Just because...

...i just can't stop rocking this.

Andre-with-an-accent three-triple-O is on his "early busta rhymes" game - killing long guest verses.
Gotta find me a mixtape of these cuts!

Ben jamin'

More Marketing

My Drive Thru - Santogold, Julian Casablancas, N.E.R.D produced by Pharrell for converse.

Great video! The song is cool but the creativity of the cut-out paper figures deserves a rewind.

Estelle - "Back in Love"

a) is my new summer in the city song.

b) has some lovely drum programming.

c) needs a Bugz in the Attic remix.

d) all of the above.

What the?...

Came across this strange ad on the subway the other day. No mention of it on Kanye’s site, but I did find this commercial. It ends with the ominous “a vision by kanye west”. I can’t believe someone green-lit this!

Thanks to kemba for putting me on to the new gnarls barkley video for “whose gonna save my soul”. Wow. She knew I’d like it. Her words: “picturesque and very appropriate. Shout out to all the lovers out there!” It’s almost like an anti-video with the acting taking center stage over the song itself. I thought it was a commercial for MTV at first. It looks like something they would do in between their many shows. An amazing drug-induced concept that definitely has people talking.

And finally, this made my day:



My two favorite things – muppets and M.O.P.

Herbie

I've meaning to get around to getting this down for a while, but 60-hour work-weeks don't really accomodate rambling jazz treatises.  But, I digress (prematurely).

Japan, or maybe Japan of yesteryear, being full of cultured jazz maniacs and full-on completists (is there any other kind?) gets the best and most when it comes to music.  Recently, I've been obsessing over a couple of mid-seventies Japan-only Herbie Hancock releases.  My knowledge of Herbie's output, considering the breadth of his catalog, is pretty shallow.  I probably leave off with the first Headhunters record, and pick up again with I Thought It Was You.  Japanese friends love this song; I can only take so much vocoder from non-Troutmans.  Troutmen?

So, anyway, filling in gaps, foreign-release style.  Loving the following two:

Dedication (1974) is an album recorded on an off day while on tour in Japan.  At first listen, a curious release, albeit a balanced and engaging one.  Side A contains two solo piano takes on tracks from Maiden Voyage (1965), the title track and Dolpin Dance.  Exquisite, contemplative version.  Super gorgeous and beautifully recorded.

Side B, counter to the acoustic meditations of A, is full of synth exploration.  I've heard Nobu referred to recently as possibly the first techno track (1974!).  Recently given the re-edit treatment by one of the Quiet Village guys, and lots of love by Gilles Peterson, it's not too hard to connect the dots.  Though lacking in a strict four-to-the-floor beat, there are layers of ominous keyboard rhythms, jabs, and riffs.  Cool stuff.  Continuing the electro-theme, the album closes with a chunky, bass-programmed (Arp?) take on Canteloupe Island, returning again to earlier catalog, though with a (for its time) considerably futuristic slant.

The following year's live release, Flood, documents a Herbie/Headhunters concert at several Japanese halls (check Butterfly for some of the most well-intentioned but hesitantly delivered Japanese stage banter here).  It's said that with the Headhunters projects, Herbie had aimed to create a more earthy, rooted sound, compared to the airy/spaciness of the preceding Sextant albums.  Evident here in the warmth and ease of the band's sound.  Particularly cool how Hancock opens the show on acoustic piano (Maiden Voyage again, not dissimilar to the Dedication version) and gradually moves towards more electronic sounds as the show progresses.

So, anyway, I need to close this out...  Um, given the state of my iPod and Winehouse in summer '08, I can't really hate on The Joni Letters taking Album of the Year anymore.

Take A Sad Song And Make It Better

For Tony.

Three Inspirations

This Flying Lotus album is ridiculous. Or so it goes, but I think I have to agree. I tend to like beats/sounds that are very dense, or conversely taut and minimal. Somehow this record seems to be both at the same time. It's like if Madlib's BeatKonducta were to produce Massive Attack (or vice versa) in a vaccuum. Magnificent.

I think, though, that my favorite record of the summer so far is Silent Movie by Quiet Village. Side project of a minimal techno producer or two, I think, the project finds the duo in mellow, balearic territory. Sounds great in headphones. Rolls by lovely if you're on the road at night.

I spent the earlier part of the week searching for a track I heard in a YouTube video. Turns out to be the title cut of My Way by a Canadian artist called Akufen. And it's a mind-blower. Lots of FM radio samples spliced into melody and rhythm over smooth house soundscapes. Lovely.

I want that old thing back…

From this:



To this:


Oh Amy.

What is going on? Although now I’m starting to believe that her slurred delivery of her hit Rehab is just a part of the stage show.

On another note, if M.I.A. and Diplo are bigging up B-more Club music, then new artist Wale is taking it there for D.C. I didn’t really feel him on the Roots’ “Rising Up”, except for the “Olson-twinnin’” line. That’s classic! As is his downloadable, Seinfeld-inspired, “Mixtape About Nothing”. Extra points to Julia “Elaine” Louis-Dreyfus for dropping in (for real!!!) on “The Vacation from Ourselves”. His subtle use of Go-Go is really nice! Check “The Grown Up”. Go-Go mixed with hip-hop/electro and Stevie flavor.

One more:

Big-up Mos Def for showing love to Jay Electronica AND Jon Brion at his Mos Def Big Band Carnegie Hall show. Beautiful.

Enjoy.

Afro-Punk 08

Mr. Spooner is a good guy, and there's a bunch of quality music, film, and activity going on...more info here.