JemJams 22 #2

#2 [1 November to 2 December 2015]

Throughout 2022, Jemtunes is revisiting JemJams – a simple post on social media featuring a new ‘jam’ once every 6 days, something I’ve been doing since September 2015 when ‘Thisismyjam.com’ (from whom the inspiration derived) was mothballed.

Since then, JemJams on FaceBook has posted a new jam faithfully every six days, and continues to do so now. As of today, it’s between jams #343 (posted yesterday) and #344 (due on 12 January).

JemJams 22 charts every posted jam from the beginning and, every 6 days throughout the year, is posting details of six tracks from #001 through #342. Today it’s JJ#007 through JJ#012.

1. ZZ Top – What is it kid (1/11/15)
2. Groove Armada – Superstylin (7/11/15) – feature pic
3. Blazer – Rebel (13/11/15)
4. Dudley Taft – When the levee breaks (19/11/15
5. Screaming Eagles – One man revolution (25/11/15)
6. Dave Gahan & Soulsearchers – Shine (2/12/15)

JemJams 22 #003 is due on Thursday 13 January.

Classic 21 #145 – Kid Rock

Classic 21: April (Indigo/Juliet/Kilo) K #3

Robert James Ritchie aka Kid Rock and occasionally Bobby Shazam, is an American rapper, disc jockey, singer, songwriter, musician, and record producer. His style alternates between rock, hip hop, country, and heavy metal. A self-taught musician, he plays every instrument in his backing band and has overseen production on all but two of his albums.

He started his music career as a rapper and DJ, releasing his debut album Grits Sandwiches for Breakfast (1990) on Jive Records. His subsequent independent releases The Polyfuze Method (1993) and Early Mornin’ Stoned Pimp (1996) saw him developing a more distinctive style, which was fully realized on his breakthrough album Devil Without a Cause (1998), which sold 14 million copies. This album and its follow-up, Cocky(2001), were noted for blending elements of hip hop, country, rock and heavy metal. His most successful single from that period, “Cowboy” (1999), is considered a pioneering song in the country rap genre. His best-selling singles overall are “Picture” (2002) and “All Summer Long” (2008). Starting with his 2007 album Rock n Roll Jesus, his musical output has tended to be in the country and rock styles.

Run DMC v Jason Nevins – It’s like that (Starters for Ten #147) 7/10 (15)

Starters for Ten 2019 – #147: Top Ten Boogie tracks: 190527

Run DMC v Jason Nevins – It’s like that (1984)

Throughout 2019 Jem of Jemtunes is taking you through 36 top tens and one top five. Tunes for a whole gamut of reasons including genre, mood, time of year or simply time itself. Sometimes there’s be words but mostly it’ll simply be the music. Because music always speaks for itself.

Continuing the 15th – featuring my top ten boogie tracks, and running between 21 and 30 May – here’s It’s Like That, the debut single from American hip hop group Run-DMC.

It was first released in 1983 on a cassette backed with the track “Sucker M.C.’s”. The release marked the start of Run-DMC’s career and is widely regarded as ushering in a new school of hip hop artists with a street image and an abrasive, minimalist sound that marked them out from their predecessors. Both tracks were collected on the trio’s eponymous debut album in 1984.

The song was remixed by house DJ Jason Nevins in 1997. His version was originally released in 1997 on 10″ vinyl in the U.S., and became a sleeper hit in 1998. It sold around five million copies worldwide, placing it amongst the biggest selling singles of all time.

Afrikan Boy – the ABCD (The 59) #345

The ’59 2018 #345: 181211

Afrikan Boy – The ABCD (2014)

Jem of Jemtunes, born in 1959, has now turned 59. So ‘The ’59’ celebrates 59 years of cracking tunes with a few albums from each year – 1959 through 2018. Currently we’re at year 56 – 2014

It’s taken an age but Olushola Ajose, A.K.A Afrikan Boy, has now arrived on our doorsteps with a sharp, edgy, brilliant and witty album that’s crept into our lives like all great pieces of audio usually do if we’re patient enough to hang around and wait.

Afrikan Boy first came to our attention nearly a decade ago with his catchy, clever song about stealing goods and getting caught stealing goods from those great British bastions of shopping stores, Asda and Lidl.

What we have on this album is a more mature Afrikan Boy. He’s nine years older, a 25 year old and not the teenager he was when we first met him but that hasn’t taken away the humour and, indeed, the sharpness of his lyrics that make this man unique and in a position to be adored by the nation outside his front door in south east London.

[Louder than War Music review – September 2014]

Tricky – Pre-millenium Tension (The ’59) #236

The ’59 2018 #236: 180824

Tricky – Pre-millenium Tension (1996)

Jem of Jemtunes, born in 1959, has now turned 59. So ‘The ’59’ celebrates 59 years of cracking tunes with a few albums from each year – 1959 through 2018. Currently we’re at year 38 – 1996.

Pre-Millennium Tension was the second album from English rapper and producer Tricky, released in 1996.

It was a conscious effort by him to depart away from the trip hop label with which critics had described his previous music.

The album was well received, being named the ninth best record of the year in the 1996 Pazz & Jop poll.

The Beastie Boys – Ill Communication (The ’59) #222

The ’59 2018 #222: 180810

The Beastie Boys – Ill Communication (1994)

Jem of Jemtunes, born in 1959, has now turned 59. So ‘The ’59’ celebrates 59 years of cracking tunes with a few albums from each year – 1959 through 2018. Currently we’re at year 36 – 1994.

Ill Communication – the fourth Beastie Boys album -was released on May 31, 1994 by Grand Royal Records. Co-produced by Beastie Boys and Mario C., the album is among the band’s most varied releases, drawing from hip hop, punk rock, jazz and funk.

As with their prior release ‘Check Your Head’,  it continues to trend away from sampling and towards live musicianship. It features musical contributions from Money Mark, Eric Bobo and Amery “AWOL” Smith and vocal contributions from Q-Tip and Biz Markie.

Ill Communication became the band’s second number-one album, supported by the single “Sabotage”, which was accompanied by a music video directed by Spike Jonze that parodied 1970s cop shows.

Dan le Sac v Scroobius Pip – Angles (Epic #276)

The Epic 2017 Project #276: 171003

Dan le Sac v Scroobius Pip – Angles (2008)

Angles is the debut album by Dan le Sac vs Scroobius Pip, released on 12 May 2008.It entered and peaked at No.31 on the UK album chart. Most of the album was recorded in a friend of Scroobius Pip’s shed in Essex and in Dan le Sac’s back bedroom.

“Thou Shalt Always Kill” was written in 2007 and was the main single release from the album.

It’s essentially a rant about aspects of modern British culture, the pivotal message being to “think for yourselves” rather than to follow current trends or get caught up in hype. The artists claim that the title, and final line of the song, refer to ‘killing’ as performing excellently in the Hip Hop vernacular.

The song was named NME’s track of the week in an April 2007 issue, despite the lyric “thou shalt not read NME” appearing in the song.

The track was released for digital download on 2 April 2007 followed by 7″ vinyl on 16 April, reaching No.30 in the UK download charts. It entered and peaked at No.34 in the official UK singles chart. The stand-alone download of Angles reached position No.193 on the official UK Top 200.

Plan B – Who needs actions when you got words (Epic 2017 #229)

The Epic 2017 Project #229: 170817

Plan B – Who needs actions when you got words (2006)

OK you lucky lot. Today you’re getting eight episodes of ‘Epic’ all on the same day; essentially because I’m away for a week with no possibility of updating blogs etc.

The penultimate offering (that for Thursday 17 August) is ‘Who Needs Actions When You Got Words’, the debut studio album released by British rapper and songwriter Plan B from June 2006. The album was recorded with producers such as Fraser T Smith, Paul Epworth, The Earlies and The Nextmen. The title of the album derives from a line in the Meat Puppets song “Plateau”, famously covered by Nirvana on their album MTV Unplugged in New York.

Oxide & Neutrino – Execute (Epic 2017 #199)

The Epic 2017 Project #199: 170718

Oxide & Neutrino – Execute (2001)

Execute is the debut album of So Solid Crew members Oxide & Neutrino, released on 28 May 2001. It features the Casualty sampling number 1 single “Bound 4 Da Reload (Casualty)” and the Prodigy cover “No Good 4 Me”. The song “Devil’s Nightmare” was also featured on the Lara Croft: Tomb Raider soundtrack.

Mary Mary – Thankful (Epic 2017 #169)

The Epic 2017 Project #169: 170618

Mary Mary – Thankful (1999)

Thankful was Mary Mary’s debut studio album, released on May 2, 2000 through Columbia Records. It’s all about contemporary gospel, R&B, hip hop and soul and as a part of that, produced the smash crossover hit “Shackles (Praise You)”, which reached the top-ten in seven countries. This was closely followed by the single “I Sings”, which was also a significant hit—although it did not match the success of its predecessor.

The album established Mary Mary as one of the leading artists in contemporary Christian music, and won the duo a Grammy Award in 2001. It peaked at number one on the US Gospel Albums, number twenty-two on the US Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums and number fifty-nine on the US Billboard 200. On release, AllMusic gave it a grade of four and a half out of five stars and Cross Rhythms – the main Christian music publisher – a top 10/10.