Ernie Hines

The Hit Pack, “Never Say No To Your Baby”

A Motown track from 1965, the heavy horns here really sound a little more like Stax than like Motown, especially from 1965.

Rufus Thomas, “Funky Mississippi”

Yeah, see, those horns!

DJ Vadim, “Your Revolution”

DJ Vadim’s second album, U.S.S.R. Life From The Other Side, found the abstract hip-hop producer working with MCs on most of the tracks, which largely was an improvement. I think abstract hip-hop can sometimes get a little lazy, and having to make sure things will work with someone actually rapping makes sure that he tightens things up.

Johnny Cash, “Cocaine Blues”

If you’ve got a blog, just a-read it to me.

Ivy Sole, “You Don’t Know My Name”

Ivy Sole is out of Philadelphia, and this song comes from her excellent debut Eden. I came across this record thanks to one of the Bandcamp spotlight emails, which are always a good source of learning about artists.

Ernie Hines, “Electrified Love”

Ernie Hines’s Electrified was a somewhat forgotten album released on Stax in 1972 until it was resurrected by hip-hop producers, which brought it to new audiences. It’s a fine album, and this lead track gives you an idea of what you’re in for.

Infesticons, “Night Night Theme”

Infesticons is Mike Ladd and some assorted helpers, making grimy underground hip-hop. Gun Hill Road came out in 2000, and is chock full of noise, gritty beats and loops, and frankly uneven rapping. It’s an interesting album, I think, but not really a great one.

Note that there’s a couple minutes of silence in the middle of today’s track, and then there’s an un-named instrumental bonus track. I’m delighted that the era of CD hidden bonus tracks is over.