On This Day..
1959 Berry Gordy’s third release on the newly established Motown Records, “Bad Girl” by The Miracles, entered the Billboard Pop chart.
1967 Working at Abbey Road in London, The Beatles mixed the new John Lennon song “I Am the Walrus”, which included the sound of a radio being tuned through numerous stations, coming to rest on a BBC production of William Shakespeare’s “King Lear”. Lennon composed the song by combining three songs he had been working on. When he learned that a teacher at his old primary school was having his students analyse Beatles’ lyrics, he added a verse of nonsense words.
I Am the Walrus from Long Tran on Vimeo.
1984 Prince and the Revolution started a two week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with “Let’s Go Crazy”, his second US No.1, and a No.7 hit in the UK. It was the opening track on both the album and the film Purple Rain.
2007 US rapper 50 Cent was beaten by rival rap star Kanye West in the stand-off to claim the best-selling album in the US. West’s Graduation shifted 957,000 copies in its first week of sales while 50 Cent’s album, Curtis, only sold 691,000. Before the albums went on sale 50 Cent vowed he would retire from making solo albums if he was outsold by West. 50 Cent axed his forthcoming European tour and a performance at London Mobo Awards the Vodafone Live Music Awards in London, as well as at an MTV show in Germany.
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Brand New Music
Protomartyr | Relatives in Descent
It holds true that the apocalypse is a slow burn rather than a single event. These post-punk Detroit-natives make a good show of it at least. Now four albums deep Protomartyr has given their listeners a reason to take them seriously. The quality and precision of their work is outstanding while the performance and concepts of a shadowy version of reality that is way too similar to our own.
Kamasi Washington | Harmony of Difference
Although short in length, Washington’s new EP is still substantial and widely compelling. Hopefully this is a sign of more music in the works from Kamasi Washington, as it leaves the listener wanting so much more. As a former jazz student, and someone who still regularly listens to jazz, it’s hard to bring other listeners on-board. Washington is someone who is straight ahead in style and tone, but is still so widely appealing that it’s a great modern starting point to the jazz world.
Harmony of Difference from Bona Fide on Vimeo.
Wolf Alice | Visions of a Life
There’s no sophomore slump for Wolf Alice here! This group has completely done away with the idea of a difficult second record and churned out a utter masterpiece. Although inconsistent overall, Visions of Life is still pure and unadulterated rock and roll splendor.
