The Jolly Boys - Great Expectation

This blog is mostly about new, out of the ordinary music and that's exactly what the following album is about, a CD I consider to be one of the best of 2010.
The aforementioned praise adresses the Jolly Boys new album "Great Expectation". Now let me clear something out; the Jolly Boys are not at all newcomers on the music scene. Believe it or not they were formed in 1955(!) in Jamaica and knew moderate success in the 80's as well as in the 90's.
So these "grandfathers" of mento(Jamaican traditional music) have made an LP consisting solely of covers of very well known songs.
Now, there's a golden rule about covers; either give your personal touch in the song or don't do it at all. Well, it seems that these guys were born with that rule in mind and consequently, they've made an incredible album, giving their own distinctive style to each one of the songs. "Riders on the storm" is a real revelation here and undoubtedly the highlight of the album, while "Rehab" is one of the best covers I've heard in a long time. Other notable songs are "Blue Monday" and "You can't always get what you want", all sung with the beautiful mature voice of Albert Minott. So if you want to feel like being in Kingston in an underground music bar drinking rum, buy this album, unless you have enough money to travel to Jamaica and listen to them live at GeeJam hotel, where they are a resident band.

Dutch - A bright cold morning

Kevin Baldwin aka Stoupe is the mastermind behind the excellent beats of underground hip-hop pioneers Jedi Mind Tricks. To be a true great though, you have to experiment in different types of music than the one you are already an established figure and that's what this sampling afficionado did. Along with long time collaborator, Liz Fullerton, they formed a new band, wandering in trip-hop paths. Dutch(that's the name of the band) have really made a great album, by the name of "A bright cold morning", with the deadly combination of Stoupe's beats and Fullerton's godlike voice.
The LP reminds us of another beautiful work, the one by the unsurpassed Dan The Automator and his band Lovage, where he collaborated with the exquisite Jennifer Charles, more notably in the song "Stroker Ace". There are quite a lot similarities between the two albums, such as the beautiful voice of the women performing and the flamboyant beatmaking skill of the producers.
The highlight of the album is definitely "Pearls", where Fullerton shows her true vocal ability, putting foot on a stunning beat by Stoupe, while "Just before the rain" is just the start this LP needed to set you in the right atmosphere so as to enjoy it.
We hope Stoupe continues to be the inquiring soul that he is and gives us gems of an album like the one he just released.

Gonjasufi - Sufi and a Killer

Have you ever wondered, if yoga had a sound, what would that be? The answer lies within the album of an extraordinary gentleman, Gonjasufi, titled "A Sufi and a Killer".
The San Diego-born Gonjasufi(real name Sumach Ecks) was discovered by Warp records after a feature on Flying Lotus' song "Testament" and was subsequently signed.
His debut LP is a real revolution; His voice is a filthier-than-hell mixture of his Ethiopian and Mexican roots, leading to an almost ethereal result, something that is enriched by the presence of LA's-finest The Gaslamp KIller.
Every track takes you on a virtual journey, having Mr Ecks voice as a superb guide; "Ancestors" is like a spiritual quest into the desert, whereas "Kobwebz" makes you feel like entering a Middle-Eastern harem. In conclusion, it's a really sensational album by the 32 years-old yoga teacher and it seems almost a certainty that Gonjasufi is here to stay.