Sell Out Records - A Music Review Blog

The Christmas Album LP - DL Here The Godfather of Soul puts on a showcase for Christmas in "The Christmas Album" . The aplty titled record is none other than a shining example of what you can do with the Christmas spirit, and soul music. This is 11 tracks and 44 minutes of James Brown pulling through the world of the holidays. The thing with this record is that it’s not all “traditional” songs. This is a soul record that seems a bit disjointed at times, and sometimes, just odd. Take for example the song “Clean for Christmas”, which regales in the fact that Brown wants to be “clean” on Christmas. Like by taking a shower and dressing nice. Of course there are other moments on this record that are odd, but hey, who am I to say a think about alternative records for the Christmas spirit. James Brown puts on a showcase of his classic rhymes, singing, and spoken word. The production is a bit odd to me, though. The vocals are turned up way high compared to the music, and it see...

Robert Plant "Band of Joy" LP  You already know who Robert Plant is, and if you don’t, then you are way behind in your music history. Robert Plant was a member of Led Zeppelin. If you aren’t familiar with this hard rock world, that’s ok, he’s done a lot more than just throw down some serious musical moments. In his solo career, he has transformed musical genres and created compelling compositions with thoughtful lyrics, and beautiful musical arrangements. It’s with “Band of Joy” , that I really started to love the solo work of Plant. I loved Robert Plant as a kid, as I even named my first pet hamsters Robert and Jimmy. They both died. I have cats now, they are well taken care of, though, so no worries there. As for “Band of Joy”, I was floored by how I missed this record in 2010. I first started seeing this record out at Starbucks. I lived next door to Starbucks in Seattle for many years. I would drink it daily, and sometimes 3 times a day. I miss those days sometimes, ...

A Tribe Called Quest People’s Instinctive Travels and Pathsof Rhythm (25th Anniversary Edition)  “Can I Kick It?” is the stand out song that I recall from Tribe. It has been 25 years since the hip hop group threw this out to the masses. With the anniversary here, the group has decided to re-release the record and has been received very well. You may already have this record, as I have purchased it several times time in my day. However, today, it just feels like a new day, because the recording is a bit crisper than I remember. Perhaps it’s due in large part to the fact that A Tribe Called Quest has grown up , or my audio recording devices are light years away from where it was in 1990 when I first got a hold of this record on cassette tape. With the release of this special edition, you are going to get the original release, plus a few remixes, new artwork and more. There are 17 tracks found on this record, with over an hour of samples, rhymes, and the thing that you expect ...

Lavish may not be the right word, as this is a beautiful and compelling way of introducing the song. Lourdes Duque Baron sings with back up from AKNU, and completely blows me away. I hear a lot of cover songs throughout my writing, and days as a blogger but nothing compares to the way Baron moves through this song. It feels so new, fresh, and completely in tune with the emotional and vibrant connections that comes with soul musicianship. You will be hard pressed to dislike this, as I was taken back to a whole new world upon listening. From the opening lines of “Nobody stands in between me and my man…it’s me and Mr. Jones”, you immediately feel the presence of the iconic singer’s voice. She does something so well here, and it’s hard to pinpoint what makes it best, as it really does work well in so many different components. Andrew Lane’s production, AKNU’s backdrop, and the way it all pieces together is just astounding. What truly gets you is the way the music flows amidst her sultr...

I don’t think certain genres of music get nearly as much attention, especially when it comes to classical options. Laith Al-Baiyaa has released the record “Reflections of Love” and it most certainly is a daring project, full of piano and other instrumentation, but the focal point is definitely on the piano, which is exquisitely played. I personally played piano for 7 years, before I moved to the bass guitar, and I can testify to the nuances that performers have, and this is a good example of talent above and beyond what you may hear. Contemporary classical artists are often times relegated to jazz release, or replaying the classics from hundreds of years ago, but this is not another rehashed record. Laith Al-Baiyaa puts together amazing music that fits the mood that you may have whenever you decide to mellow things out in your home, office, or on a train. If you close your eyes and listen to this record, you are transformed, taken to a new place, one with simplicity and love at the...

Every now and again I’ll run into cheap music that I absolutely have to tell people about. My goal with Sell Out Records is to talk about music on a regular basis, and recommend albums, songs, videos, and more to those that may want to pick up a record or two. Music has changed my life and will change yours. Today we begin a new segment called Cheap Music, or as the picture says. On this day I found the seminal release from The Sex Pistols, and for 62 cents (used). You can’t beat that, you just can’t. “Never Mind The Bollocks, Here’s The Sex Pistols” by The Sex Pistols is the one record that all punk rockers have to listen to at least once. I even signed a band based on how closely they resembled the sound of these guys. The Sex Pistols may only have put out one album, but their legacy influences so much music it’s ridiculous. Mention the name Johnny Rotten or Sid Vicious and people of any musical taste will know immediately what you're talking about. Even though Steve Jones, Pa...