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Channels: “Waiting for the Next End of the World”

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J. Robbins (formerly of Jawbox and Burning Airlines) has his fingerprints on so many projects I like – and even more I like that, until recently, I never knew he took part in (namely, production and mixing on Maritime’s Glass Floor and Jets to Brazil albums). His resume, particularly on the production end, is extensive.

Channels is his latest musical vehicle, a three-piece on Dischord Records that released its debut full-length Waiting for the Next End of the World in August.

Like his writing in Burning Airlines, Robbins straddles a line of paranoia with Channels that leaves you edgy and uncomfortable, a trait he shares with Jets to Brazil frontman Blake Schwarzenbach (see also, Orange Rhyming Dictionary). Robbins doesn’t meddle in the ways of love and heartbreak; his songs are the soundtrack to media and government fearmongering.

To the New Mandarins, the opener on Waiting for the Next, sets the tone of his dread laced throughout the album:

“new mandarins, your color-coded bulletins /
are doing my poor head in /
while you place bets on what I’m most dreading /
so well-informed, I don’t know where the truth begins /
I grew up on science fiction /
that doesn’t mean I want to live in it”

Robbins is a protest writer in a more indirect sense, in the way Blade Runner and THX 1138 envision a dehumanized society. Paranoia drives Robbins, and that makes him compelling: misinformation, Big Brother, technophobia. He’s asking you to think about this for yourself and consider the consequences.

Burning Airlines’ Mission: Control! (1999) clocked me over the head when I first heard it after graduating from college. (Looking back, the band’s name even seems eerily prophetic; Robbins almost changed the band name.) I didn’t know what to make of these lyrics and ideas: “The medicine show comes around / to peddle a prescription now / to medicate mistrust of crowds.” Whoa, whoa. This wasn’t about missing your girlfriend or feeling homesick anymore. For me, Robbins was expanding what songwriting could be – an expression of fear or concern in a way not related to mopey love.

Channels carries the tradition, even if the post-punk musical styling feels dated. Though I’d argue that the unnerving guitars and Robbins’ ever-so-slightly distorted vocals contribute to the message in the writing.

Channels | To the New Mandarins
Channels | Storytime (In the Street of Spies)
(From 2004 EP Open)

Related:
J. Robbins recently shuffled his iPod for the Onion and is slightly humiliated when it turns up a Burning Airlines song.
MP3s of Robbins’ work (via JRobbins.net)

hip-hop, vinyl

Lupe Fiasco: “Pop Pop” (2003 promo single)

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I was pretty excited to go out yesterday and buy Lupe Fiasco’s Food & Liquor. Coincidentally, the CD/record/DVD haul I brought home from Los Angeles included a promo 12″ from Lupe for the song Pop Pop. I can’t reveal my sources of this vinyl donation, but it was the first thing I put on the record player when we walked in the door.

All I could find out about the song came from the Wikipedia entry on Lupe, which says Pop Pop was the only tangible output from a short stay at Arista in 2003. It also might have appeared on the Lupe the Jedi mixtape, though I can’t confirm that. Can anyone help out?

Dearth of information aside, it’s a little surprsing this track didn’t find its way to mainstream ears (or maybe it did?). At the very least, the club-friendly beat covers some of Lupe’s lyrical inadequacies of his greener days: “I’m knowin’ I ain’t the hottest nigga out / got that fire though / you gonna have to put your hottest nigga out.” Shouldn’t rhyming the same word – or in this case, the same three words – in a verse be outlawed at this point?

Lupe Fiasco | Pop Pop
Lupe Fiasco | Pop Pop (instrumental)
Lupe Fiasco | Pop Pop (acapella)

Also, Rogue Wave is holding a benefit show Sept. 30 at the Independent in San Francisco for its drummer, Pat Spurgeon, who needs a kidney transplant. According to a MySpace bulletin, there will be performances by Rogue Wave, Ben Gibbard, Matthew Caws (Nada Surf) Ryan Miller (Guster) and John Vanderslice.Buy tickets here. Or you can make a donation via PayPal through the group’s Web site.

live

Phoenix, Martini Ranch, 9/18/06

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This may be a rhetorical question, but … Why isn’t Phoenix everywhere yet? From CD to live show, this is a band that is polished, tight and unquestionably brimming with potential. Seriously, get the producers of The O.C. on the horn now.

Phoenix was almost so flawless on Monday night that I found it unsettling. When a band feels so impenetrable, you try hard to find something at which to pick. The only thing I could come up with was that singer Thomas Mars came out in a peacoat. A peacoat?!? It’s still like almost 100 degrees outside. Of course, he shed it during the first song, Napoleon Says (must have been on the set list: “strip peacoat in first song.”). Oh, and he was skinny. Really, really skinny. Jerk.

The band’s set was either impeccably tight or soul-lessly choreographed. I’m leaning toward the former because I don’t want to feel like I’m that jaded quite yet. Even when Phoenix appeared to be playing off the cuff a bit, it had the feeling of being well-rehearsed, which, I realize, is probably a lousy thing to nitpick. The band is as clean and civilized as you could hope, and I was pleased to see Phoenix be bold enough to play the hit single (Long Distance Call) second in the set list and still hold sway over the crowd throughout the night.

Honestly, my only complaint was with the venue, Martini Ranch, which usually is reserved for horrid cover bands (are there any other kind?) and superficial Scottsdale outings. The lighting, especially those terrible stage spotlights, was obnoxious during Phoenix’s set; it’s the band that’s not supposed to be able to see the fans, not the other way around.

Phoenix | Everything is Everything (live)
(From an Astralwerks compilation passed out at the show)

(Thanks to Forrest for providing the digital camera for the evening.)

live

The Gray Kid, Project art gallery, 9/16/06

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In lieu of heading to Austin for this year’s ACL Festival, Annie and I took off on a secret trip to Los Angeles. We played with our little 5-month-old nephew (kid loves me) and managed to make it out on the town Saturday night to check out the Gray Kid at Project. (OK, so the $10 donation for the open bar was a draw, too.)

Ben recently turned me on to the stylings of the Gray Kid, and within a day I bought his album, … 5, 6, 7, 8, saw him live and chatted him up about playing a show in Phoenix. Screw LA, man; you haven’t made it till you play Phoenix, damn it.

At first blush, you wouldn’t take the Gray Kid for the lyric-spittin’, beat-makin’ hip-hop machine he is. On Saturday, he was decked out in jeans and a black-and-turquoise thrift-store sweater with a bandana fashioned around his neck like an ascot.

But his beats. Lord. No white kid possibly could be responsible for those. On stage, the Gray Kid flies solo, backed only by his iPod, on which he’s sequenced the music for his entire set.

If his rig limits any sort of improvisation, the Gray Kid compensates with his arm-swinging, sweaty energy. I say sweaty because he was wearing that damn sweater: “Is anybody else wearing wool in here?” That was funny.

He spent a majority of the set standing (and stomping) on a foot stool, like a street-corner preacher yelling off the microphone and flailing his arms to implore the gallery-goers, many of whom were innocent bystanders checking out art but instead got caught up in the flurry.

What can’t be overstated about the Gray Kid’s stage presence is his level of interaction with the crowd – and, in this case, the artists working on a live mural during the show. Granted, performing in the corner of an art gallery on a makeshift stage affords a more personal experience than any club show. But the Gray Kid walked through the gallery whilst singing and (gasp!) made eye contact with fans, even if maybe it made them a little uncomfortable.

Oh, about the music? He’s a bit of a chameleon – singing falsetto one verse, rapping the next. It’s mostly unpredictable. What do you say about a guy who can rap that he’s got a “dick like a comet” (Like a Comet) and then lay out soulful crooning (Lonely Love) without a hint of irony? (And he goes unplugged, too.)

But do yourself a favor. Buy … 5, 6, 7, 8 and listen to One Question, a dis track that’s worth the cost of admission alone when he claims, “labels couldn’t hold me like a charge on cheap phone.”

The Gray Kid | $$$Clip

arizona, hip-hop, remix

Z-Trip blends Gnarls Barkley: “Crazy Good Times”

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Has Crazy lost its mojo yet? I had to chuckle when I heard it was played on Phoenix radio station, KEZ-FM (99.9), whose tagline is “The most soft rock!” (Underline and exclamation point are theirs, not mine.). I guess you could argue that Cee-Lo and Danger Mouse created a ubiquitous song that appeals to all ages. But the thought of my mom jammin’ out to Crazy in her car on the way to work really makes me laugh.

Regardless, Gnarls Barkley apparently provided DJ Z-Trip the vocals exclusively, which Z blended with Chic’s Good Times. He’s streaming it at his MySpace.

If you missed it, I posted on Z-Trip earlier this week. Like, two days ago. (Shut up, Ben.)

hip-hop, remix

Mr. Lif: “Brothaz (9th Wonder remix)”

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Remixes have long vexed me: gratuitous overexposure of a song or worthwhile artistic endeavor? (My co-hort Royce is rolling his eyes as he reads this.) I know remixes have their place in deejays’ crates and the dance clubs. But casual listening is another story.

I don’t necessarily think a remix waters down an original, but it certainly might steal some of its thunder. That depends, of course, on the producers behind it. On this track, though, off Mr. Lif’s 2006 release Mo’ Mega, I’m coming around to see the value of different production.

The original version of Brothaz is produced by El-P, who never (as far as I know) has made a soft beat. It holds true here, his gritty, concrete style complementing Lif’s political diatribes.

Then there’s the remix by 9th Wonder, whose responsible for the production on one of my favorite albums of the year in Murs’ Murray’s Revenge. On Brothaz, he takes the edge off – it’s more soul than street. It’s debatable whether the style fits with the Important Message Lif is trying to get across, but a remix is probably more about what the producer can do than the emcee.

Mr. Lif | Brothaz (original)
Mr. Lif | Brothaz (9th Wonder remix)

arizona, hip-hop, radio rips

DJ Z-Trip live on Power 106

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We make no bones about it: We’re major, unabashed fans of all things Z-Trip around here. You might have noticed that before.

As promised, he’s keeping his Web site fresh with updates and downloads. The latest download is a live mix he did for Los Angeles radio station Power 106, which apparently recorded it and provided a copy for Z-Trip. Fair warning: It’s a large file (75.5 mb) and it’s taped off a radio show, so you’ll hear those somewhat annoying drops during the mix (“P-P-P-P-P-Power 106 … Where hip-hop lives!”). That said, it could be worse: The station couldn’t have made it available at all. You know, beggars can’t be choosers.

As to be expected, Z’s devotees have partial playlists of the tracks he uses in the blend on his forum. I’m sort of shocked at how well the Maroon 5 This Love/Nas Made You Look mix goes together.

Z dropped in on one thread to explain that the mixes were done on vinyl, although (and this is kind of surprising) he’s breaking into the world of mp3 mixing with Serato Final Scratch, which my boy Jay has, and it’s pretty damn cool. As Jay said, Z-Trip can do things on vinyl that amateurs can’t even do on Serato. Give him mp3s and the possibilities are potentially endless. In Z-Trip’s own words: “… trying to work it in, but still very much on the vinyl side … But yeah, I’m embracing it slowly.”

DJ Z-Trip | Live on Power 106

radio rips

Cold War Kids, Dr. Dog, Elvis Perkins on KEXP

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Having recently been more than slightly obsessed with Elvis Perkins’ beautiful track While You Were Sleeping (mp3s at his site), I didn’t quite know what to make of his touring with the Cold War Kids and Dr. Dog (the latter of which I admittedly know nothing about).

From what I’ve heard, Perkins exudes a hushed, introspective tone; Cold War Kids have a more outgoing, blues style. I suppose stranger tour pairings have been hatched, with successful results at that. Then this KEXP session from Tuesday went ahead and squashed whatever aspirations I had of being any sort of concert promoter; seriously, what the hell do I know?

Each band played two of its own songs, but, by the sound of it, I think were assisted by just about every musician in the room. (If that sounds like I’m asking KEXP nicely to add video to its in-studio performances, you’re probably right.) This version of Cold War Kids’ Saint John, aided by an upright bass, is soulful and full of life; that bassline just grounds the whole affair, no matter how many musicians are whistling or clanging away on cymbals.

But my favorite track of the session is How’s Forever Been Baby by Perkins, who sometimes plays with his band, Elvis Perkins in Dearland. His voice walks this fine line of being peaceful, haunting and comforting. A self-released CD, Ash Wednesday, is available at Insound.

Be sure to visit KEXP’s blog.

Dr. Dog, Elvis Perkins, Cold War Kids, live on KEXP (9/12/06):

1. California (Dr. Dog)
2. Die, Die, Die (Dr. Dog)
3. How’s Forever Been Baby (Elvis Perkins)
4. Doom’s Day (Elvis Perkins)
5. Expensive Tastes (Cold War Kids)
6. Saint John (Cold War Kids)

Meanwhile, file under EERIE: When I last posted Cold War Kids performing on KEXP in June, I also wrote a couple lines about Elvis Perkins’ While You Were Sleeping, a totally unrelated and, now it appears, bizarre coincidence.

video

Baby Dayliner: “The Morning Sun” video

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Ah, Baby Dayliner. He’s threatening to become the most-posted-about artist at this here site if he’s not careful. That’s a good sign, though, because it means his 2006 release, Critics Pass Away (Brassland), is enduring as one of my favorites this year.

It also means I’ve outgrown my very initial impression that his stylish loungey vibe is some sort of cheap shtick. Critics Pass Away shows Baby Dayliner (aka Ethan Marunas) as a strangely endearing romantic – kinda campy, a little cheesy, but warm and infectious.

The video for The Morning Sun, an unreleased track, certainly isn’t a breakthrough in cinematic achievement; it was shot near a pool behind his home in Brooklyn as he performed the song. But the sunbathers, floating lazily in the background in the pool, seem to capture the breezy horns and laid-back attitude of the track.

The single (and sort of unsteady) camera angle captures Baby Dayliner, slicked back hair and all, standing next to this above-ground pool, singing away to nobody in particular, as if he does this sort of thing every day in his backyard (and maybe he does).

Critics Pass Away is available at eMusic, as is the entire Brassland stock, which includes the back catalog of the National, for whom Baby Dayliner is opening some West Coast dates.

An mp3 of The Morning Sun is available at Music (For Robots).

Related
10 questions with Baby Dayliner.
Baby Dayliner Silent Places video.

hip-hop, remix

The Gray Kid feat. My Brightest Diamond: “Bang”

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Can I get a holla for my boy Ben, who gave me the heads up on this track from the Gray Kid?

Born Steve Cooper, the Gray Kid is, from what I can gather, a one-man show: producer, DJ, emcee. He’s a rapper and a soul enthusiast, evident in the track Lonely Love. He goes from soul-inspired falsetto crooning in one verse to bad-ass emcee the next.

Bang is a “vocal mashup,” taking the Yeah Yeah Yeahs’ Bang and mashing it with B-52 and Nas vocals from My Brightest Diamond and himself. I’ve sort of grown tired of mashups, but this is cool because the Gray Kid is mixing reworked vocals, not the originals. It gives the whole thing a twist.

World’s Fair Label Group has all the latest on the Gray Kid, including a pretty hilarious video flyer. And the Gray Kid keeps a well-written and humorous blog: The Gray Kid Says.

The Gray Kid feat. My Brightest Diamond | Bang
The Gray Kid | Lonely Love