Massimo Barsotti - Whole Lotta Love

Massimo Barsotti, "Whole Lotta Love" (YSI link)

Massimo Barsotti, "W.L.L. (Another Version)" (YSI link)

Italo! Yeah! We're staying in Europe for some more disco goodies, finally digging into the Italo disco crates to see how the Italian twist on the disco sound. This one is pretty crazy (in a good way), as Massimo Barsotti does an Italo cover of Led Zeppelin's "Whole Lotta Love." Weirdly, thanks to AB, I have started listening to Zeppelin again and been loving hearing some of their classic tunes again ("Tangerine" is my personal fav). However, a disco cover of one of their songs? Yes, please. Pound for Pound dream shit.

Barsotti is another artist who came out of the ether, dropped two singles in the early 80s and then disappeared again. I believe that's the extent of his output, although please let me know if he changed to an alias or what. Anyway, this one has all the markings of a burning Italo track - sleazy vocals, synths!!!, barebones drum machines. While Robert Plant sounds like a dude who really needs to get laid, Barsotti sounds like that dude who got laid the night before, plans to get laid again that night and every night for the foreseeable future. So calm and sleezed up, love love love it. I picture him walking into the club, possibly in Miami Vice Don Johnson white jacket with sleeves rolled up, saying hi to some friends, when he sees a gorgeous brunette on the dancefloor. The song takes place from this moment on, as he takes to the dancefloor and puts his spell on this woman. Her name is Monica, but the vision gets a little cloudy at this point.

FYI, the instrumental is even sicker, with an extra minute and a half of synth magic. There's also the occasional vocal moment, but this one's definitely for those not loving the vocals. Oh, and remember to add my blog in the upper right hand corner, 20 followers and counting! Yeah!

Cerrone - The Golden Touch (IV)

Cerrone, "Je Suis Music" (YSI link) 320

Cerrone, "Rocket In The Pocket" (YSI link) 320

Okay, I've got the computer back from the shop, I've finally come to terms with the fact that I am now living in a post-Obama, post-Phillies World Series Champions world. The time off has perhaps left many afraid that this blog would lose its way, no longer confident of its direction or what to post. Au contraire, these recent developments have only confirmed what I have always known - disco will save the world. Is it a coincidence that all of these great events happened once Pound for Pound made a disco turn? The answer is a resound "No!"

Let's jump right back into the deep end, heading to Europe to listen to one of its disco masters, Cerrone. Born Jean-Marc Cerrone in Paris, Cerrone would be one of the first to adopt the disco sound on the Continent. Dude was making music early, already signed to Barclay at aged 20. His late 70s, early 80s work has had a profound impact on all of the later French dance music like Daft Punk, who sampled the man.

Cerrone IV - The Golden Touch is one of those classic LPs, dropping on the Malligator label in 1978. Man, this one is so necessary, you will immediately imagine yourself in steamy, sweaty club, around 1 am, huge crowd dancing, music swirling all around you, balloons falling from the ceiling, nothing left to do but smile smile smile, yes yes yes. "Je Suis Music" is the highlight of the A side, an excellent slow-burning vocal track that is completely irresistible. A big, rubbery bass and solid beat holds it down, while the various horns and percussion take things to the next level of jublilation. I really love the vocals on this one; it's thing I miss most with all of the great recent cosmic and new disco stuff. "We all feel the pain, is it necessary?/ When we feel the pain better to stick together/Music is the way to relieve the pressure/Music all the way, do you get the message?" Love it. "

"Rocket In The Pocket" is about as subtle as the title, a nice rocking disco track. This one features some serious electric guitar jams, bordering on the cheese. I kinda like it, but I've never been a big fan of taking the guitar seriously (suck on that, rock critics!) You also get more female vocals, a heavier beat, less up-front horns and bass and even a rattler sound. Yeah! This one walks the line between real and cheese, rock and disco and it works for my ears nicely.

We're back people, all sucker blogs are warned.