In case you missed it, Tower Records is going out of business. Not that you’d know it from looking at their Web site, but the company filed for bankruptcy in August. For the past couple months its assets have been busy being liquidated by Great American Group, which seems like an awfully lofty name for an organization that functions as the corporate equivalent of a chop shop.
This provides a nice opportunity for music geeks everyone to wring their hands about the death of the record store. But not me. I’ll save my eulogies for the shops – like Reckless Records in Chicago or CD Warehouse here in DC – that I actually care about.
Tower does deserve credit for whatever effort it made to leaven the deadening uniformity of most major record stores with a local releases and a deep selection, but, sorry, none of that ever did much for me. Years of digging through the racks in search my latest favorite, only to find it with a $17.99 sticker slapped on the back (or worse, and I’m not kidding, $33.99 for an import) calloused me. Ben’s heart was hardened. The market has spoken. Tower must go.
But not before I loot through the remains in search of bargains. Sweet, sweet bargains.
So, here, dear reader, are samples from some of the stuff I picked up earlier today. If you like what you hear, you should roll down to your nearest Tower and see if you can find your own copy. Or maybe just buy it on the Internet. It is the future, you know.
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T/Ski Valley - “Catch The Beat”
Selected from Big Apple Rappin’: The Early Days of Hip-Hop Culture in New York City 1979-1982
(Soul Jazz Records | SJR CD125 | 2006 )
One of my happier finds was this new compilation from London’s Soul Jazz Records. They’ve done such a great job re-releasing Jamaican artists and digging through soul and jazz archives that it’s exciting to see them getting in on the hip-hop game.
It’s pretty simple. Two discs full of old school rap singles. What’s not to love? My favorite is Brother D’s staunch black separatism set to Cheryl Lynn’s disco romp “Got To Be Real,” but, since I’ve already pushed that one on virtually everyone I know for sometime now, we’ll settle for T/Ski Valley’s bumping single, “Catch The Beat.”
While hip hop’s increased professionalism and commercialization has pulled up the overall quality of the music, it didn’t come for free. I haven’t heard a rap song in years that has T/Ski’s fresh, spontaneous vibe. A lot of it might sound dated and amateur, but, damn, it must have been fun.
If all you’ve ever heard from the period is Sugarhill Gang and “The Message,” you’re missing out. Here’s a good place to start.
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The Diplomats – “Crunk Muzik”
Selected from Diplomatic Immunity 2
(Koch Records | 2004)
Here’s the only song not produced by Lil Jon or David Banner that has enough machismo to step in the ring with T.I.’s swaggering “What You Know.” Say whatever you will about the Dips’ solo singles, but this track has got some serious weight on it. “EY! EY! EY!”
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Nouvelle Vague – “I Melt With You”
Selected from Nouvelle Vague
(Peacefrog | 2004)
Nouvelle Vague - “Dancing With Myself”
Selected from Nouvelle Vague II: Bande A Part
(Peacefrog/Luaka Bop/V2 | 2004)
These tracks are drawn from two albums built on one of the most inspired concepts of the past couple years. The idea: Let us have cooing French women sing popular rock songs from the 1980s – most of which they have probably never heard before – over lush, lounge-music arrangements. In short, genius.
And, is it just me, or could the lyrics to that Billy Idol song pass for Cole Porter? I’m for real. Tell me this wouldn’t fit right in.
So let’s sink another drink
‘Cause it’ll give me time to think
If I had the chance
I’d ask the world to dance
And I’ll be dancing with myself
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The Misfits – “Skulls”
Selected from Walk Among Us
(Ruby/Slash/Rhino | 1982)
“I want your skull! I need your skull!” Yeah! Punk rock!
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New Order – “Ruined In A Day” [K-Klass Remix]
Selected from The Hacienda Classics
(Virgin/EMI | 2006)
Here’s a mellow, clubbed-out remix of a vintage New Order cut. It’s off a brand new triple-disc mix of “Madchester”-era British dance music pulled together by Phil Beckett and New Order’s bassist Peter Hook. Few scenes have milked their moment as long or as hard as these lads. (The first two pages of a search for New Order on Amazon.com display six different best of compilations.) But when the music is this soothing it’s hard to complain too loudly.
