This post is about the dank band, Skank. They have been putting out their good vibed reggae and mellow rock for over twenty years. They were never my favorite band when I lived in Brazil but I seem to like them more and more. Skank is from Belo Horizonte, which is Brazil’s third largest city. Fortunately, when I listen to them, I often think about an epic journey that I took with Gator to BH. However, Gator and I did not make the pilgrimage in honor of Skank. We went to pay our radical friends a visit and we quickly discovered that BH is one of Brazil’s most fun and wild cities. Our mates Thiago, Luiz, Matheus, Marcio and their amazing families showed us o melhor da cidade! Our highlights included amazing family meals (a churrasco and an epic feijoada), epic Acai, enjoying um basiado na praca do papa, and a few over the top nights on the town. My only regret is that we got our asses kicked playing footy at a local field. I should have expected nothing less from Brazil. Unfortunately, Skank’s music also reminds me of that fateful ass whooping. Sometimes music can be bittersweet.
About a week ago I saw that Hunting Club had a new album coming out. I immediately remembered that about two years ago Andrew Archer came out of nowhere with a great review of their debut album Plaid Album. I wondered how he was doing and promised myself that I would check out the album. A couple of days ago Andrew (now a recently published author! [check out the link below]) once again wrote me out of nowhere with a review of Hunting Club's new album Mosaic. Thanks again Andrew for another firey review! You're always welcome on these pages.
"Musical Concoctions"
I attended a Hunting Club show in the spring of 2012 at
“Cause” in Minneapolis (after party was at “Effect”). After covering most of “The
Plaid Album,” the instruments leapt into an awakening new track. Front man and
infinite hipster—Eric Pasi (known to wear sunglasses on cloudy
days)—had previously shared the unnamed song with me
via e-mail, so I had some vague familiarity to the track.
I’m not sure if “Double Vision” is
a dance or the dance created is the song?
The hairs on my arms and neck gathered while I felt my bodily atmosphere shift.
The feeling it invokes is between the one you get during a captivating speech and
the moment you found out Steve Jobs died; it sort of comes out of nowhere with
an auditory hurl, but parasitically implants itself. This shock never gets old.
If you don’t at least tap your foot to the jam I would consult a physician
about potential paralysis or other pseudo-neurological condition (e.g. blurred or
double vision):
how can you pretend it’s super-stition?
knowing what is next would beat you senseless
After the 5 to 6 audience
members left the venue, I slalomed to the front of the stage to catch up with Eric;
“That new [Double Vision] track is hot.
It’s gonna be your hit single...I’m telling you, the Current [radio
station] is gonna be all over that shit,
you wait n’ see.”
Hunting Club’s sophomore
album opens with “Magic Bullet.” The
feel is something like running while you are stoned.
Tracks like “Skyscraper”
exhibit the band’s true talent for uniquely-crafted yet stylistic jams that even
inspire the most talentless of Caucasians to dance. My journalist copy was
initially titled “THC 1,” which I was told did
not refer to the band’s extra-curricular activities[citation needed].
“White Lies” has that
hypnotic or transient, gritty sound that is like tentacles to the senses. The listener
is held and it conjures an image of a benevolent octopus slow dancing with
someone.
There is an omniscient—or
at the very least—arrogant thread to “Hollywood (who cares?).” The
lyrics are a nonchalant series of incongruent polarities:
blind faith black flag
line up get trashed
i know everyone
forwards backwards
The recursive track is
ripe with satire depicting a Hollywood culture enveloped in the superficial. This
commentary reaches the depths of that type of social complacency:
live in magazine
culture and wet dream
you know everyone
inside and outside
The album finishes
strong with the anthem and declaration, “Nothing Lasts Forever” as well as
“More Than Games,” which takes aim at the romantic quest with existential
annotations:
Deep in the sky I’m empty
[...] Dying for your apathy
The chorus grows
incrementally as the song evolves into a remarkable ballad rich with emotional
countenance.
I still can’t understand
any of the words in the final song, “Suburban Bear,” but the fucking title is
awesome!
This idiosyncratic
collection of songs is an exploration of the shallow state of America. Songs
like “Skyscraper” might be hinting at the capitalist ethos in general;
Living well on paper,
Living well on borrowed time
Or maybe I’m
projecting... #studentloans
The album’s musical diversity
is a concoction of jazz, hip hop and indie-rock. Despite the eclectic blend,
the prodigious writing, instrumentation and swagger has left the audience with
a musical composite that is creatively uniform; a "Mosaic."
Beatboxing videos are a dime a dozen and generally range from mundane Skrillex covers to more "artistic" takes on the classics. The main feature they share is that they get old quick, the novelty factor of "wow he's making all those noises himself!" generally wearing out after a minute or so.
Tom Thum, however, is the Gandalf of beatboxers and keeps the TEDxSydney audience enthralled throughout this almost 12 minute long video. Hailing from Brisbane, Tom's talk goes from seeming out of place on a Ted stage to being the perfect Ted talk as it both entertains while making you wonder, and all the while he pushes the limits of the art of beatboxing. Take a break from whatever you're doing this summer Wednesday and check out a guy doing something he is really really good at. After you're done, get inspired and work on whatever will get you on that stage someday!
Now that the music community's fickle eye has moved passed Yeezus to Jay Z's MCHG, it's ironically the perfect time to take a clearer look at Kanye's newest album. Now that all the instant reactions have passed and the reviews have been posted, the noise has died down and the music has a little space to breathe. But, before I post my thoughts, I want to take a look back on what has been one of the highlights of Kanye's music since his first mixtape: his samples. No matter what you think of Kanye as an artist, you have to appreciate his ear for music which ranges from the souliest Motown to Bollywood ballads. From what I can tell (after an excessive amount of time searching) all of these mixtapes aren't presented ANYWHERE else together online so so here are mixtapes of all (except Late Registration which seemingly doesn't exist) the samples from all of Kanye's six albums and a bonus mixtape from his G.O.O.D. Friday series. Enjoy the incredible variety of tunes! A full Spotify playlist of all these is coming soon!
I had another post all ready to go but it'll wait till tomorrow. alt-J just posted this video on their Facebook account and it put a big smile on my face. Performing at last week's Glastonbury festival, this show really seems to be the capstone on a tumultuous 18 months that has seen the band go from being virtual unknowns to attracting a crowd of tens of thousands at the biggest festival in Europe. I love seeing videos like these: although they have toured extensively you can tell that this is still special for them and their lead singer slips a "we made it" smile in at about the 1:40 mark. I wish nothing but the best for them and only hope that their taking time amongst the nonstop touring to work on their sophomore album (and it seems as though they are!).
With each "Hasta siempre Rivas!!" (Rivas being the town in the suburbs of Madrid where he played), Manu Chao and his merry band left the stage followed by the shouts and howls of the thousands in attendance. Four times they returned, stretching out a concert that I thought would be a little over an hour into a three hour marathon of amazing music: the funky sounds of when cultures intertwine, borders drop, and people come together. When we finally left the show, in the midst of a surprising May cold snap that had us shivering in the Spanish night, we were exhausted: legs cramping, vocal cords shattered, shoulders hurting from holding off the hordes. But even now I can still hear Manu shouting "Oy yo yo yoooo!", imploring us to keep up with his fierce energy.
Manu for me was a top two show I had to see, right up there with the indomitable Outkast. Manu's music was a big reason for me wanting to learn Spanish and, in some ways, for moving to Spain. Although he still hasn't made quite the same name for himself in the US, Manu's kaleidoscopic mix of different sounds have made him a legend in Latin American and many European countries.
After enjoying a few beers at the feria of Rivas before the show with my girlfriend and great buddy Tobes, we joined the masses to walk the quick jaunt to the gigantic auditorium of Rivas, a Spanish white elephant if there ever was one. What happened the next three hours is still a blur: a beautiful mix of different styles, influences, political messages, waved Western Saharan flags, and Manu. Songs took on lives of their own; the most obscure song would suddenly turn into a mammoth rallying call for the crowd to mosh with a passion. The only breaks Manu, his sound effect guy (another living legend), drummer, and guitar player took were the encore breaks, slight eyes of the storms of music and dancing. Jumping around from his monumental solo catalog and his work with Mano Negra, there is no song that I wish he had played but at the same time no song sounded exactly as I had heard it the hundreds of times before. The songs, rather, become notes in a amazing symphony that Manu was playing: each had its time to shine yet never became more important than the composition as a whole. The three hour symphony made us sing, dance, think, yell, and was a true musical experience-the closest thing this atheist will get to going to church-there with a couple thousand other music lovers, jamming at the alter of Manu.
For a taste of the show, check out Manu's live album from 2009, Baionarena!
I have a
confession to make. I think that Rick
James is one of the funkiest musicians of all time.
My
brother Moose has been bumping his jams for years. However, I never really liked him until last
week. When I thought of Rick James, I
thought of the mythical song “Super Freak,” which I have heard about 10,000
times and I think really sucks.
However,
one song I do love is Rick James’ 1981 classic, “Give It to Me Baby.” I know that most of the readers have already
heard the song before because it has been featured in a few movies. Back in the day, it reached #1 on the R&B
charts. However, I would like to use my
bully pulpit (JamandaHalf) to implore you to give it another listen. It is truly funky.
The
first song on the playlist is “Give It to Me Baby” followed by a recording of Rick’s
epic concert in Long Beach from 1981. If
I could go back in time, I would, if only just to go to that show. It was a true party complete with a tribute
to the late, great, Bob Marley, who had just passed away. "You paid too much money to come in here and sit on your ass!... Raise your left hand, raise it up high. Now pretend its the KKK and smack the shit out of it! Now keep the groove up!"
Kjel (pronounced “Kel”) Keast and Isaac C are two musicians from the south of England. When this duo teams up, Kjel picks up the acoustic guitar and carries the choruses. Isaac adopts a more central role taking responsibility for the verses. Both Isaac and Kjel have separate projects and have only played together on a handful of occasions. Recently, Kjel has spent his time playing solo gigs and bouncing around a number of bands, while Isaac has recorded a mixtape and just released a single entitled “Getaway” on iTunes. Both are sick musicians but they are very different. And I think their contrast is what makes their joint project so special.
When the two get together, they cook up something quite pleasing. Isaac provides the main course of a great voice, conscious lyrics, and a polished flow. Kjel garnishes Isaac's verses with felicitous guitar rhythms and light, sweet vocals. The two styles stand in sharp contrast although when they come together they do so in surprising harmony. It is a zesty and refreshing combination to hear some rap without a thumping baseline.
I interviewed the garnisher, Kjel, a few weeks back and he enlightened me on a few topics.
Who are you and what do you do?
Me, myself, I was born in Cornwall, England. So that makes me Cornish, English. I'm a singer songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, composer, producer, engineer... So, you're a music freak?
Well...yea...I like to get involved with it as much as I can. I sing and I play the electric guitar, acoustic guitar, bass, drums, I do sound engineering...but now I am playing a bunch with my acoustic guitar. It depends on my mood. But I'm definitely a musician. That is what I do. On my Facebook it says 'musician slash entertainer.' What are your musical goals?
If I sold out shows around the world I wouldn't complain. But I would be happy if I could live off playing my own music. To write music that makes me happy and makes other people happy. Music connects on many different emotional levels and music makes people feel like nothing else really can. How did you start working with Isaac?
I saw Isaac in this YouTube video, which features Isaac C with Michael Collings, a finalist on Britain’s Got Talent. I know what I like and it is really hard to stand out in England because there is a lot of talent and I heard the song and I was like, 'this guy is really good. I loved his tone, style and everything.' So I saw that he had collaborated with a bunch of people and I sent him a message basically saying, 'hi, you don't know me but I'm a musician and live close by. Would you want to meet up some time and play some music or do a song?'
And then I went to Turkey for a few months and when I got back I sent him another message. It was a little bit iffy, we were gonna meet up and didn't. Then one day we did. Isaac told me that he wanted to play some of his songs from his mixtape in an acoustic setting and asked me if I might be able to do it with him. And I said 'yea definitely.' I took the songs home, listened to them, wrote all the chords for all the songs in one night and I sent it to him the next day and he loved it. That was the second time that we had ever met. We met a third time to practice and the fourth time we met was in the studio to record. [I wanted to switch topics so I decided to ask...] And what do you do when you are not playing music?
I enjoy being with my friends and having a good time, playing some football, a bit of sport, a bit of health...whatever. Vegetables?
[pause] A few.... A couple?
Well I like fruit more than vegetables. I just bought some bananas the other day. I like strawberries, grapes, pears, apples... What about Brussels sprout, or cabbage?
Naaaaaawwww. No. I could eat a fruit salad....but I couldn't eat a vegetable salad. I guess I don't really like all vegetables....I do eat some vegetables, I just don't eat every vegetable. Especially not in salad form?
Well I love onions! I love onions....I don't mind a few carrots....But I cant really do cucumbers. No green and leafy, ewwwuuuggghhh. Did you know, that cucumbers are actually fruit, technically.
Is it? Is a cucumber like a tomato? But you wouldn't have a cucumber in a fruit salad, would you?
We shot the shit for a good while, laughing about this and about that, but the bottom line is that Kjel and Isaac's project is good. It is refreshing and new. Kinda like taking a bite out of a fresh fruit...maybe even a cool cucumber.
Both Isaac and Kjel are currently running around trying to make a name for themselves. However, I feel like, together they have struck gold. I hope they realize it too. The duo plan to head into the studio in June to finish the album…and we will be waiting.
In the mean time here is a sample of what Kjel and Isaac do.
Whatever you're doing today, whether it's counting down the minutes at work while the weekend beckons or hurtling your way through a paper which should have been written a week ago, it's never bad to have something that helps you carry that load. Let today's Bastaixo for you be the funky sounds of the band Stuff. A work buddy of mine (and a gnarly bass player himself) passed me along this video of a live set of them playing at the Montreux (Switzerland) Jazz Festival in 1976 and it's the perfect way to make an hour fly by today. Based in NYC, Stuff were great musicians in their own rights and had five albums go Gold in the US (and one went Platinum in Japan!). They were also sought after backing musicians and played with artists from Paul Simon to Aretha Franklin and John Lennon.
Stuff show off their incredible musical range and dabble in classical jazz to funk to jamband while sounding amazing the entire time. While you listen along, keep track of the audience. The frigid Swiss at first appear to be a hostile crowd yet eventually find themselves unable to deny the funk. And finally, it doesn't hurt that their drummer reminds me of this guy when he gets going.
Like the ribs at RedHill BBQ in Rancho Cucamonga, California (my favorite BBQ spot in the world and a must visit if you ever find yourself lost in the concrete madness that is the Inland Empire) I musically let the new Daft Punk album smoke gently for hours. Good things come to those who wait and the perfect example is BBQ: only after a seemingly endless amount of time do the subtle flavors of the wood and marinade come out. Like a lot of you I followed every masterful video and teaser, all those subtle hints that turned an album by a (relatively little known 5 years ago) French electronic duo into the biggest album release of the millennium. After managing to ignore almost every preview and first impression post that plagued the blogosphere for those first weeks after the album dropped, I let the album do the talking and I think I can finally taste it: that subtle sweet tang of a track that will stay with me for years.
"Doin' it Right" is most likely the simplest track on Random Access Memories: a repetitive, echoing, loop based jamandahalf that is guaranteed to change this face as Ricky Rubio once said. Building and fading, "Doin' It Right" never loses that undeniable quirkiness that will have me going back to it for years, just like those innumerous trips to RedHill during our college years.
