Wednesday, July 17, 2013
Monday, July 8, 2013
Couple Good Ones...
Tony Allen "Black Voices"
I guess I was aware of this Tony Allen album (drummer for Fela)… I've seen that cover… but never checked it out. It's awesome, throw it on if you have an afrobeat itch you need scratched.
Bass Drum of Death
If you like retro garage a la Ty Segall, Bass Drum of Death is pretty awesome. I'm feeling "GB City" better than their other one.
Later dudes.
dc
I guess I was aware of this Tony Allen album (drummer for Fela)… I've seen that cover… but never checked it out. It's awesome, throw it on if you have an afrobeat itch you need scratched.
Bass Drum of Death
If you like retro garage a la Ty Segall, Bass Drum of Death is pretty awesome. I'm feeling "GB City" better than their other one.
Later dudes.
dc
Friday, June 28, 2013
BNLX "LP"
So... kind of slow summer thus far at work. Ergo I'm going to single-handedly attempt to inject some life into this blog.
BNLX is a "band" the mostly, I think, is comprised of Ed Ackerson. He's a long-time Minneapolis engineer/producer/musician. His band Polara put out a couple of records (maybe more?), one of which is an absolute stunner (if you like the noise pop deal): "Polara."
This new band is him and his wife. I think this record is pretty great. It makes no pretense to breaking new ground. It's just nice a noisy and sugar sweet.
www.bnlx2day.com
BNLX is a "band" the mostly, I think, is comprised of Ed Ackerson. He's a long-time Minneapolis engineer/producer/musician. His band Polara put out a couple of records (maybe more?), one of which is an absolute stunner (if you like the noise pop deal): "Polara."
This new band is him and his wife. I think this record is pretty great. It makes no pretense to breaking new ground. It's just nice a noisy and sugar sweet.
www.bnlx2day.com
Tuesday, June 25, 2013
Kanye West -- Yeezus
A little background...
I have never heard (knowingly) a Kanye West song prior to listening to this record. I chose to listen to this one because I was so annoyed by the following sentence in the Pitchfork review: "These are the immeasurably lofty stakes Kanye deals in on Yeezus, his sixth solo album." That sentence followed a rhapsodic paragraph about the "I Am God" song on the record.
Okay, yes, I know, pitchfork, say no more. But there are NO immeasurably lofty stakes in ANY piece of pop music whether or not you like the artist. There are none in Bob Dylan, none in Nina Simone, none in The Clash... I could go on, but let's be real, immeasurably lofty stakes are not for the music/fashion/theater/film etc. worlds.
This is, of course, not to say that music can't be important, maybe even very important to individuals, but immeasurable stakes? Nah.
But I was intrigued, so I went on Google Play and gave it a listen. I listened to the whole thing (yeah me!). I'm trying to parse my reaction. Is this the inevitable old guy distaste for the new? The inexorable gap between me and "the kids"? Whatever it is: this record is awful. I can't imagine listening to it at home in the dark with headphones, I can't imagine listening to it while I clean my bathrooms, I can't imagine listening to it in the car, I can't imagine listening to it in a bar. I will not, can not, listen to it again.
The lyrics... oh man... these are the lyrics of Edward Snowden. The drop out who thinks he's smarter than everyone else. These are lyrics that portend to say a lot but really say very very little. (As an aside: he must have a very very small vocabulary, I can't imagine having an intelligent conversation with him). I like my musicians smart and dumb, so long as their honest about either. He's honest about neither. Rap music, for me, needs really really interesting words (hence my dismal feelings to Tyler the Creator). These aren't good words. They aren't interesting. They are pedantically "controversial."
The music... meh. Okay, he's processed what's going on over the last 5-10 years admirably. Good for you dude. It's boring and grating (a terrible combination). I found the production hard on the ears as well. Over-compressed (par for the course, I know), but really fatiguing. No depth.
I'm open to hearing rebuttals. I'm no hip-hop scholar, so maybe I'm missing some intricacy--but that would cause another argument from me.
I have never heard (knowingly) a Kanye West song prior to listening to this record. I chose to listen to this one because I was so annoyed by the following sentence in the Pitchfork review: "These are the immeasurably lofty stakes Kanye deals in on Yeezus, his sixth solo album." That sentence followed a rhapsodic paragraph about the "I Am God" song on the record.
Okay, yes, I know, pitchfork, say no more. But there are NO immeasurably lofty stakes in ANY piece of pop music whether or not you like the artist. There are none in Bob Dylan, none in Nina Simone, none in The Clash... I could go on, but let's be real, immeasurably lofty stakes are not for the music/fashion/theater/film etc. worlds.
This is, of course, not to say that music can't be important, maybe even very important to individuals, but immeasurable stakes? Nah.
But I was intrigued, so I went on Google Play and gave it a listen. I listened to the whole thing (yeah me!). I'm trying to parse my reaction. Is this the inevitable old guy distaste for the new? The inexorable gap between me and "the kids"? Whatever it is: this record is awful. I can't imagine listening to it at home in the dark with headphones, I can't imagine listening to it while I clean my bathrooms, I can't imagine listening to it in the car, I can't imagine listening to it in a bar. I will not, can not, listen to it again.
The lyrics... oh man... these are the lyrics of Edward Snowden. The drop out who thinks he's smarter than everyone else. These are lyrics that portend to say a lot but really say very very little. (As an aside: he must have a very very small vocabulary, I can't imagine having an intelligent conversation with him). I like my musicians smart and dumb, so long as their honest about either. He's honest about neither. Rap music, for me, needs really really interesting words (hence my dismal feelings to Tyler the Creator). These aren't good words. They aren't interesting. They are pedantically "controversial."
The music... meh. Okay, he's processed what's going on over the last 5-10 years admirably. Good for you dude. It's boring and grating (a terrible combination). I found the production hard on the ears as well. Over-compressed (par for the course, I know), but really fatiguing. No depth.
I'm open to hearing rebuttals. I'm no hip-hop scholar, so maybe I'm missing some intricacy--but that would cause another argument from me.
Friday, June 14, 2013
Wednesday, June 12, 2013
Collateral Damage: Numero Group on the vinyl bubble
http://thewire.co.uk/in-writing/essays/collateral-damage_numero-group-on-the-vinyl-bubble
The things this essay points out are why I almost exclusively buy records for $0.50 or $1. Really the only new vinyl I buy is reggae and the labels that put out those records, for the most part, don't play the "manufactured rarity" game.
The things this essay points out are why I almost exclusively buy records for $0.50 or $1. Really the only new vinyl I buy is reggae and the labels that put out those records, for the most part, don't play the "manufactured rarity" game.
Saturday, June 1, 2013
What I've been listening to
yo dudes, been a while. here's some things I've been listening to.
Read "Everybody Loves our Town: an Oral History of Grunge," and it had me listening to all the bands at that time and it took me back. (I asked a younger colleague how old he was in 1991 when I was hanging out with my friends in the 7/11 parking lot trying to score beer and talking about the lyrics in "smells like teen spirit" and he said "4". fuck.) I also checked out some bands that I didn't know that well like Tad and the Melvins, and I've been listening to those bands quite a bit since. Dinosaur Jr. wasn't a Seattle band but been listening to a lot of that lately too. (I once talked to J. Mascis in line at Bayback waiting to cash a check, I wonder if that dude still lives in his mom's basement in Amherst.)
Saw a really killer performance by Peter Evans recently, he's a youngish trumpet player with a nice career going. He did a solo improv thing for about 10 minutes, which showcased his incredible circular breathing skills and did some innovate things getting close to the mic with a lot of reverb on it, washing the room in a humming sound that was hard to believe was from a trumpet. He left the stage after that and two percussionists and a piano player performed the rest of the piece he composed. That had at times a film noir sound, other times a far out Cecil Taylor/Charles Ives vibe, and a also moments of super-minimalist John Cage feel. Evans has some albums up on Spotify, included one called "Zebulon" of his jazz trio playing that much-missed/now closed Williamsburg venue.
other shit: Zomes, "improvisations"(did DC hit this?), really meditative ambient; Alabama Shakes, soul vibe, driving music; James Ferraro, "Far Side Virtual", far out post-modern, electro weirdness (some of his stuff is awful but this works, kind of a social critique, but not hard to listen to); Evan Caminiti, one half of the doom-ambient duo Barn Owl, his solo stuff is deep; Chico Hamilton, spotify is deep on Chico, really liking the compilation album from the mid/late fifties, very regular rotation for months; Indians, "somewhere else", chilled out indie, if you like Cavemen (which I know DC hit), you should feel this.
HotHOTSummer---------________------------ getting into dub again, tis the season-----______
Read "Everybody Loves our Town: an Oral History of Grunge," and it had me listening to all the bands at that time and it took me back. (I asked a younger colleague how old he was in 1991 when I was hanging out with my friends in the 7/11 parking lot trying to score beer and talking about the lyrics in "smells like teen spirit" and he said "4". fuck.) I also checked out some bands that I didn't know that well like Tad and the Melvins, and I've been listening to those bands quite a bit since. Dinosaur Jr. wasn't a Seattle band but been listening to a lot of that lately too. (I once talked to J. Mascis in line at Bayback waiting to cash a check, I wonder if that dude still lives in his mom's basement in Amherst.)
Saw a really killer performance by Peter Evans recently, he's a youngish trumpet player with a nice career going. He did a solo improv thing for about 10 minutes, which showcased his incredible circular breathing skills and did some innovate things getting close to the mic with a lot of reverb on it, washing the room in a humming sound that was hard to believe was from a trumpet. He left the stage after that and two percussionists and a piano player performed the rest of the piece he composed. That had at times a film noir sound, other times a far out Cecil Taylor/Charles Ives vibe, and a also moments of super-minimalist John Cage feel. Evans has some albums up on Spotify, included one called "Zebulon" of his jazz trio playing that much-missed/now closed Williamsburg venue.
other shit: Zomes, "improvisations"(did DC hit this?), really meditative ambient; Alabama Shakes, soul vibe, driving music; James Ferraro, "Far Side Virtual", far out post-modern, electro weirdness (some of his stuff is awful but this works, kind of a social critique, but not hard to listen to); Evan Caminiti, one half of the doom-ambient duo Barn Owl, his solo stuff is deep; Chico Hamilton, spotify is deep on Chico, really liking the compilation album from the mid/late fifties, very regular rotation for months; Indians, "somewhere else", chilled out indie, if you like Cavemen (which I know DC hit), you should feel this.
HotHOTSummer---------________------------ getting into dub again, tis the season-----______
Wednesday, May 29, 2013
The New National Record
I loved High Violet. I don't immediately love this one, but I think I need to give it more listens. The one thing that jumps out are the odd time signatures. These are not neo-prog songs, they're still very "National"-esque dirges (generally simple, but with really great drumming). I'm really curious as to their writing process and how it leads to such time signatures.
P.S.: anyone checking out Google All Access? Doesn't have iPhone offline listening (or listening to stuff other than what you've uploaded). But it will be 7.99/month if you sign up now. I haven't checked artist compensation--I assume it's shit like all the others.
P.P.S.: Been in Mpls a little over 6 months now. Musical Reactions:
1) Lots 'o hip hop in this town now.
2) Crazy amount of good musicians (when you go into a restaurant on a Tuesday and they have a country trio that is not only talented craft-wise but also playing great original songs, you know there's a surfeit of music.
3) Willie's Guitars is still a drool catalyst store that I have no right stepping foot in.
P.S.: anyone checking out Google All Access? Doesn't have iPhone offline listening (or listening to stuff other than what you've uploaded). But it will be 7.99/month if you sign up now. I haven't checked artist compensation--I assume it's shit like all the others.
P.P.S.: Been in Mpls a little over 6 months now. Musical Reactions:
1) Lots 'o hip hop in this town now.
2) Crazy amount of good musicians (when you go into a restaurant on a Tuesday and they have a country trio that is not only talented craft-wise but also playing great original songs, you know there's a surfeit of music.
3) Willie's Guitars is still a drool catalyst store that I have no right stepping foot in.
Friday, May 24, 2013
Wednesday, May 22, 2013
What am I listening to? It might come as no surprise I'm listening to reggae.
What are you listening to?
And Mr. Doing Last Week's Tricks, I have King Curtis Live at the Fillmore but other than one or two tracks it doesn't move me!!
Edit!! Two things...first:
And two:
I had no idea this was Al Cisneros from Sleep/Shrinebuilder when I got it. That kinda blew my mind. Nice ambient dubby stuff.
What are you listening to?
And Mr. Doing Last Week's Tricks, I have King Curtis Live at the Fillmore but other than one or two tracks it doesn't move me!!
Edit!! Two things...first:
And two:
I had no idea this was Al Cisneros from Sleep/Shrinebuilder when I got it. That kinda blew my mind. Nice ambient dubby stuff.
Monday, May 20, 2013
DC Knowledge Drop (tm)
Sorry I haven't been posting. Here's most note worthy music stuff off the top of my head:
-I got this King Curtis record for $1.00 and I've listened to it 100,000 times, it's fucking awesome. This is why vinyl is so great... this may be on Spotify, I don't know, but I never would have found it on Spotify, I had to find the scratched up copy in the $1.00 bins at my record spot with the edges held together with Scotch tape... and that also adds to the vibe.
-The Rhodes player for the Doors died. Sad, that actually got me choked up. Nothing but love for the Doors.
-My #1 fave label of all time Numero Group is releasing 2 exciting new LPs shortly... the new Express Rising joint (!!!) and a compilation of the best/early tracks of ambient/new age mastermind Iasos, done correct with the Numero treatment??!!! The fuck outta here.
These are all available's on Spotify:
-New (latest) Jeff Parker solo album with Chris Lopes and Chad Taylor (of Chicago Underground). Of course it's awesome
-Ted Sirona's Rebel Souls? Check the Soundcloud tracks on this page. Any of you Chicago guys know anything about this? He's really good, he's a drummer from Chicago and it is funky instrumental jazz/latin/funk/dub.
-Caveman? Did Rootless already post about them? Caveman is dope, indie vibe kind of The Cure-d out, real mellow.
-New Brokeback was totally awesome.
-Savages? Meh, Pitchfork jammed this down my throat, but it's not all that. I like the lead single off the new Yeah Yeah Yeahs joint, though.
-Lastly, Terry Reed is awesome. Most you Gabino/Zink/Clark Starr types must know him already. He was somehow associated with the Yard Birds, and he was almost the lead singer for Led Zeppelin. Anywho, I scored a Terry Reed LP and Eno Ambient #1 and #2 on vinyl at a garage sale this weekend for $1 a piece. DC!!!
Later bros. #WWALT2013
dc
Tuesday, May 14, 2013
Silver Wilkinson
It's officially released today. Listening right now. Only 4 tracks into it, and I'm going to go out on a limb and say it's the best Bibio record yet.
Tuesday, April 30, 2013
Brokeback
I've been a huge fan of Brokeback for a long time now. Heard about them through their Thrill Jockey/Tortoise affiliations.
I love their record "Looks At The Bird," and their latest, "Brokeback And The Black Rock" is no disappointment. They shun the heavy editing and electronic/glitch sounds on this record, and rely on a stripped-down instrumentation led by fuzzy, twangy guitars. It's comparable to a sound like Friends Of Dean Martinez or Calexico (minus the vocals). Dreamy, dusty, desert dirges.
http://www.thrilljockey.com/thrill/Brokeback/Brokeback-and-the-Black-Rock#.UYAV3IIeU7A
I love their record "Looks At The Bird," and their latest, "Brokeback And The Black Rock" is no disappointment. They shun the heavy editing and electronic/glitch sounds on this record, and rely on a stripped-down instrumentation led by fuzzy, twangy guitars. It's comparable to a sound like Friends Of Dean Martinez or Calexico (minus the vocals). Dreamy, dusty, desert dirges.
http://www.thrilljockey.com/thrill/Brokeback/Brokeback-and-the-Black-Rock#.UYAV3IIeU7A
BOC
Check out this ad that showed on...the Cartoon Network(?)
Tuesday, April 23, 2013
Thursday, April 18, 2013
BIBIO
Another track from the upcoming Bibio album...
Very excited for when it's released in mid-May.
Both singles he's released so far have been killer.
Very excited for when it's released in mid-May.
Both singles he's released so far have been killer.
Tuesday, April 16, 2013
Survival Knife
Chris CLARK has EP Available for Free Download
And this is the page:
http://throttleclark.com/iradelphic-sessions/
I haven't heard this yet, but on some level I've really enjoyed everything he's put out. In particular, I recall that Herzog off of 2006's "Body Riddle" had a particularly mystic/religious effect on me.
Here's his discogs page.
http://www.discogs.com/artist/Chris+Clark
If'n you like this, you might also really enjoy the last Bibio record, "Mind Bokeh".
http://throttleclark.com/iradelphic-sessions/
I haven't heard this yet, but on some level I've really enjoyed everything he's put out. In particular, I recall that Herzog off of 2006's "Body Riddle" had a particularly mystic/religious effect on me.
Here's his discogs page.
http://www.discogs.com/artist/Chris+Clark
If'n you like this, you might also really enjoy the last Bibio record, "Mind Bokeh".
Saturday, April 13, 2013
New Kurt Vile is really really good
Took a minute to warm up to it, then I listened to it 4 times in a row yesterday.
dc
Tuesday, March 26, 2013
Saturday, March 23, 2013
Tuesday, March 19, 2013
Saturday, March 16, 2013
Turntable reccos?
Just discovered this place in my new town:
http://hymiesrecords.com/
So... Time to buy a turntable. I'm no audiophile, but I'll want something okay. Anyone got tips?
http://hymiesrecords.com/
So... Time to buy a turntable. I'm no audiophile, but I'll want something okay. Anyone got tips?
Friday, March 15, 2013
Monday, March 11, 2013
SXSW radio page
http://sxsw.com/fm
Kind of digging this. It's basically a radio station of SXSW bands. I like that I can't skip ahead, skip back, etc. Forces one to not indulge in low-attention-span listening.
Kind of digging this. It's basically a radio station of SXSW bands. I like that I can't skip ahead, skip back, etc. Forces one to not indulge in low-attention-span listening.
Monday, March 4, 2013
DC Mega Post...
... the blog post also known as "all this shit is on Spotify (tm)."
DJ Day
DJ Day (or just "Day" if you are searching on Spotify) is dope. The Turntablelab quote said: "taking what Dj Shadow did with Endtroducing and throwing it into a mixing bowl with Sungoddess era Ramsey Lewis, Mahavishnu Orchestra, and YNQ era Madlib." Uh... yes, please? Almost played this one out already, so good. There is a limited edition vinyl version but so far I've been able to stay away from it. Actually, I still have that Turntablelab gift cert I got at Christmas...
Witch
Now Again, the Stones Throw subsidiary run by Egon Alapatt, put out this ridiculous record by a band Witch called "We Intend To Cause Havoc!" Man, so good. It's a band from Zambia from 1972-77 that is trying to sound exactly like the Rolling Stones (and succeeding, too) It's a 4 CD set (!) so there is all kinds of goodness, although I guess what would be CD#1 is a solid gold jam for the whole family. This is my 4-year old's #1 jam of the moment:
Dirty Beaches
The only thing I knew about Dirty Beaches was that garage rock joint that Bill Zink posted a few years ago (that was awesome). They (he?) has a new one called "Water Park O.S.T." that is super ambient. It's guitar, harmonia, mellotron, ambient sounds, all for a documentary about a water slide park in a mall in Minnesota, I think? Whatever, this CD is dooooope for the mellow ambient tip.
Troubleman
Marvin Gaye's soundtrack for blaxploitation movie "Troubleman" has been a favorite for me since college, not kitschy funk, but an actual deep record I enjoy (plus the breakbeat classic "T Plays It Cool"). I'd say this is up there with "Superfly" for blaxploitation flick soundtracks that break through to "Art". Anywho, Spotify has the 40th anniversary edition with a whole second CD of outtakes and alternate takes and shit! This was a major score for me. Here's "T Plays It Cool":
Oh man, I got so much love to give.
Later dudes.
dc
DJ Day
DJ Day (or just "Day" if you are searching on Spotify) is dope. The Turntablelab quote said: "taking what Dj Shadow did with Endtroducing and throwing it into a mixing bowl with Sungoddess era Ramsey Lewis, Mahavishnu Orchestra, and YNQ era Madlib." Uh... yes, please? Almost played this one out already, so good. There is a limited edition vinyl version but so far I've been able to stay away from it. Actually, I still have that Turntablelab gift cert I got at Christmas...
Witch
Now Again, the Stones Throw subsidiary run by Egon Alapatt, put out this ridiculous record by a band Witch called "We Intend To Cause Havoc!" Man, so good. It's a band from Zambia from 1972-77 that is trying to sound exactly like the Rolling Stones (and succeeding, too) It's a 4 CD set (!) so there is all kinds of goodness, although I guess what would be CD#1 is a solid gold jam for the whole family. This is my 4-year old's #1 jam of the moment:
Dirty Beaches
The only thing I knew about Dirty Beaches was that garage rock joint that Bill Zink posted a few years ago (that was awesome). They (he?) has a new one called "Water Park O.S.T." that is super ambient. It's guitar, harmonia, mellotron, ambient sounds, all for a documentary about a water slide park in a mall in Minnesota, I think? Whatever, this CD is dooooope for the mellow ambient tip.
Troubleman
Marvin Gaye's soundtrack for blaxploitation movie "Troubleman" has been a favorite for me since college, not kitschy funk, but an actual deep record I enjoy (plus the breakbeat classic "T Plays It Cool"). I'd say this is up there with "Superfly" for blaxploitation flick soundtracks that break through to "Art". Anywho, Spotify has the 40th anniversary edition with a whole second CD of outtakes and alternate takes and shit! This was a major score for me. Here's "T Plays It Cool":
Oh man, I got so much love to give.
Later dudes.
dc
Wednesday, February 27, 2013
Iroko Records
I've championed a few labels on here in the past, most notably Jahtari, but now I have a new label to proselytize about - Iroko Records from France. They are pressing some very high quality reggae reissues. The tunes are deep deep roots. Very nice.
Sunday, February 24, 2013
The Haxan Cloak
Has anyone else heard this guy??? Pretty incredible.
Here's an interview on Pitchfork (i know, i know) that has some audio to listen to as well...
http://pitchfork.com/features/rising/9070-the-haxan-cloak/
Here's an interview on Pitchfork (i know, i know) that has some audio to listen to as well...
http://pitchfork.com/features/rising/9070-the-haxan-cloak/
Soundgarden at Wiltern
No opening act. 28 songs in about 2 hours 30 minutes. The first thing to say is that the Badmotorfinger and Superunknown songs are badass live. Jesus Christ Pose, New Damage, Rusty Cage and Like Suicide are rockin songs. Hearing the chest pounding drums on Like Suicide was freedom rock man! Matt Cameron's drumming is insane, and he sings all of the backups. The Kim Thayil buzzsaw guitar is still in full effect. Cornell plays guitar on most of the songs, so with the twin attack riffage you get your guitar fill for sure! The bass playing is fine, but when Ben Shepherd hits the fuzz pedal the bottom falls out a little, and I'm never impressed with wrecking amps and smashing guitars. The set was from the last 4 albums only. I would have liked to hear some older tunes, they played Louder Than Love tracks the following night. The new songs were mostly good, but Live to Rise was flat and should have been left out. Cornell can still belt 'em out, but he has lost a little, "off the fastball". You gotta give the guy props for even attempting some of the ridiculous high notes of Outshined. I can't even imagine a whole tour of trying to hit all those high notes. Overall it was a great show and worth the price of admission. Tuesday, February 19, 2013
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