Summer ‘olidays were always sweeter when they lasted two full weeks and were part of a massive 6-8 week break. As it is, ten days out of the city sounds like as close to perfect as anything I can truly imagine right now, so I am not going to complain. Rather, with nothing more complex to ponder than choosing which amazing seafood restaurant to eat at each night, I’m look forward to coming back fully restored and freshly inspired.

(or just not coming back)

The Funkees-Akula Owu Onyeara

pic via

There have been plenty of obituaries for the late, great, Wire in recent weeks. I thought I’d leave it a while before throwing in my 5 cents, it’s hard not to read and agree with alot of it and end up merely recycling other people’s opinions.

Although initially I struggled with the final Season, reading what David Simon (et al) were reaching for helped me to appreciate what was going on. The season acts as a kind of ‘meta-narrative’ for the series by highlighting the importance of ‘true journalism’ and by implication of honest storytelling in general. Season 5 is about a lot of things, but it also about pointing up possible answers to the questions of why the wire was important ? and the what was it trying to say?

They’re big questions-books will be written trying to answer them, but for right now it’s enough to know that unless we make the time to listen to the stories of the individual people who make up the city, the social/ethnic groups, the mind numbing statistics then we don’t stand a chance of breaking the endless cycle of crime, corruption and despair.

I could try and conjure up some further, surely by now ,unnecessary superlatives for the show, but it’s suffice to say that every time I walk past our local soup kitchen, I think of Bubs, and the people waiting in line become a little more human to me.

It was a great way to say goodbye.

Ellen Mcllwaine-Jimmy Jean

(pic via)

So tonight all roads lead to Favela Chic for the first of two nights with Ulysses 82 at ‘Ain’t it Black‘.

Expect a deep selection of 80’s funk and synth-heavy boogie (just the way we like it) and a crowd of east london’s finest lockers/wackers and superfreaks.

It’s about the only thing that could possibly drag me away from Arsenal/AC.

There’s more details at basilika as well as the usual selection of exclusive cuts of our favourite tracks.

And talking of exclusives…this one’s strictly for ‘the lats’…

Lakeside-Fantastic Voyage(u82cut)

To be frank I’m a little Prince-d out.  After a long summer gorging myself on concerts, aftershows and unreleased gems my purple-appetite was fully sated. More than that, what with it being the a full 20 years since his last decent album, the long standing rumours (and evidence) of unmetered control-freakery and those ‘PR friendly’ lawsuits against his own fans perhaps it is time to get some perspective.

Next week sees the release of Controversy A Tribute to Prince a collection of hit and miss cover versions. It’s an interesting selection, highlighting the complex relationship between song and songwriter and providing a useful insight into the influence of Prince’s persona has the music he makes.

There is obviously a fare amount of rubbish. It’s probably not in the best interests of most  musicians to invite direct comparisons with someone as gifted a Prince. It’s certainly hasn’t made me think any more of Blue States and Peaches who bring nothing to limp versions of Alphabet St and Sexy Dancer respectively, but elsewhere quality prevails. D’Angelo brings his voodoo funk to the lesser known ‘She’s always in my Hair’ and The Broadway Project’s version of ‘Dorothy Parker’ has been a long time favorite of mine (wasn’t it on another Prince cover version alvum ?)- both sound great. The Dynamic bring their patented ’surprising reggae cover version’ schtick to ‘Girls  and Boys’ *cough*one trick pony*cough* and Rob Mello does a version of Critical (??) which really wants to be Moodymann’s majestic ‘U Can Dance if you want 2′ ,but clearly isn’t.

Best of the bunch is Susanna and The Magical Orchestra’s take on ‘Around the World in a Day’s’ classic slow-y ‘Condition of the Heart’. Stripping away the psychedelic flourishes and the freaky Prince touches to reveal an intimate and melancholy love song, Susanna takes the song back to it’s wendy & lisa penned (?) origins. It’s a song that works better the more it reveals. Something Prince spends most of his time trying not to do.

You can hear it here.

Susanna and The Magical Orchestra-Condition of the Heart