All posts by Kevin

hip-hop

Cut Chemist: “The Garden”

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The only bad news about Cut Chemist releasing a solo album (The Audience’s Listening on July 11) is that he’s no longer a proper member of Jurassic 5. That should make for some interesting exercises in contrast and comparison because J5 releases their next LP, Feedback, on July 25.

Granted, J5 is in good hands with DJ Numark, but, really, part of the group’s charm was its double-DJ approach. Jurassic 5 shows were some of the most energetic and creative I’ve seen among hip-hop acts, thanks in no small part to the interaction between Cut and Numark.

When I was going to Arizona State, I saw J5 in Mesa on a Saturday night (don’t even remember the year). The following night, Z-Trip and Radar invited the boys out for a low-key, secret kinda show. I probably witnessed some sort of DJ history that night. Not to sound like a sycophant, but we’re talking about four of the best out there – in terms of style, skill and creativity.

Cut shares with those guys what I admire most in a DJ: a willingness to explore and mesh styles – to push the envelope, if you will. The Garden, with its Brazilian vibes and multi-instrumental layering, is a perfect example.

Cut Chemist | The Garden

Related: Gorilla vs. Bear and Analog Giant both have posted the new Jurassic 5 single Work it Out.

Also … Why I love eMusic:

So, I’m a monthly subscriber to eMusic. Typically, my monthly downloads (40 for $9.99) refreshed on the 10th of every month. Well, I had about 20 left when I went to download some more on June 8 and noticed they had refreshed. In other words, I had 20 downloads that went unused.

I wrote to eMusic and customer service responded the next day explaining to me (without calling me a total moron) that the downloads reset on a 30-day cycle, not necessarily on a certain day. Nevertheless, they credited my account with 40 complimentary downloads that don’t expire for a year as long as I’m an active subscriber.

So, yeah. I can personally vouch for eMusic’s greatness when I link to it and tell you to go get your 25 free trial downloads.

radio rips

The Walkmen, on KEXP, 6/9/06

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Because my previous three posts on the Walkmen proved so popular (*cough* no comments *cough*), I thought you’d probably love some more. I’m a really nice guy.

If anything, I’m psyching myself up for next Saturday’s show at the Clubhouse in Tempe, Ariz., with the Walkmen, Talkdemonic and Richard Swift. Rumors (and flyers strewn about town) have it that the Walkmen will be special-guest DJs at a little post-show party at the Rogue in Scottsdale. We are so there.

Gotta say, the more I hear these new songs from A Hundred Miles Off, the more I find myself going back to their previous two albums. I think when we look back, Hundred Miles may prove to be that entry-point album for the band. You know, when people who haven’t listened to a band ask, “Which album should I buy?” Hundred Miles seems more accessible right off the bat (everybody loves horns!), but at the same time it’s making me dig deeper into their old stuff to see if I missed something along the way.

Props (as always) to KEXP for another great in-studio set.

The Walkmen, live on KEXP, 6/9/06:

1. Another One Goes By
2. Good For You’s Good For Me
3. All Hands and the Cook
4. Louisiana

Previously:
The Walkmen cover Mazarin
The Walkmen on NPR’s Live Concert Series, Part I
The Walkmen on NPR’s Live Concert Series, Part II

hip-hop, video

Lupe Fiasco “Kick Push” video

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Oh, man, this year is shaping up to be pretty phenomenal for hip-hop. If you haven’t been keeping up, let’s tick off a few of my favorites so far: Murs’ Murray’s Revenge; The Coup’s Pick a Bigger Weapon; People Under the Stairs’ Stepfather; Soul Position’s Things Go Better With RJ and Al … to name a few.

Now, Lupe Fiasco’s Food & Liquor is due this summer, and if Kick Push is any indication, this album might be off the hook (is that what the kids say?). My boy Ben tipped me off about Lupe Fiasco a few weeks ago and I didn’t really pay heed until I saw the video for Kick Push this past Sunday.

The track, if you haven’t heard it (and why haven’t you?), is about skating. Yep. Skateboards are the new Hummers. I was never much of a skater myself. I dabbled. Had a Steve Caballero board. Also once had a Lance Mountain deck. I could ollie. Not on a dime, though.

Skating is one of those things … if I ever had a choice of what to be really good at, that would be one of them. Skating skills. Because girls like guys with skills. So I’m lovin’ Kick Push. Together with Say Yes, this summer has the jams!

Check the video. (I’m trying this whole embed a You Tube video for the first time):

general

Sera Cahoone “Couch Song”

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Blogger has been acting up today, which is sad because I was going for a multiple posts today, something I rarely do. But it appears to be up and running, so I’ll give this a go.

On June 29, Band of Horses are returning to Rhythm Room in Phoenix, where they played in March after SXSW. This time, I hope they bring along Mat Brooke, who was conspicuously absent in March. He is one of the two founders of the band, after all.

Really, I’m not here to talk about Band of Horses. No, one of the openers is Sera Cahoone, who besides having a great name, was the former drummer of Carissa’s Wierd, the former band of Horses founders Brooke and Ben Bridwell.

Cahoone has gone solo, and her self-titled debut (buy from Sub Pop) is an alt-country affair with some lush vocals and instrumentation. I’m a sucker for a pedal-steel guitar and some mournful singing.

Sera Cahoone | Couch Song

covers

The Walkmen cover Mazarin

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You’ll see no shortage of posts about the Walkmen, especially because they’ll be in Tempe next Saturday. And I’m off of work. Oh, that is such good news.

So, I’m listening to the new album, A Hundred Miles Off, and I’m thinking that Another One Goes By sounds awfully familiar. … Oh, yes. Mazarin. Of course. Such a good song. So the Walkmen cover a song from an album that came out in 2005 and put it on their new album. What do you think about that?

There seems to be a lot of that going around: current indie band covering another indie band. At the least, it seems like a great idea for a B-side. That the Walkmen put this cover on their album, I think, shows a great respect to Mazarin. And all very well deserved because Mazarin’s We’re Already There is fantastic.

In a way, when the Walkmen cover it, Another One sounds like a song that should have been a Walkmen song from the get-go. Their rendition, all slow and groggy, falls right in line with the Walkmen’s catalog. It’s the same song – only after you’ve had a few beers and stumble out of the bar a little slow to the senses. I can’t decide which I like more.

Whatever the case, the Walkmen’s cover of the track seems to be the ultimate tribute to a band they admire. In either case, the chorus is immediate and emotional:

“I don’t know what to offer you /
I’m only broke and lonely”

Mazarin | Another One Goes By
The Walkmen | Another One Goes By

Related: The Walkmen, live on NPR Webcast, Part I and Part II.

hip-hop

Belief “Say Yes”

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I know, I’m on a hip-hop kick lately. I can’t deny it. It’s got a hold on me. Especially this track.

Belief is a producer/deejay born in LA who moved to New York to pursue his career in hip-hop production. He’s done plenty of work – including this featured track – with Murs, one of my favorite emcees.

Say Yes, which features Murs, C-Rayz Walz and Wordsworth, is quickly becoming my summer anthem. It’s an upbeat, feel-good jam – the joint you need for rollin’ down your windows and crankin’ the stereo. Check that chorus:

“Everybody say yes /
If you’re tired of the stress /
Tryin’ to get it off of your chest”

Belief also happens to be the producer of a great Murs track, God’s Work.

Belief (feat. Murs, C-Rayz Walz, Wordsworth) | Say Yes

BONUS:
Murs | God’s Work (produced by Belief)

general

Sound Team “Movie Monster”

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Sound Team unleashes its Capitol debut, Movie Monster, today, and we’re going to be sending you all over the Web for bits and pieces of goodies. Consider it a Sound Team treasure hunt.

When you purchase Movie Monster from iTunes you get a “Tunebook,” ­which includes short videos, a music video, photo gallery, a 22-minute movie created by Bill Baird with an original score and other miscellany.

Stream Handful of Billions video clip:

Broadband
Dial-up

For more video clips, visit: Indie Interviews, Gorilla vs. Bear, My Old Kentucky Blog, Coolfer, Exitfare and Underrated Blog.

Oh, you want an mp3, too? You’re bossy.

Sound Team | Your Eyes Are Liars

interview

10 questions (via e-mail) with Baby Dayliner

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My first impressions of Baby Dayliner probably were not unlike those of most first-timers. We saw him open for the National in Los Angeles a few months ago. As fans slowly filtered in, Baby Dayliner coolly took the stage in a button-down shirt and his styled pompadour, drawing inquisitive looks across the venue.

If I was a skeptic then, I’m sold now. At the least, he piqued my curiosity at that show. But having absorbed his latest LP, Critics Pass Away, I can safely call myself a fan. Critics is an addictive mix of slick production, lounge cool and inspired crooning. On stage, as well as on record, Baby Dayliner carries the bravado of a great pop vocalist – just a hint of swagger that blunts the skeptics.

On the heels of a May release for Critics Pass Away (on Brassland), Baby Dayliner (born Ethan Marunas) took time to answer 10 questions via e-mail for us.

Once you’re convinced, buy Critics at Insound for a chance to be entered in a great contest.

[mp3] Baby Dayliner | At Least
Baby Dayliner | The Way You Look Tonight

1. We’ll start with an easy one: Who do you consider primary influences?
Baby Dayliner: There’s really so much. Lately I’ve been listening to The Cocteau Twins and The Walker Brothers. I like a lot of 50s and 60s pop music.

2. In a lot of your press clippings, writers seem very intent on trying to draw comparisons between you and just about anybody (Ian Curtis, Frank Sinatra, David Bowie, etc.). Are the comparisons flattering or do they become a burden? In other words, is it difficult to shed any preconceived notions writers or fans may have?
BD: Writers, for the most part, can’t help making comparisons. Writers also never have time to truly absorb albums because of the hundreds of discs on their desks that they’re expected to review quickly. They say this, they say that, but finally there’s some element in my music that always doesn’t quite agree with their comparisons. Whatever it is they can’t define is probably what I would call my “style.”

3. I’ve read that you’ve played in bands. So what led you to go solo?
BD: I was in a band that split up because they couldn’t get along. I didn’t want to wait around for more personnel, so I just programmed a bunch of my songs into a synth/sequencer and started performing alone. It’s come a long way since then.

4. Can you walk us through your writing/recording process? Are you writing lyrics first or creating/producing music before any writing is done?
BD: I usually make a piece of music first. If it really grabs me I’ll then elaborate on it, and register how I react to it emotionally. From there I sculpt the song.

5. When I saw you open for the National in Los Angeles, some people in the crowd (myself included) didn’t quite know what to make of you or your show right off the bat. Does that happen a lot for people unfamiliar with your work?
BD: New crowds can be tough. The people who dislike me are ones who feel I’m trying to con them or something. Because I have no band, they feel like it’s not real music, they feel I’m wasting their time. These people are also often uncomfortable seeing only one guy emoting. If only they could get over that hump, they might see me.

6. In one interview I read, you said that some people in the first couple songs of a set might see you as a phony of some sort. Why do you think people might think that? And do you feel like you have to somehow work harder to convince them otherwise, or does that just happen naturally?
BD: I think I might have just answered the first half of this question. There’s nothing extra I do for a new crowd. If they’re gonna like me, it happens naturally, a few songs into the set.

7. One of my favorite tracks on the new album is Breezy, which has a bit of a hip-hop vibe. And I know you’ve done a little production work for the great hip-hop label Definitive Jux. Are there hip-hop artists out there that inspire your production work?
BD: I grew up listening to hip-hop, and I’m always aware of it. Even top 40 crap. Hip-hop is a big part of my dictionary but I’m not a real thorough fan of it. Certain albums stick out. Nas’ first album. Common’s Resurrection. The first couple De La albums. The first couple Tribe albums. Jay-Z’s whole library, for the most part. I listen to Aesop Rock and Blockhead, who are friends from way back. The new Ghostface album is solid. Gnarls Barkley sounds cool. Dr. Octagon. Big Daddy Kane. Jungle Bros.

8. Unlike a singer in a band, you’re up there by yourself when you perform live. Is it a little unsettling or have you become comfortable when all eyes are on you?
BD: I’m long past the fear. In fact, it’s when I’m looking into everyone’s eyes that I get bolder and less timid.

9. When I saw you in LA, I couldn’t quite make out what you brought on stage — a suitcase of some sort, I think. I’m guessing you’ve got prerecorded loops/beats that accompany your singing in there?
BD: Yeah, the suitcase has all the requisite gear to put on the show. My mic, my set list, and my hurdy-gurdy are all within.

10. What does the title of the new album, Critics Pass Away, mean to you?
BD: Critics Pass Away is about overcoming adversity and making the best of a bad situation, and about trying to live in the moment. It’s about finding meaning inside our heads and through our craft, even if our physical circumstances are not the desired ones.

general

David Garza opening for Fiona Apple

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Because I have a hard time shelling out $35 (plus $3 facility fee!) for any show, I’ll probably miss Austin’s David Garza opening for Fiona Apple June 20 at Dodge Theatre. Aside from Dodge Theatre’s sterile, impersonal environment, I’d be spending the dough for Garza more than anything anyway.

David Garza (accent on the “i”, as in Dav-eeed) is one of those artists in my collection I can easily overlook, but when I start listening again he’s hard to quit. His 1998 release This Euphoria might fall under one of those “desert-island discs” lists if I ever cared to put one together. He’s got the heart of a true singer/songwriter, but the playing chops that inspire big guitar riffs and pulsating drum beats.

He’s absurdly prolific, and his cameo appearance for a set by fellow Austinites Hairy Apes BMX was a highlight of our trip to the ACL festival last year.

Catch him on tour this summer. And you’d do yourself a huge favor by picking up any of his works.

David Garza | Slave (from This Euphoria)
David Garza | Keep on Crying (from Overdub)

cassette, hip-hop, samples

Kaleef “Golden Brown”

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Back in the day, you know, when Al Gore invented the Internet, I spent a hell of a lot of time on the Hieroglyphics message board. Peeps were trading tapes, mixes, CDs, records, you name it. You see, kids, this is how they did it before mp3 blogs. Mix tapes were meticulously recorded then sent out through real, actual mail.

Well, I still have a shit ton (heh, “shit ton”; that’s for Chris) of those mixes – yes, you might say I have tapes ‘n tapes. I’ve not taken the time to sort through and digitize them, though there are some gems in there. Like this track, Golden Brown by Kaleef. This was one of the greatest tracks I received on any mix, and I had (and still have) no clue who this Kaleef character is.

So I was quite thrilled to see the great Analog Giant drop a post with the original track from which Kaleef sampled. The song – also called Golden Brown – was composed by the Stranglers, yet another artist about which I admittedly know nothing.

No matter because this is one of my favorite exercises in listening to music, hip-hop especially: samples, how they’re used and finding the original source material from which the sample derived. I imagine if you’re a DJ or producer, the vast potential of sampling material must be overwhelming. This relatively unknown Kaleef track is probably indicative of the thousands of creative sample uses that go unnoticed.

Kaleef | Golden Brown
The Stranglers | Golden Brown (@ Analog Giant)

Here’s a few pics from Thursday night’s People Under the Stairs show with Psalm One and Time Machine. That was my first time seeing PUtS, and those guys bring serious energy with the good-time vibes.

Thes One and Double K are People Under the Stairs.

Double K rocks his T: “Hip-hop … is not on the radio.”

T

hes One ripped off some kid’s hat for this rap.