Five on Friday: Iconic and groovy, it's Kid Congo Powers

(Ed. note: Kid Congo + Naim Amor interview coming next week!)

By Kid Congo Powers

Here are 5 things I am listening to at the moment. Some old, some new, and with full transparency, some stuff I guested on!

"Cosmos 2000" by Sondido Gallo Negro

From the album Cumbiavision. I am loving this new album from Mexico City's psychedelic Cumbia band Sondido Gallo Negro. I've been a fan of their albums and artwork, and recently our paths intersected. I am honored to play slide guitar on this track. Also, I appear with my Vincent Price voice on their cover of Devo's "Whip It." The whole album is worth checking out. So fun and cool.

ÁFRICA BRASIL (full album) by Jorge Ben Jor

On the last tour with Amor Y Powers, Naim was playing some Jorge Ben Jor tracks, and I went down the rabbit hole of his long and varied catalog, and this album has been on repeat for the past few months. As the title implies, it has African and Brazilian music. It is playful, meaningful, wild, and smooth all at the same time. I love his vocal stylings. A big YES!

'Like A Stone' by Female Genius

This track is from the album Jagged and Fractured. I keep coming back to this track by the New York-area band Female Genius. It harkens back to The Fall-like bass line with atmospheric vocals, and I think horns and guitars. I love a mood piece; I can't figure out how it was done, and Female Genius does it so well. Post-punk, art rock, whatever you want to call it, it works!

'Fuck Shit Up' by Dub Narcotic Sound System

This one's on 45 rpm vinyl. Calvin Johnson sent me his new album Gallows Wine (do you get it?), which is fantastic, but he threw in this lo-fi floor-filler single. I had forgotten how great it is, and now it's a staple in my DJ sets.

Gravest Gravy (full album) by The Cramps

Well, it would be remiss not to mention this release of lost-in-the-vault tracks of early songs recorded by Alex Chilton. I so loved the sound of The Cramps' first singles and saw them play these songs live with awesome Bryan Gregory on fuzz scuzz guitar. The sound of Poison Ivy's guitar on these sessions has always been a holy grail of tone. Totally impossible to achieve. One-time-only friends! Fantastic and more than welcome in my world!

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*Kid Congo Powers has been going strong for decades and has no plans to slow his train down. Grab his memoir, Some New Kind of Kick, to dive into his rockin' life and check out all things KC at www.officialkidcongopowers.com.