Sunday, July 10, 2005
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glisten: skimming the surface noise
The Violinaires - "Another Soldier Gone"
This beautiful gospel-style eulogy for a fighting man hearkens back to the early fifties; the conflict in question is the Korean War. This track has been reissued a few times in LP format (though, I believe, never in digital media), but the original 45 RPM release is practically impossible to find; I know of a copy in good condition that recently sold for three grand.
Why all the hubbub? This track represents one of the earliest and cleanest recorded examples of the doo-wop/RnB sound, making it a historical disc in more ways than one.
Scarcity and subject matter aside, the tune itself is undeniably moving; I'd be hard pressed to think of a more beautiful requiem.
Listen here to another, later (1954) recording of "Another Soldier Gone" by a reshuffled Violinaires, renamed "The ? Marks" for trademarking purposes.
It's still a pretty song, but I like the earlier one better.
Courtesy the Vocal Group Harmony Web Site, an excellent place to explore for much more classic vocal music from the thirties, forties and fifties.
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The Detroit-based Violinaires are still an active singing group; explore their official website.
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Learn more about the Korean War.
The Original Jubalaires - "When It's All Over But the Shouting"
The Original Jubalaires have a considerable pedigree, with members hailing from a number of important vocal and gospel groups, including the Du-Droppers and the Golden Gate Quartet. More's the pity that time has not treated their memory with much respect; their sound, unshakable harmony carves right through the surface pop and crackle on this recording to deliver a powerful and rousing anthem. "All Over But the Shouting" is an artifact of the second World War; this 1944 side would've coincided pretty closely with D-Day.
Listen to five more tracks by the Jubilaires; again, courtesy the Vocal Group Harmony site.
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spiffy
PIZZAZZ PIZZAZZ C'MON WE'RE GONNA GIVE IT TO YA
(autoload video w/sound, entirely worksafe but a bit distressing)
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I'm a longtime fan of cartoonist Nina Paley and am much-gratified to discover that she's been doing a lot of work with online animation; don't miss the remarkable work-in-progress that is Sita's Adventures in the Ramadan, with music by Annette Hanshaw!
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We run these streets.
"Other popular hacks include the 'infinite don't walk' and the 'halfway across for granny.'"
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The main reason I keep an audioblog graveyard over to the right is because a lot of these sites stop and start periodically. Let's welcome a few old kids back on the block: Trrill is off the opera kick and back to eclectic audio; the only Welsh audioblog I know, Pop Peth, joins us again; Mr. Bassie's Jamaican music site has been resuscitated; everyone's favorite futuristic beatbox/ eepher/ hummer/ noisemaker Dokaka returns with dozens of downloadable cuts; DJ ZoZo is the latest incarnation of the now defunct Swung By Seraphim and good ol' Tuwa is very much back on the scene in a big way.
Incidentally, did anybody else notice that The Onion is audiobloggin' now, too? Boo to it being all realaudio though; some of us like to listen to our music on the go.
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If ya didn't know:
"The name of the blog is a piss take on my online nick, "forksclovetofu", by way of a reference to Matt Groening's 'Life In Hell'. There's a strip where his be-fezzed gay couple Akbar and Jeff open a stripmall called "The Tofu Hut". Honestly, I didn't give much thought about the name when I started the blog and it wasn't originally a music site. Knowing then what I do now, I've occasionally mused that I might've been better off calling the thing "John the Revelator" which would make it easier for people to associate the site with me. Ah well. Missed opportunities.
For the record: no, I'm not a vegetarian but I _DO_ love to eat tofu in all its many forms."
... all of which is meant as explanation as to why I would be excited about The Akbar Font.
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bonus glisten: miccio's pop rocks
Anthony Miccio is a poprocka and th' Hut's expert on all things big, radio-friendly and glistening that might otherwise escape our more rockist readers earholes.
Anthony dispenses wisdom and choice bon mots at Anthony is Right.
The Ying Yang Twins with Adam Levine (of Maroon 5) - Live Again
ANTHONY SEZ: The best song I've heard released this year is probably "Live Again," the Ying Yang Twins' collaboration with Maroon 5's Adam Levine on their new album USA. Helps if you enjoy Adam Levine's nasal-Stevie voice, but this track's unpredictability and effectiveness should impress anyhow. There's no preachiness, no moralizing, not even a buck-passing "What Would You Do?"/"Where Is The Love?" open-ending, just a sympathetic portrayal of the life of someone who normally doesn't get more than a dollar in her drawers. The closest thing to an opinion presented is "from me to you, I love you." While source of the sentiments may surprise some people, the Twins have long had a gift for clear language and storytelling (phrases like "[you] just want to pull up your pants," are startlingly simple and effective). None of the energy and danceability associated with the duo is missing, leaving us with a track that upends countless presumptions about the treatment of this subject matter while being immediately accessible and affecting.
THE TOFU HUT SEZ: As a non-Maroon 5 fan, I was stunned that Levine was on this track but, to his credit, his David Gray voice actually adds something to the song. Count me in as a surprised fan on this cut; 'Live Again' recalls Stankonia era Outkast to my ears.
Buy "United States of Atlanta", the new and highly lauded album from the Ying Yang Twins, from Amazon.
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Visit the Twins official site.
They're giving away gasoline? That's pretty populist, but whufuck?
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Read this interview with D-Roc and Kaine.
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Labels: Anthony Miccio, clicky, personal silliness
