BEST MUSIC: 2019, with Music Players!

Weyes
Blood

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ALL THE
REAL MUSIC!

Swipe away all those trendy-indie
'Best Music' lists that taste like envelopes!

These bustling tunes will turnpike your psyche
and bumrush your tushie!

Shortcut to Music Players:

• BEST ALBUMS: 2019
• COOL SONGS: 2019
• BEST REISSUES: 2019

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Yola

B E S T
N E W
A L B U M S :
2 0 1 9

BEST ALBUMS 2019
by Tym StevensThis is a Spotify player. Join up for free here.


This music player has songs from the following albums, in the same order.

• Weyes Blood, "Titanic Rising"
(pronounced 'wise blood')The Album Of The Year.
Natalie Mering is making the most beautiful and innovative records around.
Always majestic, her previous stately madrigals have now melted into warm and soulful confessionals, gorgeously adorned with aching keys and Harrison slides, while subliminally underlined by corroded electronics.
Lovely and complex. Essential.

• Willie Farmer, "The Man From The Hill"
Gutbucket Blues.
Soulful songs sidling out with fuzzy swagger.

• Yola, "Walk Through Fire"
Country Soul.
Produced by Dan Auerbach (of The Black Keys), the British singer carries the torch of Stax Records and "Dusty In Memphis" forward.
The epic "Faraway Look" is the Song Of The Year.

• Chrysta Bell, "Feels Like Love"
Advanced TripHop.
Expanding beyond her "Twin Peaks" territory, the unfairly-unsung Bell channels Eurythmics and Kate Bush into new frequencies.

• The Black Keys, "Let's Rock"
Bluesy Rock'n'Soul.
Nevermind the digital shrill,
here's the analog Feel.

• Orquesta Akokán, "Orquesta Akokán (The Instrumentals)"
Cuban Mambo.
Last year's party kicker glees up the spree just as great in its Instrumental version.

• Lee Fields And The Expressions, "It Rains Love"
Timeless Soul.
With the sad losses of Sharon Jones and Charles Bradley, Daptone Records keeps on keepin' on with the stalwart soul troubadour, Lee Fields.

• Seratones, "POWER"
Rock'n'Soul 2.0.
Louisiana's finest brings us the next level of passionate thump and grind.

• Ghost Funk Orchestra, "A Song For Paul"
Cinematic Art-Soul.
Threading the moody badlands with a funky strut.

• Karen O + Danger Mouse, "Lux Prima"
Electro Noir.
The superduo of Karen O (Yeah Yeah Yeahs) and Danger Mouse (Gnarls Barkley) get taut while colossal.

• Hannah Williams And The Affirmations, "50 Foot Woman"
Perennial Soul.
Funky vamps, Soul croons, and the breathtaking political anthem "What Can We Do?"

• Here Lies Man, "No Ground To Walk Upon"
Afrobeat Rock.
Rhythmic double-step with metallic crunch.

• Fabienne DelSol, "Four"
Beat, Garage, and Psyche.
After too long an absence, the French Beat-maven (formerly of The Bristols) returns with immortal sounds.

• Kate Tempest, "The Book Of Traps And Lessons"
Spoken Word.
Kate Tempest, perhaps the most literate Rapper on Earth, strips it to the bone with her razor poetry.

• Brittany Howard, "Jaime"
Eccentric Soul.
The Alabama Shakes leader does an experimental sidebar, trading blues rock for malleable soul confessions.

• White Denim, "Side Effects"
Grooving Art-Rock.
Catchy as fire, glitchy as Zappa, groovy as bliss.

• Our Native Daughters, "Songs Of Our Native Daughters"
Bluegrass Americana.
A roots supergroup of Rhiannon Giddens, Amythyst Kiah, Leyla McCalla, and Allison Russell, using the traditional to critique the present.

• The Darts (U.S.), "I Like You But Not Like That"
Garage Rock.
Led by Nicole Laurenne (The Love Me Nots, Motobunny), these hoodlums kick your keister wearing go-go boots.

• Ibibio Sound Machine, "Doko Mien"
New Wave Afrobeat.
Nigerian/Brit Eno Williams preens her machine with '80s sheen.

• The Limiñanas, "Le bel été"
Soundtrack.
The usually psychedelic couple evokes the spirits of Morricone, Axelrod, and Vannier in these ambient arias.

• Paul Cauthen, "Room 41"
Soul Country.
Like Waylon Jennings jamming with Hi Records, coming off of a bender or a revelation.

• L7, "Scatter The Rats"
Grunge Grrrl.
One of Rock's finest bands returns to stomp all assclowns flat.

• Angel Olsen, "All Mirrors"
Symphonic Songwriter.
The mercurial minstrel goes luminous.

• Durand Jones And The Indications, "American Love Call"
Vocal Soul.
Everything right about The Miracles, The Delfonics, and The Chi-Lites, shining clear.

• Fay Hallam, "Propeller"
Psychedelic Yé-yé.
Everything right about trippin' Library Music albums, strobing.

• Seba Kaapstad, "Thina"
World NeoSoul.
The nexus of South Africa/Germany opens up new lines of soul-pop communication.

• The Jackets, "Queen Of The Pill"
Garage Psyche.
Swiss band led by the terrifying Jackie Brutsche, trashing your place and laughing.

• Gary Clark Jr., "This Land"
Blues Rock.
The blues paragon goes elastic with reggae, rockabilly, soul, and social commentary.

• Chrissie Hynde, The Valve Bone Woe Ensemble, "Valve Bone Woe"
Melodic Jazz.
Imaginative cover versions swinging with nifty lilt.

• Altin Gün, "Gece"
World Psyche.
Anatolian rock + Turkish Psyche Folk band from The Netherlands.

• The High Dials, "Primitive Feelings, Pt. 1"
Indie Psyche.
Magical mystery trouveurs.

• Ikebe Shakedown, "Kings Left Behind"
Soul Cinerama.
Spaghetti Western Tripadelic Funk. C'mon, you know you want it.

• L'Epee, "Diabolique"
Psyche Supergroup.
Actor Emmanuelle Seigner, Anton Newcombe (The Brian Jonestown Massacre), and The Limiñanas alchemize lightning.

• Mercury Rev +, "Bobbie Gentry's 'The Delta Sweete' Revisited"
Swamp Pop Redux.
The indie band honors Bobbie Gentry's 1968 classic album with covers sung by luminaries like Norah Jones, Hope Sandoval, Laetitia Sadier, Vashti Bunyan, and Lucinda Williams.

• The Shivas, "Dark Thoughts"
Dream Psyche a-go-go.
Do the rite of Shiva.

• Mavis Staples, "We Get By"
Gospel Soul.
The original Woke, since the '50s. Listen up to the legend and learn.

• Temples, "Hot Motion"
Glam Psyche.
Like Syd Barrett swirls with T-Rex saunter.

• Control Top, "Covert Contracts"
PostPunk Grrrl.
Angular rock, anger wrought.

• Shafiq Husayn, "The Loop"
Space-adelic Soul-Hop.
Funky head raps and chorals, with stellar guests.

• Olivia Jean, "Night Owl"
Fuzzadelic Pop.
Like Fabienne Delsol's alternate universe American cousin.

• The New Pornographers, "In The Morse Code Of Brake Lights"
PostGrad Pop.
The indie-pop supergroup collective fronted by Carl Newman and Neko Case, refracting pop sunshine into new spectrums.

• The Coathangers, "The Devil You Know"
Garage Punk.
The song "F___ The NRA" says it all.

• The Claypool Lennon Delirium, "South Of Reality"
Prog Psyche.
Les Claypool and Sean Lennon perfect their progressive psychedelia.

• The O'Jays, "The Last Word"
Philly Soul.
The vocal legends' swan song, co-produced by Betty Wright, which exactly captures the sweet tunes and caustic wit of their early-'70s heyday.
"As long as it's workin' in your favor/ You love the law/
Making our lives a livin' hell/ Above the law/
No one is above the law."

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C O O L
S O N G S :
2 0 1 9

All the REAL MUSIC
beyond the box!

Nevermind Gloss Pop, Stepford Idols, Karaoke Choruses ("woh-oo-oh"), Ego Brats, Emo Prats, Plinky Folk, Brittle Bombast, Vegas Country, Smug Thug, Mope Noodling, De-mixed Throb, and Robot-o-Tune schlock! >

Here's the
D R E A M
J U K E B O X !
Shimmy down with more soul
than South Korea!

COOL SONGS 2019
by Tym StevensThis is a Spotify player. Join up for free here.
*(The Player is limited to the first 200 songs.
Hear the unlimited Playlist here.)

This year's jukebox is sequenced into groups of sound, instead of randomly.
All the songs elasticize their genres.
Get your groove on in this sonic order.:
Rockabilly! Beatlesque! Garage! Psyche!

Glam! Folk! Country! Blues!

Soul! Funk! Covers! RESIST!

Riot Grrrl! Alt-Rap! Electro! Alt Rock!

World ! Alt Jazz! Soundtracks!

Chrysta Bell; Our Native Daughters;
Durand Jones + Indications; The Coathangers;
Gary Clark Jr; Blackwater Holylight


18 hours of skull-wobbling, fanny-swiveling music, featuring the following fine folks in this exact order!:

• Rockabilly! •Screamin' Rebel Angels, Bitchwaves, Jen Awad, Bloodshot Bill, Kim Lenz, Delaney Davidson, Barry Saunders, Jontavious Willis, Cow Cow Boogie, Thee Windom Earles, and Kosmik Band.

Pixies; The Muffs; The Darts

• Girl Group / Surf / Spaghetti Western / Beat / Garage! •Orquesta Akokán, Twin Temple, Charlie Faye & the Fayettes, Isobel Campbell, Ruen Brothers, Pixies, Gitkin, The Limiñanas, Starflyer 59, Satan's Pilgrims, Jim Noir, The Muffs, Ela Orleans, Baby Shakes, Samehada Shiriko And Dynamite, Tony Molina, The Highmarts, Saba Lou, The Resonars, Telekinesis, Parsnip, Nick Waterhouse, Les Breastfeeders, The Darts, The Smoggers, The Night Times, The Jackets, Frankie and the Witch Fingers, Fumaça Preta, Fleur, The Shivas, and French Boutik.

• Psychedelic / Beatlesque! •Weyes Blood, Fabienne DelSol, The Claypool Lennon Delirium, Flamingods, The High Dials, Fay Hallam, Temples, Satellite Jockey, Rosalie Cunningham, Andrew Combs, Death and Vanilla, Altin Gün, Cave, Guaxe, L’Epee, Redd Kross, The Cherry Bomb Peppers, Josefin Öhrn + The Liberation, Mikal Cronin, Drugdealer, Paul McCartney, The Proper Ornaments, Electric Light Orchestra, Ben Watt, Electric Zoo, Sarah Bethe Nelson, and Karkara.

Fabienne DelSol; Temples; L’Epee

• Classic Rock / Glam! •King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard, Blackwater Holylight, Hawkwind, The Black Keys, Sharon Van Etten, Mara Balls, Uni, Angel Olsen, Firefriend, Tim Presley, and Thee Oh Sees.

• Folk! •Shana Cleveland, Kacy And Clayton, Lillie Mae, Rhiannon Giddens, Heather Woods Broderick, Aldous Harding, and Alice Smith.

• Country Soul! •Yola, Paul Cauthen, Jenny Lewis, Renee Wahl, The Sworn Secrets, Lula Wiles, Our Native Daughters, and The Secret Sisters.

Secret Sisters; Mavis Staples; Hannah Williams

• Blues! •J.S. Ondara, Leyla McCalla, Leo "Bud" Welch, Mary Lane, The Ghost Wolves, Willie Farmer, Tristen, and Mavis Staples.

• Soul! •Hannah Williams And The Affirmations, Carlton Jumel Smith, Monophonics, The Teskey Brothers, Lee Fields And The Expressions, The Savage Rose, Kelly Finnigan, Seratones, Black Pumas, Los Coast, The Delines, Liz Brasher, Brainstory, Black Monument Ensemble, Durand Jones And The Indications, The Family Daptone, Allen Stone, Charles Bradley And Menahan Street Band, Michael Kiwanuka, Avery R. Young, and Alexis P. Suter Band.

• Funk! •Field Music, Ghost Funk Orchestra, Ikebe Shakedown, Coastal County, The Budos Band, Ibibio Sound Machine, Peter Ivers, Karl Denson, and Neal Francis.

Sleigh Bells; Chrissie Hynde; Booker T. Jones;
Taron Egerton; Valerie June; Kandle

• Covers! •Sean Pinchin, Katey Brooks, Sleigh Bells, The Harlem Gospel Travelers, Dan Melchior Band, Brandon Santini, Deep Sea Diver, Jeffrey Foskett, Beck And Jakob Dylan, GA-20, Gemma Ray, The Chocolate Watchband, Olivia Jean, Night Beats, Chrissie Hynde, Michael Marshall, Bee Bee Sea, Booker T. Jones, Jeff Russo and Lisa Hannigan, Mercury Rev + Lucinda Williams, Las Robertas, Jeff Buckley, Bernard Fowler, Urbandawn, Himesh Patel, Delta Wave, Ringo Starr, Cheap Trick, Taron Egerton, The Specials, Garbage, Valerie June, Bonerama, Kelsey Lu, Ebony Steel Band, Tropical F____ Storm, Whyte Horses, Taylor Hawkins + Queen, Robert Walker's 20th Congress, Bone Collectors, Frankie Rose, Joan As Police Woman, Rosanne Cash, Elvis Costello, Childish Tones, Isobel Campbell, Kandle, and Los Straitjackets.

• R E S I S T ! •Gary Clark Jr, Gang Of Four, DIÄT, Mama Jefferson, The Sure Fire Soul Ensemble, Kelly Finnigan, Danielia Cotton, Neil Young, Mavis Staples, Soul Scratch, The Coathangers, Pama International, Kate Tempest, The Bright Light Social Hour, Crazy Horse, Brittany Howard, The New Mastersounds, The O'Jays, The Heavy, and Jim James.

Kate Tempest; Otoboke Beaver;
Death Valley Girls

• Riot Grrrl! •Kim Gordon, Sneaks, Adia Victoria, Lucy and the Rats, Amyl and The Sniffers, Cherry Glazerr, Priests, Tetsuko, Marry Waterson And Emily Barker, Du Blonde, Le Butcherettes, Suzi Quatro, Otoboke Beaver, Gauche, Control Top, Francie Moon, Death Valley Girls, The Let’s Go’s, The Paranoyds, Mattiel, noranekoguts, Nicole Atkins & Jim Sclavunos, Ex Hex, and The Tomboys.

• Rock En Espanol! •Cherry Pickles, Melenas, Boogarins, Las Odio, Nina Coyote, and Femina.

• Alt Rap! •Shafiq Husayn, The Comet Is Coming, J.PERIOD, Tenesha The Wordsmith, Flying Lotus, Sarathy Korwar, Little Simz, Chali 2na And Krafty Kuts, and Sadistik.

• Electro! •Ladytron, Moon Duo, G&D, Octo Octa, Warmduscher, Automatic, and International Teachers Of Pop.

White Denim; Karen O + Danger Mouse; Sasami

• Alt Rock! •White Denim, Empath, Piroshka, Black Doldrums, Jemma Freeman and The Cosmic Something, Mystic Braves, Dhani Harrison, Beck, Karen O And Danger Mouse, Sam Cohen, St. Francis Hotel, Sasami, Spoon, The New Pornographers, Faux Ferocious, Des Demonas, Uranium Club, Mark Lanegan, Meatraffle, and Vanishing Twin.

• Africana! •Here Lies Man, Seba Kaapstad, Songhoy Blues, Pony Bravo, Karl Hector & The Malcouns, Kaleta And Super Yamba Band, and Odd Okoddo.

• World! •Kutiman and Melike Şahin, Habibi, Derya Yildirim and Grup Şimşek, Mdou Moctar, Los Estanques, Bedouine, and Cochemea.

Here Lies Man; Los Estanques;
Allison Miller’s Boom Tic Boom

• Alt Jazz! •Theon Cross, Matana Roberts, Chris Lightcap, Allison Miller’s Boom Tic Boom, Joe Armon-Jones, Jaimie Branch, and Cécile McLorin Salvant.

• Cinerama! •Messer Chups, Chrysta Bell, Unloved, Rakta, Quin Arbeitman, Junkie XL, Graham Coxon, Anna Calvi, The Soundtrack Project, Jamie Bell, Tindersticks And Robert Pattinson, Jeff Russo, Ludwig Goransson, and John Williams.

• Happy Holidays! •Mikal Cronin and Scone Cash Players.

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B E S T
R E I S S U E S :
2 0 1 9

Quality is timeless.

And in the end
the love you take
is equal to
the love you make.


BEST REISSUES 2019
by Tym StevensThis is a Spotify player. Join up for free here.

This music player has songs from the following albums, in the same order.

• 1950s •

• Miles Davis, "The Complete Birth Of The Cool" (1950)
The pivotal sessions that hinged the transition from Bebop to Cool Jazz.

• Miles Davis, "The Legendary Prestige Quintet Sessions" (1956)
With John Coltrane, Red Garland, Bill Evans, Paul Chambers, and Philly Joe Jones.

• Link Wray And His Ray Men, "The Link Wray Collection 1956-’62"
Wray's fiery guitar instrumentals paved the way for Garage Rock, Heavy Metal, and Punk.

Ray Charles; Norma Tanaga; The Doors;
Stax Records; The Stooges; James Brown

• 1960s •

• Ray Charles, "Modern Sounds In Country And Western Music, Vols. 1 and 2" (1962)
Country and Soul are intertwined, and Ray templated the next decade of each with these crucial records.

• Norma Tanega, "Walkin’ My Cat Named Dog" (1966)
Askew Folk balladeer gets the spotlight she deserves.

• Little Ann, "Detroit’s Secret Soul" (1969)
All of her unreleased recordings, finally seeing light.

• The Doors, "Waiting For The Sun" (1969)
50th anniversary expansion of the classic album.

• The Doors, "The Soft Parade" (1969)
50th anniversary expansion of the classic album.

• The Beatles, "Abbey Road" (1969)
One of the greatest albums ever made, remastered along with demos and takes.
Essential.

• Stax various artists, "Soul Explosion" (1969)
An overview of the massive amount of single releases Stax did to relaunch itself after breaking up with Atlantic Records.

• Various Artists, "Psyche France, Vol 5 (1960-70)"
More PsycheGallic tunes, including some of Bernard Chabert's Beatlesque jams.

• The Stooges, "The Stooges" (1969)
50th anniversary of the first album, a precursor of Punk.


• Various Artists, "Motown Unreleased: 1969"
There are so many riches in the Motown vault and here are still more.

• King Crimson, Catalog reissues (1969-'95)
The quintessential Prog band, in all their fascinating permutations.

• Various Artists, "Fania Goes Psychedelic"
Spike some Boogaloo in your hullabaloo.

• Bob Dylan, Travelin’ Thru, 1967-’69: The Bootleg Series, Vol. 15
The Country crooner years, featuring Johnny Cash.

Half a million strong;
Richie Havens; Janis Joplin;
Sly Stone; Santana;
Jimi Hendrix; The Who;
We are stardust
• Various Artists, "WOODSTOCK: Back To The Garden" (1969)
The most important concert of all time,
and the coming out party for the actual greatest generation.
Available in 5 LP, 3 CD, 10 CD, and whopping 38 CD versions.

• James Brown, "Live At Home With His Bad Self" (1969)
An unreleased live hits album backed by the original JB's.

• Chicago, "Chicago Transit Authority" (1969)
Their startling debut will force anyone to reassess them fairly.
Astounding chops, evergreen melodies, skronk guitar, and freedom fighter politics.
All Power To The People!

• Jimi Hendrix, "Songs For Groovy Children: The Fillmore East Concerts" (1969/'70)
Every one of the New Years performances by the Band Of Gypsies.

The Man.

• 1970s •

• The J.B.'s, "More Mess On My Thing" (1969-'70)
An unreleased album of the next phase J.B.'s, featuring Catfish and Bootsy Collins, including a 22-minute medley which covers Kool & The Gang, The Meters, Stevie Wonder, Jimi Hendrix, and George Harrison.

• Polly Niles, "Sunshine In My Rainy Day Mind: The Lost Album" (1970)
An unreleased album of sunny Pop and Soul.

• Nat Turner Rebellion, "Laugh To Keep From Crying" (1971)
An unreleased album of the vocal combo with raised fists.

• Marvin Gaye, "What’s Going On (Live)" (1972)
Unreleased live performances, touring one of the greatest albums ever made.

• Various Artists, "Cambodian Nuggets" (late-'60s/early-'70s)
Ros Sereysothea sang fuzzy rock tunes, and for that the Pol Pot regime murdered her.>
Buy this record and raise a middle finger to all dictators.

• R.D. Burman, "The Bullet Train" (1970s)
Burman scored many of the most adventurous Bollywood scores of the '60s, '70s, and '80s, and this is a retrospective.

• Various Artists, "Soul Jazz Records Presents: Nigeria Soul Power 70: Afro Funk, Afro Rock, Afro Disco" (1970s)
Beyond Fela, African music underwent sonic revolutions in the '70s, but often got overwritten by oppressive political revolutions.

• Curtis Mayfield, "Keep On Keeping On: Curtis Mayfield Studio Albums 1970-1974"
All of the essential early-'70s solo albums (except for 1972's "Super Fly"), prime for rediscovery.

• Marvin Gaye, "You’re The Man" (1972)
A reconstruction of the 'missing album' sessions between "What's Going On" (1971) and "Let's Get It On" (1973).
The political first third is amazing.

Ros Sereysothea; Curtis Mayfield;
Dead Kennedys

• Gene Clark, "No Other" (1974)
Gene's moody, complex, and especially soulful album.

• Mick Ronson, "Only After Dark: The Complete Mainman Recordings" (1974-'76)
The three albums that guitarist Ronson made on Bowie's label after going solo.

• The Undisputed Truth, "Cosmic Truth" (1975)
Norman Whitfield's answer to Funkadelic, finally rereleased.

• The Undisputed Truth, "Higher Than High" (1975)
Like The Temptations, the Family Stone, and Funkadelic having a debauched weekend.

• Suicide, "Suicide" (1977)
The nervy record that launched a million cold-synth acts.

• Dead Kennedys, "Iguana Studios Rehearsal Tape -San Francisco 1978"
The standard bearers of American political punk, galloping on surf clang.

• The Pop Group, "Y" (1979)
PostPunk agitprop of the first order.

Dance
Music
Sex
Romance

• 1980s •

• Dinosaur L, "24-24 Music" (1982)
Arthur Russell's experimental mutant disco, which rebounded across all the cutting edge dancefloors.

• Arthur Russell, "Iowa Dream" (1974-1985)>
More of Arthur's unreleased folk work, introspective and eclectic.

• Konk, "The Magic Force Of Konk 1981-1988"
Maybe more so than their peers Talking Heads, Liquid Liquid, and ESG, Konk were the intersection of afrobeat, jazz, funk, and hip hop.

• Prince, "1999" (1982)
The essential double album, doubled out again with unreleased tracks, plus b-sides and live takes.

• Prince, "Originals"
Prince's original demos of songs he gave to other artists.

• The Smithereens, "Demos 1: Girls About Town/Beauty And Sadness/ Especially For You" ('81-'86)
Demos for the initial EPs and debut album.

• Beastie Boys, "An Exciting Evening At Home With Shadrach, Meshach And Abednego" (EP, 1989)
In celebration of the 30th anniversary of the "Paul's Boutique" album, these two EPS were reissued.

• Beastie Boys, "Love American Style" (EP, 1989)

• 1990s •

• Bikini Kill, Catalog reissues (1991-'96)
Revolution Grrrl Style Now And Forever!

• Harry Nilsson, "Losst And Founnd" (1994)
The unreleased album that Nilsson was working on at the time of his passing.

• 2000s •

• Queens of the Stone Age, "Songs For The Deaf" (2002)
Their breakthrough and best album, like robotik stoner rock with Cream harmonies.






© Tym Stevens

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"A splendid time is guaranteed for all!"

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See also:


· BEST MOVIES + TV: 2023
• BEST MUSIC: 2023
• BEST COMICS: 2023

• BEST MOVIES + TV: 2022
• BEST MUSIC: 2022
• BEST COMICS: 2022

• BEST MOVIES + TV: 2021
• BEST MUSIC: 2021
• BEST COMICS: 2021

• BEST MOVIES + TV: 2020
• BEST MUSIC: 2020
• BEST COMICS: 2020

• BEST MOVIES + TV: 2019
• BEST COMICS: 2019

• BEST MOVIES + TV: 2018
• BEST MUSIC: 2018
• BEST COMICS: 2018

• BEST MOVIES + TV: 2017
• BEST MUSIC: 2017
• BEST COMICS: 2017

• BEST MOVIES + TV: 2016
• BEST MUSIC: 2016
• BEST COMICS: 2016

• BEST MOVIES + TV: 2015
• BEST MUSIC: 2015
• BEST COMICS: 2015

• BEST MOVIES + TV: 2014
• BEST MUSIC: 2014
• BEST COMICS: 2014

• BEST MOVIES + TV: 2013
• BEST MUSIC: 2013
• BEST COMICS: 2013

• BEST MOVIES + TV: 2012
• BEST MUSIC: 2012
• BEST COMICS: 2012

• BEST MOVIES + TV: 2011
• BEST MUSIC: 2011
• BEST COMICS: 2011

• BEST MOVIES + TV: 2000-2010
• BEST MUSIC: 2000-2010
• BEST COMICS: 2000-2010


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• The Real History of ROCK AND SOUL!: The Music Player Checklist


_______________

• THE CANON 1: 50 Books That Created Modern Culture, with Music Player

• THE CANON 2: 50 More Books That Created Modern Pop Culture, with Music Player

• THE CANON 3: 50 Recent Books That Created Modern Culture, with Music Player

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ROCK Sex: "Indian Rope Man": Richie Havens > Julie Driscoll + Brian Auger > Bob Marley

ROCK Sex says "it might grind slow but it grinds fine".

Today, the strands that intertwine "Indian Rope Man".

_______________
The culture baton today starts with the original version by its writer Richie Havens.

Richie always had an intense drive that propelled his Folk songs with furious urgency. As much as the Folk and Gospel tradition, that relentless rhythm places his music somewhere between the polyrhythmic afrobeat of Fela and the Punk-Folk of Billy Bragg.

Here's he takes the pace down a bit and becomes entrancing.

RICHIE HAVENS -"Indian Rope Man" (1969)



No right-minded band could pass that fantastic groove up. The first was the Brian Auger Trinity, with the formidible vocals of Julie Driscoll, turning it into a Funk-Rock masterpiece.

JULIE DRISCOLL w/ BRIAN AUGER TRINITY -"Indian Rope Man" (1969)



That seemed to break the floodgates as it became a staple in jam bands' repertoire, all clearly influenced by the Driscoll/Auger version.

The English jazz-rock band Warm Dust ignited the career of Soul singer Paul Carrack.

The Driscoll/Auger template of funk-rock with female vocals clearly stamped itself on versions by Australia's McFEE, and Germany's Phaze and the twenty-minute version by Tomorrow's Gift.


Determined to make their own mark on it. the German Frumpy slowed it down and boiled the burn. And it didn't hurt that their singer was the blasting soul powerhouse Inga Rumpf, who gives even the mighty Driscoll a hard run for her money.

FRUMPY, w/ INGA RUMPF -"Indian Rope Man" (1971)



Bob Marley takes us from the Ganges to Ganja with "African Herbsman", mellowing it out in homage to his medicinal extract.

BOB MARLEY & THE WAILERS -"African Herbsman" (1973)




© Tym Stevens

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See Also:

• Cool Ethereal Folk: VASHTI BUNYAN

• ROCK Orgy: "American Pie"

• Don McLean > Lori Lieberman > Roberta Flack > The Fugees

• "John The Revelator" - Son House > White Stripes > Gillian Welch > Depeche Mode

• "Indian Rope Man": Richie Havens > Julie Driscoll + Brian Auger > Bob Marley

• "Something In The Way" - James Taylor > The Beatles > Nirvana


• The Real History of Rock and Soul!: The Music Player Checklist

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ROCK Sex: "Oye Como Va!" - Tito Puente > Santana > Kinky

ROCK Sex says "Oye como va, mi ritmo, bueno pa'gozar, mulata!"

_______________

The original "Oye Como Va" is by Mambo bandleader TITO PUENTE.

TITO PUENTE -"Oye Como Va" (1963)



In 1970, SANTANA made it an international party anthem with their Latin Rock redux.

SANTANA -"Oye Como Va" (1970)



Here's a Funky mash-up of James Brown's "Mother Popcorn" and the Santana version of Puente.
EAST OF UNDERGROUND -"Popcorn/ Santana" (1971)



Los Lobos sample it with the John Barry spy score treatment for this film soundtrack.

LOS LOBOS + Danny Elfman -"Oye Como Spy" (2001)


You can still hear the enduring sonic legacy of Puente and Santana in this recent Electro Rock version by Kinky from Mexico.

KINKY -"Oye Como Va" (2004)





© Tym Stevens

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See Also:

• Cool Funk Roots: PEREZ PRADO's Mambo

• Herbie Hancock > Mongo Santamaria > Herbie Hancock


• The Real History of Rock and Soul!: The Music Player Checklist

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ROCK Orgy: "American Pie"

ROCK Sex posts are about how everybody has a part to offer to the whole.

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Sometimes a song is a bit of an orgy of pop celebration. Meaning that it celebrates and refers to many other songs and artists in One Big Shout-Out!

Folk singer Don McLean's "American Pie" is a classic example. It's an emotional narrative spanning Rock'n'Roll from 1955 to 1970. Though the song was a full 8 minutes+, it was a huge hit because it chronicled the arc of the counterculture generation. It was also a lyrical mystery that pop fans loved to decipher.

The song's chronological narrative refers in symbolist terms to many great songs and events in the formation and arc of Rock'n'Roll.

Being a broad narrative it's open to interpretation. McLean seems to be contrasting innocent beginnings with hedonistic endings, more partial to early Rock'n'Roll and Folk, but less so to Psychedelia and lifestyle excesses. Conservatives can fold it into that shopworn narrative of dismissing the '60s generation using Altamont as an arbitrary capstone. Progressives can revel in the anarchic currents that ebb and flow amongst its creative players. Music fans can dig it for its metatext, its melody, and its sheer celebration.

Slice your own interpretation...

DON McLEAN -"American Pie" (1971)




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The Roots of
American Pie


Here are songs that "American Pie" is referring to (specifically or generally) in its lyrical journey.

• "Singin', 'This'll be the day that I die...'"

n 1959, Buddy Holly was killed in a plane crash, along with rockers Ritchie Valens and The Big Bopper. This event had a profound effect on Don McLean as a youth.

BUDDY HOLLY And The Crickets -"That'll Be the Day" (1957)


• "Them good ol' boys were drinkin' whiskey and rye..."

Country legend Tex Ritter was the father of actor John Ritter, and grandfather to actors Jason and Tyler Ritter.

TEX RITTER -"Rye Whiskey" (1948)


• "Did you write the book of love?"

THE MONOTONES -"The Book of Love" (1958)


• "With a pink carnation and a pickup truck..."

MARTY ROBBINS -"A White Sports Coat and a Pink Carnation" (1957)


• "And moss grows fat on a rollin' stone..."

Blues giant Muddy Waters interpolated the 1920s classic "Catfish Blues" as "Rollin' Stone (Catfish Blues)", which then inspired the name for The Rolling Stones.

MUDDY WATERS -"Rollin' Stone (Catfish Blues)" (1950)


• "Helter skelter in a summer swelter"

Helter Skelter is a name used for spiraling British fairground slides. The Beatles' roaring song became a template for Heavy Metal, and was misunderstood by Charles Manson as a rallying cry when orchestrating his murder campaign.

THE BEATLES -"Helter Skelter" (1968)


• "With the jester on the sidelines in a cast..."

With his outsider pespective and barbed lyrics, Bob Dylan was the court Jester of the counterculture. In 1966, he had a motorcycle crash that laid him up and change his perspectives on how to go forward. An insightful overview of this can be seen in Martin Scorsese's documentary, "No Direction Home" (2005).

BOB DYLAN -"Highway 61 Revisited" (1966)


• "The birds flew off with a fallout shelter
Eight miles high and falling fast..."

The Byrds combined Bob Dylan with The Beatles to create the Folk Rock movement.

THE BYRDS -"Eight Miles High" (1967)


"While sergeants played a marching tune..."

Stepping beyond formula, The Beatles opened up the full range of sonic possibility of Rock with their 1967 masterpiece.

THE BEATLES -"SGT. PEPPER'S LONELY HEARTS CLUB BAND" (1967)


• "Oh, and there we were all in one place
A generation lost in space..."

The counterculture, ridiculed as a fad by the scared mainstream media (still), had the ultimate coming out party with the 1969 Woodstock Festival, with half-a-million people of all persuasions declaring their undeniable presence and unleashing a spiritual nation that continues unabated (still).

CROSBY STILLS NASH And Young -"WOODSTOCK" (1970)


• "Jack Flash sat on a candlestick
'Cause fire is the Devil's only friend..."

In the spirit of the recent Woodstock, The Rolling Stones held a 1970 concert at Altamont Speedway in California. The naive mistake of choosing the Hells Angels motorcycle gang as security led to the stabbing death of a fan.

In its eternal zealosy to dismiss the progress and impact of the counterculture, the corporate media consistently sells the false narrative that this incident was its end. No.

THE ROLLING STONES -"Jumping Jack Flash" (1968)


• "I met a girl who sang the blues..."

JANIS JOPLIN -"Kozmic Blues" (1969)


• "The Father, Son, and the Holy Ghost
They caught the last train for the coast..."

The counterculture embraced varying forms of spirituality, such as Hinduism, Buddhism, and Christianity. The latter led to Gospel hits like "Oh Happy Day" and "Spirit In The Dark"; and Gospel-inspired anthems of the turn of the decade, such as "Let It Be", "Bridge Over Troubled Water"; and "Loves Me Like A Rock", and musicals like "Jesus Christ Superstar" and "Godspell".

THE BYRDS -"Jesus Is Just Alright" (1969)


NORMAN GREENBAUM -"Spirit In The Sky" (1969)


PACIFIC GAS And ELECTRIC -"Are You Ready" (1970)


MELANIE -"Candles In The Rain" (1970)



"And they were singin'..."


© Tym Stevens

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See Also:

• Revolution 1950s: The Big Damn Bang of Rock'n'Roll! -Buddy Holly

1950s Rock, B: The '70s Disciples https://tymstevens.blogspot.com/2015/04/1950s-rock-b-70s-disciples.html • 1950s Rock, B: The '70s Disciples, with Music Player!


• "Killing Me Softly": Don McLean > Lori Lieberman > Roberta Flack > The Fugees

• Cool Ethereal Folk: VASHTI BUNYAN


• The Real History of Rock and Soul!: The Music Player Checklist

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