Ce billet est également l’occasion d’annoncer les vacances de ce blog. En effet je m’envole ce vendredi pour le soleil de la Californie (d’où les Beach Boys, héhé) et plus précisément San Francisco. Le Mellotron sera donc de retour début juillet. En attendant vous pouvez en profiter pour découvrir et/ou redécouvrir les précédents articlés publiés depuis janvier. Il ne me reste plus qu’à souhaiter de bonnes vacances à ceux qui sont concernés, et bon courage pour les autres !

In 1966, Brian Wilson, while in his musical competition with Paul McCartney which he considered as his equal or even as his superior (following the release of the Beatles’s Rubber Soul album) decided to shut himself away in order to write and record what will become his masterpiece: Pet Sounds. This pocket symphony influenced by the sound works of Phil Spector and those of the Beatles is still considered as one of pop music’s most brilliant efforts. After it shaped the myth of California with palmtrees and golden surfers in the early 60’s, the Beach Boys music indeed evolved to reach summits of pop sophistication like this “Sloop John B.”

This post also is the opportunity to announce that this blog is taking holidays. On friday I’m flying to the sun of California (the Beach Boys… you get it now!) and more precisely San Francisco. Le Mellotron will be back in the beginning of july. Meanwhile you can make the most of it to discover and/or rediscover the previous articles publicated from january. Good holidays also to those who are concerned!

“Sloop John B.” :

Sloop John B. on DailyMotion
Sloop John B. (take 2) on DailyMotion
Plus d’info sur Wikipedia [fr]
Further information on Wikipedia [en]
Mas informacion en la Wikipedia [es]
The Beach Boys on MySpace
Acheter Pet Sounds sur Amazon.fr

“Mana Fatita” est une chanson plutôt moderne dans son emploi de la basse, de la guitare, et des percussions et ne souffre en rien de la faible qualité de l’enregistrement.

We know little about Angolan music. Fortunately the label Buda Musique dives us into this lusafrican country’s pop music thanks to a set of compilations that goes through the 60’s, 70’s and 90’s. A very nice introduction to Semba (which precedes the Brazilian samba). We witness with a lot of interest the evolution of pop music in this country between 72 and 73 (the period covered by the compilation featuring “Mana Fatita”) while enduring its independance war. From a musical interest we should also consider that Angola only had its firsts recording studios in 1969.

“Mana Fatita” is a rather modern song in its use of the bass, the guitar and the percussions and doesn’t suffer at all the low quality of the sound.

“Mana Fatita” :

Buda Musique website
Buda Musique on MySpace
Acheter Angola 70’s: 1972-1973 sur Amazon.fr

“The Message from the Soul Sisters”, enregistré en 1970, est un des rares singles de la diva, plutôt habituée à supporter vocalement le mec le plus bosseur du showbiz. Celui-ci produit toutefois ce titre dont il est également l’auteur, en compagnie du line up original des J.B.’s, le célèbre backing band de James Brown, avec entre autres au piano Bobby Bird, le mari de la chanteuse.

Vicki Anderson was one of the protégées of singer James Brown, being part of the Soul Sisters, and according to the Godfather of Soul the best of them.

“The Message from the Soul Sisters”, recorded in 1970, is one of the rare singles by the diva, rather used to vocally back the hardest working man in show business. The latter however produces this track he wrote, in the company of the original line up of the J.B.’s, the famous backing band of James Brown, with Bobby Bird, the singer’s husband, on piano.

“The Message from the Soul Sisters” :

Further information on Wikipedia [en]
Acheter Mother Popcorn: The Vicki Anderson Anthology sur Amazon.fr

“The Only One I Know”, est une reprise du groupe anglais The Charlatans, que la pop star Robbie Williams interprète avec la plus grande fidélité. Mais ce qui frappe surtout, c’est la capacité qu’a Mark Ronson à garder l’essence de cette chanson (et des autres) tout en lui insufflant tout ce qu’il faut de cuivres, rythmes syncopés, et autres percussions. Comme si la chanson était passée entre les mains des Funk Brothers, le groupe maison de Motown. Ajoutez à cela des réminiscences big beat… Un vrai régal ! La magie se reproduit sur l’ensemble de l’album (sortie le 18 juin), le producteur faisant mouche à chaque fois. Réjouissant !

Mark Ronson is a British DJ/producer based in New York City where his parents moved when he was 8 (we can also note that his stepfather is Mick Jones from Foreigner). Recognize as a great DJ since the early 90’s, he likes to mix genres in its own way, spanning from British rock to Big Apple hip-hop, still with a pop approach. After the release of its first album in 2003, Mark Ronson is back with “Version”, which as its name suggests, is a cover album.

“The Only One I Know” is a cover from British band The Charlatans faithfully interpreted by pop star Robbie Williams. But what especially strikes here is the ability Mark Ronson has to take the essence of the song (as well as others) bringing it a whole bunch of brasses, syncopated rhythms ans much percussions. As if the song would have been played by the Funk Brothers, Motown’s session band. Add to this reminiscences of big beat… Delicious! The magic happens on every song of the album (release on the 18th of june), the producer always scoring a hit. Delightful!

Mark Ronson, DJ y productor inglés, residente en Nueva York donde sus padres se mudaron cuando el tenia 8 años (su padrastro es Mick Jones de Foreigner). Reconocido como gran DJ desde principios de los 90, ha mezclados diferentes estilos a su manera, abarcando desde el British Rock al Big Apple del hip-hop, todo ello con un toque de pop. Después del lanzamiento de su primer álbum en 2003, Mark Ronson vuelve con “Version”, que como el nombre sugiere, es un disco de versiones.

“The Only One I Know” es una versión de la banda inglesa The Charlatans, interpretada fielmente por Robbie Williams. Pero lo que destaca especialmente aqui es la habilidad de Mark Ronson para rescatar la esencia de la canción y llevarla a un terreno de ritmos asincopados, vientos y percusiones. Como si el tema hubiera sido tocado por Funk Brothers, la banda de la Motown, con toques de big beat. La magia aparece en cada tema del album (a la venta el proximo 18 de junio) donde el productor consigue hacer de cada corte un auténtico hit. Delicioso!

“The Only One I Know” :

Mark Ronson on MySpace
Further information on Wikipedia [en]
Commander Version sur Amazon.fr