I used to work for Light In The Attic and a lot of amazing things (including The Daily Choice and my association with the very wonderful folk at Sound on the Sound) came from it.  It’s been a while now since our paths have parted but the love I have for the fine folk who run this label still flows fervently through my veins.  Emotional asides aside, the taste makers behind Light In The Attic also have some of the most refined taste in reissues working today.  Every album they release is worth at least a listen, a liner note read through, and then another listen, because there’s gold behind all of it, sometimes you just have to let it sit for a moment.

That is not the case with their newest reissue of Gabor Szabo’s Jazz Raga.  A bizarre mish-mash of jazz and sitar and psych and the sort of cosmic space sound that ran rampant through the time.  It is beautiful and haunting and compelling and strange in a way that only multiple listens can truly impress upon a listener.  A year ago when the higher ups told me that Gabor Szabo would be on our slate for the following year I worried, unknowing of what to expect when someone used the words sitar and jazz in the same sentence.  My fervent listening of the album has produced two lessons: Gabor Szabo is the man and never question Light In The Attic, they’ll always steer you right.

Gabor Szabo - Comin’ Back

Buy this amazing album right here.

After last weekend’s Bumbershoot experience, I’ve been in a soul state of mind, firing up Rhapsody and playing some certified oldies. When I have my midlife crisis and need to become a completist at something, I may have to become a classic R&B, funk and soul vinyl collector. Were I already one such person, an essential member of that collection would be 2004’s Wheedle’s Groove compilation, subtitled “Seattle’s Finest in Funk and Soul 1965-1975″ and curated by local DJ Mr. Supreme.

MP3: “Bold Soul Sister, Bold Soul Brother” by Black on White Affair from Wheedle’s Groove courtesy of Light in the Attic Records

In addition to a re-release of the original Wheedle’s Groove comp, this week via Light in the Attic comes to the table with a new entry into the Wheedle’s Groove collection. Titled Kearney Barton after the classic sound engineer who was enlisted to cut the nine new tracks on completely analog gear in his home studio, a number of the songs feature the same old school soul cats as appeared on the first comp. In true NW fashion they’ve even snuck in a cover of Soundgarden’s “Jesus Christ Pose” with Pat Wright and the Total Experience Gospel Choir.

MP3: H.O.E. by Ron Buford from Wheedle’s Groove - Kearney Barton courtesy of Light in the Attic Records

Thanks to LITA we’ve got two vinyls, one of each record, to give to the first lucky commenters who claim them (one vinyl each). If you’re a new commenter and your comment isn’t approved immediately, your timestamp will still make you a winner. Please include your real email address (which remains publicly hidden) so I can let you know you’ve won.

If you aren’t lucky enough to be a winner, you can buy the vinyl editions of these records from LITA’s website straight away.

I don’t know about you, but I am mega-excited for my chance to finally see Sixto Diaz Rodriguez live at the Triple Door next Tuesday. In the re-emergence of interest following the re-release of his first album, local label Light in the Attic has arranged for a summer-long world tour of sorts to coincide with this year’s re-release of his second album Coming from Reality, and next week finds him playing a string of west coast dates.

Above is a just posted video of the man himself performing “Crucify Your Mind” in the streets of Paris, recorded during his trip to Europe earlier this month. Courtesy of L’Express, you can also check a companion video of him playing “Inner City Blues” and explaining the background of the song.

For Tuesday’s June 23rd Seattle stop at the Triple Door, Rodriguez will be backed by a full band, and Arthur & Yu (with the Moondoggies) will be opening. Tickets are available on the Triple Door site for $20.

It’s got to be said that local label Light in the Attic is making every other label look bad these days. Beyond re-releasing some stellar albums that didn’t get enough attention in their day and signing local bands like The Saturday Knights, they’ve been a major cog in resurgence of vinyl and catering to that segment of the market. One re-release that has payed dividends in spades for all who are involved is the stellar 1970 debut album Cold Fact by man of many musical colors Rodriguez.

MP3: “Sugar Man” by Rodgriguez from Cold Fact courtesy of Light in the Attic Records

We weren’t the only ones who named that re-release one of our favorite records of 2008, and with the renewed interest in Sixto Diaz Rodriguez in the States that Cold Fact has brought (he was already much-loved for it in South Africa), Light in the Attic has announced plans for a set of shows to occur across the country throughout the spring, with the west coast leg shows happening over a week in June. Seattle was lucky enough snag one of those dates at the Triple Door on June 23. Tickets for that one aren’t on sale yet, but I suspect you’ll be able to find them on the Triple Door’s snazzy new site sometime soon.

Word is, Rodriguez’s second recording from 1971 titled Coming From Reality will also be released by Light in the Attic May 5. For a modern recording of Rodriguez head on over to Daytrotter who did an exclusive session with him late last year in a Pizza Parlor. The full list of announced tour dates are below.

RODRIGUEZ 2009 TOUR DATES

4/10 - High Noon Saloon, Madison, WI
4/24 - Beachland Ballroom, Cleveland, OH
5/08 - Schubas Tavern, Chicago, IL
5/09 - Magic Stick, Detroit, MI
5/13 - Rock & Roll Hotel, Washington DC
5/14 - Johnny Brenda’s, Philadelphia, PA
5/15 - Bowery Ballroom, New York, NY
6/22 - Richard’s On Richards, Vancouver, BC
6/23 - The Triple Door, Seattle, WA
6/24 - Doug Fir Lounge, Portland, OR
6/26 - Slim’s, San Francisco, CA
6/27 - El Rey Theatre, Los Angeles, CA

As I’m pretty sure you all know, I work for Seattle-based record label Light In The Attic, and because of this I really do try and avoid needlessly shilling the Light In The Attic products.  But beloved readers, this time I just can’t help myself.  Today, Light In The Attic is releasing what I consider to be in the top three releases in the label’s short history - Rodriguez’s Cold Fact.

I’ve been promoting this album for so long, that I’m tired as shit of harping on the story aspect (though it is amazing and you can read the whole damn fascinating life story of Sixto Rodriguez right HERE) but luckily for the world, Rodriguez’s music speaks for itself.  Psych rock, Dylan-style folk, a savage dashing of Motown horns and bass - this is a smorgasborg of near-perfectly balanced styles, a dusty, somewhat-bizarre classic finally, finally unearthed.

Rodriguez - Sugar Man

Buy it from Light In The Attic!

Oh yes folks, it is almost time for The Saturday Knights 2nd annual doughnut eating contest. And whoever came up with the original idea, gets to wear the genius cap for the day, in my book.

Local party crew The Saturday Knights will be taking over Downtown Seattle’s Top Pot Doughnuts next Saturday the 26th at 2pm. TSK will be performing two tracks from their awesome recent Light in the Attic Release, Mingle during which participants are asked to eat as many decadent Top Pot doughnuts as possible. Though we love them both, One Top Pot doughnut makes our tummy feel yucky and The Saturday Knights always crack us up — and my mom told me it was dangerous to eat and laugh at the same time– so this half of Sound on the Sound won’t be participating in this years competition.

However, some local rock musician, writer or photographer should represent. Last year, Bob, the drummer for The Blakes, took second in the contest. Witness the wonder here:

Extra bonus? Like Top Pot Doughnuts and The Saturday Knights aren’t enough? Nancy Guppy of Almost Live fame (if you are a native or a local you know what that is and means) will be hosting the whole shin-dig.

You know I can’t vouch for everyone, but I think here at Sound on the Sound it’s been a rough week for some of us. Be it tragedy, heart-break, or the seemingly eternal grayness that looms above, it’s been a pretty shitty last few days. As Abbey has shown, there’s something to be said about losing ones’ self in the sadness of song, but, I’d like to offer up another option:

Emotional ass-shaking.

Finding the bounciest little dance-number you have in your ass-shaking repository, turning the volume up to 12 and letting the bass start clearing your mind. For your listening pleasure, on this grey early evening, I give you The Black Ghosts. It’s got heart, soul, and enough backbeat to get your chubby ass shifting in your chinos. This I promise.

If you want to know more about these guys and their new self-titled album on I AM SOUND records (which you can pre-order right now), check out this interview I did with them for Light In The Attic.

Myspace: The Black Ghosts

MP3: The Black Ghosts - Something New

… and they asked me to submit one, so I happily did. Also featured are random lists from the Blakes drummer Bob Husak, Sonic Boom co-owner and Long Winters drummer Nabil Ayers, the Cave Singers Derek Fudesco, and many other random music writers, musicians, and music industry people.

Light in the Attic Year End Extravaganza

See my locally focused list below the fold.

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Weezer confirms they are working on a new album. River’s let’s the cat out of the bag. They did already have albumsix.com pointing to their weezer official site…

Seattle Times profiles the success of some local bands in 2007. Pretty much the usual suspects. Blah. Last week they also asked some actual DJ’s who they thought would go big next from around town. Pretty much the same. Blah. J.R.’s pick on the Cave Singers is good one though.

Seattle PI profiles the success of a number of local labels. A nice nod to Light in the Attic and Mass Line, two relatively new record labels. My props though go to the Control Group that was started in 2002 and who are distributing the new Figurines album come September. They have also been involved with the Killers  and Kings of Leon as well as local acts the Long Winters and Lonely H. They were also the original label for Schoolyard Heroes who just recently toured with the Horrors and recently were signed by New York label Stolen Transmission.