More 'Michael!'

This Place Hotel - Michael Jackson - 1980

I'd promise that MJ-mania was soon to subside here at BEATSWATCH, but you know I can't tell what might very well turn out to be a lie. But why should it?

I've been enjoying bouncing back between Michael Jackson's solo career and his Jackson 5 performances and I stumbled upon this seemingly overlooked track that falls rather uniquely in the middle. Written by Michael while still with the Jacksons, This Place Hotel was the only Jackson 5 jam to be performed on Michael's first solo tour (and thereafter), the Bad World Tour.

The song itself sounds like it could very well be a track from Off the Wall with its turn of the 80s instrumentation. Enjoy.

"Michael!"

Smooth Criminal - Michael Jackson's Moonwalker (Sega Genesis) - 1990

To add to the already uncountable number of both private and public tributes to Michael Jackson, I thought I would share something that you'll hopefully find unique and interesting and that is as tied to my childhood memories of Michael Jackson's music as anything else.

Half the fun of Michael Jackson's Moonwalker for the Sega Genesis was beating up bad guys to the best possible rendition of Bad/Thriller that the Genesis' brave little soundchip could muster. That and collecting kidnapped children from car trunks, closets, cabinets, etc., of course.

Download the entire game soundtrack here.

Tempestuous and Impetuous

Help Me Out (Remix) - Del ft. Mike Tyson - 2008

A nice little remix found on this fellow's YouTube page. A collaboration we can only dream about.

Ancient Live

Cut Chemist and DJ Numark Live - 1997


Just rediscovered this classic jam. I entreat you to play it in your headphones for 40 minutes while you're at work, if your workplace allows such liberties. Starts off slowly, and there's a lot of standards here... (e.g. the periodic table of elements) but seriously, Main Source's Snake Eyes, De La Soul, Jeru's verse on "I'm the man", Rock Creek Park, I Know You Got Soul, Slick Rick, J5, the Knight Rider theme, Tribe... there's just too many quality references here to count. Picture 1997 and enjoy.

Protip: Heats up at the 12 minute mark.

I body slam a shamma

Everyman - Deda/Pete Rock - 1994/2003
What You Waiting For - Pete Rock - 2001

Originally shelved sometime in the mid 90s only to be rescued in 2003, Pete Rock again delivers a slippery and simple production with one of the many rappers who aren't worthy of his production. That shouldn't necessarily be a knock against the mysterious 'Deda' who provides a straight-forward enough flow before sinking back into obscurity. The album is average by Pete Rock standards, but a few of the tracks give me the unmistakable feeling that one of my favorite albums grew a secret bonus track while I wasn't looking. This time it could be The Main Ingredient or Petestrumentals.

Speaking of the latter, you can call me a sucker for mid-tempo beats with jazz samples, but sometimes you just don't need much anything else. The best tracks on Petestrumentals are case in point.

From the crates

La Voglia La Paia - Ornella Vanoni, Vinicius & Toquinho - 1976
Anema E Core - Ornella Vanoni, Vinicius & Toquinho - 1976

As promised, I'm going to start posting more of my vinyl to mp3 transfers. The latest comes from a rare collaboration with Italian diva Ornella Vanoni and the songwriter-guitarist duo Vinicius de Moraes & Toquinho.

When they recorded this one-off bossa nova album in 1976, Vanoni was already a big pop star in Italy. She had acted in a few Bertolt Brecht plays, appeared on TV variety shows, and was a hit performing romantic slow burners like this. Vinicus meanwhile was well-known in Brazil for his poetry and for writing the lyrics to bossa anthems like "Chega de Saudade" and "Girl from Ipanema." Later on in his career, he collaborated with Toquinho, a classically trained guitarist who worked with him on 16 albums total, usually in a supporting role where the two of them backed up a female singer, as they did in this Roma session with Vanoni.

For her part, Vanoni plays the breezy Astrud Gilberto role quite well. The arrangements are also great, especially the opening bars of "La Voglia La Paia" where they introduce with trumpet and flute, and Toquinho's driving guitar. If this is something you dig, I recommend checking out the Ennio Morricone-Chico Buarque record "Per un Pugno di Samba." Maybe you already know it.

Mos Def on MF Doom

Since college people have been telling me I should listen to MF Doom. I've tried to get into albums like "Madvillainy" and "Operation Doomsday," but the beats and the delivery always fell kinda flat to me. It seemed a little too esoteric and at the same time over-hyped from the Pitchfork crowd. Despite all that, this video of Mos Def explaining why Doom is brilliant is the best case I've ever heard for the MC. It also reminded me that the best music recommendations come from musicians, who are often way more convincing than music writers. (Watch to the end for his take on De La Soul.)

At one point someone in the studio suggests Mos Def should do an album with Doom. I'd actually be interested to hear him re-record a few existing Doom songs, maybe as spoken word.

I wonder if he really means it when he says, "I'll bet a million $$$ on Doom against Lil Wayne."