Emotional Rescue レコード& CD

Review: The great thing about Emotional Rescue's deep dive into reggae and lovers rock is that the tracks they decide to press up are the ear-snagging curveballs that present something just a little bit to the left of purist, trad reggae. That's the case once again with 101 Band's 'Crazy Kind Of Feeling' - a curio from Haile Maskel released via his own, LA-based label Opulence (Sound). It's a hybrid kind of sound, sitting somewhere between boogie, island funk and roots, and it goes down very smoothly indeed. On this reissue, you get treated to the original 7" mix plus an alternative 'Dub Take 2' version which stretches out over an extended run time on the B-side.

Review: Emotional Rescue dig out a quintessential private press curio and give it a tasteful 7" release that should tickle all lovers of blue-eyed soul with a subtle electronic kink. There's a smooth pop nous at the heart of "Passion", but also a naivety in the production that hints at the bedroom studio roots of 4AM's limited forays into recorded work. There's space for Fairlight-esque stabs and something approaching an acid bassline, but it's all framed in a mellifluous slice of melodious groove. "The Man I Feel" takes the A side and steers it into playful instrumental territory to great effect, the consummate 80s dub out.

Review: Emotional Rescue is delighted to announce bringing together two classic Suicide songs reinterpreted by avant-garde pop auteur Angel Corpus Christi. Recorded as part of Angel's personal take on the Downtown NYC scene, this release brings her cover versions of this cult band on one dedicated release for the first time. Singer, songwriter and accordionist, Angel Corpus Christi has carved out a niche all her own, releasing 5 albums and numerous singles that highlight her oft-nonchalant musings over off kilter production and a post-punk-pop aesthetic. Her debut album - "I LOVE NY" was a concept collection celebrating the ground breaking music formed and released in New York during it's pre and post punk heyday of the late 60 to early 80s. Taking in the inspiration from the original punk sounds of the Velvet Underground through to her own re-take of Theme From Taxi Driver, as well as punk standards like Blank Generation, the album has become a cult classic itself. Within this collection though contained two stand-out gems in Angel's covers of Suicide's Cheree and Dream Baby Dream. For some these songs represent the high mark of Alan Vega and Martin Rev's special and ground breaking partnership and in original form have a special place in this label's heart. Featuring no less than Alan Vega on backing vocals, plus life-time partner Bruce Anderson on guitar and produced by Howard Thompson, "I Love Baby" is itself a homage from Emotional Rescue to Suicide and will hopefully be appreciated as a special release in due course.

Review: REPRESS ALERT: With two massive reissues from Suns of Arqa and Jaki Whitren under their belts, the fledging label Emotional Rescue have come up with the goods once again, with this remastered reissue of incredibly rare 70s psyche-funk from Bob Chance. Two versions are included: the original 7" version, driven along by a razor-sharp guitar riff and sweetly lamenting lyrics, topped off with weird cosmic synths and galloping rhythm. However, the real gem is the edit entitled "Wild It's Broken" which sharpens the focus of the guitar and adds some serious kick to the drums to create a beefy counterpart to the new age original.

Review: **Repress Alert! Emotional Rescue's killer Bob Chance 7" makes a welcome return sporting some new blue artwork ** With two massive reissues from Suns of Arqa and Jaki Whitren under their belts, the fledging label Emotional Rescue have come up with the goods once again, with this remastered reissue of incredibly rare 70s psyche-funk from Bob Chance. Two versions are included: the original 7" version, driven along by a razor-sharp guitar riff and sweetly lamenting lyrics, topped off with weird cosmic synths and galloping rhythm. However, the real gem is the edit entitled "Wild It's Broken" which sharpens the focus of the guitar and adds some serious kick to the drums to create a beefy counterpart to the new age original.

Review: After the success of the DISCO REGGAE LOVERS series, Emotional Rescue teams up again with HMV Record Shop (Japan) with a selection of 7"s, this time delving in to the early reggae and soul releases of Noel William's (King Sporty) Konduko records. Predating his move in to disco and electro-boogie, here his production skills mixed his Jamaican reggae years with touches of US funk to create a number of highly collectable singles that have never been reissued before.

To begin, The Chosen Few's take of Tony Hester's classic, In The Rain. Essentially the same version as Williams later recording with Ernest Ranglin, this original early 70s version was undertaken in the first years of his move to Miami, working with what would go on to be members of KC & The Sunshine Band; the quintet of brothers Bunny, Busty and Errol Brown alongside, Franklin Spence harmonies' offering a totally different feel and soulfulness that makes it, for some, the most essential version.

Already famous in Jamaica, the band's covers of People Make The World Go Round and Shaft are rightly classics today. Recording their third album in Miami gave them a new perspective, linking reggae and soul ever closer.

The subsequent album, Night And Day was released in Jamaica by the fledgling Konduko before being repackaged as 'In Miami' for overseas. Here, the Spence and Williams penned title song, is the perfect uplifting reggae-soul fusion, love song accompaniment to launch the series.

Review: Emotional Rescue and HMV Record Shop (Japan) continue its unearthing of the best and rarist of the early Konduko 7"s with the 3rd of 4 series, returning to the music of The Chosen Few and a reissue of their soul single, Wandering.

Released as 'Wondering / Funky Butter' in 1976, the 7" now trades in the L100s, with the songs also found on the as rare Night And Day album. With backing from "The Ocean Liners", Betty Wright's first show band before becoming The Sunshine Band of 'KC and the' fame, the album was given over to one side reggae and one side funky soul.

While In The Rain and Night And Day were on side one, Wandering and the aptly titled, Funky Buttercup featured on the soul reverse side. An A&R man's dream maybe, but at the time the album fell on critic's narrow ears, again parading that reggae artists can't do funk and soul.

Now cult records, both songs are rightly collector's items, marrying the warmth and deep bass sound William's would employ to devasting effect from the reggae and soul 70s to his ground-breaking electro boogie cuts that defined the 80s "Miami Sound". Remastered and reissued, they appear on 7" again for the first time in almost 50 years, "the groove is just too strong, don't sit down in your seat and miss that funky beat".

Review: Emotional Rescue's Lovers Rock revival shows no signs of slowing as they turn their attention to the archives of Dada Music and the haunting sound of Dambala. The UK roots-reggae group had a sizable impact with their Zimbabwe / Visions Of War single in 1978, but it's their 1983 debut album Azania which is the source of this spellbinding single. 'Lorraine' is a ghostly, heavy-hearted skanker draped in digital reverb and angular new wave guitar chops, sounding absolutely reminiscent of the era and not quite the average cookie cutter reggae track. The original would be strong enough to carry the single on its own, but then for good measure the mighty Lexx comes in to dub it out on the flip.

Review: Emotional Rescue takes another trip into the twisted world of post-punk dubs, electronics and oddities here at the hands of DJ, collector and radio host Gary The Tall. The original comes from German duo and new wave innovators Die Radierer whose pop-reggae jam 'Batman' is irresistibly catchy with its low-slung beats and lazy, sun-kissed melodies. It appeared on 1983's In Hollywood and was recorded at their home studio on a Tascam 4-track cassette recorder. Gary The Tall's remix finds him teaming up with Aaron Coyles under his new alias of Exotic Gardens and the results are loopy and dubbed out to perfection.

Review: Continuing the label's special 7"s releases that capture the nascent 80s post punk, dub, funk and pop - as examined on releases by The Jellies, Woo, Phantom Band, 4AM and more - here a discovery of unheard demos from Dislocation Dance's Midnight Shift album.
As part of the eighties Manchester scene, the band's pop and jazz sensibilities have continued to garner attention, offering a rightful place in the city's rich music history.
With the closure of Richard Boon's New Hormones label in 1982, they came to the attention of Geoff Travis' Rough Trade. Creating a home studio in the basement of an old rambling farmhouse in Withington, Ian Runacres (guitar, vocals), with lyricist Paul Emmerson (bass), set to work creating demos to garner a deal.
Inspired by the funk-disco of Dr Buzzards Original Savannah Band debut album, Here Comes Love was written using Roland TR-606 drum machine, guitars, bass and (cheap) keyboard, its magical and lo-fi charmed quality melts hearts.
On Mr Zak, the fun Runacres had is evident. Written as an "indie" song, but with Aztec Camera and Burt Bacharrach on his mind, with Andy Diagram (trumpet) and Kathryn Way (vocals), hides a structure matching the album version, but which in its rudimentary instrumentation and production is unique and outshines the later version, to encase a specific period and innocence, of time.

Review: REPRESS ALERT: With just one 7" release to their name in the form of the 1981 release, Jive Baby On A Saturday Night, the cult of The Jellies was possibly accidentally assured with the long lost song being rediscovered by collectors and championed by Sonic Youth's Thurston Moore no less. Picked up and reissued by the stellar Trunk Records in 2010, the B-side cut, however, was sadly overlooked. Now Emotional Rescue are proud to license The Conversation and remaster it especially for this rerelease. Based around a simple drum and bass rhythm, interspersed with crowd noise, playful female vocal yelps and sprinkled with dub effects thrown in to the mix and you wouldn't probably think too much would be going for a track that the band put together in the last two hours of their studio time after Jive Baby had been completed. However, what you get is a killer gem of pop-punk-dub oddness that gets your head nodding to its infectious, repetitive rhythm laden with effects. With just this one (perfect) track available for license it seemed only right to hand it over to the in-house production team, Apophenia, to do their increasingly trademark dubbed out reworking, this time in the form of a true, but respectful "Version" for the flip. With both members of The Jellies sadly now living overseas this piece of early '80s British dub as it were, can now be fully treasured for posterity while also, proving a nice little smokers delight.

Review: Elaine Kibaro is a French singer who grew up in Tunisia before enjoying a reasonably productive career in the late 70s and through the 80s. Emotional Rescue caught on to her fine contributions to the disco world via the Pour L'Amour collection, and now they offer up a pair of alternative cuts that add to the overall legacy of her career peak. "Fajrann" is a re-vocalled version of Kibaro's biggest hit "Aurore" sung in Arabic, speaking to her Tunisian roots, while "Ne Doute Pas" appears in its instrumental form for those who want the punchy Linn Drum beats and dazzling synth lines in all their glory.

Review: ***B-STOCK: Creasing to corner of outer sleeve but otherwise in excellent working condition***


Elaine Kibaro is a French singer who grew up in Tunisia before enjoying a reasonably productive career in the late 70s and through the 80s. Emotional Rescue caught on to her fine contributions to the disco world via the Pour L'Amour collection, and now they offer up a pair of alternative cuts that add to the overall legacy of her career peak. "Fajrann" is a re-vocalled version of Kibaro's biggest hit "Aurore" sung in Arabic, speaking to her Tunisian roots, while "Ne Doute Pas" appears in its instrumental form for those who want the punchy Linn Drum beats and dazzling synth lines in all their glory.

Review: The second 7" in the Konduko series reissues this mega-rarity, Noel Williams aka King Sporty's own version of Bob Marley's Concrete Jungle. The connection between Marley and Williams was long-standing, both living in the tenements of West Kingston and gaining their musical foundations as part of the Studio One, that would reach fruition when they later co-wrote Buffalo Soldier together.

Clement Dodd's organisation was more than a label, running a sound system, studio, pressing plant and its own distribution. As Deejay on the system and later releasing his debut single on the label, William's learnt his craft, taking this knowledge to Miami and replicating much - expanding the Konduko label to encompass studio, plant and distribution.

First recorded with Lee Perry, Marley's 1971 original was famously rerecorded for The Wailers move to Island Records and their 1973 album, Catch A Fire. Here, a rare Williams' vocal is backed with horns atop a reggae-funk groove. The songs message of struggle is universal and everlasting, even with a touch of Miami swing.

This is backed by Young Girl, a single in its own right, from the same period. A rocksteady, breakbeat shuffle bely the songs roots in late 60s soul, with a powerful counterpoint vocal from wife and partner, Betty Wright. A collector's item itself, together they are essential.

Review: The Konduko 7" series ends with the 4th and possibly best single with Noel Williams aka King Sporty's cover version of Bob Marley's Them Belly Full, here released as Dance To The Music.

First released on the Natty Dread album of 1974, it was Marley's first album working away from Peter Tosh and Bunny Wailer and was a spiritually charged political and social statement, also featuring classics No Women, No Cry, Lively Up Yourself and Rebel Music.

As an associate and friend from their Studio One days, William's version makes sense, in the tradition of covers throughout reggae's history. Appearing a year late, the 1975 single came in Jamaican and US pressings, a nod to Konduko's roots, having started in Kingston before the move to Miami in the earlier part of the decade.

A warning against allowing the poor to go hungry, with the prophetic "a hungry mob is an angry mob", the cover includes a lot of the Miami feel Sporty was incorporating. With instrumentation again from the Ocean Liners KC And Sunshine backing band), the horns and guitar raise the soul, with counter keys, Part 1 is a straight vocal, while Part 2 is close to a Version but more than an instrumental and in its title, shows its funk and soul background too. A perfect end to the series, the uplifting tracking belies the powerful message, bringing the Miami swing to the JA groove once more.

Review: Emotional Rescue continues to dive into the back story of One Blood, a lovers rock powerhouse who deserve revisiting now appreciation for lovers rock is at an all time high. One Blood recorded a cover of Willie DeVaghan's soul classic 'Be Thankful For What You Got' in 1980, and it gets a re-cut here for those who need to get hold of one of the sweetest versions of an evergreen anthem. Rather than the original B-side 'Ebony Eyes', Emotional Rescue have instead opted for cult Japanese producer Slowly to deliver a tasteful dub remix which gently buffets this universally adored song into outer space.

Review: The sadly departed Jaki Liebezeit was the kind of drummer whose influence will be continually recognised over the decades to come. Best known for his work in Can, there are also many more sides to this singular sticksman, and Emotional Rescue has chosen to shine a light on his post-Can period living in Stollwerck. On the A side of this 7" curio is the sound of Phantom Band with Linear Johnson & The Protons. "Rush Rush" has a spiky new wave bent to it, but still Liebezeit's drumming stands out. The B side "Drums Off Chaos" need little explanation - it's the sound of one of the all-time drumming greats letting rip in a ferocious blast of percussive abandon.

Review: The latest dusted down archival dig from Emotional Rescue is by Politrio, a short-lived new wave / post punk band from Italy who released one album in the mid 80s. The focus of this release is their cover of Talking Heads' "Psycho Killer," which originally appeared on the Amnesty International P.E.A.C.E Benefit Compilation in 1987. It's a wild take full of rampant guitar wailing and limber slap bass that teeters towards the 80s funk rock of Faith No More et al, and that's no bad thing at all. On the B side of this 7" Double Wave gets busy in the edit, offering up a stripped back version for the spinners.

Review: Emotional Rescue returns to early 1980s Manchester with the previously unreleased music of Michael James Pollard and his beautiful distillation of indie pop in Too Confusing and bedsit cover version of Ashford and Simpson's Surrender.

While studying photography at Manchester Polytechnic, (MJ) Pollard lived and played in a band in a ramshackle house in Walley Range. In the cellar studio he would write and record his own songs using their guitars, fretless bass and keys, as well as his own Casio VL-Tone VL-1 and Simmons Clap Trap to augment his drums onto a 4 track TEAC.

By 1983, and now solo, he was recording out of Dislocation Dance's studio (ERC111), had secured a Peel Session and via Factory Records' Lindsay Reade, was discussing with Fundacao Atlantica about releasing an album.

Working with singer Sioux Goddard as a duo, they put down 8 songs in 2 weeks in summer '84. However, Fundacao Atlantica's financial difficulties and soon closure meant the songs were lost until now.

Recovered off the original tapes and lovingly restored, Too Confusing captures the optimism of the sessions, a summer love melody of forlorn youth. Surrender accompanies, recorded back in that cellar in '81, with friend Stephanie Danziger on vocals, its lo-fi simplicity is a perfect take on an all-time classic, making this a newly prized gem of British indie pop history.

Review: Surely one of the all-time greats of instrumental reggae reveries, Ernest Ranglin is widely adored for a very good reason. He was there at the very beginning, and stayed relevant throughout successive decades of Jamaican music. In 1982, Ranglin teamed up with the mighty Noel Williams in Florida and recorded a sweet cover of The Dramatics' R&B classic, 'In The Rain'. It's a heady, dreamy version with a sumptuous, widescreen sound, as romantic and immersive as the original version was and this is the first time ever on a 45. But that's not all - on the flip, as played by Gilles Peterson Mukatsuku gets busy with a frankly stunning dub which loops up flute licks in a masterful manner.

Review: Following their reissue of Double Talk last year, Emotional Rescue continue their run of reggae and lovers rock celebrations with another crucial cut from Red Cloud. Through the 80s, Red Cloud released on Tuff Gong, Echo and Red Stripe Records amongst others, but they also made an early appearance on seminal New Jersey label Dancefloor with an evergreen double A-side. The first track, 'Double Talk', was already reissued last year, so now it's the turn of the flip, 'I Want To Be Free'. The uptempo slice of reggae sounds as infectious and incisive as it did in 1983, and this time it comes with a dub on the B-side simply titled 'Freedom'.

Review: Happenstance can be a fortuitous element. A union-funded single discovered in a dusty store, a long disbanded band found, leads to unreleased post punk dubs in a box of unreleased demos.

Formed during the mid-80s in the downbeat town of Walsall, their music is a blend of disparate influences from 50's crooners, blues and reggae to Killing Joke and The Bunnymen; Ron's Neighbours were out of step with the perfect pop of the C86 indie generation.

Their only single - "To The Fight" - a split 7" was supported by the Trade Union Resource Centre, while many gigs were benefits for striking miners, leading to a loyal local following.

Engineered by Ozzy Osbourne's brother Tony, tracks were recorded at an 8 track bedroom / home studio, while a terraced house served as rehearsal space. Here Ron Next Door was born. When a tape recorder was left running it captured the long-suffering neighbour for posterity. His outburst gave the band and song, its name.

Experimenting with drum machines, the resultant jam track, here in its "Alternative Mix", languished unheard until now. Ron's 'Black Country' tones lead to driving bass / percussion against crashing Stratocasters and repeating, refrained vox - a post punk dub turned symphony.

The B side, Sitting On Top of the World, is an indie anthem, becoming their theme, a blend of grandiose and banal that characterised their songs.

Review: The always excellent Emotional Rescue comes to save us all once more with another of its perfectly escapist releases. This particular 7" comes from Silver Leaf, a short-lived mid-80s project out of Cincinnati, Ohio with a mysterious vocalist. The band was discovered by crate diggers on both sides of the Atlantic and now rightfully get brought to our attention with two brilliantly unique tunes. 'Hey!' is lush, synth driven psychedelic disco soul with a spoken word vocal and bendy chords all brimming with sunshine. 'Can We Rebuilt Our City?' then gets fully heartbroken and horizontal.

Review: Independent radio institution NTS has a lot to answer for. Not least introducing its legions of loyal listeners across the world to the mighty (or, perhaps more appropriately, curious Staalfagel). The result of some serious crate digging, as per usual for the platform, the Swedish post punk and New Wave outfit - Erik Fritjofsson, Petter Brundell and Micke Kjell - reflect how broad the digital station's music policy can be, and how important it is for things to be rediscovered and saved from obscurity.
Forming in 1980, the three piece only released two full length records in their time, alongside a handful of singles and EPs. Utan Rymddrakt Pa Uranus is among the most enigmatic and delightful, here presented in two parts with an edit by Gary The Tall. As early adopters of synths and drum machines, the cosmic dance-pop sound here might be rudimentary today, but also has this real sense of adventure and breaking new ground about it.

Review: Emotional Rescue and HMV Record Shop (Japan) end their DISCO REGGAE LOVERS 7" series with reggae legend Sugar Minott and this utterly unique UK soul-boogie rarity, I Remember Mama.

Reggae star, vocalist, producer and sound system operator, Kingston JA born Minott released over 50 albums and hundreds of singles for the likes of Studio One, Wackies, Suffering Heights and his own Black Roots label.

His distinctive soulful voice pioneered the Dancehall style and following his UK hit "Hard Time Pressure" he moved to London in 1980, adopting the rising Lovers Rock sound. On a visit to Wackies' offices in Soho he met Steve Parr, who had recently opened a studio next door.

Keyboard player for the likes of Desmond Dekker and Geno Washington, Parr moved into composition, mixing, sound engineering and production, before setting up the Sound Design Studio in Dean Street.

Principally a studio, the meeting with Minott hatched the idea to create a label to showcase their capabilities. Produced by Parr, he played all the instruments except the distinctive sax by friend Andy MacDonald.

With Minott's heartfelt lyrics, this marriage created a one-off, a ground-breaking synthesised 4/4 rhythm track with funk groove and soulful vocals. Released on 7" and 12", the versions noticeably differ and is the perfect closing to the DISCO REGGAE LOVERS series.

Review: Emotional Rescue previously dived into the plush, soulful and verdant sound of Jaki Whitren and John Cartwright with the reissue of their essential International Times album back in 2013. Sadly Whitren and Cartwright passed away two years ago, and this 7" of previously CD/digital-only material materialises in tribute to these wonderfully talented souls. "That Will Be That" is an effervescent boogie jam with rich synths that interplay beautifully with Whitren's stunning vocal, while "This Time" takes a starkly opposite approach with just the most delicate of keys lingering behind Whitren's powerful, echoing vocal. It's a poignant note of remembrance for two gifted musicians who shone their light into the world.

Review: To accompany the reissue of Woo's Into The Heart Of Love, Emotional Rescue is releasing a limited 7" featuring songs not included on the vinyl pressing, plus a previously unreleased version of the beautiful title song, which only appeared in
later form on their CD only, La Luna album. With the original Into The Heart Of Love album only appearing as a 60 minute cassette-only release, several of the albums songs could not make the first time vinyl issue from Emotional Rescue.
Therefore, this limited edition 7" includes two of those ommited songs. The wistful English folk duet between Mark Ives and Sue Amor on Make Me Tea and it's sibling on the album, A Little Long Way. Possibly Woo's most straight forward folk song, Make Me Tea is as the title imagines a very particular English poem. Recording as a duet between two late night lovers, awaking from post-love making slumber to find peace and with it, a nice, perfect cup of tea. However, it is the inclusion of the unreleased version of the title song, Magic In The Dark that is worth the admission price alone. Taken from the CD only album, La Luna, the original's short and gentle story of late night love is presented here in it's alternate demo form. A different vantage point is shown in revelation and then exhaltation. The sadder start expands in to a beautiful and wonderus folk celebration. Mark's vocals and guitar are later joined by gentle rhythmic percussion from brother Clive, before Clarinets duet to a yearning finale. Woo once again showing their unique mix of folk and new age electronics. A one off to cherish.