Album Review: AM & Shawn Lee - Celestial Electric

The hugely prolific producer/multi-instrumentalist Shawn Lee continues his collaborative endeavours on his latest project with equally fruitful film and television songwriter AM on their LP Celestial Electric.    Shawn has released several compelling instrumental works with his Ping Pong Orchestra LPs, worked with a wide variety of funk vocalists on Sing a Song and Soul in the Hole, and cover album Hits the Hits, to name but a few of his copious directions.    Seeming to be a tribute to 1970s pop, the album succeeds with many of its tracks such as Dark Into Light, Somebody Like You, Lonely Life and even covering Jackie Blue by Ozark Mountain Daredevils.    Another good project to file under Shawn Lee's long list of accomplishments.

FREE Download AM & Shawn Lee - Promises Are Never Far From Lies (Rob Garza Remix)
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AM & Shawn Lee - Promises Are Never Far From Lies (Rob Garza Remix) by AMSOUNDS

FREE Download of Dark Into Light (Click down arrow below info at right of Soundcloud object)
AM & Shawn Lee - Dark Into Light by AMSOUNDS

AM & Shawn Lee - Dark Into Light


AM & Shawn Lee - Dark Into Light (Building the track)


AM & Shawn Lee - Somebody Like You (Building the track)





AM & Shawn Lee - Celestial Electric tracklist

1. City Boy
2. Lonely Life
3. Can’t Figure It Out
4. Dark Into Light
5. Different Forces
6. Jackie Blue
7. Somebody Like You
8. Promises Are Never Far From Lies
9. Down The Line
10. The Signal
11. Winter Sun
12. Callahan

Album Review:The Echocentrics - Sunshadows

The Echocentrics eclecticism is plainly evident on their 2011 release Sunshadows as two-time Grammy winning producer Adrian Quesada from Austin, Texas continues his collaborative style.    Sounding like a blend of Quantic Soul Orchestra, Troubleman, Thievery Corporation, then taking some tangential spaghetti western and R&B instrumental breathers a la Shawn Lee along its journey, the divergence elevates The Echocentrics album to a wide variety of tastes.    Add this one to the Best of 2011 list.    Available on the Ubiquity Records website.

FREE Download of The Echocentrics - Sunshdows - Jardim ft. Tita Lima
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The Echocentrics - Sunshdows - Jardim ft. Tita Lima by gustavo-senatore

The Echocentrics - Esclavo y Amo ft. Natalia Clavier (from Sunshadows LP)


The Echocentrics - Dudar (from Sunshadows LP)


The Echocentrics - Don Alejo (from Sunshadows LP)


The Echocentrics - Engines Of Solitude (from Sunshadows LP)



The Echocentrics Sunshadows Track Listing:

1. Engines of Solitude
2. Jardim ft. Tita Lima
3. It's Not Too Late ft. Natalia Clavier
4. Esclavo Y Amo ft. Natalia Clavier
5. Electric Travels
6. Mundo Pequeno ft. Tita Lima
7. Suspicions
8. O Elefante ft. Tita Lima
9. Down Under ft. Natalia Clavier
10. The March
11. Don Alejo
12. Dudar ft. Natalia Clavier
13. Crescent Sun
14. The Open Veins

Album Review:Raphael Saadiq - Stone Rollin'

During the past few years, we've witnessed hints of great soul music returning with Janelle Monae, Shawn Lee, The Heavy, Toro Y Moi, and now with this fantastically rough and sexy R&B LP Stone Rollin' from Raphael Saadiq.    California's Saadiq is exhuming the musical spirit and attitude of Muddy Waters and Sam Cooke, then making an entirely fresh and funky listen from end to end.    This is evolution.

Raphael Saadiq - Good Man (Theory edit)
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Raphael Saadiq - Good Man (Theory edit) by DJ THEORY

Raphael Saadiq - Good Man (AdT Remix)
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Raphael Saadiq - Good Man (AdT Remix) by AdT

Raphael Saadiq - The Big Easy (Le Corbo Bootleg)
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Raphael Saadiq - The Big Easy (Le Corbo Bootleg) by Le Corbo
Raphael Saadiq - Stone Rollin'


Raphael Saadiq - Radio



Raphael Saadiq - Good Man

Album Review:Duran Duran-All You Need is Now

I appreciate that Nick Rhodes was brought in by The Dandy Warhols to help them broaden their sound one decade ago, but Duran Duran should seriously consider opening a chain of all-you-can-eat Tapas restaurants called, of course, Hungry Like the Wolf if their latest record is a suggestion of their current songwriting ability.    If someone in the group had truly considered their production choices seriously, then Goldfrapp, Ladytron or even Shawn Lee would have been much better options in helping breathe life into the stagnant DD franchise.    Mark Ronson is an excellent producer, but too inexperienced to bring anything fresh to the double D.    Do yourself a favour and dig out your old vinyl of Rio and reminisce.