Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

If you’re pissed about Biden’s speech, he was talking about you.

Roe isn’t about choice, it’s about freedom.

🎶 Those boots were made for mockin’ 🎵

Let there be snark.

You don’t get to peddle hatred on saturday and offer condolences on sunday.

All your base are belong to Tunch.

I’m pretty sure there’s only one Jack Smith.

Putting aside our relentless self-interest because the moral imperative is crystal clear.

Their freedom requires your slavery.

Authoritarian republicans are opposed to freedom for the rest of us.

Republicans are the party of chaos and catastrophe.

Everybody saw this coming.

Speaking of republicans, is there a way for a political party to declare intellectual bankruptcy?

This fight is for everything.

Infrastructure week. at last.

I’d hate to be the candidate who lost to this guy.

Anyone who bans teaching American history has no right to shape America’s future.

When do we start airlifting the women and children out of Texas?

Tick tock motherfuckers!

A Senator Walker would also be an insult to reason, rationality, and decency.

The party of Reagan has become the party of Putin.

Within six months Twitter will be fully self-driving.

Why is it so hard for them to condemn hate?

Impressively dumb. Congratulations.

You are here: Home / Music / Real World Records

Real World Records

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Just curious if any of you ever listen to any of the offerings from Real World Records or Water Lily Acoustics? I got turned on to them- sheesh, has to be closing in on twenty years ago, I guess, when I heard Passion Sources by Peter Gabriel. From there I just branched out and picked up a bunch of other stuff I really like- Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, who most of you probably know from the soundtrack to Dead Man Walking, Sheila Chandra, the Drummers of Burundi, and a host of others.

No real reason I mention them, just I was out of podcasts for my morning walk and some Real World stuff came up on my shuffle, and I realized we hadn’t ever talked about that before.

Reader Interactions

55Comments

  2. 2.

    burnspbesq

    Oh, yes. "A Meeting by the River," Ry Cooder and Viishna Mohan Bhatt (pretty sure I misspelled that). Stunningly good stuff.

    When I was in NY earlier this week to meet with some folks from my new employer, I walked past Carnegie Hall and saw a poster for a concert later this month featuring Bela Fleck, Edgar Meyer, and Zakir Hussain. That should be pretty epic.

  3. 3.

    burnspbesq

    Yesterday was the last day at the old place. Start at the new place on Monday. Boy, does it feel good to be liberated from that Fucking Blackberry, even if for only two days.

  4. 4.

    Ned R.

    Yeah, both Passion and Passion Sources were very much flashpoint records for a LOT of folks my age. I remember at the time there was a lot of talk about what Paul Simon and David Byrne were doing with ‘world’ influences — and neither of those performers are particular favorites of mine, shall we say — but I think Gabriel had a more participatory and inclusive sense of what to be drawing on and celebrating. I remember seeing The Last Temptation of Christ in the theater and waiting forever for the soundtrack to come out because I was so taken by it — haven’t watched the movie since and don’t want to or need to, the album stands on its own, and Passion Sources takes it to the next level again.

    This said, Real World doesn’t delve as much into full on fissive pop fusion and recombination as much as I would like or expect, though admittedly this isn’t their goal per se — I could go on about this elsewhere (and have) but it’s worth remembering something Gabriel himself has noting, that ‘world music’ means everything and that Western pop forms, technology, etc. have been in the mix all at the same time, even more so now. Someone like, say, MIA ("Paper Planes" etc.) reflects this all the more these days, and everything from baile funk to reggaeton to god knows what else is out there will further unpack and recombine approaches along with whatever else is next.

    I also highly recommend the folks at the Sublime Frequencies label, who have released a slew of self-compiled CDs and DVDs documenting a massive amount of recent and present performances all over the world by a wide range of groups and musicians. Hisham Mayet’s work in Africa in particular has been striking — it’s usually just been him, his camera and his interest in roaming all over the place — and I strongly recommend searching the albums they’ve released by Group Doueh and Group Bombino, among others. Then elsewhere there’s Konono No1 and Tinariwen and…

  5. 5.

    Ejoiner

    "The Passion" by Peter Gabriel is one of the most beautiful (and influential) music pieces of the past several decades – especially concerning soundtrack styles. Love it, love it, love it.

  6. 6.

    srv

    Hah. I never knew there was a Passion Sources to Passion. Win!

    Always a djembe fan. Miss ya, Babatunde.

    Got to see Anoushka Shankar and Karsh Kale a few years ago. Unlike most music genres, there’s lots of interesting old and new.

  8. 8.

    Cain

    I have bought Sheila Chandra and Nusrat Fateh Alik Khan. Of the two, I like Nusrat a lot better. Qaawli music is pretty neat. If you like that, I might suggest you listen to some south indian traditional (read religious) music as well since you seem to be sensitive to voice/tonal patterns. If you got last.fm or something, please try:

    M.S. Subbulakshmi

    The woman is fantastic and can sing in hindi, tamil and sanskrit. My favorite is "Baja Govindam" which holds a particular connection for me since my grandmother would sing it often. I’m not big other singers but it’s probably a matter of getting used them since each voice is different. But I know personally this artist:

    Shashank if you’re interested in flute music based on the vocals. This guy is awesome. He’s a family friend but he gives recitals in this country often. If you’re looking to wind down this is pretty good stuff. Of course, the U.S. has their own awesome flutist Charles Nakai, a native indian guy I saw in a concert. He draws pictures (in your head) with his flute.

    cain

  9. 9.

    Davis X. Machina

    "A Meeting by the River," Ry Cooder and Vishwa Mohan Bhatt (pretty sure I misspelled that). Stunningly good stuff.

    Cooder & Bhatt’s "Isa Lei" off that album is the single greatest piece of recorded music, in any genre, ever.

  10. 10.

    Bad Horse's Filly

    Totally OT: I rarely noticed the old PJ media ads, but am loving the fact that right now I’m looking at Laura W’s beautiful art work (and cat), a Turbo Tax Harlequin Great Dane and some orange eyed tabby. Add the furminator and we’ve got an entire pet-themed ad campaign going. Obviously Tunch has taken over the site from John.

  11. 11.

    Laura W

    @Bad Horse’s Filly: Hey! Thanks. My ads expire in an hour so I’ll put up a different one. Was just thinking about you, speaking of iPod shuffles on walks. I just had a great hard walk with NO soreness anywhere. I am shocked.
    Caught your post on the open thread this morning. I am shocked that you can run on those things! I’ll take days off in between to be sure I don’t blow out a knee cuz if I did and couldn’t get out for my mental health walk daily, I’d be (more) insane.

    So this came on my shuffle and I can’t wait to Jump to it.

    Edit: What’s cool about the Project Wonderful ads running right now is that all three are "support handmade art and artists" related.

  13. 13.

    Bad Horse's Filly

    @Laura W: Well if we’re jumping to disco how about some luck?

    I’m taking the day off. Cooking an orange glazed turkey, aspargus, roasted fingerling potatoes. Company coming, wonder if they’ll all want to try on my jumps?

  14. 14.

    Just Some Fuckhead

    I’m having the second worst day of my life but I did get some of the torn screens changed in the screen porch and all of the weeds pulled in the backyard. Looks like it’s gonna rain here which sucks because I really need to mow.

  15. 15.

    Just Some Fuckhead

    Fucking cat snuck in the house with a live bird which is a lot more trouble than a dead bird. Cats earn my enduring hostility.

  17. 17.

    dr. bloor

    Yeah, both Passion and Passion Sources were very much flashpoint records for a LOT of folks my age. I remember at the time there was a lot of talk about what Paul Simon and David Byrne were doing with ‘world’ influences—and neither of those performers are particular favorites of mine, shall we say—but I think Gabriel had a more participatory and inclusive sense of what to be drawing on and celebrating.

    I seem to recall Simon and Byrne getting both more ink and more criticism at the time, the latter never making much sense to me because I thought they were just pursuing and using the music in different ways than did Gabriel. I liked them all, each for what they were doing.

    I also liked Ry Cooder’s work with Ali Farka Toure. Cooder, of course, also had a hand in the Buena Vista Social Club project, which also led me to a bunch of superb Afro-Cuban stuff with Ibrahim Ferrer, Juan de Marcos Gonzalez, et al.

  20. 20.

    South of I-10

    John, if you are a world music fan, you should really try to go to Festival International de Louisiane. I have seen a few of the artists listed on the Real World Records site at the Festival. The Drummers of Burundi were amazing. It looks like Dengue Fever is playing this year, I am going to try and catch their set, they sound interesting. Festival starts April 22, KRVS usually does a live broadcast from the main stage starting on Thurs. or Fri, you could listen online. I know I was pimping Festival the other day, but it really fits with this post.

  21. 21.

    cyntax

    OT but the FDIC asked for public comments on TARP and PPIP; I think they got Swifted on this one (Jonathan that is):

    From: Benjamin N. Dover III [mailto:[email protected]]
    Sent: Sunday, April 05, 2009 3:48 PM
    To: LLPComments
    Subject: Legacy Loans Program
    Ms. Bair:
    I’m confident that I speak for most Americans when I note that the proposed PPIP is grossly unfair to the banks, investors and asset managers. This sweetheart deal for taxpayers would penalize banks for finding themselves in an unforeseeable predicament for which they bear no responsibility. It would also require selfless investors and asset managers to bear an unconscionable portion of the risk in return for minimal reward. If we’re going to get through this crisis, everyone’s going to have pitch in and sacrifice — and that includes the taxpayer.

    There’s a whole lot more snark after the link.

  22. 22.

    Gordorn, The Big Express Engine

    I’ll give a shout out to Bloodshot Records. Here is the link with the artists.

    They are a Chicago indie label that always puts on a great showcase at South by Southwest. The Waco Brothers always close the showcase and bring the house down. Scott Biram really kicks ass as well.

    "How can I be so thirsty today, when I had so much to drink last night…?" – The Meat Purveyors

  23. 23.

    Ned R.

    Ha, I was just writing up a review on Dengue Fever! Great band, and this new documentary that they’ve released is a treat. Everyone here should check ’em out.

  25. 25.

    dr. bloor

    @cyntax:

    Yes, I think of my good friend "Ben Dover" every time I open my retirement fund statements these days…

  26. 26.

    South of I-10

    @Ned R.: That’s funny. Looks like they are playing a set on Saturday and Sunday, so I will definitely try to catch one of those. By they way do you know anything about Rachid Taha? He is the Saturday night headliner at the main stage.

  32. 32.

    *

    There’s some good stuff on Real World but it’s largely over-produced dreck. Most great "world" music is long out of print and available on vinyl only, although there are some contemporary labels doing a good job at compiling it.

  33. 33.

    Indianbadger

    If you liked "A meeting by the River", you will also probably like Rudresh Mahanthappa’s collaboration with Kadri Gopinath called "Kinsmen". Jazz/Carnatic fusion of the highest order.

  34. 34.

    Roger

    Worth mentioning Putumayo (www.putumayo.com)… a very nice way to get samplers of a wide variety of regional styles… Some CDs are kid oriented… which is nice too.

    Another thing to check out is the World Music program that plays on Link TV (linktv.org)… it’s half an hour of videos from around the world – they play several segments a week. In the U.S., it’s DirecTV channel 375 and Dish channel 9410.

  35. 35.

    Mark Gisleson

    If you like Real World, definitely grab anything from the Rough Guide series. And if you’re looking to explore Ethiopian music, the Ethiopique series is highly recommended.

  36. 36.

    dr. bloor

    @*:

    Most great "world" music is long out of print and available on vinyl only,

    Care to elaborate on what you mean by this? Cuz if it’s the "all the good stuff has been done, and you can’t hear it anymore" argument, I disagree.

  37. 37.

    Steve Balboni

    I have a modest hi-fi system and taped Phish for about 12 years so Water Lilly is right up my alley. Great stuff, glad to see them getting some pub on here.

  39. 39.

    burnspbesq

    Fwiw, just got back from the local Barnes & Noble. All Real World titles 20 percent off. Don’t know whether it’s unique to that store (Fascist Island in Newporsche Beach).

  43. 43.

    Comrade Baron Elmo

    For my money, the most amazing world music compilations are the ones that reach back to the early days of recorded sound. These were discs cut on portable machines by intrepid explorers scouring the globe for new and exotic styles, sent by big record labels like Columbia, EMI and RCA Victor, who used the lure of these unheard-outside-the-village sounds to persuade your great-grandparents to shell out for a record player. An Iowa farmer of the Thirties could, with the help of a catalog, immerse himself in the seductive strains of the Senegalese kora, or nod out to the soothing tones of Javanese gamelan.

    Years later, several American labels have taken on the happy task of rendering these sounds of yore into the digital realm, and they sound fucking incredible. I especially recommend the CDs that mix different styles from all over the world, including some that have all but ceased to exist. Like these:

    The Secret Museum of Mankind (Yazoo): Eight volumes, each one a gem. Four of them span the globe, four examine specific regions in detail. Excellent liner notes.

    Black Mirror – Reflections in Global Musics (Dust to Digital): Picks up where the Secret Museum left off.

    Victrola Favorites (Dust to Digital): More of a celebration of the record player, so some American music is included. Every track is awesome, though, and the accompanying book is to die for.

    Sprigs Of Time: 78s From The EMI Archive (Honest Jon’s): Includes a track from 1946 with a young Ruben Gonzalez on lead vocals.

    For me, the real fun is to put one of these on and try to identify the geographic origin of each track without peeking at the CD booklet or tray card. You will be stunned at just how far wrong you can go. (My favorite personal goof was identifying an Irish piece as hailing from Northern Africa.)

  44. 44.

    *

    Care to elaborate on what you mean by this? Cuz if it’s the "all the good stuff has been done, and you can’t hear it anymore" argument, I disagree.

    No, it’s not that at all — just that there is a vast world of music beyond what’s available on itunes or even on CD. Most recorded music from the 20th century is out of print and largely unavailable, because record companies have it locked in their vaults and don’t care about anything that isn’t bringing in the big money. Also, "world music" that is commercially, widely available in the US tends to be stuff that is produced more for Western/US ears than for local consumption. Some other commenters have made some great suggestions. The Ethiopiques series is fantastic; everything on Dust-to-Digital; the Sublime Frequencies label has some interesting releases; Mississippi Records in Portland has put out some great vinyl bootlegs of otherwise unavailable stuff; Academy Records in NYC has started licensing records from EMI Nigeria; Folkways records are still available on CDR from the Smithsonian; etc.

  45. 45.

    cain

    @Indianbadger:

    If you liked "A meeting by the River", you will also probably like Rudresh Mahanthappa’s collaboration with Kadri Gopinath called "Kinsmen". Jazz/Carnatic fusion of the highest order.

    OOO.. must try! BTW I sometimes go to magnatune for some of my world music. Good stuff.

    sri

  46. 46.

    cain

    @OriGuy:

    @Cain: If you like Nusrat, check out Simon Shaheen, a Paletinian. I saw him a few years ago at Stanford and was blown away.

    Cool, I will!

    sri

  47. 47.

    anticontrarian

    still got a copy of the drummers of burundi lying around somewhere. haven’t listened to it in ages, but i remember buying it back when i was in college. had some crazy sex to that shit. highly recommend it.

  48. 48.

    m.croche

    "If you like Nusrat"….

    … I would suggest checking out Azerbaijan’s Alim Qasimov, who has an equally remarkable set of lungs.

  50. 50.

    Fulcanelli

    @Bad Horse’s Filly: Absolutely, the Italian girls have it goin’ on. Dark hair, olive skin, Oy….

    @John Cole: Agreed. I have a live 2CD set of him supposedly recorded not long before he passed that will induce a trance state if you have a pulse.

    And BTW John, I’ve been looking for where to get the Afro Celt Sound System stuff and I just followed your link above to Real World and just ordered "POD" their recent disc of remixes. I eat that stuff up. Thanx.

    Anybody ever listen to King Sunny Ade? Groove central…

  52. 52.

    cain

    I like Bhimson Joshi, but I’m partial to south indian music classical more than hindustani. Perhaps just my background.

    cain

  54. 54.

    itsbenj

    yes, I really love a lot of the Water Lilly Acoustics stuff – everything with VM Bhatt, who is a genius. I didn’t really go for the Taj Mahal one, but just a matter of taste I’m sure.

    the ‘Bourbon & Rosewater’ one, and the ‘Tabula Rasa’ one with Bela Fleck, along with the Ry Cooder disc – these are ALL the best, totally amazing, everyone should have all of them.

  55. 55.

    itsbenj

    I used to have this one Nusrat disc, I forget what the hell it was called. It was ALL singing and drumming, no other instrumentation. It was long as hell but only 4 tracks. Wish I had a better description. Standout track was ‘Juleh La’ I believe…also amazing stuff. Voice louder than Kurt Cobain’s and prettier than Smokey Robinson’s…

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