Album you cannot live without #4: Siouxsie and the Banshees - Kaleidoscope
1980'sKaleidoscope, the third album from Siouxsie and the Banshees, began the group's experimentation with electronic soundscapes and Middle Eastern exotica. This album marks the debut of the guitarist John McGeoch from Magazine and drummer and composer Budgie from The Slits (!!!) who later married and divorced lead singer Siouxsie Sioux.
The album features 11 songs with dark-hued lyrics draped by extraordinarily imaginative production featuring intricate synthesizer-peppered arrangements; psychedelic touches in "Christine," spaceship synthesizer swoops in "Tenant," and rhythmic camera clicks in "Red Light" all enliven their respective songs. Sioux's voice is electric and eerie, casting a spell to create a magical realm marrying goth, punk, electro and psych. She's Stevie Nicks for the black lunch box set.
Album you cannot live without #3: Minnie Riperton - Perfect Angel
Minnie Riperton's career began at a young age, she sang back up for legends like Etta James and Bo Diddley (RIP). In 1973 an intern at Epic Records rediscovered a demo by the then semi-retired Riperton living as homemaker in Gainsville, Florida. The demo tape was taken directly to the VP of A&R at Epic, Don Ellis, who immediately signed Minnie (who had a vocal range of five and a half octaves). Perfect Angel was recorded and released in 1975 with tracks including rock-soul anthem "Reasons," the second single, "Take A Little Trip," and the third single, "Seeing You This Way." As the record's sales began to slow, Epic was ready to move on. However, Ms. Riperton had another idea. She convinced them to release what is now probably her most famous hit and fourth single,"Loving You". The liner notes from the album state "Loving You" was recorded for her daughter Maya Rudolf (of SNL fame). Minnie's voice is so sweet, so soft, so unbelievably angelic its ashame she passed away of breast cancer at the young age of 31.
Watch her perform "Loving You" live here and feel the back of your spine tingle when she hits those high notes.
Album You Must Not Live Without #2: ESG - A South Bronx Story
ESG, formed by the Scroggins sisters three, is an art-funk band from, you guessed it, the south south bronx y'all. This band came out of nowhere in 1978 (i.e., they weren't involved in a scene, just girls in a garage) and became influential to so many genres of music including hip hop, electro, post-punk, dance punk and disco. In 1981 Matt Hannett (of Joy Division fame) produced three tracks on their self-titled album. You've probably heard a number of their songs since Wu-Tang, J Dilla, Big Daddy Kane, TLC and The Beastie Boys (to name a few) have all sampled ESG.
Album you must not live without #1: The Slits - Cut
The Slits were formed in 1976 when lead singer, Ari Up, was but a mere 14 years old. Cut, produced by renowned reggae producer Dennis Bovell, was released 3 years later in September of 1979 and completely took the world by storm with its punky reggae dub sound. The song Typical Girls is a diatribe against confinements of socially constructed gender roles. And I Heard it Through The Grapevine is a fun and quirky cover. But most importantly, this album really influenced those who influence contemporary culture. Probably why Chloe Sevigny had The Slits perform at her fashion week party in February. Listen here.
Founder Natalie Blacker's future plans for Ladies Lotto include expanding the overall brand and its network into new major markets, as well as the development of a grant foundation to further its members, an annual conference of member-driven lectures and forums, and collective productions in both music and print media.
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