All posts by Kevin

hip-hop, i used to love h.e.r.

I Used to Love H.E.R.: RJD2

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I’m really excited to say that the 24th installment of I Used to Love H.E.R., a series in which artists/bloggers/writers discuss their most essential or favorite hip-hop albums (read intro), comes from acclaimed DJ/producer RJD2, the man behind three solo records and one-half of Soul Position.

RJ, who returns to the Clubhouse in Tempe on April 7 (tickets), answered my questions via e-mail (note: I’ve left non-capitalization as-is). He is the third artist (The Weather Underground and Pigeon John are the others) to choose De La Soul Is Dead.

de la soul is deadDe La Soul
De La Soul Is Dead (Tommy Boy, 1991)

When did you first listen to it?
“maybe 1992 or 3?”

In what ways did it influence you?
“it was psychedelic, crammed with sounds, cool topics, it was slow, fast – just all over the place. it kind of was my conceptual template for a while, as far as what an album should traverse.”

Do you still listen to it?
“not really. once i’ve digested a record as much as something like that – 100’s of listens – i dont go back to em too often, unless for nostalgia’s sake. generally speaking, i just move on and let it be what it was to me at that time. records can sound very different at different times. there are a lot of movies i only watch once because they were so mindblowing the first time, and i dont want to soil the experience that it was.”

What about the record makes it stand up to other great hip-hop records?
“really what i said above, but i think most of all, there’s just a consistent level of passion on it, from the production to the writing to the execution. i guess the bottom line is that the execution of it is just so well done. the more i listen to music, and do it, the more i think that stylistic leanings aren’t what make a record interesting, it’s the ability of an artist to really tap in to their own personal voice, or way of doing things that no one else can imitate, or appropriate. in a word: execution.”

  • De La Soul | A Roller Skating Jam Named “Saturdays”

    • BONUS:

  • De La Soul | A Roller Skating Jam Named “Saturdays” (Ladies Nite Decision)

(From Roller Skating Jam CD single.)

Related:
10 questions (via e-mail) with RJD2.

general

New Death Cab: I Will Possess Your Heart (stream)

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death_cab-i_will_possess-cover.jpgFirst impressions are a bitch, and there are a few things that bother me about the first single from Death Cab for Cutie’s forthcoming album Narrow Stairs (May 13).

For starters, releasing a lead single that is 8 minutes, 35 seconds is slightly off-putting, not to mention that the first four minutes consist of just an instrumental build-up (great bass line, though). Then after waiting through said four-minute build-up, Ben Gibbard’s too-pretty voice feels like a bit of a letdown. It’s far too dramatic of an introduction for Gibbard to sustain. I have to wonder if I’d ever sit through this song again if it were on my iPod.

Then there’s the matter of the actual title of the song: I Will Possess Your Heart. G-g-g-g-aaaaah. I wanted to argue with a friend who once said Gibbard’s word choices always seem just too perfect, everything is just so. But now I’m going to have to agree. I Will Possess Your Heart. What’s wrong with I Will Own Your Heart? Or even I’ll Own Your Heart? I Will Possess Your Heart. God damn it. That is just way too precious for its own good.

Again, I love the bass line, and the piano flourishes flesh out the sound. But can we have a radio edit version instead?

[STREAM]: Death Cab For Cutie | I Will Possess Your Heart (Real | Windows Media)

hip-hop

The Gray Kid: Willoughby album sampler

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It looks like the Gray Kid, one of the artists who sees a lot of ink on this site, is nearing a release to follow up his excellent 2006 record … 5, 6, 7, 8.

He’s offering a free download of a 12-minute mix by DJ Benzi that features songs both old and new. According to a one-sheet that comes with the download, Willoughby will be mixed by Danny Kalb (Beck, They Might Be Giants, Rilo Kiley) and, I hope, features the Kid’s new band Spirit Animal.

And if you’re new to this site and/or the Gray Kid, this is must-see viewing. And this.

[ZIP]: The Gray Kid | Willoughby album sampler (mixed by DJ Benzi)

hip-hop, live

Shoddy cellphone pics of Cadence Weapon

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Cadence Weapon and Born Ruffians threw the equivalent of an intimate house party Monday night at Rhythm Room. And I was there to document it – with the inferior camera on my BlackBerry Pearl.

Hats seemed to be the theme: Cadence rocked a straw hat from New Mexico and his DJ, Weez-l, was sporting a coonskin cap. (Toto, we’re not in Edmonton any more.)

Born Ruffians were fantastic, from what I saw. Cadence and I spent part of their set discussing the NBA – specifically the Suns’ chances with Shaquille O’Neal (he thinks they’ll be OK, by the way).

  • Cadence Weapon | Real Estate

hip-hop

Living Legends: She Wants Me

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gathering.jpg

In the almost three years I’ve been keeping this blog, I’m not sure I’ve seen a better batch of live offerings in the metro Phoenix area in one night than what’s going on Monday.

You’ve got Nada Surf and Sea Wolf at the Clubhouse in Tempe. Then there’s Born Ruffians and Cadence Weapon at Rhythm Room. The Lisps are at the Trunk Space. And don’t forget the entire Living Legends crew at the Brickhouse (via Universatile Music).

I’m sticking to my plan of going to see Born Ruffians/Cadence Weapon, though on any other night you’d find me at Nada Surf/Sea Wolf or Living Legends. I saw the full Legends crew at the Paid Dues Festival last year, and I was surprised to see they are touring again considering Murs’ major-label debut, Murs for President, is due for release this year.

But, as Analog Giant pointed out, the Legends have a new seven-song EP to support, The Gathering, due out April 8 (or available on the spring tour).

They’ve made available a track for download, She Wants Me. “Met her on MySpace, led her to my place.”

  • Living Legends | She Wants Me
general

Fleet Foxes: Sun Giant EP

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fleetfoxes.jpg

At the risk of breaking my leg to jump on the bandwagon of the emerging buzz, you can go ahead and mark me down as a fan of Seattle’s Fleet Foxes.

Their show on March 2 at Modified was enough to convince me to buy the Sun Giant EP and about five plays of that in 24 hours was enough to convince me to sign my fan-club card.

The tipping point probably came when singer Robin Pecknold opted to sit at the front of the stage, sans microphone, to sing Oliver James, a gorgeous tune that will be on their full-length Ragged Wood, due out in the summer on Sub Pop. His voice has surprising power and undeniable warmth.

So this must be the part where the inevitable Crosby, Stills & Nash comparisons go. And I guess there’s something to it. There’s definitely a certain, well, ’70s spirit to the sound – but they’re not hippies, damn it. But, you know, I didn’t really grow up listening to my dad’s Crosby, Stills & Nash records (Cat Stevens and Willie Nelson is more like it), so it seems irresponsible of me to make the comparison. (Hey, I just believe whatever Pitchfork tells me.)

I do know this: Fleet Foxes are further proof of the power of the beard.

  • Fleet Foxes | Mykonos
covers, general

The New Division (who?) covers the National

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I’ll just go ahead and put this out there: I have no idea who the New Division is. I know, via MySpace, that it’s “an indie rock/new wave band from Riverside, CA founded in 2005 by John Glenn Kunkel.” Also, the band takes its name from two of its main influences (New Order and Joy Division … get it?).

I can get past the gimmicky nature of the name. What’s stopping me is that this indie rock/new wave band from Riverside, CA founded in 2005 by John Glenn Kunkel has covered my favorite song from my favorite album of 2007, the National’s Boxer.

Truth is, it’s not a bad cover. Not at all. And I have to admire a band that is doing its part to spread the greatness of the National. The singer, perhaps this John Glenn Kunkel fellow, introduces the song by saying, “It’s a really, really good song. You should really start to listen to it more often. It’s quite amazing.” I’ll agree with that.

Then, in the back of my mind, I hear a little voice (probably my alter ego that wears skinny jeans) say, “Who does this band think it is, covering such a great song?” But, you know, of course it’s not going to be as good as the original. And, of course, the covering band probably knows that. So what I’m trying to say in this debate with myself is that, yes, I’m OK with this cover. It’s a sign of respect for a band that deserves tons of it.

general, video

Silversun Pickups: Little Lover’s So Polite video

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Only in the fleeting and fickle world of blogs and indie-rock fans can you debut a video and expect comments like this: “but yeah stop making videos a (sic) record something new.”

So bossy.

I’d say Silversun Pickups probably deserve some time off after a pretty successful past couple years, which included the release of their full-length debut Carnavas and seemingly non-stop touring.

But they went and made a video anyway, the third from the album. Joaquin Phoenix directed this video for Little Lover’s So Polite.

Swing away, Merrill, swing away.

general, live

Wilco live sampler from All Songs Considered

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You should be subscribing to NPR’s All Songs Considered live concerts podcast, which offers downloads of full concerts NPR Webcasts from the 9:30 Club in D.C.

Wilco recently was recorded, and you can stream the entire show here. NPR didn’t get permission to offer the full show as a downloadable podcast, but the group’s management allowed for three songs to be used. The episode poppped into my subscription queue today. The songs: Side With the Seeds, A Shot in the Arm and Impossible Germany.

I pulled out A Shot in the Arm – just a classic, wouldn’t you say? – but get the rest by subscribing to the podcast.

  • Wilco | A Shot in the Arm (live at the 9:30 Club, 2/27/08)

Related:
Wilco: Hate It Here (on SNL).
Favorite albums of 2007.