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GFF is a community of gaming and music enthusiasts. We have a team of dedicated moderators, constant member-organized activities, and plenty of custom features, including our unique journal system. If this is your first visit, be sure to check out the FAQ or our GFWiki. You will have to register before you can post. Membership is completely free (and gets rid of the pesky advertisement unit underneath this message).
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 Member 175 Level 58.82 Mar 2006 |
Jukka Eskola - Jukka Eskola
Label: Free Agent Records Year: 2005 Genre: Jazz  DOWNLOAD LINK 1. Introduction 2. 1974 3. Kulo 4. Go Time 5. Buttercup 6. Timber Up 7. Selim 8. Duudamdej 9. Last Breath 10. Kulo(Studio Live, Take 4) ~ Jukka Eskola Quintet - Hub Up Label: Free Agent Records Year: 2006 Genre: Jazz  DOWNLOAD LINK . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . This cat is seriously one of the best players I've ever run across. It's even more surprising that I found it in a den full of music nerds in SAUS <3. I really don't wanna have to review either of these albums. This is just good, well-produced jazz in its purest form. Man... I drive to Pearl's in San Francisco to SEE cats like him play. Enjoi~ There's nowhere I can't reach. |
Member 175 Level 58.82 Mar 2006 |
Bang Camaro - Bang Camaro
Year: 2007 Label: Black Sword Records Genre: Rock  PUSH, PUSH LADY LIGHTNING!  Boston's Bang Camaro is more than a metal band. It is its own metal universe: a self-contained cosmos encompassing the last quarter-century of metal -- pop metal, hair metal, speed metal, thrash metal, glam metal -- writ large (SERIOUSLY LARGE... it's one drummer, one bassist, 3 guitarists and 15 singers), loud, and proud of it. Bang Camaro is a band I was introduced to me through the bonus junk songs in Guitar Hero II; most of which are pretty awful. "You see," agrees guitarist and co-founder Alex Necochea, "we took the important parts of pop metal and distilled it. We came up with a purer type of music in the end. Lets be honest, no one cared what the lead singer of those bands had to say. They were either comparing their genitalia to some type of weapon that they were going to attack groupies with or they rhymed fire and desire. The fans never cared about that stuff. They wanted to scream along with the huge choruses or they wanted to air guitar to the solos. Thats what we bring." For those of you who just had to let go of all that rock and metal back in the way in order to give way to adulthood: FUCK ADULTHOOD. Listen. -- The Last Vegas - Seal The Deal Year: 2006 Label: Get Hip Genre: Rock  RAW DOG TO RIDE! Another Guitar Hero band and winner of Red Octane's 2006 Be A Guitar Hero contest, their song Raw Dog was put into the game as one of the bonus tracks. The explosive 5-piece line-up boasts members who grew up in blue-collar towns raised on a steady diet of Aerosmith, Cheap Trick, AC/DC and anything else their older brothers were listening to. They started bands young, conquering their hometowns and moved to the city to pursue their goal. Their music pays homage to the journey, unapologetically mixing in the best doses of rock, glam, trash and arena rock. They may be trash glam rock just like Buckcherry, but this is trash with STYLE. -- And now... for something COMPLETELY DIFFERENT. Cliff Martinez - Solaris Original Soundtrack Year: 2003 Label: Trauma Records Genre: Soundtrack / Ambient Symphonic  THAT THING IS NOT HUMAN This score completed the film Solaris. I distinctly remember being impressed during the film when I heard these exciting waves of sound passing over the film with such subtelty. Cliff Martinez embalmed us with this orchestral-ambient-electronic suite, and in the process, he has quite possibly signalled a shift/evolution in how we look at film scores. The instrumental beauty speaks to us in a very mature manner. Its message (delivered with gentle calm) is that in principle, soundtracks don't always have to rely on the 'classical' method of arranging instruments. All too often in soundtracks, the strings are taken for granted, mainly because we have grown so used to those mandatory overtures at those expected moments in predictable films. Here Martinez makes the strings a focus, they are the center, they are a meaningful and simple force, a soothing wave. They will move, softly travel, like pencils in zero gravity, drifting us into submissive moments, in and out of our emotions, moving us. Then moving on. The overall feel could be described as cold, the music evokes images of snow and feelings of isolation, however the warmth and emotion is present in every song, always bringing you out of the jouney feeling positive. The electric bells and synthy basslines are out of place, but they don't sound it for a second. Martinez truly shows himself to be a master of the aesthetic art that is ambience, and he's clearly in full command of the exciting sounds he uses. Musically, he is a gifted artist. On the basis of this album, Cliff Martinez is Steven Soderbergh, his musical counterpart you could say, so it's no wonder the stylish director chose this stylish music to accompany his slick and emotional film. A beautifully subtle album that flows like a perfect story. In it's calm, demure, sedated tones, it still manages to scream out loud, grabbing your face with it's cold clammy hands, only to warm itself to you within seconds. This thing is sticky, and I don't like it. I don't appreciate it.
Last edited by Paco; Aug 2, 2007 at 02:04 PM.
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Member 175 Level 58.82 Mar 2006 |
ONE BIG CIRCLE JERK~
Circle Jerks - Group Sex Label: Frontier Release: 1980 Genre: Punk  DOWNLOAD LINK ~ Circle Jerks - Wild In The Streets Label: Frontier Release: 1982 Genre: Punk  DOWNLOAD LINK ~ Circle Jerks - Golden Shower of Hits Label: LAX Records Release: 1983 Genre: Punk  DOWNLOAD LINK ~ Circle Jerks - Wönderful Label: Combat Core Release: 1985 Genre: Punk  DOWNLOAD LINK ~ Circle Jerks - VI Label: Relativity Release: 1987 Genre: Punk  DOWNLOAD LINK . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . In what seemed like a backlash against New York's art-punk scene of the 1970s, young rock acts on the West Coast came out of the decade parading a rootsier, more working-class sound than their elitist forebears. The first band from this new wave to gain broad notoriety were the awesome Black Flag. Flag's original singer, Keith Morris, left in 1980 to form his own band, Circle Jerks, a quartet whose early line-up was completed by Morris's friend, the energetic guitarist Greg Hetson (formerly of the acclaimed Red Kross), bassist Roger Rogerson and drummer `Lucky' Lehrer. What might appear an unassuming band name was in fact a euphemism for a nasty little frat-house initiation involving several young men and a milk bottle, and thus Circle Jerks found some labels a touch reluctant to sign them up. However, the hardcore-championing SST stepped in to issue the band's first album, the entertaining Group Sex (1981). This was a not entirely successful attempt to establish a more solid identity than the 'Black Flag mark 2' tag, but nonetheless contained the elements of humour and satire that were to become a trademark of Circle Jerks' lyrics. Alternative US college radio stations loved it, and the frantic strains of classics such as "Wasted" and "Beverley Hills" could be heard echoing across many a West Coast campus. In the UK, John Peel saw to it that Circle Jerks were heard by his own audience at least. Circle Jerks were rapidly becoming a compulsive act. Later in 1981 this was recognized by ex-Police manager Miles Copeland, who signed them to his own Step Forward/Faulty label, which soon issued the second LP, Wild in the Streets, bringing Circle Jerks to a wider audience. Almost to order, this label transfer (along with a slightly tighter production) brought about a backlash; 'The satire, spirit and fun of the first album is practically non-existent', complained the New York Rocker. Well, it wasn't ever that bad, and included a definite stand-out in the adrenalin-infused "Letter Bomb". Circle Jerks' reputation as being at the helm of the US hardcore battleship was strengthened by their inclusion on Jello Biafra's compilation Let Them Eat Jellybeans, to which they contributed the popular "Paid Vacation". However, the appeal of early 80s US punk began to wane by 1983, and Circle Jerks' third album (the stale and regrettably named Golden Shower) took a critical pasting. Disillusioned by this downturn of fortune, Rogerson and Lehrer disappeared from the scene. Undeterred, stalwarts Morris and Hetson continued, and, after a hiatus of nearly three years (during which time Hetson worked with hardcore contemporaries, the enduring Bad Religion) returned with V1, a long-player which appeared almost to ridicule their earlier identity. Sadly, it received almost no publicity, and garnered little airplay, even from those die-hard college stations. Just as it seemed the Circle Jerks were to disappear without trace, they acquired new musicians in bassist Zandor Scloss and sticksman Keith 'Adolph' Clark. This breath of new life spawned Wonderful in 1988, which showed the band maturing and even attempting to nurture some of the other then-current musical stylings. Stand-out tracks included "Killing For Jesus", and, continuing the band's apparent fascination with incendiary devices, "Making the Bombs". I am a dolphin, do you want me on your body?
Last edited by Paco; Aug 28, 2007 at 01:58 PM.
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Member 175 Level 58.82 Mar 2006 |
RJD2 - Deadringer
Year: 2002 Label: Definitive Jux Genre: Hip Hop/Experimental  WHO KNOWS WHAT TOMORROW WILL BRING... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . The hip hop world is an ever-evolving place for Columbus producer RJD2. In the summer of 2003, this guy was doing DJ work in the Columbus area as the lesser-known producer for the MHz. Then he moved to Philly, PA, and was busy promoting the hugely acclaimed 8,000,000 Stories with emcee Blueprint (collectively known as Soul Position), has recorded what is possibly the single of the year in MF Doom's Saliva, and reportedly impressed the hell out of The Roots with a track he submitted for The Tipping Point. Then he had his swift hand in producing the soundtrack for Marc Ecko's Getting Up: Contents Under Pressure. Let's put it simply and say the man has made a name and a reputation for himself and a lot of this stems from his glorious solo debut, Deadringer. While this is mostly an instrumental hip-hop album, trust me, you won't miss the lyrics. While the album starts with the quirky, dense, mood-setting The Horror it quickly brightens up into a journey through the wonderful world of soul. Smoke & Mirrors shows RJ filling a dark but wondrous track with hard trumpet loops and reflective soul singing samples. Ghostwriter skips the vocals completely and instead goes with a borderline country guitar sample which bursts joyously into triumphant horns that will leave you breathless. Being a popular DJ around Ohio's biggest campus (Ohio State), RJD2 knows how to have a good time which is exemplified by Good Times Roll Pt. 2. If I had a time machine, I'm pretty sure RJD2 could have sold this track to some Motown artist in the old-soul era. It's got all the dance, rhythm, and atmosphere of a back-in-the-day party anthem. To give us a Soul Position preview, Blueprint crashes the party on Final Frontier. With a wicked piano riff and a little added bounce, RJ sets 'Print up for an easy score. 'Print proves he's up to it too, spitting, You're not ill and if you are/ My notepads full of medicine/ Plus my freestyle is Excederin/ Take two rhymes and call me back with a new style/ Be sure you're prepared for the final frontier (We're here!). And indeed, Soul Position has officially arrived on the scene. While Deadringer is entrenched in soul with a little fun, RJD2 manages to get hard-nosed and a bit reflective. Chicken-N-Bone Circuit shows his great love of hard drum loops as he forms one of the most chaotic, head-nod-inducing drum beats you will ever hear on wax. On June he opts for atmosphere instead of the usual steady soul-loops while bringing along MHz emcee, Copywrite. Between Copy's tight intro/retrospective verses RJ digs out a beautiful guitar to drive home the passion of his fellow artist. It's one gripping track. Nowadays, RJD2 wakes up as an in-demand, financially stable, top 3 producer in Hip-Hop and Deadringer is much to thank for that. The only sin that has been committed anywhere in this story is that Definitive Jux dropped them from their label and have, in the process, lost their finest producer. Damn shame too but only time will tell how well this über-talented mastermind fares outside of underground hip hop. I was speaking idiomatically. |
Member 175 Level 58.82 Mar 2006 |
Tokyo Police Club - A Lesson In Crime
Year: 2006 Label: Paper Bag Records Genre: Indie Rock  IT'S NOT THE WAY MY MOTHER TALKS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . If there were ever a movement for an indie farm system, somewhere to designate those young, raw bands needing more time in the oven, Tokyo Police Club would be the poster children. This blogger-approved Toronto quartet has the potential to become a real five-tool player in indie for a long time; Pretty Girls Make Graves' agility, Les Savy Fav's curveball, the Strokes' sweet swing-- there's no questioning the latent talent here. Strangely, most bands follow a developmental arc similar to those of professional athletes. Just as the minor leagues help hone those nascent all-star skills, there's almost an unwritten rule that bands should become road-tested to refine their power-chord angst into slick, nuanced songwriting. Without even knowing Tokyo Police Club's ages, you can hear the greenness in their excessive handclaps, their ham-handed sci-fi narratives, and their opening alarum, "Operator, get me the president of the world!" The band may have spawned some of these tracks from a bored biology class daydream, but when they're on musically, the post-adolescence imbued in their sound doesn't even matter. For all the raging hormonal awkwardness, the Club knows how to self-edit like the most scrupulous adults. The seven songs here contain no extra gristle, each weighing in around a svelte two minutes. Even tighter are the twitchy micro-Strokes riffs adorning tracks like "Cheer It On" and "Nature of the Experiment". Frontman Dave Monks even apes Casablancas' vox-via-megaphone a bit, though with more nasal, less growl. The Strokes comparisons only hold for so long though as the EP's second half forks off into Pretty Girls/Q and Not U hyper post-punk and straight-laced emo. "Shoulders & Arms" demonstrates the band's ability to pull off the former, a bustling juggernaut of stratospheric guitars and squalling synths. Meanwhile, "Citizens of Tomorrow" headlines the emo-minded selections, swelling to a futuristic climax that's three parts Sunny Day Real Estate, one part Sparta. While for now any genre may be their oyster, I hope these guys stick to the prickly garage rock prominently featured early on the EP. Not only do they do it best, but the cushy-sounding stuff closing the release lacks the idea density of the rest of Crime, and choosing to pursue more of this ethereal fluff could result in an overblown LP letdown not unlike that of Rahim's or the Chinese Stars'. Either way, we-- and the rest of the indie rock world-- are waiting and listening for their next move. Review blatantly plagiarized from Pitchfork Media What kind of toxic man-thing is happening now?
Last edited by Paco; Nov 19, 2007 at 12:06 AM.
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Member 175 Level 58.82 Mar 2006 |
Nujabes - Sweet Sticky Thing Mixtape
Year: ???? Label: Self-Produced? Genre: Soul / R&B / Hip Hop  I'VE FOUND A CERTAIN PARADISE WITH HIM IN MY LIFE No tracklist found.  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . This here is pretty much the Holy Grail to Nujabes fans... The infamous "Sweet Sticky Thing" mixtape. This is not traditional Nujabes music but this is easily the most rare and sought after Nujabes mix ever. It's an eclectic and beautiful collection of 70's-80's R&B and Soul music. I couldn't, for the life of me, find a cover for this nor could I find any additional info on the album, much less a review that I could plagiarize for my own amusement. In any case, I hope you all enjoy this very rare gem. FELIPE NO |
Member 175 Level 58.82 Mar 2006 |
The Builders and The Butchers - The Builders and The Butchers
Year: 2007 Label: Bladen County Records Genre: Folk/Roots Rock/Bluegrass  1. The Night Pt. 1 2. Red Hands 3. Spanish Death 4. Black Dresses 5. Bottom of the Lake 6. The Gallows 7. Bringing Home the Rain 8. The Coal Mine Fall 9. Slowed Down Trip to Hell 10. The Night Pt. 2 11. Ten Miles Wide 12. Find Me in the Air . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I first heard The Builders and The Butchers on Monday night on our usual night out at a live show here in Visalia. I was originally only going because of my fierce loyalty to a band who I'd seen there before called The Helio Sequence, whom this band opened for. A five-strong chorus with a slew of instruments that hails out of Portland, OR, this band completely blew me away with their raw energy and sheer stage charisma. Audience participation wasn't confined to clapping either: These cats were handing off random percussive instruments to the lucky few who were at the very front of the rock-starved pack of humans. Generally, I would probably put them in the folk genre but they really lack a whole classification. They have, however, been heavily drawing parallels to another well-known Portland act The Decemberists. Their music hearkens back to a time of great wide open western coastal state expansion. There's more of a gospel/Tom Waits feel to it all though and under the dark folk stories, there's lots of banjo, washboard, fiddle and trumpet flair. It all coagulates to create very earthy and gothic Americana-folk-rock with a lot more "oomph!" than your average Decemberists song. Definitely pick this one up if you're a fan of Portland's indie scene. FIND ME AT THE BOTTOM OF THE LAKE What, you don't want my bikini-clad body? |
Member 175 Level 58.82 Mar 2006 |
Various Artists - Solutions for Dreamers: Season 2
Year: 2007 Label: Oniric Records Genre: Folk/Island Rock/Dub/Ska  1. G. Love - G. Love Introduction 2. Matthew McAvenue - Heal The Ocean 3. Peter Gare - Treehouse 4. Matt Kustura - Rise Bones 5. Phil Taylor - Uneasy Truce This Family Brings 6. Ritmo Y Canto - Sueno Del Pertido 7. The Mar Vista Social Club - Gallo Enfermo 8. The Hodgland Conspiracy - Flush 9. Animal Liberation Orchestra - Reality Police 10. Culver City Dub Collective - Makuta de Ritmo y Canto Remix 11. OSo- Pattern 12. The Hero & The Victor - Rome 13. Mortals - March of the Living Dead 14. Dyson Sphere - Arecibo 15. Stephanie Croff - One Minus One 16. Danny Riley - Through Their Eyes 17. Melissa Larkin - Before The Boats Came 18. Nine Mile Feat - Rise And Stand 19. Lani Truck - Blue Light Special 20. Kenny Lövrin - Angels 21. Joe Beleznay - Start Again 22. Jeff Jones - Vanessa 23. You Are Here - We Don't Need Time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Santa Barbara based Simple Shoes, music label Oniric Records, and environmental group Heal the Ocean have been teaming up for a few years now to host Solutions for Dreamers, an environmental awareness compilation album featuring international & Santa Barbara musicians. Heal the Ocean is a Santa Barbara non-profit citizens’ action group that formed in 1998 out of public protest over the closing of local beaches due to pollution. The organization has grown into one of the most successful environmental groups in the country, one of the first to use cutting-edge research to pinpoint sources of pollution - including DNA and virus testing in the environment. Focusing on wastewater infrastructure, the group most recently achieved approval of a project to remove septic systems from the Rincon, a world-class surf area. For the past 3 years, they have produced compilations of artists in Santa Barbara to help raise funds for their cause. The second season's record arrangement is in radio format featuring Heal the Ocean factoid-interludes between tracks. Producer of these interludes, Merlo (Jack Johnson’s band) with Money Mark (The Beastie Boys) composed and recorded melodic beats while G. Love (G. Love and Special Sauce) raps the Heal the Ocean factoids. Solution for Dreamers : Season 2 features many exclusive tracks, including songs from ALO (Animal Liberation Orchestra), Culver City Dub Collective and Nine Mile. Zach Gill of ALO recorded with Santa Barbara musician & artist Matthew McAvene on “Heal the Ocean,” the album’s opening anthem. Solutions for Dreamers : Season 2 is supported by an ocean-themed music festival, the Solutions for Dreamers Festival, at the Arlington Theater in Santa Barbara on February 24, 2007 in benefit of Heal the Ocean. This is Oniric Records’ first festival supporting their third full-length album release. ENJOY YOURSELF AND DON'T FORGET TO FLUSH Jam it back in, in the dark. |
Member 175 Level 58.82 Mar 2006 |
Hip Hop Clusterfuck
It's been quite a while since we've put up some good hip hop up in this piece. Here we go:
Louis Logic - Sin-A-Matic Year: 2004 Label: IODA Genre: Hip Hop  1. Sintro 2. Street Smarts 3. Freak Show 4. Celph Hatred (Featuring Celph Tilted) 5. Diablos (Featuring Celph Tilted) 6. Dos Factotum 7. Coochie Coup 8. Postal 9. Mischievous 10. Halfway Stretch (Sinterlude) 11. Best Friends 12. Revenge!!! (Featuring Celph Tilted) 13. Fair Weather Fan 14. The Rest 15. The Ugly Truth 16. Idiot Gear 17. Dust to Dust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . When this album dropped a few years ago it was hard to go without constant comparisons to Eminem, Louis Logic may never hear the major labels beckoning as his talent would merit. Along with Atlantic records signee Apathy (who, despairingly, gets killed after only one guest appearance on this album) and a swarm of other New England underground talents (Wreckedshop, 2000 Leagues Under The Streets) the past few years as the collective the Demigodz, Louis always stood apart from the 7 or 8 other members of the crew. As shown on this album, his concepts set him apart from his (albeit WHOLLY TALENTED) counterparts. His "sick" sense of humor is completely Eminem from Infinite (back in '96, when he still had a smile when he kicked his similes and metaphors, as opposed to the scowl that now creeps across his face while spitting his best lines), but Logic's concepts are that of the Marshall Mathers LP (peep The Ugly Truth and Fair Weather Fan). The result: a dope and cohesive lp. However, just as Logic gets constantly compared to Em in a good light, it's possibly the only downside to this lp, Logic's INCREDIBLE word manipulation might be better spent if he furthered himself from the trendy rapid fire theatrics kicked by his fellow Demigodz (check Mischievous for Logic's ludicrous bounce flow), and perhaps spread himself out a little bit. The beats (mostly from J.J. Brown, and out-of-sight up-and-comer that I haven't heard a bad beat from yet, and Logic's partner in cRhyme, the often under-rated beat/word-smith Celph Titled) are major label budget worthy, definitely form fitting with Louis. However, if Louis ever wants to stand apart, he's going to have to do it soon (just ask Hom, once The Source's unsigned hype, then stimulated dummies' top prospect, now a a rain drop in the ocean of emcees trying to get on...why? mainly because he sounded like a black Eminem)...because this kind of music deserves to be heard, let's just hope he's found his own voice by then. Which isn't to say this isn't the best hip-hop album in a few years (because it probably is), but with this much talent, it's almost hard to hear him squander himself like this. But enough of that. I'll raise my glass to the war with "Lady 'Liks" but since we find no lessons in this lonely life it's like: SHORTY LET ME TELL YOU 'BOUT MY ONLY VICE Immortal Technique - The 3rd World Year: 2008 Label: Viper Records Genre: Hip Hop  1. Death March 2. That's What It Is 3. Golpe De Estado (feat. Temperamento y Veneno) 4. Harlem Renaissance 5. Lick Shot (feat. Crooked 1) 6. Apocrypha (Interlude) 7. The 3rd World 8. Hollywood Driveby 9. Reverse Pimpology 10. Open Your Eyes 11. Payback (feat. Diabolic) 12. Adios Uncle Tom (Skit) 13. Stronghold Grip (feat. Poison Pen) 14. Mistakes 15. Parole (Evil Genius Remix) 16. Crimes Of The Heart (feat. Maya Azusena) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Immortal has garnered more accolades without a major label's PR support than probably any other MC, due, no doubt to his rigorous integrity and relentless pursuit of quality in his lyrics. He's turned down at least one offer of mainstream backing in favor of a seat at the wheel. The wheel in question is Viper Records, where Tech is the Executive Vice President and constant collaborator with Viper artists Southpaw, Chino XL and Diabolic. It's a surprise, then, that the Harlem rapper is hooking up with the hugely popular mixtape DJ/producer, Green Lantern. Is he selling his soul on his upcoming album, The 3rd World? Or just opening up to new experiences? The Verdict: The 3rd World is three degrees away from being the best of both worlds. Tech sticks with his regular crew - producers Southpaw and Chino XL among them - but flows to good effect with his mainstream buddy DJ Green Lantern. Unfortunately, on "Harlem Renaissance," you feel that Lantern doesn't totally get Tech's rhymes. Give a good listen to the words Tech is spitting, and you hear some heartbreaking, enraging messages. Lantern's tender violin strains hint at that undertow, but don't give in to it. Compare that to Tech's labyrinthine structure on "That's What It Is," where the beat keeps bumping via vocal samples, pingy synth tones and even old school scratching, and you see the distance a song like that can travel when it's well matched. This is not to say that Green Lantern was a bad choice, but rather a bold one that is not as strong as we would have hoped. Still, our hopes were pretty high to begin with, so it's with comfort that we say that The 3rd World is a great album. The energy never drops and Tech always finds innovative ways to spin subversive messages into entertaining hits. LOCK AND LOAD, YOU'RE GOING WHERE I'M FROM: THE 3RD WORLD SON Vast Aire - Deuces Wild Year: 2008 Label: Chocolate Industries Genre: Hip Hop  1. You Know 2. T.V. Land 3. Take Two 4. The Dynamic Duo feat. Gecchi Suede (of Camp Lo) 5. Give Me That Mic feat. Copywrite 6. Mecca And The Ox feat. Vordul Mega 7. Back 2 Basics 8. Lunchroom Rap (It’s Nothing) 9. When Starz Fall feat. Double A.B., Thanos, Swave Sevah & Karniege 10. The Crush 11. Shu (The God of Aire) 12. Graveyard Shift feat. Genesis 13. The Infinity War 14. The Man With Out Fear . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Four years after his last solo effort, Vast Aire is releasing his sophomore album, Deuces Wild, on June 24 through One Records. The LP features guest appearances by Vordul Mega, Gecchi Suede of Camp Lo and Copywrite. While El-P is nowhere to be found in the production credits, the legendary Pete Rock produces one track, while newcomer Melodius Monk handles the majority of the album's beats. Deuces Wild is a return to form, of sorts, for Vast Aire. The LP is arguably the best Can Ox release since The Cold Vein mainly because Vast's beat selection - always a point of contention - has noticeably improved. A prime example is the Pete Rock produced "Mecca and the Ox." The long awaited reunion of Cannibal Ox doesn't disappoint as the Soul Brother No. 1 does his best El-P impersonation, providing a left-of-center beat that is tailor made for the duo's peculiar tastes. Similarly, producers Melodius Monk and Thanos provide a comparable aesthetic on songs such as "Shu (The God of Aire)," "Back 2 Basics," and "The Man Without Fear." While strong beats make Deuces Wild his best solo effort, Vast's selling point has always been his spacey, abstract rhymes. Vast is one of the few artists, if any, who can get away with not even rhyming, as evidence on "Graveyard Shift," rapping: "I treat emcees like Naomi, and hit 'em in the head with Motorola." Vast's strange rhymes continue on "You Know," as he spits: "So don't go there, you cannot hold Aire/I will escape through the grips of your fists/And that will be a stupid move on your part/And now you gotta leave with a limp." Besides a few uninspired concepts such as "Lunchroom Rap (It's Nothing)," "The Crush" and "T.V. Land," Deuces Wild is an impressive effort. Vast Aire's style isn't for everyone, but for those who appreciate Cannibal Ox's unique sound, Deuces Wild is a step in the right direction. IT'S A BIRD! IT'S A PLANE! NO! IT'S LOIS LANE GIVIN' ME BRAIN! 88-Keys - Adam's Case Files Year: 2008 Label: Decon Genre: Hip Hop  1. A Happy Ending? 2. Fibs ft. Grafh 3. Wasting My Minutes ft. Kid Cudi 4. 21 & Over ft. Big Sean 5. Deal Breakers ft. Mr. Bentley 6. Typical Maury ft. Izza Kizza 7. Quit Playing ft. Serius Jones 8. True Feelings 9. Cuddle Bums ft. Tanya Morgan 10. Just LIKE A Man ft. Guilty Simpson 11. Young, Dumb & Full of… 12. Outro . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . In anticipation of his upcoming Kanye West-produced release scheduled for this October entitled The Death of Adam, MPC demon 88-Keys drops the Adam’s Case Files Mixtape. Mos Def, Consequence, and J-Live fans already know that 88 is a monster behind the boards and sure to deliver with guest appearances by Kid Cudi, Serius Jones, Tanya Morgan, and Guilty Simpson. Truly a kicking little mixtape in anticipation of an album that's sure to do the OkayPlayer community proud. THREE KIDS, ONE BOX OF CERAL, TWO SPOONS Ruckus Roboticus - Playing With Scratches Year: 2007 Label: Grease Genre: Hip Hop  1. Overture 2. The Birth of Ruckus 3. Baby's First Scratch 4. When I Grow Up 5. Never Play With Scratches 6. How To Handle Grownups 7. Intermission (Flee To the Playroom) 8. Here We Go 9. A Child's Introduction to Drums 10. Everlasting Ghettoblasting Gobstopper 11. Taking Turns 12. Bedtime For Sleepyhead 13. Face The Music 14. The Rebirth of Ruckus 15. (Untitled) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ruckus Roboticus' debut album -- Playing With Scratches is a creative and complex mixture of beats, scratching, and story-telling. Created entirely from found sounds, this semi-autobiographical tale playfully chronicles the childhood of Ruckus Roboticus; from "The Birth of Ruckus", to his discovery of scratching on his See-N-Say toy ("Baby's First Scratch"), to his declaration of what he wants to be when he grows up ("When I Grow Up"). Things take a turn for the worse when his parents find out about the shenanigans taking place in the playroom, and command him to "Never Play With Scratches". In the end, Ruckus must "Face the Music", and decide whether to give-in to the pressures of the grown up world, or reject the grown up establishment by continuing to "Play With Scratches". This is a fairy tale told in the form of hip hop and I couldn't possibly be more overjoyed to hear it in such pure form. NEVER PLAY WITH SCRATCHES! There's nowhere I can't reach.
Last edited by Paco; Jul 2, 2008 at 04:17 PM.
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Member 175 Level 58.82 Mar 2006 |
Rafter - Sex, Death, Cassette
Year: 2008 Label: Asthmatic Kitty Genre: Folksy/Brassy Indie Rock  1. Zzzpenchant 2. Sleazy Sleepy 3. Adventurers 4. I Love You Most Of All 5. Love Time Now Please 6. Cudding Raccoons 7. Chances 8. Slay Me 9. Breathing Room 10. Candy Sprinkles 11. Breeze 12. Casualty Of BOC 13. Thunderclap 14. Tropical 15. Kindness 16. No-One Home Ever 17. Asking 18. Casualty Of Dance Music 19. How To And Why . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Review blatantly plagiarized from Pitchfork Rafter Roberts plays in indie pop band Bunky, pals around with Sufjan Stevens, and engineers albums by California bands like Black Heart Procession and Pinback. But "jingle writer" is his most salient CV line regarding his new album, Sex Death Cassette. It's an eclectic reel of curios and bagatelles that stick in your head the way good jingles do, though since they aren't selling anything besides Rafter's sensibility, their compositional craftiness is wedded to a lo-fi humility. Some of them are just little jags of inspiration: "I Love You Most of All" is a half-minute refrain for spooky falsetto and awkward acoustic guitar, like a lost Shudder to Think interlude. "Cuddling Raccoons" is a minute-long burst of handclaps and knob-twiddled garage riffs. And "Adventures" is a verse in search of a chorus, with a tripping groove and hearty brass flares making its concise point. While the brief songs are satisfying fun-- they sound more economical than half-cooked-- Rafter does a good job of building more spacious scaffolding around his little lightning flashes when he cares to. The frilly vocal refrain of "Sleazy Sleepy" is parroted by horn line that would've made a nice little mini-song in itself. "Sleazy Sleepy" also features the kind of staticky, simple groove-- a simple template ready to receive Rafter's judicious embellishments-- that characterizes the album, from "ZZZPenchant", a baggy lockstep with snapping brass banners, to "Love Time Now Please", a Caribbean cameo with more of Rafter's beloved, jubilant horns. The album's title is two-thirds red herring: It has indie rock's typically circumspect relationship to sex, and good luck finding it on cassette. "Death" is the key word here, as the lion's share of these overcast yet stubbornly sunny songs revolve around it, albeit usually in a playful, almost irreverent manner. This is largely because Rafter practices a sort of laughing-to-the-gallows eschatology; he rages against the dying of the light with a smirk. "They left us here to die," he sings on "Asking", "but we're not ready to die!" The sentiment is exactly opposite to the one prevailing in current big-ticket indie rock, exemplified by the Arcade Fire, where the magnitude of the end of self is tacitly conflated with the magnitude of global apocalypse. Rafter doesn't wallow in, despair of, or mythologize death; he healthily accepts it as a natural and absolutely necessary facet of life, which perhaps explains how such a death-obsessed record can be so innocent of grand statements and undue angst. He celebrates life by acknowledging its brevity. "Life is good, you can't complain," he shrugs during the quicksilver indie-rock of "Chances". "We are the lucky ones." And on the junkyard indie-blues of "Slay Me", he gently chastises musicians who "throw it all away for a sad melody that you can't even hum." While everyone needs a sad melody sometimes-- Rafter gets off a few himself, although they're always hummable-- it scans as a subtle dig against the kind of self-serious, dour indie rock that Sex Death Cassette is such a relief from. SO WAKE UP BEFORE YOU DIE This thing is sticky, and I don't like it. I don't appreciate it.
Last edited by Paco; Apr 8, 2009 at 11:58 PM.
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Member 175 Level 58.82 Mar 2006 |
Kutiman - ThruYOU
Year: 2009 Label: N/A Genre: Funk/Soul Mashup  1. The Mother of All Funk Chords 2. This Is What It Became 3. Babylon Band 4. I'm New 5. Someday 6. Wait For Me 7. Just A Lady . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I know music I like when I hear it. I've never been able to enumerate a list of things I like or don't like in music, and I don't always necessarily know why I like something-- it just flips that switch we all have inside of us. Ultimately, I don't think it's important to know why we like the music we do, because the act of liking it is self-justifying. I'm saying all this in part because I couldn't immediately think of a way to describe what's so great about Kutiman. I know one thing, though: I like this. Ophir Kutiel (the Kutiman moniker stems from his family name, but could as easily be read as admiration for Nigerian Afrobeat icon Fela Kuti) is a solo act from Tel Aviv, Israel, a one-man band who occasionally brings in his friends when he thinks they can improve the sound or he needs some horns (he needs them often). His music is something like Israel itself, a mishmash of things from all over the world, the old and the new side by side, a melting pot with a common overarching identity. He's schooled in the funk and fusion of the 1970s, Afrorock and Afrobeat, heavy psych from the 60s, hip-hop and modern R&B, a bit of reggae and dub, a couple decades of electronic music, and the general art of the groove. There's not much else to say about this album. It's not sold in stores and it's freely available on the internet to anyone wishing to enjoy these tunes. If you'd like to see the actual mashup videos, head on over to his website. OTHERWISE, CUT THRU I am a dolphin, do you want me on your body? |
Member 175 Level 58.82 Mar 2006 |
NoNoBeats - Soul Da Beat Vol. 1
Year: 2009 Label: N/A Genre: Hip Hop  1. Keep On Real 2. Expresión Musical 3. Algo Mas Moderno 4. Blackmaga Soul 5. Enlace 6. A La Mente 7. Introducción 8. Outro: Los Vivos No Se Detienen 9. Orquestal 10. Lo Simple 11. Otra 12. Krall 13. It's All 14. Good Time 15. Beat Souldiers 16. Inteludeo: Perdida En Los Cajones . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I don't know anything about this kid other than he's Chilean and produces dope beats. This is a free download to all on his website which I can't find the link to anymore but, as with all artists of this nature, he is buried among the talentless halfwits somewhere in that Dystopian clusterfuck everyone knows as MySpace. His page is right here. DOPENESS CONFIRMED, YOU GOT SOUL Dialect Music - La Spéciale Year: 2009 Label: BL Music Genre: Hip Hop  1. Parano Star 2. Mélodie A Offrir 3. Aquarium 4. Pénétration 5. Avant Que Les Spots S'éteignent 6. Espoir 7. Parano Star (Live) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Dialect is a seven-piece French jazz band. No, it's not really "jazz" because they're a sextet with a dope MC. Blending equal parts soul and jazz and adding a cherry rhyme topping, this outfit captures quite a unique sound that I didn't know how to stop listening to. The one complaint you'll have about this EP will simply be that it's far too short. VOYAGE, VOYAGE, VOYAGE Fatlip - The Loneliest Punk Year: 2005 Label: Delicious Vinyl Genre: Hip Hop  1. Fat Leezy 2. Fatlip Intro 3. First Heat 4. The Bass Line 5. Today's Your Day 6. Freestyle 7. Joe's Turkey 8. I Got The Shit 9. Writer's Block 10. M.I.A. 11. The Story of Us 12. Cook 13. Walkabout 14. All On Fly 15. Lyrical Styles 16. Freaky Pumps 17. He's an Outsider 18. What's Up Fatlip? 19. Dreams . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Former member of The Pharcyde's solo album. It's good. It has that classic Pharcyde with more mellow beats and fun lyrics to bob your head to. Also, you might enjoy this little skate video directed by Spike Jonze featuring the song "Today's Your Day". WHATCHUGONNADOOOOOOO~ I was speaking idiomatically. |
Member 175 Level 58.82 Mar 2006 |
The Argyle Pimps - Invisible Jet-Ski's
Year: 2006 Label: Kamikazi Airlines Genre: Hip Hop  1. Argyle Pimpin' 2. Howard Hughes 3. Buy Us A Drink 4. Car That Works 5. Handsome 6. Fashionable Club Chicks 7. Geezers 8. Japanese People 9. Old School Metallica 10. Mr. Wendal 11. Phoebe Cates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . With a comical approach, and unconventional subject matter The Argyle Pimps brush against genius with their retro-lounge sound and a variety show style that is difficult to typify. More than just another indie-rap act, this oddball hip hop duet from Fresno, CA leave an impression on the crowd like old time entertainers, blending humor and flawless rhyme schemes into a thoroughly entertaining experience. Live in concert the stage personas of Boney Beezly and Cockamamie Jamie The White Dean Martin display a finesse that invokes the days of Perry Como and Dino, combined with a comedians sense of improvisation and timing, all bound together with the raw talent and energy of two young emcees with more sarcastic rap skill than they know what to do with. Oh, and EngleBurt handles most of the Maestro duties. Rockin' that Rat Pack style with songs about retirement homes, Aryan metal fans and 90's era rickety cars will make you wind your spine while you snap up your suspenders. I mean, seriously, who else is gonna make music for 90 lb. nerds to groove to? CHECK THE NAME BADGE, GRANNY. YOU IN MY WORLD NOW What kind of toxic man-thing is happening now? |
Member 175 Level 58.82 Mar 2006 |
The Builders and The Butchers - Salvation Is A Deep Dark Well
Year: 2009 Label: Bladen County Records Genre: Indie/Folk/Roots  1. Golden And Green 2. Devil Town 3. Short Way Home 4. Barcelona 5. Hands Like Roots 6. Down In This Hole 7. Raise Up Your Weary Hands 8. Vampire Lake 9. The Wind Has Come 10. In The Branches 11. The World Is A Top . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . If Tom Waits and Johnny Cash took over a southern church choir, littered it with mandolins, banjos, acoustic bases, hand-made drums, and summoned a dance party, they might call the whole phenomenon The Builders and the Butchers. No other band will make you feel so blissfully compelled to make deals with the devil and make your hands bleed while working like a slave while thinking ever-so-faintly about digging yourself a hole to rest eternally. The follow-up to their 2007 debut is as energetic and somber as its predecessor and, yet, feels a lot more complete and theme-focused. RAISE UP YOUR WEARY HANDS AND STAND BESIDE YOUR BROTHER How ya doing, buddy? |
Member 175 Level 58.82 Mar 2006 |
Fashawn - Boy Meets World
Year: 2009 Label: One Records Genre: Hip Hop  1. Intro 2. Freedom 3. Hey Young World (feat. Aloe Blacc & Devoya) 4. Stars 5. Life As A Shorty (feat. J.Mitchell) 6. The Ecology 7. Our Way (feat. Evidence) 8. Why 9. Samsonite Man 10. Father 11. Sunny CA (feat. Coss & Mistah Fab) 12. Bo Jackson (feat. Exile) 13. Lupita 14. When She Calls 15. Boy Meets World . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . At a time when the game is dominated by 30-something rappers, who wallow in repetitiveness, mediocrity and MAKINITRAINNIGGAMAKINITRAIN we sometimes forget that hip-hop is the music of the youth. Recognized as a leader in Central California’s hip hop scene, steering a vibrant pack of young artists with his innovative style and originality in his music, twenty-year-old Fashawn is more than ready to take on the world with his debut album “Boy Meets World”. I saw this cat play to a packed house here in Visalia and got a chance to talk to him after the show when I purchased his album, which was produced entirely by Los Angeles native Exile, “’Boy Meets World’ is just a story about a kid growing up,” explains Fashawn, "Nothing more.". This album represents that vital element, telling the story of a young man from Fresno, California (an hour north of where I am), trying to avoid poverty’s pitfalls and rise above his circumstances. On “Intro,” the album’s opening skit, young ’Shawn turns down a chance to hustle for a shot at a rap career, before bragging about his ferocious flow (“I can turn a whole metropolis into a peninsula/Ink-pen emperor, slang remain infinite”) over Exile’s chopped-up organ and swollen bass groove. Though he’s adept at boasting (see: “Bo Jackson”), Fashawn’s real strength is his ability to articulate the inner struggles of a good kid from a bad place. “Where I’m from, brothers die every day, sunny CA/Learn the ecology on how we behave,” he spits over Exile’s dramatic string sample on “Ecology.” In sharp contrast to the album’s somber tone is “Hey Young World.” Here we have Fashawn, barely out of adolescence himself, reminding those younger than him that their dreams are within reach. Featuring requisite guest appearances from the likes of Blu, Evidence, Planet Asia and producer Exile, Boy Meets World is a phenomenal debut from such a young MC, and it resonates a lot more strongly than the work of some rappers decades his senior. I KNOW IT SOUNDS A LITTLE LIKE I MIGHT BE PREACHIN' BUT AIN'T NO STAR IN THE SKY THAT AIN'T WORTH REACHIN' What, you don't want my bikini-clad body? |
Member 175 Level 58.82 Mar 2006 |
Foals - Antidotes
Year: 2008 Label: Subpop Genre: Indie Rock  1. The French Open 2. Cassius 3. Red Socks Pugie 4. Olympic Airways 5. Electric Bloom 6. Balloons 7. Heavy Water 8. Two Steps, Twice 9. Big Big Love (Fig 2) 10. Like Swimming 11. Tron 12. (blank) 13. Hummer 14. Mathletics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . It's hardly the cure for anything but Antidotes, the debut album from Oxford's Foals, is a strong addition to the eternal tradition of dance-friendly art rock most recently exemplified by Franz Ferdinand and Klaxons. The five ex-public schoolboys that make up Oxford's Foals are hardly lacking self-confidence--comically cocky frontman Yannis Phillipakis could annoy for the nation and the band rejected producer David Sitek's original mix--but Antidotes is anything but pony. After spending their youth in rigorous "math rock" outfits, Foals started out in 2005 with the stated intention of having fun. Rather delightfully, this amounted to the discovery that audiences are well disposed to acts they can dance to. A clutch of well-received singles and a guest spot on popular sixth-form satire Skins sealed their popularity. Their origins in academic rock are sometimes obvious, but fine drummer Jack Bevan keeps things moving throughout. Opener "The French Open", with its gleeful chanted vocals (in French) and fashionable Afrobeat tinged guitar lines, evokes Talking Heads' dada nonsense classic "I Zimbra", itself older than any Foal. First top thirty hit "Cassius" saw jazz-punk back in the charts for the first time since that perennial football crowd favourite "Papa's Got a Brand New Pigbag". "Olympic Airways" is a charming if oblique tale of escape that couldn't be further from the bus stop/chip shop style while "Red Socks Pugie" already sounds like a single in waiting. The lyrics might charitably be described as impressionistic and Phillipakis's voice remains nondescript. But with better tunes than Bloc Party and a self-conscious precision that recalls Mogwai in their pomp, the effortlessly pretentious Foals are unmistakably the sound of 2008. UN PEU D'AIR SUR LA TERRE~ Delta Spirit - Ode To Sunshine Year: 2009 Label: Unsigned Genre: Roots/Folk  1. Tomorrow Goes Away 2. Trashcan 3. People C'mon 4. House Built for Two 5. Strange Vine 6. Streetwalker 7. People, Turn Around 8. Parade 9. Bleeding Bells 10. Children 11. Ode To Sunshine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . An amplified, rocking version of '60s protest folk. The raw spirit of indie rockers the Walkmen and Spoon combined with the soulful passion of the Violent Femmes, the Waterboys and Bob Dylan. All of these comparisons have been made in attempts to describe Delta Spirit, the southern California 5-piece who might just be one of the most important new bands of the decade. Each description contains elements of the truth, but the real answer to the question "Who is Delta Spirit?" lies within Ode to Sunshine, the band's captivating debut. The group's DIY ethic shines throughout the album, with songs honed razor-sharp over a year of non-stop touring across America. Opening sold-out tours for Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, Cold War Kids, and Dr. Dog, the band developed a riveting live show and gained a loyal following amongst tastemaker music fans, earning them invites to national festivals like Austin City Limits, Noise Pop and Sasquatch. So it would not be an understatement to call Ode to Sunshine one of the year's most highly-anticipated debuts. But don't take our word for it; in the words of Delta Spirit: "If you're feeling what I'm feeling come on, all you soul searching people come on." I FINALLY FOUND A CURE FOR MY OWN CANCER Jam it back in, in the dark. |
Member 175 Level 58.82 Mar 2006 |
Ra Ra Riot - The Rhumb Line
Year: 2008 Label: Barzuk Genre: Indie Rock  1. Ghost Under Rocks 2. Each Year 3. St. Peter's Day Festival 4. Winter '05 5. Dying Is Fine 6. Can You Tell 7. Too Too Too Fast 8. Oh, La 9. Suspended in Gaffa 10. Run My Mouth Get the Flash Player to play this audio file: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ra Ra Riot is a band I've had in my collection for a while. A friend of mine told me she saw them playing in Weehawken, NJ and told me to see their live show. I was finally able to comply last night when my sister and I saw them play at a little wine club called The Cellar Door here in Visalia and the rest, as they say, is history. They are a six-piece band from Syracuse, NY and sound like Vampire Weekend and a small chamber orchestra had glorious orgasmic sex and this was their combined result. The band hasn't had a very easy road though. Their original drummer drowned in Massachusetts and their first singer quit before their original EP (which was really the only recorded material they had for well over 2 years while they toured) was released. Still, there's something incredibly haunting about their live performance as Wes Miles voice is carried by the cello and violin with the rest of the set calmly providing a rich texture to their performance. Much of The Rhumb Line sounds like an elegy-- though Pike co-wrote roughly half of this album's songs before his passing. "Dying Is Fine", with its ee cummings-borrowed lyrics ("Death, oh baby/ You know that dying is fine/ But maybe/ I wouldn't like death, if death was good") is sadly apropos, but it eventually explodes into an anthemic, cheery chorus. "Winter '05", set before Pike's death, is more mournful: You can hear the band's loss in the elegant, weeping strings, the descriptions of lonely cemeteries, and Wesley Miles' vocals as he sings, "If you were here/ Winter wouldn't pass quite so slow." It's rare for a band to survive the death of a key member, but Ra Ra Riot are actually thriving, turning The Rhumb Line from a potential "what could've been" record into a rousing, poignant testament to Pike's life and his former bandmates' resilience. P.S.: I fell in love with their cellist Alexandra as well and told her as much when we hung out with them after the show and the whole band signed our copies of this album. You kind of have to see her in person to see why she's the most adorable girl I've ever laid my eyes on because, seriously, pictures don't do her justice by a lifespan. She's a tiny little firecracker who's incredibly shy until she starts pulling that bow across the cello and then it's like she disappears into a world of her own. If only to witness that again, I hope they come back here again and it's quite possible it will happen when their next album drops later on this year. MY BED'S TOO BIG FOR JUST ME... There's nowhere I can't reach. |
Member 175 Level 58.82 Mar 2006 |
Children of Nova - The Complexity of Light
Year: 2009 Label: Not Signed Genre: Experimental/Prog  1. The Complexity of Light 2. Arcaedion 3. The Fall of Aphonia 4. Second Sight Blackout 5. The Order 6. We Collide Get the Flash Player to play this audio file: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Children of Nova is an experimental/prog band from San Diego, CA and was introduced to me by one of my students during our summer Street Fighter sessions over Xbox LIVE. "The Complexity of Light" is a concept album that plants the seeds of a story written by singer Teo that's supposed to be fleshed out in future albums, much like Coheed & Cambria has done with their albums. Most of the band is still in their early 20s and, for band as young as they are, I have never heard a sound and mind like this. About the closest thing we've ever seen like them is early Mars Volta (we're talking "De-Loused In The Comatorium here) and even they needed a lot of heroin to reach the levels of songwriting that they achieved by the time "Frances The Mute" was released. Their musical timing is ridiculously tight, there's amazing guitar work and, although the falsetto vocals suggest "emo bitch boy band", the lyrics set the whole production apart and there's clearly great production at work here; especially for an album that was pretty much self-produced and independently-released. You should listen to this band because The Mars Volta doesn't sound like they're going to put out another "De-Loused In The Comatorium" any time soon and this will be your fix until that happens. And, please, if you like the music, buy the album as it's only $5 on their music store; most of you will spend multiple times that amount on internet porn anyway and you're better off supporting good music than supporting your wad on your keyboard. (It's getting crusty) I CAN'T KEEP THEM ANYMORE This thing is sticky, and I don't like it. I don't appreciate it.
Last edited by Paco; Aug 26, 2010 at 11:26 AM.
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Member 175 Level 58.82 Mar 2006 |
Placebo - Without You I'm Nothing
Year: 1998 Label: Virgin Genre: Alternative Rock  1. Pure Morning 2. Brick Shithouse 3. You Don't Care About Us 4. Ask For Answers 5. Without You I'm Nothing 6. Allergic (To Thoughts Of Mother Earth) 7. The Crawl 8. Every You Every Me 9. My Sweet Prince 10. Summer's Gone 11. Scared Of Girls 12. Burger Queen/Evil Dildo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . My girlfriend recently got me into this band after almost 10 years of not having listened to them. After the almost impeccable release from the bands self-titled album with Nancy Boy rocketing to the top of U.K charts the band’s drummer Robert Schultzberg left the band mid-1996 due to personal interests. Steve Hewitt, a past drummer of the band filled his position. They spent the end of 1996 and the majority of 1997 touring. Placebo was then invited to play at David Bowie’s 50th birthday leading to a guest appearance on “Without You I’m Nothing” which was released in October 1998. Following rising to commercial success throughout Britain it was time for Placebo to burst into relentless American music scene. The band offer a darker, more mature sound on their second album providing unforgettable singles but does disappoint with a poor performance by the other songs on the album. Musically “Without You I’m Nothing” is definitely not the album for anyone interested in amazing solos or insane fret board work instead Placebo stick to what they know best, harmony among instruments and excellent rhythms. The opener “Pure Morning” displays a terrific rhythm which is driven by thumping drums and simple electric guitar although it may be labeled by some as repetitive “Pure Morning” displays the true capability of the band and is one of the better tracks. Although musically and vocally the band does deliver, there are some tracks that are much below Placebo’s usual standard. The poorer tracks on the album are slower and contain little instrumental and lyrical work. “Ask For Answers”, “My Sweet Prince” and “The Crawl” are some of my least favorite tracks but are still decent songs though. The more rock influenced songs on the album are all very high quality “Brick Shithouse”, “Scared of Girls” and “Allergic” are all examples of the rockier songs, although these tracks don’t contain many great instrumental pieces or lyrics their simplicity and ideas used by the band make them some of the better tracks on the album. “Burger Queen” and “Summer’s Gone” are slower electronic influenced songs. Burger Queen is one of the albums highlights, it is a soft, calming track which really makes it a top album finisher. “Summer’s Gone” is a great track that has a very regrettable tone. The singles off the album are my personal highlights though. “Pure Morning” and “Every You, Every Me” are both lyrically outstanding and all instruments work very well in the tracks. “You Don’t Care About Us” is a bouncy, more upbeat track that is obviously designed for commercial success. A complete contrast from that track is “Without You I’m Nothing” which is darker and more emotion, Brian Molko and David Bowie’s voices work well together in the track and promote the brooding feeling of the song. A FRIEND WITH WEED IS BETTER I am a dolphin, do you want me on your body? |
Member 175 Level 58.82 Mar 2006 |
JAZZ IN YOUR PANTS!
Soil & "PIMP" Sessions is a band that I got introduced to purely by accident. I heard some jazz over a bar's sound system while we were waiting for a band to start playing a set and I instantly wondered who they were. This was almost a year ago. As it turns out, that night someone DID tell me who it was when I was trashed and, since I didn't fucking remember, I never found out who they were until someone on GFF (Kishin, I believe), told me I should watch "Michiko to Hatchin" and the opening title ("Paraiso" from their album "6") was performed by them. Upon doing some petty research I found that the band was made up of 6 members: Shacho ("The Agitator"), Tabu Zombie (trumpet), Motoharu (saxophone), Josei (keyboards), Akita Goldman (stand-up bass) and Midorin (drums). Apparently, the band was a culmination of Sacho The Agitator and Zombie doing live jazz improv jam sessions during a DJ's set around clubs in Tokyo. Gradually the other members were brought on to texture up the sound and the band line up was finally cemented when the DJ sets were dropped in 2003. By 2009, they had 5 albums recorded and a 6th on the way when they managed to squeeze into an anime soundtrack and subsequently start to gain some much-deserved international recognition. I don't even truly know how to explain a band like Soil & "PIMP" Sessions. A lot of my kids walk into my office or lounge while I'm spinning this stuff on my computer and they say, "You like jazz?" and you WANT to say, "THIS IS NOT JAZZ, YOU LITTLE SHIT. THIS IS AN EARGASM AND YOU'RE A WASTE OF SPACE IF YOU DON'T REALIZE IT!!!". Of course, we live in the real world and the best you can muster is, "Man, this isn't jazz, this is something else entirely. I mean, it has the structure, parts and improvisational feel of jazz but this kind of energy is something that only a country like Japan can produce." After all, these are the same people who invented tentacle porn. Little by little, they cultivated what can only be described as a nuclear explosion of energetic music and to dismiss them as modern jazz is pretty much missing the point. Kenny G plays "modern jazz". Soil & "PIMP" Sessions stages cosmic-level audible orgasms and, sadly, most of you petty humans are too wrapped up drooling at MTV's "reality" lineup while some guido cocksucker points at his chest while drinking Jagerbombs; your musical orgasm being forever unreachable by your pathetic pattern-maintaining, gossip-gorged lives. But don't listen to me. I'm an asshole. Listen to the music instead: (Click the album covers to download) Soil & "PIMP" Sessions - PIMPIN' Year: 2004 Label: Victor Japan Genre: JAZZ IN YOUR PANTS 
------ Soil & "PIMP" Sessions - Pimp Master Year: 2005 Label: Victor Japan Genre: JAZZ IN YOUR PANTS 
------ Soil & "PIMP" Sessions - Pimp of The Year Year: 2006 Label: Victor Japan Genre: JAZZ IN YOUR PANTS 
------ Soil & "PIMP" Sessions - Pimpoint Year: 2007 Label: Brownswood Genre: JAZZ IN YOUR PANTS 
------ Soil & "PIMP" Sessions - Planet Pimp Year: 2008 Label: Victor Japan Genre: JAZZ IN YOUR PANTS 
------ Soil & "PIMP" Sessions - 6 Year: 2009 Label: Brownswood Genre: JAZZ IN YOUR PANTS 
I was speaking idiomatically.
Last edited by Paco; Nov 15, 2010 at 01:50 AM.
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Member 175 Level 58.82 Mar 2006 |
The Gits - Enter: The Conquering Chicken
Year: 1993 Label: Broken Rekids Genre: Punk/Alternative 
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . The Gits are a punk/alternative rock band from Ohio but really made their mark in the late 80's/early 90's grunge scene of Seattle, WA. I was introduced to them by my girlfriend who watched a documentary about them a while back. They independently recorded one album and, after much gigging and gathering a following for their highly-reputed rowdy live shows, they recorded this album right around the time that they would have been looking to be signed to a major record label. Sadly, tragedy struck one night when their Singer Mia Zapata was raped and murdered one night in 1993 on her way home and the band disbanded soon afterwards. The album cover is a painting of Mia painted by a friend of the band and the album was released posthumously.  Budgie - Never Turn Your Back On A Friend Year: 1973 Label: MCA Genre: Metal 
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Often thought of as a cross between Black Sabbath (due to their plodding, molten-heavy riffs) and Rush (due to their singer's high-pitched, Geddy Lee-esque wail), the somewhat obscure British metal outfit Budgie has influenced countless outfits, despite enduring countless lineup shifts throughout their history. The group originally formed in 1967 in Cardiff, Wales, comprised of members Burke Shelley (vocals, bass), Tony Bourge (guitar), and Raymond Phillips (drums), and by the early '70s, they'd inked a deal with MCA Records. This is probably their best known album and a lot of you have probably heard Metallica's cover of the opening song "Breadfan" from their "Garage Inc." album. Rain - Rain Year: 1972 Label: Sunbeam Records Genre: Proggressive/Psychedelic 
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Recorded in 1971, but straddling the decade just past, the Philadelphian quartet’s free-flowing mood swings charted a gentle path—often within the same song—from the sun-kissed psych-pop harmonies of the mid-’60s to early dalliances with the dark forces of progressive rock. This sole album is a lost classic touching on power-pop, progressive rock, folk and psychedelia, boasting glorious melodies, harmony vocals and superb musicianship. Recorded under the aegis of the legendary Enoch Light in New York, it was barely released but has gone on to acquire a major cult reputation. Thanks to Sunbeam Records, this album has found a new home on record shelves everywhere. Various Artists - The Funky Precedent Year: 1999 Label: No Mayo Records Genre: Hip Hop 
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . This is an album I've been promising sprout I'd upload for him to prove to him that there was, indeed, a time when Black Eyed Peas didn't suck flaccid donkey schlong, that they once stood for something other than being superfluous, repetitive, greedbags and that, once a woman is involved in anything (like when that cunt Fergie joined them), it goes to shit. (THAT'S RIGHT I SAID IT WHAT) An outstanding compilation of Los Angeles-based hip-hop, Afro-soul, and funkdafied jazz, The Funky Precedent is more than just your run-of-the-mill underground comp. Its talent and diversity of sound captures the myriad styles of music that runs through L.A.'s Southland, from the rebellious riddims of Afro-Latin fusionists Ozomatli to the resurrected hardcore funk of Breakestra to the old-school/new-school hip-hop meld of Divine Styler. An album designed to appeal to more than just deep-underground heads, The Funky Precedent personifies L.A.'s past, present, and future. Its proceeds originally went to fund music programs in Mission High School in San Francisco and Freemont High School and Manchester Elementary School in Los Angeles. What kind of toxic man-thing is happening now? |
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Paco