The Veldt Turn The Impressions’ “Check Out Your Mind” into Sludgy Shoegaze

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Jul 192022
 
The Veldt Check Out Your Mind

Ahead of the release of their new album, Entropy is the Mainline to God, veteran New York rockers The Veldt have released a cover of The Impressions’ “Check Out Your Mind” as a single.

Penned by Curtis Mayfield, this classic of psychedelic soul somehow maintains the same pace, but becomes drenched in a druggy, sludgy mix of guitars and keyboards. The vocals float through the middle of the mix, making you feel like you can’t tell which way is up, down, left or right – and that’s without some mind-enhancing substances. Continue reading »

“You Got Soul”: Jon Batiste Covers The Impressions in New Pixar Film

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Jan 112021
 
jon batiste covers the impressions

Curtis Mayfield has adorned the walls of many college dorm rooms, record shops and hipster apartments thanks to his work on the soundtrack to the 1972 blaxploitation film Super Fly. Mayfield’s name and photo appear on the iconic poster just underneath the image of the Youngblood Priest – the dope dealer looking to go straight.

On Christmas Day, Mayfield’s music was heard in a different sort of film. A new cover of the 1963 hit “It’s All Right,” which Mayfield recorded with his group The Impressions, played during the closing credits of the Disney/Pixar film Soul. The film tells the story of Joe Gardner, a middle school band teacher who embarks on a journey through the afterlife after scoring his dream job as a jazz musician. The song was covered by Jon Batiste who is best known as the band leader for The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.

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Watch: Joss Stone, Mavis Staples, and Paul Dempsey Sing Protest Songs in Melbourne

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Nov 152011
 

Every year, city of Melbourne, Australia puts on the Melbourne International Arts Festival. The event combines local and international artists of all sorts in a two-week program of events, exhibitions, and concerts. A few weeks ago, the festival wound up with an all-star protest concert titled Notes from the Hard Road and Beyond. It featured Joss Stone, Mavis Staples, and local favorite Paul Dempsey covering songs of hope and struggle. The whole thing was recorded by national station STVDIO for broadcast next Friday, but you can watch clips now. Continue reading »