Gilles Peterson (as ever) was first in on the case as Bilal features on ‘High & Dry’ and we’re going to be hearing much more of him this year I feel. Definitely one for the soulboys/girls.

The 12” is a three tracker. Mark Ronson’s cover of ‘Just’ was ‘Single of the Week’ in Metro this week and the video is the best thing that’s been on MTV2 [repeatedly] for ages. It actually sounds like a Quantic Soul Orchestra remix it’s that good.

On the b-side is The Randy Watson Experience with an off-centre broken jazz piece. And when Donn sings, “cut the kids in half” it’s almost a Sun Ra moment.

Shawn Lee kicks things off with ‘No Surprises’ (the one that sounds like a music box), which falls into neo-pub singer territory. And then RJD2’s ‘Airbag’ is hardly recognisable as the vocals get electronicfied. Talking of which, the king of electronic, Mathew Herbert does a minimal tango on ‘(Nice Dream)’ with Mara Carlyle from his Accidental label.

I like the look of The Bad Plus. They do ‘Karma Police’ as a spirited free-jazz trio (piano, bass, drums) in a math rock fashion. Scary stuff.

As we keep saying at FLY, Osunlade rarely puts a remix foot wrong (see Osunlade/Re-Offering) but this isn’t one of his best (too Radiohead for Hectic but it’s growing on me) and The Cinematic Orchestra’s closing track is something they could have written themselves.

I wonder if there’s any more in the can? Only ten tracks seems a little short stingy (see how I love this now). Aaron Jerome was rumoured to be on this project; what happened? And no ‘Creep’? Perhaps that’s sensible. Anyway, I never thought I’d enjoy an album of Radiohead tunes. Well done them and Rapster Records.

Reviewed: Various - Exit Music - Songs With Radio Heads (Rapster Records) Cat. No: RR0047 CD Release date: March 2006
Tracklisting:
1. Shawn Lee - No Surprises (3:48)
2. Mark Ronson - Just (5:25) Featuring - Alex Greenwald
3. RJD2 - Airbag (4:19)
4. Matthew Herbert - (Nice Dream) (6:07) Featuring - Mara Carlyle
5. The Randy Watson Experience - Morning Bell (8:53) Featuring - Donn
6. Sa-Ra - In Limbo (3:32) Featuring - The Sa-Ra All Stars
7. Pete Kuzma - High & Dry (5:55) Featuring - Bilal
8. Bad Plus - ‘Karma Police’ (7:21)
9. Osunlade & Erro - [Everything In Its Right Place’ (6:41)
10. The Cinematic Orchestra - Exit Music (For A Film) (7:20)

Links:
www.rapsterrecords.com
www.shawnlee.net
Blue Room: Tracklisting Sunday 12 March : Chris Coco : Mark Ronson feat Alex Greenwald ‘Just’ (BBE)
www.myspace.com/markronson
Gilles Peterson: Box of Delights : Tracklisting 20/11/05 (3) Mark Ronson -‘Just’ (White)
www.rjd2site.comwww.magicandaccident.com/matthew_herbert.htm
www.magicandaccident.com/mara_carlyle.htm
www.sa-ra.net
www.bilal-the-man.com
Gilles Peterson : Box Of Delights : Ed Motta in The Studio:: Tracklisting 30/10/05 (2) Bilal - ‘High and Dry’ (White)
www.thebadplus.com
www.ericrobersonmusic.com
http://mir-media.com/osunlade.html