Lowrell - Mellow Mellow Right On 1979

AVI Records AVISL 108


This one goes back a few years and I must apologise for the cover coz it's a bit grubby.

Chicago's Lowrell Simon started out in The LaVondells in the 1960's. When the Vondells broke up, he formed The Lost Generation between 1969 and 1974. He went on to write many successful songs including All About the Paper for Loleatta Holloway in 1979.

In the late 1970's, Simon began recording under his first name. He signed to Liberace's label, AVI Records, and released an album in late 1979 entitled Lowrell. The album's second single, Mellow Mellow Right On was a #32 U.S. R&B hit and reached #37 in the UK Singles Chart in December 1979.

There's no great difference for the casual listener but I always played the Alternative Version. Although they are listed as Vocal and Instrumental tracks, the song is continuous on both sides. For this reason I have ripped in both formats, 4 songs and 2 songs, both of which have been added to the rar file. You can choose which to save and delete the other. The song has long since become an anthem and has been sampled by many, including by Massive Attack, Imagination and Common.

• Vocal
• Instrumental
• Alternative Vocal
• Alternative Instrumental

The Download Link is here: Download
Filename: Lowrell.rar Filesize: 94.97MB




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Posted By Mickey P. to The Soul Vendor on 7/07/2009 12:00:00 PM

Cashflow - Mine All Mine 1986

Club Records JABX 30

Larry Blackmon of Cameo relocated to Atlanta in the ’80s and got involved in music production. One of the groups he signed to his Atlanta Artists label was Ca$hflow.

They featured lead vocalist Kary Hubbert, backed by drummer Gaylord Parson, keyboardists James Duffie, and Regis Ferguson, and blended funk, rap, and urban contemporary music in a style very similar to Cameo.

Their debut LP, Ca$hflow, yielded one moderate hit, Mine All Mine, in 1986, which did fairly well internationally, especially in the clubs. It borrowed heavily from the Fatback Band classic, I Found Lovin' but was also a good enough song in it's own right to rise above the criticism.

The flip side featured another great song which became a funk floor favourite. Party Freak is another song that is heavily influenced by various songs. The rap section owes much to the Cameo classic, She's Strange, but then, since it's Larry Blackmon producing and it's his rap I guess it's OK. Party Freak is given the remix treatment by The Latin Rascals who are an 80's favourite of mine. Always lots of extra, added percussion.

It's Just A Dream should have been called It's A Nightmare. Really not my cup of tea, even if I were dieing of thirst?

• Mine All Mine
• Party Freak (Latin Rascals Edit)
• It's Just A Dream

The Download Link is here: Download
Filename: Cashflow.rar Filesize: 42.11 MB



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Posted By Mickey P. to The Soul Vendor on 7/05/2009 08:00:00 PM

Janet Jackson - Let's Wait Awhile 1987

Breakout Records USAT 601

Maintaining the Jackson connection, hey.... why not make the best of it? Miss Janet's Control album blew up big time and best part of the album went out on single releases with all the usual mixes on-board, Extended, Instrumental, Bonus Beats and the occasional Accappella. Let's Wait Awhile was rather twee in comparison (despite the remix) to all the dance floor killers that preceded it. The solution was to load the 12" with some 'in demand' Re-mixes of Nasty which had been a big hit on the floor in '86.

Janet Jackson sang the vocal on Herb Alpert's Diamonds and in return he laid down a bit of brass on the Cool Summer Mix of Nasty. Steve Hodge handled all the remixes for the Jam & Lewis production at Flyte Tyme studios. Enjoy!

• Let's Wait Awhile (Remix)
• Nasty (Cool Summer Mix Pt. 1)
• Nasty (Cool Summer Mix Pt. 2)

The Download Link is here: Download
Filename: Janet Jackson.rar Filesize: 48.99 MB

Dread Flimstone - From The Ghetto (Remixes) 1991

Urban Records URBXR 87

Kymba has told you all about Dread Flimstone and his sidekick, David Rubble, here so I'm not going to dwell on the text. This is the Remix 12" that followed shortly after. I agree with Kymba, there are lots of mixes and not much between them and with the Album Mix you hear the samples making sense but this is a good mix and for those that are open to a smooth 4x4 beat, it should be heard.

This version is remixed by Danny Tenaglia before he blew up. Tenaglia grew up with Motown/Philly in early '70s New York and spent time at Paradise Garage. He begun producing in the mid-'80s during his stay in Miami and hit the mainstream in 1993. This is not a lot different (again) from most of the Bastone mixes but I think it's smoother. Outside of the Album Mix all the mixes seem to be searching for something. This one doesn't, on a smooth 4x4 tip this is comfortable and complimetary. Try it, you'll like it.

• Dreadzone Mix
• Dreadzone Dub

The Download Link is here: Download
Filename: Dread Flimstone & The Modern Ton.rar Filesize: 28.34 MB

Fierce II Bonus 12" 1988

Cooltempo Records FCTLP-5

I got some more great 12"'s coming very soon but today, here's a quickie. This promo 12" came with the compilation, Fierce II, (the sequel to Fierce, of course) which contained all the hottest dance tracks. It sports a nice, unnecessary remix of I Know You Got Soul.

The Derek On Eric Remix, is created by South London's Derek B, who was a DJ on LWR 92.5 (my favourite local pirate) and also became a rap artist, releasing a reasonably credible album. Derek Boland produced a few remixes a couple of which you'll find on this blog.

This remix uses an interpolation of Stevie Wonder - Superstition but it's not a straight sample. Lots of classic 'Battlewax' samples thrown in (I think he used the same vinyl as Coldcut on Paid In Full) and it works.

Personally, I thought Tyka Nelson sucked. The chorus ain't too bad but by the time you've reached it.... you don't really give a damn?

• Eric B & Rakim - I Know You Got Soul (The Derek On Eric Remix)
• Tyka Nelson - This Girl's Gonna Fall In Love

The Download Link is here: Download
Filename: Fierce II.rar Filesize: 21.16 MB

SWV - Right Here 1993

RCA Records 74321-16048-2

Following on from the Michael Jackson memoriam post, I thought it was a good connection. The breakthrough hit for SWV was the smooth 1992 release, Right Here, this was soon to be followed up with I'm So Into You, establishing the trio as a commercial force early in 1993.

Then came two number one R&B singles in a row: Weak (which I can't find) and Right Here: The Human Nature Mixes. Stating the obvious I know but it's a remix of their first single that features samples of Human Nature from Michael Jackson's 1982 epic album Thriller. It's a simple remix, SIIS style beats with MJ harmonising on the chorus, but it turned the track into an absolute monster and it became an international success.

With eight mixes to choose from and no turkeys to speak of, this is a healthy release! On the downside, the commercial success of the Human Nature Radio Mix was so effective that you probably don't need to hear it again, ever. That of course, is not an option because it will be played on national radio everyday. You're bound to hear it somewhere.

That said, I ask you to listen, at least once, to the Funkyman 12" and dig the ruffness. Great scratching and boombox beats, you know it's good. Other enjoyable mixes for me are the UK Back To Black Mix and my ultimate Quiet Storm Mix.

• Human Nature Radio Mix
• Back To Nature Mix
• UK Back To Black Mix
• Quiet Storm Mix
• Funkyman 12"
• G-Man 12"
• Smooth Bam Jam Mix
• Original LP Mix

The Download Link is here: Download
Filename: SWV.rar Filesize: 92.44 MB

Darkman - Who's The Darkman 1994

Wildcard Records, CARDD8 853489-2

Well, it's heatwave time again, and I've now completed my course (I'm now a fully certified practitioner of hypnotherapy), so it's high time I started contributing to the best damn blog on the net again - I'm reminded of a certain Rakim lyric "it's been a long time, I shouldn't've left you, without a dope rhyme to step to"...

...Aaaanyway...

Today's prime cut I'm serving up is Darkman's follow-on single to Yabba Dabba Doo, which you can find elsewhere on this site - "earth gyrl" had posted in the comments section she'd like to see this one posted, so, this one's for you, gyrl!

Who's The Darkman was a nice follow-up single, but didn't make as big a splash as Yabba Dabba did. However, it's still a great sounding funky track (despite the overly loose rapping style at times), and will sound dope played at volume from your car speakers - please tell me I'm not the only one who's been burning Soul Vendor posts to CD to play in my car??

I like both mixes of this track, and find it hard to pick between them. I think the Shine Mix just edges it, but it kinda depends on my mood. Wicked isn't a bad song, but you'll really be wanting the title track.

Anyway, I don't think there were any more releases from Worldwide, the album that accompanied this and Yabba Dabba, but, regardless, the two that were released are HEAVY!

Take care, lovely people!

- Kymba :)

• Who's The Darkman? (Power Lab 7")
• Who's The Darkman? (Shine Mix)
• Wicked (Ghetto Lab Mix)
• Wicked (Power Lab Mix)

The Download Link is here: Download
Filename: Who's The Darkman.zip File size: 21.3 MB