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(some wild and wailing wah-wah guitar from (and some lovely Ian Telfer fiddle) accompani-
them). Wide-ranging and expressive, this ment helps make Put Out The Lights a reflec-
music has remained as vital and fresh-sound- tively anthemic album closer. Sometimes sim-
ing as the day it was made. plicity is best and this welcome and welcom-
Syllart is distributed in the UK by Discov-
ing spring clean through the band’s own his-
ery:
www.discovery-records.com
tory, proves it rather neatly. Looking forward
This takes us
to their diamond anniversary.
neatly onto the final
www.oysterband.co.uk; via Proper.
volume in the Rail
Colin Irwin
Band retrospective
for life!…
that overlaps and fol-
lows on from the period covered by the
MADAME PAMITA
fRoots is a truly independent,
African Pearls series. It takes us through the
activist magazine that will soon cel-
band’s most fractious days (from 1977 to
Madame Pamita’s Wax Works Old Time Is
ebrate its 30th anniversary! We are
1983) where the loss of Mory Kante and Djeli-
A Good Time 8 84502 0264 7
very proud that we have published
mady Tounkara (although the latter returned
to add his lyrical guitar work to much of the
The press release every single issue on time.
music here) affected the overall standard of
describes her as a
If you value, enjoy and believe in
output of a band with ever-changing person-
“weird old Ameri-
fRoots, you can help us to build on
nel. You wouldn’t know it from the judiciously
can music player”.
what we have achieved, continue
selected tracks here though, all of which show
Well anybody who
our musical activism, and train peo-
a band of exceptional ability and verve. Some-
sets out to record a 21st century album on
times bright and swinging, other times dense
turn of the (previous) century technology – an ple to carry it on. You can become a
and winding, always pushing the boundaries
1898 acoustic horn cutting wax phonograph
Lifetime Supporting Subscriber
of what’s possible and taking in the influences
cylinders – and then release it on CD is certain-
by making one lump contribution.
necessary to do that (Afrobeat, jazz, tradition-
ly original and possibly slightly bonkers but
You will then receive every fRoots
al Mande praise songs). True to form for this
Pamela Ann Moore is not, I think, weird. The
until you shuffle off this jumping
series, the compilers have given themselves
music is too delightful for that.
sphere, and you’ll be helping to
licence to make the odd musical flashback,
The authenticity quotient on this project
secure the future of the one maga-
perhaps to keep the attraction of Salif Keita
is startling, right down to the spoken intro-
and Mory Kante across all three volumes. This
ductions common in the early days of sound
zine which has consistently support-
shouldn’t detract from a consistently impres-
recordings. To be honest, in terms of faking
ed this music through thick and thin
sive vocal supporting cast – in particular, Lan-
up the sound of vintage recordings it’s the for nearly three decades.
fia Diabate sounds hard, soulful and full of
most successful I’ve ever heard – because, in
We’ve set a minimum of £550 for the
clarity throughout.
effect, by using that original equipment it’s
UK, £750 for Europe and surface else-
It’s ironic to think that all this great
not a fake. You probably wouldn’t even sus-
where, £950 for airmail outside
music from West Africa predated most of the
pect it was a contemporary recording if you
Europe. But if anybody feels able to
western world’s interest in music from this
weren’t told. She’s also immersed herself in
region. Who will dare take a step into the
the singing and playing styles of that era, be a more generous patron, they can
next era, where Sylla and his like decamped
accompanying herself on various sizes of uke,
specify their own figure.
to Paris to record albums that arguably fail to
autoharp and banjo with help from Patrick
Every Lifetime Supporting Sub-
stand the test of time in quite the way these
Weise on musical saw, uke, guitar and kazoo.
scriber also gets the option to claim
great moments do.
Song material wise, you’ll recognise enough
standards like Cocaine, Southern Can, Mov- free VIP tickets for any events we
www.sternsmusic.com
ing Day, He’s In The Jailhouse Now to be able promote, and automatically receives
Con Murphy
to tell just how good she is. Very good.
any special CDs we are involved in.
The originality extends to the packaging,
More info at
www.frootsmag.com
a cardboard folder with a slipcased CD and
OYSTERBAND various gifts and trinkets including an origa-
mi fortune telling device, a lucky cent and a
The Oxford Girl & Other Stories Running
tarot card, for Mme Pamita is also, it seems,
bribery!
Man RMCD6
prone to doing a bit of the vaudeville
Thirty years? Thirty
medicine show on the road.
1 YEAR SUBSCRIPTION BRIBE!
bleedin’ years? She’ll just be completing a UK tour
As an introductory offer to new first
Apparently it’s true, around the time you’ll read this, dates
time 1-year subscribers, we'll give
but the Oysters cele- received too late for us to list other than on
you 3 FREE BACK ISSUES of your
brate their pearl the website news board. So assuming you choice – double issues with CDs
anniversary not with the obligatory greatest missed her, go find out more at count as 2 – from the list at
hits compilation but with a fresh look at 14 of
www.madamepamita.com
www.frootsmag.com
the more prominent tracks that have brought
Ian Anderson
them thus far. “It’s a record about where we 2 YEAR SUBSCRIPTION BRIBE!
are now, not where we were then,” they say
Open to new subscribers or
in the sleeve notes and these largely acoustic
Madame Pamita
renewals: a FREE CD if you sub-
and sometimes radically different interpreta-
scribe for 2 years. See the full list at
tions to the originals do make them sound
fresh and modern. I winced at the prospect of
www.frootsmag.com which
a minimalist version of my all-time favourite
includes albums by Oumou San-
Oyster track, The Oxford Girl, and it does take
gare, Jim Moray, Chango Spa-
time to assimilate a fluid treatment built siuk, Franco, Bellowhead, Eliza
more on melancholia than anger, but it does Carthy, Les Amazones De Guinée,
work. And so do most of the other new ver-
Toumani Diabate, John Spiers &
sions, which range from the handclappy
Jon Boden, Kries, Orchestra
Chumbawamba-esque When I’m Up I Can’t
Get Down (a hit single in Canada for Great
Baobab, Yasmin Levy, Martin
Big Sea!), to peacefully revelatory reinven-
Simpson, Oysterband, Balla Et
tions of two previously raucous tracks from
Ses Balladins, June Tabor, Blue
The Shouting End Of Life – By Northern Light Blokes 3, Andrew Cronshaw, The
and Blood-Red Roses – to a percussive Angels Copper Family and great compila-
Of The River driven by Chopper playing the
tions including Authentiques, Step-
African mbira, to an unaccompanied close
ping Up, Hidden English and various
harmony Sacred Harp hymn What Wondrous
Rough Guides.
Love Is This?
There are also a couple of gorgeous, if Allow 3 weeks for UK delivery,
disquieting traditional songs. John Jones sings longer abroad. Alternatively, pick 6
The Lakes Of Cool Flynn with a purity you
FREE BACK ISSUES – double issues
don’t often hear when the band have all guns
with CDs count as 2 – from the list at
blazing. Chopper’s frantic cello adds an
intriguing spooky element to The False Knight
www.frootsmag.com
On The Road, while his more mournful cello
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