Friday, March 30, 2012

Cyndi Lauper - Ska EP



Cyndi Lauper never did a ska EP but, if she did, it would be this.

This was supposed to be my SOTD but there were a couple to choose from. These songs were intended to be used in my next podcast but I couldn't pick which one I thought represented Cyndi Lauper properly.

She released her first album She's so Unusual in 1984 when she was 31 years old - although she did release a record with her band Blue Angel. (When she was 24 she damaged her vocal chords and was told by a doctor that she would never sing again).

She's so Unusual featured the song "Witness" which was overlooked but remained a favorite of Cyndi's.
It was the B-side to several of her singles off that album starting with "She Bop" (a song about masturbation - using the 'self-service' pumps), I'll Kiss You, and All Through the Night which was intended to be a reggae song but was changed by her producers before it was recorded. When she performed All Through the Night live she performed it in a reggae style as it was intended:

...then, again in 1986 Witness was the B-side to the Change of Heart single from her second album True Colors.

After that she didn't delve much into the ska/reggae sound until 10 years later with her 1996 album Sisters of Avalon when she recorded the song Brimstone and Fire


Then, 10 years after that, she recorded a live version of All Through the Night with Shaggy. (Don't ask my opinion about this version - I will not say good things)

1 Witness
2 All Through the Night (featuring Shaggy)
3 Brimstone and Fire
4 Witness (live at The Summit 1984)

"Witness"





http://www.mediafire.com/?395438mkx1h315h

Sunday, March 25, 2012

Plate O' Shrimp - Tribal Surrealism (1987)



These guys were from Boston and you might remember them from their appearances on Ska-Ville USA volumes 2 and 4. (I know the song Mariskando was on a comp too but I forget exactly what one - it's the same version here so, no big deal)

This is their one and only vinyl release and I have included the songs Out of My Mind and In Your Heart from the Skaville comps for your convenience. (Immorality Act was also on Skaville vol.2 but it's the same version here)

1 Mariskando
2 Dream Holiday
3 Nevada
4 Over the Edge
5 Not the First Time
6 Elegant Style
7 Immorality Act
8 (untitled)
* Out of My Mind
* In Your Heart

"Mariskando"


http://www.mediafire.com/?xdrphzxqt4ubtpn

SOTD: Where There's Gold - The ska stylings of...Seal?



I already did a SOTD for today but I didn't do one for yesterday, so doing 2 for today is allowed according to the Tone and Wave handbook rule 54-46.

Seal got in touch with his ska side on his 4th album in 2003 which was titled "Seal" (weren't they all?) with this song "Where There's Gold". It's a pretty good song but it didn't fit into any of my past podcasts.





http://www.mediafire.com/?nkab8ti5qn18bp7

SOTD: Corrupt Citizen - Talk is Cheap

I don't remember how this song fell into my hands but I've had it for a while now and always wanted to put it on a podcast. It just never felt right in the podcasts I have done in the past.

The band is called Corrupt Citizens and I know absolutely nothing about them except that they were from Arizona. Can't find diddly squat else on the internet except that this song was recorded in 1983 and was released on a 7" on Bad Stain Records called "The Mongolian Wild Turkey Baby Back Rib and Cheesy, but yet oh-so Spicy Stuffed Jalapeno Homemade Chili and Waffle Cookout and Square Dancing Barbecue Finals Volume 2" which was limited to 1000 copies. (HERE).

Keep in mind that these guys were out a few years before Operation Ivy...before there was such a thing as third wave.



http://www.mediafire.com/?xhemeoxaapu03p9

Friday, March 23, 2012

SOTD: Men At Work - Falling Down




A letter from the editor:


A rare photo of Jason Duncan from 1948 as he contemplates the Reformation of Minsk



I just realized a couple days ago that it's been almost a year since I did a podcast. I keep telling myself that I'll be doing another one any day now. I'll probably keep telling myself that for another year.

Let's face it...I ain't doing another podcast.

I do have this folder of songs that I intend to use in a podcast someday but I have to be realistic here and say that it's just not going to happen. I don't have the free time I used to have when I first started this blog and the bit of free time I do have is drinkin time. I have learned over the years to not internet whilst drunk.


So what do I do with this folder full of oddities? A mixtape? Nah, mixtapes don't have any personality.

How about this...Song of the Day?

Most of the time I post a 7" there's only one good song on there anyway so, in a sense, that's the song of that day.

Some of the songs are going to be great and you'll be glad I posted it. Some will outright suck. I have learned a long time ago that I don't really know what will be popular and what won't so I'll just put it all out there and let you decide.


Your SOTD (Song Of The Day [yes, the O and T are capitalized...I'm not fuckin' around here]) for today is:


Men At Work - Falling Down


A song written by Colin Hay intended to be on Men At Work's 2nd album Cargo (1983) but somehow didn't make the cut. They did play it live when they toured for Cargo and released this particular version as a B-side to the Australian 12" version of the single High Wire





http://www.mediafire.com/?em5b9atd6585414

Sunday, March 18, 2012

The Human Tripods - The Human Tripods 12" (1988)



New wave band from Ottawa, Ontario Canada that had some ska/reggae influence.

1 Special Message (to All You Girls)
2 Blame it on the Bossa Nova
3 Subway Lizard
4 Fossil Funk
5 Sex Message from Outer Space
6 Israelites
7 Baby's Gotta Problem
8 We're Gonna Rock ('til We do Something Else)
9 Hairdresser
10 Israelites (Extended Mix)

"Hairdresser"


"Baby's Gotta Problem"


http://www.mediafire.com/?u00wtcwse6r0re1

Otis Reem - O Matic



...by request

1 Keys
2 Narrowminded
3 The Last Act
4 Sarasota
5 La Unda
6 Persistance
7 Imperial
8 Breakfast Time
9 Going Up
10 The Somophone
11 Jackie Chan
12 Full
* Wanted Dead or Alive (Bon Jovi cover)

"Imperial"


http://www.mediafire.com/?28dac4bx3q9xqjw

Aerolíneas Federales - Largate 7" (1989)



This was a Spanish pop/punk band. They released 5 albums and several singles. This single was from the album Echame Sifón but the B-side was not on an album...and the B-side is why I'm posting this.

It reminds me of some other song that I just can't seem to place. It's very subtle but if you listen closely you might hear it too.

A - Largate
B - Vamos a Poner (las Cosas Claras de Una Vez)


http://www.mediafire.com/?3rif7b45ii6uw8w

Saturday, March 10, 2012

Scram - Stand Up (1987)



This trio (Matt Mungan - vocals and guitar, Greg Mungan - bass and vocals, and Craig Heim - drums / percussion) were pretty well known in Philadelphia in the mid 80s but they have pretty much disappeared from people's minds since then. It might have to do with them changing their sound and releasing their second album Kingsessing Trails in 1990 (maybe 1991?) when they went the route of the Red Hot Chili Pepper bandwagon and experimented with soul, funk, and jazz sounds. At least that's what I hear - I have never actually heard the second album because I have never been able to find it.
I like this one though. This is their first. Two of the songs on this record have appeared elsewhere: Something to Cling to was on a 1986 7" compilation called That Was Then...This is Now!, and the John Lennon cover Imagine that was released on "Another Shot for Bracken"

1 Here Tonite
2 Freedom
3 Our World
4 Something to Cling to
5 Just How Much
6 Stand Up
7 Imagine
8 Move a Mountain
9 Don't Say a Word

"Imagine"

"Here Tonite"


http://www.mediafire.com/?u3ul53pehgixfj3

Saturday, March 3, 2012

Bigger Thomas - m'boy y'know (1992)



The "lost" Bigger Thomas cassette EP from 1992.
Read the story behind the music in Marco's own words.

01 I Can't Remember My Name
02 (That's Not What I) Mento
03 It's Been Done
04 I Live at Home
05 King for a Day
06 Sugar Sugar

"It's Been Done"


http://www.mediafire.com/?w8aw9bujbo90cc7