Love Comes Dressed In Black

Blackrock “Yeah Yeah” – This is a selection from the out-of-print Chains + Black Exhaust bootleg compilation, a collection of extremely rare black psychedelic/r+b/funk recordings from the late 60s and early 70s curated by a group of mysterious DJs called Memphix. The compilation is easily one of the most frustrating releases in recent years, as the actual packaging includes no information whatsoever aside from the word Jones, which is apparently an entirely fictitious label name. The very title of the compilation is theoretical. Thanks to the detective work of others, I’m lucky enough to know the names of the songs and artists on the record, but that’s about it. This particular track is rather stunning in its grace, with its stately piano, low-key funk, and elegant, soulful guitar solos. If you’re a fan of Hendrix or early Parliament, you’re probably going to adore this.

Stazi “Love Is Lethal” – Similarly, if you’re fond of 80s synthpop approximations of “Northern Soul” and Motown (think: Soft Cell, Erasure, Naked Eyes), this Stazi song will probably do the trick. I’ve been a big fan of this song for several months now, but I only recently realized that I’ve never actually posted it here, though it oftens seems to me that I have. In my little world, this song is already a classic. (Click here to buy it from Juno.)