South Bronx Story [Import]

E.S.G., ESG | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (May 29, 2000)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Import
• Label: Universal Sound
• ASIN: B00004TJ4D
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #92,793 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #56 in Music > Imports > Rap & Hip-Hop

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

The four Scroggins sisters (Renee, Deborah, Valerie, and Marie) and neighbor Tito Libran burst on to the music scene from left field in 1981 with the remarkable success of "UFO" and "Moody" off their debut 12-inch record. Thanks to the ascendance of hip-hop, the South Bronx was very much on the musical map at the time. But ESG's minimalist funk, which featured live instruments, was closer in spirit to what was coming out of the U.K. at the time--PiL, Gang of Four, and the Factory label (which released ESG's first three songs). Their approach also had kinship to New York bands Konk, Bush Tetras, and Liquid Liquid (the latter two would become their label-mates on the semi-legendary 99 Records). "Moody" entered permanent rotation at New York dance clubs such as the Paradise Garage, while "UFO" became a hip-hop building block, used as sample material for at least a dozen other records (and still counting). The appeal of the tracks lay in the taut interaction between Deborah and Valerie's bass and drums, abetted by Marie and Tito's congas as well as Renee's sparse but precise guitar and unadorned vocal style. The stripped-down nature of the sound lent itself to hip-hop producers' layering on top of it and has helped the music successfully weather the intervening decades--there's none of that "What were they thinking with that synthesizer sound?" problem that afflicts some early '80s music. The CD includes much of their 99 Records output and tracks from their self-titled 1991 release on the Pow Wow label. The 99 Records label itself went down in legal flames, and that Renee Scroggins' apparently owns the rights to the music is noteworthy in itself. But the historical significance and sheer listenability of the music make this a most welcome reissue. --Bob Bannister

Product Description

Collection of the best tracks from the late '70s funk band. 15 tracks including 'You're No Good', 'Moody', 'UFO', 'It's Alright' and 'Moody (Spaced Out)'. 2000 release. Standard jewel case housed in a slipcase.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Post Funk Pleasure, November 3, 2003

By 

Thomas Horan (Chapel Hill, NC) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: South Bronx Story (Audio CD)

I think this minimalistic dance music fits into an early-eighties genre that is distinct from post punk and new wave. I call it "post funk" and I'd also include, among others, Bush Tetras, Liquid Liquid, Quando Quango, and Factory-era A Certain Ratio in this category.

Post funk consists of funky melodic bass lines, spare vocals, and African or Latin percussion usually filtered through digital delay equipment for an atmospheric slightly creepy feel. Unlike the funk music of the seventies, the guitar sound is thin and it's kept in the background.

Even though post funk music had its heyday in the New York City of twenty years ago, it is still heavily sampled by hip-hop artists. "UFO," an ESG track produced by the infamous Martin Hannett, remains an especially popular choice.

ESG's skeletal grooves may sound hollow to fans of either top forty dance music or classic motor city funk. But every song on this CD is fabulous for both dancing and listening. Overall, it doesn't sound nearly as dated as more mainstream eighties stuff, which makes "A South Bronx Story" a timeless treat for the college/indie crowd.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Where's the pfunk?, June 1, 2005

By 

ChrisWN (Santa Cruz, CA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: South Bronx Story (Audio CD)

I started collecting music in the disco era & moved into punk & new wave as a teen. I was quite into Gang of Four, New Order, PiL, Paul Haig, The Slits. I was also into the early minimalist rap (Doug E Fresh, Beastie Boys' "Cookie Puss", Strafe/Harlequin 4's "Set it off"). I also got to see The Bush Tetras in concert in my hometown (Allentown, PA). However, this group completely passed me by. Never heard them in a club, nor on college radio, until around 1990 when I heard a more current (house) version of "Moody". So it was quite a surprise, when I finally bought this, to hear how consistently good the tracks here are. My only disappointment is that they didn't record more over the years.

As others mentioned, they are analogous to the other groups that get lumped into the funk punk genre (the aforementioned artists), however they do still sound distinct from the others in the genre. The lead vocalist sounds very similar to Neneh Cherry. Hopefully they will still record with current resurgence in popularity of the early 80s genres. This release sounds very good, it sounds like it was mastered from original tapes. The liner notes give some helpful info on the group itself, however more detailed info on the individual tracks (including a track listing), like what the original releases were, would have been helpful.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wow!, December 26, 2005

By 

Carla D. Marschall "Post-Punk Fanatic" (New York, NY) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: South Bronx Story (Audio CD)

So I just listened to this record and all I can say is WOW. This album is SO much fun. The best way I can compare this record to other stuff out there / music genres (because it's so different than a lot of stuff out there) is to say that ESG is doing a 60's Motown record in the time when rap and funk were emerging in America as valid and popular forms of music. That means you've got great little yelps and backing vocals from the lead vocalist's sisters a la The Supremes, while a strong bass line rocks in the background. This is DEFINITELY something to buy. Great for dancing or for just bringing the energy level up in the room. So glad I discovered them...!