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Saturday, May 17, 2008
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
new in 2008
I've spent most of this year checking out hip hop I missed from the previous couple of years until about two weeks ago. Suddenly I have been blessed with several new quality releases.
Straight outta the Bay Area we have Lyrics Born with Everywhere at Once. From Minnesota Ant & Slug aka Atmosphere have given us Sad Clown Bad Dub 12 & 13 (don't sleep on these) and their magnum opus When Life gives you Lemons Paint that Shit Gold which probably has the highest quality CD packaging I have ever seen. Representing for Europe, Looptroop Rockers (devious gee!) with Good Things and finally an Australian release of Promoes Standard Bearer.
Did you catch all them links? I'm going to keep them coming so keep up.
So I said I have been checking out some hip hop from the last couple of years and now maybe you're asking, did you hear any thing good? Well yeah, thanks for asking. I have found a bunch of albums I am loving which all happen to be produced by the same guy Factor. He's from Saskatoon Canada and apparently he makes beats for ALL the emcees there, well maybe not all of them but he has produced most of the music from Side Road Records. I titled this post "new in 2008" so I better keep it real and let you in on some insight, Factor's new album is going to be the album of the year! Chandelier has the who's who of hip hop Myka 9, Sadat X and Noah 23 over Factor beats, like I said album of the year.
The other exciting release that is due later this year is Dez and Nobs with their follow up to Bohemoth. In anticipation and appreciation I have added Nobs regularly updated blog Big Guy Bigger Beats to my blog roll.
Straight outta the Bay Area we have Lyrics Born with Everywhere at Once. From Minnesota Ant & Slug aka Atmosphere have given us Sad Clown Bad Dub 12 & 13 (don't sleep on these) and their magnum opus When Life gives you Lemons Paint that Shit Gold which probably has the highest quality CD packaging I have ever seen. Representing for Europe, Looptroop Rockers (devious gee!) with Good Things and finally an Australian release of Promoes Standard Bearer.
Did you catch all them links? I'm going to keep them coming so keep up.
So I said I have been checking out some hip hop from the last couple of years and now maybe you're asking, did you hear any thing good? Well yeah, thanks for asking. I have found a bunch of albums I am loving which all happen to be produced by the same guy Factor. He's from Saskatoon Canada and apparently he makes beats for ALL the emcees there, well maybe not all of them but he has produced most of the music from Side Road Records. I titled this post "new in 2008" so I better keep it real and let you in on some insight, Factor's new album is going to be the album of the year! Chandelier has the who's who of hip hop Myka 9, Sadat X and Noah 23 over Factor beats, like I said album of the year.
The other exciting release that is due later this year is Dez and Nobs with their follow up to Bohemoth. In anticipation and appreciation I have added Nobs regularly updated blog Big Guy Bigger Beats to my blog roll.
Tuesday, April 8, 2008
Straight Outta Compton 20 years on
Wow has it really been 20 years. Pedestrian from Anticon has written a review of Straight Outta Compton 20 years on.
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
Cover songs
For me 2008 has been a year of covers. Previously I have not really been a fan of covers but this year I have been listening to and enjoying several albums featuring nothing but cover songs. I have not gone out of my way to find these albums, they seem to be finding me.
First up it The Dynamics whose album "Version Excursion" I accidentally stole from my brother at Christmas. They include covers of the likes of Madonna, Curtis Mayfield and The Whitestripes.
The next one sort of suprised me, when I think reggae Sinead O'Connor does not come to mind but put her with Sly and Robbie and you have an awesome album "Throw Down Your Arms". Still doubting me? Then check out this clip
Just to prove that reggae artists can also do a cover Soul From Jamdown give us "Darker Than Blue" which covers a bunch of old funk and soul songs in a reggae style.
Next up lets cover some pop songs. Shawn Lee's Ping Pong Orchestra "Hits the Hits" makes Britney listenable. Shawns old funk styles and the feel good sound of pop music mesh to make a wonderful album.
I recently realised that maybe this blog has more readers than I know about. That thought almost inspires me to make more posts. So give me some encouragement and tell me your favourite cover song in the comments. My all time favourite is Rage Against the Machine's cover of Eric B & Rakim's "Microphone Fiend". A great song and a great cover.
First up it The Dynamics whose album "Version Excursion" I accidentally stole from my brother at Christmas. They include covers of the likes of Madonna, Curtis Mayfield and The Whitestripes.
The next one sort of suprised me, when I think reggae Sinead O'Connor does not come to mind but put her with Sly and Robbie and you have an awesome album "Throw Down Your Arms". Still doubting me? Then check out this clip
Just to prove that reggae artists can also do a cover Soul From Jamdown give us "Darker Than Blue" which covers a bunch of old funk and soul songs in a reggae style.
Next up lets cover some pop songs. Shawn Lee's Ping Pong Orchestra "Hits the Hits" makes Britney listenable. Shawns old funk styles and the feel good sound of pop music mesh to make a wonderful album.
I recently realised that maybe this blog has more readers than I know about. That thought almost inspires me to make more posts. So give me some encouragement and tell me your favourite cover song in the comments. My all time favourite is Rage Against the Machine's cover of Eric B & Rakim's "Microphone Fiend". A great song and a great cover.
Beirut Hijack
Two weeks ago I finally went to see Beirut. I say finally because it had been over three months since buying tickets. The gig itself sold out a couple of days before hand so there was a good size crowd. It was the first gig I have been to at the Manning Bar and I was impressed with the venue lots of space, tiered levels (so the shortys can see) and good sound. There was not much of a support act so we sat outside and laughed at the hipsters, there were girls wearing hats like they were going to the Randwick races and guys in pointy snake skin boots.
The band included 8 members including the main man Zach Condon who sang plus played ukulele and trumpet. They had a dedicated piano accordianist, violinist and drummer (who was an Aussie fill in but he did not miss a beat). The rest of the band rotated between a multitude of instruments some songs had three people jamming on ukuleles others had an electric bass and three types of brass. It was a great performance and gave me a much better insight into how the music is put together, if you get a chance to see this band ... do it!
Anticons latest signee Son Lux has done a remix of Beirut's "Sunday Smile". Which is available at Pitchfork. I am not really feeling the remix but maybe it will grow on me. Anticon has been releasing some crackers lately. Back in December I mentioned Telephone Jim Jesus's "Anywhere out of Everything", I am still loving this album and I am happy to be able to post the film clip for Birdstatic. The clip relies on a special effect but it is a very cool effect!
The band included 8 members including the main man Zach Condon who sang plus played ukulele and trumpet. They had a dedicated piano accordianist, violinist and drummer (who was an Aussie fill in but he did not miss a beat). The rest of the band rotated between a multitude of instruments some songs had three people jamming on ukuleles others had an electric bass and three types of brass. It was a great performance and gave me a much better insight into how the music is put together, if you get a chance to see this band ... do it!
Anticons latest signee Son Lux has done a remix of Beirut's "Sunday Smile". Which is available at Pitchfork. I am not really feeling the remix but maybe it will grow on me. Anticon has been releasing some crackers lately. Back in December I mentioned Telephone Jim Jesus's "Anywhere out of Everything", I am still loving this album and I am happy to be able to post the film clip for Birdstatic. The clip relies on a special effect but it is a very cool effect!
Monday, February 25, 2008
Hip Hop Fatigue
Occasionally I get hip hop fatigue. It happens about once a year. I just find that I am not feeling anything new coming out so I go looking for something different, something not hip hop. Sometimes that involves looking for something completely new or just going back and listening to some old tunes. This time around it has been a bit of both. On the weekend I went out and bought 3 CDs all of which I already had in mp3s.
Beirut's Gulag Orchestra is an album I have had for a long while before I realised how good it is. In just 8 days I will be going to see the 8 piece Beirut band. If you have not already check out http://www.flyingclubcup.com there is an awesome video section with live recordings of each song from the newest album.
Nick Cave & Warren Ellis recently did the soundtrack for the Jesse James movie but before that they did the soundtrack for the Australian move The Proposition. I picked up the soundtrack for The Proposition in a CD bargain bin. After listening to the soundtrack again I realised it was about time I saw the movie, so I did. Great soundtrack to a great movie.
I also downloaded the new Silver Mt Zion album 13 Blues for Thirteen Moons which reminded me how much I enjoyed their previous album Horses In The Sky so I went an bought it as well. These guys are certainly not for everyone but personally I can't get enough of their music at the moment.
Beirut's Gulag Orchestra is an album I have had for a long while before I realised how good it is. In just 8 days I will be going to see the 8 piece Beirut band. If you have not already check out http://www.flyingclubcup.com there is an awesome video section with live recordings of each song from the newest album.
Nick Cave & Warren Ellis recently did the soundtrack for the Jesse James movie but before that they did the soundtrack for the Australian move The Proposition. I picked up the soundtrack for The Proposition in a CD bargain bin. After listening to the soundtrack again I realised it was about time I saw the movie, so I did. Great soundtrack to a great movie.
I also downloaded the new Silver Mt Zion album 13 Blues for Thirteen Moons which reminded me how much I enjoyed their previous album Horses In The Sky so I went an bought it as well. These guys are certainly not for everyone but personally I can't get enough of their music at the moment.
Friday, January 25, 2008
Man in the Mirror
Rhymefest (the guy that knocked Eminem out of Scribble Jam) has a Michael Jackson dedication mixtape with music mixed by Mark Ronson. After hearing this, SickWillyP of the Strange Famous message boards says, "i kinda sorta like mark ronson". If that is not a glowing review then nothing will sway you. You can go grab it over .... here
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