Osaka Monaurail - Amen, Brother
(CD/2xLP) Unique Records UNIQ152, 2008-11-21

Tracklisting 2xLP :
A1. Amen, Brother 3'54
A2. Mad Pierrot 3'26
A3. Open The Door Richard! 5'41
A4. Cafe Regio's 4'59
A5. Supershine #9 2'32
'Undercover Grunt' Medley:
B1. Chocolate Buttermilk 2'43
B2. Get Down 1'04
B3. Little Old Money Maker 2'56
B4. Get Ready 2'56
B5. Message To Love 2'29
B6. Divertissement 2'50
B7. Signed, Sealed, Delivered I'm Yous 2'38
B8. Hey Jude 4'56

Tracklisting CD :
01. Amen, Brother 3:57
02. Mad Pierrot 3:31
03. Open The Door, Richard! 5:46
04. Cafe Regio's 5:03
05. Supershine # 9 2:39
06. Chocolate Butter Milk 2:45
07. Get Down 1:06
08. Little Old Money Maker 2:58
09. Get Ready 2:58
10. Message To Love 2:31
11. Divertissment 2:52
12. Signed, Sealed Delivered I'm Yours 2:40
13. Hey Jude 5:02
14. Truck Turner 3:15
15. Soulful Strut 4:38
16 Tighten Up 3:16

Links :
myspace.com/osakamonaurail
myspace.com/uniquerecords

Press Release :
In 2008 Osaka Monaurail from Japan celebrate their 15th year of existance. Named after the "It's the JB's Monaurail" album by The JB's - they live and breathe the sound of the James Brown Orchestra wth an unmatched perfection and devotion. As they started out as a 15-piece band they went through some changes over the years and are now a 9 member funk outfit that has already five albums and and nine vinyl-singles under their belt as well as last years comeback album by Funk-Icon Marva Whitney, who they accompanied on the full length-release called "I Am What I Am".

The Osaka Monaurail album "Amen, Brother!" - released in Japan under the name of Undercover Express "Introducing Undercover Express" - strictly contains well-known soul & funk classics and surprising minor tunes that you'll enjoy.

The album contains coversongs from these amazing bands:
AMEN, BROTHER (the Winstons, 1968)
MAD PIERROT (Yellow Magic Orchestra, 1978)
OPEN THE DOOR, RICHARD! (Jack McVea, 1947)
CAFE REGIO'S (Isaac Hayes, 1971 from the OST "SHAFT")
SUPERSHINE 9 (Originally on the OST "GORDON'S WAR" by Badder Than Evil)
CHOCOLATE BUTTERMILK (Kool & The Gang, 1970)
GET DOWN (Curtis Mayfield, 1971)
LITTLE OLD MONEY MAKER (The Meters, 1969)
GET READY (The Temptations, 1966)
MESSAGE TO LOVE (Jimi Hendrix, 1969)
SIGNED, SEALED, DELIVERED I'M YOURS (Stevie Wonder, 1970)
HEY JUDE (The Beatles, 1968)

Also, the album contains three bonus amazing live recordings:
TRUCK TURNER (Isaac Hayes, 1973)
SOULFUL STRUT (Youg-Hold Unlimited)
TIGHTEN UP (Archie Bell & the Drells)

The band is combined by the skilled musicians who have been on the scene for years. Some of you might have already noticed that the name "undercover" indicates also that the group is disguising its original name. If you're familiar with the Japan Funk music scene, you know who they are. But for now, take this as is, and enjoy this ancillary production from the group.

Osaka Monaurail will be touring Europe for the third time, fronted by no other than James Brown's Soulsister # 1 Marva Whitney on selected dates. If the show comes to your town, don't miss it. Osaka Monaurail is one of the best Funk live acts worldwide.

10/30 Southampton, Soul Cellar (+ Marva Whitney)
10/31 Dublin, Andrew's Lane Theatre (+ Marva Whitney)
11/01 London, Jazz Cafe (+ Marva Whitney)
11/04 Munich, Atomic Cafe
11/06 Barcelona, Sala Apolo
11/07 Madrid, Sala Caracol
11/08 Valencia, El Loco Club
11/10 Trier, Chat Noir
11/11 Darmstadt, 603 qm
11/13 Stuttgart, Beat Club
11/14 Marseille, Planet Cafe
11/15 Montpellier, Le Jam
11/18 Cologne, Stadtgarten
11/19 Bremen, Moments
11/20 Berlin, Tausend
11/21 Berlin, Tausend
11/22 Hamburg, Mandarin Kasino

All Unique Records are distributed by Groove Attack and are available at Soundflat Mailorder