Lucas In London

My live music experiences this month have been mostly Brazilian. After Nyron Higor and the gang in Brussels in the middle of the month, last Friday Mr F and I went to see Lucas Santtana nearer to home at the 229 in London's groovy Great Portland Street.

Mr Santtana was in town to promote his new album "Brasiliano", the tenth of his career that now stretches back a quarter of a century. It features eight different language and a long list of collaborators from Brrazil and elsewhere of which Gilberto Gil is the best known.

According to the blurb, on the album Lucas "questions cultural heritage, identity, colonial memory, and the possibility of a shared language" - something he evidently feels strongly about as he had a bit of a rant in response to a comment from an audience member that I didn't catch. The gist of the rant was that Brazilian culture and language was much richer than just its colonial inheritance. 

On first listen I quite like the new album and I think it will be a grower, but it is a lot mellower than the only other album of his that I have - "3 Sessions In A Greenhouse", described by Mojo on its release in 2006 as a "futuristic splicing of samba with Black Ark-style dub". Maybe that is just the effect of time passing.

As for the show itself, I enjoyed it. Lucas was fronting a four piece band so had to manage without some of the nuance and enhancements you can get in the studio, but they got all our toes tapping and our hands clapping. I particularly enjoyed the louder and more up tempo numbers on which they were almost able to drown out the idiots talking.

For your delectation and delight here is a track apiece from the new album and "3 Sessions In A Greenhouse". The latter features an American journalist reading extracts from Virginia Woolf - because you can - and clocks in nearly nine minutes for you long Monday fans. 

"Cuando Mi Lengua (feat. Maria Lado)" - Lucas Santtana

"A Natureza Espera (feat. Phylis Huber)" - Lucas Santtana

Oceanic Consistency

On Wednesday evening I was inside the Japanese Embassy in London's swinging Piccadilly. I can't say why but hopefully the Cadbury's Milk Tray reached the intended recipient. 

More importantly for the purposes of this post my visit prompted me to dig out some albums by my favourite Japanese band, Nagisa Ni Te. It is only a few months since they were last featured here but it is never too soon to have them back.

This time out we have a couple of tracks from their most recent album "Newocean", released in 2022. Between them the two songs clock in at 15 minutes so purists may want to wait until Monday before listening to them.

Thank you once again to the Random Adjective/ Noun Generator which I used last time The Nagisas joined us for the title of the post. It seemed suitable for the album title. Two of the other options that the generator offered up were "fanatical words" and "oily allegiance". Its randomness appears to be in sync with the randomness of the so-called real world.

"Despair" - Nagisa Ni Te

"Something Wicked This Sky Comes" - Nagisa Ni Te

Elyse In The Fields

According to my search function it is 13 years since Elyse Weinberg last appeared on these pages. As many of you weren't even born then it is time for a long overdue comeback. Her debut - and for many years only - album "Elyse" has long been a favourite of mine.

Elyse was a Canadian singer-songwriter who hung out with the likes of Neil and Joni in Toronto in the mid-1960s. In 1968 she followed them down to L.A. where she was signed up by the Tetragrammaton label, best known (if at all) as being the label that released all the early Deep Purple albums in the US.

"Elyse" came out to moderate acclaim the following year. Produced by Don Gallucci, the former keyboard player with The Kingsmen (thats him playing the opening riff on "Louie Louie") and later the producer of The Stooge's "Fun House", backing was provided by a band called Touch and allegedly an uncredited Neil on some tracks.

Neil was definitely involved in the planned follow up LP "Greasepaint Smile", produced by David Briggs and also involving the likes of Nils Lofgren and J.D. Souther. Unfortunately the label went bust before it could be released. It finally saw the light of day in 2015, after Elyse had been rediscovered by hipsters and lured back into music from her steady job selling insurance in Oregan.

Sadly Elyse died of lung cancer in 2020 aged 74. She never really got the recognition I think she deserved in her lifetime but she left us with one great record, which is more than can be said for most of us.

"Band Of Thieves" - Elyse Weinberg

"Spirit Of The Letter" - Elyse Weinberg

I have not been able to find any clips of Elyse or even of Cher doing her version of "Band Of Thieves" (renamed "Chastity's Song" for the purposes of a terrible film). But here are Courtney Barnett and Waxahatchee a few years back covering "Houses" from the second album. There is also a very poor quality clip on YouTube of Jeff Tweedy having a go at the same song last year.

Ernie's El Dorado Pt 15 - Mexico

Normally I open each episode of our tour of the Americas by telling you a bit about the country we are visiting. But I am going to assume that you all know enough about Mexico to make that unnecessary this time.

I am also going to assume that if you were asked to name a well-known Mexican tune many of you would choose "La Cucaracha". If instead you chose "Speedy Gonzalez" you are disqualified - that was written by David Hess, a songwriter from New York City who was also a bit part player in horror films.

"La Cucaracha" on the other hand is the real thing, so we are going to open with an interpretation by Lila Downs from her Grammy-winning 2004 album "Una Sangre = One Blood". Ms Downs comes from a family of high achievers. Her sister Ida is very big in the bedding industry.

We will follow up that traditional Mexican tune with some traditional Mexican disco. Actress and TV host Veronica Castro also dabbled a bit as a disco diva. This track comes from her 1978 album "Sensaciones". You may recognise it as a version of  "What's Your Name, What's Your Number", a minor hit for Andrea True Connection written by Roger Cook (or Roger Cocinero as he's known in Mexico).

On the subject of cover versions, our next act are probably best known outside Mexico for teaming up with Neville Staples on a version of  "The Lunatics Have Taken Over The Asylum". Los De Abajo - for it is they - also made a couple of albums on David Byrne's Luaka Bop label around the turn of the century. This track comes from "Cybertropic Chilango Power" (2001).

Los De Abajo formed in 1992 and it is quite possible that they were partly inspired to do so by Maldita Vecindad (full name La Maldita Vecindad y los Hijos del Quinto Patio) and their blend of rock, ska and local music. La Maldita were at the height of their powers then, with their "El Circo" album topping the charts in 1991. Today's selection is from that album. 

A few years ago Rolling Stone rated "El Circo" at #8 in a list of the 50 best Latin American rock albums of all time. Further down the list at #48 was the eponymous debut album by La Revolución De Emiliano Zapata. Released in 1971, Rolling Stone says that it "reproduced the acid-rock haze of Cream, Creedence and Quicksilver Messenger Service with touching devotion... [and that] there is a homemade charm to the rough production". See what you think.

From 1971 we step lightly into 1972 where we find Manny Perez y Los Cachiros bashing out some norteño music which sounds like it may have been recorded in the same garage used by the local garage rock bands. This one definitely has a homemade charm to the rough production and Manny's even rougher voice.

We will stick with norteño for our penultimate selection. I found this track by Norteno Solido on a 2016 compilation called "Club Corridos Presenta: La Mentira de Tu Amor". I have not been able to find out anything about Norteno Solido other than they are not to be confused with the allegedly better known Solido. Please don't make that mistake.

As always we finish with some MAR. On this occasion it comes courtesy of a band whose name will resonate with all sports fans - Antidoping. They were formed in Mexico City in 1992 by brothers Pedro and Manuel Apodaca, which I suppose makes them the Mexican equivalent of UB40. This track is from their 2004 album "Esfuerzo Universal" and translates as "United Brothers". It is presumably the Apodacas' theme tune (but not the Campbells).

"La Cucaracha" - Lila Downs

"Cuál Es Tu Nombre Cual Es Tu Número" - Veronica Castro

"Si Existe Ese Lugar" - Los De Abajo

"Mare" - Maldita Vecindad

"At The Foot Of The Mountain" - La Revolución De Emiliano Zapata

"El Chamaco Moderno" - Manny Perez y Los Cachiros

"Por las Calles de Ojinaga" - Norteno Solido

"Unidos Hermanos" - Antidoping

We'll start off the video section with another cover version. This one's nothing to do with Roger Cocinero or Andrea True Connecton though.

Words Of The Prophet

We haven't had any reggae here recently other than of the Mandatory American variety, so we have recruited the late great Michael Prophet to put that right. 

If you have 50 minutes to spare you could do a lot worse than watching the video of a Mr Prophet live show with Scientist on the mixing desk as a bonus. It took place in October 2017, two months before his death and when he was already battling health issues - not that you'd have guessed that as his voice sounded as good as ever.

That's all. Enjoy the weekend.

"Righteous Are The Conqueror" - Michael Prophet

"Trouble Nobody (12" Mix)" - Michael Prophet

Annie And The Boys

I am delighted to be able to bring you news of an old friend of the blog, Annie Dressner. 

When Annie first featured on these pages way back in 2013 I described her sound as "Brooklyn hipsters storming the Brill Building". As you can see, I was prone to pretentiousness back then. I really just meant that she made - and continues to make - smart pop music. 

According to my search function Annie last appeared here way back in 2018, which means I have done a great disservice to all of you and more importantly to her as she has had a few records out since then. Sincere apologies all round.

In a belated attempt to put things right I am here to tell you that Annie has a brand new album in the works. No name or release date yet but the lead single "Dumb Boy" came out last week. Charity Chic may be interested to note that the album is being produced by Peter Bruntnell who also plays on the record along with one Peter Noone. I've checked and its not the one from Herman's Hermits.

Annie will also be touring the UK during April supporting Kris Drever, including gigs in Inverness and Norwich which may be of interest to certain bloggers of my acquaintance - further details are on Annie's website, where you can also find a link to her Bandcamp page. If you do go along tell her Ernie sent you. I have already bagged a ticket for her headline show in London in October.

It is probably unlikely that the dumb boy in the new single is one of the Hardy Boys about whom Annie sang on her 2011 album "Strangers Who Knew Each Other's Names", but for scheduling purposes I am going to pretend they are. In addition we have a track from "48 Hours With...", Annie's 2022 collaboration with a real boy, David Ford.

"Dumb Boy" - Annie Dressner

"Hardy Boys" - Annie Dressner

"Easy Falling" - David Ford & Annie Dressner

As for the videos, we have one from Annie, one from the correct Peter Bruntnell and one from the wrong Peter Noone.

A Bit Of Brazil In Brussels

Last Wednesday night I paid what has become my traditional annual visit to the Witloof Bar in Brussels. It is tucked away in the basement of the Botanique cultural centre - accessed via the coatracks - and it is one of my favourite small venues.

The official headliner was Nyron Higor, but in practice we what were treated to was a show by the North Eastern Brazil hipster community's equivalent of CSNY. Nyron was joined by Brune Berle and Batata Boy, both from his hometown of Maceió, and Phylipe Nunes Araújo from up the road in Santa Cruz do Capibaribe, who performed double duties as the opening act.

All four of them are recording artists in their own right (click on their names for their respective Bandcamp pages) and have appeared on each others records. Nyron and Phylipe are also now labelmates, both having released an album through Far Out Recordings last year. If you are not familiar with Far Out, they specialise in Brazilian music and their back catalogue is well worth checking out.

It was a three part set. The starting line-up was Nyron on drums, Batata Boy on keyboards, Bruno on bass and Phylipe on guitar. Nyron led them through a few of his tunes and they were pretty good. He moved on to bass then guitar, shedding band members as he went, and treated us to a solo set. That was even better.

And then the boys came back for a party jam, with Bruno and Phylipe leading on some of their own crowd pleasers as well as Nyron who by this point was back on drums. That was the best bit of the night. They seemed to be having even more fun than the audience.  

If any of the gang turn up round your way in the future it would be well worth popping along. If they turn up mob-handed you should definitely go.

Here's one tune from each of them for you:

"São Só Palavras" - Nyron Higor

"Ziz" - Phylipe Nunes Araújo 

"Tirolirole" - Bruno Berle

"Amelia Rosa" - Batata Boy

If all of that has whet your appetite here is an hour of the three lads from Maceió playing in a French record store last year, followed by a few minutes of Phylipe with Batata Boy in tow.