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This record is nuts. I would have loved to be in the studio with these guys. The A-side is a crappy, campy disco track called ‘Crime Buster,’ but the B-side is money. This record is pretty scarce. I remember people saying that it was only on 7inch. I was stoked to find the 12.” Whoever these guys were, they sure loved phasers and flangers. I can relate to that owning many myself. The whole track is full of modulation madness. I like to listen to this record when doing space-cleaning. It would take some large nads to play this record out. I wonder what modern day crowd wouldn’t stop dancing, look up with giant question mark’s on their heads. The crowd that can hang with this record… that is the crowd I long for!
Take out your disco lasers and your pants lasers and get some space-cleaning done.
I’ve played this record a lot. It’s a wee bit fuzzy in the beginning. There are two pressings of this single. The other one (with a more boring label) is a shitty pressing. This one sounds fine, cut at 45 and full of space-disco life. Sylvia Robinson had a gold record with her hit ‘Pillow Talk’ and founded All Platinum Records and Sugar Hill Records with husband Joe Robinson. Her story is far too long for this post. Let’s get back to ‘Automatic Lover.’ I really love this recording. Her vocals, wet with plate reverb, soar over the top of the disco arrangement. The phasing bass-line bounces the track along while subtle synth touches peek in here and there. The “robot” voice is really funny. I can’t tell if they ran it through a synth filter or an lfo or what, but it’s far from vocoded. Get your dancing shoes on robots. This record is programmed to deliver automatic satisfaction.
Sometimes I just need to put on a record like this and drink some space-lemonade. The depths of space can be lonely sometimes. Enter ‘Free Soul’ by John Klemmer. This song always gets the mission moving. Klemmer released a slew of records, but this is the only one I have. Cadet Records, 1969? So many great records were released on this label during this time period. Great music, artwork, and quality pressings. Klemmer just wyles out on the sax. Near the end of the song he even starts yelping here and there. Just feeling it so hard! (PAUSE) I hope you’ll enjoy this summertime groove as much as I do.
As per John's request, I've taken this link down. Since the original post, 'Free Soul' has become available on iTunes
Space taxes continue to fester. But, there is hope! My homie Stoerok has picked 3 pieces of hot wax for some tax relief. I love these records. Thanks Stoe! -ZARTEK
How dope are the Urban Rock designs. Dope label, dope sleeve. Dope. And this song is dope. New York City, 1987, a sample from Hustler's Convention. Sign me up. These guys rhyme like they mean it too. A solid group that should have made more records. Listen and I'm sure you'll agree. Way-out-in-BROOKLYN.
What is it about a good Al Green cover. It's just bound to kill. I call it a testament to his music and a reminder of how good the songwriting really is. When you hear the melody in another setting away from the Reverend himself, it hits you. Magic. Now, Monty's version. This is one of those strong songs that is made still better as you hear the tricky samples nestled throughout. The Beatnuts own this thing. And in 1999, we all really wanted to own it too. Badly. Not everyone was up on it and the first time you heard it your mind was blown. I need to thank Baronrok for graciously handing me this obscenely inexpensive copy at Roundagain in Providence. And Monty, tell those haters to go screw. You shredded it.
Bumrush! Someone had some deep crates in 1989. An early sample of Bohannon's 'Save Their Souls' is looped up for this dirty rumbler of a track. Co-produced by Greg Nice and polished up by Audio Two, you already know it's going to deliver. Lazy brings it on the mic too. Now, if someone wants to make a t-shirt with the Bumrush! logo on it, please send me a few. Smoooooth.
I've been most busy with Space Taxes. There truly isn't any place to hide from taxes. Even Zarnof 4 taxes us Zarnofians to pay for Feldercarp cleanup. Check back in a day or so for 3 heat rocks from guest curator and close space homie, Stoerok. He's picked a couple of rap rarities and one digging classic. All 3 records cleaned and recorded here on the space cruiser. Next week I'll be back with some disco heat. - ZARTEK
For you real nerds out there, this is not the reprint. Mike Fields, aka MC Force went to the same private school as me. He was about 4 years older. A classmate of mine had the cassingle (with picture cover) and when he played it for me, my mind was blown.
He got the tape from his older brother who was in the same grade as Mike. I couldn’t believe that somebody who went to the same tight-ass private school as me had made this. I think it was the first time that I though ‘maybe I can actually make a record.’ Anyway, I became obsessed with this track. This was probably back in 1991 or so. One day on a trip to Skippy White’s records in Central Square I came across the 12 inch. Skippy’s had helped to fund the pressing I think, due to their credit on the label. Unfortunately, Skippy’s closed last year. At some point this (and their earlier 12”) became cult records with the whole ‘Random Rap’ scene. It spawned an unlicensed repress and new fans of the track. I feel lucky to have gone through high school rocking this. Really a classic record. This one’s for Boston and Cambridge.
This isn’t the ‘Trunk Mix.’ This is another remix that was only on this white label. I love it. It’s got most of the elements of the original beat, but with some different samples and some added treats. My boy Baronrok had this copy, and it’s in pretty clean shape. Slight groove distortion towards the end, but rockable. EPMD was it.
Too Short on a Primo beat? I’m in. I remember getting this at Planet Records in Kenmore Square. That was one of my favorite spots. They always had promo copies of every new rap record I was looking for. Man, that was my spot! Damn. There was a fire in the building at some point and it closed. They re-opened somewhere else but it just wasn’t the same. Anybody who was going there around 1990 or so would know what I’m talking about. Anyway, back to the song. Too Short just loves rapping about bitches and how many records he’s sold. Guess what? He does both on this track. The real draw here, however, is the udeen hot Primo beat.
This record is nuts. I would have loved to be in the studio with these guys. The A-side is a crappy, campy disco track called ‘Crime Buster,’ but the B-side is money. This record is pretty scarce. I remember people saying that it was only on 7inch. I was stoked to find the 12.” Whoever these guys were, they sure loved phasers and flangers. I can relate to that owning many myself. The whole track is full of modulation madness. I like to listen to this record when doing space-cleaning. It would take some large nads to play this record out. I wonder what modern day crowd wouldn’t stop dancing, look up with giant question mark’s on their heads. The crowd that can hang with this record… that is the crowd I long for!
