Free soul
The best -- (nearly) legal -- MP3 blogs out there. Plus: An exclusive free download of an "eccentric soul" song from the '70s you've probably never heard of -- but definitely should have!
By Thomas Bartlett
July 28, 2004 | MP3 blogs seem to be the hot new thing on the Internet (or am I already a few months late in saying that?), but the vast majority of them don't bother getting permission to post the songs. The ethics of downloading are entirely ambiguous to me, and I suspect it will take years for them to really come into focus, so until they do, here are two superior, (nearly) legal MP3 blogs:
Largehearted Boy is a wonderful resource in the search for free music online. I'm amazed by the amount of free music this guy tracks down every day, and while not all of it is worth hearing, this Web site is a great way to start exploring.
My favorite of all the MP3 blogs is Lacunae, maintained by the excellent music critic Douglas Wolk. He posts songs from his collection of 7-inch records from the '80s and '90s, always getting permission from the original artist. The range of music he's drawing from is relatively small, but it's obscure stuff that I'd never encounter otherwise, and Wolk's comments on the tracks are always interesting and entertaining.
Note that both these blogs do fudge on legality a bit -- Largehearted Boy by posting many live tracks, Lacunae by getting permission from the artist but not the label -- but I think that ethics, if not the law, are on their side in those instances.
"You Can't Blame Me," Johnson, Hawkins, Tatum & Durr, from "Eccentric Soul: The Capsoul Label"
This song was recorded in 1971 for Capsoul, a small label based in Columbus, Ohio, by the awkwardly named Johnson, Hawkins, Tatum & Durr. (Capsoul's owner, Bill Moss, apparently thought it would roll off the tongue like Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young.) "You Can't Blame Me" was a regional hit, but soon after soon after its release the band split up, the label folded, and it was just another out-of-print 45, of interest only to collectors. That's unfortunate, because this is a spectacular song, of searing intensity. The moody introduction is beautifully orchestrated: first just the bass and a hollow, thumping drum sound, immediately joined by a whispery guitar; all three stop and the vibes player enters with a slightly out-of-time arpeggio that rings in the air as the band continues to play; then the backup singers join with an eerie "ooh"-ing, and then ... well, then Irving Johnson's lead vocal comes in, and that's when things get really amazing.
Johnson sounds young, a little inexperienced, sometimes nearly out of control -- as if he's not used to singing in a recording studio and is overcompensating for his discomfort by over-singing. But it's electrifying and frightening and strange, that voice, and the combination of strength and fear in it is quite astounding (think Janis Joplin). There's an especially thrilling moment when Johnson jumps unexpectedly into a phrase of tantalizing, perfectly clear falsetto -- this man had the makings of a star, but sadly, he only ever recorded a few songs.
Luckily we're able to hear this song now, thanks to a beautifully packaged compilation of 19 Capsoul singles by the Numero Group, my vote for the most exciting new label of the year. Numero was kind enough to allow Salon to host the song as a free download. I hope Salon readers will return the favor by visiting the label's Web page and perhaps buying the full CD, which is a gem. Salon Exclusive Free Download: "You Can't Blame Me"
