Welcome to the second issue of "Candies From a Stranger", this installment focus mostly on tracks culled from great albums by renowned artists who made music history, with a few rare or obscure gems thrown in for good measure.
All tracks are mixed together to create an uninterrupted flow and embrace the listener in a groovy and peaceful mood regardless of the original music style. Here's the tracklist of "Candies From a Stranger Vol. 2":
01. JOHNNY MATHIS - Life Is a Song Worth Singing (5:39)
02. ISAAC HAYES - Groove-a-Thon (8:32)
03. JOE TEX - Ain't Gonna Bump No More (With No Big Fat Woman) (6:35)
04. HERBIE HANCOCK - Rockit (5:21)
05. GRACE JONES - Pull Up To the Bumper (4:44)
06. CHARLES MANN - Do It Again (5:05)
07. EAGLE-EYE CHERRY - How Come (4:04)
08. RAMSEY LEWIS - Jungle Strut (4:32)
09. MONEY MARK - Upon Closer Inspection (3:04)
10. MILES DAVIS - In a Silent Way (4:10)
11. GLOBAL COMMUNICATION - 9 25 (7:44)
12. GRANDADDY - So You'll Aim Toward the Sky (4:36)
13. PENGUIN CAFE ORCHESTRA - The Sound of Someone You Love Who's Going Away and It Doesn't Matter (11:46)
All selections were compiled and mixed in July 2012, they are available in a single FLAC lossless format file with complete PDF artwork.
Before burning this album to CD-R using the provided CUE file, you must convert the original FLAC audio file to WAV format using an appropriate software. Please have a look here if you need some help.
As usual, please have a look at the comments for the download link.
01. JOHNNY MATHIS - Life Is a Song Worth Singing
original LP issue: I'm Coming Home, Columbia (1973)
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Johnny Mathis recorded his first hits in 1957 with elegant ballads that made him an anomaly when rock was emerging as the dominant musical force. In 1973 Mathis knew it was time to refresh his music and renew his career and decided to collaborate with the prime creators of the sound of Philadelphia: gifted composer, arranger and producer Thom Bell and incredible songwriter Linda Creed. "I'm Coming Home" is a timeless album of enduring beauty and passion that still sounds fresh and sophisticated today, and "Life Is a Song Worth Singing" is a perfect example of Bell's thrilling orchestrations.
02. ISAAC HAYES - Groove-a-Thon
original LP issue: Groove-a-Thon, Hot Buttered Soul / ABC (1976)
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Isaac Hayes's distinctively rhythm tracks and lavishly orchestrated arrangements helped lay the stylistic foundation for what would become known as disco, and in late 1975 / early 1976 he jumped headfirst into the new dance craze with "Disco Connection" and "Grooove-a-Thon". These albums undeservedly fell into historical neglect; it was a real pity because "Groove-a-Thon" most likely received substantial club play and would have probably been a monster 12-inch single if that format had existed at the time...
03. JOE TEX - Ain't Gonna Bump No More (With No Big Fat Woman)
original LP issue: Bumps & Bruises, Epic (1977)
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During the '60s and the '70s, Joe Tex was a sermonising country-soul star; his style of speaking over music, which he called "rap", made him a predecessor of this style of music. In the early '70s Joe decided to retire; he returned to music in 1975, and two years later enjoyed a comeback hit with "Ain't Gonna Bump No More (With No Big Fat Woman)", which reached U.S. #12. This song was co-written and produced by the Nashville producer Buddy Killen and was based on a dance called "The Bump". Oddly enough, the same year Bobby Marchan recorded a track entitled "I Wanna Bump With That Big Fat Woman" for Mercury.
04. HERBIE HANCOCK - Rockit
original LP/CD issue: Future Shock, Columbia / CBS (1983)
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"Future Shock" and his sister album "Sound System" conjured something quite fresh out of a surrealist mix of heavy metal revivalism, turntable scratching, robotic digital percussions, Herbie Hancock's signature jazz piano and various African elements. Largely conceived and initiated by maverick bassist and producer Bill Laswell, these records set a new agenda for adventurous pop producers as well as demonstrating Hancock's ability to involve himself again in fresh musical fusions. "Rockit" was accompanied by one of the most successful music videos ever directed by Godley and Creme of 10cc fame.
05. GRACE JONES - Pull Up To the Bumper
original LP issue: Nightclubbing, Island (1981)
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Grace Jones has transformed her musical and visual style on the turn of the '70s and '80s, evolving from disco to rock and reggae-fueled new wave music with the release of "Warm Leatherette" in 1980. "Nightclubbing" saw her teaming up once again with producers Chris Blackwell and Alex Sadkin to work with Sly Dunbar, Robbie Shakespeare and the remainder of the Compass Point Studios team in the Bahamas. "Pull Up To the Bumper" sparked some controversy since the the lyrics rumouredly refer to anal sex and a presumably-large penis...
06. CHARLES MANN - Do It Again
original LP issue: Say You Love Me Too, ABC (1973)
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Charles Mann is a sort of mystery to me and unfortunately "Say You Love Me Too" seems to be his only full-lenght release. The album offers ten tracks of soulful Philly Sound of the highest quality played by the likes of Earl Young and Ronnie Baker (both of The Trammps), Norman Harris, Roland Chambers, Lenny Pakula, Larry Washington and Vince Montana (all active in the studio band MFSB) along with Mann himself and producer Dave Crawford both on keyboards. "Do It Again" is a cover of the famous Steely Dan song included on the album "Can't Buy a Thrill" released the previous year.
07. EAGLE-EYE CHERRY - How Come
original CD issue: Sub Rosa, Polydor (2003)
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Eagle-Eye Cherry is the son of jazz artist Don Cherry and painter Monika Karlsson. His debut album, "Desireless", became a commercial success throughout the world during 1998 and 1999. "How Come" is a catchy tune and a potential hit-single produced by Tim Simenon, definitely one of the best songs included on Cherry's third - and so far last - studio album entitled "Sub Rosa" which saw him move away from the stripped-down, live feel of his previous albums towards a bigger, more panoramic sound utilizing electronic elements.
08. RAMSEY LEWIS - Jungle Strut
original LP issue: Sun Goddess, Columbia (1974)
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After his classic acoustic albums of the '60s, Ramsey Lewis headed into a new musical direction in the '70s. For "Sun Goddess" he reunited with Maurice White who was formerly part of the Ramsey Lewis Trio in the '60s, and at that time was with his own band, Earth, Wind & Fire. The album was a huge cross-over hit, charting #1 both on the Billboard Black Albums Chart and Jazz Album Chart; the album also charted #12 in the Pop Chart."Jungle Strut" features vocals by drummer and percussionist Derf Rehlew Raheem, an original member of The Pharoahs.
09. MONEY MARK - Upon Closer Inspection
original CD issue: Stand Up For Your Rice, Rush! Production / Toy's Factory (2007)
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Mark Ramos-Nishita / Money Mark is a producer and musician who has collaborated with the Beastie Boys many times. "Mark's Keyboard Repair", his first album made up of keyboard driven pop-funk songs recorded in demo quality, was released by Mo'Wax in 1995 in the wake of the trip-hop phenomenon. In 1998 "Push the Button" was licensed to Polygram and probably became his most accessible and well-distributed effort. After coming close to success, Mark has continued to produce interesting releases on small labels. "Upon Closer Inspection" is taken from "Stand Up For Your Rice", a succulent Japan-only release.
10. MILES DAVIS - In a Silent Way
original LP issue: In a Silent Way, Columbia (1969)
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"In a Silent Way" was produced by Teo Macero and recorded in one session date. Incorporating elements of classical sonata form, Macero edited and arranged Davis's recordings from the session to produce the album. Marking the beginning of his "electric" period, "In a Silent Way" has been regarded by music writers as Davis's first fusion recording, following a stylistic shift toward the genre in his previous records and live performances. Upon its release, the album was met by controversy among music critics; since its initial reception, it has been regarded by fans and critics as one of Davis's greatest and most influential works.
11. GLOBAL COMMUNICATION - 9 25
original CD/2LP issue: 76:14, Dedicated (1994)
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Global Communication were formed by Tom Middleton and Mark Pritchard; "76:14" could easily be described not just as their best release, but the best ambient-electronica album released in the first half of the '90s. Originally on Dedicated, the album has been re-issued a number of times, most recently in 2005 in an expanded and remastered version. The title refers to the total length of the album in minutes and seconds, and each track on the album is titled simply with the length of the song to avoid implying any specific meaning in the music, and thus leave listeners completely free to interpret the music according to their own imaginations.
12. GRANDADDY - So You'll Aim Toward the Sky
original CD issue: The Sophtware Slump, V2 (2000)
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"The Sophtware Slump" is the second album by American indie rock band Grandaddy. Released in 2000, it is a concept album about problems concerning modern technology in society. Being their second album, the title is a reference to a sophomore slump, a term given to an artist's second album which is seen to fail to live up to the first album. "So You'll Aim Towards the Sky" is the closing song on the album, an ad-libitum lament of unutterable sadness and liberating catharsis.
13. PENGUIN CAFE ORCHESTRA - The Sound of Someone You Love Who's Going Away and It Doesn't Matter
original LP issue: Music From the Penguin Cafe, Obscure (1976)
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The Penguin Cafe Orchestra was a collective of musicians created by the sadly too-early departed composer and arranger Simon Jeffes. They were a sort of anomaly coming from some unknown space between progressive, the avant-garde, neo-chamber music and proto-post-punk. Their later work has achieved some popularity, but their first album - which is probably their best - remains seemingly unheralded. "The Sound of Someone You Love Who's Going Away and It Doesn't Matter" - ...what a gorgeous title! - could easily have been recorded today: based in no fads or even prevailing styles, it stands apart from its time or origin.
Hope you will enjoy this compilation, if you feel so inclined then make yourself a favour and search for the original releases, most of them are widely available on CD and you will be rewarded by their greatness, these are timeless masterpieces! All your inputs are more than welcome, if you want to get in touch please write to stereocandies [at] hotmail [dot] com or leave a comment in the box below, thank you!
