Friday, September 23, 2016

Volume 10 - Spring 2015


Volume 10 is chock full of instro and vocal zanies! It tops out at 38 tracks, many of these culled from the multiple comps on the Surfadelic blog. The nut job behind it posted a bunch of maniacal American and European collections. I could never tell if these were his or legit comps, but nonetheless I selected the ones I liked most and plugged them into my volumes--deaming them worthy listening as the Earth dies screaming.

I can’t recall how I was ever able to find the web image for this volume’s cover, but it belongs to a post card I first spotted pinned to the wall of a juice bar I tended in Philadelphia. eSoon after arriving there I highjacked the brunch stereo and played CDs from my jazz collection. I might even have slipped in the occasional instro by John Barry, which I recall buying at the time. I do remember week after week of tuning into Sunday with Sinatra though.

Speaking of jazz, on volume 10 The Journeymen give Milt Jackson’s Bag’s Groove the sleezy instro once-over. Here in instroville you don’t often get a crossover into the land of the jazz giants. It’s short, raunchy and sweet. Just the way King Bloodstone likes ‘em. The Red Julian Quartet’s “Dave’s Blues” and “Easy” by Hub Brando and the Dreamers* also add some apocolyptical swing to our juke box. And don’t worry folks, we won’t go too long between posts without throwing in the jazz standard, Caravan, into a world-ending volume!

*Hub’s sidemen, the Dreamers, get’s this month’s prize for best band name. Let’s just pretend Hub is some long-distance relation to Marlon and all our nightmares will fade...until the final curtain falls on the blue marble. "And now, the end is near..."

We’ll stick with the jazz theme and take a trip to the Beatsville neighborhood. Dr. Horse knows how to spin a yarn. Just don’t ask him about why they call him Horse. It’s a long story involving jockeys and a spent canister of hairspray. On the other hand, Doc Jazroc has got the best prescription for ya, especially if you have symptoms related to restlessness, staring at the sun, and excessive persperation.

Don’t forget to get your fill of screamin’ sax as you leave town. “Shawnee” is familiar to you listeners of Rex’s great show on WFMU. Still got a little scream left in you as the Earth fades to night? Not enough of a dose from the meds of Jazroc or Horse? Just see Mr. Hawkins at the corner of Dysthymia and Vine...




Meet the soundtrack to your fate right here.


Thursday, September 1, 2016

Volume 9 - Winter 2015

This volume’s cover, inspired by Bucky Pizzarelli’s The Astronaut is thanks to DJ Tom LG’s podcast. (Now, there appears to be a TV show about these ladies. If you wait long enough Tinseltown will eventually make a flick of just about anything.) -- At any rate, Bucky’s cosmic gem is on one of Tom's earlier episodes. Don’t ask me which one, and don’t bother looking. Just listen, folks, 'cause LG don’t do no track listin’!

Tom is also responsible for bringing Lynn Hope’s Sands of the Sahara into King Bloodstone’s realm, making it worthy for the End of the World. It took me a while, but I was determined to acquire this holy grail of an instro. Found it at a rundown diner on a dirt road, far from the information superhighway. Jayne Mansfield was there behind the counter, serving lukewarm Suey. The perfect meal for your last days. (You good boy, you get cookie for dessert!)

Jack contemplating on what to eat for his last meal.

Staying with the theme of dark endings, the vocal tune, Death of an Angel—possibly better known for the Donald Woods & the Velairs version (see Lux & Ivy’s Favorites V.1)—gets the female treatment from Nancy Claire. This dirge, and many other vocals on my collections come thanks to Office Naps. Captured is another siren song to positively ensnare us. Time to lay your head on the Formica boomerang counter top and sleep…

Okay, so you’re not ready for the big slumber? Then take a trip with King Bloodstone as he traverses heaven and earth! From the Sun Ra-worthy Space Age, to Bucky’s tune, to Shooting Starr, we’ll descend from the firmament and land firmly in the jungle with Head Hunter. (No backup-band name winner this time around, but The Goofer surely gets an honorable mention.) The exotic melodies waft through the diminishing jungle…Watusie Freeze part 2 may lead you back home though. Swing through the trees with Lawrence Welk as he gives his take on Tarzan’s March (as Acker Bilk did on our jump forward to volume 17). Alas, once the rain forests have been razed and turned into deserts Zorongo is a good World-Ending jaunt to play on your burning Walkman…

Inflame Vol.9 here!

If you have trouble because MediaFire detects purchased material (the two Bucky songs, in this case), let me know...