Goodbye Babylon

The second installment of Black Man's Pride, out now, brings us yet more rasta roots goodies from Sir Coxsone Dodd's famous Studio One stable. Big names like the Heptones, the Gladiators, and Horace Andy all make appearances, but the contributions from lesser known acts such as the Manchesters are just as fine. Righteous indeed, my brethren.
The Manchesters - Natty Gone

Fire In Cairo

Sala Ragab was the first jazz cat of Egypt. Later he played with the mighty Sun Ra, which is no mean feat either. Dig it.

Sala Ragab & The Cairo Jazz Band - Dawn

Six From Oz

Aussie mayhem? Nothing wrong with that, mate. Presenting a furious six pack from various garages down under for your listening pleasure. Now do the pop.
Radio Birdman - Do The Pop
The Scientists - Blood Red River
New Christs - Face A New God
Lime Spiders - Slave Girl
The Hoodoo Gurus - Be My Guru
Cosmic Psychos - Rain Gauge

Feel Good

Let's stay with the Kinks a while longer, with Big Star covering the Muswell hilllbillies not once but twice during a '74 concert in Cambridge, MA. Cool stuff.
Big Star - 'Til The End Of The Day
Big Star - Come On Now

Bless You All

Ray Davies recently announced that, after a 20 year hiatus, the Kinks are getting together again. Whatever you may think of that, it’s a good occasion to showcase a lovely deep cut of theirs, in a delicious cockney rhyming slang stylee. Something else indeed.
The Kinks - Harry Rag

Soul Fire

Here Lies Man follows up last year's acclaimed selftitled debut with yet another exemplary mix of hot afrobeat rhythms and sharp guitar riffage. That lovely organ? Cream on the cake.
Here Lies Man - Summon Fire

Loved Me So

Legendary American Primitive guitarist John Fahey used to be a bluegrass enthusiast. But when a record collecting pal played him Praise God I'm Satisfied by the mighty Blind Willie Johnson he cried with emotion and turned to the blues, with an enthusiasm that eventually made him track down the elusive Skip James in a Tunica, Mississipi hospital.
Blind Wilie Johnson - Praise God I'm Satisfied
Skip James - One Dime Was All I Had
John Fahey - My Station Will Be Changed After Awhile

Let's Get Lost

Just imagine discovering a reel with an album load full of unreleased tracks by Trane somewhere up in your dusty attic... Both Directions At Once, recorded in 1963 with McCoy Tyner, Elvin Jones, and Jimmy Garrison as trusted sidekicks, is the find of the year for sure.
John Coltrane - Untitled Original 11383 (Take 1)

Apricots & Roses

All aboard for a new seventies outlaw country collection called Outlaws & Armadillos, which accompanies a current exhibition at Nashville's Country Music Hall Of Fame. Now here's a compiler who knows his stuff, as this double disc set not only features choice cuts from the obvious stars of the genre (Waylon, Willie, Kris, et al) but doesn't forget the likes of relative outsiders like Mickey Newbury, Townes van Zand, Guy Clark, and Sir Doug Sahm. An excellent primer, which also includes these two fine ditties.
Tompall Glaser - I Ain't Looking For The Answers Anymore
Jessi Colter - Why You Been Gone So Long

Fair Warning

The holy grail for Gene Clark lovers everywhere, as the tracks on Sings For You were until now only known as rare acetate recordings, some recorded specifically for a rather obscure band called The Rose Garden to use. Rough diamonds, committed to tape when Clark had just left the Byrds back in '67. "I can't forget to know what I have found..."
Gene Clark - Till Today

Ebony & Ivory

Santa brings you da funk, inna Côte d'Ivoire stylee. Get down.
Santa Nguessan - Manny Nia