All posts by Kevin

arizona

Sean Szafran

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It’s about time I propped up another Phoenix artist, and he’s a great one at that (come on, did you expect anything less?).

Sean Szafran is a longtime — not to mention versatile — player in the Valley’s music scene. His 10-track long player, Stumblefoot of the Century, is Szafran’s debut as a solo act, with the emphasis on solo. He tracked every sound and every instrument you hear throughout the CD.

The results are excellent, specifically the sturdy and rhythmic piano bars (see also, Crimson Hair, Hazel Eyes). Bright melodies are underpinned by lyrics of love and longing. Heartache always feels so much better when it’s enveloped by inspired instrumentation.

Visit Sean at his Web site or at on his My Space page. Buy Stumblefoot here.

Sean Szafran | Jennifer
Sean Szafran | Crimson Hair, Hazel Eyes
Sean Szafran | I Wonder Why

general

capitalSTEPS

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It’s rare you’ll find me listening to/posting about electronic music. Typically, it just ain’t my thing. That is, unless a Nintendo GameBoy is being used to create the sounds. Which brings me to Seattle’s capitalSTEPS (born Matthew Kenall).

In a stroke of MacGyver-like wit, Kenall composes, manipulates and squeezes sounds out of a GameBoy and Nanoloop, a sound editor for GameBoy. Kenall calls it “gritty, 8-bit techno.” I love it because it appeals immediately to my jones for video games and rhythmic drum beats. And it’s just unique, a totally refreshing change of pace.

Matthew was cool enough to hook us up with two mp3s he didn’t post on his MySpace page, where you can stream four more tracks. While there, you can also purchase his July release, Stacy, a 10-track LP for only $10. Dig it.

capitalSTEPS | Evelyn’s Ride
capitalSTEPS | Stinky

general

The Jade Shader

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Hailing from Encintas, Calif., the Jade Shader brings together parts of popular San Diego bands, Boilermaker, No Knife and Tanner.
Chris Prescott (of No Knife) and Terrin Durfey (Boilermaker) got together in 2003 while on hiatus from their respective bands. That was the genesis of what would be become a seven-song EP released this month: Curse of the Tuatara (out now on Seattle’s Sonic Boom Recordings).

There are traces of the members’ roots in previous bands. But — and I can only compare to my fondness of No Knife — the Jade Shader has a more open-ended feel to it: great tempo shifts, stops and starts and layered guitars. “Dissonant while tuneful,” is how the band’s bio puts it.

Visit the Jade Shader My Space page here to stream two songs. Buy Curse of the Tuatara here for $8 (that’s only 800 pennies, people).

The Jade Shader | Eraser

By the way, thank you to all who took part in the sound test for me. You all were correct: The No. 1 tracks were recorded using the M-Audio device. In other words, Griffin’s iMic is shoddy at best, although I see now it has been updated.Whatever, I did some more digging and bought this precious piece of machinery from XPSound through Blaze Audio. RIAA-calibrated preamp? USB? With Bias SoundSoap software? Sold. I’m eagerly awaiting shipment, and I’m predicting much better sound quality on the vinyl-to-digital conversions.

covers, general

Halloween, Alaska

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On Tuesday I stumbled across Halloween, Alaska, thanks to an NPR interview at its Web site. The four-piece from Minneapolis formed in 2002, and recently released the full-length Too Tall to Hide.

The music is a compelling marriage of acoustic instrumentation and electronic technology; a Powerbook is listed as an instrument on the bio. What sold me was a low-key — albeit truncated — cover of LL Cool J’s classic I Can’t Live Without My Radio. Granted, an indie act covering a hip-hop song isn’t all that novel these days, but I find this version absurdly endearing. That could be because I love Cool J’s album Radio or, more likely, it’s because singer James Diers somehow pulls off some of the lines with total sincerity: “Don’t mean to offend other citizens, but I kick my volume way past 10.” Great stuff. Even if you don’t like it, they get points for having the cajones to tackle it.

Buy the CD here, which includes enhanced content and instrumental mp3s.

Halloween, Alaska | Drowned
Halloween, Alaska | I Can’t Live Without My Radio
Halloween, Alaska | Call it Clear (from self-titled debut LP)

For comparison’s sake …
LL Cool J | I Can’t Live Without My Radio

hip-hop

El-P and Bomb the System soundtrack

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So I made my weekly visit to the Definitive Jux Web site on Monday and came across some intriguing news. The ubiquitous El-P has posted a new song for the Bomb the System soundtrack on his My Space page. (Relax, mp3 is below.)

From what I can tell, Bomb the System — an indie flick centering on a group of NYC graffitti artists — came out in 2003 but only recently was released on DVD, on Oct. 11. El-P wrote the score for the movie.

I don’t know if there will be a soundtrack to buy or what. I hope there will be because this track, Krazy Kings 3, is some insane shite. The thing I love about El-P is you always know what to expect and yet his style and production never get old or stale. Krazy Kings 3 has some bombin’ drums and that grimy, street styling that El-P has perfected.

El-P | Krazy Kings 3

BONUS BEATS
Murs (feat. El-P) | The Dance

hip-hop

Jewish hip-hop: Matisyahu and Hip Hop Hoodios

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Because I work at a newspaper, I spend a lot of time reading wire stories from papers across the country. I came across one from the Albany (N.Y.) Times Union about the emergence of Jewish hip-hop in the mainstream. Being that I’m half-Jewish (the other half Irish-Catholic) and a fan of hip-hop, I was naturally intrigued.


Matisyahu — the self-proclaimed “Hasidic Reggae Superstar” (as if there are a lot of those) — has earned some blog time for his Live at Stubb’s album. The guy’s back story is very interesting. Among the highlights: He won’t perform on Jewish holidays or the Sabbath (sundown Friday to sundown Saturday) and he regularly consults with his rabbi before touring so as not to violate Jewish customs.

Then there’s Hip Hop Hoodios, a group its members call a “Latino-Jewish urban music collective.” And I gotta say: Havana Nagila is great. Opening line: “I’m a Jew for thugs / a Jew for hugs.” You can buy their full-length Agua Pa La Gente here.

Just upon first listen, I think the best part is that neither of these acts comes off as a novelty; their religion is the foundation, but the music is strong in itself.

Matisyahu | King Without a Crown

Hip Hop Hoodios | Havana Nagila
Hip Hop Hoodios | Raza Hoodia

In other news, I gotta give a shout-out to Chad at Everybody Cares, Everybody Understands. My brother e-mailed me the other day to let me know how much he liked Everybody Cares. So I messaged Chad to joke (or was it?) that my brother likes his blog better than mine.But that’s OK, because Chad has got us covered with Elliott Smith (including an excellent post on his old band Heatmiser) and some pretty sweet covers on Saturdays (for those at the computer on weekends). And I know his blog is money because he talked about his wife’s worry of his blog obsession, which sounds awfully familiar around these parts. Blog widows, unite! Anyway, check his site and all the others to the right.

general

Flashback Friday: Lucy’s Fur Coat

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It’s been a few weeks for a flashback post, and I’ve been meaning to pull out my Lucy’s Fur Coat for some time now.

In retrospect, I’m not really sure what drew me to this San Diego group. I suppose I was coming off an early 90s grunge high, trying to keep with those thick guitars and and strained vocals. But there was some melody hidden in there, I swear.

Anyway, the band’s debut, Jaundice, is one of those I owned on cassette and then — if only for nostalgia’s sake — had to track down on CD years later (OK, so it was like, um, last year). I even have a couple of the group’s indie releases on 45.

Regardless, I like Jaundice because, even if the music hasn’t stood up for the past 10 years, it always takes me back and puts me in a different place. It’s one of those albums that I’ll likely be able to recite some of the lyrics no matter how much time passes in between listens. I think we all have some albums like that.

Lucy’s Fur Coat | Treasure Hands
Lucy’s Fur Coat | Elementary

general, vinyl

Black Rebel Motorcycle Club vinyl B-side

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This is why I love Zia Records, a fantastic independent record-store chain in Arizona: I dropped by there last week, as I am wont to do (just ask my wife), and I ended up buying the new Black Rebel Motorcycle Club CD and an old Dios CD. As I’m leaving, the clerk asks if I have a record player. Uh, yes. Definitely. He then gives me a BRMC 7″ for Ain’t No Easy Way and a Death Cab 7″ for Soul Meets Body — both promo giveaways that Zia was probably just looking to rid themselves of.

The BRMC 7″ has a B-side Grind My Bones. As I’m fairly new to BRMC, I’m pretty sure this is an unreleased track, a mellow offering that’s heavy on the slide guitar.

Black Rebel Motorcycle Club | Grind My Bones

general, radio rips

Rob Dickinson on KCRW

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Catherine Wheel was one of my favorite bands of the 90s (and early 2000s). The UK-based group was part of the “shoegazing” movement: big, sweeping songs that were moody and pensive yet strangely melodic.

It seemed Catherine Wheel never earned its due. In his interview with Nic Harcourt on KCRW, lead singer Rob Dickinson admits the band had, in essence, runs its course and done all it could do. That sort of admission was kind of sad to hear because Ferment, Chrome and Happy Days are some of the greatest CDs I own.

Alas, it’s good to see Dickinson going solo. Although I have yet to buy his solo debut, Fresh Wine for the Horses, his set on KCRW’s Morning Becomes Eclectic was inspiring enough to believe I could really get into it.

Both tracks are from his KCRW performance.

Rob Dickinson | My Name is Love
Rob Dickinson | Black Metallic (my all-time favorite CW song and in my all-time Top 10 for sure)

hip-hop, samples

Samples: before and after

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This is the first in what I plan on making a recurring feature on this blog. It sort of marries my interests in hip-hop and vinyl. Basically, I’ll link a hip-hop song and — if I own it or can find it on vinyl — I’ll digitize the sample used in said song. Why? Because I can. And (not to sound too righteous) because I think it’s important that the original song is given its due in its original form.

That’s why I chose Kanye West’s Gold Digger as my first selection. I gotta say, I was at first excited to hear he used a great Ray Charles song I Got a Woman as the main loop. That is, until I heard Jamie Foxx alter the lyrics in the opening (sigh):

Jamie Foxx/Kanye West: “She takes my money when I’m in need / yeah she’s a trifling friend indeed”
Ray Charles: “She gives me money when I’m in need / yeah she’s a kind of friend indeed”

If you ask me, Ray’s vision of the song is totally lost here. He was writing an ode to his woman. Kanye’s is a knock on women. This is what happens when Jamie Foxx gets involved.

You be the judge:

Kanye West | Gold Digger
Ray Charles | I Got a Woman