Now We're Cookin: Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings

If you aren't one of the folks who already knew to check out the new An Album A Day blog, then let me suggest you do. Why? Well, because this random, wonderfully written daily review of albums (every day!) based on whatever happens to hit this blogger's fancy will make you want to revisit classics, pick up something new you haven't heard about, or remind you of albums you should pick up but you haven't. And that is the case for me with Wes' review of Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings third album, 100 Days, 100 Nights.

Bottom line here is that this is a wonderful take on Stax-era soul. I will only add a couple things to Wes' review. First, I appreciate the tempo of this album. The DK's resist any temptation to speed up the music to the quicker hip-hop tempos of contemporary music and keep the tunes at that wonderful tempo of early soul. And second, while there are great horn parts here, it is all mixed wonderfully behind Jones' vocal--it is afterall Sharon Jones and the DK's and not the other way round.

So while we have been busy the last few days with this and that, there has been plenty of dancing to these tunes as we cooked up a storm of food. If you are a fan of Otis, Booker, Wilson, early Aretha, or any others of that era and you haven't picked this one up, then send a word of thanks to Wes, pick up the disc, and get ready for some swingin and rockin. Here are a couple to get ya started.

Nobody's Baby

Be Easy

Furry Memories

Wow—just seems impossible to find time to even think about music say nothing about write about these days. Either that or the cable package we just got after nearly ten years without it is rotting my brain. For instance, I could have been listening to and/or blogging about music the other night when I found myself watching The Wedding Singer (and yes, enjoying it—I admit that).

I take it that when you watch that show, you are supposed to giggle at that wacky 1980’s music and I did . . . until I started to realize that I owned, at least at some point, almost every album that is featured in that film. And I liked a lot of them too. In fact, I noted that I still have quite of few of them and even listen to them occasionally. It had been a while though since I dipped in any Psychedelic Furs who get some good air time in this flick.

Ah the Furs—how can you not like the wall of sound that comes through in their (earlier) music? And c’mon, you’ve got to dig Richard Butler’s voice, right? And they even have some kind of cool and punky lyrics if I recall. All I know is that they make me think of house parties that I remember fondly and am now worried about my children attending.

But we still have a few years for that (I think). So muss up that hair, turn up the volume and enjoy a few Fur tunes for old time’s sake—and really, you want to hear those movie hits I know it. First up is the tune that probably go them more air time than any other thanks to the movie by the same name (although that doesn’t mean it isn’t a great tune). Then we have another hit which is the tune that gets most time behind Adam Sandler and Drew Barrymore in the Wedding Singer. And lastly, just for a change of pace, here is the single (and title track) from the Furs greatest compilation which represents a nice return to the earlier sound.

Pretty in Pink (Buy Album)
Love My Way (Buy Album)

All of This and Nothing (Buy Album)