Redbone - Potlatch

Judgement Day and Chant : 13th Hour
From Potlatch [Epic, 1970]

With six releases on a major and some moderately successful singles, I was surprised I had never heard of Redbone, especially since they have the added distinction of being one of the few commercially successful all Native American rock/pop groups in... well... history. Described as a blend of cajun funk and Latin soul, I was curious to hear how Redbone's Native American heritage manifested in the music. Turns out, it all comes together quite nicely.

Potlatch is Redbone's second album. It is a thoroughly enjoyable collection of down & dirty funk rock, some midtempo ballads (with lyrics of a specifically Indian perspective), and a touch of experimentation with traditional Native American music. The song-writing and musicianship is very strong throughout. Brothers Lolly [guitar, vox] and Pat [bass, vox] Vegas, and, guitarist Tony Bellamy were veterans of L.A.'s Sunset Strip, having played there professionally throughout the 60's. And, to further add to the "why haven't I heard of these guys?" feeling, they were accomplished session musicians having supported the likes of: Elvis Presley, Sonny & Cher, Dobie Gray, Odetta, John Lee Hooker, Everly Brothers, and more.

The most informative links I could find are here and here.

I had a hard time picking selections from this one; it's a solid record. Hope you enjoy.

Metal on Metal - Music Mix Magnificently for the Attention Diordered

Metal On Metal Snippet - Michna vs. Woodman
from the Metal on Metal Mix CD (2005).

Lots going on currently keeping me off the blog world. Some of it music, lots of it nanophotonics and getting married. But that is neither here nor there. What is here is a short post to get me back in the groove again. I am not ashamed to state clearly and concisely that turntable lab makes me life twice as nice. Maybe its hip to keep my fandom on the mello, but I'd rather give up ice cream than TTL. Anyways, Michna and Woodman are two lab affiliates who created this Metal On Metal mix CD, which is complete genius. Take a listen to the snippet up above and see if you can count how many different elements and songs are seamlessly put together here. Pop, rock, rap, dance, it is all here in one goofy/deep blend with pans and madness. And the whole disc is like that. Perfect for our attention deficit times.