Mister Naga lives

The Smiths - The Queen is Dead

2006-08-30T16:47:00.000+01:00

Great lp and not obscure in the slightest - in fact I've managed to collect about three copies from charity shops alone over the last ten years. Email me if you want one!

Morrissey is a knob though and his output post Smiths is shite.

What an insightful post...

Ennio Morricone - The Big Gundown lp

2006-08-29T17:40:00.000+01:00

This is a superb soundtrack by the consistently astonishing Ennio Morricone. Whether he's soundtracking Spaghetti Westerns, obscure European horror or Italian Porn he can't seem to do wrong. This falls under the Spaghetti Western genre and does have one or two similarities to the Good, the Bad and the Ugly - doesn't stop it being great though. I'd quite like to see the Lee Van Cleef film to see if it lives up to the music - pretty tricky task if you ask me.

I saw Ennio Morricone a couple of years gao with full choir and it blew my socks off. He played it safe with more familar stuff (alas nothing from the devilsih Escalation score) but hearing Ecstacy of Gold was a life affirming moment. Or something...

Millie Jackson - Caught Up lp

2006-08-25T14:52:00.000+01:00

A soul/funk concept lp of sorts revolving around poor Minnie's complex relationship with someone else's husband. It's quite upbeat considering the subject matter and a good listen throughout; highights including 'The Rap' which some have said is a proto hip hop track but she seems to be talking rather than rapping. Still hip hop is defined by my mum as speaking over music so maybe it is proto rap. Pfft who knows? I do know Terry Durham sounds more like proto hip hop.

Millie Jackosn went a bit mental subsequently releasing some crazy assed records in the 80's which I've seen around in charity shops but haven't been able to get past the garish nasty covers to actually buy. Frightening stuff.

Amon Duul II - Yeti lp

2006-08-24T14:53:00.000+01:00

Another record that is getting extensively play due to my Green Man hangover - 'Archangel's Thunderbird' is aces and sounded even more mental on the B Music sound system. Screaming banshee vocals with massive rocking geetars and drums make this the highlight of a pretty consistently good lp. 'Yeti' is the best lp by Amon Duul II from what I can gather and Amon Duul are to be treated with absolute caution.

So there it is. I do in a paragraph what Juilan Cope takes an entire book to say. Well sort of. If anyone has a spare copy of 'Krautrock' please can I have it?

The Variations - Down the Road/Love Me 7"

2006-08-23T10:31:00.000+01:00

More Green Man related shenanigans. I bought this 7" a while back for a few quid off the back of some folk saying it was a fuzzy geetar rocker garunteed to get people moving. Not sure why that would influence my purchase given my lack of djing outlets at the mo but hey. I digress.

It's all about the b-side I'm told but it didn't do much for me prior to the Green Man, then Andy Votel played it in the B Music disco (along with some fucking absolute stonkers including the likes of Turkish protest warbler Selda, Sharon Tandy, Amon Duul II, Can, Ananda Shankar) and on a lound sound system it all made sense. File under fuzzy French pop. Tres bien. Or sumthink.

Plus - Seven Deadly Sins lp

2006-08-22T14:14:00.000+01:00

Ooof been a long time.

Spent the weekend at the Green Man festival seeing the likes of Voice of the Seven Woods, Micah P Hinson, Andy Votel, Sunburned Hand of the Man and all sorts of trippy folk music. I have to confess I spent most of Sunday wishing Slayer were headlinig - you can have too much of a good thing. Or at least too much polite folk singer/songwriter music.

Got home and I've played this mighty opus from Plus three times over - a heady mixture of dark progressive/psychedelic rock. It came out in 1969. Says it all really.

1969 and 1994 - the Naga years. Alas I was only around for one of them...

The Psychedelic Snarl - compilation lp

2006-06-19T12:57:00.000+01:00

I'm a bit of a newcomer to freakbeat and psychedlia but I've just made a new section in my record collection for it - seems to be the most noticably growing part at the moment. This nice little comp set me back about a tenner which isn't bad going considering some of the original 7's on here would cost 300 quid each! Worth admission alone for Wimple Winch's 'Save my Soul' which is absolutely nuts from the frentic geetaring to the death cry about haly way through.

Apologies for the absense - the World Cup has me in its grips... Records lose for four weeks or so.

Khonnor - Burning Palace 7"

2006-06-06T16:15:00.000+01:00

A tasty 7" from the great white hope of electronica, Khonnor. Did I mention teenage prodigy? Actually he's probably not in his teens anymore but he's still fucking astonishgly good. The 'Handwriting' lp was a lush mix of noodling electronics, guitars and feedback. This is more of the same - only problem with it is it's way too short...

Willy Mason - Oxygen 7"

2006-06-01T16:09:00.000+01:00

Delightful singer/songwriter action from Willy Mason. Fucked if I know who he is but this fragile gem was on one of Kong's ace 'Dumb Waiter' mixes and gradually wormed it's way into my life. Very nice but steer clear of the album version which lacks the fragility (is that word?) apparently...

More about Kong some other time.

Black Sabbath - self titled lp

2006-05-31T12:02:00.000+01:00

I've listend to three Sabbath albums today already and it's not even lunch time. You can't beat them - super doom-laden riffs without the obscene fret-wankery of any of the 'heavy metal' they spawned in their wake. I'm especially fond of the 'Sabbath Bloody Sabbath' lp - not popular with the real fans apparently as it flirts with prog but maybe that's why I like it!

Caribou - The Milk of Human Kindness lp

2006-05-30T14:48:00.000+01:00

Excellent lp from 2005 and one of my top three for the year - still sounds ace! A mixture of krautrock inspired electronica that sounds like it's being played on real instruments. There are a couple of stonkers - notably 'Bees' but the whole lp rocks. Heavy tight drumming ahoy [motherfucker]!

Paul Simon - Paul Simon lp

2006-05-25T12:53:00.000+01:00

I love this lp - nicked it off my mum years ago! She doesn't have a record player anymore so it's all good. I have a soft spot for Simon and Garfunkel anyway but this lp is great pretty much the whole way through - the delightful 'Duncan', the Brazilian-lite 'Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard', the ace Jim O'Rourke style geetaring (albeit pre-dating him somewhat - erm...) on 'Armistice Day' and 'Peace Like a River' and not forgetting the cod-reggae of 'Mother and Child Reunion'! Superb lp - buy it on sight, available form charity shops across the nation for a quid or so...

Cornershop presents Bubbley Kaur - Topknot 7"

2006-05-24T12:51:00.000+01:00

Superb smiley uptempo tune from Cornershop or more precisely Bubbley Kaur. I've no idea what she's singing about but this 7" is splendid!

Edan - Beauty and the Beat lp

2006-05-23T14:10:00.000+01:00

This album is the fucking nuts. Everyone knows it and if they don't they need to eat a dick. Stunning hip hop in times of very bad hip hop. It's hip hop on some psychedelic acid shiznit. I've not heard anything remote similar sonically - blows my head off every time and Edan can rap as well. And beat juggle at the same time. And he's 23 or something... Cunt!

But seriously this album was in my top 3 of 2005 and I really have struggled with non-MF Doom hip hop for a few years now. Super-duty-clockwork. Or something.

(smog) - Supper lp

2006-05-22T12:25:00.000+01:00

(smog) or Bill Callahan to his friends is without question one of my favourtie artists. An incredibly prolific singer/songwriter who started out making very lo-fi records and has gradually recorded slightly more accessible records as he's gone along, 'Supper' is probably his most accessible to date. 'Vessel in Vein' and 'Truth Serum' are stunning. There will be more (smog) to come in this blog...

The Books - Lost and Safe lp

2006-05-19T09:49:00.000+01:00

A delightful mix of acoustic instruments, odd vocal samples and now with added hushed vocals! I wasn't totally into this lp when I got it - it had none of the charm of their first lp which sounded like nothing I'd ever heard before, but it's grown on me. 'Smells like content' is the stand out track for me.

Sunforest - Sounds of Sunforest lp

2006-05-18T13:00:00.000+01:00

Super limited repress (300) of hard-to-find twee folk/psych pop record. It's mostly crap and in my mind doesn't warrant the 300 nicker the original changes hands for but for one astonishingly good belter called 'Magician in the Mountain'. Super tight drums abound for this glorious off-kilter swirling psyche/funk fest. Shame about the hey-nonny-nonny gubbins elsewhere on the lp...

Okay change of tact - I'm resurrecting this blog as of now!

2006-05-17T16:56:00.000+01:00

The Naga comps continue (albeit at a much slower rate) but I can't be arsed with the updates. From here on in it's gonna be about my record of the day. Might be old, might be new, probably be good though...

So here we go.

First up is the 'Margin Walker' ep by DC hardcore band Fugazi. All their records are aces but from the self titled opener to 'Promises' just six songs later this is intense, lean punk rock without the excess. You can't mess with Fugazi on any level - Ian MacKaye's record label Dischord operates way away from the bullshit music industry selling consistantly great records all at reasonable prices. Go see - Dischord

And while you're at it pick up Glen E Friedman's 'Fuck you heroes' - documenting the DC hardcore scene, the birth of hip hop in New York and the pioneering Z-Boy skaters in stunning photography.

Number eight - the country rock conenction!

2005-03-29T15:54:00.000+01:00

Easy people!

Following the sevens I bring you a more regular mix/compilation (delete as appropriate) featuring new hip hop, old country rawk and just a touch of electro! Don't get used to it mind - can't be doing with all that dancefloor noise...

All we hear is: Radio Naga 02/03/05

Crosby Stills, Nash and Young - Carry On (Atlantic) - My mate Jason (the original Mr Naga -oh the shame!) gave me 'Deja Vu' a few years back following a dig in Kemp Town (makes you eyes water just thinking about it)when I was a naive snot nosed hip hop kid. It was appreciated though and I'm still convinced there is sample goodness when the tune morphs halfway through into a hammond led break monster (as always - it's all relative!). Anyway t's a great opening track to a very good album.
The Grateful Dead - Friend of the Devil (Warner) - Funnily enough this was thanks to Jason as well (ta!). I'd always thought the Grateful Dad were frazzled irrelevant country rawk behemoths. Well they basically are but that doesn't stop them being great.
Creedence Clearwater Revival - Lookin' Out My Back Door (Fantasy) - More frazzled county rock shenanigans as endoresed by the 'Dude' in the Big Lebowski. Garunteed to make me dance stoopid.
Fairport Convention - Tale in Hard Time (Island) - I always had Fairport Convention down as twee folk shite however fellow forumite and Cornwall based fella Reptile showed me otherwise when he stuck this on a mix for me. It's quite wigged out but a storming track all the same...
Bob Dylan - The Man in Me (CBS) - Never really got Dylan for some reason bar this and 'Wigwam' - maybe one day it'll make sense but for now I bring you another gem as used in the awesome Big Lebowski.
Super Furry Animals - [A] Touch Sensitive (Sony) - This is a rare electronic beats outing from the Welsh experimantal rock outfit and very nice it is to.
Sage Francis, Will Oldham, Alias and Saul Williams - Sea Lion (Epitaph) Sage Francis and Will Oldham combined had me excited at the very prospect and what's more this lives up to my expectations and beyond. It really works well and the additional Saul Williams verse is the icing on the cake. Makes me love hip hop all over again.
Saul Williams - Penny for a Thought (Ozone/American) - This is a sonic fuck y'all from the original pimp daddy Rick 'Slayer' Rubin and Saul Williams - its amazingly fresh and in your face - again a much needed needle in the arm for hip hop and rather disappointly pretty much slept on. I think it says a lot I picked it up in a charity shop...
Prefuse 73 ft. Ghostface and El-P - Hideyaface [El-p mix] (Warp) Unlike the Sage Francis 12" this record left me somewhat deflated given the people involved - Prefuse production is incredible all glitchy frantic hip hop and that combined with a Wu Tang heavyweight and the always exciting El-P I expected so much more. Fortunately El-P comes up with the goods on the remix duties
Octogan Man - Biting the Dragon's Tail (Electron) - Nasty-assed electro from Mr. Depth Charge himself - its filhty!
Bola - Eluus (Skam) Skam records frequently leave me a little disappointed usually given the hype surrounding them but Bola are far and away the labels crwoning glory. The 'Soup' lp had me hooked - beautiful electronica - and the latest lp has added strings to the mix. Excuse the shit term but it's proper 'lush'.
Hood - Any Hopeful Thoughts Arrive (Domino) Not sure how but Hood manage to go undetected by me for a good few years and really I deserve shooting for letting that happen. They make really original experimental electronic pop with vocals - that description really doesn't do them any justice either - everyone needs to listen to more Hood.
Blonde Redhead - Melody (4AD) - I bought the Blonde Redhead lp on a whim and have been very impressed - the lead singer has a very unusual voice and she is backed by some almost cinematic production. I wasn't even aware 4AD was still alive since the Pixies and throwing Muses glory days - shows how much I know eh!
The Innocence Mission - I Haven't Seen this Day Before (Umbrella Day) - Apperently this lot have been around for a long time and have been bigged up by Joni Mitchell among others, this is a rare live recording and it's as beautiful as anything I've heard by them - the gorgeous fragile vocals get me everytime. It should be far too girly for me but it's stunning.
Slint - Washer (Touch and Go) - Post rock superheroes (!) get an airing mostly in light of the fact I saw them live this month. Unfortunately the gig left me a little flat for some reason - best kept in the bedroom I think...
Jane's Addiction - Jane Says (Warner) - I've always struggled a bit with Perry Farrell but I picked this up in a charity shop a year or so back and as much as I wasn't convinced by much of the lp this song is lovely!

Anyway having run out of 'nice' adjectives I'm gonna fuck off now. If you want a copy e-mail me your address at mr.naga@gmail.com.

Peas.

The sevens

2005-03-11T11:06:00.000Z

In an attempt to change the format for seventh addition of the Naga compilaton series I thought what better way to commemorate usch an occassion than by using seven inch singles only. The Yanks prefer the term 45's I think but ever since I were a young lad buying Paul Hardcastle singles I've known them as seven inches. Unfortunatley they're only seven inches I can really brag about... I digress.

All we hear is: Radio Naga 08/01/05

Aretha Franklin - The Weight (Atlantic) I dug this up in a flea market in Brighton - a cover of the Band's classic which is a classic in itself - this is Aretha's own funky take on the song. The only pisser being the vinyl skips towards the end of the track. Oh well - thems the breaks.
Commodores - I Feel Sanctified (Motown) This is so tight you'd be amazed Lionel 'Hello' Ritchie had anything to do with it but he did. Back when he had an afro the size of a space hopper he was releasing some great pop funk tracks like this and 'Machine Gun'. Worth a dig in your local charity shop...
Cymande - Bra (Alaska) I can remember the Scratch Perverts dropping this in a club probably about ten years ago or so and going mental - instant De La Soul sample recognition had me in a frenzy trying to find out what the song was - as per usual my mate Jason (the original Mr Naga - long embarrassing story not for these pages) knew what it was and had the lp at home. The drums that kick in after the breakdown are so tight I get a semi every time I hear this!
Breakestra - Getcha Soul Togetha pts I+II (Stones Throw) Modern funk stomper that I slept on till I saw the video and it all suddenly made much more sense.
Marvin Gaye - Got to give it up pts I+II (Motown) Also dug up in the same Brighton flea market as the Aretha 7" this is a Marvin slept on track. It's got a nice little groove to it and the ladies love Marvin innit.
Junior Murvin - Police and Thieves (Island) I haven't touched on reggae much in the series so far as I tend to listen to it more in the summer but this is a prized 7" of mine - not that hard to find but the song is superb. Lee 'Scratch' Perry on production and Junior Murvin's high pitched political insight do it for me everytime.
The Specials - Friday night Saturday morning (2 Tone) Terry Hall was doing this kind of stuff before Mike Skinner was born - 2 Tone's prodigal sons talking about yoof culture innit. And Suggs can go eat a dick.
Big Dada Sound - Showtime (Big Dada) Hip hop dancehall style posse cut featuring Big Dada's finest including Roots Manuva and Mike Ladd. The wobbly carnival sample combined with the low slung bass is just too sweet.
Prince Po ft. MF Doom - Social Distortion (Lex) A Dangermouse production with Doom stealing all the limelight as per usual - Prince Po does hold his own though just about...
LL Cool J - Going back to Cali (Def Jam) Ladies Love Cool J. Unfortunately he ain't so bothered about them these days judging by some of the rumours going aorund. No matter - the boys love him to (not like that mind) for his old school joints - the Rick Rubin production on this still sounds f-f-f-fresh now to these ears.
The Beat Conductor - Ashby Road (Stones Throw) A little Madlib instrumental - he shits these things out I swear.
Beck - Deadweight (Geffen) Exotica sampling oddball pop from Beck - the freaky fella can do nothing wrong as far as I'm concerned.
Badly Drawn Boy - Once around the block (Twisted Nerve/XL) One of my all time favourite songs ever. Honest. I hate all this gushing but I put these songs on these comps cos' I like 'em - its not brain surgery is it? His albums since seem a tad shit but I forgive him for this and 'The Shining'. In fact pretty much his whole first album...
Bloc Party - Little Thoughts (Wichita) I try not to get to caught up in the whole NME endorsed saviours of Rock n Roll but this is a very good indie song. The drumming specifically is mad tight. That is all.
Charlie Brown intermission
The Honeybus - Tender are the Ashes (Redemption) This frantic 60's pop is stolen straight out of my mum's collection - its fucking ace as well - and whats more I'm pretty sure no-one else in the world knows about it! Word to the mother.
Norman Greenbaum - Milk Cow (Reprise) The flipside to 'Spirit in the Sky' this time stolen from my Aunts vinyl treasure trove - it's an odd one I'll grant you but I like it...
Devendra Banhart - At the Hop (Younggod/XL) Freak beat San Fransisco's beardy oddball in rare tune shocker - only messing - I do struggle with his albums a lot of the time though but this is a veritable pop hit by comaprison.
Low - Dinosaur Act (Tugboat) Low rocking out in their own quiet way - again I can't always stomach Low despite everyone adoring them but this is slightly more upbeat (!) than most of their other releases.
Mogwai - Sweet Leaf (Fierce Panda) Mogwai cover Black Sabbath. Two for the price of one. It's very knock-about but it's pretty hard to come by. Don't say I don't do nuffink for you people.
Martin Denny - The Enchanted Sea (London) - Mmmm - some more dodgy exotica from my mum's collection - this was sampled by Bill Wells and Future Pilot a few years back and low and behold my mum had it all the time.
Herb Alpert and Tijuana Brass - Treasure of San Miguel (A+M) As sampled by Method Man on 'Bring the Pain' I was looking for this for some time on lp but found it on 7" first. Oooh those horns!

Want one? E-mail me at mr.naga@gmail.com with you address. GO!

All we hear is: Radio Naga!

2005-02-16T19:32:00.000Z

Okay, I'm playing catch up at the moment having been pretty busy the last few weeks - this is the second compilation of 2005. A hotch-potch mix of Funk, Rock, Psyhce, Folk, Indie, US Hardcore and Electronica. I like to think it's a refreshing change from the tired formula given the added geetar noise and lack of hip hop but all it means is the whole thing sounds even more messy!

Cheers to the Crane for the cheeky title suggestion...

All we hear is: Radio Naga (19/01/05)

Geoff Love - Six Million Dollar Man Theme (MFP)
George Garverentz - Hashisch Party (Emi)
Lalo Schiffrin - Another Victim (Aleph)
Harry Nilsson - Jump Into the Fire (RCA)
The Politcians - Psycha-Soula-Funkadelic (Invictus)
Baby Huey - Mighty Mighty (Curtom)
Big Jullien Allstars - Wake the Monster (Unknown)
Paul Parrish - English Sparrows (Music Factory)
Alfie - You make no bones (Twisted Nerve)
Polyphonic Spree - Hanging Around the Day (679 Good Records)
Preston School of Industry - The Idea of Fires (Domino)
Lambchop - Your Fucking Sunny Day (City Slang)
Beach Boys - Feel Flows (CBS)
Drive Like Jehu - Golden Brown (Cargo)
Black Eyes - Yes, I Confess (Dischord)
Jawbox - Breathe (City Slang)
Queens of the Stone Age - Regular John (Man's Ruin)
Mogwai - Tracy (Chemikal Underground)
Zouch - The Coots Don't Like the Wind (Tzanda)
Minotaur Shock - Motoring Britain (Melodic)
Rob Sakuma - Emblem G (Silver Screen)

Starting with Geoff Love the much loved coverer of many a soundtrack - he was responisble for a series of compilations throughout the 70's offering cheap versions of all your favourite Sci Fi, Action, Western and Suspense themes and is cherished amongst car boot and charity shop diggers alike. 'Six Million Dollar Man' is from the rarest of the series and I had to pay slightly over the odds for it - never thought I'd pay more than a quid for a Geoff Love record but it was for a desperate friend wanting to complete the series - just thought I'd get some use out of it first! Big up to funk master Belson as well for the record hook up!

Harry Nillson's 'Jump into the Fire' is a bass driven rock monster which I discovered through the film 'Goodfellas' - it's a classic example of my mindless digging whereby I found out the artist and song from a bit of research only to discover I had it in my record collection for about a year without realising it - duffus innit. Just wait for those drums, oh those drums...

Fat funk boy Baby Huey drops in next with 'Mighty Mighty' a rip roaring live affair that sounds as fresh today as the day it was recorded - course I can't confirm that for sure given I wasn't born when it was recorded but it's how the kids say frrresh all the same. 'English Sparrows' by Paul Parrish is a quirky string driven folk-funk thing - sounds awful on paper yes but it's bloody great - I spent a few quid getting this after hearing it via Manchester super digger and all round good bloke Andy Votel.

Then comes the indie jingly jangly stuff to get all the hip hoppers running scared - David Koresh tribute band the Polyphonic Spree come good with the happy clappy vibes on 'Hanging Around' a lovely summery track garunteed to put a smile even on this cynical old face. Pavement offshoot band Preston School of Industry and Lambchop follow suit with more gloopy indie pop goodness - 'Your Fucking Sunny Day' should by all accounts have got to number one in every country ever especially for the inclusion of such a rude word in such a great song.

I'm no Beach Boys fan by any stretch of the imagination and I haven't always been able to understand all the Brian Wilson worshipping but 'Feel Flows' is a pop-pyshce acid flashback thing of sheer genius. My favourite Beach Boys song by a country mile and that includes 'God Only Knows' too suckerducks. Typically I discovered this through a film 'Almost Famous' which I happen to think is bloody brilliant where most other folk think it's sugary shite. Their loss.

I saw Drive Like Jehu in the mid-nineties and they fucking rocked - couldn't hear for about a week after the gig which was a prerequisite of a good live act back then. Their lp 'Yank Crime' has become something of a slept on classic in recent years and I'd just like to take this oppurtunity to say I was there at the beginning as per usual! Seriously though the album sounds as noisy and urgent as anything being released now be it Mars Volta or whatever... Buy it.

Following the sonic assault of US hardcore and Queens of the Stone Age are Mogwai with'Tracy' - kind of ironic such a beautiful melancholic song is named after the classic Essex girl stereotype but what the fuck. It's the kind of song if I was pretentious enough I'd insist on at my funeral and everyone would be in tears (one would hope!) - unfortunately I'm gonna have to have Moog classic 'Popcorn' instead. Mogwai are fucking awesome on record and in concert - this can never be said enough.

Nottingham's finest up and coming electronical whizz kid Crane steps up next under the alias Zouch with 'The Coots Don't Like the Wind' - big thanks to Crane who not only blesses me with all his tracks to abuse and drop in inappropriate places but for also giving the Naga series plenty of props along the way. Check out www.Tzanda.net for more info...

Lastly is a wee snippet for the sample spotters - the Japanese theme from Battle of the Planets as sampled by hip hop superhero King Geedorah aka MF Doom on 'The Fine Print'. You love it!

Okay if you want a copy on cd e-mail me your name and address to mr.naga@gmail.com

Enjoy folks!

First of the 2005

2005-01-11T22:11:00.000Z

Having taken a lengthy Christmas break here is the first effort of the New Year carrying on with the slapdash style and still no beatmatching/scratching etc in sight.

Okay so we're up to number five and it's a fairly soild affair steering clear of some of the less obvious musical potholes I have been known to fall into - this effort is as near to pop whoredom as I get! My mind has been in a thousand different places of late so I was a bit fucked off with the way it was going during the recording but on playback it seems much better (except for dropping in Group Home too quick after All Natural).

Anyway enough talk...

Mr Naga Selection 04/1/05

Tortoise - It's all around you (Thrill Jockey)
Sixtoo - Chewing on glass/sidewinders (Ninja Tune)
Mogwai - Hunted by a freak [Boom Bip mix] (Matador)
Rotary Connection - Respect (Cadet)
Ramsey Lewis - Julia (Chess)
All Natural - 50 Years (Uppercut)
Group Home - Supa Star (Payday)
Vast Aire - Life's Ill Pt.II (The Empire Striketh) (Chocolate Industries)
TV On the Radio - King Eternal (Touch and Go)
Radiohead - Where I end and you begin (EMI)
Jim O'Rourke - Life goes off (Domino)
The Books - Motherless bastard (Tomlab)
The Notwist - Off the rails (Domino)
Kings of Convenience - Weight of my words [Four Tet] (Source)
Squarepusher - Iambic 9 Poetry (Warp)
Husker Du - Hardly getting over it (Warner)

And what follows is the obligatory track guide. First up are the wonderful Tortoise - I really haven't given the new lp enough listens yet but it seems to be on par with their usual output ie - excellent. That said they've never quite matched TNT for me - seeing them play some of that lp live was bordering on religious experience a couple of years back at a Thrill Jockey all dayer.

I don't know a great deal about Sixtoo but was wary of more dull trip hop when I bought the album cheap, however it does seem much better than that - he seems to sample more rock and psyche records than the usual funk stuff -again I need to give it more time... Following that is the Boom Bip remix of Mogwai's 'Hunted by a Freak' exclsuive to the Matador at 15 compilation (thanks mum!) - not always that fussed about remixes but Mogwai do tend to lend themselves to cinematic hip hop make-overs.

Rotary Connections 'Respect' is absolutely stunning and I'll fight any man, woman or child that says otherwise - words fail me now though - just listen - classic Charles Stepney production - incredible and one of those rare covers that's better than the original. Staying in the Chess/Cadet jazz/soul camp is the jazz pianist Ramsey Lewis and his cover of the Beatles 'Julia' - unrecognisable as far I'm concerned but a great track - perfect for sampling...

Which is exactly what All Natural did on 'Fifty Years' - to be honest this track sounds quite dated now - it was part of the late nineties indie hip hop explosion but it's still a great track and All Natural are one of the better acts to survive those days ( I hope!). Staying hip hop with Group Homes absolute banger 'Supa Star' produced by the mighty DJ Premier - as if it weren't good enough it features the word 'cunt' which is always a good thing as far as I'm concerned. Vast Aire of Cannibal Ox pops up next with a posse track off his disturbingly average solo lp - we expexted so much more off the back of 'Cold Vein' - C+ Could do much better! That said Madlib's fucked up production on this particular track is how-the-kids-say 'dope'.

TV on the Radio are an experimental art rock band from New York with a difference - they dont mind the occasional tune or melody which is a good thing. Folowing that is a Radiohead song taken from the 'Hail to the Theif' lp which I picked up cheap about a year after it's release - I'm so on the pulse! It's a wonderful lp incorporating the best elements of both Kid A and OK Computer - really loving it at the moment and I admire they're desire to stay off the beaten track and not repeat themselves adifinum... Possibly the greatest band of the last ten years.

Jim O'Rourke was gonna pop up sooner or later - he's my favourite artist and has been for some time - 'Life Goes Off' is ace. That is all. The Books are doing experimental sonic mash-ups that shouldn't work but just do - 'Motherless Bastard' has some lovely dialogue before it as well...

Squarepusher's 'Iambic 9 Poetry ' is everything that is good about Mr Jenkinson - lush melodies over incredible building live drums without the wanky stuff - he frustrates the shit outta me with his releases but he has an stunning best of lp in him - trouble is he'd never release the best of I want - maybe I'll have to do it myself...

I finish with Husker Du's 'Hardly Getting Over It' - if you don't wanna cry I recommend turning off after Squarepusher. Don't say I din't warn you.

Thanks people - anyone wants a copy get in touch!

mr.naga@gmail.com

Who'd have thought - number four!

2004-12-15T20:44:00.000Z

Okay so we're up to number four now...

I have to say that this one is a response to the positive feedback of the last one and as such is a similar format in that it's pretty uptempo and sticks to the tried and tested funk into hiphop mash up for first forty-five minutes. Then it goes all acoustic/indie/folky/post rock for the ending. The next will be totally different again - don't wanna get too formulaic on your asses or nuffink ...

Some feedback for number three;

"werdemup, officially my fave naga selection thus far"

"your latest compilation is helping me get through today. some BOSS tunes on it."

"it is blooming awesome. i might have to track down some of the tunes on this compilation! Seriously nice."

"two thumbs fresh."

Here's the tracklisting for number four (14/12/04)

Loving Spoonful - Do you believe in magic (BMG)
Arnold Blair - Trying to get next to you (Curtom)
Brian Auger - Tiger (MFP)
Dionne Warwick - We can work it out (Pye)
Ennio Morricone - Iniziazone '72 (Cam)
Yesterdays Folks - 2069:A spaced oddity (Buddah)
Zoo - Mammmouth (Major Minor)
Martha Valez - Jive Elephant (Sire)
Porn Theatre Ushers - Me and him (Biscuithead)
MF Doom - Beef Rapp (Rhymesayers)
Company Flow - End to end burners (Rawkus)
DM and Jemini - The Only One (Lex)
DJ Vadim - The Next Shit (Ninja Tune)
Liam Lynch - Waxwings (Emi)
Nico - These Days (MGM)
Gangplank - I don't know where to begin (Fence)
The Memory Band - This is how we walk on the moon (Hungry Hill)
Micah P Hinson - The day Texas sank to the bottom of the sea (Sketchbook)Sufjan Stevens - For the widows in paradise, for the fatherless in Ypsilanti (Asthmatic Kitty)

Starting off with a pop classic from the 'Spoonful I defy you not to smile at the sheer heartwarming niceness of 'Do you believe in magic' - if you don't find yourself grinning you are an emotionally stunted retard. Okay?

Arnold Blair up next with a soul stormer - a mate got me hooked on this song when we went travelling for six months in 2000 around Thailand, Australia, New Zealand and Canada - in fact of the several tapes we took it's one of the few songs I can still stomach. Took me a fucking age to locate it on vinyl (costs one hundred plus on e-bay for the 7") and I ended up getting a dodgy 12" pressed in Carshalton of all places. Took me all these years to finally realize it's a fella singing as well!

More Brian Auger follows with a funking classic as sampled by RJD2 and then into a recent charity shop find Dionne Warwick's 'We can work it out' as recommended by two reputable forum (www.ninjatune.net/forum) diggers Belson and the one like Wrong Tom - much appreciated - its a beauty (and better still Belson ain't even got a copy and he is the funk/psyche oracle!)...

Gets a bit intense after that with an Italian library track by soundtrack supremo Ennio Morricone who will without doubt feature more in my compilations in future as he is frankly a genius. I had the pleasure of seeing him live this year and it was an awesome experience (and 'ecstasy of Gold' got played twice!).

Then we have (I promise not to write about every track - just seems to be a lot of personal history for the songs so far!) the pysche rock of the Mexican band Yesterdays Folks - the lp it features on has been my number one record to get for about three years and just as I closed in on a copy for myself it got repressed - not sure if that's a good thing or not but I saved myself twenty notes so mustn't grumble... 'Mammouth' up next with a track I remember playing fairly regularly during my year long residency at a bar in Brighton (gayest boast ever!) - a jazz/funk monster that refuses to finish - I think the group Zoo have tenuous Fleetwood Mac ties but fuck it - the song rocks like a bastard.

As does the Martha Valez track 'Jive elephant' as plundered by the cheeky Porn Theatre Ushers and I've just realized the piss-take Welsh hiphoppers also sampled it for their 'Guns don't kill people...' track.

Then I go hiphop for a wee bit and you get the incredible Porn Theatre Ushers 'Me and Him' (original pressing I may add - another shit boast!) which always goes down well at any party. A new banger from MF Doom - despite his prolific output he still outshines all the other hip hop at the moment. Doesn't do any harm I'm a sucker for cartoon theme sampling hip hop (is it Spiderman or the Hulk?).

Company Flow - nuff said.

A bit of a wind down with Vadim's 'Next Shit' and then into the odd stuff. The Liam Lynch song confuses the fuck out of me - a mate stuck it on a compilation a while back and I was convinced it must be by some seventies artist - but apparently it's the same fella that did the one minute MTV punk tune 'United States of Whatever' - I'm still not entirely sure what the story is but the song is great.

Nico - These days. I'll be honest I'm not sure I ever do this song much justice when I squeeze it onto a compilation but it's so wonderful I was gonna end up sticking it on one of these eventually...

I had the pleasure of seeing The Memory Band live about a fortnight ago and they were a delight to witness - traditional folk but without the twee stuff - the album has more of an edge in terms of production, featuring some of Fridge and Adem. Well recommended and lovely people as well.

Micah P Hinson and Sufjan Stevens are both responsible for two potential albums of the year - that said I included a Sufjan Stevens track from his previous album dedicated to Michigan which is a fragile beauty and one of fifty odd proposed lp's he is supposedly writing for each US state - 'Seven Swans' would suggest he's a bit bored of that idea already!

I'm thinking of having a week off for Christmas and I want to do a bit more mixing on the next effort (sometime early January...) so there may be about a month till number five.

If you want any of the compilations send me your address to mr.naga@gmail.com. Cheers and merry Christmas!

The third one...

2004-11-30T13:49:00.000Z

Right, with alarming regularity I bring you the third installment of the Naga selection. It's still not quite as good as the first one but probably a bit less messy than the second one. The tracklist is as follows;

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Richard Harris - The Hive (Stateside)
Os Mutantes - Bat Macumba (Universal)
The Silver Apples - You and I (Radioactive)
Julie Driscoll, Brian Auger and the Trinity - Indian Ropeman (Polydor)
Jimi Hendrix - Gotta Have It (Astan)
Muddy Waters - Tom Cat (Universal)
De La Soul ft. MF Doom - Rock Co. Cane Flow (Sanctuary)
Kool Keith and Motion Man - Ego '99 (Ground Level)
Raw Produce - Mister Dope America (Insomnia)
Sebi - Git down (Artifacts remix) (Gamm)
The Earlies - Wayward Song (WEA)
Pedro - This time last week (Melodic)
Theboylucas - There are great monsters going past (Output)
Tarwater - Noon (Kitty-Yo)
Six Organs of Admittance - Hollowed light severed sun (Holy Mountain)
Dorothy Ashby - Joyful grass and grape (Cadet)
Joanna Newsom - Sadie (Drag City)
Adem - Ringing in my ear (Domino)
Iron and Wine - Smokestack Lightning (BMI/Sub Pop)

And what better way to start than with a Richard Harris gem - 'The Hive'. It's a big Axelrodesque production - climatic strings and horns with gritty geetar funk - for best results ignore the dodgy lyrics altogether. From there I chose some spazzy psych-funk-rock numbers courtesy of Os Mutantes (a recently recommended South American psych rock band from the sixties and seventies - The Bees single 'Mienha Meina' (spelling?) is basically a cover of one of their songs), the moog dirge of the Silver Apples (banjos and moogs anyone? and yet it works) , the hammond funk classic that is 'Indian Rope Man' from London's very own Brian Auger, some obscure Jimi as sampled by the Beasties (very poor vinyl quality unfortunately) and into Muddy Waters filthy scratchity funk of 'Tom Cat'.

Next up some hip hop - the incredible new De La cut featuring MF Doom off the equally good 'Grind Date' lp (don't sleep on it...), a couple of gems from the indie hip hop golden era including the sooperb but slept on 'Mister Dope America' which has a great cut-up chorus (gets me everytime) before finishing off with the Sebi remix of the Artifacts 'Come on wid da get down' - I heard it a couple of months back and had to have it - basically the track is built around the same jazz samples used by DJ Vadim for the brilliant 'Next Shit' track which itself samples the Artifacts - confused - I was... I'm not entirely sure but I think the jazz track being sampled is 'Capricorn' possibly by Cannonball Adderley- I have it boxed away somewhere or other - need to dig it out to be sure.

From hip hop I then go for the lo-fi electronica - it's a bit of a jump but the best way to appreciate it is like a good old fashioned C90 whereby the first side is uptempo funk n' hip hop then you turn over for the electronica and folk...

The Earlies album is definitely one of my favorites of the year (but why no vinyl eh?) and the track Wayward Song does it for me almost solely for the nostalgic Noggin the Nog sounding introduction. I picked up the first Pedro ep on the wonderful Melodic label for 50p in a charity shop by chance having hunted high and low for it for a good year or so - I nearly shat myself when I found it in a British Heart Foundation charity shop in Croydon...

Theboylucas track is off the beautiful debut lp released on Output a couple of years back - it's all lush reversed guitars, quietly spoken lyrics and bleeps - why wasn't it massive?

I finish up with a mix n' match selection of oddball stuff including two songs from a loose collective of San Francisco based rising folk/pysch artists (including Six Organs..., Joanna Newsom, Devendra and the rest...) - Joanna Newsom's 'Sadie' is incredible - her voice is a bit of an acquired taste (I'm guessing a similar Marmite effect that Bjork's voice has, in that you either love it or hate it) but I think her album is stunning (released on the always dependable Drag City records) and she plays a mean harp as does Dorothy Ashby...

Adem's 'Homesongs' is another album of the year for me having charmed me with a slightly askew production and intimate vocals - I'm a sucker for the singer/songwriters. Which probably explains why Iron and Wine finish up the whole messy compilation with a live rendition of a track I've not been able to trace anywhere else - it's amazing - kinda pisses me off I was ill for the Iron and Wine/Sufjan Stevens tour a few months ago. Oh well maybe next time...

Enough rambling - if you want a copy send me your address to mr.naga@gmail.com

More feedback all the way from Macedonia

2004-11-23T17:36:00.000Z

I've received a bit more positive feedback from the latest compilation -

"received this morning...Great stuff, certainly made my morning more musical. Been ages since I heard any godspeed too, so that one made my day. "
"u must have a great record collection" (*modestly* it's true)
"Cheers for the CD though...It's a cracker."
"here here went down very well with me and my friends this weekend, top stuff"

"Vol 1 going down nicely with croissants and coffee... cheers very much sir!" The Crane (him of Tzanda records as mentioned in the last post)

And all the way from Macedonia (hence the dodgy grammar) - a country I can barely spell let alone locate on a map...

"listening it right now. It's something I'm not used of it but that's why I like it a lot! thanx once again :)"
"I like! introduce me into the new sound :)"
"I'm listening the mix and it's really great! I'm not used of this kindof music. It's really really great." Biljana Ladytron

Not bad eh? Nice to think that all the out-there music I enjoy is making it's way into obscure Eastern Bloc (possibly?) countries ala Peel... Okay so not on the same scale but hey it's a start innit...

Right enough ego-stroking. Anyone else wants a copy of either e-mail me at mr.naga@gmail.com

The second effort

2004-11-17T09:40:00.000Z

I was a bit nervous about starting this compilation after the success of the last one. Over the course of the week I had pulled a stack of records together that I envisaged would make the final mix - unfortunately having had a practice run through on Sunday by the time I set out to record the mix on Monday I didn't want to listen to the same material all over again. When eventually I did get half way through my brother interrupted me with "Are you busy?" to which I replied "yes" before he proceeded to distract me enough to fuck up the recording half way through Sun Ra's pop ditty 'Nuclear War'... It's a motherfucker (don't you know?).

Scrapped that and started again feeling like the mix was doomed to failure. However I managed to finish it and despite my uncertainty about some of the jumps in tempo/genre I've had positive feedback from the tracklist at least. A couple of casualties though including Cannibal Ox and Sun Ra - maybe next time...

Mr Naga Selection 15/11/04

Godspeed you black emperor! - Lift your skinny fists, like antennas to heaven (Kranky)Deerhoof - Sound the alarm (Kill Rock Stars)
Deerhoof - The magnificent bird will rise (Kill Rock Stars)
Mice Parade - A dance by any other name (Fat Cat)
Wire - Mannequin (Emi)Television - See no evil (Warner)
Andy Votel - Schallerova (Twisted Nerve)
Khonnor - Megans present (Type)
Erk - Least scary (Tzanda)
Boards of Canada - Over the Horizon Radar (Warp)
Lee Hazelwood and Nancy Sinatra - Some velvet morning (Reprise)
Quasimoto - Astronaut (Antidote)
Viktor Vaughn - Raedawn (Sound Ink)
Dosh - Steve the cat (Anticon)
Captain Beefheart and his Magic Band - Electricity (Buddha)
Johnny Cash - Personal Jesus (American)
Papa M - Wedding Song No 3 (Drag City)
Jackie O Motherfucker - Something on your mind (Roadcone)
Yo La Tengo - Our way to fall (Matador)
Hrvatski - Gemini (revision) (Planet Mu)

It's pretty much a mash up of post-rock (whatever the fuck that is), post punk, lo-fi electronica (including the 17 year old wonderkid Khonnor - his 'Handwriting' lp on Type records is outstanding - a beautiful mish mash of electronics, geetar feedback and Malkamus style warblings), weird beard hip hop and indie oddness finishing in the sublime 'Gemini' by Hrvatski - if your of the opinion machines cannot make emotional music you have shit in your ears and need to listen to this track. Hmmm electricemo. Not sure about that one...

The mix also features a track by Erk off the wonderful Tzampler 2 compilation sent to me by the Crane - his record label Tzanda has had some serious teething troubles but deserves credit - there is some wonderful electronic music coming out of Nottingham by the sounds of things. Check out the website http://www.tzanda.net/ for contact details.

Erm that's about it - if you want a copy of this compilation or the last one contact me at mr.naga@gmail.com.

Peas.

First time on radio...

2004-11-10T22:42:00.000Z

I'm stoked - sent out a ton of cd's to folk from all over the world (including the US, Sweden, Macedonia) - I didn't expect too much from doing so but it was an outlet all the same.

Anyway a guy called Scrawl based in Glasgow was that impressed with the mix of tunes (see previous post) he played the majority of it on his radio show on www.subcity.org - the piss-take irony being I knew about it but couldn't listen because I was at college... Arrrggghhhh!

Still, I'm chuffed to pieces and managed to get some friends to listen - some feedback;

"Mr.Naga is a class act" - Scrawl

"The setlist for this show is always insanely good." - listener

"cool tunes :)) " - another listener

"really enjoying listening in....." And another.

Just so blown away. Got great feedback from my lecturer and Pete the US hardcore punk fella off my course - they're spreading the love to!

So if you want copy hit me up with an address at mr.naga@gmail.com

New mix coming soon folks.

An introduction of sorts

2004-11-09T20:59:00.000Z

This here Blog is to stand as a testament to my creative leanings (hmmm - nuffink like a bit of pretension to level the playing field early on...). It's gonna be a self absorbed hell of a thing I warn y'all now.

First off is the beginning of what I hope will be an on-going series of compilations I'm gonna throw together every fortnight or so depending on whether I can maintain some kind of effort/innerest. There's nothing to link the songs or artists on this first one but in future who knows - I may even attempt to do some mixing or something - don't hold your breath though. Besides I can't mix for shit...

Mr Naga Selection - 01/11/04

OOIOO - Oh Mani (Thrill Jockey)
The Fugs - Turn on, tune in, drop out (Reprise)
Blues Explosion - Fed up and low down (Mute)
Broadcast - Violent Playground (Warp)
Can - I'm so green (Grey Area)
Fun Boy Three - The lunatics have taken over the asylum (Chyrsalis)
A Hawk and a Hacksaw - Maremaillette (Leaf)
Animal Collective - Who could win a rabbit (Fat Cat)
The unicorns - I was born (a unicorn) (Alien 8 recordings)
Bangkok Huskies - Rocola supersound (Slick Nine)
Sage Francis - Narcissist (Anticon)
Big Jus - Plantation Rhymes (Subverse)
Diplo - Big Lost (Big Dada)
RJD2 - Making days longer (Def Jux)
Arovane - Cry Osaka Cry (City Centre Offices)
The Postal Service - The District sleeps alone tonight (Sub Pop)
Smog - Vessel in Vain (Domino)
James Yorkston and the Athletes - Shipwreckers (Domino)
Brother Danielson Famile - Brother:Son (Secretly Canadian)

Contact me at mr.naga@gmail.com for a copy if you want.

So basically I'll post every few days or so with some half-baked creative effort that you can all mock/steal/enjoy (delete as appropriate). I am currently working on a film, writing a book, making t-shirts and doing a course in Photoshop so there is a wealth of shit to delve into. Stay posted suckers - my name is Mr Naga - welcome...