Bonnie Dobson

Sold with Mojo December 2024 (#373). Not for resale. The December issue of MOJO includes a free CD, ‘Future Legends’ (15 tracks of dystopian sci-fi rock) which contains a track, ‘The Present’, taken from the ‘V For Vendetta’ reissue EP. It features the great Alan Moore & the brilliant Tim Newman. ‘Always wanted to have a track on one of these excellent MOJO compilations!

The very essence of Sunday morning listening, Make Music: Folk Funk Flavours & Ambient Soul is a superbly nuanced collection of spacious, mellow soul cuts from the early '70s – the set's subtitle speaks volumes about the scope and effect of the grooves therein. Unified by their acoustic guitars, gently bubbling basslines, and sweetly funky rhythms, the songs document a more intimate and empathetic side of Black Power-era soul, far more personal than political but no less impassioned – as compiler John Stapleton writes in his excellent liner notes, the music evokes contemporary acts like Zero 7 and 4hero, reflecting an "increasing interest in and return to the song…re-exploring the same roots of folk, blues and country, and quieter ways to make music." Excellent stuff throughout, with highlights including Minnie Riperton's ravishing "Les Fleurs," Bill Withers' "You," and Al Wilson's "The Dolphins."

Jarvis Cocker and Steve Mackey, founder members of Pulp and DJs/record collectors/music lovers extraordinaire have said they will only ever do one mix album. Well, here it is. Meticulously researched and compiled, it's an amazing journey through power pop, expansive soundtracks, blues, alternative cover versions, junk shop breaks and genuinely unexpected musical nuggets. It's a genuine treat to listen to and, a rarity these days, a great introduction to some amazing, underexposed and obscure artistes and tracks.

The Best of Broadside, Anthems of the American Underground from the Pages of Broadside Magazine. Eighty-nine songs, including some never commercially released. Compiled and annotated by Jeff Place and Ronald D. Cohen. A five CD boxed set. Broadside was a small underground magazine smuggled out of a New York City housing project in a baby carriage, filled with new songs by artists who were too creative for the folkies and too radical for the establishment. A still-underground Bob Dylan, Janis Ian, Rev. Frederick Douglass Kirkpatrick, Phil Ochs, Malvina Reynolds, Buffy Sainte-Marie, Pete Seeger, and dozens of others first published songs like "Blowin' in the Wind," "Little Boxes," and "Society's Child," in Broadside.

Amazon Review by DM
As with most genres, there's been a glut of folk compilations released over the past decade and this is one of the very best. The Donovan track aside, this is essentially a compilation of female sung songs that highlight the more psychedelic and, in a lot of cases, funk elements of folk from both sides of the Atlantic during the late 60s and early 70s. It's difficult to select highlights from such a strong selection of songs but special mention must go to Sunforest's majestic & bass heavy 'Magician In the Mountain', Fairport Convention's sublime 'Autopsy' and Spleen's tripped out 'Along Came Sam'.

Whilst reading a book about the life of Scan Tester, the Sussex concertina player, in the years between the Great Wars, Ben Nicholls found the set list from a village hall dance band, a band who would play any party or ball which would have them if the fee was right.

Tim Rose's November 1967 self-titled debut album "Tim Rose" did bugger all business chart-wise - but cast a huge shadow then and ever since.