The wonders of sales bins, or...
Posted by: m0omo0 on 07 February 2012
...if the CD is dead, now is the time to start robbing its grave.
The other day I found myself rummaging the sales bins at a local store. I'm usually not attracted to these bins in this particular store for they're mostly full of junk, like charts greatest hits, cheapo house/techno compilations, crappy french R'n'B and plenty of other lousy stuff not suited to my tastes to say the least (not trying to insult hits, R'n'B or electronic music enthusiasts, there may be hidden gems in there, but I guess you see what I'm talking about). This store always has special promotions on display where one can find interesting things more easily, or other places with specific music genres selections, so I disregard these sales bins most of the time. (It's not always the case in other stores though.)
Don't know why I started to look into these bins this particular day. I had a bit of time on my hand, so why not ? Armed with my smartphone, the AllMusic app to give me a bit of context when needed, another app to check the prices, I picked up a selection of CDs that looked interesting and headed to the less terrible listening device I could find (this thing with a codebar reader and permanently-broken-but-each-time-in-a-different-way headphones, see?). Surprisingly, I rejected only a couple of CDs and ended up with more than a dozen and a half to bring home.
And what a selection ! What a good surprise ! I only knew about a couple of these CDs and had no clue about the rest. It just sounded like good music to me, even through -- and despite -- these less than average headphones. Good music it is indeed, and what a joyous discovery ! (And at such a good price !) Sometimes, le hasard fait bien les choses as we use to say.
So Massimo (if you're reading this), and all CD enthusiasts, the morality of this little story is this: if it happens that the CD is soon coming to its end, rejoy ! For it's time to join the hordes of tomb robbers and chant and dance on its grave at the sound of these zombie silver discs spinning a last time before fading out sc/treaming. 
Maurice
Now, if you're still here and fancy a little journey to the junkyard, please... You're more than welcome to follow me...
In no particular order...
Ramón Valle Trio, Playground
A cuban jazz trio -- piano, upright bass, drums.
No spectacular music -- I wouldn't recommend it in the E.S.T. thread for example -- but very nice, assorted and agreable. A bit laid-back. I really like he rhythm section and especially the bass player, Omar Rodriguez Calvo. I don't really know how to express myself here, but I find his attack on the strings strong and direct, which gives tension and a nice groovy feeling to his interventions. (I don't know if it's the right explanation to why he sounds like this, but I like this sound and his playing.)
(Oh, and by the way, sorry for my bad english as always.)
Bibi Tanga & The Selenites, Dunya
A review in english here.
Funk, soul, afro grooves, folk-soul, a touch of hip hop rhythms. A bit minimalistic but a fine voice and smart arrangements. I like the changing ambience. Songs are diverse, mostly sung in english but sometimes in french or in his native language from Central African Republic. Might need a few listenings to be fully appreciated I reckon.
Pama International, Pama Outernational
I love these guys ! Reggae, ska, rocksteady, dub. I had their album with Mad Professor already, but never figured they were veterans from Madness/Specials/etc.
I's. Simply. Just. Good.
Lightspeed Champion, Life Is Sweet! Nice to Meet You.
Wow ! 
What to say... Some kind of orchestral pop, but not only. You better read the review above (click on the album title... who chose the colours of this forum ?).
A stunning discovery. I couldn't recommend it enough, it's that good.
Various Artists, Obscured by the Machines
As you can read from the subtitle, this is electronic dub from various artists from the Izhevsk city. I had no clue where this city was, but once I learned that it is a russian town entirely devoted to the production of arms and that its most famous citizen was Mikhail Kalashnikov, this music took another dimension altogether. And it looks frightening to live there as you can imagine from the cover photo.
I love dub but am not that much a fan of contemporary electronic music that I too often find cold and depressing (glad to learn about really great electronic dub music if you know any examples). Not this one. Giving the context, I find this album really moving, though a couple of tracks in the middle are a bit bland and unecessary long. Some rain falling, wind, murmurs, a saxophone, real percussions give to it some organic feeling. It ends up with an pop song and an instrumental on the guitar which give a more human and hopeful conclusion to the whole affair.
Nostalgia 77, Sessions
The name of Keith Tippett was vaguely known to me, but I was not prepared to this. Inside I found beautiful jazz music -- rather on the smooth side, but with faster paced songs as well, and sparkles of experimental. But most important it's my first encounter with Julie Driscoll (now Tippett) ! And well this is something ! It's incredible what she can do with her voice. Not that easy on the first listen but it's growing on me.
Major Stars, Return to Form
Some fun here: psych-hard rock with fuzz all over the place. If you like guitar, there are three of them here and that makes for an impressive wall of sound and great interplay (one on the left, one center, one right).
Diplomats of Solid Sound, What Goes Around Comes Around
Good old rythm & blues with gorgeous saxes (tenor & baritone), Hammond organ/Rhodes/Wurlitzer/Clavinet/Moog/you name it, and soulful female vocals. Cool stuff. Louder !
Jesse Sykes & The Sweet Hereafter, Marble Son
Reflective country-rock with a dark, psych-hard sound and a haunting voice. Beautiful.
Mulatu Astakte, Timeless
Ethio-jazz. A live tribute to -- and with -- Mulatu Astakte. In addition to being a very fine performance, it made me know Trevor Ware, another great bass player I hadn't heard about.
If you like this, try Mulatu's album with The Heliocentrics (more free-style), or Mulatu Steps Ahead (quieter).
African Head Charge, Songs of Praise
On-U Sound is part of my personal musical history and I'm a fan of Adrian Sherwood's work. This album is a lot more ethnic than other works from AHC and -- as the title suggests -- is comprised of religious or ritual chants over dub instrumentation. It works a lot better that what this could suggest and it is magnificient, provided you give it some time to grow on you.
As a bonus, if you want to check how low your woofers can go, give them Gospel Train at 11... and run for cover.
Music track from the motion picture Black Dynamite
I don't know this movie at all -- apparently it is a of the blaxploitation genre but shot in 2008 or so. This is one of the two soundtracks you can find of it. There is an original score composed by Adrian Younge (whoever he is...) and there is this: additional music comprised only of groovy british library music from the '70s from the likes of Alan Hawkshaw, Alan Tew, Brian Bennett or Johnny Pearson. If you can't stand flute, wah wah, vibraphone and elastic bass, this is not for you. It's a pity 'coz this is great fun !
Seun Kuti + Fela's Egypt 80, Many Things
Femi's younger brother team with their father's band for his first album. So it's afrobeat, what do you expect ? At first I didn't find this album particularly original (I like afrobeat anyway), but it's growing on me and I'm liking it more and more. More traditional than Femi's work I'd say, but it's Seun's first release (and I don't know the more recent one). The lyrics are political, the voice is strong, a bit rough and aggressive (which suits the lyrics quite well). The music is good, rhythm is strong and the band is great.
Orlando Julius and The Afro Sounders
Nigeria again, but more afro-funk than afrobeat. New to me this guy. Apparently a lost record from '73 recorded in Ginger Baker's studio in Lagos. Good funky stuff. Light, but hot !
Hot Chocolate, Man to Man
You all know these ones I guess. 
Thing is, I was prepared for a very crappy remaster and it's not that bad.
Unexpected finding ! This lady was a star in Czechoslovakia before the tragic '68 invasion. This is a compilation of her earliest work. Not entirely my cup of tea as it is a mix of soul, easy listening and something like variété française (!). The singing is all in czech and the voice is powerful and impressive (she can go high and low). Some little gems are hidden in there: furious soul full of horns, background vocals and fuzz guitar. For these it is more than worth it.
Oh, and after being banned from radio and public performance for 20 years, in 1989 she started all over and released her second album in 1990 !
Olli Ojajärvi Trio, Out of Mind
Deceptively "nice" jazz music from a finnish trio (sax tenor, bass, drums). Very melodic and somewhat minimalistic, which at first hides the very fine playing. Considered it's their first album, I'm eager to ear what's coming next. Top-notch recording (the best recorded cymbals I've ever heard). Wonderful.