Fresh Groove

What Happened?

2009-05-17T23:24:00.002-05:00

I went like 10 months without posting, but I am liable to do that. I've had like 16 blogs over the years, and I lost interest in all of them over time. I mean I'd like to keep this one going, but who knows whether that will actually happen.

I have been thinking about embarking on a sort of musical odyssey with this blog in an attempt to realize how I ended up "here" so to speak, listening to Nigerian highlife music. After all, I've never lived anywhere else other than Louisiana, and my traveling outside the United States is limited to a day adventure in Mexico while on spring break in Texas freshman year. I haven't even done much traveling within the US, as I've stuck to the south with the exception of a couple medical visits to Pittsburgh and Philadelphia, and a ridiculous 5 days in Los Angeles for spring break junior year.

In other words, there is no real reason for me to love the random sounds I pick up from the digital corners of the globe. My family isn't exactly a multicultural one either- my father was raised in Monroe, Louisiana; and my mother in Baton Rouge. Neither towns are cultural meccas. Granted, I have spent almost my entire life around New Orleans, but this doesn't explain it really either.

As with most things, it is mostly useless to seek to understand the reasons behind why we love something (or someone, for that matter). It is enough to know that you fucking love it, and to just enjoy it. So I let the waves of sound wash over me, the rhythm pumping through my veins, the horns echoing in my brain, the guitars plucking at the corners of my mouth, forming a smile.

Note: Until I work something out to allow me to upload mp3's again, I am going to stick with embedding youtube vids. This one comes from the Nigerian band Super Negro Bantous.

Reggae Ladiez

2009-05-17T20:16:00.002-05:00

For whatever reason, I have yet to hear a woman in hip-hop control the mic with any type of enduring presence. I suppose there may be one or two female MCs around who can hold it down with the boys, but I have yet to hear them.

However down in Jamaica, almost all of my favorite Dancehall tracks are sung by female MCs. I don't think it is so much because of the fact that they are female voices on this that makes me love these songs. Sister Nancy, Lady Ann, and Sister Carol all just happen to have excellent flow and delivery.

Sister Nancy- Bam Bam

Sister Nancy sounds like she was recording this song on Jupiter rather than Jamaica. The lyrics are wonderfully existential. Oh God, the way it echoes...

Lady Ann- Informer

Lady Ann actually sounds like a litle boy here. She gives off the vibe of a schoolgirl singing during recess while playing hopscotch.

Sister Carol- Dread Natty Congo
Video- embedding was disabled, lame.

Sister Carol is a little bit more recent than Sister Nancy or Lady Ann. As a result the music is not stripped down dub beats, but instead has a more vibrant sound. Also Sister Carol "sings" more than Nancy or Ann, who seem to be chanting as much as singing.

All three tunes are excellent summer jams, and the first two also serve as excellent introductions to the early Dancehall style.

Aw Shit, the Goddamn Internet

2008-07-10T00:13:00.002-05:00

The house in Monroe was welcomed into the 21st century with the long-awaited arrival of Messr. Comcast guy. Messr. Comcast was black, and I watched amusingly as my semi-racist grandparents (you know how old white people are) fretted until they ascertained that Messr. Comcast was not about to download all of their personal information onto Comcast's Big Brother database, undoubtedly being run by Barack Hussein Obama and feeding information to the Soviets.

As such, this will be my last non-musical post, thank God. Musical discovery has returned to my life, and I live in rapture. A few musings before life continues as usual:

1) No geographical region in the US (in this case, Northeast Louisiana) should have to suffer without a decent old-school R&B station. I realize that radio is becoming increasingly irrelevant, but this does not excuse the lack of Otis Redding/Al Green/Martha & the Vandellas on the airwaves. Perhaps I have been spoiled by WWOZ and 94.3 in New Orleans?

2)Of all types of drama and conflict, inter-office work drama is by far the lamest. Its depressing to see people more than twice my age acting like middle-schoolers. It is even more depressing when you want to poke your eyes out with a pair of scissors because you are slightly hungover in the office and you still have 6 long, slow hours staring at you. Goddamn, if you fuck up, accept criticism, and get the fuck over it. Quite a concept.

Glorious, glorious music tomorrow. Maybe some Os Mutantes? Perhaps a little Animal Collective? Throw in Martha and the Vandellas and we have a recipe for success.

Lights and Music

2008-07-07T22:51:00.003-05:00

I'm headed to the Redneck Riviera next week with family, and I feel like I should be preparing myself with reggae, tropicalia, and yes, even Jimmy Buffett. However, my music selections of the last few days have been dominated by "disco."

I won't get into discussions over irrelevant genre titles, but I will say that "blog house" is the worst name for a genre. Ever. Anyway, whatever you want to call it, I've been jamming to crazy electronic music every chance I get in Monroe, a town completely devoid of anything remotely "blog house."

(Unfortunately jamming to Crystal Castles on my lunch break in Summer 08 is not nearly as cool as Sasha & Digweed front row at Bonnaroo 07 on my birthday. Whatever.)

Crystal Castles- Magic Spells
Lindstrom- Another Station
Glass Candy- Rolling Down the Hills

Summer Solstice

2008-06-22T20:34:00.003-05:00

Summer officially arrived a couple days ago, and in my boredom at work on Friday, I got to thinking about what exactly this meant. Typically for me, and for most college students, the understanding of seasons goes something like this: Winter (December-January), Spring (January/February-May), Summer (May-August), Fall (August/September-December). I'd say for most Louisianians the seasons fall along these lines: Winter (December-Mardi Gras, which falls somewhere in February or early March), Spring (Mardi Gras-June), Summer (June-October), Fall (October-December).

Summer as represented in popular culture is typically much different from summer in my personal experiences. I guess the best way to say this is far less Len- "Steal My Sunshine" and De La Soul- "A Roller Skating Jam Named 'Saturdays'" and far more Drive-By Truckers- "Bulldozers and Dirt" and Steve Earle- "Someday." The music of summer, in my mind, is always filled with a heaviness, a stickiness, and something a little dirty. The heaviness of Drive-By Truckers, Whiskeytown, and Steve Earle, the stickiness of "Spottieottiedopaliscious" by Outkast, and the dirtiness of The Meters always represent summer in my mind far better than the breeziness of all those "Boys of Summer" jams. This is mainly due to the fact that I have spent the past two summers, and now Summer 08, in relative isolation, working my ass off.

Summer 06 was filled with spinning Whiskeytown and Uncle Tupelo during dreary, sultry kitchen hours. Late-night drive homes following the closing of the restaurant fuelled on my 87th coke of the night and numerous "cigarette breaks" behind the restaurant (even though I didn't smoke) remain the most lasting images of that summer. Yes, it was terribly boring.

Summer 07 was spent working outside. I got paid cutting grass on a private golf course and driving a golf cart around an enormous piece of property doing odd jobs. I spent a lot of time careening around dusty back-woods trails and mindlessly cutting down fairway grass in the blazing June-July-August heat. I listened to a lot of Widespread Panic ("Chilly Water, "Driving Song," "Tall Boy") and Drive-By Truckers ("Carl Perkins Cadillac," "Bulldozers and Dirt," "The Southern Thing,"). I can vividly remember getting cans of "Sparqs" at 10 a.m. break and slamming them in mere seconds to get a morning kick (Godawful), drinking tall boys at lunch in the woods, and occasionally, when everybody else was away, sneaking copious amounts of Jack Daniels into my fountain coke and then spending the rest of the day driving around on a golf cart drunk out of my mind. It was a lot of fun, but there was nothing worse than working out in the fucking scorching Louisiana heat and humidity for 8, 9, 10, even 11 hours at a time. I have probably never sounded more like the Catholic-school middle-class poli-sci major that I am, but God did it seem like July would never end. I don't mind dust in my hair, dirt on my hands, or sore muscles, but I do mind that relentless sun and heavy air.

Summer 08 has been one of mindlessly shuffling papers and running files to lawyers. Nights have consisted of studying politics and drinking bourbon and whiskey. At work I mostly try to ignore the idle chatter of the office receptionists or the cheeseball girls talk about how many cheeseballs they cheated on their cheeseball boyfriend with. Perhaps the most memorable moment at work was attempting to convince the receptionist to go to the dentist and get a tooth pulled so that she could get a Percocet prescription, and then selling that shit to me. Alas, this failed.

Monroe is a perplexing town for me. I have spent nearly my entire life in the New Orleans area, one which is at least as French as it is Anglo-Saxon, and most of the time, way more French than Anglo-Saxon. This is not a minor triviality. Everything is different.

Chiefly involved with a budding poli-sci major from down south such as me is the approach to alcohol. Luckily this does not extend to my grandfather, who was finishing his second Bloody Mary of the day when I got out of bed this morning. On the other hand, I have found that few will laugh at jokes about the "Holy Spirit" and that many kids celebrate drinking by "drinking and driving at breakneck speed out in the sticks." Ooh, cheating death behind the wheel in Calhoun, Louisiana is sooo much fun.

But even the racism is different here. In New Orleans, racism is largely glossed over because people are not that overtly racist and there is so much cultural mix, especially when considering local festivals, the music scene, etc. In Monroe, however, I have encountered the word "ni**er" more times in a few short weeks than I think I ever have around New Orleans. Conversations constantly feature such statements as "Goddamn, that little ni**er can run" or "I don't know what it is, but I just don't like ni**ers." In Monroe, the black and white societies, are clearly, and I mean clearly divided.

The ironic thing is though, the racial problems in New Orleans, are definitely much worse. One only has to look at the example of Hurricane Katrina to see this. Through decades and decades of historical patterns, blacks in New Orleans simply do not have the same chances and opportunities. Thus you see the only decent schools in the city are the private schools filled with upper-middle class white kids and the stands at Hornets and Saints games are filled with suburbanites. Voting patterns in New Orleans are constantly, and by constantly I mean always, split by racial lines. The only compromise is a sort of white-friendly black-person, such as Ray Nagin pre-Hurricane Katrina. The two main political factions seem to be dominated by white business leaders intent on maintaining a business-friendly environment (which largely doesn't exist) and black leaders of the Jeremiah Wright type, neither of which do anything to move toward "the middle." This does not even begin to approach the drug problems in New Orleans that infuse the vibrant drug community. If one dwells on the subject of New Orleans for too long, it tends to get depressing.

However, New Orleans, is still far-and-away the greatest city on the planet. Perhaps in another post I will delve into this phenomenon.

The topic of drugs leads to some other thoughts. Just recently 16-people were busted for various drug-related crimes in Monroe. These ranged from some poor college kid having $100,000 bail for "conspiracy to distribute marijuana" (I am sure it was like 10,000 ponds of it, and he was probably pretty sinister, but I like giving the benefit of the doubt to people busted with weed) to larger-scale crack, cocaine, and crystal meth "operations." Being neither "inner city" or "small town, middle of nowhere," I have no relation or understanding to the crack and crystal method epidemics. My closest encounter with either is some hooker looking for drug money on Beale Street and the song "You and Your Crystal Meth" by Drive-By Truckers. But I can say that I am just as scared on a daily basis of Xanax-addled soccer-moms driving around gigantic SUVs as I am of anything (well maybe not bored kids drunk driving cause they ain't got nothing better to do).

But back to the original focus, summer. It involves so much waiting. Waiting for the new semester, waiting for something to happen, waiting to get out of this hell-hole (its not that bad). It also involves a ridiculous amount of reflecting, because there is often nothing better to do. In a present that is so slow and still, you can't often help but reflect on the past and the future.

As I reflect on this, I realize that seasons don't begin and end according to the moon, or according to the beginning of semesters, or changes in weather, or the dates of holidays. Rather they begin with personal "sea-changes." I won't get much into this, but I realize now that summer began in May, in Baton Rouge, when I listened to "A Ghost To Most" by Drive-By Truckers about 15 times in-a-row at about 4 o'clock in the morning, drunk on Shiner Bock and whiskey.

Real music posts will return when my grandparents get rid of their technologic isolation. But for now, one of my favorite summer jams, a real killer from Heartworn Highways. And some excellent live-Truckers.

Big Moon, Frozen Tundra

2008-06-19T01:22:00.002-05:00

Well the Big Moon was out tonight, meaning it was freakishly big and freakishly yellow. It was pretty much the best thing to hit the skies since, well the last time the Big Moon was out. Being a fan of all things lunar, I took the opportunity to sit out by the pool with a glass of whiskey and the Fleet Foxes album and moongaze.

I was a bit wary of Fleet Foxes at first. The comparisons to early-Jacket and Band of Horses left me a bit unsure, since I love/like both of these bands, I'd rather they not be endlessly re-hashed. I downloaded the album when it initially leaked, but never got around to listening to it until a few weeks ago. The 9!! rating that Pitchfork gave the album pushed me to actually getting around to it to see what the fuss was all about.

Well Fleet Foxes certainly passed the whiskey test. Being endlessly compared to My Morning Horses, I felt it necessary to indulge in grainy drinks while kicking it. My immediate reaction was, yes, this does remind me of MMJ/BOH. But while early Jacket reminds me of silent, southern fields at night, and Band of Horses reminds me of late-night autumn strolls, Fleet Foxes evoke a setting wholly unfamiliar to me. This is because I have never lived outside of Louisiana, and while it snowed once in New Orleans when I was 2, and it snowed one Christmas in the suburbs, it is safe to say that "winter" is a pretty alien concept.

Listening to Fleet Foxes, I get the feeling that I am huddled up by a campfire in the middle of some God-forsaken Siberian tundra. This would be an uninviting prospect, but Fleet Foxes are really fucking good. The fact that it reminds me of well, 40 degree weather, rather than Louisiana's stifling summer heat is an added bonus.

Their songs seem to take two shapes: A) Majestic winter snow-flurry spiral ("White Winter Hymnal" and "Quiet Houses") or B) Caterpillar-butterfly snow-flurry metamorphosis ("Blue Ridge Mountains" and "He Doesn't Know Why"). Each is wonderfully enchanting. The vocals and constant ringing of the guitars and piano match evenly to paint a picture of, you guessed it, winter out on the frozen tundra.

This is a phenomenal album, certainly one of my favorites of the year. And until I embark on a pilgrimage to Nepal or get exiled to Siberia, this will probably be as close as I will get to that curious season they call winter.

Guess I Must Be Having Fun

2008-06-17T12:23:00.002-05:00

I've always thought haikus were incredibly stupid. However, in the past couple of weeks or so, my mind no longer views the haiku as an excercise in idiocy. This change in mind can be atttributed to my stumbling on the haikus of Matsuo Basho while reading The Snow Leopard by Peter Mathiessen.

In only the lightest of readings of Basho's work I have discovered the appeal of the haiku. Its strength is in its simplicity, and while I may be stating the obvious, I think that has to be underscored. Much of the world's most fascinating features and its greatest joys can be found in its most simple treasures. Basho's poems and writings take a simple approach to these simple joys, and this leaves them touching and poignant.

I am one
Who eats his breakfast,
Gazing at morning glories.

This somewhat loose translation is only eleven words long. And yet, it expresses emotions that can take a lifetime to explain. Basho's haiku brings to mind the joy of waking up to a new day, and savoring the world around you.

There is nothing you can see that is not a flower;
There is nothing you can think that is not the moon.

While this is not a haiku, it serves a similar purpose. The two lines illustrate the beauty and wonder that is found in everyday life.

This may sound rather mushy (I am in love with life, what can I say) or overly-Buddhist (Basho was, and Matthiessen is Buddhist, I am Catholic) or something like that. Nevertheless these are the immediate thoughts that struck me as I read Basho's poems.

They also reminded me of my all-time favorite song. There have been times when I have played "This Must Be The Place (Naiive Melody)" by Talking Heads from the live album Stop Making Sense on repeat for hours at a time.

Like Basho's haikus, "This Must Be the Place" succeeds in its simplicity. The rhythm and melody repeat throughout the song (thus the "Naiive Melody"). David Byrne's lyrics reflect simple contentment. Both piercingly self-aware ("I'm just an animal looking for a home, and share the same space for a minute or two") and ecstatic ("Feet on the ground, head in the sky"), this track reflects the happiness Basho felt in eating his breakfast, looking at flowers, etc.

Monday was my 21st birthday, and I had a nice self-reflection to go along with my last bourbon of the night. Needless to say "This Must Be The Place" was playing in the background. I couldn't help but feel completely happy about my life, and where I was going. Indeed, this must be the place.

I'll compensate for that lame post with a non-lame video:

Half-Year Favorites

2008-06-11T09:17:00.002-05:00

Well a lot of people like to throw around their "favorites of the half-year" so I guess I will join in.

El Guincho- Alegranza!- Man, do I love this album. There are so many fresh reworkings of global sounds to be found. Dub, polka, highlife, psychedelic wash... its all here in a glistening tropical menagerie of an album.

Drive-By Truckers- Brighter Than Creation's Dark- The boys from Alabama came back with a strong record in 2008. This one leans much more on the idea of getting older and realizing your place in life. The Hood/Cooley combo is at its strongest here, going from shit-kicking rockers like "A Ghost To Most" to life-and-death-pondering folk songs like "Two Daughters And A Beautiful Wife."

Beach House- Devotion- This album sounds amazing. The organ echoes create a slow, delicate atmosphere of long nights and smoked-out rooms. "Heart of Chambers" might be my favorite song of the year so far.

My Morning Jacket- Evil Urges- Great album.

Vampire Weekend- Vampire Weekend- Catchy as hell. There ain't nothing wrong with that.

Of course I have not heard everything that has been released this year. In fact there are a number of things that I have been meaning to get that I have not yet been able to get my hands on. Luckily, good music doesn't disappear.

My Morning Jacket- Evil Urges

2008-06-10T20:55:00.002-05:00

My Morning Jacket is probably my favorite band in existance at the moment. Jerry Garcia has passed away, as has Fela Kuti, thus rendering The Grateful Dead and Africa 70 null. Talking Heads don't seem to be reuniting, and for the moment, neither do Phish. Thus it My Morning Jacket it is.

The foundation of my love for all things My Morning Jacket is their performance at Bonnaroo 2004 (which I will post when I can). I was not present, but sometime in 2005 I downloaded their set, and was blown away by it. This was more or less my introduction to My Morning Jacket, and since then I have been a sucker for all live Jacket. While I appreciate the studio stuff, I feel strongly that the transcendent experience of a My Morning Jacket show, is largely missing from studio releases. Such is the nature of studio albums. My appreciation for The Grateful Dead, Talking Heads, and Phish is largely built on this same idea.

It is with this in mind that I approach Evil Urges. Maybe it is a mistake, or maybe it is not true artistic criticism to view the songs in terms of whether or not they will bring the house down, rather than as an expression as an album. I don't know. I really don't care. As I said, the true MMJ experience is in concert.

In a way, this album does not meet expectations, but not in the way, that Easy Tiger or Sky Blue Sky missed expectations last year. I knew Evil Urges would sound much different than Z or It Still Moves, etc., and perhaps because of this I was hoping for something transcendent. This is not easy to accomplish.

Nevertheless, Evil Urges is a very strong album. The title track gives off a weird pop vibe (almost like Lenny Kravitz), but its quirky funk is fun, and yes, it will kill live. The twin tracks "Touch Me (I'm Going To Scream)" part 1 & 2 are both soaring, classic Jacket. Part 2 adds a newer disco-electronica flavor that was mostly unheard in earlier Jacket. "Aluminum Park" is a fun rock-out in the vein of "Lay Low" or "Dancefloors" and will be another highlight of Jacket live shows.

My personal favorites are "I'm Amazed" and "Smokin From Shootin." "I'm Amazed" succeeds in being fun and simple, pop-rock for a new century. Its hard not to smile and sing along to all the joy you find in life, and while it may be somewhat childish in nature, this is what is essential in the song. It isn't supposed to be something re-defining.

"Smokin From Shootin" is probably the best track on the album. The buildup is amazingm and Jim James' vocals are in his classic reverb style. There is no doubt that this will be one of the highlights of future MMJ shows.

I leave "Highly Suspicious" up to personal taste. Its fun and silly, and I have grown to like it. Perhaps music critics take their hobby/job too seriously, and I find nothing wrong with MMJ wanking around in the studio, especially after providing us with so many delectable tracks over the years.

Grade- B

On and On and On

2008-06-10T12:21:00.002-05:00

-Pitchfork gave Evil Urges a 4.7, thus confirming they usually miss the point. I'll provide a full review later, but I respectfully disagree with this assesment.

-Netherlands 3 Italy 0... I was unable to see the full match, but I was shocked by the result. The Oranje really played as one unit, and did well in pressing the Italians when they had the ball, and pushing forward with style and intelligence. I am very confident in the Oranje's chances in the group now, especially with Les Bleus looking like dog shit.

-Tha Carter III is out. Check this excellent write up on the album.

-As I was typing David Villa gets his hat-trick for Spain. I have my doubts about La Furia Roja being able to put together a full tournament, but they seem impressive at the moment. Anyway, look to see David Villa leaving Valencia this summer. Possibly to play in England.

A Necessary Update

2008-06-08T21:45:00.002-05:00

Well, for the moment, my conncection to the interwebs is still rather limited, and as such I am still unable to post the music I've been listening to for the last few weeks. But I can still type, and so I am.

-Several members of my family have a rather unhealthy addiction to American Idol. I have resisted the urge to rail against American Idol anytime it has come up in conversation, but how long my strength to do so will remain is a rather uncertain prospect. I've never really understood the appeal of glorified karaoke, except maybe in the case of my younger sister, so I won't go through the motions of presenting broad social theories to explain it. I do know that it is somehow related to the need for my red-blooded American grandparents, who work in construction and in the Church, to watch Entertainment Tonight! every evening. I long ago reached the conclusion that most people listen to music just for the sake of having easy-to-listen-to background noise. Maybe they watch TV in the same vein. I'm not really sure.

-Unlike some of my former jobs, I have no control whatsoever of the radio in my office. Because of this, the radio is constantly tuned to the local country station. While occasionally they may play some "Gram Parsons Project" (as one of my co-workers referred to Gram Parsons), this usually means I get to comtemplate suicide every 30 minutes when the mandatory Rascal Flatts song gets played. Maybe one day I will hijack the radio and throw in a Fela disc and count how many seconds it takes for somebody to complain.

-On the other hand, my grandfather is now a fan of The Hold Steady. Who knows... maybe he partied too hard in the 80s.

-To quell the onslaught of bad country music, I have been feeding on a heavy dose of Nas, My Morning Jacket, and El Guincho. The excellent new MMJ album comes out on Tuesday, and needless to say I am eagerly awaiting the Pitchfork slandering of it.

-Also, to celebrate the release of Tha Carter III, MTV Jams was playing a heavy amount of mid-to-late 90's New Orleans jams. Whenever I wasn't watching soccer, tennis, or LSU baseball, the TV was glued to MTV Jams as I indulged in my fantasies of growing up in the Magnolia Housing Projects.

-Obama v. McCain... yada yada yada. I wonder how many people have realized that the states with the highest proportion of black voters are all solid Republican states? Also, how many people have realized that McCain's supposed advantage in foreign policy is rendered null by the fact that his plans are mostly idiotic? (From the FT: 1, 2, 3)In other news, oil prices are rising yet again, and every car ad I have seen in the last three weeks is for a truck or an SUV. Somewhat related to this is the fad of moving to New Orleans "exurbs" from the "suburbs," making the necessary commute even longer. Again... who knows.

-All the while I continue to study politics at an unhealthy pace. To quote de Quincey, author of "Confessions of an English Opium Eater": "In this state of imbecility, I had, for amusement, turned my attention to political economy."

-Euro 2008 has started and my love affair with the Dutch national team continues. With Ryan Babel out, Robin Van Persie somewhat injured, and Arjan Robben due for injury any day now... well disappointment looms. The fact that the Dutch back line is about as reliable as the New Orleans levee system does not help either.

-For now my money is on Germany. They looked rather impressive today against Poland, and I don't expect the form of Podolski, et al. to drop off any time soon.

Well that's about it for now. I'll be spending the rest of the week penning verses to "Monroe State of Mind."

Note

2008-05-28T12:13:00.002-05:00

I have moved up to Monroe, Louisiana for the rest of the summer. Due to interweb connection issues where I am living posting will be irregular.

Still Fresh- "Regulate"

2008-05-23T16:32:00.003-05:00

A couple days ago Ben Gibbard of Death Cab For Cutie made the erroneous claim on Stereogum that "Regulate" by Warren G and Nate Dogg had not aged well. "Regulate" is now, and forever shall be, one of the greatest songs ever. As a commenter politely explained:

Sir, I must say that you are way out of line, claiming this song has aged poorly. As I get older, and experience more of what life has to offer, more and more do I realize how Warren and Nate's "Regulate" speaks to the realities of modern life. And bitches. Like Shakespeare, Marcel Proust, and the people who write Grey's Anatomy, Nate and Warren understand some deep truths about the human condition -- and present these truths with considerable aplomb!

A deft split narrative, two protagonists relate a typical evening in the LBC from two unique perspectives. Warren searches for the simple pleasures of a dice game whilst Nate longs for tender companionship. But as Warren's quest becomes a desperate struggle of life and death, Nate discovers that friendship -- or brotherhood -- must take priority over pursuits of the flesh. That is to say, blood is thicker than Krystal... or, if you prefer: Bros before Hoes. BUT, after the climatic scene in which Nate dispatches Warren's assailants, the two "switch their mind back into freak mode"... and discover you truly CAN have your bitch and freak her too.

Of course, I neglect to mention the rich philosophical content of song: "Where rhythm is life and life is rhythm" and "rhythm is the bass and bass is the treble". Using the transitive property of logic, we see that life is both bass AND treble. This is Nate/Warren's unique twist on the ancient Chinese concept of Yin and Yang as well as their read on the Aristotelian notion of the eudaimonistic life...

There's too much to address here in the comments... but I think I've shown that "Regulate" is a timeless classic, certain to be cherished and enjoyed for centuries to come.

For your viewing pleasure: http://youtube.com/watch?v=zhWGDGHupYA

Steve Earle- Darlin' Commit Me

2008-05-23T11:14:00.003-05:00

I'll be posting stuff off and on from Heartworn Highways for the rest of the summer.

Via Wikipedia:

Heartworn Highways is documentary film by James Szalapski whose vision captured some of the founders of the Outlaw Country movement in Texas and Tennessee in the last weeks of 1975 and the first weeks of 1976. The film was not released theatrically until 1981. The documentary covers the artists who were singing songs they wrote in a style that was more like their grandparents' music two generations back instead of following in the tradition of the previous generation. Some of the main songwriter/performers are Guy Clark, Townes Van Zandt, Steve Earle, David Allan Coe, Rodney Crowell, Gamble Rogers, Steve Young, and The Charlie Daniels Band.

Steve Earle- Darlin' Commit Me

Musings on Hip-Hop

2008-05-22T11:10:00.004-05:00

I'm pretty annoyed by the recent mix-tape trend in hip-hop. I mean its nice to have new stuff, sure. But most of the time the shit that comes out on mix-tapes is simply not very good. Recent mix-tapes from Wale are an example of this. Sure there are some pretty good tracks, but its full of holes. It seems like their time would be better spent focusing on actually releasing a solid album. But what do I know? I am only a white kid from the suburbs.

I finally checked out a Lil Boosie mix I had downloaded a while back yesterday, and its absolutely terrible. I'm not the least bit surprised, as the only reason I had downloaded it in the first place was because Boosie is from Baton Rouge. Being from Baton Rouge does not excuse him for the shit that is most of his music. I guess with these guys from Shreveport and Baton Rouge getting so much success with songs like "A Bay Bay" and "Wipe Me Down" it is a little too much to ask them to actually get a decent beat and throw down a decent rhyme. Oh well.

Far more worrying than a few mediocre mix-tapes is my brother's sound buds. I spent 3 hours with him playing NBA Live yesterday, and I played DJ the whole time. We listened to the entirety of "Illmatic," most of "Ready to Die," half of "36 Chambers," random Outkast, De La Soul, A Tribe Called Quest, Lupe Fiasco, and Wale. Finally after about 3 hours I threw on "Lollipop" just for a change of pace and his ears perked up. "Turn it up, this song is fucking awesome!" Oh well.

Wu-Tang Clan- C.R.E.A.M.
Notorious B.I.G.- Juicy

Verano

2008-05-20T12:51:00.003-05:00

I'm coming back with more sounds of summer. I discovered Extraperlo of Barcelona after checking out El Guincho's myspace a few weeks ago. I'll leave the Alegranza! commentary for a little later, as much has already been said about that excellent album. But it was Extraperlo that really struck out at me. "Banyadores" mixes an old-world charm, sort of like if Zach Condon/Beirut were from Barcelona, with a sunny, almost disco vibe. However you want to describe "Banyadores," it will make you smile, and want to pack your bags and head to Barcelona.

Extraperlo- Banyadores

Hot As A Murder Weapon

2008-05-19T12:13:00.003-05:00

Well summer has officially started, at least for the in-school crowd. As far as I am concerned there is only one true summer anthem.

Tom Tom Club- Genius of Love (live)

Steppin Out

2008-05-15T00:55:00.004-05:00

I spend a lot of time walking. Anytime I have to get myself between my house and class, a friend's apartment, or a bar, I will most likely walk. As I have delved into funk and jazz, I have realized that there are certain artists, albums, and songs that are perfectly cut out for my strutting between learning and liquoring.

Stanton Moore is one of those artists that is perfectly cut out for the walking jam. Anytime I put on Stanton or his band, Galactic, I cannot help but get down on the walk home.

I was lucky enough to catch Stanton perform solo at Bonnaroo this past year and was blown away by how tight he and his band are. If I thought that was going to be enough Stanton for one weekend, well I was wrong. I happened to catch the encore of Galactic's late-night performance at Bonnaroo and was completely surprised. I had seen Galactic perform before, but their performance at Bonnaroo was something entirely different. Lights-out funk, that is what Galactic bring to the table every night, and if you ever get the chance to catch them, do not miss out.

Elsewhere: Off the Record- Stanton Moore (New Orleans, LA)

Stanton Moore- Ben's Blues
Stanton Moore- Stanton Hits the Bottle

Fresh Groove Muxtape #2

2008-05-14T16:11:00.005-05:00

In the theme of my last two posts I offer up the second Fresh Groove muxtape.

Fresh Groove Muxtape #2

1. "People Condemn Whiskey"- Heartworn Highways Outtake
2. "Rebels"- Tom Petty
3. "Colorado"- Stephen Stills/Manassas
4. "Twilight Distillery"- The Minus 5
5. "Animal Shapes"- The Silver Jews
6. "LA Freeway"- Guy Clark
7. "Windfall"- Son Volt
8. "Two Angels"- The Jayhawks
9. "Six Days on the Road"- The Flying Burrito Brothers
10. "Atlantic City"- Bruce Springsteen
11. "Monument Valley"- Drive-By Truckers
12. "It's Been A Long Day"- Jim White

Porch & Roll

2008-05-14T02:17:00.003-05:00

I feel like every single person on Earth should take at least 30 minutes out of their day and sit outside by themselves just to chill out and enjoy nature. So many people get completely wrapped up in the little, meaningless problems of their everyday lives and are never able to come-down off of those problems.

Granted, as a college student, I am in a very easy position to write this. I generally have no problems, sure my bank account is empty and maybe my grades weren't exactly what I was looking for, but really I can't complain. My life is good, I have nothing to worry about for two weeks until I start my new job, and I am 20 years-old with the world ahead of me. But sometimes it takes a nice back porch decompression with a cold beer or a glass of whiskey to remember this.

So I sit out here at 2:30 in the morning with (now just a glass of water) a drink and The Minus 5 playing in the background, and I am happy because I know my life couldn't be any better. Hopefully in 5, 10, 20 years I will be able to say the same thing.

The Minus 5- Twilight Distillery
The Minus 5- All Worn Out

Echoes From the Porch Swing

2008-05-12T13:01:00.003-05:00

When I was younger, maybe 10 or 11, so about ten years ago, I remember sitting on the beach with my family in Florida. We had a radio out there with us and my father, uncles, and grandfather were all drinking beer and listening to music. I remember my uncle picked out four cd's for that entire week-long vacation: Anodyne, A.M., Trace, and Wide Swing Tremolo.

At the time Uncle Tupelo, Son Volt, and Wilco were names that meant absolutely nothing to me. The music didn't sound too bad, laid-back, a little twangy I guess, certainly different from whatever the New Orleans alternative-rock station was playing in those days.

Over the next few years I can remember several instances when the voices of Farrar and Tweedy would float out from the family radio. Summers visiting the family in Monroe, Louisiana were spent out on the back porch, jumping in-and-out of the swimming pool. We'd take trips together out to Destin, Florida. Inevitably there would be an evening where the family would all be sipping beers or wine out on the porch, looking out at the sea. More than once Son Volt provided the soundtrack for these scenes.

I got older and became "aware" of Wilco while sitting in a buddy of mine's car. The next time I saw him, I asked my uncle if he would burn me all of Wilco's cd's that he had. He only gave me a copy of A.M.

"Ryan, this is really the only one I like. Tweedy got into drugs or something and all his music got weird and way out there. Farrar though, that man can still write a tune," said my uncle to me, the 15-year old budding music snob.

I fell into the trap of shunning A.M. and laughing at the faltering career of Jay Farrar as I collected every Wilco album. "And to think people expected Son Volt to do better than Wilco," I would exclaim.

However, the years have passed and my feelings and opinions have changed. Much of Wilco's music has become rooted so much in time-and-place, Mandeville/Covington, Louisiana 2000-2005, that listening to Tweedy and co. just isn't the same anymore. I'll never be the same kid I was the first time I fell asleep to "Pieholden Suite" or the first time I sang along to "The Late Greats."

Over the last 6 months or so I have Son Volt gradually creep their way into my playlists and music selections. Recently, Trace and Wide Swing Tremolo have been my first choices every time I've gone to my back porch to have a beer and read a book in solitude.

This summer I will be returning to Monroe for work between semesters. I have been told how bad of an idea this is. ("You'll be getting $60 shwag" some say). But I am rather looking forward to sitting poolside with a little Jay Farrar, and maybe a cold Shiner.

Son Volt- Medicine Hat
Son Volt- Strands

Study Jams- Part 1 of 6

2008-05-04T13:05:00.004-05:00

It is finals week here in Baton Rouge, and I have been swamped with work the last couple of weeks. To make up for the lost time I will be posting some of my favorite study jams. First up we have Nas and AZ bringing some classic NYC hip-hop. Both "Life's a Bitch" and "Rather Unique" are classic joints. The laid-back beats and killer rhymes will get you into the zone when your head is in the book. And if you want, they can also get you elevated. Probably two of my favorite hip-hop tracks of all time.

Nas (featuring AZ)- Life's A Bitch
AZ- Rather Unique

Do You Feel Like We Do?

2008-04-21T10:13:00.002-05:00

No, I'm not talking about Peter Frampton. I'm talking about Lucky Dube (Doo-bay). It may be hard to take him seriously at first sight, since he looks like Lenny Kravitz or one of the members of Milli Vanilli, bbut don't be fooled, this man was a badass. I first heard of Lucky Dube following his unfortunate death. Some fuckhead carjackers in South Africa killed one of the world's greatest artists for his goddamn car. What the fuck? Initially I blew Lucky Dube's music off because I hadn't really liked previous examples of South African music that I had heard. I got my first legitimate taste of Lucky Dube when I walked into a reggae/head shop in Venice Beach last month while on Spring Break. Floating out from the speakers was the smoothest, most soulful reggae music. "What is this?" I asked. "Eets Lucky Dube mon," the Rasta working the shop answered. Now, having listened to Lucky Dube all weekend, I love the man and can't understand the randomness of his death. I immediately equate him with Fela in the sense that his songs are all urgent and passionate pleas for love, equality, and less nonsense for the government. The main difference being that Fela always sounded like he was on the verge of leading a violent revolution against Obasanjo, no matter the costs. Lucky Dube approached the problems of South Africa in a much more "come together" sense. Either way, both Fela and Lucky Dube provide an example of what political music really is. Don't be fooled by the likes of will.i.am, etc. This is Serious Reggae Business.

Lucky Dube- Feel Irie
Lucky Dube- Together As One (Live)

Dubby Sunday Lunch

2008-04-20T12:47:00.003-05:00

For all you folks gettin hiiiigh on a Sunday cause you ain't got nothin better to do, well I got a Dub treat for you. The Jahlights dubbed out version of "Right Road to Zion" is perfect to accent any Sunday praising or puffing you may be doing. Have fun dubbing, I'll be hitting the books all afternoon. Until next time, stay on the straight and narrow.

The Jahlights- Right Road to Dubland

All muxed up

2008-04-18T14:44:00.003-05:00

So after kicking it to Weiss's muxtape a few days ago I felt the urge to assemble my own. I decided to focus on some New Orleans funk and a couple jams from Nigeria, one from Fela, the other from his son Femi. I also threw in a track from Bahamanian groovestress (is that a word?) Sylvia Hall, which besides being amazing, sounds like it could have come from the Crescent City.

Fresh Groove Mix #1

Tracklist:
1- Fela Kuti- Water No Get Enemy
2- Soul Rebels Brass Band- Let Your Mind Be Free
3- Sylvia Hall- Don't Touch That Thing
4- Soul Rebels Brass Band- Black Jukc
5- Galactic featurning Juvenile and Soul Rebels Brass Band- From the Corner to the Block
6- Soul Rebels Brass Band- Asiatic Funk
7- The Meters- Hey Pocky Way (Live)
8- The Meters- They All Asked For You (Live)
9- Rebirth Brass Band- Do Whatcha Wanna
10- Soul Rebels Brass Band- Culture in the Ghetto
11- Soul Rebels Brass Band- Santa Cruzin
12- Femi Kuti- Traitors of Africa

Rock With the Hot 8

2008-04-18T13:08:00.002-05:00

New Orleans favorites Hot 8 Brass Band tore it up in Paris earlier this year. Check them getting funky. I will have more on the incredible story on the Hot 8 later on. For now, enjoy, and get funky.

http://www.myspace.com/hot8brassband

What What What

2008-04-17T17:07:00.001-05:00

New updates coming soon. Stay tuned! I'm pretty swamped with finishing the semester but I'll be back up and running shortly.

Cheers!

I Get That Feeling When She Drives On By

2007-08-18T15:02:00.000-05:00

There's a lot of really great albums coming out right now, but my ears are all tuned into 1980. Marshall Crenshaw's debut Marshall Crenshaw hearkens back to the bouncy sunshine pop-rock of the 50's and 60's. Crenshaw's music isn't anything new, but still manages to sound fresh, even after much of the conventions of his pop stylings have gone stale. Crenshaw reminds me of a happier, American version of Elvis Costello, or an updated Buddy Holly. Crenshaw's light pop is the perfect antidote to the heavy August air.

Marshall Crenshaw- There She Goes Again
Marshall Crenshaw- Cynical Girl

**

Fresh Links:

-Aquarium Drunkard posts some amazing Flying Burrito Brothers and offers a post on T. Rex, who I have been digging lately

-Benn Loxo Du Taccu is truly amazing, here he offers up yet another gem from Africa

-Discobelle has a remix of the worst song of the summer, which actually makes it sound decent, and another great remix

-Funky 16 Corners continues to floor me, this time with Stones covers

-Happy Birthday Soul Sides

-Weiss posts on Wild Style, which I had never heard of until now, I have been watching the documentary NY 77: The Coolest Year In Hell all week, and it talks about the birth of hip hop and guys like Grandmaster Caz and Grandmaster Flash as well as the grafitti culture, so Weiss's post was a gift and an eye-opener

-The excellent Car Stereo (Wars) are about to release an album and were featured on both Stereogum and Gorilla vs Bear

-And finally, Stylus has the top 10 alt-country records not by Uncle Tupelo... uh, where's the Whiskeytown?

Soaps, Powder, and All That Other Shit

2007-08-14T20:08:00.000-05:00

The Last Waltz, one of my all-time favorite movies was on tv this morning when I woke up. I really can't think of anything more pleasant when waking up than the pairing of The Band and The Staples Singers on the song, "The Weight." I had the pleasure of seeing Mavis Staples sing "The Weight" on the Sunday of Bonnaroo, and I was blown away by the power of her voice.

Neil Young's performance of the song "Helpless" with Joni Mitchell and The Band reminded me of a Whiskeytown cover of the song that I love. Whiskeytown opened up a 1998 show in Eugene, Oregon with a hilarious cover of "Helpless," but the lyrics of the song were changed so that the whole song was about a laundromat in North Ontario and doing laundry. Ryan Adams fucking around doesn't always yield great results, but Whiskeytown's cover of "Helpess" is excellent.

Neil Young with The Band and Joni Mitchell- Helpless
Whiskeytown- Helpless

Beneath the Bebop Moon, I Wanna Croon

2007-08-14T15:17:00.000-05:00

Well I moved back to my hous in Baton Rouge a few days ago, thank God. Just being back causes me to be 100 times lazier, thus explaining the lack of posts lately.

I caught couple of concerts over the weekend, and neither really lived up to my hopes, but that's not to say that they were bad.

Gregg Gillis aka Girl Talk played The Spanish Moon in Baton Rouge last Friday night. I saw Girl Talk at Bonnaroo and had an incredible time, so I was looking forward to this one for a while. Unfortunately I drank entirely too much before the show and was way too fucked up and really don't remember much from the actual concert. I still remember the Bonnaroo performance vividly, and if it wasn't for that, I'd be mad for not remembering much of the show. Oh well.

I went Sunday night to see Neko Case at The Republic in New Orleans. It probably would have been one of the best shows I had ever been to if it wouldn't have been for the fucking insanity of traffic on I-10 going into New Orleans Sunday night. You'd think traffic would be a breeze at 8:30 or 9:00 on a Sunday evening, but no, they were doing road work and all traffic was merged into one lane. We didn't realize what was going on until too late and ended up missing the first hour of Neko's set and only caught the last 45 or so minutes. Despite that, Neko was absolutely wonderful. Her voice is absolutely enchanting. I've seen few performers as fixating on stage as Neko Case. Her backing band, led by Jon Rauhouse, and backing singer Kelli Hogan were hardly outshone. The band's sound was clinically precise, and their sound filled the club better than any band I've seen in a venue that small (with the exception of My Morning Jacket). Despite the disaster of missing the first hour, the Neko Case show was excellent.

I first listened to T. Rex's Electric Warrior back in February. For whatever reason it didn't really catch my ear. I put on "Hot Love" earlier today though, and all of the sudden it clicked. I've now listened to Electric Warrior all the way through three times in a row. Its funny how sometimes music works like that.

T. Rex- Hot Love
T. Rex- Mambo Moon

Got A Box Full of Letters

2007-08-07T17:47:00.000-05:00

Yesterday I mentioned Wilco's debut album A.M. It seems like people either love or hate A.M. I know people who think everything after A.M. is druggy crap, and people who barely even acknowledge that A.M. exists as an album. Rarely is A.M. ever judged fairly. Too many people expect to hear either Uncle Tupelo or the Wilco of the Summerteeth/Yankee Hotel Foxtrot days.

A.M. was the first Wilco album I ever heard, and I really liked it. It didn't blow my mind, but it was still really good. It certainly had nothing that compared with the first time I ever heard "A Shot In the Arm" or "Poor Places," but as an album it was still very strong.

A.M. is not an album that is going to blow your mind over and over again, but it really isn't supposed to be. There's a few duds ("It's Just That Simple") but the album rebounds with undeniably catchy country-rock. "Box Full of Letters" and "Pick Up the Change" caught my attention immediately. Both are examples of a precise merging of pop rock and country, something that Jeff Tweedy began to do in the later days of Uncle Tupelo.

Wilco- Pick Up the Change
Wilco- Dash 7

The Summers Here Are Hot

2007-08-06T19:25:00.000-05:00

It wasn't until last summer that I really jumped into alt-country/Americana/whatever. I had been a fan of Wilco for a few years, but besides A.M., I had never went back into Jeff Tweedy's past songwriting. At the beginning of last summer though, alt-country really clicked for me. Immediately I ate up as much Uncle Tupelo, Whiskeytown, and Jayhawks as I could.

Last summer I worked in the kitchen of a local restaurant, and for the most part the radio in the back was playing either classic rock or club rap. Now classic rock was cool with me, that's what I had cut my teeth on, but the club shit annoyed the fuck out of me. When the nights were closing down though, or when the afternoon came and business slowed down, I took over the radio.

For me closing time always meant playing "The Long Cut," "Gun," and "Chickamauga" as loud as was tolerable. At the end of the night I wanted something to push me all the way to the end (a 12-14 hour day was not uncommon). The afternoons were sleepy time though.

My co-workers always hated my afternoon stuff. Sometimes it was folky acoustic Dylan, but most of the time it was Whiskeytown. The kitchen manager once complained "I feel like I'm in the high hills of Tennessee" as Faithless Street played in the background. The days were long, and incredibly hot, and became increasingly defined by Whiskeytown songs. When "16 Days" came on I would sing the number of days of work I had left in place of 16, and I always felt Ryan Adams's loneliness in "Black Arrow, Bleeding Heart" and "Desperate Ain't Lonely." For whatever reason though, it was the Ryan Adams-Phil Wandscher collaboration "Factory Girl" that became my defining song for the long afternoons. "O the summers here are hot, and all she seems to do is work and sleep and wish that she was still with you."

Man, that was my summer, and it sucked. Thankfully this summer was a lot easier. Today was my last Monday of work, and Friday is my last day until I move back.

The songs below can be found on the Faithless Street reissue. For more Ryan Adams and Whiskeytown info check out Answering Bell.

Whiskeytown- 16 Days
Whiskeytown- Factory Girl

Sunday Selections

2007-08-05T10:59:00.000-05:00

Today we have some sweet soul from Etta James.

Etta James- Tell Momma
Etta James- You Got It

Funky Rebels

2007-08-04T17:38:00.000-05:00

Few bands come to get down like the Soul Rebels Brass Band. The New Orleans jazz/funk/hip hop group has been entertaining the city for over a decade now at clubs, house parties, and festivals. Soul Rebels are self-releasing their latest album, No Place Like Home. Their 1995 album Let Your Mind Be Free has been a staple of the weekend cd rotation at my house for 12 years now, and more recently, has become a regular on my mixes. Ultimately what is music for? To entertain and to enjoy. Few bands are as entertaining or as enjoyable as Soul Rebels.

Soul Rebels Brass Band- Santa Cruzin'
Soul Rebels Brass Band- Culture In the Ghetto
Soul Rebels Brass Band- Flowing and Flying

Thank You, Shiner Bock

2007-08-03T18:30:00.000-05:00

I ended work today with a nice coooold Shiner Bock. One day later I'll sit down with a Shiner Bock six pack and dish out some Texas mp3's.

Anyway what I really wanted to post about today was rap and hip hop. For the longest time I simply hated all things rap and hip hop. My understanding of rap and hip hop was limited to what was played on the radio.

During my freshman year at LSU I began to explore soul and funk music, and at the beginning of sophomore year I got into jazz. Eventually I made my way into rap and hip hop at the beginning of 2007.

What was it that finally convinced me to explore rap and hip hop? From the very first time I heard A Tribe Called Quest's "Electric Relaxation," I was down. Man, I was into it.

A Tribe Called Quest- Electric Relaxation
A Tribe Called Quest- Find A Way

Elsewheres:

-Its M.I.A.'s world, we're just living in it. I haven't heard the entirety of Kala yet, but the live version of "Paper Planes" is pretty awesome.Live on KCRW, Stereogum review, Pitchfork, and Gorilla vs Bear

-Funky 16 Corners posts Rubber Soul covers: 1, 2, 3

-Soul Sides posts Camp Lo and Cal Tjader!

-Alabama Ass Whuppin' is preparing for tommorrow's Jason Isbell show by having a hangover today... my kind of guy

-Weiss on Andorra by Caribou, "Melody Day" is an awesome track, I can't wait to hear the whole thing

-Pitchfork has more Caribou

Goombay Soul

2007-08-02T18:32:00.000-05:00

In order to make up for my lack of posting yesterday (too drunk to blog) I am posting doubly today.

Two of my favorite releases of the summer have come from some of my favorite crate diggers. The folks over at Numero Group offered up new releases in their Eccentric Soul and Cult Cargo series.

Numero Group's Cult Cargo: Grand Bahama Goombay is an exploration of the soul and funk of the island of Grand Bahama. Jay Mitchell, who once toured with my main man, Otis Redding, is the undisputed star of the compilation. Nearly half-an-hour alone is devoted to Mitchell's four tracks. Mitchell's covers of "I Am The Man For You Baby" and "Mustang Sally" are the two standout tracks on Grand Bahama Goombay. "Honesty Is the Best Policy" by The Gospel Chandeliers is also a gospel gem that can't keep you from smiling. Another standout is "Don't Touch That Thing" by Silvia Hall. The track is a funky lesson in life, and reminds me of The Dixie Cups legendary "Iko Iko."

Numero Group's Eccentric Soul: The Prix Label showcases the Columbus, Ohio Prix label. The compilation is a combination of brilliantly vibrant soul and funk. The fast-paced soul of Eddie Ray is the highlight of the record. "Wait A Minute" opens up the album at a blistering pace, and the rest of Ray's tracks are equally superb. Even though Ray steals the show, my heart goes to Joe King's excellent "Speak On Up." It is the type of catchy, bright soul music that makes people listen to soul in the first place.

Jay Mitchell- Mustang Sally
Joe King- Speak On Up

Live in August

2007-08-02T16:56:00.001-05:00

Here's a rundown of what will be playing live in the south Louisiana area over the next month.

Aug 3- T.I., Ciara, T-Pain, Yung Joc- New Orleans Arena- New Orleans
Uh...

Aug 6- Talib Kweli- House of Blues- New Orleans
Kweli is mostly past his prime, but I bet this will still be a good show.

Aug 7- Daniel Johnston- House of Blues- New Orleans

Aug 10- Girl Talk- The Spanish Moon- Baton Rouge
Count me in. I caught Greg Gillis at Bonnaroo and what can I say... the man does his thing.

Aug 11- Girl Talk- One Eyed Jack's- New Orleans

Aug 12- Neko Case- The Republic- New OrleansI would really love to make this show. Fox Confessor Brings The Flood was one of my favorite releases of 2006.

Aug 15- Ben Kweller- The Parish Room (House of Blues)- New Orleans

Aug 16- Centro-matic and Jason Isbell- Chelsea's- Baton RougeYou have to be 21 to get into Chelsea's. I turned 20 in June. Centro-matic is one of the most consistent bands around, and it sucks that I will likely have to miss them.

Aug 26- Bloodkin and Daniel Hutchens- The Maple Leaf- New OrleansI believe this is another 21 and up bar. If it is, then fuck them, I would love to see Bloodkin.

Overall we have a pretty good slate for August. I'll definitely be at the first Girl Talk show, and I'd love to make it to the Neko Case show. If I can somehow make it to the Centro-matic/Jason Isbell show or the Bloodkin/Daniel Hutchens show, well that will be great.

Girl Talk- Too Deep
Neko Case- Lion's Jaws

50 vs. Kanye vs. The Go! Team

2007-07-31T17:07:00.000-05:00

September 11th is shaping up to be a big day for the music industry. 50 Cent and Kanye West are both set to release their latest efforts. The two have been chest thumping in the press lately, each vowing to hold steady on their release dates, and both vowing they will top the charts. Also releasing a new album on the 11th is Brighton, England's The Go! Team.

50, while mostly being completely shitty, isn't completely devoid of talent. One day last spring when I was bored out of my mind I actually watched Get Rich Or Die Trying, and... it wasn't terrible. The soundtrack isn't terrible either actually. I mean, there are times when "Window Shopper" is an enjoyable song. I don't have very high hopes for 50's Curtis.

Kanye West is in the unfortunate position of being the least likeable person in the music industry currently. However, as much as I hate to say it, the man can drop some beats. College Dropout was mostly overbearing and annoying, just like Kanye, but did contain the outstanding "Slow Jamz." The song itself isn't that great, but the line "I'm gonna play this Vandross, you gon take your pants off" alone makes College Dropout a decent album. Due to the fact that Kanye is pretty good at beats, Graduation won't be terrible.

The Go! Team's Proof of Youth will be one of the best albums of 2007. I haven't heard any of it except for "Grip Like A Vice," but knowing Ian Parton and co., this one will at least be exciting. Fuck 50 and Kanye, if you want to have fun, throw on some Go! Team.

50 Cent- Window Shopper
Kanye West- Slow Jamz
The Go! Team- Ladyflash
**

Bonus 1: Lily Allen- Nan, You're A Window Shopper
Bonus 2: The Go! Team short documentary:

There's Somethin 'Bout Mondays

2007-07-30T16:46:00.000-05:00

Hate Mondays? Hate your job? Yeah me too. As Steve Earle would say, "There's somethin 'bout Mondays that always makes me blue."

Rocking out to Steve Earle's workingman's blues in "A Week of Living Dangerously" doesn't cure the Monday blues, but it does feel pretty damn good.

Everybody needs a week of living dangerously every now and then if you ask me.

Bonus: This footage of a young Steve Earle from Heartworn Highways is incredible.

Steve Earle- Someday
Steve Earle- A Week of Living Dangerously

Camp Lo- In Black Hollywood

2007-07-29T13:45:00.000-05:00

Yesterday evening in the midst of spinning the new Camp Lo, "In Black Hollywood," my 13 year old brother hit pause and put on his iPod. I reluctantly allowed him one song before putting the Lo back on. He went ahead and threw on "Sky is the Limit" by Lil Wayne. About halfway through the song I asked, "How the fuck do you actually like this?"

He said, "I dunno, I just do."

With that I went on trashing the beat, the verses, Lil Wayne's vocal style, and Lil Wayne in general. When the song ended I said, "Check it out, best hip hop track of the year so far, '82 Afros' by Camp Lo."

I may have been exaggerating, but "82 Afros" is pretty damn good, and besides it was released last year on Fort Apache. Anyway, Camp Lo's new release sees the duo at the top of their game once again. There has been some pretty good hip-hop released in 07, but nothing that has really grabbed me the way "Posse From the Bronx," "82 Afros," "In Black Hollywood," and "Sweet Claudine" grabbed me immediately.

Camp Lo- In Black Hollywood
Camp Lo- Sweet Claudine

Sunday Selections- Otis & Carla

2007-07-29T09:03:00.000-05:00

One of my alltime favorite albums, especially for Sunday morning, is King & Queen, the duet album recorded by Otis Redding and Carla Thomas. King & Queen was not Otis's best record, but the fun of "Tramp," "Knock On Wood," etc. keeps it at the top of my personal Otis favorites.

Otis & Carla- New Year's Resolution
Otis & Carla- Ooh Carla, Ooh Otis

Turn Your Watch Back About 100,000 Years

2007-07-26T17:46:00.000-05:00

The B-52's quirky art-funk never fails to get me grooving. The Athens band's revivals of old 50's dance crazes merged with the art-punk of bands like Talking Heads helped create the New Wave era of the late 70s and early 80s. Bright colors, nonsensical lyrics, and bouncy bass lines defined the band, even before their "Love Shack" pop heydey.

The B-52's- Mesopotamia (remix from Time Capsule)

***

Also On The Interwebs:

-Captain's Crate gets funky

-Floodwatch Music with an excellent post on new jazz records

-Weiss reviews a Chromeo show

-Soul Sides posts on one of my favorite records of the year

Edwin Starr- Agent Double-O Soul

2007-07-26T17:39:00.000-05:00

"I dig rock n' roll music. I can do the twine and the jerk. I wear strictly continental suits, and a high collared shirt. I've got a reputation for being gentle but bold. That's why they call me 'Agent Double-O Soul.'"
-Edwin Starr

Edwin Starr- Agent Double-O Soul
Edwin Starr- I Am The Man For You Baby

The Whip- Divebomb

2007-07-25T19:33:00.000-05:00

One For The Bossman

2007-07-24T18:58:00.000-05:00

Before my iPod reached its death a little more than a month ago I never worked without my iPod. When you are a student stuck at a shit job cutting grass at a golf course between semesters, you aren't listening to the poppiest stuff all the time. For me the music I listened to at work was split between Drive-By Truckers and Widespread Panic (with a little Steve Earle, Uncle Tupelo, and Tea Leaf Green thrown in there too). When work sucked it was the boys from Alabama. When it was going alright, I was listening to Panic.

I like my boss a whole lot (he's my roomate's dad after all, and jokes that I'm a part of their family), but whenever "Nine Bullets" came up on my iPod, I couldn't help singing along to "One for the bossman ridin' my butt again..." Fuck work indeed.

This past Friday I was changing a tire on a boat trailer (one of my numerous non-grass cutting duties), and instead of actually changing the tire I started spinning it around on the axel to procrastinate. I looked at where the flat was and saw a huge brown spider. Intrigued by its size, I caught it in an empty water bottle. Only 15 minutes later while moving cinderblocks (oh boy!) I looked down on one and saw another interesting looking spider. It wasn't full grown, but I caught the red-and-black spider anyway. Not long later I confirmed via the wikipedia that the brown spider was a Brown Recluse and the other was a Black Widow.

Drive-By Truckers- Nine Bullets
Drive-By Truckers- Box Of Spiders

I've Got a Halloweenhead

2007-07-22T15:44:00.000-05:00

I've had a month now to sort out my thoughts on Easy Tiger, the new release from Ryan Adams. Easy Tiger is probably the safest record Adams has ever made, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. Sometimes you don't want Dead-soaked jams as in Cold Roses or throwbacks to vintage country like in Jacksonville City Nights.

Anybody who listens to Ryan Adams is distinctly aware of how much talent is just oozing from him. The man is beyond prolific. This is why its so disappointing when you stumble on songs that are just plain mediocre. Easy Tiger has a few "bleh" moments, but no real duds, and of course a few gems that remind you how talented Adams is.

On a related note, I put this cd on at home one day, and my Mom happened to be around and asked who it was. When I told her it was Ryan Adams she said, "Oh yeah, I saw they were selling his cd in Starbucks."

Dig the video for "Halloweenhead" and listen to two of my favorites, the folky "Pearls On a String" and Heartbreaker-esque "Two Hearts."

Ryan Adams- Pearls On a String
Ryan Adams- Two Hearts

Sunday Selections

2007-07-22T09:30:00.000-05:00

For me no Sunday morning is complete without a little soul, reggae, or gospel to wake me up. Sunday should always be an upbeat, laid back day, and a little soul with your coffee never does you bad. Otis Redding or The Staples Singers are usually my go to choices on a Sunday morning, but today I went for a little taste of the Caribbean.

"Spiritual Healing" comes from The Very Best of Toots and the Maytals, and the excellent "Honesty is the Best Policy" by the Gospel Chandeliers is on Numero Group's Cult Cargo: Grand Bahama Goombay. I can't get this song out of my head at the moment!

Toots and the Maytals- Spiritual Healing
The Gospel Chandeliers- Honesty is the Best Policy

Freaky Cauldron

2007-07-22T00:16:00.000-05:00

In 1968 San Francisco psychedelic act Fifty Foot Hose released their first and last album. The album, entitled Cauldron, is a whirlwind of spooky acid rock layered behind what is sometimes blues, sometimes country, and sometimes jazz. The experimental freak outs miss the point sometimes, but on tracks like "The Things That Concern You" and "Rose," Fifty Foot Hose play some of the finest music of the 60's San Francisco scene.

Fifty Foot Hose- The Things That Concern You
Fifty Foot Hose- Rose

I Got Scottish In My Family

2007-07-21T21:39:00.000-05:00

Until I heard Camp Lo in Black Hollywood, Andre 3000's freestyle at the beginning of UGK's "Int'l Players Anthem (I Choose You)" was my favorite slice of hip hop in 2007. I'm not as hot on the rest of the track, but the Willie Hutch sample is absolutely perfect. 3000's guest appearence and the Hutch sample both made "Int'l Players Anthem (I Choose You) my favorite hip hop song of the first half of the new year.

That new Camp Lo is good shit though, and I'll get into that later.

Willie Hutch- I Choose You

Hey Ladies! Yeah! 1980s!

2007-07-20T19:47:00.000-05:00

So I'm pretty excited about this new blog, and I'm pretty excited about the "Grip Like A Vice" video from The Go! Team.

More to come later!