We’ve been listening to a good bit of African music in the new year; Orchestre Poly-Rythmo de Cotonou, Ghana and Nigeria Special compilations and Fela Kuti with Ginger Baker are all incredible records. I’ve previously mentioned The Peelies and Futurebirds, if you haven’t downloaded FB’s free EP, I recommend it. Mazes, Alex Bleeker, Rainbow Bridge, Twin Sister, The High Wire, Crayon Fields, Holiday Shores, The Cave Singers and Allo, Darlin’ have dominated our speakers for the past month. If you dig the music, please sample and support these artists.

MAZES (Myspace)

Hometown: Chicago and Brooklyn
Album: Self-Titled (Buy)
Label: Parasol Records
Mazes – Things I Threw In the Well
Mazes – I Have Laid In The Darkness Of Doubt
-Mazes is the side project of Edward Anderson and Caroline Donovan from The 1900s.

FUTUREBIRDS (Myspace)

Hometown: Athens, Georgia
Album: Futurebirds EP (Free Download)
Label: Unsigned
Futurebirds – Dirty D
Futurebirds – Red Top Girl
-Futurebirds’ music sounds like a perfect blend of Neil Young, My Morning Jacket, Dexateens and Drivin’ N Cryin’. Bright futures for these Georgia boys.

ALEX BLEEKER AND THE FREAKS (Myspace)

Hometown: New Jersey
Album: Self-Titled (Buy)
Label: Underwater Peoples
Alex Bleeker and The Freaks – Spring Jam
Alex Bleeker and The Freaks – Animal Tracks
-The group consists of Alex Bleeker (Real Estate), Matt Mondanile (Real Estate, Ducktails), Martin Courtney IV (Real Estate) and Julian Lynch. It’s an excellent album.

THE PEELIES (Myspace)

Hometown: Montreal, QC Canada
Album: TBA
Label: Unsigned
-Five hot and talented French-Canadian punk rock chicks that have been playing together for only six months. King Khan is a big fan of the band. Watch for them to blow up at SXSW.

CRAYON FIELDS (Myspace)

Hometown: Melbourne, Australia
Album: All The Pleasures Of The World (Buy)
Label: Chapter Music, Passport
Crayon Fields – Graceless
Crayon Fields – All The Pleasures Of The World

RAINBOW BRIDGE (Myspace)

Hometown: Olympia/Portland
Album: Big Wave Rider 7″ (Buy)
Label: Underwater Peoples / True Panther
Rainbow Bridge – Rain Nair
Rainbow Bridge – Big Wave Rider

HOLIDAY SHORES (Myspace)

Hometown: Tallahassee, Florida
Album: Columbus’d The Whim (Buy)
Label: Twosyllable Records
Holiday Shores – Your Motion Says (Arthur Russell)
Holiday Shores – Edge Of Our Lives

THE CAVE SINGERS (Myspace)

Hometown: Seattle, Washington
Album: Welcome Joy (Buy)
Label: Matador Records
The Cave Singers – I Don’t Mind
The Cave Singers – Beach House
-The Cave Singers and The Dutchess & The Duke are playing the Echo on March 12th (buy tix)

ANALOG AFRICA (Myspace)

Label: Analog Africa
Orchestre Poly-Rythmo de Cotonou – The Vodoun Effect: Funk and Sato (Buy)
Orchestre Poly-Rythmo de Cotonou – Echos Hypnotiques (Buy)
Orchestre Poly-Rythmo de Cotonou – Houe djein nada
Orchestre Poly-Rythmo de Cotonou – Iya Me Dji Ki Bi Ni
-Analog Africa Records is churning out some amazing records: Orchestre Poly-Rythmo de Cotonou Series, Legends of Benin, African Scream Contest

SOUNDWAY RECORDS / KUDOS RECORDS LIMITED

Label: Soundway Records / Kudos Records
Nigeria Special: Modern Highlife, Afro-sounds & Nigerian Blues 1970-76 (Buy)
Ghana Special: Modern Highlife, Afro Sounds & Ghanaian Blues 1968-91 (Buy)
K. Frimpong & His Cubanos Fiestas – Kyenkyen Bi Adi Mawu
Celestine Ukwu & His Philosophers National – Okwukwe Na Nchekwube

FELA KUTI

Label: Knitting Factory Records
Fela Kuti – Fela Ransome-Kuti and Africa 70 with Ginger Baker Live (buy)
Fela Kuti & Africa ‘70 with Ginger Baker – Ye Ye de Smell (Partial)
-Cream/Blind Faith Drummer Ginger Baker joins Tony Allen, Fela Kuti and Africa 70 on this 5-star album. Baker and Allen perform together on an incredible 16:21 long drum solo.

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