The various guitars strumations and classic feeling make this album a pop astroid shower of Ghana love songs. With about four solid-sounding tunes, a handful of songs that contain a fair amount of cultural relevance and alot of guitar picking in a style we all know from around the way; in the barrio, the word on the street, Carnicerias with five star food, and car radios. Pick up song one for its relevance to song two, "Mama Shile Oga," or listen to the bouncy sound that hooked my ear-- track 6 "Oh Papa," the best song on the album. Finally listen to all the songs and pick the four or five that sound the most fun, because that is what this album really intends to do: jazz up a simmering night at home with a playful and pop-traditional fun time. The last song, "Nyame Bowade" is fast paced and of true Ganha sound. This disc is a benefit of a musical community that has so much to offer, and so much of it shows up here.
Everybody knows Motown was great, but few realize what an incubator the entire City of Detroit was for soul music in its heyday. For each artist on Berry Gordy’s label there were several more just as good who went with another major, or with a smaller, local indie. Some made their names in r&b, vocal groups or gospel before evolving into soul; others started in soul but had their greatest impact in funk. But even… more »
At eMusic, we take pride in being the place you hear about artists first. Whether it's through our eMusic Selects program - which brought you the first releases by Best Coast, Crystal Stilts, Strand of Oaks and more - or our Breaking Artist features, our editorial team is always on the grind to bring you the best new artists first. Our eMerging Artists station is your chance to be first on the Next Big Thing. more »
The office folks at Righteous Babe Records put this playlist together for eMusic. It has some choice songs from the Righteous Babe catalog but also some friends, openers and influencers we either work with or just plain like to play. Hope you enjoy! more »
Whether your tastes skew toward classics by The Smiths and Wilco or current cutting edge tastemakers like Sleigh Bells and Neon Indian, you're sure to discover something you love on Indie Hits, Past & Present. more »
While the legendary voices of such jazz icons as Billie, Ella and Sarah still ring true, subsequent generations of female jazz vocalists have taken the music in new directions, especially in the '90s, ranging from Cassandra Wilson's new-standard caress to Diana Krall's classics with a twist. Taking their lead, young singers over the last decade have been swinging the vocal tradition onto a new plateau with a pop sensibility. In the mix are tunes by… more »
This mix is not for the faint of heart, so all you groovy geezers take it easy with this one, and let the Daptone crew guide you through a soulful journey of some of our favorite party starters, and late night movers.
Get ready, cause we're gonna swing folks. There's a Happening going down in Bushwick, and we here at Daptone Records would like to share it with you. You don't have to be hip, but… more »
Nirvana and Pearl Jam. This is who you'll hear about when the topic of Seattle's music scene is brought up in a historical context. It makes sense. Alternative music has always been the face of the Seattle scene. But before Kurt and Eddie, there was Ray and Quincy and Jimi. Seattle has soul, and the hip-hop community in the 206 is the living proof. They love their hometown and the music reflects that. "Townfolk Hip-Hop"… more »
Turn your subwoofer into an impact crater. The best new and classic Drum & Bass, Dubstep and Jungle with smatterings of IDM and downtempo. Leaning towards the dark end of the spectrum, the only hard rule is it must have massive amounts of low end. You will be guaranteed to drive your neighbors insane with Mortar Bass Bomb. more »
After Elvis went into the Army and before the British Invasion, the years 1958-63 were rock's forgotten years. But they were the years that shaped the musical tastes of baby boomers and of acts from the Beatles and Rolling Stones to Bruce Springsteen and the Ramones. Hear the dance sensations, the one-hit-wonders, the girl groups and doo-wop singers, surfers and rockabilly twangers, the birth of Motown, the evolution of R&B into soul and so much… more »
The local highlife music scene in Ghana nearly perished due to the economic adversity (and the institution of severe curfews) that came in the wake of Jerry Rawlings’ military coup in the early ’80s. Many clubs, music centers, and studios were forced to close, but somehow Bokoor Studio was able to keep the tapes rolling, thanks mostly to John Collins, who recorded and produced the tracks found on The Guitar and Gun. Originally released on vinyl in two volumes, this digital reissue collects most (but not all) of the cuts found on the initial releases. Highlights include the relaxed vocals and rolling percussion of Salaam And His Cultural Imani Group on “Moko Baba” and “Ekee Obi Le,” which charmingly combine palm-wine music with a kind of jug band mentality. Samuel Paa Gyimah’s bright guitar work (on “Oh Papa” by F. Kenya’s Guitar Band) skitters and flies at the speed of light itself. The African doo wop of the Genesis Gospel Singers on “Momma Mo Akoma Ntutu,” which opens the album, is a particular delight with its easy, rolling pace. Aside from its historical value, The Guitar and Gun is recommended for the strength of the music, produced under adverse conditions, and the careful sequencing, which allows it to breathe and shine. The only negative is that some of the tracks from the original two-volume vinyl set are missing here, undoubtedly due to time constraints. – Steve Leggett
