Jookabox is a ghost soul punk band from Indianapolis, IN. Originally called Grampall Jookabox, the band began as a one-man band whose live show included multi-instrument looping and lighted sweat bands. The group has recently grown to four members, and includes former members of Indy psych-pop band Everthus the Deadbeats. Themes of the paranormal, spiritual, and divine love permeate Jookabox songs. Their recordings have always covered a lot of ground in terms of genres, but usually include grimy distorted beats and sped up or slowed down vocals. Jookabox has consequently drawn comparisons to Ween, Beck, and The Godz. Jookabox’s new album, Dead Zone Boys, will be released November 3 on Asthmatic Kitty Records.
Prince / I Would Die 4 U
I ought to have this song playing on a loop all day, because it makes me do everything better and faster. It’s good to be reminded of the people you would die for, and it makes you want to work hard in case you have to do it soon. This song reminds me of a hymn from church, ‘There is no greater love, no greater love, than to lay down your life for a friend’. The scene in Purple Rain where The Kid’s Dad tells his wife he would die for her is devastating.
Kuchi Guru / Sweet Little Thing
We played with Kuchi Guru last weekend in Cincinnati and swapped CDs with them. When they first began to play, I thought it was awful, but by the end of the set they had made a complete believer out of me. Lead singer Jimi Bliss is like some 67 year old character out of a Nick Cave song. He was wearing about ten different necklaces, and gem stone rings on every finger. On the album cover, he is standing on his own be-ringed hand. He played an electric guitar shaped like a shark. Jimi’s voice is the thing Tom Waits is going for when he drinks a bunch of milk before recording or whatever. This track sounds like a redneck Velvet Underground to me, and I’m not sure if I’m capable of a more flattering description.
R.D. Burman / The Burning Train
R.D. Burman was an extremely talented Bollywood composer, but this particular track is way different from most of the Bollywood stuff I’ve heard. The original track is so long the that version I have is a seven minute edit. It sounds like a train from the future. It’s a long slow build that includes some kraut rock-Afrika Bambaataa elements, lusty growling vocals, and choice laser panning. It’s a perfect driving song.
Science Fiction Corporation / Monster on Saturn 1
Everything I’ve heard from the Finder’s Keepers label has been weird and sweet. The same guys that made the 1968 album, Dracula’s Music Cabinet, also did Science Fiction Dance Party, which this song is from. I’ve read a few things that suggest that these recordings were made to “cash-in” on something, though for the life of me I can’t think of how the hell they would have cashed in at all. This track starts with a gnarly roaring monster, and then moves into a grimy brass/organ call and response, with trippy delayed guitar sections. It sort of sounds like corny game show music, except it begins with a gnarly roaring monster and is trippy and grimy.
Omar Souleyman / Lansab Sherek (I Will Make a Trap)
This is the craziest shit to me right now. It’s like listening to The Ramones and Public Enemy for the first time at the same time on two different turntables sped up. Sublime Frequencies is another label that is on fire right now. This track is from the release Dabke 2020, which is a compilation of cassette releases from 1999-2008. I have no idea what Omar Souleyman is singing about, but it sounds great. Between the helpful translations of song titles and his voice, you can sort of figure it out. The electric bouzok is blowing my mind.
Ya Ho Wha 13 / Treat You So Right
Here is a cult without a tragic end, probably because they had a realistic idea about things. The Source Family and their spiritual leader, Father Yod (aka Ya Ho Wha), sought universal understanding and bodily health together. They ran an extremely successful organic restaurant in LA. They also recorded a ton of spontaneous, stream-of-thought music. Apparently a bunch of it was just lost over time. Their music is pretty all over the place, covering spoken word funk and droning repetitive meditation. This one has a nice swinging groove to it, and a sort-of spy sounding guitar line.
Coleman Family / People Has It Hard
This is from the Numero Group release Local Customs: Downriver Revival. This is one of my favorite Numero releases so far, and that is saying a lot. It’s crazy to get a glimpse into the amount of amazing stuff that was made during this time and didn’t get much attention. People love to make music no matter what. I like this song because it sounds straight up like a country song to me, and to hear it with some of the other songs on this album warms my heart. Plus, it’s true, people do has it hard.
TV Ghost / Bastille
These dudes are from Lafayette, IN, and this song is from their debut, Cold Fish, on In the Red Records. It surprises me that things are happening up there, but it shouldn’t, because you never know where cool things are going to spring up. Lafayette and Purdue University sort of have a reputation of being mathematical and mechanical. A lot of people go to Purdue to be engineers or farmers. Anyway, things apparently are happening up there and this band is dark, brutal, and frightening screaming garage no-wave punk. It was tough to pick a particular song from this album, I love the whole thing.
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