Friday, September 26, 2008
Scissors For Lefty
I've been going to a gym lately, which means I'm catching up on my hip hop, pop, and R&B. This morning they played the video above. At first I didn't know who it was, and I was thinking "hey, this is super catchy and cool! Who is this great band?" And then it turns out to be Scissors For Lefty, my friend James's band. Scissors For Lefty are an SF by way of San Luis Obispo band who do a sort of Britpop/indie thing. They are a lot of fun live and on record. It was cool seeing them on the gym's music video channel alongside Duran Duran, Nas, and Tiesto. They aren't quite to the limos and supermodel stage of their careers yet, but they did have a song in Cloverfield.
Anyways, it was the first time I had heard Scissors For Lefty outside of the context of them being my friend's band, and they totally stood up. They have a good sound and a great energy, and I think they deserve to be huge.
You should check out their website here, and then go buy ten copies of their two albums. Pitchfork gave their last one a 5.8, which is pretty high by P-Fork standards. They hate everything that isn't relentlessly obscure. Rock on.
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
Sankofa - Bowl of Politics Review
Sankofa offers the third EP in a row for free on his website, obeseamerica.
It's called "The Bowl of Politics EP," and my review is up at RapReviews.
It is chock full of smart, angry political songs. I'm into it. Go download it.
C.R.A.C. Knuckles Review
My review of C.R.A.C. Knuckle's The Piece Talks is up on RapReviews.com, right a'cheer. For some reason their attitude rubbed me the wrong way. Maybe you are less sensitive than me, and won't care. I did like Ta'Raach's beats, and overall, it's pretty good.
Saturday, September 20, 2008
Fleet Foxes at the Independent 9/19/08
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I was lucky enough to get tickets to see the Fleet Foxes at the Independent last night. The secret is buying tickets the day they go on sale, and not waiting until a week before the show. Just so you know.
We got there just in time for Sleepy Sun, a San Francisco group who channel sixties psychadelica. www.myspace.com/sleepysun. It was a little awkward, because they were totally feeling it, like rocking out, and the crowd was pretty indifferent. So here they are having a musical orgasm, and the crowd is like, meh.
After that, this guy with brill creamed hair came out. His name is Frank Fairfield, and he played a bunch of old bluegrass and blues. He was basically a Folkways album in person. It was pretty cool, but after a few songs the crowd got kind of over it, and started talking over him.
www.myspace.com/frankfairfield
Finally, the Fleet Foxes went on. They are some longhaired bastards. They sounded amazing. The only downside was that they had to tune between each track, so there was a lot of loading time. Their whole deal is so seventies that I sort of wanted to go get some fondue in my geodesic dome afterwards. I think it's sincere, though, and not affected. They really are a bunch of longhairs who like vocal harmonizing.
It was a crazy night for shows - My Morning Jacket was at the Greek, and Miss Kittin and the Hacker was at the Mezzanine.
Thursday, September 18, 2008
Free Black Milk Download
Detroit rapper/producer Black Milk posted a free download on his myspace page.
HERE.
It is an instrumental album made of beats by The Artist called “Music from the Color Purple.” Listening to it is a little like partying like it’s 1999.
HERE.
It is an instrumental album made of beats by The Artist called “Music from the Color Purple.” Listening to it is a little like partying like it’s 1999.
Monday, September 15, 2008
Other People's Property
(Ok, so I just submitted this to Rapreviews, only to realize that Adam Bernard had reviewed it a while back. I also didn't realize that it came out in 07. I'm kind of dumb sometimes).
“Other People’s Property: A Shadow History of Hip-Hop in White America,” by Jason Tanz, Bloomsbury USA
Reviewed by Patrick Taylor
The hip hop generation is hardly the first to look to African American culture for cool. The jazzheads of the twenties did the same thing on their trips to Harlem to see musicians who weren’t even allowed into white clubs; the Beats’ kinetic writing was fueled by bebop, and their hipster slang borrowed heavily from African American slang; white rock n’ rollers blatantly stole the art form from the African Americans, and in the sixties British rockers like Eric Clapton and the Rolling Stones revisited classic blues as a font for authenticity. Clearly, white hip hop fans are only the most recent in a long line of white folks diving into the pool of African American art and music.
“Other People’s Property: A Shadow History of Hip-Hop in White America” is an attempt by Jason Tanz to explore the complicated relationship between white kids and hip hop. Tanz, a journalist who writes for “Fortune Small Business,” grew up in a white and middle class suburb in Washington. For Tanz, hip hop was an escape from his parents’ love of sixties counterculture, as well as a way to try to better understand African American culture and overcome the racism that has marred US history since Columbus first set eyes on the New World. He got a rude awakening at how African American fans felt about his love of their culture when he was mocked for wearing a Malcom X hat, and called a white devil by the Digable Planets at a concert.
Early in the book, Tanz takes a tour of the South Bronx, the birthplace of hip hop. His tour guide is Rahiem, part of the Furious Five, and among his fellow tourists is DJ Gummo, a white kid from Orange County who is desperate to connect with the culture he has adopted. Gummo tries to impress Rahiem with his knowledge of hip hop history, but ultimately, he is a tourist like everyone else on the bus, visitors to an exotic place that they will never be a part of.
Gummo is what Tanz calls a “Wegroe” a term he uses for white hip hop fans who hope that rap music will help them to overcome their whiteness, and bridge the gap between white and black. Wegroes include people like MC Serch and the Young Black Teenagers: well-meaning whites who desperately want to be part of a African American culture. Tanz is sympathetic towards the Wegroes, but clearly sees their quest to rise above their white privilege as ultimately hopeless.
Then there are the wiggers, a truly hateful term for whites who dress and act gangsta. Tanz interviews Johnny Crack, a twerpy white kid whose ultraviolent, ultra-offensive gangsta rap is total fantasy. Crack, like most wiggers, is derided by blacks as wanna-be’s, and derided by whites for affecting the dress and mannerism of a culture that isn’t theirs. (Implicit in the term “wigger,” as in “white nigger,” is the disapproval of aping a culture that is seen as being inferior to white. Make no mistake, wigger is a racist term.) Tanz’s main problem with wiggers, other than the fact that they are utterly ridiculous, is that their appropriation of black culture doesn’t involve any real respect or admiration. It’s all about borrowing the machismo and swagger of hip hop without having any real love for the culture.
While his analysis of wegroes and wiggers is interesting, Tanz loses the plot a little when he talks about nerdcore. The term is used to describe rappers like MC Frontalot or mc chris (sic), white rappers who rap about geek culture for a predominately white audience. I wish Tanz would have spent less time with such a marginal group within hip hop, and more time on people like El-P or Aesop rock, white rappers who have actually been successful in creating hip hop that is true to the spirit of the culture. I also wish Tanz had spent some time discussing other genres of hip hop that attract predominantly white audiences, and what effect that has on African-American artists. He could have also had a chapter on how mainstream (white) music journalists view hip hop, and what effect their perception of what hip hop is and should be has on the music.
My biggest issue with “Other People’s Property” is that Tanz never explains what he think whites’ role in hip hop should be. Should we sag our jeans and call each other “dawg?” Or should we just feel guilty? There has to be some solution that allows whites to participate in the culture without pretending to be something they are not, and without totallyaltering the art form to fit our tastes. At its core, hip hop is a better reflection of the multi-ethnic world than all-white genres like rock. It is popular with white suburban kids not just because they want to gleam some of the coolness and swagger from it, but because artists like Kanye West or Lil Wayne seem more relevant than Nickleback or the Beatles.
"Other People's Property" is an ambitious attempt to analyze how white people fit into hip hop. Tanz deserves credit for tackling such a loaded and multi-layered issue. White hip hop fan should at least give the book a scan, although some readers might be turned off by the grad school prose. Tanz ultimately leaves a lot of questions unanswered, and the book could have been a lot longer than its meager two hundred pages. In the end, "Other People's Property" works best as a starting-off point for what deserves to be a much larger discussion of what it means to be a white rap enthusiast.
Content: 7.5 of 10 Readability: 7 of 10 Total: 7 of 10
“Other People’s Property: A Shadow History of Hip-Hop in White America,” by Jason Tanz, Bloomsbury USA
Reviewed by Patrick Taylor
The hip hop generation is hardly the first to look to African American culture for cool. The jazzheads of the twenties did the same thing on their trips to Harlem to see musicians who weren’t even allowed into white clubs; the Beats’ kinetic writing was fueled by bebop, and their hipster slang borrowed heavily from African American slang; white rock n’ rollers blatantly stole the art form from the African Americans, and in the sixties British rockers like Eric Clapton and the Rolling Stones revisited classic blues as a font for authenticity. Clearly, white hip hop fans are only the most recent in a long line of white folks diving into the pool of African American art and music.
“Other People’s Property: A Shadow History of Hip-Hop in White America” is an attempt by Jason Tanz to explore the complicated relationship between white kids and hip hop. Tanz, a journalist who writes for “Fortune Small Business,” grew up in a white and middle class suburb in Washington. For Tanz, hip hop was an escape from his parents’ love of sixties counterculture, as well as a way to try to better understand African American culture and overcome the racism that has marred US history since Columbus first set eyes on the New World. He got a rude awakening at how African American fans felt about his love of their culture when he was mocked for wearing a Malcom X hat, and called a white devil by the Digable Planets at a concert.
Early in the book, Tanz takes a tour of the South Bronx, the birthplace of hip hop. His tour guide is Rahiem, part of the Furious Five, and among his fellow tourists is DJ Gummo, a white kid from Orange County who is desperate to connect with the culture he has adopted. Gummo tries to impress Rahiem with his knowledge of hip hop history, but ultimately, he is a tourist like everyone else on the bus, visitors to an exotic place that they will never be a part of.
Gummo is what Tanz calls a “Wegroe” a term he uses for white hip hop fans who hope that rap music will help them to overcome their whiteness, and bridge the gap between white and black. Wegroes include people like MC Serch and the Young Black Teenagers: well-meaning whites who desperately want to be part of a African American culture. Tanz is sympathetic towards the Wegroes, but clearly sees their quest to rise above their white privilege as ultimately hopeless.
Then there are the wiggers, a truly hateful term for whites who dress and act gangsta. Tanz interviews Johnny Crack, a twerpy white kid whose ultraviolent, ultra-offensive gangsta rap is total fantasy. Crack, like most wiggers, is derided by blacks as wanna-be’s, and derided by whites for affecting the dress and mannerism of a culture that isn’t theirs. (Implicit in the term “wigger,” as in “white nigger,” is the disapproval of aping a culture that is seen as being inferior to white. Make no mistake, wigger is a racist term.) Tanz’s main problem with wiggers, other than the fact that they are utterly ridiculous, is that their appropriation of black culture doesn’t involve any real respect or admiration. It’s all about borrowing the machismo and swagger of hip hop without having any real love for the culture.
While his analysis of wegroes and wiggers is interesting, Tanz loses the plot a little when he talks about nerdcore. The term is used to describe rappers like MC Frontalot or mc chris (sic), white rappers who rap about geek culture for a predominately white audience. I wish Tanz would have spent less time with such a marginal group within hip hop, and more time on people like El-P or Aesop rock, white rappers who have actually been successful in creating hip hop that is true to the spirit of the culture. I also wish Tanz had spent some time discussing other genres of hip hop that attract predominantly white audiences, and what effect that has on African-American artists. He could have also had a chapter on how mainstream (white) music journalists view hip hop, and what effect their perception of what hip hop is and should be has on the music.
My biggest issue with “Other People’s Property” is that Tanz never explains what he think whites’ role in hip hop should be. Should we sag our jeans and call each other “dawg?” Or should we just feel guilty? There has to be some solution that allows whites to participate in the culture without pretending to be something they are not, and without totallyaltering the art form to fit our tastes. At its core, hip hop is a better reflection of the multi-ethnic world than all-white genres like rock. It is popular with white suburban kids not just because they want to gleam some of the coolness and swagger from it, but because artists like Kanye West or Lil Wayne seem more relevant than Nickleback or the Beatles.
"Other People's Property" is an ambitious attempt to analyze how white people fit into hip hop. Tanz deserves credit for tackling such a loaded and multi-layered issue. White hip hop fan should at least give the book a scan, although some readers might be turned off by the grad school prose. Tanz ultimately leaves a lot of questions unanswered, and the book could have been a lot longer than its meager two hundred pages. In the end, "Other People's Property" works best as a starting-off point for what deserves to be a much larger discussion of what it means to be a white rap enthusiast.
Content: 7.5 of 10 Readability: 7 of 10 Total: 7 of 10
Saturday, September 13, 2008
Why White People Like Hip Hop
The other day I was at a party and the fact that I wrote about hip hop came up. I got totally clowned. "You listen to rap?" they asked incredulously. "But you're so white!"
Yes, it's true. I'm white. I'm not just white, I'm totally fuckin' white. I listen to NPR. I go to farmer's markets. I compost. My and my DP (domestic partner) are starting a mid-century modern furniture collection. I do yoga. I vacation in Italy. I'm fucking WHITE. There is nothing about me that is the least bit edgy, urban, or ethnic, unless you include European in your definition of ethnicity. Also, I'm not exactly the most masculine or imposing man on earth.
So my relationship with hip hop is a little confusing. Why do I spend so much time listening to music that doesn't reflect my experience or fit my demographic? Well, thanks for asking. Allow me to explain.
1. I like beats. I grew up playing the drums. Hip hop is all about drums. I like beats, and hip hop gots em.
2. Hip hop is doing a lot of interesting things musically. Especially compared to rock, which has gotten increasingly stagnant. Producers like Madlib, the Neptunes, and Timbaland are really pushing the envelope musically.
3. I've listened to punk and indie music for the past thirty years, and I'm fuckin' BORED of it. My capacity to listen to white dudes whine is very small these days, and I find a lot of alt-country and/or singer songwritery music boring and self-indulgent. Blecch.
4. Hip hop is the ultimate music snob music. It is impenetrable, multi-layered, post-modern, self-referential, and you can always discover artists that no one has ever heard of. It also embodies the punk rock DIY spirit,
4. Hip hop better reflects the world I live in. I still love white people music like Elliot Smith and Wilco, but it seems to exclude a large portion of the population. It makes me feel lonely and isolated when I listen to it. I may be white as fuck, but my community, my friends, my coworkers, my sisters-in-law aren't, and hip hop seems to be more inclusive of non-whites than indie folk. Not that listening to music made by people of color makes me more down with their experiences and struggles of course. I'm sure black people could give a fuck what I listen to, and rightfully so. Still, the best hip hop creates this feeling that we are all at the table, and gives me hope that we can all find common ground. (That said, I don't think I will ever connect to a hip hop track in the same way that I connect with a Minor Threat or Jawbreaker song.)
So that's why I love hip hop. Of course, I make a concerted effort to not confuse listening to music made by badasses with being a badass, so if you ever catch me borrowing some of hip hop's swagger, please call me on it. Now I'm gonna go listen to some good old boom-bap.
Yes, it's true. I'm white. I'm not just white, I'm totally fuckin' white. I listen to NPR. I go to farmer's markets. I compost. My and my DP (domestic partner) are starting a mid-century modern furniture collection. I do yoga. I vacation in Italy. I'm fucking WHITE. There is nothing about me that is the least bit edgy, urban, or ethnic, unless you include European in your definition of ethnicity. Also, I'm not exactly the most masculine or imposing man on earth.
So my relationship with hip hop is a little confusing. Why do I spend so much time listening to music that doesn't reflect my experience or fit my demographic? Well, thanks for asking. Allow me to explain.
1. I like beats. I grew up playing the drums. Hip hop is all about drums. I like beats, and hip hop gots em.
2. Hip hop is doing a lot of interesting things musically. Especially compared to rock, which has gotten increasingly stagnant. Producers like Madlib, the Neptunes, and Timbaland are really pushing the envelope musically.
3. I've listened to punk and indie music for the past thirty years, and I'm fuckin' BORED of it. My capacity to listen to white dudes whine is very small these days, and I find a lot of alt-country and/or singer songwritery music boring and self-indulgent. Blecch.
4. Hip hop is the ultimate music snob music. It is impenetrable, multi-layered, post-modern, self-referential, and you can always discover artists that no one has ever heard of. It also embodies the punk rock DIY spirit,
4. Hip hop better reflects the world I live in. I still love white people music like Elliot Smith and Wilco, but it seems to exclude a large portion of the population. It makes me feel lonely and isolated when I listen to it. I may be white as fuck, but my community, my friends, my coworkers, my sisters-in-law aren't, and hip hop seems to be more inclusive of non-whites than indie folk. Not that listening to music made by people of color makes me more down with their experiences and struggles of course. I'm sure black people could give a fuck what I listen to, and rightfully so. Still, the best hip hop creates this feeling that we are all at the table, and gives me hope that we can all find common ground. (That said, I don't think I will ever connect to a hip hop track in the same way that I connect with a Minor Threat or Jawbreaker song.)
So that's why I love hip hop. Of course, I make a concerted effort to not confuse listening to music made by badasses with being a badass, so if you ever catch me borrowing some of hip hop's swagger, please call me on it. Now I'm gonna go listen to some good old boom-bap.
Thursday, September 11, 2008
Ces Bottes Sont Faites Pour Marcher
That means “These Boots Are Made for Walking” in French, and is the title of a supercool song by Eileen on Sunnyside’s “Pop A Paris: Rock N’ Roll and Mini-skirts” compilation. It combines two things I love: swinging sixties music and French. Makes me wish I was zipping around the streets of gay Paree on a Vespa on my way to make a New Wave movie.
Also on the comp is a version of Deep Purple’s “Hush” by Johnny Halliday, a French version of “Paint It Black,” and a great track by the slightly tone-deaf, animal loving anti-semite Bridgette Bardot.
Listening to this gives me fond memories of the “Bardot-a-go-go” parties that used to happen in SF (and maybe still do). The would play all mod French music, and it was a total blast.
Tuesday, September 09, 2008
Storyville Review
My review of Philly MC/Producer Storyville’s debut “Escape Plan” is up at Rapreviews here.
Hopefully I wasn’t too harsh in my review – he gets a lot right, but there was some room for improvement that I pointed out. It’s unfortunately easier to be critical of stuff that I like as opposed to stuff I really don’t care about.
One thing I didn’t mention in my review is that he is pretty damn good as both a rapper and a producer, which is a feat that few producers pull off.
Alos, visit his blog, www.storyvilleemcee.com.
Atmosphere Review
Monday, September 08, 2008
The Basement Jaxx are awesome
Just a quick post - the Basement Jaxx have a new song on their myspace page
called "My Turn" featuring the guy from Lightspeed Champion.
It's awesome - a little wistful indie folk, a little gay house music, with that dash of Basement Jaxx sleaze that makes them so awesome.
God Bless the Basement Jaxx.
called "My Turn" featuring the guy from Lightspeed Champion.
It's awesome - a little wistful indie folk, a little gay house music, with that dash of Basement Jaxx sleaze that makes them so awesome.
God Bless the Basement Jaxx.
Wednesday, September 03, 2008
Milk Crate Breaks
I love blogs that post old soul and funk jams, and one of my new favs is Milk Crate Breaks.
I just downloaded a whole mess of stuff by Bernie "Pretty" Purdie, a drummer I first encountered on Gil Scott-Heron's "The Revolution Will Not Be Televised." I've always loved the drums, and Purdie is one of the best. Now the only question is, when will I have time to listen to it all.
I just downloaded a whole mess of stuff by Bernie "Pretty" Purdie, a drummer I first encountered on Gil Scott-Heron's "The Revolution Will Not Be Televised." I've always loved the drums, and Purdie is one of the best. Now the only question is, when will I have time to listen to it all.
Monday, September 01, 2008
GRITS Review
This week on Rap Reviews I reviewed GRITS' Reiterate. GRITS are a Christian rap duo from Nashville who spell their name in caps, evidently. They do polished pop-hip hop with Christian-friendly lyrics. I'm not a fan of Christian music, or pop-hip hop, so imagine how I felt about this. I was complimentary to them in my review because they are good at what they do, but gave them a lowish score because I just couldn't get into it. To quote myself:
The pop R&B and club elements might excite more casual listeners, but they won't convince hardcore hip hop heads. The songs are well-produced and technically sound, but there is a overly-polished feel to the album that I wasn't into. Part of this has to do with the pointedly clean and positive bent of the lyrics. The chaste love jams and and sober, sexless party anthems have an anemic quality to them, and the album ends up feeling like a virgin margarita, containing some of the flavor of hip hop but lacking its kick. Christian hip hop fans will definitely want to cop "Reiterate," but more secular listeners might find this too sanitized.
If you like Christian rap, or are into more pop/R&B infused hip hop, add two points to my 6.5.
My review is here.
The pop R&B and club elements might excite more casual listeners, but they won't convince hardcore hip hop heads. The songs are well-produced and technically sound, but there is a overly-polished feel to the album that I wasn't into. Part of this has to do with the pointedly clean and positive bent of the lyrics. The chaste love jams and and sober, sexless party anthems have an anemic quality to them, and the album ends up feeling like a virgin margarita, containing some of the flavor of hip hop but lacking its kick. Christian hip hop fans will definitely want to cop "Reiterate," but more secular listeners might find this too sanitized.
If you like Christian rap, or are into more pop/R&B infused hip hop, add two points to my 6.5.
My review is here.
Saturday, August 30, 2008
GZA - Protools
GZA/Genius
Protools
Baby Grand, 2008
Here's my history with Wutang Clan member Gary Grice, AKA the GZA: 1995's Liquid Swords remainss one of my favorite albums ever. It is cinematic and dark, and Grice is on fire with his storytelling raps. GZA doesn't freestyle. He carefully composes his rhymes, making sure they make sense, and work as lines. He's from the old school of rappers who try to say something with their rhymes.
Then came Beneath the Surface, which wasn't horrible, but was mediocre enough to make me wary of checking out anything else the GZA did. I did buy the Grandmasters album he did with DJ Muggs of Cypress Hill, which was ok, but contained at least one embarrassingly bad track.
So imagine my surprise when I first heard "Alphabets" off his new album, Protools. It's actually, like, good. In fact, the whole album is pretty good. The beats are crisp, sharp, and offer up that sinister, stripped down funk that the Wu has been developing recently. Wu affiliate Dreddy Krueger offers up several beats on the album, and the RZA himself steps behinds the boards as well on the 50-Cent dis track. GZA comes off like an elder statesman, weaving complex stories over the beats with low-key confidence. Maybe too low-key: he sounds half-awake on a few tracks, and I couldn't help but wonder what was up with him. Is he sick? Going through some struggles? Was he phoning it in? Or is this sleepiness his new style?
I doubt Protools will win over the youngsters. After all, GZA is old as fuck in hip hop years, and he sort of raps like your dad, but in a good way. Wu fans can rejoice that, after the dodgy 8 Diagrams, the Clan is keeping their shit together. GZA deserves credit for embracing his age and experience, and delivering a solid, mature album that doesn't try to pretend that he will ever be a hit with the ringtone set. I'm a fan of Protools.
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
Live MBV
Fact: My Bloody Valentine are one of the most amazing bands ever
Fact: They are touring again
Fact: Someone caught a video of them live at some Fuji Festival
Fact: This video makes me glad to be a human being
Fact: They are touring again
Fact: Someone caught a video of them live at some Fuji Festival
Fact: This video makes me glad to be a human being
Crying
Long story short, I didn't go to Outside Lands. Instead, life chose to give my family and I a little kick in the ass, which involved ambulances, surgery, and thankfully, a full recovery. To quote Ice Cube, life ain't shit to fool with.
So instead I want to post different versions of the saddest song ever, "Crying" by Roy Orbison. The first is Roy's version. Then comes a version by the Morning Bedners, and finally, "Llorando" by Rebekah Del Rio (NOT, as it turns out, a porn star) from the movie "Mulholland Drive."
Enjoy, and give your loved ones a call.
So instead I want to post different versions of the saddest song ever, "Crying" by Roy Orbison. The first is Roy's version. Then comes a version by the Morning Bedners, and finally, "Llorando" by Rebekah Del Rio (NOT, as it turns out, a porn star) from the movie "Mulholland Drive."
Enjoy, and give your loved ones a call.
Thursday, August 21, 2008
Emusic wrap up
I downloaded a bunch of stuff in the past month including…
My Morning Jacket It Still Moves This is an older album of theirs. It’s mellow, it’s druggy, it’s fulla reverb. I can’t say it’s not good, but I can’t say I’m into it.
Conor Oberst – The dude from Bright Eyes goes solo (which is odd, since Bright Eyes is basically him). I’m not a big fan of Bright Eyes, and I’m not a big fan of this, either. Not that it is bad, it’s just singer songwritery, aka boring. It’s one of those albums that I need time with, and I don’t think I have the time to devote to it. “NYC Gone, Gone” is pretty awesome though.
CocoRosie – La Maison de Mon Reve This duo is freaky and folky. They have old-timey voices, and do old-timey songs, only they fuck with them, adding found sounds and weird glitches. Sort of David Lynch-ey. Kind of creepy, kind of awesome.
GZA – Protools. The latest solo effort by Garry Grice, aka the Genius. Lame album name, good album.
My Morning Jacket It Still Moves This is an older album of theirs. It’s mellow, it’s druggy, it’s fulla reverb. I can’t say it’s not good, but I can’t say I’m into it.
Conor Oberst – The dude from Bright Eyes goes solo (which is odd, since Bright Eyes is basically him). I’m not a big fan of Bright Eyes, and I’m not a big fan of this, either. Not that it is bad, it’s just singer songwritery, aka boring. It’s one of those albums that I need time with, and I don’t think I have the time to devote to it. “NYC Gone, Gone” is pretty awesome though.
CocoRosie – La Maison de Mon Reve This duo is freaky and folky. They have old-timey voices, and do old-timey songs, only they fuck with them, adding found sounds and weird glitches. Sort of David Lynch-ey. Kind of creepy, kind of awesome.
GZA – Protools. The latest solo effort by Garry Grice, aka the Genius. Lame album name, good album.
The Hold Steady
The Hold Steady
Stay Positive
Vagrant, 2008
The Hold Steady are a Brooklyn-by-way-of-Minneapolis band who have been around for about four albums, after rising from the ashes of the indie band Lifter/Puller. I just picked up their latest album, Stay Positive, after hearing an interview with them on The Sound Of Young America, as well as their first single, “Sequestered In Memphis.” They are basically Jawbreaker reimagined as a Springsteen-worshipping bar band. In other words, they rawk in a punky, blue-collar kind of way. Their whole average Joe schlub thing is a bit affected, and from their interview is was clear that their whole normal guy vibe was carefully calculated. “We want to be timeless,” they said. Equally calculated was the first song on their album, which is all about the summer. They knew the album was coming out in the summer, they wanted a summer jam, and voila. As much as I find their classic rawk stylings somewhat calculating, I can’t help but be won over by their riffs and their songwriting. They are one of the few bands who really carry on the legacy of storytelling in rock that Jawbreaker (and the Boss) did so well. I don’t know if this is totally my thing, but I’m willing to give it a shot.
Stay Positive
Vagrant, 2008
The Hold Steady are a Brooklyn-by-way-of-Minneapolis band who have been around for about four albums, after rising from the ashes of the indie band Lifter/Puller. I just picked up their latest album, Stay Positive, after hearing an interview with them on The Sound Of Young America, as well as their first single, “Sequestered In Memphis.” They are basically Jawbreaker reimagined as a Springsteen-worshipping bar band. In other words, they rawk in a punky, blue-collar kind of way. Their whole average Joe schlub thing is a bit affected, and from their interview is was clear that their whole normal guy vibe was carefully calculated. “We want to be timeless,” they said. Equally calculated was the first song on their album, which is all about the summer. They knew the album was coming out in the summer, they wanted a summer jam, and voila. As much as I find their classic rawk stylings somewhat calculating, I can’t help but be won over by their riffs and their songwriting. They are one of the few bands who really carry on the legacy of storytelling in rock that Jawbreaker (and the Boss) did so well. I don’t know if this is totally my thing, but I’m willing to give it a shot.
Monday, August 18, 2008
Random
Random
The 8th Day
RAHM Nation
My review on Rapreviews is here.
I stole the photo from Random's blog, which is here.
I didn't get the fact that it was released on 8/8/08, has 8 tracks (well, sixteen, but only eight are numbered), and there were 88 copies which sold for $8.88. Whatevs. I was really into the DN3 beats, which were jazzy and sampled live drums. The other beats were pretty good as well. Random is a teacher from Phoenix, and his stuff is more thoughtful than your typical rap release. His last release riffed on Mega Man, and sampled Mega Man beats. I gotta track that down. There should be more rappers like Random.
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
Audible Landscapes
Audible Landscapes
Crime Scenes: Volume 1
Audible Landscapes do instrumental hip hop. The concept behind this album is that it is intended to be used as soundtracks to as-yet-unmade films. It is certainly atmospheric. I'm not sure I quite understand why so many instrumental hip hop albums are so damn mellow and introspective, but mabye i'm just a philistine who doesn't appreciate challenging music. I wasn't that blown away by Mingus' Black Saint and the Sinner Woman either. I did appreciate the album design and artwork, and I really appreciated that they actually sent it to me. Too many promo albums don't bother with artwork, which is a bummer.
My brief review is at RapReviews here.
You can sample the album here.
Also, they are from Long Beach, which wins them points in my book. It's wierd that this music is so creepy and moody. From my two trips to Long Beach, it seems like a nice little seaside town.
Saturday, August 09, 2008
A to tha Muthafuckin' Zis
Azis is a flamboyantly gay, transvestite gypsy singer that is huge in Bulgaria. This makes perfect sense given how homophobic and racist Bulgaria is. He warbles, he roles around with sweaty men in his videos, he belly dances, he's fucking awesome. He sings chalga, the perjorative term for pop folk in Bulgaria. When I first got there in 2003, I thought that chalga was the worst music ever, but then I learned to accept it. Especially when I realized that all chalga singers were hot, scantily dressed women without last names, like Gergana and Malina and Maria and Maya. And then there is Azis, a scantilly dressed man. Awesome.
Thursday, August 07, 2008
Torche Are Heavy and Awesome
I don’t listen to it a lot, but sometimes i fuckin’ love me some heavy metal. I’m talking about big, evil, thick-ass riffs, backed by catchy melodies and lyrics about wacky bullshit. I’m talking Sabbath, Priest, Maiden, Motorhead, and now Torchehe. Torche are a bunch of alt-headbangers out of Hotlanta. They do heavy, melodic metal, the kind that makes you wanna bang your head and sing along. I downloaded their 2005 self-titled debut on emusic, and it has been making my morning commute a much better experience. They aren’t so much about angst or hating the world. It’s more about smoking a lot of pot, listening to classic rock, and, I dunno, playing D&D or something. I love it. They have just released a second album, the amazingly titled “Meanderthal,” which is getting good reviews. Rock on.
Check them out at www.torchemusic.com
Jake Lefco
Jake Lefco
Missing Trooth
To quote the immortal d boon, "real names be the truth." Jake Lefco is a Philly/NY rapper who goes by his government name, and offers up some very sincere and honest rhymes. Happ G provides solid beats. If you are into Atmosphere, check him out.
My review is at Rapreviews here
Tuesday, August 05, 2008
Outlawz
Outlawz
We Want In
This album was a lesson in the need to do your homework. First I thought it was another mediocre street rap disc, then I was pleasantly surprised by the five or six good tracks on it, and then I realized it was 2Pac's old crew. Who have been around since 1995, and put out a million records, which maybe explains why they are better than your average street rap crew. Half of this I actually liked, the other half was not so great, and the promo I got divided each song into five tracks, so it is going into landfill.
review here.
We Want In
This album was a lesson in the need to do your homework. First I thought it was another mediocre street rap disc, then I was pleasantly surprised by the five or six good tracks on it, and then I realized it was 2Pac's old crew. Who have been around since 1995, and put out a million records, which maybe explains why they are better than your average street rap crew. Half of this I actually liked, the other half was not so great, and the promo I got divided each song into five tracks, so it is going into landfill.
review here.
Sankofa - MWF2
I'm a big fan of Fort Wayne, Indiana rapper Sankofa. This is the second installment of his free "Music With Friends" series, available at www.obeseamerica.com.
He is on a more bluesy tip here, accompanied by live guitar and drums. It is a little samey, but I still dig this. I'm really into Atmosphere's experiments with a live band, and I think more rappers should step away from the boards and try jamming for a change. Go download it, already!
Review is here.
He is on a more bluesy tip here, accompanied by live guitar and drums. It is a little samey, but I still dig this. I'm really into Atmosphere's experiments with a live band, and I think more rappers should step away from the boards and try jamming for a change. Go download it, already!
Review is here.
Invincible
Invincible
Shapeshifters
Emergence, 2008
My review is here.
I'm a big fan of Invincible. I had heard about this up and coming female MC who had been slated to be the next Eminem, but I was sceptical. I figured the hype had more to do with people wanting to like her rather than actually being into her music. I'm sad to say that this is only the seventh hip hop album by a female MC I've ever owned, and that's if you count Peaches as a hip hop MC. It was only after I heard a few tracks on her Myspace page that I finally relented and bought her debut, Shapeshifters, out June 18 on her own Emergence Music label. Musically, she has great beats and can spit some fire. Lyrically, she is that all-too rare thing in hip hop: an intelligent, passionate MC who uses the art form to break things down and tackle real, complex issues. She's also a lefty, but not an obnoxious, Rage Against the Machine lefty. She deals with the hypocrisy, racism, gentrification, and sexism in the world. She tackles issues of love and depression. She even gets her swagger on a little, but just enough. In short, she's made an amazing record, and deserves commercial success to rival her critical success. So go buy ten copies.
Monday, August 04, 2008
Ratings
In my work for Rapreviews, I have to rate albums on a ten point scale, judging both their lyrics and music. When I review a more high-profile album, my score ends up part of the Metacritic aggregate, which means that my positive reviews of Lyrics Born and Erykah Badu have helped their latests albums have higher scores. The ten point scale is daunting, and even worse when converted to Metacritic's 100 point scale. Then it becomes a grade, and I'm giving albums a B, a B- or a C. Sometimes I wish I could just use Sound Opinions "Buy It, Burn It, Trash It" scale, which often better sums up how I feel about an album. I either like it, think it's worth checking out, or don't want to waste my time with it. I guess the ten point scale allows for more nuance and fairness.
I taught English in the Peace Corps for a year, with the idea that I would end up being a History teacher when I got done with my two years. It turns out I couldn't stand being a teacher, and grading was part of the issue. It was always such a hassle, and such drama. No one would accept a bad grade, even when they deserved it. As a result, grades end up inflated, and then the truly great students end up getting robbed. If mediocrity becomes the new good, then good is mediocre.
I struggle with my ratings on Rapreviews. I could be accused of inflating my scores, but if that's true, it isn't on purpose. A lot of what I review are independent releases made by artists that are working hard at their music. I factor this into my reviews, and I tend to be more lenient to an independent artist who is actually trying as opposed to an established artist who is doing the same old bullshit. I also take into account the fact that the indie artists don't have access to the production and promotion that major label artists do. When you know a rapper is doing this on top of a full-time job, and will be lucky to sell a thousand copies, you aren't as tempted to rip them a new asshole for not being the second coming of Nas.
I try to lay out what I dislike about an artist, although in as constructive a way possible. I always imagine having to say my review to the artist's face, which keeps me honest. Many of the albums I've given favorable reviews I've never listened to again. Most of them get traded back to Ameoba, or end up in a pile on my shelf gathering dust. Most of these reviews I still agree with, but some of them I regret - there are at least a few I've written that could have been given one or two less points. The problem is that I generally want to like the albums, and I want the artists to succeed, so I tend to give them the benefit of the doubt even when I should be calling bullshit sometimes. I get caught up in the moment, the album grows on me after the twelfth listen, and in a moment of insanity, I give a Six record a Seven.
The problem is that people probably skip to the end of my reviews and see the 7.5 or 8.0, and think, ok, this is a great record, or a so-so record, or whatever. The truth is that there are different 7.5's and 8.0's. I've given two sevens this week. One of the albums had five great tracks and a whole lot of garbage. The other album had great beats, a great message, but mediocre delivery. They both end up with the same score, although I felt differently about both. And then there is the question of taste. I tend to be more into backpackey stuff that is pushing the envelope and doing interesting things musically and lyrically. I'm over melodramatic synths or ice-cold tales of crime, and yet there are a lot of hip hop heads who love this kind of music. Whenever I watch BET I think, this is hip hop? Really? And yet people go nuts for that shit, and then it ends up in my mailbox to review, and I have to find a constructive way to write about it, and judge it on its own merits.
In the end, I hope that my reviews get people interested in the artists, even if they don't agree with my review. I hope that I turn more people on to music than I deter, and I hope that the artists whose albums I don't like realize that I have to be honest, and I'm probably being as nice as I can.
I taught English in the Peace Corps for a year, with the idea that I would end up being a History teacher when I got done with my two years. It turns out I couldn't stand being a teacher, and grading was part of the issue. It was always such a hassle, and such drama. No one would accept a bad grade, even when they deserved it. As a result, grades end up inflated, and then the truly great students end up getting robbed. If mediocrity becomes the new good, then good is mediocre.
I struggle with my ratings on Rapreviews. I could be accused of inflating my scores, but if that's true, it isn't on purpose. A lot of what I review are independent releases made by artists that are working hard at their music. I factor this into my reviews, and I tend to be more lenient to an independent artist who is actually trying as opposed to an established artist who is doing the same old bullshit. I also take into account the fact that the indie artists don't have access to the production and promotion that major label artists do. When you know a rapper is doing this on top of a full-time job, and will be lucky to sell a thousand copies, you aren't as tempted to rip them a new asshole for not being the second coming of Nas.
I try to lay out what I dislike about an artist, although in as constructive a way possible. I always imagine having to say my review to the artist's face, which keeps me honest. Many of the albums I've given favorable reviews I've never listened to again. Most of them get traded back to Ameoba, or end up in a pile on my shelf gathering dust. Most of these reviews I still agree with, but some of them I regret - there are at least a few I've written that could have been given one or two less points. The problem is that I generally want to like the albums, and I want the artists to succeed, so I tend to give them the benefit of the doubt even when I should be calling bullshit sometimes. I get caught up in the moment, the album grows on me after the twelfth listen, and in a moment of insanity, I give a Six record a Seven.
The problem is that people probably skip to the end of my reviews and see the 7.5 or 8.0, and think, ok, this is a great record, or a so-so record, or whatever. The truth is that there are different 7.5's and 8.0's. I've given two sevens this week. One of the albums had five great tracks and a whole lot of garbage. The other album had great beats, a great message, but mediocre delivery. They both end up with the same score, although I felt differently about both. And then there is the question of taste. I tend to be more into backpackey stuff that is pushing the envelope and doing interesting things musically and lyrically. I'm over melodramatic synths or ice-cold tales of crime, and yet there are a lot of hip hop heads who love this kind of music. Whenever I watch BET I think, this is hip hop? Really? And yet people go nuts for that shit, and then it ends up in my mailbox to review, and I have to find a constructive way to write about it, and judge it on its own merits.
In the end, I hope that my reviews get people interested in the artists, even if they don't agree with my review. I hope that I turn more people on to music than I deter, and I hope that the artists whose albums I don't like realize that I have to be honest, and I'm probably being as nice as I can.
Friday, August 01, 2008
Port O'Brien
Port O'Brien All We Could Do Was Sing I was introduced to Oakland's Port O'Brien when "I Woke Up Today" was the KEXP song of the day. I immediately fell in love. The song is sort of like the Arcade Fire meet Modest Mouse meet the Dodos - folky instrumentation with a hammering beat and shouted lyrics. It's a great song, and further develops and contributes to the catologue of baroque/folk/orch/indie music that has been gaining steam lately. What I like about this new indie folk music is that, while it can be pretentious and a bit affected, it is generally sincere and interesting. In an age of day-glo fabrics, stunna shades, and things moving at the rate of a fast internet connection, its nice to hear music that isn't snarky or ironic, and doesn't try to pretend that we should all be doing coke and sipping jack and coke's at some New York club in 1985. Fuck that, the indie folkers say. We should all be smoking weed and preparing macrobiotic group meals in a yurt in the late sixties. I actually have no compunction to do either, but I'm too old, and have too many bad memories of the 80s having actually lived in them, to want to relive that wretched decade. I'm much more into what the Dodo's, Port O'Brien, the Fleet Foxes, or the Arcade Fire are doing - using old tropes and instruments to make new music. Not everything on "All We Could Do Was Sing" is as great as "I Woke Up Today." There are probably one too many fishing ditties here, but that is as bad as this album gets, and those tracks are only mildly annoying. Elsewhere they do some sublime ballads, and even rock out a little. They also bring in a female vocalist, who rounds out their sound and brings a welcome feminine touch to an otherwise very salty group of boys. I'm excited to see these guys live (although they evidently just left the Bay Area for a US/Canada tour). They do wicked covers of Move Bitch and My Humps live. For real.
I'm Not There
I recently saw Todd Haynes I'm Not There, which looks at various stages in Bob Dylan's life through the lens of six different characters, each played by a different actor or actress, none named "Bob Dylan." There is the sixties electric Dylan, played by Cate Blanchett, the Woody Guthrie worshipping Dylan played by a young African American actor, the protest singer/born-again Christian played by Christian Bale, the celeb Dylan played by Heath Ledger, and the weird America/Pat Garrett and Billy The Kid Dylan played by Richard Gere. It is an adventerous, risky movie that doesn't stick to a clear narrative, doesn't tell a clear story, and doesn't totally make sense. People steeped in Dylan's mythology will get the most out of this movie, as it assumes that you understand the characters it references, but I can't see aging hippies/baby boomers necessarily digging this. It's pretty out there, as out there as some of Godard's sixties work (Masculine/Feminine is explicitly referenced in the film). It's remarkable that Haynes got this thing made, considering it tackles an American icon who is still alive, and turns the life of Bob Dylan into an arthouse flick. The casting is also a little stunt, but all of the actors do a tremendous job, with the possible exception of Bale, who just sort of acts constipated. What I loved about the film was its cinemetography; this is one gorgeous film, with rich colors, and some stunning black and white work. I also loved how it tackled the issues Dylan faced rather than merely relate his life story. It didn't detail his change from protest singer to drug-addled rocker to born again preacher - it examined how he fought against being classified as merely a protest singer, and how constrained he felt by his image, his legend, and the expectations his fans and the media had of him. Even the rock cliche of drug addiction is handled well here: Haynes doesn't bother detailing Dylan's drug abuse, but instead shows how Dylan's amphetamine use is fueled in part by his desire to deal with and makes sense of the pressures around him. It doesn't end with him hitting rock bottom or making a brave comeback - it ends with him being shown as the real human that he is, warts and all. Perhaps the best thing about I'm Not There is that it doesn't pretend to be the truth. Bio pics always play fast and loose with the truth in order to weave a coherent story and make a compelling narrative. By not naming any of the characters "Bob Dylan," Haynes avoids the hypocrisy and deciet of most bio pics. Some may be put off by the lack of a coherent story, but at least Haynes isn't telling the same tired "rise from obscurity, reach success, succumb to sex and drugs, hit bottom, make triumphant comeback" narrative that is the staple of rock bios. (See every episode of "Behind the Music," or Walk Hard). I'm not sure I totally got I'm Not There, especially the scenes with Richard Gere, but it is a beautiful, interesting film, and a worthy tribute to an important musician.
Thursday, July 31, 2008
Outside Lands Festival
I just got tickets to the Outside Lands Festival in Golden Gate Park. I got the tickets for Sunday, August 24. It’s a three-day festival, but I can’t swing that much festival, so I picked the day that had the most bands that I was excited about. Day 1 was also exciting, with Radiohead and Beck, but whatevs. There is something funny about the fact that I just paid a hundred bucks to see Jack Johnson and Widespread Panic, two artists for whom I have no affection. I’m really excited to see Wilco, Andrew Bird, Sharon Jones, Little Brother, and the Cool Kids. I’ll admit, I’m a little wary. I hate being in the sun, I hate crowds, especially with really drunk people, I hate waiting in long lines for stinky port-a-pottie…Originally I had no desire to go, but I was discussing it with some friends, and I realized that my hatred of festivals is based on Lollapallooza ONE seventeen years ago. So maybe I should give it another shot. Plus, it’s within walking distance of my girlfriend’s (and soon to be my) apartment, so what the hey. Also, festivals seem like the new big thing, so I better learn to love them.
Tix are still available, so go buy some, dog. www.outsidelandsfestival.com
The line up is below…
Sunday August 24th (first band is on at 1pm)
Jack Johnson
Wilco
Widespread Panic
Rodrigo Y Gabriela
Broken Social Scene
Andrew Bird
Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings
Drive-By Truckers
Toots & the Maytals
Stars
Rogue Wave
ALO
Jackie Greene
Mike Gordan
The Cool Kids
Grace Potter & The Nocturnals
Little Brother
Bon Iver
The Mother Hips
Nicole Atkins & The Sea
K'naan
Back Door Slam
Culver City Dub Collective
Friday, July 25, 2008
Best of 2008 So Far
With the year a little more than halfway over, I thought I'd take a minute to reflect on some of my favorite releases in the first six month of the two thousand and eighth year of Our Lord.
Best Hip Hop Releases:
1. Erykah Badu "New Amerykah Part 1" I gave this a really high score, and I still think it is a phenomenal record. You have to listen to "Soldier" on a system with good bass to truly understand. It's beautiful, angry, and banging.
2. Cool Kids "The Bake Sale" plus all their sundry mixtapes. I fucking love these guys. Call them hipster douchbags if you will, but I'm on board.
3. Atmosphere - "Strictly Leakage" Their free party album is full of classic funky breaks and Slug at his emo rap best, having fun and killing it.
Also. Atmosphere - "When Life Gives You Lemons, You Paint That Shit Gold." A little downtempo, with a few clunky tracks, but still packing enough great songs to make it worth repeated spins.
4. Invincible "Shapeshifters" An activist rapper who is white and female and doesn't sound like the Consolidated? Believe it.
5. Red Ants "Omega Point" I've been listening to this some more, and goddamn is it evil and delicious, like a good sludgy Black Sabbath track, only it's hip hop, and they are rapping about conspiracy theories.
Best Non Hip Hop Releases
1. Fleet Foxes S/T Like My Morning Jacket if they were a baroque medieval folk band.
2. Dodos "Visiter" Charming, pretty folk music that manages to not be to precious for its own good
3. Radiohead "In Rainbows." Goddamn is this good. After a few albums of meandering bullshit, they finally cut the crap and start writing songs again.
I don't really have any other top picks. There are other albums I like, but am not in love with, like the She & Him album, the Port O'Brien record, the Vampire Weekend album, etc. There is a lot I haven't heard, like the Hercules and the Love Affair album, which is supposed to be awesome, the Lil Wayne album, the new Torche album, etc Most of the other stuff that made other best of lists that isn't on mine is stuff I haven't heard and can't be bothered to check out.
So what did I miss? What am I totally wrong about? I'm pretty sure that all of my picks will stand the test of time, but then again, I don't listen to all of the stuff that made my year end list very much anymore either.
Best Hip Hop Releases:
1. Erykah Badu "New Amerykah Part 1" I gave this a really high score, and I still think it is a phenomenal record. You have to listen to "Soldier" on a system with good bass to truly understand. It's beautiful, angry, and banging.
2. Cool Kids "The Bake Sale" plus all their sundry mixtapes. I fucking love these guys. Call them hipster douchbags if you will, but I'm on board.
3. Atmosphere - "Strictly Leakage" Their free party album is full of classic funky breaks and Slug at his emo rap best, having fun and killing it.
Also. Atmosphere - "When Life Gives You Lemons, You Paint That Shit Gold." A little downtempo, with a few clunky tracks, but still packing enough great songs to make it worth repeated spins.
4. Invincible "Shapeshifters" An activist rapper who is white and female and doesn't sound like the Consolidated? Believe it.
5. Red Ants "Omega Point" I've been listening to this some more, and goddamn is it evil and delicious, like a good sludgy Black Sabbath track, only it's hip hop, and they are rapping about conspiracy theories.
Best Non Hip Hop Releases
1. Fleet Foxes S/T Like My Morning Jacket if they were a baroque medieval folk band.
2. Dodos "Visiter" Charming, pretty folk music that manages to not be to precious for its own good
3. Radiohead "In Rainbows." Goddamn is this good. After a few albums of meandering bullshit, they finally cut the crap and start writing songs again.
I don't really have any other top picks. There are other albums I like, but am not in love with, like the She & Him album, the Port O'Brien record, the Vampire Weekend album, etc. There is a lot I haven't heard, like the Hercules and the Love Affair album, which is supposed to be awesome, the Lil Wayne album, the new Torche album, etc Most of the other stuff that made other best of lists that isn't on mine is stuff I haven't heard and can't be bothered to check out.
So what did I miss? What am I totally wrong about? I'm pretty sure that all of my picks will stand the test of time, but then again, I don't listen to all of the stuff that made my year end list very much anymore either.
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
T.H.U.G. Angelz
T.H.U.G. Angelz
Welcome to Red Hook Houses
Babygrande, 2008
T.H.U.G. Angelz is former Wu affiliates Shabazz the Disciple and Hell Razah, who offer a gritty concept album about the notorious Brooklyn projects. I appreciated the fact that they didn't glamourize the crime and drama of the project. This is more Nas or Mobb Deep than Cash Money. Beats-wise and subject-wise, this is solid, mid-nineties East Coast hardcore.
My review is here.
www.rapreviews.com/archive/2008_07_welcometoredhook.html
While trying to find a photo to steal for this blog, I came upon 187onamothafuckincop.blogspot.com, which, of course, is an Italian blog where you can illegally download albums. Awesome.
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
Articulate Review
Articulate
Slave For the Dollar EP
Articulate is a Baltimore MC who did this concept EP about not being a slave to the dollar. I had a bunch of journal entries like this when I was in high school. It dawned on me that rather than, like, work, I should be creating art and beauty and shit. Typical teenager, I thought I had it all worked out and the rest of the world were the idiots. His message is a little naïve, but still important – it’s easy to lose your soul chasing a buck.
My review is here.
Go to his website, www.slaveforthisdollar.com and pay what you feel is fair.
Slave For the Dollar EP
Articulate is a Baltimore MC who did this concept EP about not being a slave to the dollar. I had a bunch of journal entries like this when I was in high school. It dawned on me that rather than, like, work, I should be creating art and beauty and shit. Typical teenager, I thought I had it all worked out and the rest of the world were the idiots. His message is a little naïve, but still important – it’s easy to lose your soul chasing a buck.
My review is here.
Go to his website, www.slaveforthisdollar.com and pay what you feel is fair.
Mooga Review
40 Cal
Mooga
Gold Dust Media
I’m not a fan of the Dipset and their whole crack rap thing. This is the third Dipset member’s material I’ve had to review, and the second album by 40 Cal. That means that I’ve invested more time with the Dipset and 40 than I have with Mission to Burma, , the Fall, Love, 13th Floor Elevators, Ike and Tina Turner, or any number of important musical acts that have never crossed my way. That makes me a little sad. 40 isn’t a bad rapper, but I don’t like the Dipset schtick, and he sticks to it. The promo was especially annoying, with no album art, no production credits, and all of the tracks divided into five tracks to make it harder to rip and post on the internet.
My review is here.
By the way, “Mooga” means money in 40’s parlance, but www.mooga.com is an Arabic-language website. I can’t tell what it’s all about. The one article I glanced at with Google's translator blamed Israel on the food shortage, and accused them of trying to sabotage Egypt's wheat production.
http://www.rapreviews.com/archive/2008_07_mooga.html
Sunday, July 13, 2008
Get yr folk on
By now I can admit that My Morning Jacket's new album is pretty fucking awful. I gave it the old college try, but I just can't listen to it, despite a few high points.
Luckily, my yen for countrified prog-folk is being sated by two great newish albums.
The first is the Fleet Foxes self-titled debut on Sub Pop. They basically sound like an atmospheric MMJ channeling CSNY. But in a good way. It's been on heavy rotation on my girlfriend's computer since I downloaded it yesterday.
The other is Oakland's Port O'Brien, who have the chaotic tendencies of the Arcade Fire with the quirky folk of the Dodos. I've only given their album "All We Could Do Was SIng" a few spins, but it's better than ok. Maybe I'll write a real review later.
If you are as heartbroken by the experimental sucktitude of "Evil Urges," take succor in the Fleet Foxes and Port O'Brien.
Saturday, July 12, 2008
Seven Essential Ska Albums (and the only ones really worth owning)
I love old ska. I first got into ska in the summer of 1987, when I went to the Manteca water slides with the Manresa Junior Lifeguards, and older JGs Shanae Machetti and Allison Moore played the English Beat’s “Mirror In the Bathroom” at our campsite. Slowly, through my older sister and her friends, I got exposed to the second wave British acts like the Specials and the Selector, and some Desmond Dekker stuff. I got really into ska my sophomore year of college, listening to bands like Operation Ivy, more Two Tone stuff, and local bands like Sacto’s Daisy Spot and Filibuster. My best friend Jaime was dating a (Philipino) skinhead in the mid-nineties, and hanging out with some of the Sacto skins, and through them I got exposed to more old ska and reggae, including Lee Perry’s “Chicken Scratch.” Lee Perry is better known for his reggae and dub stuff, but “Chicken Scratch” is an essential early ska album. I just picked up a remastered reissue from Heartbeat, and it still sounds wonderfully scratchy, just like old vinyl should. Ska was basically Jamaicans attempts at American R&B, and it has all the charm of old soul albums with the extra kick of that ska rhythm. Some of the tracks even sound like jump blues. (I recently learned, by the way, that ska is meant to be pronounced “skya,” and refers to the sound of the guitar. Just thought I’d mention.)
Listening to Chicken Scratch got me thinking about other ska albums, and so I’ve compiled a list of essential ska albums that no collection should be without. Because of ska’s limited range, this list is also the ONLY ska albums you need to own.
1. Chicken Scratch
2. Rockin’ Steady – the Best of Desmond Dekker. This came out in 1992 on Rhino. There is another greatest hits package floating around with two discs, which is an awful lot of Desmond Dekker. Either package is worth it for “That Woman,” “the Israelites,” “Honor Your Mother,” and “007” which is available on pretty much any early reggae collection.
3. The Harder They Come Soundtrack – Jimmy Cliff, Desmond Dekker, Toots and the Maytals…a lot of the great early reggae/ska is here. This was America’s real introduction to reggae.
4. The 2 Tone Story. The two-cd 2Tone singles collection. 2 Tone was the label that led Britain’s second wave of ska, in which punks and first-generation West Indian immigrants banded fused the energy with punk with the speed and angst of punk, creating some pretty great music. All the great British bands are here, including Madness, the Selector, the Specials, the Beat, and the Bodysnatchers. The second cd is mostly neo-mod and new wave stuff that is pretty inessential.
5 & 6. While you’re at it, you might as well pick up the Specials self-titled first album, and the Selector’s “Too Much Pressure.” Both bands have greatest-hits collections that are more readily available and collect the few gems from their second albums, but you might as well just go for their debuts.
7. Finally, you should get Operation Ivy’s self titled album on Hellcat, which I believe is a rerelease of their Lookout! Records discography. At the very least, it has their Energy! disc and is only missing a few tracks. Op Ivy were a late-80s punk/ska band, and one of the best to do that mix well. Their later incarnation Rancid had some ok songs as well, but Op Ivy are really the way to go if you want an American 3rd wave band. The one issue with Op Ivy is that they inspired leagues of imitators, none of whom were as good, and most of whom sucked.
Ska, like punk, is one of those genres which offers diminishing returns, so an artists second disc is worse than their first, and the third and fourth iterations of the genre have none of the wheat of the original and all of the chaff. That’s why Let’s Go Bowling, Skanking Pickle, and every other Bay Area ska band from the mid nineties is omitted from this list. They just aren’t worth your time, and these seven albums should be all you need, ska-wise. Neither is any of the bands’ later output. Anything that the British groups put out after 1984 isn’t worth your hard-earned money. (That same rule holds true for early 80s hardcore as well, by the way.)
Ska eventually morphed into reggae (at least in my version of the universe – let me know if you disagree), and there is a lot of great early reggae out there. If you are still jonesing for that ska beat, and can deal with a little mellowness, check out any of Trojan Records collections of early reggae. There is some good stuff in their vaults, and most of it ended up being covered by the British second wave bands.
Friday, July 11, 2008
Nas, Step Your Rap Game Up
Earlier this year, Nas made a shameless attempt at generating interest in his flagging career by saying he was going to name his new album "Nigger." Unsurprisingly, retailers, his label, and anyone with common sense pointed out that you can't really name your album an expletive, particularly an especially vile racial slur. Even if you are black.
So Nas caved, and now his album is untitled. I watched the video for "Sly Fox" on Pitchfork today, and it was pretty bloodless and lame. He's taking a stab at the media, but lines like "When I see CBS, all I see is B.S." are just embarrassing. Step it up, Nas. Quit trying to stir controversy, and focus on making good music. Please?
So Nas caved, and now his album is untitled. I watched the video for "Sly Fox" on Pitchfork today, and it was pretty bloodless and lame. He's taking a stab at the media, but lines like "When I see CBS, all I see is B.S." are just embarrassing. Step it up, Nas. Quit trying to stir controversy, and focus on making good music. Please?
Thursday, July 10, 2008
America is just a word but I use it
As usual I’m late to jump on the bandwagon with this, but a recent Sound Opinions show about their favorite songs about America got met thinking. So here are three songs that embody America to me:
Modest Mouse, “Novocaine Stain” off their 1996 album This Is A Long Drive For Someone With Nothing To Think About
Modest Mouse were one of my favorite bands in the late nineties. They were the perfect soundtrack for depression, and for a quarter-life crisis. This song, about the changing landscape caused by development, perfectly captured my fears and anxiety about California and San Francisco’s ever-growing population. Everyone’s moving to paradise and turning it into a strip mall. No I don’t like this change of pace at all.
“Interchange plazas a mall
And crowded chain restaurants
More housing developments go up
Named after the things they replace
So welcome to Minnow Brook
And welcome to Shady Space
And it all seems a little abrupt
No I don't like this change of pace”
Minutemen “Corona” off Double Nickels on the Dime
Better known as the Jackass theme song, this rousing Tex-Mex blazer is actually a commentary on coming face to face with “the dirt, scarcity, and the emptiness/of our South.”
"The people will survive
In their environment
The dirt, scarcity, and the emptiness
Of our South
The injustice of our greed
The practice we inherit
The dirt, scarcity and the emptiness
Of our South
There on the beach
I could see it in her eyes
I only had a Corona
Five cent deposit"
It makes me tear up almost every time.
The Minutemen’s “I Felt Like A Gringo” is another song that reminds me of America, partially because it takes place on the 4th of July, but also because it discusses the awkward, ugly American abroad, both reviled and envied by those outside our borders. Over a funky, bluesy riff, D. Boon wails “A ton of white guilt that’s my problem. Obstacle to joy/one reason for using drugs.” The song is a classic example of Boon’s wonderful poetry, which seems simple on the surface, but deals with a lot of big questions.
“Slept on a mexican beach slept in trash - American trash -
thinking too much can ruin a good time.
I asked a Mexican who ran a bar for Americans
"Who won" I said "The election?",
He laughed, I felt like a gringo,
They played a song and had some fun with us.
Why can't you buy a good time?
Why are there soldiers in the street?
Why did I spend the fourth in someone else’s country?”
That song also gets honorable mention for containing several quotes that have continued to resonate with me since I first heard it almost twenty years ago. Why can’t you buy a good time? Why are there soldiers in the street? Why did I spend the fourth in someone else’s country?
Modest Mouse, “Novocaine Stain” off their 1996 album This Is A Long Drive For Someone With Nothing To Think About
Modest Mouse were one of my favorite bands in the late nineties. They were the perfect soundtrack for depression, and for a quarter-life crisis. This song, about the changing landscape caused by development, perfectly captured my fears and anxiety about California and San Francisco’s ever-growing population. Everyone’s moving to paradise and turning it into a strip mall. No I don’t like this change of pace at all.
“Interchange plazas a mall
And crowded chain restaurants
More housing developments go up
Named after the things they replace
So welcome to Minnow Brook
And welcome to Shady Space
And it all seems a little abrupt
No I don't like this change of pace”
Minutemen “Corona” off Double Nickels on the Dime
Better known as the Jackass theme song, this rousing Tex-Mex blazer is actually a commentary on coming face to face with “the dirt, scarcity, and the emptiness/of our South.”
"The people will survive
In their environment
The dirt, scarcity, and the emptiness
Of our South
The injustice of our greed
The practice we inherit
The dirt, scarcity and the emptiness
Of our South
There on the beach
I could see it in her eyes
I only had a Corona
Five cent deposit"
It makes me tear up almost every time.
The Minutemen’s “I Felt Like A Gringo” is another song that reminds me of America, partially because it takes place on the 4th of July, but also because it discusses the awkward, ugly American abroad, both reviled and envied by those outside our borders. Over a funky, bluesy riff, D. Boon wails “A ton of white guilt that’s my problem. Obstacle to joy/one reason for using drugs.” The song is a classic example of Boon’s wonderful poetry, which seems simple on the surface, but deals with a lot of big questions.
“Slept on a mexican beach slept in trash - American trash -
thinking too much can ruin a good time.
I asked a Mexican who ran a bar for Americans
"Who won" I said "The election?",
He laughed, I felt like a gringo,
They played a song and had some fun with us.
Why can't you buy a good time?
Why are there soldiers in the street?
Why did I spend the fourth in someone else’s country?”
That song also gets honorable mention for containing several quotes that have continued to resonate with me since I first heard it almost twenty years ago. Why can’t you buy a good time? Why are there soldiers in the street? Why did I spend the fourth in someone else’s country?
Thursday, July 03, 2008
Cool Kids
Cool Kids
Bake Sale
Chocolate Industries, 2008
I don't know much about the Cool Kids, other than they are a Chicago hipster-hop duo who have generated a lot of buzz among those in the blogosphere. Me, I don't have the patience/short attention span to keep up with the latest and greatest, so it takes me a few months/years to catch on to things. Bake Sale is their first official release, I believe, although they have released some mixtapes and singles over the past year.
It would be tempting for me to hate on the Cool Kids and their irony-drenched hip hop, only it's so much damn fun. Their beats are minimalist, futurist, and dance-oriented, in the same vein as a lot of hyphy stuff, only not annoying. Lyrically they are clever and funny. Imagine if the Pack had some better skills, or if Spank Rock weren't as sex obsessed - that's sort of the Cool Kids. I've been listening to this nonstop since I downloaded it from emusic, and you should too.
The Cool Kids also have a new mixtape, which you can download here.
Tuesday, July 01, 2008
Tanya Morgan - The Bridge
Tanya Morgan
The Bridge EP
IM Culture, 2008
I'm a Tanya Morgan fan, so I was happy to review their new EP for RapReviews this week. Here.
If you've never heard Tanya Morgan, you probably should. Their only flaw is an awkward name and some technical issues, given that they are located in Brooklyn and Cincinnati, and do a lot of their recording over the internet. Sometimes the vocals come in at different levels, which can make their recordings sound more amatuerish than they deserve. Still, good stuff.
There is a good interview with the crew at Mixtape Monster here.
Monday, June 30, 2008
Skate Punk
I traded a bunch of stuff to Amoeba the other day and picked up a copy of We Know You Suck, a compilation of Arizona skate punk band JFA's stuff. It's basically their Blatant Localism and Valley of the Yakes albums, with some bonus tracks and live stuff. I had a cassette of their albums when I was a kid, and it was one of my favorite punk albums. They mix 80s hardcore with a slight surf vibe, including covers of "Baja" and "Walk Don't Run." None of their songs clocked in at more than three minutes, and you couldn't really understand a word they said. They thankfully broke up before turning into a shitty hard rock band, although they have reappeared in paunchier form to crank out their old hits to aging punkers on a nostalgia trip. Like myself.
JFA (Jody Foster's Army - how cool is that?) were skaters, like my 13-year-old self, and I first heard about them on Thrasher's "Skate Rock: VOl. 1" comp. I just found a download of that cassette-only release, and I have to say, for how impactful it was on my as a teen, it doesn't really hold up. The highlight are two Skoundrelz tracks, which I guess was Tony Alva's band. They played fast and dirty hardcore, a little like Fishsticks, who none of you have heard of, because they sold like twenty albums.
I originally found the download at some Spanish site, the profile of which was a swastika made out of a confederate flag. So then I ask, do I download it anyways? A: No, because the links didn't work.
Monday, June 23, 2008
J.R. Writer and Plies
There are times when I rush to do reviews because I am really excited about an album, and then there are times when I rush to do reviews because I don’t want to have to listen to it anymore. Plies and J.R. Writer are examples of the latter, both up on Rapreviews now. J.R. Writer is generic crack rap which sounds like all of the rest of the Dipset stuff, ie slick but not very good. Plies is Floribean rap that is a little like a second-rate UGK, which means slick, funky synths and lots of gutter talk. It has one of the most disturbing covers I’ve seen in a while, of him in a ski mask wearing a medallion of him in a ski mask. It looks like a caricature of black criminality from a white supremacist site. Plus I had to skip yoga so that I could crank it out Monday night. Nothing is less hip hop than having to ditch your Astanga class to write about a rapper with songs like “Feel Like Fuckin.’” I tell you, life ain’t shit to fool with. But with those reviews out of the way, I have time to listen to music that is less offensive and shitty, like the new Cool Kids E.P., or the new My Morning Jacket – I’m determined to learn to love it. Nothing is less hip hop than shelving your gangsta rap cd so you can listen to a Southern Jam band.
Anyways, the review of J.R. Writer’s Politics and Bullshit is here.
The review of Plies' Definition of Real is here.
Thursday, June 19, 2008
Evil Urges
My Morning Jacket
Evil Urges
ATO, 2008
My Morning Jacket’s 2005 album Z is one of my favorite records of the last few years. It defies classification – a little jam band, a little southern classic rock, a little indie rock, a little prog, and all awesome. I was excited for Evil Urges in a way that I don’t get excited about music much anymore. What were they gonna do this time? When you make a masterpiece, where do you go from there?
A lot of bands have tried to answer that question. Some, like Radiohead, go off into a radically different direction. Some, like My Bloody Valentine, fall apart, others try to recapture that magic to increasingly diminishing returns, while still others, like …And You Will Know Us By the Trail of Dead, try to expand their sound and end up with something closer to mediocrity than genius.
Which brings me to Evil Urges. From the opening chords of the title track, you know the boys are trying to be on some next level shit. Prince falsettos? Funky guitar work? Um, ok. Does it work? Sort of. Is it good? Mmmm….well, it’s not actively bad. How’s that?
“Touch Me I’m Going To Scream Pt. 1” is better, and shows the band expanding on their prog tendencies (like having a two-part song). They try to get their rock on on a few songs. “Remnants” sounds a like a Seattle circa flannels and heroin; “Aluminum Park” is a classic MMJ uptempo number. Their biggest stretch, and their biggest failure, is “Highly Suspicious,” which is so bad I didn’t download it.
They also play it mellow and safe, with mixed results. “The Librarian” is a tender love song that has some of the albums best and worst lyrics. No band that isn’t the Bare Naked Ladies should ever use “interweb” in its lyrics. MMJ redeem that party foul with lines like “what is it inside our heads that makes us do the opposite?/
Makes us do the opposite of what's right for us?”
“Sec Walking” and “Look At You” are wailing alt-country that are heartbreakingly great, but their Skynard-esque “I’m Amazed” is hampered by horrible lyrics and sounds kind of like an ad for a big truck.
In the end, Evil Urges doesn’t deserve either the four stars Rolling Stone gave it, or the 4.7 of 10 that uber-snobs Pitchfork awarded it. The truth is that it is pretty good, but hardly fucking amazing. That means that it is worth checking out, but a disappointment coming after Z.
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
Drapht Review
Drapht
Brothers Grimm
Obese Records, 2008
Drapth is a 23-year-old MC from Perth, Australia. His melodic delivery didn't rock my world, but he is backed by good beats, and doesn't try to be the hardest guy in the room. My review is here.
Not brilliant, but worth checking out. I especially liked "Money" and "Dreams and Dreamers." Go Perth.
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
What Does It All Mean?
I reviewed Steinski's retrospective, What Does It All Mean, in RapReviews this week. Here.
His "Lessons" were a pretty big deal, and very rare, since none of the sample are cleared. You should probably buy this record. Really. It's the best of classic hip hop, plus some pretty cool sound collages. You should also check out his blog at www.steinski.com
Plus, it's got a really great cover. Helvetica baby. Fascist minimalism is the new future!
I also reviewed MC Rentz' 1981. Here
I was not a fan of Rentz, and it is only out of a sense of duty to give an honest review that I forced myself to listen to the whole thing. He seems like a nice enough guy, and he has some talent as a lyricist and producer, but I can't deal with his rapping. 100% not my thing. You can check it out for yourself here.
Thursday, June 05, 2008
When Life Gives You Lemons
Atmosphere
When Life Gives You Lemons, You Paint That Shit Gold
Rhymesayers, 2008
Atmosphere, the Minneapolis rap group headed by MC Slug and beatmaker Ant have been making music for the proverbial hip hop minute. They’ve become known as emo-rap, mostly due to Slug’s confessional, autobiographical lyrics which detail his every flaw, from being an imperfect father and lover to smoking and drinking too much. However, Slug is much more than just another self-pitying rapper, and Atmosphere are clearly angling to be more than just another rap group. They’ve been touring with a live band, and on Ant is starting to move away from his autobiographical lyrics and expand his range.
The result, When Life Gives You Lemons, You Paint That Shit Gold, is basically hip hop’s answer to Bruce Springsteen. Slug moves out of the limelight, telling tales in the second and third person. His songs are populated by drug addicts, prostitutes, alcoholics, bad fathers, and homeless people. They are all down on their luck, and they are all victims of Bushenomics and the failed American dream that ends in foreclosure. He tackles his subjects with empathy and sensitivity. Slug understands that no one is perfect, and even the biggest fuck-ups often mean well. “You gotta let people be hypocrites,” he says on opener “Like the Rest of Us.” “Count your blessings and mind your business.”
When it works, When Life Gives You Lemons offers the kind of emotional experience that is rare in hip hop, a genre that is generally obsessed with getting yours by any means necessary. “Guarantees” is heartbreakingly gorgeous in its personification of a warehouse worker on his last straw; “You” offers a you-go-girl celebration of a down-on-her luck waitress; “Shoulda Known” describes a relationship with drug addict; and “Your Glasshouse” is a frightening description of an alcoholic’s lost weekend. On these tracks, and several others, Atmosphere manage to combine compelling beats with stories that are emotional without being cheesy. Ant moves on from his old-school leaning beats, instead offering up several tracks based around pianos, and a few tracks of old synthesizers. For the most part, it works.
There are two issues with When Life Gives You Lemons: the first is that Slug hits that alcoholic/drug addict story two often, and sometimes is maudlin and cliché. The other issues is that this is a drab, downtempo album. On tracks like the sparse “Guarantees” or “Puppets,” it works, but a whole album of depressing, slow songs is a bit much. There are handful of tracks on here that are too cheesy, and try too hard for the emotional punch, like Pay It Forward set to music. “Yesterday” is an example of how Slug can slip into high school poetry mode; Over tinkling pianos, he tells the tale of an unknown person who he thought he saw on the street, reminiscing about this person, and wondering what there up to. The kicker comes towards the end, when he says “but you passed away, dad.” It’s a little painful. There are a few more moments like this on the album, but, I’m willing to forgive them for these missteps – they are reaching as artists, and the payoffs make up for the mistakes. I hope that in future albums, Slug watches not to slip into total cliché mode, and Ant keeps things a little more upbeat. When Life Gives You Lemons is an album that is as good as its title. Paint that shit gold indeed.
As a side note, I bought the “Deluxe” version of the album, which comes in book form with a children’s story, lyrics, and a live dvd. It’s interesting, but not essential. The live DVD proves that they are damn good live act.
Wednesday, June 04, 2008
Nut-Rageous
Nut-Rageous
Raw Nuts
Poor Pocket Muzik
Review here.
Good East Coast beats marred by some below-average rapping. Nut-Rageous seems like a decent guy, and he has some alright lines, but this just doesn't work for me. It was one of those albums where at first I though it was pretty good, only to realize that it didn't quite add up. Old school East Coast fans should give this a listen, but it's not a must-have.
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