Quito, Ecuador mural, courtesy of J H-B
El Coco, "Cocomotion (Parts I & II)" (YSI link) 320
El Coco, "We Call It Disco" (YSI link) 320
El Coco, "Love To The World" (YSI link) 320
I spent yesterday at an orientation for the 826NYC group, a prerequisite to become an after-school tutor. Yes, that's right, Pound for Pound is a step closer to having a real day-to-day impact on the kids. Not just on an mp3 basis, but in a real life, real talk way. I will have free rein to teach them the evil of suburbs, the importance of universal health care, the beauty of boobs and to love themselves and each other (i.e. to be opposite of me) I will be able to create a new generation for the Pound for Pound massive, extending our reach and our power.
Most of all, I want to teach them about the power of disco to save their lives. With that in mind, let's continue to spread the word with some more classic 70s magic, a few tracks from El Coco's Cocomotion LP. El Coco was ostensibly a vehicle for the producers Michael Lewis and Laurin Rinder, who would make write the music, play it and find the vocalist to finish it off. They would make a handful of hits, including the massive 2 part, 10 minute+ "Cocomotion." This one's more of a slow-burner, a slinky kinda number that grooves throughout. It's a prototypical classic sound, with strings and horns and even a flute lead the way. However, there's definitely a different sensibility at work here, perhaps informed by Rinder's jazz training. While there is a steady pulse throughout, it never goes all out, always feeling a bit laid-back. Even the vocals have a whispery quality, they're quite far from diva-level.
"We Call It Disco" is a lot shorter but maybe even sweeter, as great organ and synth chords help this one to such great heights. The vocals are front and center here as well, always love to hear some proud lyrics about disco and the club. Finally, "Love To The World" the B side to the Cocomotion 12", is as uplifting as the title suggests, a strings-heavy track that sits between the previous two songs. It has a few peaks and subsequent quieter periods. The whole album is excellent, a great example of how the disco sound could create
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