WHITEFIELD BROTHERS - EARTHOLOGY SOUL FUNK w/ WORLD RHYTHM & INSTRO MIX SLD 2-LP

$

30

THE WHITEFIELD BROTHERS – Earthology. Now Again Records NA 5047. FACTORY SEALED VINYL RECORD 2-LP SET. Issued in 2009. Featuring backup and assistance from Edan, Mr. Lif, Quantic, Percee P, MED, Bajka, and members of the Dap Kings, Poets Of Rhythm, and El Michels Affair. Pressed on 180 gram vinyl and comes in a heavy board stock gatefold cover. TRACKS:  Joyful Exaltation, Safari Strut, Reverse, Taisho, Sad Nile, the Gift, Ntu, Pamukkale, Ailin, Breakin’ Through, Sem Yelesh, Lullaby for Lagos, and Chich. DESCRIPTION:  Follow-up to their cult classic 2001 album In The Raw, Munich’s Whitefield Brothers have pieced together a patchwork of disparate – but always funky – sounds from around the globe, blending styles, reversing plate tectonics, and perhaps attempting to bring all of Pangaea back together in a unifying sound. The really surprising thing is that, outlandish as it may seem, they’ve succeeded marvellously. Earthology is the culmination of as much as 15 years of recording, and hours of research on the part of Jan and Max Whitefield (including a trip by Max to Burma to study traditional Saing Waing music). Adding onto the funk and “raw soul” sound of In The Raw, they’ve layered rich and varied instrumentation, enlisted the help of a who’s who of vocalists from all corners, and created something really fantastic. Sessions for Earthology brought the experimental duo and their cavalry of friends to studios in New York, Munich and Berlin. The album’s musical landscape is created by everything from Asian gongs and flutes (Alin), African strings (Safari Strut), and Central American percussion instruments (Ntu). Guest musicians include members of the Express Brass Band and The Dap-Kings (providing supremely funky horn stabs), the Antibalas, El Michels Affair, and Quantic. Guest vocalists include Edan and Mr Lif (The Gift), Bajka (Joyful Exaltation), Percee P, and MED (Reverse). Sounds seem to originate from all continents, and instrumentation varies so wildly – often causing new and unexpected results as instruments are used in ways their tradition never accounted for – that it would be easy to write off Earthology as an incohesive mess. But the Whitefield Brothers are grounded in soul – remember, In The Raw pre-dated the Amy Winehouse-driven soul revival by a few years – and the whole thing comes off as nothing more or less than great soul and powerful funk channeled through a pantheon of influences. Earthology opens with the siren’s call Joyful Exaltation, driven by distorted freeform drum and bass grooving, and Bajka’s subtle sing-talking. “Lord knows where you’re coming from,” she says, and she may as well be talking directly to Jan and Max here. Flutes and church organs run amok. Safari Strut mixes African sensibilities with American R ‘n’ B, mixing lush bass and saxophone with the mystique of a frantically plinking xylophone. Taisho starts off with a bouzouki riff before huge drums and bass remind you of the funk at hand. Quite a few instrumentals give the band time to explore these blends. Sad Nile is propelled by a killer horn section, Ntu by percussion. Both Pamukkale and Alin make heavy use of flute and Afro-Asian ployrhythms. Lullaby For Lagos is the album’s barn-burning fast number, featuring jazz guitars and lightning fast drum work. The album’s standout track is, perhaps, The Gift, on which Edan and Mr Lif rap-spit about the miracle of homeostasis (somehow sounding angry about it) over a sultry horn line and polyrhythmic cowbell. In a bizarre mix of styles, Mr Lif cues a jazz flute solo: “The tactics of a true technician are touched on totally by a talented musician; listen.” The Whitefield Brothers have somehow succeeded in folding the world in on itself with Earthology. The sounds on this disc are mixed together in such a way as to be totally surprising, totally new, and yet completely cohesive. Everything here makes sense in its own way. The Whitefield Brothers’ knack for raw soul is intact _ and perhaps more firmly rooted than ever – but they demonstrate handily that there’s no room for isolationism in 21st century soul.

If you have any questions or if you have additional information, especially corrections, to the description, please e-mail me.   

All LPs are removed from their jackets and placed outside of the jacket for shipping. If an album comes sealed (and will be noted as such in the above description), it will be shipped whole unless you request that I open it up to place the disc outside of the jacket for shipping. Both jacket and disc are placed inside of an outer plastic sleeve before packing for shipping. I use professional corrugated record mailers.

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TERMS AND ABBREVIATIONS:

SS or SLD:  Still Sealed or Sealed (or some variation of sealed depending on how many characters I have left in the title line). This item is new and unplayed. Also appears in the listing description as Sealed LP or Factory Sealed LP.

NEW LP:  This item is new and unplayed, but was received from a supplier without being shrink wrapped or cellophane wrapped; more common on imports but also many of the smaller independent US labels do not seal their LPs.

GFC:  Gate fold cover.

LTD EDT:  Limited, as in limited edition. If I know the press run number it will be included in the above description.

#'D:  Numbered edition. I will include the number of this item if it is visible to me.

CV:  Colored vinyl.

S/T:  Self-titled.

RE:  Reissue

OOP:  Out Of Print.

TERMS OF AUCTION/SALE: 

Buyer pays for POSTAGE & HANDLING:

Shipping rates are as of January 28, 2013; any subsequent rate increase will take precedence over the listed rates.

U.S. Shipping: 

$4.00 via USPS media mail for the first single LP or double disc LP set (excluding box sets). All US packages are shipped via eBay's USPS processing and include tracking.

Shipping of additional items of a multi-item purchase will be determined by weight. Please wait for my eBay invoice before making payment.

See U.S. Customers below for additional shipping services and payment method.

INTERNATIONAL Shipping (I ship worldwide; all packages shipped via first-class package international service and do not include tracking):

Prices will vary slightly due to the weight of the disc(s) and jacket. The amount listed in the shipping details is for this item only. Multiple item purchasers will need to wait for my invoice before making payment. On multiple item purchases the base rate for shipping will be the price of the highest/heaviest item to ship. Additional items will ship by weight.

I ship world wide. If your country is not covered with the listed rates please e-mail me before your purchase for the cost of shipping to your country. 

See International Customers below for additional shipping services, requirements, and payment method.

U.S. CUSTOMERS:

Payment for U.S. customers using credit cards can be made via Paypal or pay direct from your Paypal account to mine. If this is a problem please e-mail me for acceptable alternatives. Priority mail is available upon request, please wait for my invoice with the appropriate shipping total via Ebay before making payment. Payment must be received within 7 days from the close of bidding or date of purchase. If you can not meet my payment schedule please e-mail me with your needs. I only ask that you keep me informed. Items are shipped in professional corrugated mailers. If there are any other needs of your purchase please e-mail me and I will do my best to accommodate them.

INTERNATIONAL CUSTOMERS: 

I have been shipping records and CDs around the world for over 25 years, so purchase with confidence. Items are shipped in professional corrugated mailers. Payment using credit cards can be made via Paypal or pay direct from your Paypal account to mine. If this is a problem please e-mail me for acceptable alternatives before you bid or purchase. All international payments are due in US $ only. Payment must be received within 7 days after close of bidding or date of purchase. If you can not meet my payment schedule please e-mail me with your needs. I only ask that you keep me informed. All packages are shipped via first class mail international (air); this is the least expensive method of shipping internationally, but does not necessarily meet all the conditions of Paypal’s buyer/seller protection plan. First Class Mail International does not offer tracking. If security is a major concern then please request Registered Mail, available upon request and at your expense, this is the least expensive method of meeting the conditions of Paypal’s buyer/seller protection plan; actual postal charge for registration is $12.95 in addition to the shipping total (required on all bids/purchases totaling $100 or more; this will be included with the invoiced shipping total). Priority Mail International and Express Mail International are available upon your request and at your expense. If you have any special needs of your purchase or you have any questions please e-mail me. 

*ALL CUSTOMERS*  

HANDLING TIME:  

Packages are usually shipped in less than 72 hours. NOTE:  This is not the same thing as delivery time, which begins once a package is turned over to the post office; averaging 3-7 business days for US delivery and 5 days to 3 weeks for international delivery (Italian customers it is not unusual for your package to take 4 weeks for delivery). International delivery is largely determined on how long it takes your local customs to process its mail. I will confirm receipt of payment and shipping date via my personal e-mail, adjust your filters accordingly. If you do not hear from me within the first three days after your payment, most likely my attempts to e-mail you have failed. Please keep me posted on your payment plans or any special requirements/needs of your purchase. 

RETURN POLICY:

Please e-mail me with specific details and I will get back to you with your options. I ask that if there is a problem with the item that you contact me as soon as possible after receiving it. Any item that must be returned is done so at the buyer’s expense. Any refund, exchange, or substitution/credit will be at the buyers choice, but not made until the original item is received back by me; in the condition as stated in the item description.  

NON-ARRIVAL OF PACKAGES: 

US Customers:  Please wait at least two weeks from my confirmed shipping date before contacting me about the non-arrival of your package. Packages are not shipped with confirmation; this service is optional and available upon request at your expense, e-mail me before making payment so I can invoice you accordingly. It has been several years since I’ve had a package not make its US destination, so risk is minimal.

INTERNATIONAL Customers:  Please wait at least 3 weeks from my confirmed shipping date before contacting me about the non-arrival of your package. If security is your concern please have your package registered (see above for fee). I do my best to quickly post packages, but once the package is in the hands of the world’s postal systems it is beyond my control. With first class mail international my only option for investigating the loss of your package is to verify that it left this country to its destination country. Most all delayed/lost packages have disappeared/been delayed after they have reached their destination country. NOTE:  Based on recent buyer feedback, International packages have been moving much slower these days; it is not unusual for a package to take over three weeks for delivery (especially to Italy), though normally packages should arrive in 7 to 15 business days.  

MULTI-ITEM PURCHASERS:

Multi-bid winners/purchasers:  If you combine various formats such as LPs, 7" singles, and CDs, please wait for my eBay invoice for the shipping total before making payment. For example, US customers purchasing an LP with a 7” single and/or CD, as LPs ship via media mail, your package will ship as media mail. All international purchases are shipped via first-class package international service so discounting will be determined by weight. Shipping discounts apply only to multi-item purchases that are paid for in one single payment and shipped in a single package.