Claudio Cataldi – Here She Comes Now (Ltd. Col 7”)

Sicilian songwriter's tribute to the Velvets!

The ever-expanding smorgasbord that is Fruits de Mer's back catalogue gets even more tasty with this latest 7” from Claudio Cataldi, a singer-songwriter based in Palermo in Sicily. He may be familiar to FdM fans from his cover of Syd Barrett's 'She Took A Long Cold Look' which the label released a year or so ago. He's now turned his attention to the Velvet Underground with a beautifully lo-fi bedroom take of 'Here She Comes Now'.

Cataldi's take on the Velvets classic is backed with three Cataldi originals, one of which, 'All My Friends Are Here', is unavailable elsewhere. It mixes US slackerdom with homespun baroque-folk warmth, and will appeal as much to fans of J. Mascis and Elliot Nick Drake as those of Barrett and the Velvets. To my mind it's the best of the label's April releases. Do check it out, along with Claudio's back catalogue via the links below.

Released as a limited edition colour vinyl 7” (600 copies).

Tracklisting

1. Here She Comes Now
2. All My Friends Are Here
3. Final
4. Ropes and Strings

Click here for more on Claudio Cataldi.

Click here for Fruits de Mer Records.

Booker T. Jones - The Road From Memphis

60's legend, aided by some famous pals, in fine return to form.

Back in the 60's when soul music rivalled The Beatles in terms of world and chart domination, two record labels both had very convincing claims to rule the soul roost, each boasting an in-house recording studio and house band. The first of these was Berry Gordy's Motown, a production line set-up with a string of solo vocalists and vocal groups, smoothly groomed for pop stardom, their music aimed at both a black and white audience. The hidden, faceless, in-house studio band became known as The Funk Brothers.

Deep down south in Memphis, Stax Records put together an altogether grittier soulful groove. During the time of the civil rights movement, the label staff along with the in-house studio band were progressively mixed race. The house band at Stax was Booker T. And The MG's, led by organist Booker T. Jones. The MG's line-up was completed by bassist Donald “Duck” Dunn, guitarist Steve Cropper, and drummer par excellence Alan Jackson Jr. (Who died in tragic circumstances in 1975). Together this super tight unit provided the backing on literally hundreds of soul tracks for singers such as Otis Redding, Wilson Pickett, Sam and Dave, The Staple Singers, and Johnnie Taylor. On top of this the group also managed to find the time to make hit records of their own, perhaps the best known of which is the classic “Green Onions”. 

Click over the jump for more on The Road To Memphis.

Cold War Pop - A Video Playlist

Seems like quite some time since the end of the Cold War. The world continues to open up in so many ways. Been thinking about the Cold War a lot recently since watching "The Lives Of Others", so thought I'd put together a video playlist of some of the most memorable tracks inspired by that era.

Click over the jump for my Cold War video playlist