With Radiohead opening the flood gates a day early to purchase their new album, The King of Limbs, which they’re calling “the world’s first newspaper album” is a major treat! Packed with two clear 10″ vinyl records, a CD of the album, large sheets of artwork, and 625 tiny pieces of artwork, for under $50. A bargain really. For those strapped for cash, there’s a digital only format available for download from their website also. As an even bigger treat, the first single off the album “Lotus Flower” saw the release of its music video. Featuring Thom Yorke dancing before the camera; he is a certified Rock Star! So energetic. I didn’t know he had it in him to be such an expressive dancer! Check out the video below, which was directed by Garth Jennings (The Hitchhiker’s Guide To The Galaxy), and choreography by Wayne McGregor (I would have LOVED to have been a fly on the wall for rehearsal!) – clearly Wayne McGregor is transformative! He made Thom Yorke, the King of Limbs!

I will be sinking my teeth into the new album… more to come on that! To purchase The King of Limbs, go to http://www.thekingoflimbs.com to purchase whichever format fits your budget.

This is one of those tracks that caught me right away. The LP, Brazil: Songs of Protest by singer Zelia Barbosa was released sometime in 1968 on Monitor Records. “Funeral Do Lavrador” is a breathtaking and beautiful song about a rough fact of life—work! The song comes from an LP about the poor and working class people of the Sertao or countryside and the Favela, in northeastern Brazil. There is very little information about the song’s vocalist and the musicians involved and most of what has been said is by other music collectors or DJ’s. The album has been archived by The Smithsonian Institute and DJ’s Kon & Amir used “Opinao” from the same album for their tune, “Off Track.”

The things that struck me as unique about this song were its deceiving tempo, the instrumentation, and the incredible vocal phrasing of Zelia. It starts off simple enough with guitar, bass, drums, and what sounds like a cowbell. Es una marcha, a march, a walk, or stroll that immediately grabbed my attention after putting this on my turntable seven years ago. Zelia’s words were code to me, since I do not speak Brazilian Portuguese, but the spirit and mood of the song is un-mistakable. Sombor, proud, tired, yet defiant. Picture Ms Barbosa at a man’s funeral who has literally worked himself to death as she chants phrases about where this man is laid to rest, with the song building until the last word of a eulogy has been spoken. Like this song, the rest of the LP is charged with subjects about workers, the land, and the perspective of every day people against injustice. Thanks to DJ Alma’s Soul Food Blog for the tracks. Listen up!

“Funeral Do Lavrador” taken from the album Brazil: Songs of Protest

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