What kind of mix is this? It’s some great new releases from Bokanté, Jungle, and Rubblebucket, some great shows we’ve been to including Moon Hooch, Dumpstaphunk and Bumpin’ the Mango, and some cool classics.
1. Jungle – Beat 54 (All Good Now) – For Ever
Jungle is kind of an under the radar band that released their first eponymous album in 2014 and was a global club sensation for the next couple of years. We had the good fortune to see them twice during that initial release. For Ever, the second album, just released is just as cool, characterized by lush orchestrations, heavy synths and Bee-Gees like vocals. This music is just so chill – it’s All Good Now.
2. Rubblebucket – Donna – Sun Machine
Rubblebucket, another sort of well kept secret, is a funky, dance tune oriented band with the ultra talented Kal Traver on lead vocals and bari sax and Alex Toth on vox and trumpet. Sun Machine is their most recent release also after a long hiatus and this tune is here for my own wonderful lifelong companion, Donna.
3. Bokanté + Metropole Orkest – La Maison En Feu – What Heat
Here’s the writeup of this song from the full “What Heat” album review on this site. Roosevelt bring us home baby (last song on the album) with the House of Fire intro, probably my favorite tune on the disc after listening 6-7 times. The chugga chugga train percussion coming in with the strings on top, it’s unbelievable (like Big Ugly on Culcha Vulcha), and Malika sounds like a hella rhythm machine. That damn MO is unbelievable. Again, The Dr. with some great “solo” work here, it’s so damn hot! Of course House on Fire literally is dangerous and must be flooded, with love in this metaphor, to extinguish it! Again, the close here with MO, Bokanté and Malika is stunning.
4. Moon Hooch – Red Sky – Red Sky
Moon Hooch just hit Terminal West last week with all the power of a 2×4. It was one of the most frenetic, energetic shows of the year and this tune off their latest album has been a favorite from the moment it came out. You can catch the full show including Red Sky here –
5. Dumpstaphunk – Justice – Justice
Dumpstaphunk brought their NOLA brand funk in full force to the Variety Playhouse in Atlanta this week and the had the crowd pumped for their full set which included Justice as one of their newer tunes. Check it out here –
6. Balkan Beat Box – Hermetico – Nu Med
Balkan Beat Box, another sleeper hasn’t been to Atlanta since Music Midtown 2016 and we’re hoping for a return soon. This tune will keep your week moving along fast as we cruise to the weekend.
7. Amy Winehouse – Me & Mr Jones – Back to Black
Amy, Amy, Amy we so miss you. Of course everyone knows this album and this is just one sultry, amazing tune backed up by a lot of the Daptone crew. What a flash in the pan, but an super hot one at that. An amazing but too short legacy.
8. The Bar-Kays – Soul Finger – Soul Finger
Have some fun with this classic old straight up funk tune. It’s dance party time.
9. Santana – Soul Sacrifice – Santana
Santana hit with his first album way back in 1969 and the big hit was “Evil Ways.” But this tune was a heater that was always at the top of our playlist. It holds up so well after nearly 50 years.
10. Cold Blood – Funky On My Back – Live Blood
Here’s another one from the West Coast, San Francisco sound cultivated by Bill Graham. Lydia Pense carried vox with this horn driven band, contemporaries of Tower of Power and Santana, and showed the world what that East Bay funk was all about.
11. Bumpin’ The Mango – Shootin’ From The Hip – Bumpin’ The Mango
Another show from the past week, Bumpin’ the Mango is Atlanta’s best horn band covering such luminaries as Tower of Power, Earth Wind and Fire, Stevie Wonder, and Average White Band. This tune is one of their originals from their recently releases album. You can also catch it in their live show here –
12. Al Green – No One Like You – Lay It Down
Everyone knows Al Green from his string of seductive hits in the 1970s Let’s Stay Together, Tired of Being Alone, Love and Happiness and on and on. But in 2008 he went back to Memphis for the recording of Lay It Down which became his first top 10 album in many years. He brought that old soul voice back and laid down some his best tracks ever with a hand from Questlove” as producer. He also featured Anthony Hamilton, John Legend and Corinne Bailey Rae as guest artists. This cut was number 15 on Rolling Stone’s list of the 100 Best Songs of 2008.
13. Angela Bofill – Angel of the Night – Angel of the Night
Angela was one of the greatest female voices of the 80’s and part of the GRP/Arista dynasty. This title track from the second album just reeks of sweet emotion on a personal basis. An all time favorite from an all time great.