Is it new? Is it old? Does it matter?

Man oh man. I love it when music comes like a bolt out of the blue, and this one most definitely did. Earlier this morning I was opening the mail at the station and noted that one release came from Nublu Records. Considering this is the same label that has released albums by Forro In The Dark, Wax Poetic (not the magazine) and 3 Na Massa, I had to pop Ritornano Quelli Di... by Calibro 35 into my player and give it a spin.


One spin led to two spins and interest led to rapture.

Calibro 35 is produced by Tommaso Colliva (Franz Ferdinand and Arto Lindsay among others) and features Massimo Martellotta (guitars and lapsteels), Enrico Gabrielli (keyboards and brass), Fabio Rondanini (drums) and Luca Nano Cavina (bass). The dozen tracks on Ritornano Quelli Di... are a blend of classic Italian soundtrack work (Riz Ortolani, Piero Umiliani and the great Ennio Morricone) and original tunes meant to evoke/echo the soundtracks of Italian exploitation films from the sixties and seventies. But there's also a heavy funk flavour that puts the band in the same conversation as the Budos Band, The Poets of Rhythm and the Sugarman Three as evinced by the wah-wah organ on "Calling All Units To Broccolino" and the heavy horn lines of "Talk Is Cheap."

Don't even get me started on how awesome the artwork on the album and the band's posters are... these guys have the old exploitation flick / B movie look down to a T.

When Wax Poetics (the magazine) is quoted as saying "Italian soundtrack funk that sounds like Goblin recording at Stax!" how can you sleep on this album?

While it isn't from their new album, this live performance of "Bouchet Funk" is well worth watching:


Don't forget to check out Calibro 35's website and Myspace page.

Thanks for reading, now start listening...

K is for Kutiman

There are some things I just feel a little foolish saying on my radio shows - the name of the latest Spoon full-length was one, and the subject of this post is another more recent one.
Try saying 'Kutiman' out loud - doesn't it sound like the villain in a story written by a third-grader? Granted, it'd be spelled Cooty-man and he'd probably be battling Captain Underpants...
The Kutiman moniker undoubtedly comes from Ophir Kutiel's last name (though I can appreciate the notion that it's a tribute to Fela Kuti) and the singular 'man' is as important as the 'Kuti' because the fantastic self-titled full-length released recently on Groove Attack is entirely Kutiel's creation. Recorded at his home studio with a handful of guests, Kutiel came up with the album "as a reaction to a confusing return to Tel Aviv after a long trip to Jamaica, where he cut his teeth working with artists such as Damian Marley, Stephen Marley and Turbulance."
You read that quote right - Kutiel lives in that suprising hotbed of funk and electronic production: Tel Aviv. Looking at the links on the Kutiman Myspace page it would appear that Kutiel is involved in half the projects listed, including Anikuku and Funk'n'stein.
He's taken his experiences with those groups as well as his time in Jamaica and come up with a unified and unique record that blends psych guitars, funk breaks and Afro-beat horns into a glorious racket that connects with every listener I've played it for. The second track on the album, "No Reason For You" is especially winning and was released as a 7" prior to its inclusion on the full-length (it's the first track on the Myspace media player).
In addition to his musical acumen, Kutiel is also a pretty decent animator who has created videos for some of his own songs, including a hilarious one for "Chaser."


And here's Kutiman with Funk'n'stein live:


Finally, don't forget to check out the Kutiman Myspace page.

Thanks for reading, now start listening...