Monthly Archives: June 2008

Who Do You Love? (NOT LL COOL J).

Monday: June 30, 2008 Posted: Darien Victor Birks Category: Video Leave a comment

One of my favorite tracks, “Who Do You Love?” by Bernard Wright.

I dug the video up on YouTube just to share with you all. Be sure to notice the effects used in this video, and keep in mind that it was released in 1985. Great conceptual work and execution of this vid, to support this amazing single.

Best if viewed here <~~~~~

Energy For Friday. Walkinonit!

Friday: June 27, 2008 Posted: Darien Victor Birks Category: Boogie 1 Comment

Artist: SINE
Title: Happy is the Only Way
Year: 1977
Label: Prelude
Format: Vinyl LP (Original)
Flwrpt Rating of this Record: 3.5/5.0

Front

Review
In an attempt to bring the energy into your Friday, I decided to review and share another classic underground boogie record, produced by the great Patrick Adams. This time he uses the alias, SINE. Anybody who knows anything about Adams, knows that he brings the energy, the tracks that make you dance, and those signature synthesized weeeeeet-weeeeeeetz throughout his tracks. This album reminds me a lot of the Atmosphere Strut LP, but this LP tends to be a little more party oriented.

One of the things that draws me to Adams-produced records is his ability to create and release tension on the track. Just when you’re itching for a change-up, or for the chords to let you fly free…BOOM!…it happens, and your soul is at ease. It’s truly “feel-good” music. The track that I have selected to post for your listening pleasure is called “Mosquito Walk”, it definitely gives an example of his (Adams) versatility.

Check out the sound!

Mosquito Walk

Design
I love the font that’s used for “SINE”. However, the lockup of the name with the title is a bit weak and could be much stronger. Again, the subject chosen is a young black woman, who looks like she wants … (whoever is looking at the cover)! I think she knows what she wants, LOL. It’s a pretty soft-core shot, but pretty intense…something sexy about it though. I tell you what, these cover concepts were definitely created to sell more records, sex sells. Period.

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Additional info on SINE

Carl McIntosh, Loose End. Yes, End.

Thursday: June 26, 2008 Posted: Darien Victor Birks Category: Soul 2 Comments

Artist: Loose Ends
Title: Look How Long
Year: 1990
Label: MCA
Format: Vinyl LP (Original)
Flwrpt Rating of this Record: 4.0/5.0

Front

Review
In my opinion, this is the BEST Loose Ends LP, ever! And original member Carl McIntosh completed this album all by himself. The drama? Well the other two members of the group (Jane Eugene and Steve Nichol) couldn’t get their ISH together, and had several creative differences with McIntosh and the group split. McIntosh kept the name Loose Ends, and proceeded to release 1990′s Look How Long, single-handed, with vocals from local talent that he scouted as the ideas for songs came to his mind. He produced, arranged, wrote, and coordinated this ENTIRE album. Now do you get the meaning of GRINDING?

McIntosh fused hip-hop breaks with synthesized sounds, and electric pianos to create this LP. I must add, the sound is light years ahead of its time and could survive in the soul/neo soul/r&b game TODAY. Period.

GO BUY THIS RECORD ASAP! That’s all I have to say…

Check out the sound!

Symptoms of Love

Don’t You Ever

Don’t Be A Fool

Design
As much as I love this album, the cover art sucks! The photography is bad, the typography is bad…the graphic elements are cheesy. The only props that I can give here is that the spacing is worked out quite nice, and I kinda dig the teal and gold color scheme. Sorry, but I had to be HARSH on this one.

Dear Mr. McIntosh, next time GRIND on the cover art, too!…

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Additional info on Loose Ends

The Grubbs Brothers.

Wednesday: June 25, 2008 Posted: Darien Victor Birks Category: Jazz 4 Comments

Artist: The Visitors
Title: Neptune
Year: 1972
Label: Cobblestone
Format: Vinyl LP (Original)
Flwrpt Rating of this Record: 3.0/5.0

Front

Review
The Visitors, from Philadelphia…representing on the alto and tenor saxaphone(s). They definitely have their own stlye, the way that the two brothers play off of one another is quite amazing. They write their own music as well, which is not bad…not necessarily my style in jazz, but it’s worth a listen. That said, the track that I’ve chosen to feature on the blog, was actually written by John Coltrane, a famous tune, “Naima”. What’s interesting about this is that Naima Coltrane is the first cousin to Earl and Carl Grubbs (The Visitors). So they did a cover of this classic material, and it’s nothing less than AMAZING.

Check out the sound!

Naima

Design
Bold and serious. A very cold feel to the cover, overall. But I like it, from the color palette, to the varsity lettering, and simple typographic treatment. The photography seems like nothing at first glance, but really take a second to examine it, there’s a nice abstract approach here. Some of the image has been removed as well, this was most likely a post-production technique…OR…maybe when the photographer was exposing the film, he/she (not credited) could have blocked out the walkway in the image. As I stated before, a minimal move, but it adds something that makes this not just another “photo cover”. Be sure to notice the hard contrasts and the deep shadows.

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Additional info on The Visitors

Sidenote: Waxpoetics Digital

Wednesday: June 25, 2008 Posted: Darien Victor Birks Category: Sidenote Leave a comment

waxpoetics digital

YES! A very strong alternative to iTunes. I had been checking Waxpoetics daily, waiting for their digital store to open. Well today my jaw dropped and my eyes lit up when I saw that it was live…24/7 access to rare material, the stock will be growing weekly.

I can’t thank Waxpoetics enough for taking this BIG step in online music retail, offering what other retailers don’t…HARD TO FIND VINYL in digital format.

* DAP * to the whole WaxPo staff.

Visit the online store here:
Waxpoetics Digital Store

Peace.

The Blame Game.

Tuesday: June 24, 2008 Posted: Darien Victor Birks Category: Video 2 Comments

One of my favorites, but one of the most slept on Jackson 5 tracks…EVER, Blame It On The Boogie 1978.

Check out the cheesy motion effects used throughout! Just plain awesome-ness.

Props to Randy Jackson for rockin’ the Charlie Browns w/ the sport coat, fresh!

Enjoy.

Best viewed here <~~~~~

Three

Thursday: June 19, 2008 Posted: Darien Victor Birks Category: Mix 14 Comments

Mixed By: Flwrpt.
Title: Three
Year: 2008
Flwrpt Rating of this Mix: 5.0/5.0
Cover Art By: Darien Victor Birks

Front Cover
Cover Art + Mixed by Darien Victor Birks of Flwrpt

The Message
Three, June, July, and August…Three, Soul, Funk and Jazz…Three, Boogiesco, Sex Love & Heartbreak and Three…

I think you can understand the reason behind the title of this mix.

Enjoy.

Check out the sound!

DOWNLOAD

OR

Listen Now:

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Tracklisting (in order):

Weldon Irvine – Softly
Jackson 5 – Love Is The Thing You Need
Johnny Hammond – Forever Taurus
The J.B.’s – More Peas
Mother Night – Today’s Another Day
Ronnie Foster – Love Satellite
The Sylvers – Don’t Give Up The Good Life
Eugene McDaniels – Supermarket Blues
Mandrill – Holiday
Webster Lewis – There’s a Happy Feeling
The Dramatics – Hot Pants In The Summertime
Universe City – Can You Get Down?
Rance Allen Group – Peace of Mind
Rance Allen Group – Talk That Talk
The Whatnauts – Why Can’t People Be Colors Too?
Wood Brass & Steel – Say What You Wanna Say
Brother To Brother – If He Can Do It, You Can Do It
The Headhunters – Straight From The Gate
Funkadelic – Loose Booty
Henry Mancini – Police Woman
Earl Klugh – Living Inside Your Love
Roger – A Chunk Of Sugar
The Intruders – I’ll Always Love My Mama
Nytro – Atomic Funk
Herbie Hancock – Butterfly
The Kaygee’s – Ain’t No Time Pt.1
Wood Brass & Steel – Theme Song
Segments Of Time – Song To The System
Lonnie Smith – I Need Your Love
Blackbyrds – Blackbyrd Theme
The Dramatics – Get Up and Get Down
James Brown – Ain’t It Funky?
Johnny Pate – Shaft In Africa
Kool And The Gang – Soul Vibration
Herbie Hancock – Chameleon
Johnny Hammond – Tell Me What To Do
Impressions – Stop The War
Dennis Coffey – Scorpio
The Chubukos – House of Living Funk
Roy Ayers – He’s A Superstar
Larry Willis – Out On The Coast
Black Ivory – Our Future
Al Jarreau – Better Than Anything
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Peace.

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