The Soft Pack

Recommended New Releases – Tuesday, February 2nd

Bassekou Kouyate & Ngoni Ba – I Speak Fula (Buy)

Label: Sub Pop
Bassekou Kouyaté & Ngoni Ba – Musow

The Soft Pack – Self-Titled (Buy)

Label: Kemado

Fela Kuti: Live With Ginger Baker (Buy)

Label: Knitting Factory

Afro Rock Vol. 1 is considered to be one of the most important compilations of heavy original ‘70s Afro funk and soul to be released in recent years. Originally surfacing on Duncan Brooker’s indie Kona label in early 2001, the album single-handedly kick-started the thirst among jazz, funk, and soul fans to rediscover lost music from Africa made during the ‘60s and ‘70s. Out of print since 2002, the album is being reissued on Strut in its original form with an extra bonus track, a unreleased psychedelic cut by Kenya’s Ishmael Jingo.

MP3: Steele Beautttah – Africa

Here’s the title track, “I Learned The Hard Way,” from the upcoming Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings album, I Learned The Hard Way, due out 4/6 via Daptone.

MP3: Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings – I Learned the Hard Way

The Twerps (Myspace)
Hometown: Melbourne, Australia
Album: Self-Titled (Buy)
Label: Night People
The Twerps – Little Guys

Broken Social Scene
The Music Box @ The Fonda
Monday, May 3rd
Tickets go on sale this Saturday, February 6th @ 10am (buy tix)

Mexican Summer & Gorilla vs. Bear are teaming up for a day & night, official/unofficial party in Austin on Friday, March 19. Lineup includes Real Estate, The Sandwitches, Dum Dum Girls, Best Coast, Pearl Harbor, Woodsman, jj, and others.

MP3: The Sandwitches – Tarantula Arms
MP3: Real Estate – Suburban Dogs
MP3: Woodsman – Sunglass

Sharon Jones

SXSW added several more heavyweight acts to the festival lineup. New additions include Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings, jj, The xx, The Very Best, Spoon, and Mayer Hawthorne & The County.

MP3: Greyboy Ft. Sharon Jones – Got To Be A Love
MP3: Spoon – The Way We Get By (KCRW)

Imaad Wasif

Recommended Los Angeles Shows – February 2nd – February 7th

Tuesday, February 2nd
Tenacious D / Frank Black / Patton Oswalt / Russell Brand / Bob Odenkirk @ The Wiltern
The Living Sisters @ Bootleg
Mia Doi Todd @ Spaceland

Wednesday, February 3rd
Prefuse 73 with The Gaslamp Killer @ Troubadour

Thursday, February 4th
Imaad Wasif with Mockingbirds @ Spaceland
Dave Rawlings Machine @ Troubadour
Laura Marling @ Largo
Ryan Bingham / Brett Dennen / Nikka Costa / Meiko – Haiti Benefit @ House of Blues Sunset

Friday, February 5th
Emily Wells & Portland Cello Project @ Largo
Dirt Dress / Traps, ps / Allah Las / Rare Grooves @ Pehrspace
Yeasayer with Warpaint @ Natural History Museum
Catherine Feeny @ Hotel Café

Saturday, February 6th
Vivian Girls / Best Coast / Dunes / Animal Style @ The Smell
Scott H. Biram with The Dirt Daubers @ Spaceland

Sunday, Februray 7
Vivian Girls / Darker My Love / Best Coast – Cancer Benefit [RSVP For Location]
Devon Williams / Moses Campbell / Protect Me / Rare Grooves @ The Smell