10 From The Crates pt 2

Andy continues his 10 From the Crates series:

6. Common featuring Erykah Badu, Pharrell and Q-Tip - Come Close ( Jay Dee remix)
12” MCA Records 2003

Q Tip and Erykah on a joint produced by Dilla- it’s a must.





7. Aretha Franklin - Amazing Grace (The Complete Recordings)
CD Rhino 1999

I love Aretha to bits, and I love gospel choirs so this lp was going to be a hit with me.
I believe it was recorded during a period when Aretha was agoraphobic and going to the studio wasn’t going to happen, however Atlantic wanted an LP from her. A mobile recording unit was sent out to her Fathers Church, the Southern California Community Choir was summoned, Bernard Purdie was called in for drum duties. Two services at the church were recorded; one on Friday 13/1/1972 and then the next day Saturday 14/1/1972 with the Friday serving as a rehearsal. I seem to recall that’s bits were taken from both evenings and edited together to form the original 1972 vinyl release. However if you ask me, you need the double cd version. Essential both services with sermons and everything left in, one on each disc.
The real joy of this to me is the way Aretha works in pop songs amongst the gospel standards, and of course the whole thing sounds incredible. Here is a a track from the the 1972 lp (but it’s on the cd also don’t worry):





8. Isan - Trois Gymnopedies
7” A Number Of Small Things 2006

Isan are an electronic duo that I shamefully know very little about and this single comprises 3 Erik Satie covers - Trois Gymnopies Number 1- Lent Et Doulouurex, Number 2- Lent Et Triste and Number 3- Lent Et Grave.
What you get are well crafted electronic versions of Erik Satie most famous piano pieces, with added glitch noises. It’s worth noting that for the last few hours I have been trying to remember where I bought this record and I have no clue, which adds to the magic for me:






9. Aphex Twin- “We Are The Music Makers”
From the lp “Selected Ambient Works 85-92”  Apollo 1992

Not at all rare or expensive, but if I’m making a top 10 records list this has to go in. I was 19 when this came out and had just been introduced to acid, to say this blew my mind would be an understatement. Lovely thick bass layers, pretty melodies, crunchy drums and a sample from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. For me this is the Aphex Twin at his very best:






10. Augustus Pablo -  Meets Rockers Uptown
LP Yard Music 1976

Augustus Pablo is king of the melodica and King Tubby is master of the mixing board, bring them together and you get this. Simply put one of the best reggae lps ever to my humble ears. There is so much heat on this lp that I have struggled to pick a track to share with you. After quite a bit of thought I decided that their version of Jacob Millers “Baby I Love You So” would be the one:







I hope that you enjoyed some of those, if you did you will be pleased to know that each of my top 10 is available for £5 or under on discogs…..