A couple of titillating news items:
- Talib Kweli goes gangsta-beefin Weird Al' all over Mims' "This is Why I'm Hot" with his version entitled "Niggas Lie A Lot". It would seem that Kweli is attacking easy prey in the hyper-boastful Mims, but he makes it clear that he's not interested in bullying, but policing. Protecting and serving the public from wack mc's making inflated claims of their "hotness" and "flyness".
Kweli and Mims aside -- this beat is SO filthy. PEEP IT
- Remixes are everywhere these days, but a quick roundup of the latest and greatest:
Bone Thugs N' Harmony - Ecstasy (Copy Remix)
The Bird and the Bee - Fucking Boyfriend (Peaches Remix)
Feist - My Moon My Man (Boys Noize Remix)
Clipse - Mr Me Too (Z.A.K. Remix)
Notorious B.I.G. - Party and Bullshit (Ratatat Remix)
- New Timbaland album means good things - one of which is the track "Oh, Timbaland" which samples Nina Simone's classic "Sinnerman". Tim isn't much of a rapper, but boy oh boy his production is butter. Also, I think Talib Kweli sampled "Sinnerman" in his song "Get By" a few years back. Aaaand we've come full circle.
**Be on the lookout for a Ratatat show review from both Dylan and myself sometime in the near future. **
Wednesday, March 28, 2007
Do What You Do
Wednesday, March 21, 2007
LCD Soundsystem - Sound of Silver
Remember the first time you heard "Daft Punk is Playing at my House"?
Remember how good that felt? Remember how it was on repeat for maybe a little too long?
Well, needless to say, the ante hath been upped with LCD Soundsystem's second full length album. What if I told you that you could now get an album of near perfect dance-rock proportions? Sound of Silver comes from a world where synths, guitars, drum machines, samples, vocals and many more live in perfect harmony with eachother swaying back and forth in the breeze but still to the beat. I would write more, but guess what?
I have to go dance, by myself. yeah. whoa. cya.
Cadillac Escapades
[NEWS FLASH]: Just a minute ago, I was sitting here surfing the internets and, as always, the constant hum of the television provided a comforting blanket of white noise in the background. This time, the banality was broken by a gem from The Album Leaf. Unsurprisingly, I was surprised and went to investigate. Turns out, the song was being used for a Cadillac commercial to adorn their claims of low APR's and dismal MPG's. I'm not going to rant about selling out or any of that biznezz, as the accusation has been previously oft cast, and the bands have already received many malignant and disparaging criticisms. I'm not mad, I'm just disappointed.
On a related note, I also recently heard an Animal Collective song on a Crayola commercial.
See Album Leaf?
There's a right way and a wrong way to do this sort of thing.
Tuesday, March 13, 2007
PDX POP!
Yeah, it's that time of year again, time to get off your fixie, put down your vegan sandwhich and go to PDX POP's website and request your favorite rose city bands.
Last years bands included:
Copy
Strength
Small Sails
Were From Japan!
...Worms
Horse Feathers
Thanksgiving
Yacht
Wet Confetti
Nice Nice
whew!
Thursday, March 08, 2007
k-os - Atlantis (Hymns for Disco) 6.5/10
k-os is huge in Canada. His last album went platinum and he has received several Juno awards (Canadian equivalent of the Grammy). But his lack of widespread success in the U.S. can be attributed to his critique of the mainstream hip hop that all know and love so much. On his latest album, he’s done away with the lyrical dissention, but continues to defy traditional genres. k-os is a talented producer and a fairly proficient rapper, but he does a hell of a lot of singing on this album and the result is a slew of boring, lackluster tunes. Atlantis indeed, as not even special guest / Nova Scotian wunderkind Buck 65 can save this lost empire.
Air - Pocket Symphony 9.1/10
French electronic duo Air make soundtracks to accompany your mysteriously bizarre dreams. With the help of Radiohead producer Nigel Godrich, Air has succeeded once again in creating a gorgeously conceived and crafted album. The 12 songs weave in and out of each other hypnotically with downtempo beats and delicate instrumentation. Pulp front-man Jarvis Cocker contributes breathy, self-assured vocals on the song “One Hell of a Party”, which, combined with Air’s new affinity for obscure Japanese instruments, highlights Air’s musical progression.
Let's Go Sailing - The Chaos in Order 8.9/10
Let’s get the name dropping out of the way. Courtney Love once joined them onstage for a song, and the Flaming Lips played their demos at their shows in between sets. Singer/songwriter Shana Levy has performed with Rilo Kiley and Dios Malos. Tanya Haden, member of Silversun Pickups and wife to the more famous half of Tenacious D, plays cello on the album. Now, Let’s Go Sailing. This delightful indie pop outfit make songs about love and loss and they do it with the greatest of ease. And, since it is chamber pop: Hark, the strings soar and the fair maiden’s wistful voice is layered in rapturous harmony; this is true splendor.
Wednesday, March 07, 2007
The Arcade Fire: Neon Bible 7.3/10
I often make the mistake of equating epic with grand, which then quickly leads me to great. Now if this little formula were to be applied The Arcade Fire's new album, it would end up being a 15/10 or something totally ridiculous. This album is epic to the point were it becomes a parody of itself. Somehow this is both a strength and weakness of the album. Neon Bible is what happens, apparently, when The Arcade Fire go out of their neighborhood for the first time and see the world with naive eyes. It seems that they realized the world is bigger than the 5 blocks they comfortably inhabited on Funeral. Songs like Intervention and No Cars Go are where The Arcade Fire truly shine. Releasing a barrage of organs, horns, choirs, strings (the works folks, the works). No Cars Go is Sufjan-esque indeed, but it is unequivocally their own which is what is great about this band: their ability to repeatedly and successfully incorporate a wide variety of influences into something wholly unique.
Tuesday, March 06, 2007
Still alive. Anyone reading?
So 2007 has been whoa... so far. Lets do a quick little recap:
Menomena's new album Friend and Foe is phenomenal.
Arcade Fire's Neon Bible is... good.
Sparklhorse's newest endeavor is 7/10
Copy's new album came out today, lookout for a review of that very soon as well as the new air album.
If you haven't already, checkout Strength, really good stuff.
If you have money go to coachella, if you have less money go to sasquatch.
peace.
-Dyl
Friday, January 26, 2007
Sunday, October 22, 2006
Review - Meek Warrior 6.7/10
The members of New York based Akron/Family have been working relentlessly since signing to Young God Records in 2003. The four gents have released two full length albums and a split LP with label mates Angels of Light while touring the country. The most recent of which is the exciting and challenging Meek Warrior. Akron/Family make it clear from the opening song that they are not attempting to simply rehash the successful formula used in their lauded debut. The frenetic guitar riff and ominous, insistent drums are a far cry from the melodic, understated finger-picking one finds on their previous record. The intensity slowly evolves into an amalgamation of hand claps, dissonant murmurs, and finally an impassioned chant. One could easily see a song like "Blessing Force" being separated into four songs due to Akron/Family's tendency towards progressive and constant variation. At times, Akron/Family sounds like a relative of Animal Collective due to their unbridled, exuberant sing-a-long style and eccentric campfire folksy sensibilities. Meek Warrior is organic, cosmic, and unrestrained all at once; it’s the kind of album that can grow on you.
Review - Into the Blue Again 8.6/10
The latest release from multi-instrumentalist Jimmy LaValle a.k.a. The Album Leaf expands on the distinctive, ethereal sound established on his previous records. LaValle delicately crafts songs reminiscent of Sigur Ros in orchestral grandeur, but with abundant use of a Rhodes piano and programmed drum beats, Into The Blue Again is distinctively Album Leaf. Enlisting Pall Jenkins to help with writing lyrics, LaValle's vocals are more prominent than ever before. On the second track, "Always For You", LaValle sings "Through the cities I've walked / In castles I dream / On mountains I've climbed / When I called your name". Paired lush, layered sounds, the album evokes a cinematic quality in which the protagonist is a weary lovelorn traveler . Each song slowly builds into an inspiring crescendo and is resolved in seven minutes or less. In the iTunes era, in which singles take precedent over full albums, LaValle has succeeded in creating a cohesive, flawlessly integrated record. Recorded in Washington and mixed in Iceland, Into The Blue Again transports the listener to equally familiar and distant places. Tranquility never sounded this good.
Thursday, October 05, 2006
Majesty, OH WORD?
For those of you lucky enough to have caught Mr. Stevens on his current tour, you'll be familiar with the EPIC new song Majesty, Snowbird . If you haven't heard it, or simply want an mp3 version, clickity clack on that there link and download the song. You won't be disappointed.
Thursday, September 28, 2006
Wednesday, September 13, 2006
MENOMENA's New exclusive mp3!?!?!!
Thats right biatches. The turds over at pitchfork have the linkz to "Wet and Rusting" off of the new MENOMENA!!>!!?> album (Friend or Foe) that should be "dropping" in January. The Portland band of all Portland bands signed to Barsuk for this one and if the album is anything like Wet and Rusting... oh mah gawd. These talented song writers have topped themselves again, I won't waste anymore of your time. please. go. download. it.... now.
- Dyl.
Friday, August 04, 2006
News: New Album! Remixes!
The Beasties Boys are currently in the studio (well, not right now...its about 5 am on the east coast, but i assume they'll be in there at a reasonable hour) WORKING on a NEW ALBUM. After 2004's self-produced, acclaimed To The 5 Burroughs, the beasties have again decided to produce the lp themselves.
- Also, Stars lp "Set Yourself on Fire" is set to be remixed by a whole gang of folks. Among them, Junior Boys and Broken Social Scene. The reeeemixes will be released in the fall under the title of "Do You Trust Your Friends?" and will feature a reworking of every track from the original. On a side note: Stars are fucking awesome.
Tuesday, July 25, 2006
Track Review: Ratatat - Wildcat
Ratatat's acclaimed self-titled debut dropped in 2004 and thankfully they're back in the game with their new disc Classics. The fourth track "Wildcat" means business and that business is making you dance. The bassline is funky as shit and the guitars are as Ratatat-y as they come, but what really sets this track off is the sample of a wildcat roar. Interjected every so often, the howl gives the song an extra ounce of attitude -- not that it's lacking in that department. What begins as fairly tame builds into one ferocious beast of a song.
Saturday, July 22, 2006
News: Decemberists
So one of Portland's biggest bands is prepping their upcoming release The Crane Wife (Oct. 3rd) with a N. America tour. The album features some pretty sweet folks like Laura Veirs and Chris Walla(of Death Cab) who co-produced it. The wintery group will be playing two shows at the Crystal Ballroom October 17 and 18 with Lavender Diamond. They will also be playing shows in Seattle and Salem.
Heres a tracklist suckaz:
01 The Crane Wife 3
02 The Island:
Come and See
The Landlord's Daughter
You'll Not Feel the Drowning
03 Yankee Bayonet (I Will Be Home Then)
04 O Valencia!
05 The Perfect Crime #2
06 When the War Came
07 Shankill Butchers
08 Summersong
09 The Crane Wife 1 & 2
10 Sons and Daughters
Wednesday, July 19, 2006
Review: The Looks 9/10
The fallout left from Daft Punk's hideous creation Human After All created an opportunity for someone to take "robot-dance-flame." Death from Above 1979's Jesse F. Keeler and Dj Al-P teamed up to create MSTRKRFT and found whatever it was that Daft Punk lost in the process of making Human After All.
The Looks starts off with their obvious single "Work on You" which is extremely catchy a la "Harder, Better" etc. At the start of the song vocoder voice croons "I'm gonna work on you/until you're feeling right/I'm gonna make you mine/under the disco light"
wow.
The icing on the cake is that the video for this song is indeed animated, and yes done in the same style as Interstella 555. Moving along we get to track 3 "Shes Good for Business". Here they follow the standard dance song recipe: loads of claps, synthy basslines, and lots of girls singing "I gotta shake it" Yes, yes you do.
"Paris" is the next song and basically if you took Mylo and Daft Punk and mixed them together you would get this song. +5 more really dancey songs that will make you dance.
So, nothing new here in this album, its just that its done really well. From start to finish its no BS straight up shake-yo-booty-to-dis-beat. Daft Punk undoubtedly wishes they could have made this album.
-Dylan Reed
Friday, July 14, 2006
Review: The Avalanche 7/10
With 2003's Greetings From Michigan: The Great Lakes State, Sufjan Stevens set the bar high for the following 49 albums. Despite producing such an excellent soundtrack for one watery mid-west state, Mr. Stevens was able to work his magic once again with the masterpiece that is Illinois in 2005. Now, he comes to us with The Avalanche, a collection of songs that didn't quite make the cut on Illinois. In this fairly polished b-sides record, we see more of the songwriting and orchestration that has made Sufjan massively popular.
The opening track "The Avalanche" is a warm introduction that reaches a surprisingly thrilling crescendo with insistent horns and percussion. It is easy to see a track like this fitting seamlessly into the Illinois track listing. In other instances however, the listener will thank Sufjan for his discretion. In the case of the epic "Chicago", we see three alternate versions which come in acoustic, adult contemporary, and multiple personality disorder. They are aptly titled, to say the least. At times, Sufjan sounds a bit clumsy and more experimental than in his previous ventures. One can hardly be critical, as they are outtakes. Rather, it is interesting to see the evolution of his songs; the tweaks and compositional modifications that he makes.
Sufjan's ability to effectively blend historical matter and superb songwriting continues on this album. "Saul Bellow" tells the tale of a nobel prize-winning author, and the many locations such as "Kaskaskia River" all help to paint the patriotic picture so deftly presented by the songwriter. The standout track "Henney Buggy", with a catchy riff in the vein of "Jacksonville", will make your summer playlist.
Perhaps this release was merely a stopgap in the Sufjan Stevens discography, something to satisfy his fans momentarily. Whatever the reason for release, this work should not be regarded as completely second-rate. Many songs on the album live up to expectations, but others are more noticeably outtakes. Overall, The Avalanche is a nice accompaniment to Illinois, especially after you've listened the hell out of the latter in the past year.
-Kyle Gilkeson
