cheeseburger

I've got a real sappy one today. "It Must Be Love" by Labi Siffre, groovster extraordinaire. Mixed race and openly gay, Labi had a powerful impact on the music of the 1960's and 1970's. He's come in and out of retirement a handful of times, always to speak sing out against some social evil - violence, apartheid, anti-secularism, bigotry, etc.

I recently learned that the melody at the beginning of Eminem's "My Name Is" is a sample from Labi's "I Got The". Labi only allowed usage of his art once Dr. Dre and Eminem had taken out a few lines about raping a lesbian (horrid I know). Of the offensive lyrics, Labi said the following: "Attacking two of the usual scapegoats, women and gays, is lazy writing. If you want to do battle, attack the aggressors not the victims". Go Labi, go Labi, go!

I love the pure 70's sheen of this video. The uncomfortably close face shots, not so much.

shake a fist

This song always puts me in a good mood and I'm determined to be one of those upbeat glass-half-full types today. Chances are I'll be dead by lunch.

  

underwater

avant-garde

Absolutely phenomenal.

  

Jonna Lee's ground breaking project iamamiwhoami.

foxy

It's supposed to be May, but it's rainy and cold and frustrating. I ran across a Mumford and Sons cover of "Not in Nottingham" from the 1973 Disney cartoon Robin Hood. It seemed fitting to post, as this is the part in the movie when the monarch sharply raises taxes on the down-trodden and a gloomy deluge consumes the impoverished town, drowning the remaining hopes and dreams of its inhabitants. Its so appropriate on so many levels.

When I was a child, I always chose Robin Hood as the SuperFellow that would rescue (and later marry) me from whatever make-believe travesty was occurring. I sure did love that sly fox.

why i oughta...

This Monday started out horribly. Let's kick its arse!

 

  

by the way, love the Twelves

Spooks

It being Friday the 13th and all I thought I'd post this haunting tune. Bandini remix of Ennio Morricone's theme for 1966's The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly. Signore Morricone is now eight-two years old and continues to compose powerful film scores. Keep on, Ennio!

Now ride off into the sunset you wily bandits!

suspended

I can't seem to get one damn thing done today.

Damn you Swedes!

The sheer volume of innovative artists coming out of Sweden never fails to amaze me. Must be in the water. Today's obsession: Little Dragon. Yukimi Nagano's voice is both elegant and devious and I just can't get enough.

inondé de soleil

Amadou and Mariam found each other while attending the Institute for Young Blind in Bamak, Mali in the late seventies. They've been creating beautiful music and promoting some serious social change ever since. Positively inspiring.

serpentine