Shakespeare in Dub: Transmission 30, 2013 May 04

This week's highlights include Lady Catharsis smacking the stuffing out of two belt-high fastballs with a pair of "dreary" selections, one from the 1/4-Welsh Velvet Underground and another from the fully-Welsh Tom Jones, as well as a host of new tunes, several of which also happen to come from Wales. It just transpired that way. Bombast does not focus on "international" music, or on "obscure" music--it just works out that much of the music I like is under-appreciated stuff from all over the place. This week marked one of those happy confluences of events: I finally "found" a record that had been on my radar (Y Record Las, released on Recordiau Lliwgar) and Neon Neon released a new album, prompting me to do something I'd been meaning to do, which was to give old favorites Llwybr Llaethog their turn under the "Physical Evidence" microscope. As much as I would like to tell you a story about "Da!" that involves difficulty of acquisition, failed romance, or some similar adventure, I don't have any particular memories about this record. I've simply owned it for 25 years [or whatever it is], and consider it one of the treasures of my collection. It doesn't take me back to a moment in time, because Llwybr Llaethog never really had a "moment." I guess you could say there was a brief period when various parties--Side Effects Records, ROIR, the "Funky Alternatives" people--thought maybe there was some interest in what Llwybr Llaethog were doing, but if it ever translated into "success" for the band, I missed it. While other people must own Llwybr Llaethog records, I have never met one. I'm not boasting about that, merely stating a fact. Bombast isn't really about how awesome my record collection is [okay, maybe it is a bit]; it is meant to give exposure to great music you're not likely to hear in other places. When is the last time you heard Llwybr Llaethog on the radio? Exactly. Now you can consider yourself a dabbler in Welsh industrial/dub/hip-hop music. This is some good science to drop at your next cocktail party. Don't thank me, it's my pleasure. Oh, and in other news, the people at Soundway dropped another absolute bombshell this week, the "Kenya Special" collection. We will definitely hear more from that later. If only Google Translate offered "Bantu" as an option. BOMBAST playlist, 2013 May 04, 1500-1700:

1. Afro 70: "Afrousa - Move On" [Soundway]
2. Ymarfer Corff: "Hi Yw'r Haul" [Recordiau Lliwgar]
3. The Lulus Band: "Mutumia Muriu" [Soundway]
4. Llwybr Llaethog: "Ai Bod" [Side Effects] / "Physical Evidence"
5. Cheick Hamala Diabate: "Prudence (Jon Kennedy Mix)" [Electric Cowbell]
6. Ifan Dafydd and Alys Williams: "Celwydd" [Recordiau Lliwgar]
7. Tom Jones: "Delilah" [Parrot / Decca] / "Listening Parlour"
8. Born Losers: "Mindwaves" [Mean Disposition]
9. Seekae: "Ultraviolence" [Mojo Magazine]
10. Dur-Dur Band: "Aada Fududey Iga Ahow" [Awesome Tapes from Africa]
11. Llwybr Llaethog with Rufus Mufasa: "Rhagfarn" [Recordiau Lliwgar]
12. Section 25: "Program for Light (Outernationale Mix)" [Factory Benelux]
13. Ital Tek: "Re Entry" [Civil Music]
14. Lord Kitchener: "Kitch's Mambo Calypso" [Honest Jon's]
15. Fela Kuti and Africa 70: "Monkey Banana" [Knitting Factory Records]
16. Neon Neon: "Praxis Makes Perfect" [Lex]
17. Llwybr Llaethog: "Cyfundrefn Gyfalafol" [Side Effects] / "Physical Evidence"
18. The Mombasa Vikings: "Kibe Kibe" [Soundway]
19. Dub Spencer & Trance Hill: "Armagideon Time" [Echo Beach]
20. The Velvet Underground: "Black Angel's Death Song" [Verve] / "Listening Parlour"
21. H. Hawkline: "Cric Yn Y Cymlau" [Recordiau Lliwgar]
22. The Men: "Bird Song" [Sacred Bones]
23. Llwybr Llaethog: "Megamics" [Side Effects] / "Physical Evidence"

Next time: a special "pre" Mother's Day piece of Physical Evidence. Enjoy the music! --kid catharsis