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darondo - listen to my song: music city sessions - omnivore recordings - vinyl

New Copy

Genre: Funk / Soul

1. I Don't Understand
2. I'm Gonna Love You
3. Didn't I
4. Luscious Lady
5. Saving My Love
6. Gimme Some
7. Get Up Off Your Butt
8. I'm Lonely
9. Do You Really Love Me
10. Listen To My Song

Omnivore Recordings releases San Francisco Bay Area artist Darondo's lost album Listen To My Song: The Music City Sessions, a piece of the distinctive '70s R&B, funk and soul sound! 10-track limited-edition LP (1,200 copies)

The LP version, featuring two of the most well known Darondo songs ''Didn't I'' and ''Listen To My Song,'' includes eight previously unissued recordings taken from sessions in 1973-1974. An outstanding musical anthology, assembled in full cooperation with the artist, Listen To My Song: The Music City Sessions is a virtual treasure trove of indispensable street funk and soul from one of the most fascinating San Francisco Bay Area music legends.

The material from these sessions is outstanding, and the performances sport a rough-hewn vivacity. ''I'm Gonna Love You,'' ''Luscious Lady,'' and ''I Don't Understand It'' are all completely infectious, propelled by a funky rhythm section with judicious horn stabs. ''Qualified'' and ''Thank You God'' are more basic, yet retain the idiosyncratic appeal of Darondo's style. ''Do You Really Love Me'' and ''Saving My Love'' in particular benefited from Tanner's piano, as well as flute, additional horns, percussion, and string parts. The two songs the label focused on the most were those that had been earmarked for a single release ''Didn't I'' and ''Listen To My Song.''
The single was released in late October 1973 and ''Didn't I'' quickly got airplay locally and sold briskly enough to warrant a second pressing. Recording sessions recommenced in early '74, yielding compelling performances, be it the standard machismo of ''King's Man'' or the unique storytelling within ''The Wolf.'' ''Gimme Some'' reprised a theme that Darondo had originally applied to the backing track of ''Saving My Love,'' while ''Get Up Off Your Butt'' delivers some powerful funk and ''I'm Lonely'' was a true gem in the mold of ''Didn't I.''