DJ Alex Corton – Vinyl Reviews

Good Looking Records 

Big Bud – Late Night Blues

2001

Part two of our focus on Big Bud’s second album on Good Looking Records, features the next plate in the package. 

   I hope everyone had a joyous and satisfying weekend, and you found time to cherish the music along the way? 

    Today we hit plate 3 which I was originally going to review with the last plate too. As there are 4 tracks on the last record though, I thought it best to review these two tunes today and then end with the last 4 tunes tomorrow. It spaces things out a little more which allows you to soak in the Big Bud bath of musical brilliance. My fingers get a brief rest typing too. 

   ‘Mombasa’ on Side E, is named from the southern Kenyan town that must have held a special place with Robin. Everything in this tune is extracted from the African, Indian and Arabic influences, blending the cultural landscapes of land and sea in a vibrant and diverse way. It’s unlike anything Big Bud had delivered, knocking out a house tempo in a purely acoustic style, pushing the rhythm and blues into the spiritual, tribal dance. The congas are brilliantly talked by Ali Gudgeon and Alex Orba is back on flute. Sometimes you get a tune that just bursts the mold of ideas from an artist. This is one of them. 

   On Side F is vocalist Paul Gordon who we featured in last week’s review of ‘A Way Of Life’ from Infinity + Infinity. Here he sits on a more prominent vocal tune with Robin for this groovy move into a house tune called ‘All Over The World’. Personally, I find the tune a little too fast, but it’s got a real grab and go element. Having been through the many styles that Big Bud could produce, from his Dub, Down tempo, and Drum and Bass, it’s the notch of house on his belt of work that only strengthens his catalogue of abilities. If you’re going to look for an album with a bit of everything on Good Looking, and you’ve caned the shit out the Earth albums, then this album will fit your needs, mighty well.

   The last plate on this album we reach tomorrow and then we move onto the next artist album. I have a blog of the Good Looking Records catalogue so far, incase you fancy diving back into the 12” singles. I hope you enjoy perusing it.