Just stuff I came across this morning while doing laundry. Enjoy.
The Glass - "Wanna Be Dancin"
legos are cool and hip and they remind me of being a kid again, since i'm really just a late twenty something refusing to grow up, trapped in perpetual adolesence...
Peaches - "Lose You"
The video is kinda lolz, kinda low budget bizarre.
Nuff said - Big Stereo hit the nail on that head.
6.06.2009
BACK
Sort of. I think. After not posting anything on here for a long time, I think I'm going to try and use this crazy thing again.
Starting.................................... now.
Starting.................................... now.
7.19.2008
The Banner's Best Effort
The most exciting trend in metal/hardcore (uh, “metalcore,” if you will) is a return to the faster rhythms of older hardcore and punk. It seems that more and more bands are moving away from the near-death metal slow-to-midtempo song with all its cliché breakdowns and chug-chug-chuging to playing thrashy punk like it’s 1988 all over again.
Such is the case with The Banner. Frailty makes The Banner sound like peers of pioneers like Ringworm and Integrity instead of their bastard progeny. “IWIWD,” “Sphrenia,” and “Ratflesh” all display the 90’s hardcore meets 80’s thrash sound Ringworm nearly perfected. Hell, there’s even a semblance of a guitar solo in some of these songs. Damn – don’t hear that much in hardcore any more.
But with a southern doom intro like “Welcome Fuckers” and the devilish funeral march of “The Wolf” opening the album, The Banner let it be known from the get-go that they’re not all about thrash hardcore. In fact, when they’re not playing at breakneck tempos, much of The Banner’s music sounds like the slower, sludgier parts of Converge’s catalog. “A Hellbound Heart,” with it’s saw-grind intro, sounds like it was pulled straight from You Deserve Me. “Dusk,” likewise is born of Bannon and Co.
“On Hooks” may be the best The Banner has to offer. The track starts with a painfully slow wall-of-sound intro, moves on to a two-step NYHC tempo, and then the band just loses it, driving at death wish speed through an almost grindcore sounding rhythm. “On Hooks” is everything The Banner seems to love rolled up in one joint.
Signing The Banner was probably the smartest move Ferret made in a long while. Frailty is a solid blend of doom, hardcore, punk, thrash, and metal. Despite briefly disbanding in 2007, after their Ferret debut Every Breath Haunted, The Banner are back stronger than ever, and have released their best album yet.
mp3: "On Hooks"
myspace: www.myspace.com/thebanner
7.11.2008
Nas' "Sly Fox"
No need for commentary - this video is great and the song is even better. I got a leak of the album too - shit is hot.
Fantastic New LP From Austin's Grupo Fantasma
Originally published at AllAboutJazz.com
When you’ve got Prince’s seal of approval, little else matters. Austinites Grupo Fantasma have long been the Purple One’s band du jour, logging a two-month residency at his Las Vegas nightclub 3121, a Golden Globes after party performance that saw the band joined by Prince as well as emcees Talib Kweli and Will.i.am, Mary J. Blige, and Marc Anthony, and other performances alongside the icon in London, Miami and the Capital City itself.
Sonidos Gold is the best document of Grupo's cumbia-salsa-funk fusion to date. Led by guitarist/producer Adrian Quesada, the Grupo orchestra is in fine form on the dozen tracks that make up Sonidos, and give, as the title would suggest, a golden performance. (Too hard to avoid that one…)
Whether it’s the Grupo horn section of Gilbert Elorreaga (trumpet), Joshua Levy (saxophones), and Leo Gauana (trombone) leading the way, as on opening jam “El Sabio Soy Yo,” or the percussive force of Johnny Lopez (drums), Matthew Holmes (congas) and quasi-frontman Jose Galeano (timbales) moving and shaking the rhythm, as on “Arroz con Frijoles,” Grupo Fantasma is above all tight, operating as a cohesive unit, always in-tune with each other.
Speaking of which, “Arroz” is all but a drummer’s wet dream – loads of percussion (timbales, congas, cowbells, shakers, handclaps and whistles) all layered on top of one another make for one of the most exciting drum breaks ever. Fania All-Stars arranger Larry Harlow lends his hands to “Rumba y Guaguanaco” along with Parliament Funkadelic vet Greg Boyer. “Bacalao Con Pan” shows signs of Grupo side-project Brownout, combining breakbeat funk with Latin soul a la Eddie Palmieri. Rounding out the guest appearances is the legendary Maceo Parker, whose saxophone lights up “Gimme Some,” a stick-up anthem that finds that band singing in English for a change.
The production is perfect and exactly what the band requires. The excitement and raw energy of their live shows is translated brilliantly to record, with little if any post-production fluff. Go see Grupo Fantasma live and it’ll sound a lot like this record. The horns carry all the necessary punch, drums speak to the soul on a spiritual level, vocals are just about all that carry any signs of post-production, with reverb adding psychedelic air to Quesada and Galaeno’s words.
Grupo Fantasma turns in an inspired performance on Sonidos Gold. Truer to the tradition than West Coast contemporaries Ozomatli, Grupo are one the most exciting bands out there right now – just ask Prince.
mp3: "Bacalao con Pan"
myspace: www.myspace.com/fantasmatics
video: Grupo Fantasma performing "Mentiras" on Austin City Limits
When you’ve got Prince’s seal of approval, little else matters. Austinites Grupo Fantasma have long been the Purple One’s band du jour, logging a two-month residency at his Las Vegas nightclub 3121, a Golden Globes after party performance that saw the band joined by Prince as well as emcees Talib Kweli and Will.i.am, Mary J. Blige, and Marc Anthony, and other performances alongside the icon in London, Miami and the Capital City itself.
Sonidos Gold is the best document of Grupo's cumbia-salsa-funk fusion to date. Led by guitarist/producer Adrian Quesada, the Grupo orchestra is in fine form on the dozen tracks that make up Sonidos, and give, as the title would suggest, a golden performance. (Too hard to avoid that one…)
Whether it’s the Grupo horn section of Gilbert Elorreaga (trumpet), Joshua Levy (saxophones), and Leo Gauana (trombone) leading the way, as on opening jam “El Sabio Soy Yo,” or the percussive force of Johnny Lopez (drums), Matthew Holmes (congas) and quasi-frontman Jose Galeano (timbales) moving and shaking the rhythm, as on “Arroz con Frijoles,” Grupo Fantasma is above all tight, operating as a cohesive unit, always in-tune with each other.
Speaking of which, “Arroz” is all but a drummer’s wet dream – loads of percussion (timbales, congas, cowbells, shakers, handclaps and whistles) all layered on top of one another make for one of the most exciting drum breaks ever. Fania All-Stars arranger Larry Harlow lends his hands to “Rumba y Guaguanaco” along with Parliament Funkadelic vet Greg Boyer. “Bacalao Con Pan” shows signs of Grupo side-project Brownout, combining breakbeat funk with Latin soul a la Eddie Palmieri. Rounding out the guest appearances is the legendary Maceo Parker, whose saxophone lights up “Gimme Some,” a stick-up anthem that finds that band singing in English for a change.
The production is perfect and exactly what the band requires. The excitement and raw energy of their live shows is translated brilliantly to record, with little if any post-production fluff. Go see Grupo Fantasma live and it’ll sound a lot like this record. The horns carry all the necessary punch, drums speak to the soul on a spiritual level, vocals are just about all that carry any signs of post-production, with reverb adding psychedelic air to Quesada and Galaeno’s words.
Grupo Fantasma turns in an inspired performance on Sonidos Gold. Truer to the tradition than West Coast contemporaries Ozomatli, Grupo are one the most exciting bands out there right now – just ask Prince.
mp3: "Bacalao con Pan"
myspace: www.myspace.com/fantasmatics
video: Grupo Fantasma performing "Mentiras" on Austin City Limits
7.05.2008
Ocote Soul Sounds
Originally published at Allaboutjazz.com
Ocote Soul Sounds was born of strange conditions—a (sort of) failed biodiesel-fueled road trip that lead to jam sessions in Austin, TX, that in turn lead to the cross country trade of mp3s and song ideas, that gave birth to a surprising debut, 2005's independently released El Nino y El Sol (reissued by ESL the following year). Masterminded by two of the freshest voices in new music today, Ocote Soul Sounds is in top form on The Alchemist Manifesto, a worldly mix of sounds found “at the intersection of the downtown dance floor, the sweaty basement bembé, and the smoldering campfire on a remote beach.”
Martin Perna has made a name for himself in recent years by lending his flute to tracks by TV on the Radio, Scarlet Johansson, and others, as well as being a founding member of Sharon Jones' Dap-Kings and leader of Antibalas. Adrian Quesada is the mind behind two of Austin, TX's hottest bands, the Prince-approved Grupo Fantasma and deep-funk aficionados Brownout. Perna and Quesada together? Simply unstoppable, as evidenced by the stellar selections found on their sophomore Manifesto.
The Alchemist Manifesto blends brassy downtempo jazz (”The Grand Elixir”), Fela-like afrobeat (”La reja”), and breakbeat funk (”The Alchemist Manifesto”) and wraps it all in a soundtrack-worthy sheen. “Les Dunes d'Ostende” is more akin to the indietronica of Four Tet and Tortoise than Grupo Fantasma or Antibalas' interpretation of the word funk. “Hacia un manana major” is digital boom bap (think Anti-Pop Consortium), “Contra el sol” a getaway driver's soundtrack, and “Pelican,” Latin-flavored soul rap (some Teddy Riley shit).
Perna and Quesada are in top-form on The Alchemist Manifesto. Collectively, from Antibalas to Brownout and all the many other projects these two brilliant artists are involved in on the side, it's clear these two are not running out of ideas any time soon. Manifesto is invigorating, the essence of cool, and a perfect soundtrack to your sultry summer.
mp3: "The Grand Elixir"
myspace: myspace.com/ocotesoulsounds
Ocote Soul Sounds was born of strange conditions—a (sort of) failed biodiesel-fueled road trip that lead to jam sessions in Austin, TX, that in turn lead to the cross country trade of mp3s and song ideas, that gave birth to a surprising debut, 2005's independently released El Nino y El Sol (reissued by ESL the following year). Masterminded by two of the freshest voices in new music today, Ocote Soul Sounds is in top form on The Alchemist Manifesto, a worldly mix of sounds found “at the intersection of the downtown dance floor, the sweaty basement bembé, and the smoldering campfire on a remote beach.”
Martin Perna has made a name for himself in recent years by lending his flute to tracks by TV on the Radio, Scarlet Johansson, and others, as well as being a founding member of Sharon Jones' Dap-Kings and leader of Antibalas. Adrian Quesada is the mind behind two of Austin, TX's hottest bands, the Prince-approved Grupo Fantasma and deep-funk aficionados Brownout. Perna and Quesada together? Simply unstoppable, as evidenced by the stellar selections found on their sophomore Manifesto.
The Alchemist Manifesto blends brassy downtempo jazz (”The Grand Elixir”), Fela-like afrobeat (”La reja”), and breakbeat funk (”The Alchemist Manifesto”) and wraps it all in a soundtrack-worthy sheen. “Les Dunes d'Ostende” is more akin to the indietronica of Four Tet and Tortoise than Grupo Fantasma or Antibalas' interpretation of the word funk. “Hacia un manana major” is digital boom bap (think Anti-Pop Consortium), “Contra el sol” a getaway driver's soundtrack, and “Pelican,” Latin-flavored soul rap (some Teddy Riley shit).
Perna and Quesada are in top-form on The Alchemist Manifesto. Collectively, from Antibalas to Brownout and all the many other projects these two brilliant artists are involved in on the side, it's clear these two are not running out of ideas any time soon. Manifesto is invigorating, the essence of cool, and a perfect soundtrack to your sultry summer.
mp3: "The Grand Elixir"
myspace: myspace.com/ocotesoulsounds
6.25.2008
Houston TX - This Years Tiger
In the vein of Small Brown Bike, Planes Mistaken for Stars, and Leatherface, Houston, TX’s This Year’s Tiger play Pabst-chugging rock ‘n’ roll, the sort adored by thick-bearded bros from Gainesville to Riverside. As it stands, the band sounds at home on a label like No Idea, though their self-titled, self-released EP shows plenty of signs that This Year’s Tiger is looking to move beyond that cliché sing-a-long style of punk rock.
The band’s latest offering is 6 songs deep and, while the band rarely wavers from a tested and true formula of breakdowns, gang vocals, and hoarse-throated semi-screams, who cares? What the world needs now is a damn good rock ‘n’ roll song, and This Year’s Tiger has some pretty damn good rock songs on it.
“Your Face Has No Melody” showcases TYT’s signature sound and opens the EP perfectly. “A Bullet For You” has your cliché but oh-so-true, got-your-back-if-you-got-mine chorus found so often in This Year’s Tiger’s songs: “some things you never forget – I’d take a bullet for you then and I’d take a bullet for you now.” So true.
“Playing Matador” is slightly more agro than the rest of the EP; “Anchors” more Helmet than Hot Water Music; and one of Tiger’s best tracks, “Raise Your Glass”, is a poor man’s Foo Fighters jam. “Like Snakes” shows This Year’s Tiger’s true promise, as snakewinding seventies’ leads battle chunky post-punk and requisite gang vox.
This Year’s Tiger are the type of band you might see playing the next Food Not Bomb’s benefit in your local organic grocer’s parking lot and you’ll definitely see them at The Fest in Gainesville. Hardly original, This Year’s Tiger is nonetheless a great listen and a promising debut.
myspace: www.myspace.com/thisyearstiger
mp3: "A Bullet For You"
6.08.2008
Two Great New Artists I'm In Love With
Jamie Lidell
http://www.myspace.com/jamielidell
check out: "Another Day," "Hurricane"
Good white-boy soul and funk on Warp Records (weird...) Just saw the video for "Another Day" on ME and fell in love. Lidell's name is one of heard and read on blogs and in magazines but had yet to take the time to listen to. Great song, great video, assuming the rest of the album is just as great. For fans of Sharon Jones and Gnarls Barkley.
Eli "Paperboy" Reed"
http://www.myspace.com/elipaperboyreed
check out: "The Satisfier," "Doin the Boom Boom"
Thanks to Tito for once again hipping me to a great new artist I haven't heard. Deep funk and blues something like Sam Cooke meets Amy Winehouse - not surprisingly Reed is playing this years Austin City Limits Festival. Reed's new album "Roll With You" is fucking stellar.
6.04.2008
Holy Fuck (better late than never)
I was asked to review this album for Decoymusic.com only to discover through the course of writing it, and upon publication, that the review is pretty much 4 months late. Oh well, enjoy...
Holy Fuck is four dudes from Toronto, Canada who use live instrumentation to create “the equivalent of modern electronic music without actually using the techniques” (Pitchfork.com). Fuck’s second full-length, the nine-song LP, does just that. Fuck loop beats, layer sounds and textures, and organically build digital symphonies setting the soundtrack for the noisiest dance party ever.
The band has been a backup sound provider for avant-emcee Beans, toured with electro-clash titan M.I.A. and played a private SXSW party hosted by TV chef Rachel Ray, causing blogospheric outrage. LP follows a promising self-titled debut but finds the band much more adept at their tinkering.
LP is, like all great dance records, rhythm-centric. The evolution and intoxification of beats is the main focus in Holy Fuck’s sound, and all the other beeps, bells, clicks and whistles come later. Fuck follow in the tradition of Kraftwerk and Can, Daft Punk and The Faint. “Super Inuit” is Krautrock on uppers, “Milkshake” something along the lines of Chemical Brothers meets Ghostland Observatory.
“Lovely Allen” is one of the best single tracks I’ve heard all year, a walk-in-the-park pop melody covered in Holy Fuck’s noisey shine. “Royal Gregory” is Fuck’s funkiest contribution, a dance-happy vamp. “Echo Sam” is raucously fun, “Safari” an 8-bit gamers glitchy manifesto.
Besides the clearly brilliant name, Holy Fuck has put out one of the more brilliant records this year. LP is blasphemous and loud, a mohawked dance party for those who dance because they’ve got nothing else to live for. A band like this shows true brilliance in their live performance, but LP does well to capture Holy Fuck at their best.
myspace: www.myspace.com/holyfuck
video:
Holy Fuck is four dudes from Toronto, Canada who use live instrumentation to create “the equivalent of modern electronic music without actually using the techniques” (Pitchfork.com). Fuck’s second full-length, the nine-song LP, does just that. Fuck loop beats, layer sounds and textures, and organically build digital symphonies setting the soundtrack for the noisiest dance party ever.
The band has been a backup sound provider for avant-emcee Beans, toured with electro-clash titan M.I.A. and played a private SXSW party hosted by TV chef Rachel Ray, causing blogospheric outrage. LP follows a promising self-titled debut but finds the band much more adept at their tinkering.
LP is, like all great dance records, rhythm-centric. The evolution and intoxification of beats is the main focus in Holy Fuck’s sound, and all the other beeps, bells, clicks and whistles come later. Fuck follow in the tradition of Kraftwerk and Can, Daft Punk and The Faint. “Super Inuit” is Krautrock on uppers, “Milkshake” something along the lines of Chemical Brothers meets Ghostland Observatory.
“Lovely Allen” is one of the best single tracks I’ve heard all year, a walk-in-the-park pop melody covered in Holy Fuck’s noisey shine. “Royal Gregory” is Fuck’s funkiest contribution, a dance-happy vamp. “Echo Sam” is raucously fun, “Safari” an 8-bit gamers glitchy manifesto.
Besides the clearly brilliant name, Holy Fuck has put out one of the more brilliant records this year. LP is blasphemous and loud, a mohawked dance party for those who dance because they’ve got nothing else to live for. A band like this shows true brilliance in their live performance, but LP does well to capture Holy Fuck at their best.
myspace: www.myspace.com/holyfuck
video:
6.01.2008
Carry the Torch's Hot New EP
Let’s just get this out the way right now – I can’t remember the last time a four song EP impressed me as much as Carry The Torch’s Dead Weather. Wait, yeah I can. It was circa 1999, when I heard Shai Hulud’s A Profound Hatred of Man for the first time. Like Hatred, Dead Weather packs more emotional punch, more energy, and more strength into 4 tracks than some bands manage to muster in a career, let alone one album.
Carry the Torch’s sound can best me described as “melodic hardcore,” something along the lines of the aforementioned Shai Hulud, old Hopesfall, Poison the Well – bands like that. Melodic leads over chug-chug rhythms with lyrics that are empowering and personal, the sort that make you want to hug your brothers and raise a fist for the sing-a-long.
The clarity of Brian North’s vocals is refreshing. Not only are his lyrics great but being able to hear his words and not have to spend repeated listens deciphering their meaning is a welcome change from most hardcore bands today which have vocalists who would rather squeal like pigs than write an intelligent word.
“For All I Care It Can Burn” is the album's standout track, an anthem if ever there was one. From the “end transmission / walk away” gang vocals to the uber-melodic breakdown and face-melting climax that follows, it is one of my favorite tracks right now.
The only criticism of Dead Weather is obvious – it’s length. The sound quality could be a little better too, but what are you going to do? This band is ballin' on a budget, baby! Without a doubt, Dead Weather is stunning, as a good a debut as hardcore music has seen in years.
mp3: "For All I Care it Can Burn"
myspace: www.myspace.com/carrythetorchmusic
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