Mississippi Records

Post by **mudd** » Mon Jan 07, 2008 10:38 pm

mississipi records is a mostly-reissue vinyl label based out of portland, in fact out of a music store of the same name. has anybody been following their releases very closely? it took me forever to tie together some rather disparate threads.

i think the first thing i saw was their reissue of the dog faced hermans album 'mental blocks for all ages', and maybe didn't hear of them again until i started hunting for the somewhat bootleggy 'thai record', eventually tracking an ebay copy. since then, there has been a JOMF side project, a compilation of african music, and a series of old-timey records that i've managed to snag a couple of but not yet really understand.

so yeah. what's the story here? what am i missing? my understanding is that honest jon's (the uk shop and label) snaps up most of the print run, so maybe these are actually easier to find in the UK. that's basically the extent of my knowledge.

so anyway, i'm going to try to find time to write some mini-reviews of the handful of releases i've tracked down. maybe just because i think they need the attention, but also they seem to have a short life on the store shelves...

anyone have anything to add?

m

user_704 · Post by **user_704** » Mon Jan 07, 2008 11:02 pm

Haven't posted here in a while.

I live about a block away from the shop, luckily enough.

I don't know what to say, but they've just been putting out amazing record after amazing record lately. They have a couple African guitar music compilations, that "70s Thai Orchestra" record which is so, so excellent, the record of early 20th century immigrants to NYC (possibly titled, "I Don't Feel At Home in This World Anymore"?), now that Malcolm X tribute record... yeah.

Just a really exciting reissue label that Eric of Mississippi Records does. I assume like the shop, they'll keep a real keen and diverse curatorial edge.

Get them wherever you can, because sometimes it's hard to even get them in Portland unless you are quick, which I think is just the way things will continue to be. I don't think they're going to re-press things once they are out, but I could be wrong.

Post by **mudd** » Mon Jan 07, 2008 11:12 pm

oh cool, that's a pretty sweet neighborhood. only reason i didn't break the band is their cash or check policy.

i'm on the lookout for that 'I Don't Feel At Home In This World Anymore' comp, but the others i've found or have on order. add to the the 'evolutionary jass band', another two comps 'life is a problem' and 'last kind words', and one more punkish thing i didn't manage to pick up...

oh, and FE lists some tara jane o'neil. hrm.

m

jpeatt · Post by **jpeatt** » Tue Jan 08, 2008 12:56 am

That thai record is fucking killer. That's all I really have to add.

meadowphantasm · Post by **meadowphantasm** » Tue Jan 08, 2008 1:43 am

thats a great label..somewhat elusive...anyway their latest comp lp+ 7inch "life is a problem" is seriously great and everybody should snag it..if you dug that rev. charlie jackson lp that came out a while ago get this..amazing raw electric gospel..they also did a great washington philips lp that i finally found this year..wish there was a complete discog for everything the labels done.

kristop · Post by **kristop** » Wed Jan 16, 2008 5:21 pm

to my understanding mississippi is a collective. eric from portland, warren from montreal, and i'm not sure who else. this is as complete as i can get it. anyone else know what the few holes i'm missing are?

MR001 - duck duck gray duck - desire
MR002
MR003 - spooky dance band - spooky reality: a retrospective
MR004
MR005 - v/a - last kind words
MR006 - washington phillips - what are they doing in heaven today?
MR007 - tara jane o'neil - to trace a ravelling
MR008 - v/a - love is love
MR009 - Thai Orchestra
MR010 - red herring 7"
MR011 - red herring 7"
MR012 - evolutionary jass band - what's lost
MR013 - v/a - I don't feel at home in this world anymore
MR013 - v/a - lipa kodi ya city council (yes both of these are numbered MR13)
MR014 - likely one of the above
MR015 - dog faced hermans - mental blocks for all ages
MR016 - philip cohran - malcom x memorial
MR017 - v/a - life is a problem
MR018 -
MR019 - michael hurley - armchair boogy (not out yet? i haven't seen it, just found a listing online)

Post by **mudd** » Wed Jan 16, 2008 5:26 pm

well you've got everything i've tracked on that list, so i'm afraid i can't add anything.

any more info on 'love is love'?

m

kristop · Post by **kristop** » Wed Jan 16, 2008 5:30 pm

Love Is Love is a beautifully compiled twelve-song LP of incredibly hard-to-find African pop music. The recordings are from between 1965 and 1972, and span the entire continent from placs like Ethiopia, Kenya, and Sierra Leone. Styles are culled from R&B, highlife and acoustic guitar folk. Includes tracks from S.E. ROGERS and ALEMAYNO ESHINTAY (whose song gives the compilation it's title). Limited edition of 500 copies packaged with hand silk-screened covers.

Post by **mudd** » Wed Jan 16, 2008 6:02 pm

fuck, that makes two i have to kill people for.

m

kristop · Post by **kristop** » Wed Jan 16, 2008 6:15 pm

which other one do you need. i'll let you know if i get my hands on them ever. i am getting some stuff directly from warren at some point.

Post by **mudd** » Wed Jan 16, 2008 6:19 pm

"i don't feel at home in this world anymore"

i'd go for any of the ones i know about but don't own, too (MR001, MR006, MR007, and of course the hurley if it happens)

m

edit: actually your info above was helpful: cheap thrills in montreal lists the record as in stock. i've sent in an inquiry there, but really if multiple copies started bubbling up i would buy multiple copies and give good friends good gifts. furthermore, they list it in their catalog as MR14.

kristop · Post by **kristop** » Wed Jan 16, 2008 6:36 pm

ya my paperwork has it listed as both from different distributors, but the record itself says 13. i've never heard the o'neil. don't really care that much. the washington phillips is pretty great.

faster · Post by **faster** » Wed Jan 16, 2008 6:37 pm

Not sure if you guys know this or not, but the Evolutionary Jass Band is Jef Brown's band. He's the dude who had a bit of an afro and played sax and guitar in Jackie O Motherfucker for many years. Great guy and I've heard great things about the band.

Post by **mudd** » Wed Jan 16, 2008 6:45 pm

yeah, that was part of the promo in circulation.

i've only heard the LP part (it has a cd included as well that i have yet to play) but it' really nice, with a sort of street jazz stagger to it.

m

kristop · Post by **kristop** » Wed Jan 16, 2008 10:15 pm

the thai record is apparently likely to be repressed in the next few months. good news for people that missed it.

Post by **mudd** » Wed Jan 16, 2008 10:19 pm

eh, i coughed up for that one on ebay.

good news in general though, fine fine record.

m

user_924 · Post by **user_924** » Thu Jan 17, 2008 10:46 am

again, great label. the washington phillips LP is a highlight. you can find random copies of their various releases in Vancouver, especially at skateboard shops.

if I'm not mistaken, this label was started by the dude that found that VU acetate.

Post by **mudd** » Thu Jan 17, 2008 11:17 am

narayan wrote: if I'm not mistaken, this label was started by the dude that found that VU acetate.

not started by, or not only. see the third section of this or this. i hadn't been aware of the connection before, but i guess that's the warren from montreal and eric from portland mentioned above.

m

user_1465 · Post by **user_1465** » Thu Jan 17, 2008 4:46 pm

does the washington phillips record include anything that hasnt been compiled by yazoo and the like?

Post by **mudd** » Thu Jan 17, 2008 4:53 pm

doesn't look like it ( http://www.wirz.de/music/philwfrm.htm" onclick= "window.open(this.href);return false; ) but i don't have any session information or anything like that.

m

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