeds – and holds up – in creating a drug-fuelled thrill through a shifting variety of styles, although some of the polish is a little outdated compared to later, more contemporary, examples. Nevertheless, it’s a fun track to listen to and a nice way of layering several different elements of hip-hop, alternative rock, blues, and jazz with – mostly – cohesive results.

    • Pictured: Huey Morgan (Lead Vocals, Slide Guitar), Brian Leiser (Rhytmn Guitar) and Frank Benbini (Drums)

    Thank you for reading this post! I’ll be back tomorrow, as usual, with an in-depth look at a 1996 track from a new track from a London-based Post-Punk group who have just released a new album on The Leaf Label, which also has guest appearances from Iggy Pop and Kool Keith! 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: Bakar – “Hell N’ Back”

    November 9, 2019 — 2 Comments

    Life can sometimes feel like a big trip to Hell N’ Back, so here’s a post to cheer you up!

    • Pictured: Still image from the “Hell N’ Back” music video (2019)

    Bakar is a hip-hop songwriter from Camden, who likes to describe his own music as: “schizophrenic”. This is because he incorporates a multitude of different elements of genres into his music to create his own unique sound, be it funk or soul, jazz or trip-hop, garage or alternative rock, drawing on his influences like Gorillaz, James Blake, Aaliyah and Foals, to create a very exciting and inviting mix of effervescent genre-hopping monikers to his own stock. In a recent interview with Complex, Bakar explained his sound with: “If people saw me and presumed the kind of music I make, 90% of them would say rap or hip-hop. I could be on every single playlist on Spotify and feel at home there.”, growing his confidence and finding his feet as a new artist who wants to shapeshift like a Chameleon and shatter preconceptions people may have of him. “Hell N’ Back” is his latest single. It was released by Black Butter Limited.

    “Hell N’ Back” is taken from his latest EP release, “Will You Be My Yellow”, which was released on September 13th, 2019. The track opens with a whistling vocal tune, which builds up to a delayed trumpet solo which sounds ripe for a lazy stoner tune that sounds easy like Sunday morning! As Bakar’s vocals kick in: “Could you tell where my head was at when you found me?/Me and you went to hell and back just to find peace”, before he proceeds to tell an upbeat story of finding peace with a close friend or lover with: “I mixed a lot of love with a lot of drugs, then I found you/She liked petty crimes, she had green eyes like Mountain Dew”, with the track evoking feelings of an early 00’s jazz record from Curtis Mayfield or Leon Bridges, although it’s also ripe with hip-hop elements due to a spoken word chorus which interlinks the different contextual themes together: “Could you tell where my head was at when you found me?/Me and you went to hell and back just to find peace/Man, I thought I had everything, I was lonely/Now you’re my everything, I was lonely”, with a slight chill pop vibe being added to make the production work on the track sound cleaner and a little bit more polished than his earlier tracks like “Big Dreams” and “Chill”. The track definitely has a vintage and old-school tinge of soul to it, due to the jazz percussion, such as the horns, which is paired with the pop-ballad style of writing. Overall, it’s a solid track that reminds me of vintage classics, while pushing Bakar forwards into his future as an artist and each of the different elements flow together pretty cohesively.

    • Pictured: Cover Artwork for “Will You Be My Yellow?” (EP) (2019)

    Thank you for reading this post! I’ll be back tomorrow with another weekly installment of my Scuzz Sundays, late 90’s to 00’s punk anthems, blog posts, which will take you on a trip down memory lane and back to the history of the Scuzz TV channel! 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/