S/D -- The Numero Group

I semi-dismissed it (as too generic) at first, but I'm now beginning to really enjoy the new Numero Group disc, Numero 020 -- Eccentric Soul: The Tragar & Note Labels. It's got more of a rock influence and Southern feel than some of the other Eccentric Soul volumes. What Can The Matter Be is an especially good example.

finally copped recording tap vinyl, they were selling it @ pfork for just $25

that's a steal, really. such a nice package. can't remember what they were selling it for here at the record store. the instrumental versions on the vinyl box are awesome.

love the interplay of the background vocals @ the end of 'dont stop dancing'

deej, did you get the soul messages from dimona vinyl. so great.

nope will check out

that dimona thing goes to the top of the heap for me. the music is so amazing.

i also got the recent vinyl issue of numero 001 - the capsoul label comp - but i'm afraid the dimona comp has overshadowed it. i'll have to give the capsoul one a fresh listen once my afrohebrewfunk love dies down a little. but that could take a while.

Numero No. 022 -- Brotherman: OST by the Final Solution just arrived today! Looks great. The Numero Group's 2008 releases have all been fantastic, so far.

New disc is v. good. Maybe great, actually. I love the guitar work on it (I read a negative early review, which said the songs were mostly unmemorable, repetitive arrangements; but I think the guitar lines and the raw demo quality of the recordings take the songs out of "unmemorable" territory). I'm not articulating this very well (overtired), but I hope you get the idea.

Anyone else heard it? Sample song here, via a blog.

I thought the Brotherman OST was ok. Not one of their worst but not one of their best either.

The recent Numero and Asterisk releases have stepped up the game.

Overall though, Finders Keepers >>> Numero Group. Granted, different mission for each label.

I thought the Brotherman OST was ok. Not one of their worst but not one of their best either.

this. i wish the guitar on the whole album was as crazy strummy as on the first track.

I really really really like the Titan Records one; the glammy cuts are kind of not the best, but the great stuff (particularly all the Gary Charlson and Secrets* tracks) are hell of choice. I'll be picking up Yellow Pills as soon as I'm not a brokeass anymore.

I hated the Titan Records disc on first listen. I've warmed up to parts of it. I like when the Numero Group steps outside its "lost soul" comfort zone, e.g., Antena; Yellow Pills; and Belize City Boil Up.

And I'm digging some stuff on the new Numero Group disc, Smart's Palace.

Niela Miller!

I am SO looking forward to the Eccentric Soul Review (Syl Johnson et al) @ the Park West on April 4. The faded pimp majesty of the venue should be perfect for the gig.

You can get tickets directly from the label and avoid the fees (if you hurry).

i haven't listened to the entire disc yet, but the one that came out in march (downriver revival) comes with a really neat documentary in which one of the numero guys drives around the midwest knocking on doors and interviewing old musicians. he gets some really cool impromptu performances from folks who are well into their 70s. fun stuff.

i now own all but four numero releases (yellow pills, titan, ladies from the canyon, and the second deep city one)

downriver revival - wow! wow! wow!

yeah, it's a great one.

Anyone heard the new one: Pices, A Lovely Sight (i.e., No. 029)? It's 60s psych/pop, which is something totally new for the label. I'm not sure how I feel about it yet (largely because I'm not too interested in 60s music, especially 60s psychadelic music), but -- as I say above -- I always like it when the Numero Group steps outside of its "comfort zone."

listening to the samples of pisces, it's totally sounding up my alley. gonna keep an eye out for that.

i mean, thanks for pointing that out cause i had no idea and the samples are blowing my mind.

Yeah. I'm not sure if it's been actually released yet. I'm an annual subscriber to label, so I think maybe I get new releases just prior to street-date.

i got an e-mail about the pisces and it looks like they are just selling it as an MP3 album. no cd or lp release. cuz if it had a vinyl release i would buy it.

first song fom the Pisces' album sounds innaturaly good.

numero's distributor just went out of business, right?

I received the Pisces CD this week. (xp to Scott)

They lost their distributor!?! What do you think that mean for the label?

fwiw their site still has cd/lp coming out 6/3. but if they emailed scott i guess that's more up to date. sucks because i love numero and don't want to have to not buy mp3s from them.

hmmm, i'll check again. i didn't see the lp/cd thing on their site when i looked. i got that e-mail a week or two ago.

sorry for any confusion!

No worries. I am concerned, however, about the impact on the label from losing their distributor.

IIRC the story my record store buddy told me was that numero was distributed by ryko (rykodisc), who are being folded by warner music into ADA (alternative distribution alliance). this means all the numero stock that's not in stores or at numero is sitting in a warehouse right now waiting for ADA to pick them up - i guess the upshot is that nobody can order or restock numero titles.

But rykodisc's situation won't mess up the label's future releases, is that right?

Enjoying this new disc way more than I expected, given the era/genre. That first song is "unnaturaly good." The woman's voice that provides the backup vocal harmony on Children Kiss Your Mother Good Night is perfectly placed, all shadow-y and lurking in the background.

Have no fear, I have it on good authority that the ADA/Ryko merger has little impact on Numero, or any of the labels involved. The Ryko new release books have Pisces on CD for 6/2, LP on 7/28. They've also got that unreleased 24-Carat Black LP/CD scheduled for that day as well.

got the pisces disc over the weekend--it is awesome! and like daniel i'm not usually all over stuff from that era. lots of cool production tricks and the woman who sings on four of the songs was a special talent to be sure.

holy fuck have y'all heard the 24 carat black?

the pisces album is amazing. 'sam" sounds like portishead 40 years before the fact.

still love the pisces album.

just listened to samples of the new wayfaring strangers: lonesome heroes and i am so buying that on sight. man. perfect fall music.

i really enjoy the "downriver revival" collection, but does anyone else think the liner notes are unnecessarily condescending to the produer/artists involved? and frankly the numero group people seen interviewing the musicians on the accompanying DVD seem a bit peevish and assholish.

"holy fuck have y'all heard the 24 carat black?"

spooky!

just ordered "lonesome heroes", really looking forward to hearing it.

xxp numero liner notes always have that tone--i can see why u could read as "condescending" but i think they're trying to be a little flavorful and romantic, even precious. i'd prefer something more straightforward myself but hey. i didn't think the dvd had any weirdness tho.

the numero group people seen interviewing the musicians on the accompanying DVD seem a bit peevish and assholish.

I didn't detect that at all. OTOH, I've only made it through about half the DVD. Certainly, they'd better not be peevish or assholish, since its critical that the Numero Group maintain a good, respectful relationship with the people who own the master tapes the label seeks to reissue.

assholish was too strong.

at one point one of the folks they're interviewing says he doesn't have someone's phone number, then a few minutes later he remembers, and one of the numero guys gives the camera this look like "oh, what a fucking moron." i mean, come on. you're talking to an elderly guy about folks he recorded 40+ years ago. give him a break.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/musicblog/2009/oct/22/numero-group

That's a nice article. Just before hitting the link, I was afraid it was about the label shutting down. I had no real reason to believe that, except (a) it had been awhile since I received my last disc from them (I'm on the annual subscription plan) and (b) a lot of labels have folded recently. Anyway, very glad to hear the label is alive and well.

Just saw the Eccentric Soul review tour before a small DC crowd. Syl Johnson was a lot of fun--seemed drunk but his raspy soul vocals on numbers like "Any way the Wind Blows," "Come on, Sock it to Me," and "Take Me to the River" sounded great. He was carrying on between several songs about royalties he got from Wu Tang Clan and Kid Rock samples, and he was happily reminiscing about his 1968 appearance at the Howard Theatre. Plus he was wearing a Megadeth t-shirt under his sports jacket. Renaldo Domino wasn't bad and the young backing band JC Brooks and the Uptown Sound were kind of uneven, but mostly impressive. The Notations harmonies and gold jackets were awesome, although they spent too much time doing jokes and schtick.

revue

Sounds like a good time!

I just got the Light: On The South Side Book + 2xLP and I highly recommend it!