The World We Knew

Raw, bluesy, swamp rock from Tav Falco's Panther Burns, kind of like the Cramps or the Gun Club, but with this weird Lynchian sensibility. I'm loving it at the moment, especially the eerie title track.

Here he is performing some of the good stuff on a late night poker show, I posted this vid once before but its so good there's no harm in seeing it again:

Tracklist:

01 Dateless Night
02 Do The Robot
03 It's All Your Fault
04 Pass The Hatchet
05 She's My Witch
06 The World We Knew
07 Drop Your Mask
08 Mona Lisa
09 She's A Bad Motorcycle
10 Doubtful Of Your Love
11 Ditch Digging
12 Big Road Blues

Get it HERE.

Mustapha Bakbou

This is a commanding solo performance of gnawa songs from Mustapha Bakbou. No frills, just the voice and the guimbri that will undoubtedly continue to echo through the day.

Tracklist:

Side 1: Balini - Allah ya Rabbi ya Moulay - Bou Chama/Mekkawi
Side 2: Kubaily Mama - Mamaryo - Fulani

Many thanks to Tim for the translations.

Get it HERE.

George Stavis - Labyrinths (1969)

Ol' George, the Appalachian banjo wizard, once played guitar and sung songs in some band called Federal Duck. Then after some kind of epiphany he went and recorded this strange beast...an album of 'Occult Improvisational Compositions for 5 - string banjo and percussion'. It's like Robbie Basho, Ravi Shankar and some old hillybilly mystics cooked up together into a potent soup that's good for the mind and soul:

Tracklist:

01 Winter Doldrums
02 Finland Station 03 My Favorite Thing
04 Firelight
05 Cold Spring

Get it HERE.

Slovenly - Riposte (1987)

I never heard Slovenly back in the '80s when they were a performing band. Though I was into lots of the SST groups, Slovenly just seemed to pass me by. Having said that, I don't think I would have liked this if I'd heard it back in 1987 - not punk enough or something. Anyway, I picked this up for a pound at a boot fair recently and I think it's worth sharing - kind of spidery, angsty art-rock with flashes of Beefheart inspired slide guitar action that some of you may appreciate.

Here's a lovely fan video for the album's last track (which isn't overly representative of the sound of the rest of the LP, but hey ho):

Tracklist:

01 The Way Untruths Are
02 Old / New
03 On The Surface
04 Prejudice
05 Emma
06 Enormous Critics
07 Myer's Dark
08 Not Mobile
09 As If It Always Happens
10 A Little Resolve

Get it HERE.

Yusufa Olatunji & His Group - Orin Tokotaya

This battered CD came from a stall on East Street Market in Southwark - a real treasure trove of Nigerian music if you ever get the chance to have a wander.

Yusufa Olatunji was one of the leading exponents of sakara music, a popular form of Yoruba music and a precurser to the percussion heavy fuji sounds of Alhaji Sikiru Ayinde Barrister or Alhaji (Chief) Kollington Ayinla. Yusufa was also known as Baba Legba, which got me wondering whether the nickname was related to the Yoruba loa, Papa Legba. Papa Legba is the first and last spirit to be called during Haitian Voodoo ceremonies as his presence is essential in any communication between mortals and the spirit world.

Just for kicks, here is the SUn City Girls playing Papa Legba:

and here is Baba Legba:

Tracklist:

01 Alhaji Adetunji Adenekan / Alhaja Lati Ladejobi / Sinotu Abeke / Egbe Egba Parapo (Oshodi)
02 Orin Tokotaya / Orin Asiko / Rasaki Adelakun / Egbe Faripo (Egba) / Egbe Irepolodun (Egba)

Get it HERE.