I Like Gold

First reggae re-release of the new year alert. One would be excused for thinking the venerable Pressure Sounds label would be scraping the bottom of the roots barrel by now, but the soulful Meet The People surely deserves a second chance. Released back in '78 on Jamaican soil only, so quite rare, it was recorded at the famous studios of Joe Gibbs, whose trusted engineer Errol Thompson manned the mixing desk. "Listen to me now..."

Lloyd Parks & We The People - Reality

Discomix!

All hail the art of the Jamaican 12" disco mix, which basically meant that a song was extended with either a straight dub version or with a dj toasting over the riddim. Here's a few irie examples straight from the laboratory of the Mighty Two: legendary producer Joe Gibbs and his faithful engineer Erroll Thompson. Trinity is doing fine on the mic.

Junior Murvin & Trinity - Time Stiff/Time So Rough

Naggo Morris & Trinity - Su Su Pon Rasta/Stop Su Su Pon The Dread

Ruddy Thomas & Trinity - Feeling Soul

Wayne Wade & Trinity - After You/Love Me Forever

Wild Weekend Vol. 41

It´s Wild Weekend number 41, filled to the brim with wild gospel, heavy roots reggae, hot soul, pre-postrock, psychedelic pop, and one of them perfect rock songs to drive your car to. Beep beep. Yeah.

We´ll get going with the rootsy reggae sounds of the unjustly obscure Sylford Walker and his signature tune Jah Golden Pen. "Just got to touch ya finger on Jah golden pen, to write ya name up there..." Heavy heavy bass in a fine Mighty Two production, which means Joe Gibbs and his trusted sidekick Errol Thompson are in total control as usual. The original vinyl single is one of the holy grails for reggae collectors btw. Meanwhile back in the States, my estimated blogging colleague Scott from Pretty Goes With Pretty has just published a book in the 33 1/3 series on Slint´s influential masterpiece Spiderland. I´ll buy me a copy for sure. You can read an interesting interview with the author here, while listening to a cool post-Spiderland instrumental from the Louisville legends below.

Sylford Walker - Jah Golden Pen MP3

Slint - Glenn MP3

A stark cover version of Ain´t No Grave was apparently the last song ever recorded in this life by Johnny Cash, but ´gospel ranger´ Brother Claude Ely´s 1953 manic gospelbilly original remains the real deal alright. "Meet me Jesus, meet me, well meet me in the middle of the air, if these wings should fail me, meet me with another pair..." Now that´s the spirit, bro. More hot stuff to follow thanks to John Fogerty and the lads. Tombstone Shadow comes to you from The Concert, recorded live in Oakland 1970. My fave music for highway driving will always be Creedence, dunno why. It just is. Earned me some speeding tickets, too. Not nearly as many as the missus though.

Brother Claude Ely - There Ain´t No Grave Gonna Hold My Body Down MP3

Creedence Clearwater Revival - Tombstone Shadow (live ´70) MP3

Moving into more tranquil waters now with the Electric Prunes, whose claim to fame will always be their legendary garage smash I Had Too Much To Dream (Last Night). Don´t underestimate their second outing Underground (´67) though, a warm batch of psychedelic pop songs in its own right. Just check out the Goffin & King penned I Happen To Love You for proof. And we´ll finish this week´s edition of Wild Weekend with a hot soul scorcher by ZZ Hill that you can blame on the Dogg. Because that´s the eccentric Jerry Williams Jr., better known as Swamp Dogg, in the producer´s chair. Which of course means satisfaction´s guaranteed. See ya next weekend, just might be another wild one.

Electric Prunes - I Happen To Love You MP3

ZZ Hill - Touch ´Em With Love MP3