FEMI KUTI – ONE PEOPLE ONE WORLD
The title of the first track here really gets the spirit of
the album right – "Africa Will Be Great Again" – which stands at the
start as one of the most declarative moments on record from Femi Kuti, and
really sets the tone for the rest of the record! There's definitely some older
Afro Funk currents in place here – but the presentation and performance feels
even fresher than ever, and really has a forward-thinking, future-moving vibe!
Femi's in the lead on vocals, organ, trumpet, and tenor – really pulling the
large group along with him through a series of tunes that are as uplifting as
they are funky. Titles include "Best To Live On The Good Side",
"Dem Don Come Again", "The Way Our Lives Go", "One People
One World", "How Many", "Equal Opportunity", and
"Africa Will Be Great Again". ~
Dusty Groove
THE STYLISTICS – SOME THINGS NEVER CHANGE (BONUS TRACKS)
An overlooked later moment from The Stylistics – proof that
a great vocal group never gets old! The set has the quartet reinventing
themselves for a new generation – recording for Arthur Baker's Streetwise
Records, and getting production and arrangements from Maurice Starr – who has
this great way of creating an 80s take on the mellow modes that always suited
the group's vocals so well – the kind of late nite harmony numbers The
Stylistics virtually helped invent! There's a few more electro soul numbers,
too – and even these sound pretty great, given that there's an honesty to the
vocals that's very different than a stiffer singer of the vocoder generation.
Titles include "Give A Little Love For Love", "The Girl In
Yellow", "Love Is Not The Answer", "Just The Two Of
Us", and "Some Things Never Change". CD features 2 bonus tracks
– "Give A Little Love For Love (12" acapella)" and "Give A
Little Love For Love (12" piano & vocal)". ~ Dusty Groove
MATS GUSTAFSSON & DIDI KERN - MARVEL MOTOR
A very different album than usual for saxophone genius Mats
Gustafsson – as it actually has him playing with electronics a lot more than reeds
– although still using that sound source with the same amazing sense of
texture, shape, and tone! Gustafsson's partner here is drummer Didi Kern –
who's got a completely unbridled way of handling the drums – almost arrhythmic
overall, with this blistering intensity that must be something to witness – as
must the match of ferocity that Mats brings to his own instrumentation – a
matched power that often had us running over to the turntable, to make sure we
hadn't set the album on 45rpm! Titles include "Cold Start", "Fun
Generator", "Marvel Motor 2", "Besenkammer", and
"Enhancement". (Hand-numbered limited edition of 137 – in
screenprinted sleeves with varied colors – with download!) ~ Dusty Groove
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