Numero Group US Schallplatten & CDs

Review: Bailey's Nervous Kats was a teenage dream who combined surf, rock n' roll, exotica, and r&b in their music. They operated in the rural fringes of Northern California in the 1960s and released only one long player, sadly. The Nervous Kats is it and it now gets reissued by the quality Numero Group. It came right at the end of the band's time together and was released by the Emma imprint in 1965. It's a real doozy of the era and will take you to a time and place you didn't live but make you wish you had.

Review: In the 70s, sharing a name with the main protagonist of the Peanuts comic strip got you nowhere. No, it's talent that got you going: no sooner did the swelling vocal lopes of Charles Brown, only one or two letters remiss of the former identity, blew the band Sleepy Creek away, did they set about recording this establishing record. Then only in high school, Charles Brown nonetheless laid down the eponymous, deeply emotionally intelligent ballad, decrying the retreat into privacy as a misappropriation of the act of love. Now on top of this star single comes this 15-song LP, which gathers Brown's solo and band work from 1976-82; Jon Freeman's enclosed essay dissects the origin story of this private press pioneer.

Review: Zani Diabate's Super Djata Band was a leading Malian orchestra in the 1980s. They were known for blending Wasulu hunter music, griot praises, Senufo dances and Fula and Mandingo repertoire with Western psychedelia, blues, and Afrobeat into their own unique forms. In 1982 their album cemented Diabate's place among legendary West African guitarists as he mesmerised listeners with eight vibrant compositions featuring plenty of his hypnotic guitar work. Now it gets reissued on Numero Group and the record solidifies his status as a mythic figure in West African music so for anyone with an appreciation of house styles it is a must.

Review: Cuban-born Modesto Dura was a disciple of mambo innovator Perez Prado but also played his own crucial role in Latin dance music's mid-century evolution. His distinctive percussion work features on numerous 1950s hits including tracks by Esquivel, Belafonte, Eartha Kitt, and Lena Horne. On his 1960 solo debut, Duran assembled a stellar lineup of conga players in Mongo Santamaria, Willie Bobo, and Juan Cheda and they created a cinematic blend of Afro-Cuban, cha-cha, and exotic jazz styles. This album offers a rich, percussive vibe while showcasing Duran's influential contribution to Latin music.

Review: An overview of Laraaji's earliest works, Glimpses of Infinity gathers selections from his 1978 debut Celestial Vibration, and six additional studio sessions from the era. This is a condensed version of the 2023's sold out 4xLP Boxset, perhaps among which the most notable track has been 'Segue To Infinity', the infamous 20-minute pan-piper (we intend the double meaning of the term 'pan', as its many wind instruments stretch out in a beautifully prostrated fashion, extending over both the entire stereo field and the entire length of the song). And though Laraaji's many multi-instrumental amusements are ambitious, the record never falls afoul of grandiosity or dilettantism, retaining that hard-to-achieve mix of humility and commitment to the sound, all throughout; our favourite 'glimpse' is the peek into his 'Koto' session, for which the infamous Japanese string instrument is put to work with total dexterity. Full of discovery and wonderment, Glimpses of Infinity is a miraculous chronicle of new age's most fabled artist.

Review: Israeli guitarist Charlie Megira has an eclectic palette, with his music blending every influence from 50s trash rock, garage, surf, and goth. 'The Hefker Girl' is a new album, coinciding with a recent reissue from his back catalogue, 'Da Abtomatic Meisterzinger Mambo Chic' - an LP which ironizes the neoliberal ethos of postwar America. This one, by contrast, charts Megira's collaborative jams with fellow Israeli instrumentalist Michal Kahan, and is a more earnest, heads-down affair. Expect reverb-drenched new wave, 80s tropes and talent on the guitar beyond common comprehension.

Review: A lost gem of raw, heartfelt soul resurfaces with this blue vinyl 7", bringing back the stripped-down magic of Penny & the Quarters. 'You and Me' is a song that refused to be forgottenian unpolished, deeply emotional doo-wop demo that sat unnoticed for decades before finding its way to the big screen in Blue Valentine. Its warm, unfiltered harmonies and aching sincerity make it feel like a love letter from a bygone era. Originally recorded as a demo for Columbus, Ohio's Prix label, the track's simple yet powerful delivery captures a moment of pure emotion. Penny's tender, yearning vocals glide over a delicate guitar line, backed by harmonies that feel both effortless and intimate. The absence of overproduction only adds to its charm, making it sound like an unearthed relic from soul's golden age. On the B-side 'You Are Giving Me Some Other Love' continues in the same vein, with a rough-edged sweetness that perfectly complements the lead track. This release finally gives Penny & the Quarters their long-overdue spotlight, ensuring their music lives on.