DJ Alex Corton – Vinyl Reviews

Good Looking Records

Big Bud – Late Night Blues

2001

We end the week with the start of the follow up album to ‘Infinity + Infinity’ from one of Good Looking’s stalwart artists, Big Bud. To have albums back to back in the space of a year or so, just confirms how prolific and busy Robin was at this time. This album takes us slightly away from the deep emotional pads and releases Robin’s diversity and ability to mesh the live jazz orientations within his work. 

   I also managed to have the advertising sticker to plop inside the outer plastic sleeve, so a big shout to David Stock for getting that to me.

   Artwork for this album, gives credit to that man again, Nick Purser. He provides this incredible collage of shots of Robin on the banks of this lakeside backdrop. The other side of the sleeve has a mock up poster, advertising this album as a live show. One that I feel would have been something incredible to witness if it were to happen. Weldon Irvine is the name blocked by the “Sold Out” sign on that poster. The colours used are so beautiful on this too. You can almost smell the jazz club just looking at them! 

   Please let us know any stories that you have on this one Nick. 

   We will review the first two discs today as we cover 4 tracks. The other two discs I will review at the start of next week. Writing up albums always takes a bit more time and with the next few weeks lined up with them, I’ll do my best to keep it flowing. There is one album which didn’t get a vinyl release, but we’ll just make it an interlude of a day as I do want to go over some of the tracks still. 

   Plate 1 has ‘Bluegrass’ on Side A, or ‘Blugrass’ on the label and inner sleeve. Robin takes the colossus of the atmospherics and manages to blend in the roots of blues, jazz and folk to capture a traditional, rapid strumming essence of the Bluegrass style within this tune. It mixes that old world folklore acoustic with some of Big Bud’s best era of music. The rolling beats and trance state of mind that the bass drops you into, lay the bed for the dreams to follow. Big Bud uses the sweet acoustic string loop with the tempo that matches the song title, putting little snippets and reverses here and there. 

   At just over 10 minutes in length it doesn’t piss around with a smack in the face, rather the building and nurturing of a soul filing experience. Just like we used to know. Let this one bleed into your mind and rest assured you’ll feel 100 times better than before you listened to this. The rise into this track, the volume of pleasure within and descent out, portray a wonderful story telling through sound. 

   On Side B is the wonderful ‘Hypnosis’ entering with a punchy beat, almost unrelated to the sounds Big Bud usually provides. It makes sense though as the encroaching pads rise like the steam off the cold water surface in the morning sun. Once the bass arrives, the rush of force takes hold in ways that send ultra sensual shock waves to your inner core. ‘Hypnosis’ unravels the subconscious memories and dreams, channeling your fears, your desires and your capabilities into a trench of filtered chapters to piece together. Once you awaken from the music, the mind and body returns with a fresh and pure perspective on the life that surrounds you. Big Bud presses all the buttons here. Mesmerizing, infectious and beautiful. 

   Plate 2 gives us two incredible pieces of music. Side A has ‘Listen’ taking us through the washing and swaying reeds of the estuary, providing a bongo lined percussion and tribal rhythm, backed with snares. The first breakdown casts the first gust of fiery warmth. This piece of music showcases another of Big Bud’s focus on the deepest concentration within the music. The volume is turned way up on this and the sounds, balance and production is just fucking unreal. If you ever feel like your missing the soundtrack to that solitary voyage into the abyss, that soaring push in the jet steams of high altitude, or the escape into the dead silent asteroid belts of distant planetary systems, it’s all within this tune. Let the tune fill your escape and let me know how you feel after. 

  Last up on Plate 2 is ‘Spacedub’ flexing the slightly different intro of high pitched beats. Thermals of voluminous pads soak through the membrane and the strands of Big Bud’s talents roll into your life. The little space beeps and pin point sounds have this ASC sound (before ASC had the sound to be honest). The alien language and communications of bass hit sound molecules out onto a maze of high octane, pac-man chasing chaos, taking the whole platform of music from a static, flat slab of movement and unfolding into a multi dimensional world of possibilities. When you realize just how intense and powerful this tune is, it’s only then you realize that your listening to an album with some of the most mind expanding and immersive sounds, that this music has ever given us. Robin had started the new decade like he had ended the last, with an impact that would be forever remembered. 

  Ending the week with half this album reviewed only wets the beak more for the continuation next week. Incredible music that I’ll always cherish to the core. Have a superb weekend and thanks for being on board! 

  My blog is here, featuring the journey through Good Looking Records so far. Plenty more to add and I’m sure we’ll attach Looking Good Records and eventually go back into 720 Degrees, Ascendent Grooves, Diverse, Blue, Cookin’, Deep Rooted and then also swing in Nexus. I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoy putting these together.