Hip Hop Summer

When I first heard that Mos Def was coming to ACL this year I felt conflicted as I always do when I hear about his shows. His shows are usually pretty fun, especially that one I went at the House of Blues and Talib showed up and it was a just a Black Star bash. But that is just it. The hits are old. Don't get me wrong, I love some Speed Law and Miss Fat Booty but why have all the albums since been so bad? You can't imagine how, well, ecstatic, I was when I first heard his new album Ecstatic at the beginning of this summer. The whole thing is full of hits. "Auditorium" with Slick Rick or "Quiet Dog" are probably my favorites but it's so hard to pick. That was just the first of several amazing hip hop albums I came upon this summer.

Searching around on AmazonMP3 after getting that Mos Def, I found that Zion I had a new album. I haven't listened to any of his stuff since the "Mind Over Matter" album from way back. This new one, "The Takeover" is way different but also great. So many "underground emcees" from back in the day seem to keep putting out albums with that same sound. They're good but usually they sound like slightly weaker versions of their first album which was probably sick. Zion I's new one is not like that. The beats cover so many different styles. The first one starts with a tight djembe intro and then completely unexpectedly he drops the bottom right off the track and krunks it out. The next one, DJ DJ, has the whole breakbeat thing going. And on and on. It's a great album.

I think the next album I found by just noticing somewhere that Myka 9 had a new album comin out. Well I bought that immediatly and wow. Best hip hop album in who knows how long. Absolutly amazing. If you don't know him just buy the album 1969 and listen. He's one of the orginators and surely one of the best ever. He (arguably) invented the fast melodic rap style. He had another album come out recently which is also quite good under the name Magic Heart Genies. It's him and J the Sarge. The vibe is all positive but thankfully not corny. True artist.

Browsing Myka's myspace page I saw his link for the documentary flick "This is the Life: How the West was One". Got it on Netflix shortly there after. Great great documentary if you like hip hop. It's all about the Good Life Cafe which was a health food store in south central LA. In '89 I think it was, they started having an open mic night on Thursdays from 8-10pm with the rule that you can't curse as well as some others to ensure that the art of lyricsicsm and creativity with the spoken word was preserved. What came out of that place was just pure genius. A couple examples, Freestyle Fellowship (Aceyalone, Abstract Rude, Myka9, another guy), Jurassic 5 (Chali 2na, Cut Chemist and three other guys).

So now that we've brought of the Good Life, which has since become a label run by Aceyalone called Project Blowed, we can get all the other albums those OGs put out this summer. Aceyalone is one of my favorite rappers. I don't know what it is because so many of his albums are not stuffed with great tracks. You always know though that some are just gonna be mind blowing. Something about his style is just so cool. Lately he's been trying new stuff. This summer's release was a concept album with a whole bebop r&b soul from 1950's feel. The beats show it as do the G rated lyrics. That doesn't make it bad though. While only about 3 of the beats really do it for me, thats just me. For the most part I'm not really into that whole style but some of them work: Put in on 1, Can't Hold Me Back, and Workin Man's Blues are spectacular. His album from a couple years ago, Lightning Strikes, which had a whole dancehall theme and again, some stellar tracks on that one. The first three are great. The songs I don't like are usually just because the beat is not what I like but the lyrics always have the opportunity to impress. Also, his album RJD2 is of course damn good.

Acey did a song on Lightning Strikes with Chali 2na which is great. Chali 2na is another favorite. How could you not love "your friendly neighborhood baritone". I've been fortunate enough to see him perform with Galactic a couple times and man they tear the roof off. His new album "Fish Outta Water" was another spectacular find.

The best album to listen to all the way through though has to be by my boy Aaron, otherwise known as Abstract Rude. Just get it and listen. Rejuvination should be on my list of top 5 hip hop albums ever. Right up there with Heiro's Full Circle, Eminem's Slim Shady Lp, Myka 9's 1969 and the other ten albums in my top 5.

If you've never heard of Myka, Ab, or Acey, well check them out performing together as a trio, Haiku d'Etat here with their song Mike Aaron and Eddie. The verbal pyrotecnics here were my first introduction to Myka and Ab. They are truly astounding. When you're ready, pick your jaw up off your desk and buy "1969" and "Rejuvination"

Not to be left out, I have to metion the show I saw the other day with another of the masters, Gift of Gab of Blackalicious fame. Mr. Lif opened for him. They were both virtuosic. Really hip hop lyricism and creativity personified. Honeable mention of course goes to some of the other cats on Gift of Gab's label, Lifesavas, Lateef tha Truthspeaker, who is half of Latyrx. The other half being the always astounding ever energetic Lyrics Born.

Mr. Lif, who I have also seen tear it up with Galactic, had a homey performing with him and I bought his album after the show. Willie Evans Jr. The guy is good. Think Slick Rick mixed with MF Doom. Keep an eye on him.

Now one last thing I thought I should include. I recently made a mix cd for my dad to try and show him that hip hop is more that poppin caps and slappin hoes. Here's the tracklist. While by no means an exhaustive list I think all of these songs are essential for anyone that enjoys hip hop.

Or even more importantly, some one that doesn't enjoy hip hop yet and just needs to be shown what they're missing.

Song Artist Album

Get By Talib Kweli Quality (Real Advance) Africa Dream [Explicit] Talib Kweli Reflection Eternal [Train Of Thought] [Explicit] Let It Roll [Explicit] Hieroglyphics Full Circle [Explicit] Mike, Aaron and Eddie Haiku D'Etat Coup de Theatre (1 of 2) The Guidelines Aceyalone A Book Of Human Knowledge Makebalillia Live Aceyalone All Balls Don't Bounce Revisited On The 1 Aceyalone The Lonely Ones Snake Bite Myka 9 1969 Hand Bone Myka 9 1969 Tomorry Abstract Rude Rejuvenation [Explicit] Thynk Eye Can (Haiku D'Etat Mix) Abstract Rude Rejuvenation [Explicit] Auditorium Mos Def The Ecstatic Comin' Thru Chali 2Na Fish Outta Water Swan Lake Blackalicious Solesides Greatest Bumps (1 of 2) ...And I''m Out (Cd) Galactic From the Corner To the Block I Got It ( What You Need) (Cd) Galactic From the Corner To the Block At the Helm [Explicit] Hieroglyphics 3rd Eye Vision [Explicit] Poet Laureate II Canibus Rip The Jacker

Editor's Note: There is no editor. There is no proof reading. I understand a blog to be an unpolished work completed in the most expedient manner possible that still gets the message across. Comments and recommendations are greatly appreciated.

Party Music

Saw these guys at The Mohawk last night and they absolutely tore it up. They're gonna be at ACL so be sure not to miss'em.

http://www.myspace.com/dancewithlax

Favorite songs: Dancin, and Pump to the Beat

They're an Austin band so if you like the music at all buy the tracks off they're myspace. It's like a local stimulus package. Make trickle down economics work.

The opening band, Company of Thieves, was also pretty good. Tons of energy.
http://www.companyofthieves.net/

Editor's Note: There is no editor. There is no proof reading. I understand a blog to be an unpolished work completed in the most expedient manner possible that still gets the message across. Comments and recommendations are greatly appreciated.

Ghosts n Stuff

The amount of time I have to spend writting blogs is very limited so in the interest of getting the basic information out, entry length is being cut to a minimum, at least for the time being.

First, if you haven't heard the track "Ghosts n Stuff" by Deadmau5 go find it now and download it or at least check it out on YouTube. One of the best tracks ever. Really. If you're into it I would highly recommend buying his whole album. It is great all the way through.

Next, I just discoverd the band London Elektricity when I bought their album Syncopated City. They are a really solid drum and bass outfit. "Just One Second" and "Outnumbered" are stand out tracks but again this disc is good the whole way through. They have several albums which I have yet to explore but I've read "Fast Soul Music" is supposed to be one of their best.

If you aren't that into drum and bass, I recommend checking out "Brief Encounter" by High Contrast. That is the one that finally converted me.

Editor's Note: There is no editor. There is no proof reading. I understand a blog to be an unpolished work completed in the most expedient manner possible that still gets the message across. Comments and recommendations are greatly appreciated.

Crystal on Congress

After posting last week that The Crystal Method was the band that introduced me to electronic music it was my great pleasure to go and see them live on Friday night. They played the Sky Lounge in Austin, TX which I had never been to before but man, that place is great. The club holds something like three hundred people and somehow they get huge names. Paul van Dyk ("For an Angel" is still my favorite van Dyk track) was there a month or so ago. Dedmau5 as well as Above and Beyond have made multiple appearances. And they even had Armin van Buuren last year.

While the show was really fun I would be lying if I said I wasn't at least a little dissappointed. The music was great but they played a DJ set. Call me crazy but I want the hits. Get in front of the crowd, put the Vegas cd in the player and then jump around and let the lights go crazy. That's all I want. Maybe a little something off Legion Of Boom but please no Tweekend. That album, their second, was terrible if you ask me.

The DJ set thing is nice though beause they can play other people's hits and that can really get the crowd going. There was one song in particular that really got me pumped but I don't think anyone else had ever heard it. At least not anyone I was with. The lack of anyone else to connect with about it is a perfect example of one of the reasons I have started this blog. The track was "Anyway You Choose to Give It" by the Black Ghosts. I have been singing the praises of these guys for more than six months now but noone else seems to dig it like I do.

I first heard of the Black Ghosts while listening to Metropolis on KCRW.com. Let me take this opportunity to tell the world, KCRW is the greatest thing to happen to music ever. Ever. They are a subscriber supported public radio station in Los Angeles. That means they only run off donations from people and businesses that like the programming. That allows the DJs complete freedom to play whatever they want to play. Nick Harcourt runs the whole music program and has his own daily show, Morning Becomes Eclectic. I'm not a huge fan of his show but the variety of music programs that he has put together on the radio station is incredible. My only complaint is I feel hip hop is not properly represented.

Because there are so many different music programs on KCRW many only come on once a week and even then only at very off hours. That would be a problem if over the airwaves or live streaming online was the only place to get the music but luckily that is not the case. Check out KCRWMusic.com. All the shows are listed there and the most recent airing of each can played on demand. When you play the show you get a track list which matches up with the audio. It is amazing. Some of my favorites are Metropolis with Jason Bently (producer? or something like that for the Matrix soundtrack), Nocturna with Raul Campos, the jazz program with Bo Lebowitz, the amazing collection of world music on Cafe LA with Tom Schnable, The Drop with Liza Richardson, and also the shows whose name I am not sure of run by Jason Eldrige, Aaron Byrd and Jeremy Sole (the DJ for Afro Funke at Zanizibar in Santa Monica, great Thursday night spot).

So anyway back to the Black Ghosts. At the end of one of his shows maybe nine months ago Jason Bently played a few selections off the Black Ghosts Mixtape, a hour long mix of Black Ghosts as well as other artists tunes. From the first song, I later found out written by Boy 8 Bit I was jammin. I found the mixtape on AmazonMP3 and it was 99 cents for the whole thing! It was the best buck I've spent in a while. I listened to that mix nonstop for quite a while. Those that know me understand that is how I listen to music. I find something I like. I listen to it incessantly. I then tire of it and move on. If I come back to it or I don't ever really tire of it, for me, that is the mark of greatness.

The mixtape was good but it is a continuous mix not an album. It was several months later when I was listening to Metropolis and who was the musical guest but The Black Ghosts. They were touring for the release of their first full album. I got it and maybe it isn't the best album all the way through but their are some great tracks. The first two in particular. Different people like different songs more but everyone agrees the first two are amazing. Both, "Some Way Through This" and "Anyway You Choose to Give It" have music videos on YouTube. The one for "Some Way Through This" is awesome. "Anyway You Choose to Give It" has such a great build/bridge/climax with those strident piano chords taking it up. I'm really a sucker for that dirty distorted synth thing as well. "When It Comes Again" might be my favorite track though. That repeated breakdown/beat drop hits just right.

Lyrics on the album are all decent as well but as you'll probably pick up on through future posts, lyrics are really my last concern when it comes to music. For the most part I prefer no lyrics at all. For me, so often lyrics take away from the song by attaching some messge or meaning that doesn't connect with me to a melody and rhythm that if left on its own could speak much more broadly. There are notable exception of course but typically the more enigmatic the better.

One last thing, KCRW is also one of the LA NPR stations and has a variety of other news and talk programs from PRI (Public Radio International) as well as some other their own programs. PRI carries the excellent "This American Life". It's not music but it is highly reccommended. There is even a television version of it now on Showtime. The first season is availble on Netflix for instant watch.

Editor's Note: There is no editor. There is no proof reading. I understand a blog to be an unpolished work completed in the most expedient manner possible that still gets the message across. Comments and recommendations are greatly appreciated.

Foundations

I love music. I love all kinds of music. It began quite some time ago. The first song I remember really loving was "La Bamba". Other early favorites included everything from MC Hammer to Nirvana to Madonna's Imaculate Collection. "Just Like a Prayer", what's not to love? Well, now that I'm not ten, quite a bit but tastes change and that's fine. It is this ever evolving appetite which keeps me listening, keeps me moving. While tastes do change is important to remember where you came from, where the roots are. So comes the ever important question, "What are your favorite?" Obviously, a strict ranking would be impossible but when it comes to nailing down the albums which build the foundation of my passion, there are three that immediately come to mind.

Dave Matthews and Tim Reynolds - "Live at Luther College" While I have never been a big fan of the Dave Matthews Band except for a few songs here and there (the song "Two Step" being the most notable exception) when you strip away the manifold instruments that come along with the band and just get at the incredible songwriting of Dave with the added spice of Tim Reynolds virtuosic guitar playing you get something amazing. There is something new to love every time I come back to this, in my opinion, Dave Matthew's greatest album.

The Crystal Method - "Vegas" I will never forget the opening scene to oh so forgettable movie, "The Replacement Killers" with Chow Yun Fat and Mira Sorvino. The mysterious well dressed hitman glides up to the table of the bad looking guys in the thumping night club, lights flashing, and as the music builds, heslams a bullet down on the table and the beat drops, guns blaze, and a sixteen year old is hooked on techno. Hearing that song "Keep Hope Alive" made me track down the Vegas album and truly began my love for electronic music. Every track on that album is a masterpiece.

Dispatch - "Gut the Van" With so many cds to choose from it is difficult to pick which best represents, the band closest to my heart, Dispatch. It was a friend from high school that sent me an mp3 of "Elias". I don't think I have spoken to him since then but if you're out there Jerry, thank you. I have passed on the love to several others. Dispatch basically embodies the Platonic ideal of being in a band. Instead of try to describe the story here if one is interested I would recommend the associated "Gut the Van" DVD. The live performances on the dvd are spectacular and the interspersed interviews provide the enriching backdrop of the band's story. While they have unfortunatly split since then, I was lucky enough to catch them at the house of blues in LA in '01 I think it was. That was quite possibly the best show I've ever seen. I won't bother try to capture it in words. I can't. It just was. My roommate was there with me in the center of the crowd and he knows. Anyone else who saw them knows. If they're ever back together just go, and you'll know.

There are so many more amazing albums and even so much more to say about the above mentioned albums. There are so many new resources available for finding and being exposed to new music. KCRW.com and Pandora.com are two that deserve immediate metion but that is only the tip of the iceberg. There is just so much to talk about and experice with music. And now we have one more place to talk about and share music. Until I figure out how (or more realisically someone tells me how) to post actual songs that can play straight from the blog I will attempt to link to Amazon.com, or MySpace.com, or wherever the tunes can be previewed easily because talking about music is no substitute for experiencing it.

Just a quick note, I say no to Itunes as much as possible because the DRM stuff really annoys me but I am a big supporter of paying for the music. In case you're unaware, Amazon.com MP3's are DRM free, are typically $8.99 an album, and after downloading automatically show up in Itunes or whatever player you use so there is no added hassel.

Editor's Note: There is no editor. There is no proof reading. I understand a blog to be an unpolished work completed in the most expedient manner possible that still gets the message across. Comments and recommendations are greatly appreciated.