After the train-wreck of last week’s show when both myself and Tom were rendered dumb and mumbling thanks to too much work and no goddamn sleep, we were keen to make amends this week with some fine selections and a better line in chatter too.

With yours truly fresh from a fine day out at the Jukebox Madness record fair, 45s were high on the agenda, taking in anything from the mighty, marvellous vocal harmonies of Johnny and the Expressions to the rather bizarre 80s rap moments of Dr. John. Tom’s contributions took in something of a synth theme, loosely tying Holger Hiller, Restiform Bodies and even Wilson Pickett into the mix…

Tracklisting:
J.D Alex “Grasshopper”
Johnny and the Expressions “Something I Want To Tell You”
Wilson Pickett “Don’t Knock My Love (Part II)”
Dr. John “Jet Set”
Holger Hiller “Neighbours (Demixed by Steve)”
Richard Hawley “Open Up Your Door”
Restiform Bodies “Recycle America”
Scritti Politti “Flesh and Blood”

The soundbed was various tracks from the new Alberta Cross album.

Click here to download the show! (116Mb, 256k MP3)

Featured video this week is courtesy of Holger Hiller:

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Sorry. Sorry sorry sorry…

Every once in a while we have an off night (hey! stop that at the back…) and this was one such fine instance where the planets align, all the pieces fall into place… and we have just about everything go wrong.

Of course cock-ups are fun (at which point we should mention the naked man cover courtesy of Man… sorry), so we’re confident this should prove a fine listen, albeit potentially for the wrong reasons. In our defence though, the tracks selected are top dollar, including Nigerian disco from the dubiously named Dr Adolf Aonotu, Roots Manuva-led dancehall courtey of Breakage and possibly the worst-named band in living memory: Bloody Beetroots…

Tracklisting:
Dr. Adolf Aonotu “Ijere”
Gougoush “I Believe In Love”
Mat Young “Indica”
Jetpak “An Elderly Game”
Bloody Beetroots feat Cool Kids “Awesome”
Breakage “Run Em Out”
Junior Ross and the Spears “Say Jah Jah Say (Mr Trick version)”
Kathy Smith “Topanga”
Joe Higgs “Journey To Freedom”

and the sound-bed would’ve been “The Alchemist” by Man

Click here to download the show! (256k MP3, 115Mb)

Featured video this week is a curio Tom dug up, courtesy of Gougoush:

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Ordinarily our last show of the month is a theme one, but this month we felt we’d deviated from the standard show format a fair bit, and so hence this week we eschew the thematic take to bring you, er, well two loose themes of sorts.

For my part, the tracks are 100% new releases; quite a shock to anyone who listens regularly and hears my ranting about the quality of new releases. Tom, on the other hand, steps up with a fistful of Acid Jazz-related tracks, with a concerted attempt to shed more light on the lesser-known gems of a label traditionally associated with Corduroy and the James Taylor Quartet.

So, get listening below to hear tracks from Thavius Beck, Tyondai Braxton, Mother Earth, United Future Organisation and more…

Tracklisting:
Mother Earth “Riot On 103rd St”
Thavius Beck “Go (Offshore Remix)”
United Future Organization “My Foolish Dream”
Fink “See It All”
Benjamin Zephaniah “Dry”
Tyondai Braxton “Opening Bell”
Modulations “Rough Out Here”

Soundbed this week was various tracks from the new Blockhead album “The Music Scene”.

Click here to download the show! (111Mb, 256k MP3)

Featured video for this week isn’t a musical one per se – its Tyondai Braxton talking about his Central Market album, which has remained glued to the Mr Trick Listening Post since I got my hands on it…

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I’d be under rightful scrutiny if I claimed I was a listening to Magic’s Message at the time, nor would I make out that I was somehow tuning into The Rap Attack radio show which he started in 83 on New York’s WBLS-FM. I actually don’t think I even knew who he was until well into the 90′s when I heard records like the epic disco rap of “Potential” and the heavily sampled “Rappin With Mr Magic”. It was around this time I read an interview with KRS One pinpointing Mr Magic as the accidental instigator of the short lived but meme inducing Bridge Wars

One thing I didn’t know was Chas & Dave were by no means the sole artists on their own Rockney record label. I took a quick look at their discography and found myself double taking as we often do here at Trick n Tom heights, who else should be hiding amongst the sideboards, rabbits and christmas jamborees but none other than Clarence ‘Frogman’ Henry.