I haven't listened to 10 new albums that I liked enough to compile into a best-of list this year. In fact, there are only 5 that I can truly endorse from 2007. So with no other fanfare, I present to you my "Top 5 Albums of 2007" list:
Runner-up: Graduation - Kanye West I really liked this. But couldn't put it in my list because I only listened to it maybe twice. I don't know any of the track titles. I can't even tell you what that song with the Daft Punk beat is called.
#5 OK - Zhang Zheng Yue This Taiwanese singer/songwriter has eschewed the badboy rock and put out a new album featuring a mix of R&B-infused tracks hearkening back to his days of writing exclusively love ballads.
#4 Ronald Jenkees - Ronald Jenkees The young gentleman in coke bottle glasses displayed his skill with a keyboard on Youtube. Now you can check out his FL chops on his first album, available on his website and in iTunes.
#3 Ultimate Victory - Chamillionaire I haven't been listening to much hip-hop in general lately, and it's a testament to this fact that Chamillionaire was the only one all year to sustain my attention long enough for me to listen to an album all the way through. I'm glad, too, because this album was hot.
#2 Seimeiryoku - Chatmonchy When I had $70 left in my checking account, I spent $38 to special order this album at Kinokuniya. I'm an idiot, but Chatmonchy is J-Pop perfection.
#1 Yours to Keep - Albert Hammond Jr. You might think that this one isn't from 2007 as it's absent from pretty much every internet-music-blog-year-end-best-of-list... but it is! Lucky for me, because this is one of my favorite albums in recent memory.
And so there you have it. Kind of a small round-up though, innit? So I've prepared a second list. I put the year each album was released in parenthesis, so you know how hard you need to mock me for each individual item... Yup, "Top 10 Albums I Listened to for the First Time in 2007": #10 Jarvis - Jarvis Cocker (2006) #9 Classics - Ratatat (2006)
#8 Inhuman Rampage - DragonForce (2006)
#7 American Idiot - Green Day (2004)
#6 Sam's Town - The Killers (2006)
#5 Elements Pt. 1 - Stratovarius (2003)
#4 Fantasia - Tokyo Ska Paradise Orchestra (2004)
#3 Atmosphere - You Can't Imagine How Much Fun We're Having (2005)
I got Wu-Tang Clan's the 8 Diagrams as my Secret Santa gift. I'll admit. I added it to my Elfster.com Wish List so it wasn't as big of a surprise as the two giant papayas they came with... but I digress.
There isn't a musically invested soul out there who can't admit that Triumph is by far one of the best rap songs ever created in the history of the genre. It's clever. It has a good beat. And that's when I thought, hmm, maybe I should check their other shit out. I now own every single Wu-Tang album including the Killa Beez series and the Wu-Chronicles.
And I have yet to be disappointed.
In the last published Rolling Stones, they list The Heart Gently Weeps off the 8 Diagrams album as one of the top songs of 2007. The Wu rendition of George Harrison's masterpiece is great, especially with Erykah Badu singing the chorus. But to say it's the best song on the album is premature. I'd give that honor to Life Changes.
Most of the album shows respect to Ol' Dirty... since he's dead. And even though most of the members hold a grudge against Rza for holding too much producing power, since his own album (Bobby Digital) is awesome on its own, I'd have to say that keeping him as the ring leader and executive producer might be a good idea.
By the way, why the fuck is Cappadonna not part of the Clan yet?
30 years ago today, on December 17, in the year 2007 minus 30, Elvis Costello and the Attractions made history by appearing on Saturday Night Live and pissing the crap out of Lorne Michaels.
Interestingly, the host of the episode was an old woman named Miskel Spillman who won SNL's inaugural (and only) "Anyone Can Host" contest. She was gonna get matched up with the Sex Pistols, which probably would've been oddly entertaining, kinda like when Martha Stewart was paired with Busta Rhymes at the MTV Video Music Awards in 1997. Damn, the blog missed that anniversary.
Anyway, because of visa problems, most likely stemming from their numerous run-ins with the law, the Sex Pistols couldn't make the show. Enter: Elvis C.
The guys were asked to play "Less Than Zero," a song about some British fascist that had almost no bearing at all on the American audience, so the band stopped the song and instead played "Radio Radio," a criticism of commercial radio. They were subsequently banned from SNL for 12 years.
If you read the pertaining section in one of the SNL history books, it's been said that once Elvis Costello switched songs, Lorne Michaels stood in the wings and gave him the bird through the duration of the performance.
Now that you're good and prepped, here it is, in all its original glory:
You know, of all the 80's knock-off indie outfits, none have been as entertaining as Voxtrot:
Their first full-length album, released earlier this year, is pretty damn good. The guitar riffs are solid, and the drumming is outstandingly clean. And the previously stated 80's throwback feel ain't too shabby.
However, my favorite track is still "Missing Pieces," from their 2005 ep, Raised By Wolves. That line about keeping away "the beauty from the dirt" just kills me.
After Enoch and my journeys to Amoeba to pay homage to the music gods, I've revisited my past obsession with... what is the proper genre for this type? House? Electronic? Well, whatever, it's the category that includes Groove Armada, Basement Jaxx, and Girl Talk.
This lead me to search on Myspace, which lead me to find this great music video. It doesn't matter how crappy a music video appears to be in all other aspects, you put one human-sized animal dress-up thing, and I'm game. I don't even like Moby, but his music video for Beautiful is one of my absolute favorites. And remember Brandtson's Mexico? Yes, awesome.
Next year for Halloween, I'm dressing up as a giant bunny. Or you know what, if I get my hands on one, I might just wear it to the bar where I'll be drunk off my ass next Saturday.
I got a 26, and I'm both proud and ashamed that one of my correct answers was correctly distinguishing between Tupac albums and Steven Seagal action movies.
Alright. So where do I begin with this one? How has Guitar Hero changed my life? Let me count the ways... Well for one thing, it has turned something that should have been a passing fascination into a persistent obsession. Enoch called it a passing fancy and I agree -- metal is fancy! But I guess I should start at the beginning.
Basically, my interest in pop music didn't manifest itself until middle school. I was exposed to Ace of Base, then Greenday, then Third Eye Blind, then Linkin Park, etc, etc. Well, what I mean to say is that I missed out on the whole heavy metal phenomenon of the 80s and 90s. The first metal album I ever picked up was Metallica's S&M album senior year of high school. Too little, too late, you might say. For by the time someone is getting ready for college by buying extra long twin sized bed sheets at Bed, Bath & Beyond, it's pretty hard to convert oneself from Elvis Durant and the Z Morning Zoo listener to the dark side of double-bass pedals and keyboard/guitar solos. You'd think.
Well, luckily (or unluckily?), this is just about the time when nu-metal (umlauts optional) started to come into style with Linkin Park, Papa Roach, and Disturbed. This was also the heyday of Rage Against the Machine--the king of the legion. As with all good things, though, as RATM disbanded, so did my fascination with loud, screamy music. Wait, hold on, somewhere in there, you've got the other four-word group: System of a Down, arse all ready to sit upon a heavy rock throne vacated by the Zack-less RATM (who simultaneously blew fans' minds by announcing that the new front man would be Soundgarden's Chris Cornell?!).
Yeah, so thus started the age of Napster, freshman dorms, broadband, and pirate parties. Learned to love odd little things like Acid Jazz, Emo, J-Pop, Power Pop, Breakbeat, and Trip Hop. Well, you know how history likes to move in cycles? Metal wasn't through with me yet. Cue the Darkness.
Permission to Land was granted in 2003. Glam rock or British hard rock? Who can tell the difference? Serious or farce-faced? Who cares? These guys re-lit the dragon candelabra's black candle of Metal somewhere deep within my heart. For that, I am eternally grateful (don't mind Enoch's eye-rolling). Charisma plus ten to all! Two years later, to less fanfare, they would release another mind-numbingly-titled album: One Way Ticket to Hell and Back. What might, on an uneventful year, have been the hottest shit in Best Buy, was overshadowed, though, by a behemoth of a phenomenon, just two aisles over.
A revolution in rhythm-based gaming had arrived. Guitar Hero. That was 2005. Cowboys From Hell would become my anthem while it simultaneously proved to be my foil for two long years (finally beat it on expert earlier this year). Well, after the release of Guitar Hero 2 and Guitar Hero Encore: the 80s, I am now down with not just Pantera, but Slayer, Guns n Roses, Anthrax, Lamb of God, Dethlok, et al. The track list for Guitar Hero 3 has slowly been released as the October 28th release date draws near and here is where I get to the meat of this post. Last week I stumbled across a video displaying the hardest song in the upcoming melt-your-face-a-thon: "Through the Fire and Flames" by DragonForce.
As I ruminated over the subtleties of this masterpiece of dragons and wizards and flames, Enoch brought up an interesting question. How can you tell when a metal band is for real? Doesn't the whole thing just seem like one big black-t-shirted, flowing-long-haired joke? I thought about this and came to the conclusion that with this particular brand of metal, teh power metal, you've got to feel it in your soul. Because these guys are serious.
These guys are serious about things like dreams and destiny, eagles and rainbows. Man, I love power metal. Thanks to a little something called Pandora Radio (yes, ironic that I would blame everything on something named after the box that ruined mankind -- but don't forget, it left us with hope, and by association, power metal, too!), I was turned onto the awesomeness that is the Finnish power metal pioneers Stratovarius. If you're not sure about how well epic fantasy lyrics, keyboard solos, and double bass petal mix, you really have to look no further than their tour de force: "Eagleheart", to know if this music is for you.
Seriously, now. Just listen to these lyrics:
Heart of an eagle He flies through the rainbow Into a new world and finds the sun Spreading his wings above all the sorrows The glory of Eagleheart
'Nuff said. Now for the flurry of youtube music videos.
Did you guys download the new Radiohead off of their website?
The album is good. It offers the same stylistic endeavors that Radiohead has always so consistently provided. But what makes this album so different than the rest is that it's essentially free (and not because we're pirates).
Let's take a vote. Who thinks that bands should give their albums away for free with an option to donate whatever they feel is the proper value of the acquisition?
I vote yes. Why? Because I'm a fucking economist, and although I do believe in the Tragedy of Commons (no one will pay assuming that someone else will pay), I am FINE being that no one. I like Radiohead, but they don't need my $20 to pay for their extra Ferrari.
Let's take another vote. Who thinks that other bands will follow in Radiohead's footsteps and offer a similar "tip bucket" system?
I vote no. Why? Because I'm a fucking economist, and I know that almost everyone is out there to make a dollar. And not just one dollar, but a bunch of them. The diminishing marginal utility concept doesn't really apply to greedy people. An extra buck will always yield a happy fact.
That's enough of my Radiohead economics lesson. I've officially desecrated this blog.
I know this album was actually released last year, as was the video, but I stand by my 6-12 month buffer zone in discovering new music. With that said, here's Jarvis Cocker's "Don't Let Him Waste Your Time":
I've been following this recent tour of his, and I can assure you these two shows are gonna be simply beautiful.
Since I have class that Tuesday, we're gonna all get tickets for day one and have ourselves one big, cathartic lovefest. I would highly, highly recommend that you consider going to this show if you have the capacity to do so.
I didn't even consider listening to music on commercials because I was so used to hearing ABBA songs totally butchered or the Beach Boys singing about toilet paper. But after Enoch's sweater song (previous post), I thought I should pay a little attention.
And then I noticed this commercial that reminded me of Final Fantasy. That was attention grabber No. 1.
Then I liked the song because it was so Soul-Asylum-esque. That was attention grabber No. 2.
After quickly memorizing the chorus, I googled and saw that someone had asked the exact question on WikiAnswers: Who sing the newest Dentyne Ice commercial the lyrics are so kiss me again cuz only you can stop the st st st st stuttering... i like the song and want to know what its called and who sings it?That was attention grabber No. 3.
Ben's Brother - Stuttering
I couldn't find the full song online, but I did find the commercial. The full song is on their myspace page at www.myspace.com/bensbrothermusic.
I don't know why, but the minute I heard this song, I knew it was gonna be something the chicks would be all over. Maybe it's the innocuously Feist-like vocals, or maybe it's the million-dollar hook. Irregardless, say hello to Ingrid Michaelson:
The song I'm referring to, "The Way I Am," first came to my attention via an Old Navy commercial for sweaters. She's also contributed music to such girl-friendly programs as Grey's Anatomy and One Tree Hill. I swear, I only knew that because I read it on her Wiki.
Serious, one more Kanye entry, and I think we'll need to rename the site to reflect his ubiquitous presence. Like he said, "I am the greatest show on Earth." What can we do?
Anyway, the topic of this latest entry comes in the form of his SNL skit in which he plays on his recent tirades. That line about the champagne is one for the ages.
Oh yeah, and mad props to George Smoot, one of the co-recipients of the Nobel "Peace" Prize in Physics. Go Bears, yay-yay.
This was the last picture I took before this racist security toy cop ordered me to go put my camera in the car.
So the Foo Fighters decided to throw a party for the release of their brand new album (Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace) by performing at a tiny, little venue (which just happened to be the same venue Enoch saw his beloved Rentals merely days before) and practically giving away tickets to those who showed an obsessive amount of fan spirit.
Apparently, I qualified.
Despite what the Rolling Stones calls a mediocre album with useless tracks mindlessly thrown into what appears to be lacking in theme, I think the new stuff rocks my socks off. The first single, the Pretender, is a good way to get people interested, but it's not my favorite. That would be Long Road to Ruin, which is on repeat more than United States of Electronica ever had a chance. And Let it Die is also a great track. Whenever I hear it, I think Dave actually wrote it for Kurt. Maybe? Could be? And Stranger Things Have Happened makes me happy, although I think it's intended to be a sad song...
Anyway, I was tempted to actually buy the CD since I enjoyed it so much but then realized I don't own a single Foo Fighters album. This lead me to go onto Amazon.com and get the Colour and the Shape album from a seller in Florida for $4.83. Used, I know, but I'm poor. I'm hoping the purchase goes through so that I can adequately feel that my presence at Monday's concert was not a fluke.
Okay, obviously, I'm not the greatest at writing a well structured review so just listen to it and end up loving it, too.
I was fortunate enough to hear about Rentals' final show of the current tour at the Henry Fonda (after my previous Rentals post, mind you) and scored tickets for the lovefest last night. And what a lovefest it was.
Well, first things first. Opening band Copeland kinda blew. To be fair though, a couple members couldn't make it due to family issues, and the band soldiered on with an acoustic set rather than cancel. That said, you know it's pretty bad when this exchange goes on: "I hope they play a cover." "Of whom?" "Anybody."
On to the main show. I was really hoping the Rentals would open the way they've been doing throughout the tour, with the 2046 strings intro and "Move On," but they just came out and rocked the house. They played all the hits, including "Friends of P," "Waiting," "Barcelona," and a bombass version "I Just Threw Out the Love of My Dreams," with Rachel Haden, Lauren Chipman & Sara Radle all sharing vocals. Magnificent.
And, for the record, they did eventually play "Move On," to start the encore. Although sans 2046, it was still the highlight of the show for me. Anyway, since I didn't take any pictures and it'll be a couple of days before any bootlegs possibly begin rolling out, here's their intro from Chicago with all that great crap I've been harping about:
They forced me, kicking and screaming, whining and moaning, grabbing and jabbing... into the Staples Center to watch none other than the New King of Pop shake it like it hurt.
Yes. I saw Justin Timberlake last night at his opening Future/Sex/Lovesound show. My company insisted that we enjoy our lives and comped the whole endeavor. Can't complain about that.
I'll be honest. I like Justin Timberlake. Given I could probably kick his ass in a bar fight fairly easily, he could probably choreograph a whole kung-fu scene if he had the time.
It was an impressive show with tons of lasers, scantily clad women, and enough crotch gyrating to last me a lifetime. The best part, though, was the surprise performance by Kanye West. He must have heard that I didn't like his album and wanted to prove that he was a worthy artist. He did just that. He even pointed at me and said, "I love you, too."
Anyway, I think that musical artists all have levels. I always respected the ones who kept their concerts to smaller venues. Weezer at the Warfield. Green Day at Slim's. Common and Talib Kweli at the House of Blues. But some people aren't merely musical artists. They're celebrities and sometimes, uber-celebrities. Their shows are extravaganzas with lights, moving objects, and multiple giant screens. And honestly, it wouldn't be as great in any other way.
So fine. I admit it. Big arena concerts can be worth it, but not unless you can perform in that special way that keeps 20,000 people engaged like JT and Kanye did. I can't say the same for Good Charlotte, who opened for him. They should stick to impregnating anorexic heiresses.
Ultimate Victory comes out on Tuesday. So apparently, this album was due out back in March, but was pushed back. It's a good thing, too. If it had come out on schedule, I probably would have totally passed over this gem. Seriously, the first time I heard of Chamillionaire, I literally laughed out loud. I thought it was a joke. A millionaire chameleon? And he raps?
Well, my attitude started to change after catching the music video for the album's first single, "Hip Hop Police". Interesting lyrics, dope beat, and clever video production made a follow-up the least I could do for the Chamillionaire. And now, after listening to the album, I gotta say that I'm sorry for having slept on dude for so long. This millionaire has got some skills. Ultimate Victory is the shit.
In light of Jerome's previously posted Gorilla vs. Bear (see Sept. 4), I'd have to say that the original competition shouldn't really have been Kanye vs. 50 since... well... I can't think of how to put it without being called judgmental... Fuck it. 50 has no talent.
So this past weekend, I got my grubby paws onto two great albums. Kanye's Graduation and Talib Kweli's Ear Drum. I gave the prior a spin and thought... this is exactly as I expected. Lots of samples, a few slow beats, and a dare I say overused mantra of materialistic addiction? It's a good album if you have no other albums to listen to in the car.
But the real winner was clearly the latter. I've been to Talib shows. I've heard his other albums. But for some reason, I still needed proof that he was, in fact, a lyrical genius. Well, this album apparently serves that purpose. The messages are strong, he touches upon family, politics, media, and social conflict... and all on a smooth beat. There was a point when while listening, I thought... what the fuck is this, he sounds like Kanye right here... and low and behold, the song was featuring the overdone kid. (It's the part where he's talking about Silicon Susie. I know, right?)
Anyway, if you guys like Kanye's album, that's fine. Like it. Love it. Sleep with it under your pillow. Everyone's entitled to his own opinion... even it's wrong. HA!
For those of you who don't remember the Rentals, they were that fun, power pop supergroup that used a lot of the Moog in the mid to late 90's. They received minimal radio airtime but did gain a modest amount of exposure via Matt Sharp's Weezer and Rachel Haden's That Dog connections.
After dropping off the face of the earth during the early part of this decade, the band decided to tour again last summer, and after hearing rave reviews, I'm pretty damn pissed at myself for not getting tickets.
However, I was able to procure the audio for their Denver set, and let me just say that they do indeed sound freaking magnificent. Two personal highlights include a faster version of "Move On" and their rendition of Weezer & Rachel Haden's b-side "I Just Threw Out the Love of My Dreams," both of which I've included below for your pleasure.
So, in terms of music newsworthiness, the band's doing a residency on XMU every Tuesday in September, a new album's expected soon, and hopefully another tour's gonna follow. Rentals - Move On (Denver live)
Kanye or 50? Who's gonna outsell who? It's going down on 9/11 and aside from the record industry pulling a stripped down version of the East vs West beef that sparked sales in the late 90s (yea we all know how that one went down...), there's something else that's been intriguing me about this whole showdown.
What I can't help but notice is that, despite the seemingly different personas 50 and Ye come to represent: one of a gangsta and the other the baller by way of college dropout, when it comes down to it, both make music that seem to celebrate the American Dream.
Fiddy, in all his G-Unit/Glaceau glory, is about coming up in a world that doesn't give a shit about poor disenfranchised youth of color via any means necessary (ie moving keys, robbing fools). He's a hustler, he's a gangsta but he's made it. Look no further than his latest single "I Get Money" to understand what he's about. 50 has always been about playing into America's fear and fascination of Black males. It's almost like he's laughing "all the way to the bank" by owning his image and making millions from playing into a stereotype. Aggressive, hypersexual, criminal makes for some cool marketing. Essentially, we have Fiddy saying I've made it out by turning a negative thing into $$$.
In the other corner, Kanye. From the beginning, 'Ye has been about his whole "college is for suckas" shtick and how he's made it through the fire (or wire). His latest album, Graduation is all about the celebration and flossin you do once you've made it (Glory, Can't Tell Me Nothin, Flashing Lights come to mind). Where Fiddy puts forth a ghetto poor rags to riches story, Kanye comes at it from a middle class to riches perspective. Honestly how many kids in the hood are actually going to face the problem of dropping out of college, let alone apply to college? Like 50, Ye plays the role of the underdog that's made it. Both flaunt the fact that they made it despite the hate and adversity.
So is it me, or does this whole having two monumental pro American Dream Black figures drop on September 11th seem not so much like a coincidence? It's like some weird form of patriotism has swept popular black music. Discuss!
Unfortunately, I will have to miss out on the fun again because I couldn't talk my cousin into moving her wedding date to a non-fun weekend.
Therefore, I must once again experience the music vicariously through one of you. Tickets go on sale this Saturday. Oh yeah, and make sure you check out Justice, for both our sakes.
...but not really. It's more like only having two copies of the Pink Floyd.
One of the admins on the Keep Music Alive forums posted this little ditty, stating that two separate copies of Radiohead's seminal Kid A "will sync up and compliment each other" if played 17 seconds apart. Interesting concept, right?
Even though I'm one of the masses who's guilty of Thom Yorke idolatry, I still kinda find this hard to believe. Granted, it is a really cool idea that I wouldn't put past a genius like Monsieur Yorke to use.
I'll admit I haven't really played with this in depth and thus haven't really tried to incorporate the nuances of the songs in my bitching, but here's the thing: any song should sync up with itself approximately 17 seconds in. It's called rhythm.
Seriously, though, if somebody can attest to the aforementioned nuances, by all means, blow me. Away. Blow me away.
As the saying goes, what's the point in having a hot girlfriend if you can't properly f&ck her?
Okay, fine. I just made that up. But after listening to my wonderful collection of mp3s and CDs off of crappy speakers for the past 8 years, I finally did it and invested in a brand new set up.
Meet my new means to getting laid...
Apparently, its purpose is to add surround sound to an existing Sony Bravia HDTV. Although I don't have such a TV, I did want to utilize the digital goodness for what we all know it was meant to do... play music.
Imagine this system in a room roughly 10x14 with two speakers on high shelves, one under the bed, one on the bedside table, two on my desk, and the subwoofer under.
You know what you get? That's right. Stephan Jenkins practically sits in my room as he sings to me. And that, my friend, was worth getting ripped off by Amazon.
Looks like the kids are bringin' their A games to this blog shit. While I have nothing significant to add xept that I will be going to Rock The Bells this weekend (show review andpics to come no doubt)... I leave you all with this tidbit...
Q: How does a Seattle indie band gain some electronica cred?
A: Tell everybody they're from Europe, or specifically, Mannheim, Germany, as the case happens to be for the members of United State of Electronica.
So the story goes: these guys started up a fake electronica band at a Seattle nightclub, and the overwhelming response led them to take this thing more seriously. So seriously, in fact, they released a full-length album in 2004:
The opening track, "It Is On!", is quite bitchin', but the consensus is that the song doesn't really take off until after the vocoder shit ends, and the female vocals take center stage. So, if you're a busy music executive, fast forward to 1:17.
Album number 2 is expected to be out later this year or early next year. In the meantime, hit up their official website. There are other mp3s available plus some fun live videos.
Unable to leave a-pop alone, I've got another chunk for you to chew on. This time, we're snacking on Taiwan. New Yorker is a new pop band that just put out an album in 2007 called Make You Happy. The title track:
The lead singer, Mei, actually works at the music shop where I used to practice and take drum lessons. Pretty nice girl. Unfortunately, the album suffers a little from being too pop. I guess it's a so-so-ness in the songwriting. One thing that kind of sticks out is that the vocals tend to try to carry the music. It works on some tracks: "Let It Be" and "Make You Happy", but sort of falls flat for others: "Kiss Kiss" and "Oh! My God!"
But still, this is a decent album. Not really standard Taiwanese pop, but belonging more to a new kind of independent pop status. It's a little rough around the edges, but it's not bad. I'm looking forward to future albums.
Flight to Midwest America: $355 Hotel stay: $155 Concert ticket:$195 Corn on the cob:$3
Memories to last a lifetime:Priceless...
Cheeseburger, I know, but I've always wanted to write something like that.
After making the horrible decision to not attend Coachella (I blame momentary retardation), I was determined to make up for it by traveling the distance to attend the next big thing. I was also excited to visit Barack Obama's hometown. Barack the Casbah.
I'll list my favorite three performances.
Blonde Redhead.
She sat on a giant fake horse on stage. Yes, it was black felt.
Silverchair.
Oh, grunge. How I missed you. And man, did Daniel Johns age or what?
Daft Punk.
The energy, oh, the energy. I felt like I was staring at a giant Brite Lite setup on speed.
Despite the heat... then the rain (wtf!?!)... then the heat again, the journey was well rewarded. Although I've been anti-big-venue and anti-outdoor in the past, and although this adventure put a big a$$ dent in my wallet, it was well worth every penny and every minute of every delayed flight. I'm going again next year... and you're coming with me.
I may have found myself back in the west, but my head is still in the east. I've got a couple bands on repeat right now. One is a three woman outfit out of Japan called Chatmonchy. Don't ask me what their name's supposed to mean. The only Japanese I learned in my three years as their neighbor was gleaned from fansubbed Naruto cartoons.
But back to Chatmonchy, we're talking about kickassness on so multiple levels. For one thing, they are a band. Drummer, bassist, and vocal/guitar. With melodies and hooks reminiscent of the J Pop superstar, Ai Otsuka, this group befits from a rock sensibility maybe borrowed from heavyweight veterans Puffy Amiyumi. Quite frankly, I wish I was in this band. This song is off their 2006 full length release, Minimari, and one of my favorites:
You can also find their music vids (called PVs in Japan) in their grainy, incomprehensible glory on youtube. Here's one of their most popular tracks to date:
Europe got Rilo Kiley, Canada may have gotten Bjork, but the USA got Sting and his bulging (insert perverted imagination here).
Virgin Music festival in Baltimore...here are some highlights...
Saturday -It's 90+ degrees in Baltimore. Compared to Coachella that may be tolerated, except it's humid. That means swamp ass, but all over your body, including your face when you apply sunscreen. - After feeling sick and recovering, I make it back on time to catch Peter Bjorn and John (props to my friend/coworker Sam who got to play bongos with them in two songs) who were awesome. -LCD Soundsystem had the entire crowd dancing like fools. -TV on the Radio were amazing as usual with the lead singer of Celebration to join them for a few of their songs (might I add here I got to see them in the barricade. -Modest Mouse was coaxed on stage by chanting of their name, which soon ended with "WHAT THE FUCK, WHAT THE FUCK".
Sunday. -A lot cooler. Which turned to cloudy, which turned to rainy. -Caught Matisyahu; during the second song, the cutest little boy with huge headphones (to protect his ears from the sound) was let loose on stage. The photographers went nuts. The kid, rather confused walked in toddler fashion very slowly as if his head would fall off. -Bad brains lead singer flings a round loaf of bread on stage in which i mistake as a rock and duck like an idiot. -Karen O as usual has both the boys and girls (including me) wishing we could be/do her. The bowl cut never looked so hot. -Wu-Tang Clan; this is what Baltimore was waiting for. I was in charge of escorting a Washington Post photographer into the pit to catch crowd surfers. As we were mangled with heavy equipment on us, I was reminded again how old I am getting. By the end, we both looked like we got out of the shower with our clothes on. I forgive him (the crowd shot used on the front cover ended up being a picture that was NOT escorted by me) and will remain his BFF. -MIA rockin a new short hair cut, rocked her fans with tons of new material. She came on stage with my friend's poncho covered in hot pink gaffing tape spelling her name in which she proceeded to rip off after the third song.
Overall After long days in the sun and rain, being yelled at by photographers, yelling at photographers, stopping a fight, nonstop dirty jokes (virgin jokes, poon jokes, poop/porta-potti jokes, thats-what-she-said jokes, and oh yeah, did I mentioned we're going to bring the word "cooter" back?), and swamping sweat, it was definitely worth working. It was the one time where coworkers from the past and present from 930 Club were all in one place, and that was enough for me.
Two TaiwaneseOriental bands have just recently come up on the radar, and besides being ethnically superior, they both share the fact that they're pretty talented. Here are their respective gimmicks:
YMCK, FROM JAPAN, layer beautifully innocent vocals over 8-bit music. Plus, their website consists of fobbed out English and pixelated illustrations. How can you not love them?
John and Ash grew up together in Taiwan, and after being separated for 15 years, presumably because of the zombie revolution (but more likely because of some way less romantic socio-economic reason or school), the two were reunited in New York, rekindled (or started) a romance, and began making sweet music together as Misha (literally and hehe the other kind).
Ok so remember that video clip I posted up a minute ago where Akon tosses that kid off the stage? Well since then, Akon's released his half assed public apology track "Sorry Blame Me" to clean up his image (seriously, that track might as well have been named "Fuck you, shit ain't my fault"). In fact dude's taking it up the PR notch by trying to get fans to be in his Top Friends on his Myspace page.
Apparently, Mobile Faker have teamed up with Akon to launch this contest. The folks at Mobile Faker claim that their mobile application is the key to climbing up the social ladder. Faux calls to get you out of sticky situations, the latest news in pop culture and music so you know whats up.. and fake boyfriends/girlfriends to show off to other people called InstaMates... if you're on sprint its 4 bucks for the version with all the bells and whistles. Otherwise you can access it free via mobile internet at m.mobilefaker.com.
So the catch is: people gotta upload themselves as InstaMates... meaning upload a pic of yourself with a short fake bio so that other people can dl these profiles and pretend that they have a boyfriend/girlfriend. The entry that is most downloaded by folks wins the coveted spot on Akon's page.
Oh and uh I might've assisted in putting this contest together... BUHAHAHA.
It's been a pleasure sharing music with everybody, and I wasn't expecting any payout or anything, but now it's time to call in a favor or five.
My internet's going to be down for the next week or so, and that in itself isn't too bad except that I need to download certain torrents that seem to be fairly time-sensitive, meaning there are only a few seeders left.
If you can spare some bandwidth and can help a brotha out, please give me a call or shoot me an email (I can check at work).
I'd really appreciate it and will reward you greatly for work that would, in essence, make you my coke mule. Thank you much!
"That's more than a name, that's an attitude," said Madonna's character in the 1992 baseball chick-flick, A League of Their Own. It rings just as true today as it did back then, as Cat Power's The Greatest has indeed been dubbed the greatest, at least by the prestigious Shortlist Music Prize.
So what's the Shortlist? Since 2001, it's been probably the only annual music award that's been worth a damn. Nominated by fellow musicians, journalists and people who keep it real, the only requirements for an album to be listed are that 1. it was released within the previous calendar year, and 2. it hasn't been certified gold by the assholes at the RI-fuckin'-AA at its time of nomination. Previous winners include Damien Rice's O and Sufjan Stevens' Come On! Feel the Illinoise!
So congratulations to Ms. Power on this great achievement. Now it's time for a little rant.
Cat Power entries in big music blogs were fairly ubiquitous last year, which is understandable. Between the album and highly-regarded live shows, she deserves all the press coverage she's getting. The thing that bothered me, though, was that everybody kept calling her "Chan." Granted, Cat Power is really just one hep lady, but the un-ironic first name basis always annoyed me. I mean, it's not like, "Hey, Chan, quit fucking up." That's okay. It's more like Fergie said, "They always claim they know me/Comin' to me call me Stacy." Then she spells her name.
Public television champion, VCR advocate and Vietnam sniper, Fred Rogers of Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood has been known as many things to many people. Well, now we can add amateur b-boy to his list of accomplishments.
The part when he starts waving is just priceless:
If you check out the Wikipedia page on Fred Rogers, you'll see the Vietnam thing is nothing but an urban legend. He was already filming the 'Hood during the war, and prior to that, he was in Canada smoking dope with Bill Clinton.
Now that I finally have my file hosting shiz sorted out, I can share some sets from this year's Coachella festival with y'all. First up is my personal favorite from the weekend: Interpol, who played Friday night right before Bjork.
But before we get to the good stuff, here are some pictures to waste your time:
By the way, have you met the new Carlos D? He's gone from "Bela Lugosi's Dead" to Pablo Escobar on Zoloft: Without further ado, here's Interpol's full set. I highly, highly recommend "Mammoth."
Oh yeah, I've also uploaded the set by Ziggy Marley & Jr. Gong. If you grab it, can you do me a favor and hook it up with track names? Thanks, you're a peach.
This is a recap of a week in May that I shall bore you with. Aren't you excited now to read it?!
Sunday: Blonde Redhead plays, I am excited of course...until the day of. I don't go (the story of my life)*
Monday: Scold myself all day, thinking about how I better go to the rest of the shows during the week.
Tuesday: CocoRosie show is canceled! Of course I exclaim blasphemy! My heart was set on going to this one! Then rumors fly about them getting arrested? Can you say cheap publicity stunt? (har, har)
Wednesday: Air plays. I go. Unfortunately, there is no air circulating in the sold out venue; I think all super wasted people hogged it all. I'm hot and bothered by loud people talking over their mellow music and by people bumping into me. This princess decides to ditch her friend and watch from the way back.
Thursday: Ben Gibbard solo. After thinking about bailing, my friend Andrew decides to come to the show. He's leaving for the summer to intern in Utah like the good law student that he is, so of course I have to go to hang out with him. I sport my gaudy, vintage clip-on earrings and stripped flats to try and blend in with the indie darlings (it felt like being in high school again at Knotts surrounded by couple making out in the lines, but this would be more romantic I guess). Mr. Gibbard is awesome! He mostly plays Postal Service and Death Cab songs acoustic and they are lovely. I decide to stay and enjoy the show.**
Friday: Album Leaf is playing and I contemplate going since they were one of the bands on Holiday Matinee (where I used to intern at in San Diego) and also since he is amazing live. I opt out, feeling like a poser and also since I realize I don't even have enough to withdraw a twenty out of my checking account.
All in all, I'm learning more about myself. I take shows for granted and I'm getting old. What's coming up? The Faint, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, Feist, Fall of Troy, and Manu Chao in June. Don't hold your breathe for a great blog entry...
*so my friend Dana forces the new CD on me and of course, I'm in love with it...the first song on it reminds me of Clockwork Orange...does anyone else get that? Let me know...
Today, I heard from a friend (Wikipedia) whose other friend (MTV News) told him that R. Kelly's "Trapped in the Closet" is making a return this July with 10 new parts. That's 22 total chapters! Hells yeah!
Will all the questions that've been lingering for the past year and a half finally be resolved? What happened to the midget? The gay priest? The asshole cop?
If you have no idea what I'm talking about or simply want a refresher course in this hip-hopera, check out the following summaries:
Ok. It's been a slow month. So here's the newest GH-related youtube vid.
Oh, and does anyone else out there see a connection between Guitar Hero and the newest single by the White Stripes? Listen for yourself, if you haven't already, to Icky Thump.
Last night, the boys of the Lonely Island unleashed another hilarious SNL Digital Short, apparently satirizing one of the season finales of the OC. If you watch the SNL clip first, it totally screws with the gravitas in the OC clip:
If you're not sick of the song yet, here it is for you to love forever. Is it just me, or does Imogen Heap sound like she's got some kind of Ladysmith Black Mambazo thing going on?
TV on the Radio played the Music Box at the Henry Fonda Theatre on Friday, and speaking on behalf of Linda and Jerome, let me just say it was the shit (in a good way). Great energy and a full house made the show one for the books.
Every now and then, I sneak in lyrics from "The Wrong Way" into my prayers, namely the lines, "Teachin' folks [the score]/About patience, understanding, [agape babe]," so as you can imagine, hearing those lines live was pretty amazing. During my prayers, if I'm mumbling or I know the people around me aren't really paying attention, I try to squeeze in the words in brackets really quickly. So far, 3-for-3, baby.
Pictures courtesy of Zully's camera and a couple of vodka-Red Bulls.
This was the last picture I took before this racist security toy cop ordered me to go put my camera in the car.
