MTV's new music video search

Hi! Just droppped in to tell you that I've been wasting my day browsing through old rap videos on MTV's new music search. The quality of the videos is good and the memories are priceless. I'm really hoping the folks at MTV would finally realize that M stands for Music, not My Sweet Sixteen and all that wackiness.

Please MTV, bring back Yo! MTV Raps.

Donna Washington - You Can't Hide From The Boogie

Today's post features two text book examples of a certified boogie banger. Both tracks can be found on Just For You which was Donna Washington's third and last album cut for Capitol Records in 1982. The album is somewhat hard to find but at the moment there seems to be a good deal on ebay. But don't get your hopes too high. The rest of the album is far away from the tracks that I'm posting. There's also a 12" single (promo) of Do You Wanna Huh that sells for a decent price.

Donna Washington - You Can't Hide From The Boogie [320 kbps]

Donna Washington - Do You Wanna Huh [320 kbps]

Ann Sexton appreciation

In my opinion Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu is the best movie director of the 21st century. I was wathing his 2003 masterpiece 21 Grams yesterday. You really have to check it out in case you haven't. The flick is awesome and the soundtrack features Ann Sexton's classic You're Losing Me. I realized I hadn't been listening to Ann Sexton for a while so I decided to post all my favorite Ann Sexton tunes.

Her songs weren't very successful when they were originally released but later many of them have become popular on the Northern soul scene. I've always appreciated her voice that is equally great in smooth soul ballads and hard hitting souther funk. The first two songs appear on this 7" and the latter two on this 7". Both singles came out in 1973 under a small label, Seventy-Seven Records. All four songs can be found also on Ann Sexton Anthology put together by Soul Brother Records.

EDIT: This turns into a mega post but I gotta add this. I was looking for the trailer of 21 Grams on youtube and came across to this one. It's a clip from the Baltic Soul Weekend '08. Ann Sexton is in her 50s still rocking it harder than these whining, anorectic souls sisters of today. Amazing!

Ann Sexton - You're Letting Me Down [320 kbps]

Ann Sexton - You've Been Gone Too Long [320 kbps]

Ann Sexton - You're Losing Me [320 kbps]

Ann Sexton - You're Gonna Miss Me [320 kbps]

Malinga Five - Kaloule Woman

I've been banging this track on repeat for a while now. I don't know much about the guys behind this tune but what I do know is that they rock. Phukin' amazing stuff with great afrobeat elements, funky wah-wah guitars and great soulful vocals. If this doesn't make you dance, I advice you to see a doctor. There's something wrong with your hips.

The song appears on Rock Africa, an album produced by Alan Shelly, who worked a lot with Manu Dibango. It was released in 1977 by a French label, Barclay, known for issuing a lot of Fela Kuti's material.

Malinga Five - Kaloule Woman [320 kbps]

Steve Parks - Movin' In The Right Direction

Movin' In The Right Direction is a great blend of sweet and mellow soul, funk, nice jazzy vocals and brazilian rhytms. The album was issued by Solid Smoke Records in 1981. The pressing was very limited so the album is pretty hard to find these days but definitely worth the price. It's also difficult to find info about Steve Parks or the album but the tunes will speak for themselves. Enjoy!

Off-topic: I've had it with zShare. They are having too much difficulties keeping their site up so from now on you'll get to download the songs directly from here.

Steve Parks - Sadness In My Samba [320 kbps]

Steve Parks - Movin' In The Right Direction [320 kbps]

William DeVaughn - Be Thankful For What You Got

William DeVaughn had saved a couple of hundred bucks and wanted to record some songs he had written. So he went over to Philadelphia's Omega Sound Inc. and cut Be Thankful For What You Got plus a couple of other songs with MFSB's rhythm section backing him up.

Those songs were issued by Roxbury Records in 1974 on an album entitled Be Thankful For What You Got which became a million-seller chart topper. I suppose that doesn't happen very often to a singer-songwriter coming from nowhere.

Before leaving music business DeVaughn cut a new version of the tune in 1980. It's pretty much like the original but it's more upbeat and it has a nice kick drum making it perfect for the dancefloor.

William DeVaughn - Be Thankful For What You Got (album version) [320 kbps]

William DeVaughn - Be Thankful For What You Got (new version) [320 kbps]

Starvue - Upward Bound

Starvue was a Chicago based soul collective that released one album, Upward Bound, during their career. The cover art of the album is something horrible but don't judge this one by it's cover. The content is amazing. I can't praise it enough.

Upward Bound was released in 1980 by a private label, Midwest International Records. The album, that is produced by Clarence Johnson, contains a massive slow jam, Body Fusion, that was also released as a 12" single. The album is ultra rare and Body Fusion 12" is even harder to find, but if the money is tight don't worry. There's a reissue of the album (not very easy to find though) and a CD issued by P-Vine Japan.

Love Affair is a great uptempo soul/boogie tune with good vocals, handclaps and horns plus a great synth line. A definite dancefloor killer.

Starvue - Love Affair [320 kbps]

Body Fusion is a perfect tune for those moments in the bedroom with that special someone. Well, it could work on the dancefloor as well. The strings on the track are amazing.

Starvue - Body Fusion [320 kbps]

Atlantic Star - When Love Calls

When Love Calls is the opening track of Atlantic Starr's third LP entitled Radiant. It's a great midtempo boogie/soul tune with quality instrumentation and really soulful and soft vocals by Sharon Bryant.

Most of the tracks on the album are upbeat boogie/club stuff. The content is a bit mainstream but not too much. As a whole album, Radiant is better (musically and commercially) than Atlantic Starr's earlier albums. Perhaps it's thanks to James Carmichael who stepped in to produce the album. Carmichael produced also their following album Brilliant that features Circles, a great club classic.

Atlantic Starr - When Love Calls [320 kbps, zShare]

Gwen McCrae - On My Way LP

On My Way is finger snapping, hand clapping, food stomping and hip shaking modern disco soul at its best. It's Gwen McCrae's second LP recorded for Atlantic. The album came out in 1982 right after her self-titled first album (1981) that featured the massive cross over hit Funky Sensation. On My Way is at least as good as her first album. You just don't come across to it very often so make sure you cop it if you see it for a decent price. Both songs that I decided to share were released also as 12" singles but these are the album version.

Gwen McCrae - Keep The Fire Burning [320 kbps, zShare]

Gwen McCrae - Doin' It [320 kbps, zShare]

Leo's Sunshipp - Give Me The Sunshine

This tune comes highly recommended by Boogie Banger. It's amazing, so mellow but at the same time it's a definite groover. The song appears on We Need Each Other. The album was originally released by Lyons Records in 1978 and reissued by Expansion Records couple of years ago. The album is pretty solid as a whole. It's ideal for djs/producers cause it has 4 vocal cuts and instrumentals for the same tracks. Among others, it features the original version of I'm Back For More that became a big hit for Al Johnson few years later.

Leo's Sunshipp - Give Me The Sunshine [320 kbps]

The Alexander Review - I Want You

Today's post is a great latin funk version of I Want You (She's So Heavy). The arrangement is completely different from the original which in this case is a must. I really can't tell a lot about The Alexander Review (neither could discogs or allmusic) but I guess it's enough that I'm really feeling the track. It appears on the band's self-titled album released by Vaya Records in 1975. The song can also be found on Latin Breakbeat, Basslines & Boogaloo, an excellent compilation issued by Harmless Records.

You probably know (at least you should) that the song is written by THE duo Lennon-McCartney. The original version that appears on Abbey Road is one of my all time favorite Beatles' song. For some reason it's a bit underrated, I guess mostly due to it's length that doesn't make the song very radio friendly. Anyways, it's a massive song.

The Alexander Review - I Want You [320 kbps, zShare]

The Isley Brothers - Take Inventory

Take Inventory appears on Get Into Something that was published in 1970 by the Isleys' own label T-Neck. The track is really tight and not so often played. Well, I'm not gonna babble on the tune. Instead I'll let the music speak for itself. And just for the record, I disagree on the message of the song.

The Isley Brothers - Take Inventory [320 kbps, zShare]

Pamoja - Oooh, Baby

This is an amazing dancefloor funk groover with a great break. A perfect tune for a perfect girl. Originally released by Keiper Productions in 1975 as the b-side of Only The Lonely Know. This is a true hard-to-find record but luckily there's a good quality repress issued by Lotus Land.

Pamoja - Oooh, Baby [320 kbps, zShare]

DJ Waxtastic - Månsteri Mixtape 1.0

I haven't posted a mixtape for a while so I figured now's the time. Månsteri Mixtape 1.0 is an excellent and versatile mix of all things funky. It was put together by a friend of mine, DJ Waxtastic, the music slave of The Original Hamsters. He has uploaded a couple of other solid mixtapes as well. You'll find them here. Enjoy!

At the moment DJ Waxtastic is located in Montreal without his turntables so he's getting serious withdrawal symptoms. So if you're in Montreal and planning a party, help the man out out and book him. I can guarantee that he'll make those asses shake.

DJ Waxtastic - Månsteri Mixtape 1.0

Har-You Percussion Group - Welcome To The Party

In 2007 Jazzman Records re-issued an amazing and very rare 7" by Har-You Percussion Group. Welcome To The Party that appears on the a-side is guaranteed to work on the dancefloor. It's a solid latin groover with great congas by Montego Joe. The name of the band comes from the fact that the members were part of Harlem Youth Opportunities Unlimited.

Har-You Percussion Group - Welcome To The Party [320 kbps, zShare]

DJ Mark The 45 King Appreciation

DJ Mark The 45 King doing what he does best. Amazing stuff. No Serato, no high end turntables or mixers, just skills and love for the beats.

I know you are here for the free downloads so here you go. I uploaded the classic joint in case you don't have it and as a bonus Eli Escobar's 2k8 remix.

The 45 King - The 900 Number [320 kbps, zShare]

The 45 King vs. Pase Rock - The 900 Number (2k8) (Eli Escobar Remix) [320 kbps, zShare]