Robert Christgau's Music Criticism Blog - Expert Witness - MSN Music

Karantamba/Rolling Stones

Rocking the Vaults

By Xgau Mar 13, 2012 6:37AM
 

Karantamba: Ndigal (Teranga Beat)

Gambian guitarist Bai Janha is best known as the leader of Guelewar, whose murky 2011-reissued Halleli N'Dakarou is slotted "psych" because some striver scored himself an organ. Much better this previously unreleased testament of Janha's last band, recorded in 1984 by the Malian-Danish bassist Moussa Diallo during Karantamba's residence at his club in Thiès, 35 miles east of Dakar. The personnel are unidentified young proteges of Janha who I surmise are mostly Senegalese, because no matter what Janha does or doesn't call it, these kids are playing some kind of mbalax‑-Islamic singing over sabar drums rattling away, horns adding sour decoration and commentary, Janha wailing. There was only one Étoile de Dakar. But this is a find, well-rehearsed yet bold and untamed. A MINUS

 

The Rolling Stones: Some Girls: Deluxe Edition (Universal Republic)

A major album, you knew that. But my grade is for the bonus disc, which‑-as I'd never have guessed after those drab Exile extras‑- has dibs on major as well. It outstrips not just It's Only Rock 'n Roll and Goats Head Soup but Tattoo You and probably Emotional Rescue (which several advisors insist I revisit). Where the regular album is musically quirky and lyrically either risky ("Some Girls," "Far Away Eyes") or generalized ("Respectable," "Beast of Burden," damn right "When the Whip Comes Down"), the bonus disc is musically classic-Stones and lyrically small-scale, including NYC specifics that warm my heart. Beginning with the Stu-does-Jerry-Lee bootleg fave "Claudine" and ending with the atypically near-political "Petrol Blues," its star player is a horny guy who just got divorced‑-a familiar character the classic Stones were made for. Mick's Hank Williams cover trumps Keith's Waylon Jennings cover. His Freddy Cannon cover trumps them both. A MINUS

 

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171Comments
sharpsm
Mar 13, 2012 7:06PM
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Bonus discs suck, as a rule, but I kind of like the 2nd disc of the Band's Rock Of Ages reissue. It features a handful of unreleased performances from the same series of concerts, which are no big deal, but also the complete unannounced Bob Dylan performance that climaxed the last concert--as loose and chaotic and unrehearsed as the Band ever got when the tapes were rolling (real unrehearsed; apparently Dylan refused to work anything up beforehand, and no one had any idea what the next song was until Bob started playing it).

JY49NY
Mar 13, 2012 7:04PM
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I didn't realize there was a 2-CD Sweetheart.  I own the 1997 reissue with the GP vocals which is great.  Another great reissue with bonus tracks:  Big Youth's Screaming Target which includes the original reggae tracks that BY toasts over on his album proper.  Lotsa Gregory Isaacs it turns out.  Plus The Who Sell Out.  In general, the bonus tracks on The Who and Sly reissues are more than tolerable.  I found the bonus tracks on the Dead reissues (Rhino of course) to be excellent.  The Aretha reissues and Ray Charles Sweet & Sour Tears on Rhino has excellent bonus tracks.  The Dramarama reissues on Rhino has OK extras.  Bob Marley reissues on Tuff Gong has great bonus tracks.  
Bradley Sroka
Mar 13, 2012 6:54PM
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I second the James Brown (EDIT: and Murmur! Great live concert on that one!), and want to recommend against purchasing the deluxe Paid in Full and Bob Marley's Legend. The expanded Paid has the "Paid in Full" remix, but you can get that elsewhere now--it's otherwise not particularly compelling. An Amazon customer review pushed me to buy the expanded Legend, claiming the 12" remixes included were essential. I personally don't find them interesting--not sure what he or she heard in them and would love some further commentary. Or a refund. Concerning the Sweetheart of the Rodeo deluxe, the earlier single-CD reissue includes the Parsons vocals as bonus tracks as well. Over and out.
Ryan Maffei
Mar 13, 2012 6:54PM
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The Go-Betweens bonus discs (all now another out-of-print part of CD culture) are erratic, though Xgau's admiration of Spring Hill Fair's has echoes throughout this community. But the 16 Lovers Lane appendix is amazing, with a complete set of their sweetest patch of B-sides and a few savvy dashes of color (a track from the last gig wherein Amanda is called out by name, an acoustic cover of songwriter's fave "You're a Big Girl Now" at a bookshop with Amanda present, the "single version" of "Love Goes On!" with its awkward and misguided bass 'n' drums volume boost...).
Semi Mike (ShadyShack)
Mar 13, 2012 6:37PM
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Joey- These are the bonus discs that I currently own with an eye on the Some Girls and some others. In no particular pecking order I love all of these:
1. The Allman Brothers- At Fillmore East expanded original live material with the original mixes restored, which includes parts that were added to Eat a Peach if I'm not mistaken.
2. Lynyrd Skynyrd- One More From the Road- Original concert running order restored. Added unreleased songs. Allen Collins Free Bird intro restored. Cameron Crowe's liner notes.
3. R.E.M.- Murmur- Added disc includes a complete and energetic live show from Larry's Hideaway  Toronto,1983.
4. SY- Daydream Nation- A masterpiece plus a live show of that masterpiece equals eargasm!!!
5. SY- Dirty- Lots of extras , demo's, B-sides.
6. Pavement- Slanted & Enchanted Luxe and Reduxe- Words can't describe the extras here. Pretty much their entire output pre CRCR.
7. Pavement- CRCR- lots of extras and demos from these sessions. Like Xgau said for the Pavement completists, I yam what I yam  and that's all that I yam.

Michael Tatum
Mar 13, 2012 6:36PM
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I love the Legacy 2-CD Sweetheart of the Rodeo.  The second disc is inessential, but the first CD has the Parsons lead vocals (originally on the box set) for "One Hundred Years," "Christian Life," and "You Don't Miss Your Water."  Absolutely fantastic, but I'm biased, in the sense that it was those three songs that turned country music into one of my passions.  When I listen to that record, I program the Gram versions in and the McGuinn versions out.  What a great singer.
Joey Daniewicz
Mar 13, 2012 5:38PM
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Guys, I've only ever really investigated the original studio albums, so I've missed a lot in this arena: What would you say are the most essential bonus discs out there?
Jimishere
Mar 13, 2012 5:32PM
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I also insist you revisit EMOTIONAL RESCUE.  I've listened to the 2nd disc of SOME GIRLS reissue on rdio, thought it was really good, but the new reissue retails for close to 30 bucks (!) as a physical product...so I wait...
JeffC77
Mar 13, 2012 5:17PM
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Just ordered the Booth book. What about Robert Greenfield's STP: A Journey Through America With The Rolling Stones? Any good?
Cam Patterson
Mar 13, 2012 4:52PM
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Nicky- What doesn't kill you, makes you stronger. 
Ñīçkÿ
Mar 13, 2012 4:42PM
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I clicked Duke.'s link and was instantly reminded that I read this article as a kid, and had at the time no appreciation for it. In fact, I'm pretty sure I believed Mick wrote it himself. Anyway, all I can say substantively (aside from: this is a great piece of writing, and what Pitchfork wishes its Slanted & Enchanted retrospective was) is actually a question: 

How in the hell is it justifiably karmic that all the cute Beatles keep dying, but the Stones gain a negative vitality as they continue for a fifth decade to reenact the plot of Dorian Gray? 

EDIT: And by 'as a kid' I guess I mean I was twenty-one. ...shĭt
Not. Milo. Miles.
Mar 13, 2012 4:13PM
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I've always liked the Wyman piece, too. He knew the opportunity of a lifetime when he saw it. I'm sure that, after about a million "No, not that Bill Wyman"s he was all -- "At last!"
Bradley Sroka
Mar 13, 2012 4:07PM
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OMG, Duke., that Stones article is a masterpiece. Thank you for posting the link.

Also, hi Joris! Welcome!

Joris Geerts
Mar 13, 2012 3:35PM
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First of all I'd like to apologize beforehand if my English is a bit bad, it's not my native language.

I just want to put a message out to mr. Christgau. I noticed that he reads what his posted here so I thought I'd just give it a go. Because I really want to say this. 
I want to thank you. My taste has broadened widely since I discovered your site. I have discovered tons of my favourite bands wich I would never had otherwise. Also you made me listen hip-hop. Something no-one else could convince me to before. Most importantly you taught how I should listen to music. So thank you for giving me that insight as well. Sorry for my fanboyism but I really felt the urge to say this.

Best regards,

A fan from The Netherlands
Robert Christgau (Xgau)
Mar 13, 2012 3:32PM
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I didn't know or had forgotten that Ellen and I showed up in Booth's book. I know we were in a Michael Lydon piece. That was a very strange day--emotionally I was in some kind of dream state.
I'd read the Wyman piece when it was written because he sent it to me, but had forgotten how good it was. I don't really agree with his musical assessments--not at at all convinced BB and LIB represent some kind of transcendent peak, (somewhat melodramatic) song structures be damned. But as a piece of writing it's a total tour de force.


Andreia Blue (Andraia)
Mar 13, 2012 3:21PM
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The Stanley Booth book has a couple of unidentified rock journalists whom I've always assumed were Robert Christgau and Ellen Willis.

For me the crucial writing on The Rolling Stones was a cover essay by Paul Williams in the glossy mid-'70s Crawdaddy that came out while I was in high school. Framed as a response to Anthony Scaduto's Everybody's Lucifer, it supplied the necessary historical context (in an disarmingly personal way) and had a great list of recommended tracks (like "Who's Driving Your Plane"!).

Up and Down With the Rolling Stones by Tony Sanchez is a great read. I almost missed it because of its reputation.
Marcus2010
Mar 13, 2012 1:04PM
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Thank You Duke, brilliant stuff - My favorite "Jagger quote" is:

 

"Keith's rancor is almost entirely based on the fact that it was not, in the end, easy to keep the appearances of what in the public mind is the Rolling Stones, and the process wasn't always pretty. But I did it, and, among other things, to this day it is hardly in the public mind that Keith Richards hasn't written a significant rock 'n' roll song in nearly 35 years.

For that I get Keith's book."

same thing backwards - patrick
Mar 13, 2012 12:52PM
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Apparently Izzy Stradlin forgot the riff to "Rocket Queen" and can't be bothered to re-learn it. What a moron.

I prefer to think that the "Welcome to the Jungle" riff has come to life and is threatening to bust some kneecaps if the reunion takes place.

Duke.
Mar 13, 2012 12:33PM
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Stones info: If you want something of a more cockeyed vantage to go with your serious studies--or maybe just a cock in the eye--I've now reread this Bill Wyman piece for a second time, to my continued amusement and edification: http://goo.gl/JMQIv
Greg Morton (GMort)
Mar 13, 2012 12:29PM
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Two valuable quotes from the ?uestlove story:
I figured I wanted to dedicate the rest of my existence (to) creating source material so that someone else can have something to sample in 2040 once this becomes a dated record. I'm just trying to create the soulful records that will still be used.

and how about this one!!:
Amy Winehouse . . . we spent a lot of time on Skype talking about crazy ideas and she schooled me about Sarah Vaughan. I schooled her about J Dilla. And she was like, "All right, we're going to start a super group. You, me, Mos (Def) and Raphael Saadiq." (my emphasis)

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about the blogger

Robert Christgau

Starting in 1967, Robert Christgau has covered popular music for The Village Voice, Esquire, Blender, Playboy, Rolling Stone, and many other publications. He teaches in New York University's Clive Davis Department of Recorded Music, maintains a comprehensive website at robertchristgau.com, and has published five books based on his journalism. He has written for MSN Music since 2006.

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