by Brigitte Fontaine (1969)

The strange and beautiful album Comme à la Radio by Brigitte Fontaine is like a marvelous magical mash up of some of my favorite things:

Take the sultry french vocals of Francois Hardy, add the discord of Morricone‘s jazzier scores, throw in the baritone tones of Nico at her most avant-garde and toss in the bizarre moodiness of Amon Duul II and you’ve got one album I simply cant resist getting excited about.

That such an interesting talent is not more well known is both a surprise and a fact that makes me happy with the world. If someone as cool and amazing as Fontaine was unknown to me, just imagine how many more gems are out there for my discovering.

This is another find I have my Pandora app to thank for. Le Goudron, one of the albums most universally listenable and fantastic tracks came on during a Quick Mix and I was beside myself.
Fontaine herself is fascinating. Not only was she a major figure in the French underground art scene of the 70’s, she’s relevant and active today incorporating electronic sounds into her music and collaborating with such artists as Sonic Youth, Jarvis Cocker and Grace Jones.

I might just be in love.

See more: Albums,Style Icons: Female 1960s Experimental French Musicians

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Posted on August 19, 2011

by Tyrannosaurus Rex (1969)

We all know and love Marc Bolan and T Rex as a glam band but I was pleasantly surprised when Pandora offered up some early folky stuff.

It’s stunning how contemporary this song sounds, and with a title like She Was Born To Be My Unicorn, echoing the rebirth of the kind of new, wealthy, witchy hippiedom that draws pretty girls to maxi skirts and tarot readings, I’d be less than shocked if this ends up playing the next time I am at a hip coffee shop/cocktail bar/tapas place.

It happened with Pentagle and I never expected to hear that outside our apartment.

Sadly I’ve found the album not easily available.

See more: Songs 1960s Ballads Folk Psychedelic

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Posted on July 19, 2011

by George Selden (1960)

I feel like I have to confess something. I began the season, continuing my attempt to do things I’ve always meant to by reading Dune. After getting through more than half, I found I was just not into it. Humorless messiah science fiction has never been up my ally but I do feel like I failed some level of nerdom… alas.

But, in an equally nerdy move, I went on to read another classic I missed the first time round, The Cricket in Times Square.

I love to crack open a young adult novel now and then, but this is for even younger audiences, so I’ll probably be reading to Van in a few years. (Now, how to do the Chinese accents without sounding, er, disrespectful…)

The story of a cricket who makes a splash in the subways below Times Square with his musical talents is thoroughly charming and only takes a couple hours to read. The illustrations by Garth Williams are cute and the characters are endearing.

I was even inspired by it to write a couple children’s books myself.

See more: Books 1960s Children’s

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Posted on June 10, 2011

by Nat King Cole (1963)

OK, so the official start of Summer isn’t for a couple more weeks, but as well all know, Fall and Spring hardly exist in New York, and several days of temperatures above 80 means summer to me.

So as Nat King Cole says in his jazzy, fun time tune:

“Roll out those lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer

Those days of soda and pretzels and beer”

Sounds like a plan to me! And I really want my summer to look like the cover of this album, don’t you?

See more: Songs 1960s Oldies

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Posted on June 2, 2011

Various Artist (1962-1972)

If you were to play Cartagena! Curro Fuentes and the Big Band Cumbia and Descarga Sound of Colombia album outside your window on a rainy, dark afternoon, the sun would come out and people in the streets would be compelled to start dancing.

Definitely on the short list of the greatest things I have recommended this year, this compilation is joyous, unusual, and all around awesome.

I have been a huge cumbia fan since I was in Jr High, when I used to listen to an album called Cumbia Cumbia Dos. It was never easy finding an equally interesting compilation of the Colombian genre – that was influenced by Africa and Spain.

Soundway Records, described as “a UK-based label, dedicated to re-releasing lost and forgotten recordings from the world’s most vibrant musical cultures” has found some absolute gems. I found them on emusic, which is a great site for discovering the obscure, particularly (non-lame) world music.

Every track is excellent, you could easily put this one on a loop for any margarita filled party and not worry about things slowing down.

Soundway has a slew of other releases I look forward to hearing including Afro-Psychedelia and the sounds of Siam. If small indie labels finding old, out of print amazing music is a new trend (see the fantastic Numero Group and their soul catalog), then I am one happy lady.

Below are images of the original albums of some of the artists included.

See more: Albums 1960s 1970s South America

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Posted on May 26, 2011