Tuesday, February 26, 2008

Basement Crates: 30 & 31

Gangstarr: Just To Get A Rep (Chrysalis, 1990)
Pulled from the big box marked Should Have Been Enormous, Gangstarr were everyone's favourite hip hop outfit of the early 90s, well everyone apart from that important group known as the general public who, despite the band's innate ability to write brilliant singles (and the fact they were fantastic live) decided they could live perfectly happily without DJ Premier's wiki-wiki wotsits and Guru's proudly monotone flow. Well, their loss, for this EVA sampling gem was quite the thing for those of us who were paying attention 18 long years ago.


James Yorkston: Tender To The Blues (Domino, 2002)
I got an email from James Yorkston a few days ago. He's in an old converted farmhouse studio in Wales recording his new album. Yes, you're right, it does sound nice, doesn't it? I thought so until he told me how the 300 year old building's resident ghost pulled him out of bed by his ankles the other morning. That's not quite so lovely, is it? Anyway, I found this old single of his while rooting around in a box full of magazines. This is a wonderful record, but then I'm a total sucker for this sort of thing. "And the mornings I’ve woken and sought your warmth," he sings. "If only I’d held you and told you before..." Literally, blub...

3 comments:

ally. said...

dj premier rocking the decks on a sunday afternoon at dingwalls was one of the most astounding things i've ever seen - jaw dropping amazingness
x

Ben said...

MC's I lay out like stiffs in the morgue
Praise the lord you're in awe when I'm grippin the mic cord
Rhymes I rip with swift execution
One verse to coerce your girl to prostitution

Ace

I preferred Dream Warriors at the time, though

Rob said...

Hey Ally: I saw them at the Jazz Cafe and they were AMAZING! I think drink had been taken. I saw Ronnie Jordan there about a week later. Happy days...

Hey Ben: I Lost My Ignorance was a choon...