ESG

Track Listings

1. Standing in Line

2. Erase You

3. Get Funky

4. Moody

5. New Day

6. I

7. Hold Me Right

8. I Wanna Dance

9. I Can't Tell You What to Do

10. In the Streets

11. UFO

12. Crash

Average customer rating:

Wow!
Where's the pfunk?
essential recording
A triumph of pure innocence
Post Funk Pleasure

A South Bronx Story
ESG
Manufacturer: Universal Sound
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Death Disco: Songs from Under the Dance Floor, 1978-1984

ASIN: B00004TJ4D
Release Date: 2000-05-29

Tracks:

You're No Good
Moody
UFO
It's Alright
Moody (Spaced Out)
Tiny Sticks
My Love for You
Come Away
Dance
Parking Lot Blues
Chistelle
About You
Erase You
Get Funky
Hold Me Right
I Can't Tell You What to Do

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

Album 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.

Album Details

House/hip-hop. Once Again Re-released this 16-track Album from this Highly Influential Band from the Late 70's who Are Still Thriving Today. Esg were Immersed in Both the Ny Dance Club Scene and in the Meeting of Punk and Dance Culture.

Customer Reviews:

Wow! .......2005-12-27

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...!

Where's the pfunk?.......2005-06-02

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.

essential recording.......2005-04-08

It's hard to believe that this band is only recently getting the attention they deserve. The material on this CD places the listener at the very start of current musical genres: hip hop, dance, alternative, punk funk, etc. Martin Hannet's presence as ESG's first producers make the importance of ESG in the development of such 'important' bands as New Order, Gang of Four,etc. VERY clear. If you are a DJ, either on college radio or doing parties and weddings, you will ALWAYS get a strong reaction from listeners and dancers when you slap this baby on! Plus, these sisters deserve your financial support -- they were sampled like crazy in the early days of hip hop, and so haven't received the royalties they deserve!

A triumph of pure innocence.......2004-01-27

Having caught the attention of this from reading a Pitchfork review, I though about checking this out on amazon.com for some time, given that it is the only ESG remaining available.

Though I have always been repelled by punk's thuggishness, "A South Bronx Story" was the fruit not of thuggishness, but of pure childlike innocence that I had never heard before. The rhythms were indeed rather uncalculated but never noisy, and the vocals of Renee and her sisters possessed a beauty that can only come out of simplicity, as well as a romantic feeling that was could seemingly see both sides ("up, high, down low" being typical) rather than being sentimental.

The songs themselves are distinctly minimalist, chiefly relying on basslines and percussion, but the occasional guitar line is most distinctive because it is so untrained, notably on the famous "UFO", which really does need to be heard in its proper setting rather than as a sample. The dramatic, if not fiery, "Moody" is bound to give any listener an upbeat feeling with its almost real-life description of a girl looking for a lover: Renee never feels guilty of what she wants to say, she just says it. The same feeling permeates all of the first ten songs on the record, with the other highlight being the distinctive beat/minibeat rhythm of "Tiny Sticks" that yet again shows the way thuggishness is so opposed to expression. "My Love For You" might be purely a dance number, but never has something this accessible sound so charming, yet the voices of the Scroggins sisters seem able to bounce back and forward effortlessly and without strain. Even on more conventional numbers in the latter half of the record, like the funk-rock "Erase You" and "Get Funky," ESG failed to lose their trademark na?vete.

Like later trip-hop groups, ESG showed how beautiful simple rhythms can be for listening pleasure. This was not really something to dance to; it was music that shows the beauty of innocent simplicity. The pictures of the Scroggins sisters on the back cover are really charming and should be seen.

Post Funk Pleasure.......2003-11-04

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.

Average customer rating:

CITY UNDER SIEGE

CITY UNDER SEIGE

City Under Siege
E.S.G.
Manufacturer: Wreckshop Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B00004T8IC
Release Date: 2000-04-25

Tracks:

Intro - E.S.G.
Ride Out - Big Pokey, E.S.G.,
Luv It How You Get It - E.S.G., Too Short
Drop Yo Top - Big Moe, E.S.G.
Boss Hawggin' - D-Gotti, E.S.G.
Grippin' Grain - E.S.G., Slim Thug
Money & Power - E.S.G., Lil' O, Ronnie Spencer,
First Brick - E.S.G.
City Under Siege - E.S.G.,
Good Life - E.S.G., Ronnie Spencer
Billion Dollar Deal - E.S.G.,
Ballin' Outta Control - D-Gotti, E.S.G., ,
Keep on Grindin' - E.S.G., Ronnie Spencer
Trickin' off Doe - E.S.G., , , ,
Superstar - E.S.G.
What's in You Cup? - Big Moe, D-Reck, Dirty Dollar, E.S.G.,
Fix You Face - D-Reck, E.S.G.
Thugs in Heaven - D-Gotti, D-Reck, E.S.G., Noke D.

Customer Reviews:

CITY UNDER SIEGE.......2000-08-31

THIS CD IS THE BEST CD BY E.S.G.. I REALLY DO LIKE SHININ & GRIDIN TOO. IF YALL BOYZ AINT NEVER HEARD OF E.S.G. CHECK HIM OUT THE BOY IS TIGHT. DONT FORGET ABOUT MY BOY LIL KEKE TOO. HEY IF ANYBODY KNOWS HOW TO E-MAIL LIL KEKE OR ANY WRECKSHOP FAMILY MEMBERS PLEASE E-MAIL ME... I WOULD REALLY APPRECIATE IT

CITY UNDER SEIGE.......2000-06-24

THIS CD IS TIGHT.IS HIS BEST CD SINCE OCEAN OF FUNK

Average customer rating:

Come Away with ESG
ESG
Manufacturer: Soul Jazz
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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A South Bronx Story
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ASIN: B000HOMTHQ
Release Date: 2006-10-09

Tracks:

Come Away
Dance
Parking Lot Blues
You Make No Sense
Chistelle
About You
It's Alright
Moody (Spaced Out)
Tiny Sticks
Beat
My Love for You

Album Description

Amazing 2nd album by ESG available for the first time on CD. Soul Jazz Records are re-releasing this classic album by ESG originally issued on 99 Records in New York in1983. The album features classic tracks such as 'Moody (Spaced Out )', 'The Beat' and 'Dance', and many more. ESG are the Scroggins sisters Renee, Valerie and Marie now joined by daughters Nicole and Chistelle who all hail from the South Bronx. Their place in history is legendary placing them at the heart of Post-Punk, Hip-Hop and Dance music. Soul Jazz Records have recently released their new album "Keep On Moving" as well as "A South Bronx Story" and "Step Off". 2006.

Average customer rating:

A Houston classic...embarrassingly slept-on
Classic H-Town Bangers One After Another
H-Town Represent
Stellar example of southern rap.
Swangin n' Bangin

Sailin' da South
E.S.G.
Manufacturer: Priority Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000003B54
Release Date: 1995-09-12

Tracks:

Sailin' Da South (Intro)
187 Skillz
Crooked Streets
R.I.P.
Swangin' And Bangin'
Let Em Know
Beauty And The Beast
G-Ride
Baller Of The Year
For All The G's
Swangin' And Bangin' Screwed
Smoke On
Murder Outro

Customer Reviews:

A Houston classic...embarrassingly slept-on.......2006-12-10

E.S.G.'s 1995 album "Sailin' da South" is one of my favorite southern hip hop albums and it is maybe the most underrated and slept-on album in my collection. E.S.G. is one of the Houston MCs who helped pioneer rap in that city, and this album is amazing. It's easy to see where a lot of the rappers in Houston, even today, got their style from. Ever since E.S.G., guys from Texas have been using the same syrupy drawl and slow rolling production style that is so great on this album. E.S.G. is a good lyricist, always speaking proudly of his hometown. He also tells stories of crime, death, and regular gangster rap topics in a better, elevated fashion. Mostly though, he just lays back and lets the beats do the talking. The production on this album is outstanding. The producers are masters on the mixing boards. They take a lot of cues from west coast G-funk, utilizing the same slow, heavy rolling bass, whiny synthesizers, and chorus breaks but still makes a style strictly his own. The beats are so funky and every track shines musically. "Sailin' da South" is one of my favorite southern rap albums, it just has such a great feel and is very consistent. It's out of print and very hard to find today, but I still recommend "Sailin' da South" highly as I can.

After a great intro that speaks of murder and crime in Houston, E.S.G.'s album begins with "187 Skillz," which has a winding synthesizer-looped beat and tells stories of tough experiences in Houston. "Crooked Streets" has a laidback, rolling beat like most of the songs here do, the lyrics speak sadly of corruption in the ghetto. "R.I.P." deals with death over crime and unworthy reasons, and like always the beat is extraordinary. My favorite song is definitely "Swangin' and Bangin,'" a song that lyrically and musically is one of my favorites ever. The beat is the best, with a great whining synth line and heavy bass with some happy strings in the chorus, and the hook has a call and response that always makes me want to yell. The lyrics are a laidback representation of the city of Houston, and, in E.S.G.'s words, "how they do it down south." This song is just so good, a chopped and screwed version also appears on the disc. "Let `Em Know" has a nice chorus and light, head-nodding production with real lyrics. Another one of my favorites is "Beauty and the Beast," where E.S.G. speaks of the troubles of trying to survive over a musical backing that is one of the best. "G-Ride" is just that, perfect for the car at any time. "Baller of the Year" is as good as any on the album, and "Smoke On" is a collaboration with a competent female MC that has an electronic-sounding chorus. The album ends with the aptly-titled "Murder Outro," a great end to a classic album.

"Sailin' da South" is a nearly perfect, often beautiful album of amazing hip hop. This album is a really underrated classic that should be spoken of in the same breath as UGK and Geto Boys albums in terms of Houston rap, but sadly is not. In any event, this album is full of remarkable, laidback g-funk style music from beginning to end and it's perfect to listen to at any time. These beats are insane! I recommend "Sailin' da South" to everybody, if it comes your way it'd be a crime not to pick it up.

Classic H-Town Bangers One After Another.......2006-11-29

Houston's E.S.G.came thru with a 1995 album, Sailin' Da South, one of those few albums you can listen to through without skipping, a feat hard for many of my other favorites, even other classics, where I skip a song or two. First, ESG hits you with sick and serious flows throughout; he gets your tears jerkin on "Crooked Streets" and "R.I.P." where he reminisces on homies that didn't make it. He also gets upbeat on tracks like "Let 'Em Know," "G-Ride." Beatwise, the beats are among some of the best 3rd coast, and hip-hop period. Producers Sean "Solo" Jemison and Jermaine "Mr.Optimo" Chretien lace up melodic G-Funk beats that'll get ya head noddin for a short but sweet 50 minutes. Beats like "187 Skillz" and "Beauty and the Beast" are hard and menacing. But for the most part, the beats are musically beautiful, combining west coast whiny synths with laid back, sunny, slower, and at times, twangy, Texas beats. Listen to the beats on "Baller Of The Year," "R.I.P.," "For All The G's," among most others to see what I'm sayin'. Don't forget the original and screwed versions of "Swangin and Bangin," a perfect southern anthem over a gorgeous, melodic southern beat. This album slams all the way thru. E.S.G. shoulda got mad more dap for Sailin' Da South! Being primarily a West Coast rap fan, I dig this album more than a majority of those albums; that is how awesome this one is.

H-Town Represent.......2006-05-28

E.S.G. is a legend throughout the south, esspecially Texas, but in no way gets the credit he deserves. "Sailin' Da South" was released over 10 years ago, and to this day its still a classic. Bump this all the time when im ridin' or throw it in the CD player when im chillin' @ home. This is a must have for southern hip-hop fans. Peace

Stellar example of southern rap........2003-05-27

I first got interested in ESG after hearing soem guest work he did on Big Moe's City of Syrup, so I decided to pick this album up. It's a really good album, an example of southern rap as it should be.
The standout song to me is the screwed mix of Swanging and Banging. I've always had a liking for screwed mixes of songs, and this one seems particularly good. They also have a normal speed version on the CD which just doesn't seem as good for some reason.

If you like southern rap, this is definately something to listen to.

Swangin n' Bangin.......2000-05-15

This is a down south classic from beginning to end if you dont have this you need to pick it up by far his best album ever every track is great but the standouts are #'s 6,11 and 12

Average customer rating:

home boy
DA LIFE TELLA
ESG slowed up a little for this one
ESG slowed up a little for this one

Return of the Living Dead
E.S.G.
Manufacturer: Blackhearted
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Soul | R&B | Styles | Music

Gangsta & Hardcore | Rap & Hip-Hop | Styles | Music

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ASIN: B000006CHB
Release Date: 1998-02-24

Tracks:

Ear To The street
Return Of The Living Dead
Drop It Off
Snitch
Caught Up
Jail Cell Tales
Can't Forget
South Coast On Clock
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Dope Game 2000
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Throw Ya Side Up
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Customer Reviews:

home boy.......2003-04-04

I haven't heard much underground stuff lately because I'm in the military but growing up with Snapper as we called him back then I know he has a lot of talent. Big props to a homey from Bogalusa,LA. Snapper keep holding it down. No matter what you and Bucky are still cool with me. LOL. My sister who lives out in Irving,TX keeps me up on music and she says you are holding it down out there. No doubt, represent.

DA LIFE TELLA.......2002-04-11

I'VE BEEN A FAN OF ESG SINCE 94 WHEN HE DROPPED OCEAN OF FUNK. THIS CD TELL YOU MORE ABOUT HIM . I LIKE THE WAY HE'S RAPPING AND EVERYTHING. IF YOU DO NOT HAVE THIS CD YOU NEED TO GO AND GET IT. I PROMISE YOU WILL LOVE IT.

ESG slowed up a little for this one.......2000-07-15

This is ESG'S 3rd album to drop he has been around on the local texas rap scene for yeas on dj screw local mix tapes. Although ths is probally my least favorite of his albums it is sill a very good lp he put alot of work into it. support the underground king and pick it up.

ESG slowed up a little for this one.......2000-07-15

Average customer rating:

jammin, want to hear more

Saucy World

Manufacturer: Saucy Lab Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD
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Customer Reviews:

jammin, want to hear more.......2005-12-04

i had been looking for this cd for a few months now. the pen & pixel cover art is what had me wanting it more than anything, but the prices i found for this were crazy - $60 & up! but , i finally found it for $6 & snatched it up. glad i did. this album is great & takes it back to that fell good tx rap music. the production is great & though the lyrics arent the greatest, they fit perfectly w/ the music. e.s.g. even drops in on the last track & shows why he's one of the best outta h-town,tx. i never really cared for rap out of the dallas area, but this one is a good album & was worth the wait.